Exclusive Model for the Top Painter Chapter 77

Snowflakes Mingling with Tears

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Liang Jin was surprised, the wound on Ji Xiuyuan's right hand was not deep, and under normal circumstances, it would have healed in a fortnight at most. It's been almost a month, why was he still wrapping his hand tightly?

After dinner that day, he said, "Yuan Yuan, why isn't your wound healed? Let me check it for you?"

Ji Xiuyuan very calmly removed the gauze, revealing a reddish scab mark. After all, he was a world-class top rated painter, fooling a rookie like Liang Jin was a piece of cake.

Liang Jin worriedly said, "It's been almost a month ah, should we go to the hospital again?"

"No need, it's already scabbed over, it will heal naturally in a while."

Liang Jin stared at the wound carefully for a while, "Ji Shen, why do I feel that something is wrong?"

"Because you were overly worried, so you created an illusion."

Liang Jin stood up from the sofa, intending to change his angle and look again. The moment he got up, Amber suddenly scurried out from the corner, and in order to avoid the cat, Liang Jin slipped and was about to fall.

Ji Xiuyuan hurriedly caught him, the palm of his right hand subconsciously gripping his wrist.

Liang Jin lay on top of Ji Xiuyuan and wondered, "Yuan Yuan, your scabbed wound, why is it so smooth to the touch?"

Ji Xiuyuan loosened his grip, "Xiao Jin, that's your illusion."

Liang Jin looked at his wrist, which was stained with red from being in contact with Ji Xiuyuan's palm.

It was all scabbed over, so there was absolutely no way this thing could be blood.

It looked as if it was paint from Ji Shen's studio?

"Ji Shen!!! This is paint, isn't it??! Are you tricking me again????"

"I'm sorry," Ji Xiuyuan immediately explained, "I was just hoping that you would take the initiative for a bit longer."

"Do you know how worried I was about you?"

"Xiao Jin, I was wrong." Ji Xiuyuan gently wrapped his arms around him and coaxed, "What will it take for you to forgive me, huh?"

"Don't want to forgive you!!!"

"Xiao Jin, do you want to go skiing?"

"... No!"

"Besides skiing, you can also build a snowman at the ski resort. If we go together, we can also soak in a hot spring at night."

"I kind of want to go."

"Forgive me?"

"From today onwards, you'll do all the housework, and I'll play games!"

"Okay."

"You'll cook every day too!"

"Okay."

"It's your turn to serve me at night!"

"Okay."

"When are we going skiing?"

"This weekend. There will be a personal exhibition next week, and I have to attend a promotion meeting on Friday, so we'll leave after the meeting."

On Friday, Tian Han Group's international art department, Ji Xiuyuan's annual personal exhibition Treasure promotion meeting.

Ji Xiuyuan was on stage participating in an interview, while Wen Di and Liang Jin sat below the stage and chatted.

Wen Di said, "I see that Director Ji isn't wearing the white gauze today... What, is the little flirtation between you two over?"

Liang Jin was speechless: "Wen Di, do you have spare time at work? Every day you focus on this nonsense."

"How can this be considered nonsense? The relationship between Director Ji and you remaining stable is an important item in the company's risk assessment."

"Where will the exhibition be held this time? I remember last year it was at the A City International Art Exchange Centre?"

"When I was preparing for the exhibition at that time, it was at Director Ji's villa, and it was the first time I saw you." Wen Di recalled, "At that time, I felt that you definitely had a thing with him."

"Hey! There was nothing at all, okay? I was completely innocent at that time!!!"

Wen Di pushed his glasses up, a brilliant light reflecting in his eyes behind the lenses, "You and he have a natural attraction for each other. In other words, as long as you stand together, that ambiguous aura automatically surfaces. If nothing has happened yet, it's on its way!"

Liang Jin directly gave up arguing, "Okay, you're right."

Wen Di glanced at the report in his hand, then looked up and said, "This year, the exhibition will be held at Tian Han Group's international art department. After so many years of development, Director Ji hopes that it can grow into an absolute predator in the domestic art market, and this painting exhibition is a great opportunity for that."

"It feels very impressive."

"Tian Han's founder was Director Ji's father, who established it as the leading company in the fashion industry. And Director Ji's vision is far more than that, before long, you will be able to see that Tian Han will definitely become a giant that straddles the fashion and art worlds." Wen Di's tone was passionate, "Actually, this is also thanks to you."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"If he hadn't met you, Director Ji's achievements in art definitely wouldn't be as high as they are today. And, there wouldn't have been such a drive as there is now."

"Wen Di, you're overestimating me. Even without me, he would still be able to do it."

"No, my analysis is absolutely objective." Wen Di's tone was calm, "At the time he met you, his creation had already reached a bottleneck and fell into a kind of nihilism. You gave him, artistically and in life, a second life."

On the stage, Ji Xiuyuan said in a low voice: "The theme of this exhibition is called Treasure, because for me, such a creation is not only a treasure in artistic exploration, but also a leap in the understanding of life, a resonance of the soul."

———

It was already winter, and the ski slopes were silver and chilly.

Ji Xiuyuan was buying relevant ski equipment, and Liang Jin stood by the windowsill waiting.

When he looked out into the distance, he actually saw Yu Shan.

Yu Shan was wearing sunglasses and a pure black mask, completely covering his face. If it wasn't for being familiar with each other, at first glance, one wouldn't be able to recognise him at all.

He was talking to another man in a low voice about something, and despite deliberately lowering his voice, his emotions seemed unusually excited.

Ji Xiuyuan quietly approached Liang Jin after he had made his purchase, "What are you looking at?"

Liang Jin pointed at Yu Shan, "It's Emperor Yu, that guy next to him seems to be famous too!"

Ji Xiuyuan glanced at Yu Shan lightly, "Other people's personal matters are none of our business. Shall we go skiing?"

"Oh, okay."

Under the windowsill, the dialogue between Yu Shan and the man continued.

Tan Zimo snorted and sneered, "You say you're not playing around anymore? Who would believe that, are you still Yu Shan?"

Yu Shan warned him, "Believe it or not, I just don't want to play anymore. Don't bother me in the future, got it?"

"Yu Shan, why are you still pretending with me? How long have we known each other?" Tan Zimo was unforgiving: "Didn't I just go to England to study music for a few years? So why are you turning your back on me when I just came back?"

"Do you not understand human language?" Yu Shan's tone was cold: "I'll say it one last time, I'm not interested in any of your drinking games or dinners. I'm not interested in you anymore, so go find someone else."

"Yu Shan!" Tan Zimo gritted his teeth, "Do you know that the first person I looked for when I returned to China was you?"

"Oh, then you're done looking. We were finished long ago, it ended three years ago."

"Are you blaming me for not staying in the country with you three years ago?"

Yu Shan sighed softly for a while, "Tan Zimo, who do you think you are? A saint of love? Don't pester me anymore, let's part ways nicely."

Due to the filming process of the movie, Yu Shan followed the crew here to the ski resort for filming.

He didn't expect to run into Tan Zimo here at all. In fact, to be exact, it was Tan Zimo who purposely flew to catch up with him after learning about his schedule.

Yu Shan glanced at his cell phone, it was nearly two o'clock, and the afternoon shoot was about to begin.

The only thing he felt fortunate about was that Ruan Jun wasn't on the set today.

Otherwise it would be another headache for him to bump into Tan Zimo.

But this celebration did not last long, just as he was planning to leave, Ruan Jun came this way from another direction.

Yu Shan immediately tensed up and broke out in a cold sweat. With a wolf in front of him and a tiger behind him, it would be better to slip away first!

He was just about to pretend that he didn't see Ruan Jun when the latter called out to him, "Brother Yu, why are you here? I've been looking for you for a long time."

Yu Shan coughed gently, "Nothing, taking a walk and getting some fresh air."

Tan Zimo interjected, "I wondered why you were in a hurry to reject me, it turns out that you have a new love."

Yu Shan glared at him, "Shut up!"

Ruan Jun sensed the subtle atmosphere between the two men and instantly became displeased.

He approached Yu Shan and slowly asked, "Brother Yu, who is he?"

Yu Shan: "No one, just a singer."

Ruan Jun: "What I'm asking is, what's Brother Yu's relationship with him."

Yu Shan: "There is no relationship."

Tan Zimo smiled, "No relationship?" He deliberately hooked Yu Shan's shoulder, "We have had negative distance in our communication with each other, and we still call it no relationship?"

Yu Shan's face went white, "How long ago was that? It's long since passed."

"Is that so?" Tan Zimo pointed at Yu Shan's heart, "You really are heartless then. You've had a good life these past few years, haven't you? The new one you found, hey, have you seen him? He is a scum."

Ruan Jun quietly looked at Yu Shan, the inside of his eyes like cold pools.

Yu Shan tightly bit his lower lip, his heart flooded with continuous stabbing pain.

He obviously intended to start to collect his heart, wanting to be trusted...

The debt of love owed in the past, in the end, when and how can be cleared?

Yu Shan peeled away Tan Zimo's hand, and calmly said: "Tan Zimo, you don't have the qualifications to judge me. In terms of scum, you are worse than me, simply worse than anything I've ever seen. This one is not my new love either, he is someone I intend to take seriously. If I say this, can you understand?"

Tan Zimo shrugged, "These words coming out of your mouth, do you think anyone will believe them?"

At an unknown time it started to snow lightly, the fine snowflakes fluttered onto his eyelashes and instantly melted into crystalline dew.

Yu Shan felt so powerless for the first time, and he silently looked at Ruan Jun.

Hoping to see his pure gaze filled with attachment and longing again.

Hoping that he would hug him and whisper: Brother Yu, I believe in you.

After a long period of silence, there was a tired mutual compromise between them.

Ruan Jun averted his gaze and looked at the snowy landscape in the distance, whispering, "The afternoon shoot will start soon."

The two of them walked back to the film set one after the other.

Yu Shan couldn't help but say, "Ruan Jun, what I just said, it's true."

Ruan Jun stopped for a moment, and Yu Shan almost bumped into him.

Between the swirling snowflakes, Ruan Jun's words were a few degrees colder than the bitter cold wind.

He said, "Yu Shan, do you think I will still believe you?"

‿︵‿︵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: October 29, 2023