Chapter 35

Translator: Larbre Studio

Editor: Larbre Studio

“Qinglan, do whatever you want. Leave the art exhibition to me. I’ll definitely have it done just perfectly for you,” Daniel vouched.

Although Shen Qinglan was a lazy person, she was good to him. She paid him high wages and great treatment. Most importantly, he did not have many troubles with her. She might complain from time to time, but Daniel never regretted agreeing to be her agent.

“Daniel, isn’t there an auction coming up in the capital? One of them is my artwork, right?” Shen Qinglan asked when she recalled what Shen Junyu had told her.

“Yes. What about it?”

“I’m not participating in the auction this time. I have another use for that piece.”

“But…”

“You tell the ones in charge of the auction that I will be sending two pieces of artwork their way.”

“Sure, no problem,” Daniel guaranteed.

Although suddenly withdrawing auction items at the last minute was not very nice, especially when it was for a charitable cause, but if she made up to them with more artwork, surely the organizer would be pleased as well.

And Daniel would not let them suffer losses too. Without Leng Qingqiu’s pieces, they still had artwork from other artists.

Shen Qinglan had reached her destination by the time she ended Daniel’s call.

She went to bed after taking a shower and slept all the way till morning.

The sky was clear that day. She stepped out wearing a casual outfit and a sun hat.

Hangcheng was a typical canal town in Jiangnan. Although it was a provincial capital, it had mountains, rivers, bridges, and residences.

September was the season of osmanthus. The city was filled with its fragrance.

Shen Qinglan walked along the street. This was an old street. The houses were all made of antique wooden structures with a road paved in blue flagstones in the centre and shops on both sides. They sold food, entertainment, appliances, fashion, accessories… everything.

Hangcheng had three attractions: Longjing tea, silk, and paper fans, all of which could be found along this street.

There was the faint sweetness of the osmanthus in the air. That was the smell of the osmanthus cake. Shen Qinglan followed the aroma and found the shop.

The osmanthus cakes were arranged neatly in the cabinets. She bought one and took a bite. The soft sweetness spread around in the mouth, combined with the light aroma of the osmanthus, making it sweet but not greasy.

Shen Qinglan’s eyes squinted. She loved the taste. She took a photo with her phone and searched through her contacts for Fu Hengyi’s number. After a moment of hesitation, she clicked ‘send’.

She did not look at the reply. She went on to buy more osmanthus cakes before going to the next shop.

There was an old sugar figure blower performing on the street. Shen Qinglan paused to watch. With her phone out, she snapped a picture when the old man was not looking.

That day, she had a meal at Kui Yuan Restaurant, one of the top ten noodle houses in Hangcheng. She also ate some osmanthus cakes, Dingsheng cakes, and tasted authentic West Lake Longjing tea. She found that West Lake Longjing tea and the osmanthus cakes were a perfect match.

That day, Fu Hengyi received a lot of photos on his phone. An old man blowing sugar figures; a cup of fragrant Longjing tea; a bitten, yellowish osmanthus cake, complete with shallow tooth marks; a girl with pigtails running happily; and a photo of a cool and collected silhouette with a beautiful profile standing under the blue sky. The misty rain of Jiangnan seemed to have brought a faint and gentle touch of tenderness to that face. 

At night, after Fu Hengyi returned to the hotel, he looked at the photos in his phone with a smile sparkling in his eyes. He called Shen Qinglan.

She was painting a picture when she received his call. She had been out for the whole day. Inspiration filled her mind. She wanted to record them on paper.

“Are you asleep?” Fu Hengyi asked.

Shen Qinglan glanced at her half-finished product and shook her head. “Not yet. What about you?”

“Just got back.”

“Had fun today?”

Had fun today? Shen Qinglan supposed she did. She could not remember when was the last time she had been so relaxed. 

She, who had always been introverted, did not know how to express her happiness, so she went with a faint hum.

“I’ll go with you next time, alright?”

Eyes brimming with gentleness, Shen Qinglan delightfully said, “Alright!” 

The call ended. Shen Qinglan looked at the half-finished artwork on the easel, picked up the sketchbook next to it and, with a few strokes, sketched a man’s face. Its three-dimensional outline, distinct facial features, a bridle nose, obviously resembled Fu Hengyi.

She observed the figure she had just drawn, slightly fascinated.