Exclusive Model for the Top Painter Chapter 22

Indulging in the Afterglow of a Love Affair

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National Central Academy of Fine Arts, Monday morning.

In the dressing room, Xu Xin was styling Liang Jin.

This was the day to work on the second painting, 'White Snake', and the character he needed to play was the noble prince of the royal family. The theme is set in the Ming Dynasty and tells the story of a young prince of the royal family who has a passion for seeking immortality, but on his way to the mountain to pay homage to his master, he meets a snake demon and absurdly forms a master-pupil relationship. During the process, they gradually fall in love with each other and become affectionate. When they discover the true identity of the snake demon, the royal family asks the prince to kill it. He is forced to do so, and after a lingering love affair, they both die.

What this painting seeks to represent is the state of contentment and peace after this last love affair.

Liang Jin asked, "The theme of this painting is martyrdom, do you have a partner for me?"

Xu Xin tied his hair while saying, "Originally there was, but Mr. Ji rejected the idea. He thought it would be better to use a snake than a person, it would provide a more Liao Zhai feel."

"Huh?" Liang Jin almost jumped up from his seat, "It can't be a real snake, can it?!!!"

"Of course not." Xu Xin looked at him suspiciously, "Are you afraid of snakes?"

Liang Jin was still in shock, "A little bit, they're slippery and have scales, I'm already getting goose bumps."

Xu Xin reassured him, "It's just a prop."

"A real snake is fine," Liang Jin said calmly, "I can overcome any difficulties I face at work."

But when he arrived at the scene and saw the arm-thick prop snake, Liang Jin flinched involuntarily.

So Ji Xiuyuan saw a scene like this:

The person not far away was dressed in an ice-blue silk brocade robe, wearing a crown of transparent glazed jade on his head. His body was beautiful and he was elegantly dressed. He was holding a folding fan in his hand, with snow-white edging on his sleeves. His face was handsome and his temperament was graceful.

At this moment, this noble prince was frowning and staring at the snake-shaped prop with a serious expression, as if he was frozen in place, not daring to move a step forward.

Ji Xiuyuan quietly walked up to his side: "What? Are the props scaring you?"

Liang Jin's grip on the fan tightened again: "How… is that possible?"

"You look like you're about to be eaten?"

"I... am brewing emotions." Liang Jin turned his full attention to Ji Xiuyuan's face as a way to dissipate that discomfort born from fear: "Isn't this snake going to die a martyr's death with me? So I'm going to get into the mood early, to achieve a kind of... Ah!!!"

As he was speaking, Ji Xiuyuan picked up the snake, and Liang Jin, who couldn't contain himself, immediately jumped back: "What are you doing with it?"

"Testing whether you are afraid or not."

"Okay, you've already tried, put it back!""

Ji Xiuyuan asked, "Such a big reaction? What if you have to get close to it later?"

Liang Jin said seriously, "No matter how scared I am of this thing, I won't carry personal emotions when I work, don't worry about that."

Ji Xiuyuan put the snake back in its place, "No need to force it. If you really don't like it, we can do it another way. It's just that the preparation will take a little longer, and there are details of the programme that will need to be revised."

"I'm not forcing it," Liang Jin did not want to delay the progress of the whole team because of his own personal reasons, "I can do it." He unfolded his folding fan and smiled at Ji Xiuyuan, "Trust me once in a while too, Ji Shen."

This action was so smooth and fluid, and with just a smile, it was as if he was transported to Yangzhou in March, surrounded by ancient bridges, pavilions and streams.

Ji Xiuyuan's gaze was deep: "This outfit, is it troublesome to wear?"

Liang Jin put away the folding fan: "It is troublesome, I put on the profane clothes underneath myself. The outside was all done for me by Xu Xin, especially this belt, as soon as I untie it, my clothes will be all messed up."

Ji Xiuyuan was thoughtful: "So the key to taking it off is the belt?"

Liang Jin was a bit confused: "It's hard to put it on, why do you need to take it off?"

"The scene that will be played out later is you and the snake on the bed, why do you think you need to take it off?"

"Then I'm not wearing it for no reason?"

Ji Xiuyuan smiled, "If you want to wander around here unclothed, you don't have to wear it."

Liang Jin: ......

After the scene was set, the room was cleared just like before, leaving only the photographer behind.

Liang Jin sat on the bed and asked, "Why is it always on a bed?"

Ji Xiuyuan was leaning down to unbuckle his belt: "This kind of thing, you prefer other scenes?"

Liang Jin coughed: "It's not a question of whether I like it or not, okay? It always feels ambiguous on the bed."

"It's not a feeling, nor is it ambiguous." Ji Xiuyuan unbuckled his belt and his robe immediately spread out: "This time the scene is indeed the aftermath of lovemaking." Liang Jin recalled the plot and licked his lips, "Mmm, there's also martyrdom."

Ji Xiuyuan messed up his robe a little more, "Are you ready? I'm going to bring the snake over."

Liang Jin took a soft breath, "Okay."

"If it doesn't work, feel free to call it off at any time."

"I can do it."

During the time when Ji Xiuyuan went to get the props, Liang Jin had already prepared himself mentally.

When he saw the arm-thick snake again, it was no longer the same species that had disgusted him. All that remained was a heart full of love and eyes full of tenderness, as if he was really looking at his lover.

This was far beyond Ji Xiuyuan's expectation; he had thought that Liang Jin was trying to be brave. But in reality, Liang Jin was always able to surprise him. At this moment, for example, his empathy for the character had overridden his own personal emotions, as if he naturally loved this animal.

Ji Xiuyuan wrapped the snake around his waist and then whispered: "Next, I will open your profane clothes. I'll slip it around your waist and then against your skin and out past your collarbone. You will wrap your right hand around the snake's head, your expression as infatuated as possible. This is your last night with it. And, of course, the beginning of your return hand in hand."

Liang Jin nodded slightly in understanding.

Ji Xiuyuan lifted his profane clothes, and his cold fingers touched his skin.

When the snake's body ventured inside, Liang Jin shivered uncontrollably.

Sure enough, was he still afraid?

He raised his eyes to look at Liang Jin's expression, but could not detect the slightest hint of it. He stroked Liang Jin's hair comfortingly, "The emotions are well mastered."

Liang Jin winked at him.

The photographer started snapping pictures, and Ji Xiuyuan walked to the easel to the side and started creating.

After the work was done, Liang Jin went to the dressing room to change his clothes.

As soon as he changed out of his costume, Liang Jin immediately turned pale.

Xu Xin was shocked by his state: "A'Liang, why do you look so pale? You were obviously fine just now."

Liang Jin reluctantly smiled, "It's nothing, it will be fine later."

All the emotions that had been suppressed during the workday suddenly burst out. Liang Jin felt his body tremble and his forehead sweat, and he was very uncomfortable.

He took a few steps forward in a daze, but suddenly someone grabbed his wrist: "Are you not feeling well?"

Liang Jin looked up and saw Ji Xiuyuan: "It's nothing, I just didn't have an appetite, so I skipped lunch."

Ji Xiuyuan was suddenly a little distressed, it was easy to guess the reason why Liang Jin was like this. He gently held Liang Jin's shoulders, "Go lie down in the rest room for a while, I'll get you some congee."

Liang Jin took a short nap in the rest room and when he woke up again, his complexion was already much better.

Ji Xiuyuan was sitting on the sofa reading papers, and when he saw him wake up, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

Liang Jin looked at Ji Xiuyuan pitifully as his stomach was empty and nodded.

Ji Xiuyuan smiled gently and brought a bowl of congee from the lounge, "I bought it earlier, it's been kept warm and is still hot."

Liang Jin was touched, "Thank you, Ji Shen!"

Ji Xiuyuan sent a string of numbers to his WeChat: "I coordinated with this side and gave you the afternoon off. If you want to go home, call Wen Di's number directly and he'll send someone to pick you up."

"Okay." Liang Jin asked, "What about you? When are you coming home?"

Ji Xiuyuan was in a trance for a moment, this ordinary sentence actually made him incredibly happy: "I'll come back as soon as possible this evening, maybe there will be time to cook dinner."

"Wow, fantastic!" Liang Jin hadn't eaten lunch yet, and was already thinking about dinner,

"Then I'll be waiting for you with a hungry stomach, Ji Shen!"

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: May 11, 2023