Not long ago, Yan Huo had requested to be in my painting. I intended to use this piece as bait to draw him in, hoping he wouldn’t want to become the male protagonist of more nude paintings.
I planned to send the painting to Shai Yue Zhai when Que’er was distracted. However, when Su Hui and Su Xi suddenly visited, I was busy playing the shrew to drive them away. When I returned, the poetry book containing the painting had vanished. Que’er said she had taken the liberty of selling it to Lin Shusheng.
This was shocking. Lin Shusheng had always been rigid and would likely find the painting’s nudity unacceptable. I feared he’d denounce the bookstore for hanging poetry books with such content, accusing it of spreading unhealthy thoughts and violating sage teachings. Unexpectedly, the bookstore’s business improved significantly after that day, with poetry books selling out quickly.
While I was still puzzled, Lin Shusheng approached, covering his face with his hand and asking in a conspiratorial tone: “That—do you have any more?”
“Which one?” I was stunned.
Lin Shusheng glared at me with disappointment, then whispered: “The one in the poetry book…”
I seemed to understand. “Actually, that’s not—”
He waved his hand and threw some silver in front of me: “Get me a few more, preferably from multiple angles… Oh, besides the Western Liang monarch, do you have any others?” He looked around eagerly: “Like the Crown Prince? Ya Qin Gongzi? An—An Daren, forget it.”
The more honest-looking ones have the most complicated thoughts. Anger rose in my heart, and I unleashed Yuan Xiao to bite him, catching this usually upright scholar off guard.
This misunderstanding eventually drew Yan Huo.
Yan Huo appeared unexpectedly. With my elder brother’s wedding approaching, I was at the fabric shop with Que’er to have a new outfit made. Just as I was preparing for measurements, Yan Huo walked in, smiling at me.
He was holding the silk painting that should have been in Lin Shusheng’s hands, crumpled from having been poorly handled.
“Thirteenth, is this the new character painting you mentioned?” He picked up the silk painting, his handsome face wearing a half-smile.
I stared at the painting, my mind racing. The opportunity had finally arrived. How should I proceed?
