Fifteen days later, An Jin’s horseback hunting competition was approaching. Despite this, An Jin showed little interest and was busier than ever with official duties. I also consulted Doctor Liu about my father-in-law’s eye condition, who confirmed that slow recuperation was necessary and could not be rushed.
With the eye illness added to his leg injury, my father-in-law could no longer manage the bookstore, forcing me to take over. Consequently, the time An Jin and I spent together diminished, and even our daily routine was neglected, leaving me feeling melancholic.
Being “taken care of” felt excessive at times but was missed when absent. I felt conflicted; however, seeing An Jin’s exhaustion daily made me reluctant to complain. Instead, I focused on painting in the bookstore during my idle time, often resulting in erotic paintings. Que’er was shocked when she discovered this, thinking I was aiming to become the “Thirteenth Master of Erotic Paintings.”
I wondered, why not? After painting beauties for years, a qualitative leap seemed necessary. However, creating erotic paintings required imagination, as one could not use existing figures without permission. When I shared this idea with Chen Hua Ou, he was surprised but agreed it had potential. He secretly lent me popular erotic painting albums for reference.
With few customers in the bookstore, I took the opportunity to secretly study the erotic painting albums lent to me by Chen Hua Ou, hiding them under the cover of “Ritual and Music.” The more I looked, the more I felt the erotic painting market had unlimited potential. Even crudely drawn and aesthetically unpleasing erotic paintings could gain popularity in Yanfeng, indicating a desperate hunger for such art. I imagined that if I painted, I could stand out, create a new school of erotic art, and elevate my painting career. This thought excited me, causing my heart to race.
Suddenly, a slender, elegant hand gently knocked on the rosewood table before me, pulling me from my thoughts. “What are you looking at?”
I looked up dazedly. “Yan Huo, what a coincidence.”
After a moment, I realized it was indeed him. He laughed lightly, resting his elbow on the bookshelf, his brown eyes curved like honey. “What are you so engrossed in?”
