All of a sudden, the attitude of the classmates and Teacher Zhang in the studio had changed towards her.
Hua Jie felt somewhat unaccustomed to this, but since things had come to this, she chose to enjoy it.
The next morning when Hua Jie arrived for class, she noticed that everyone seemed unusually submissive when facing her, like timid housewives.
Especially Jing Nian!
Especially Jing Nian!!!
He actually took the initiative to greet her and even offered her a smile that was a bit awkward but nonetheless polite.
His smile made Hua Jie quite uncomfortable, but she didn’t have the heart to crush his pride, so she pretended as if there had never been any friction between them before and casually responded with a smile.
But internally, she felt so awkward it was almost painful; she had to force herself to act unaffected, natural, as if nothing was wrong.
Not only had Jing Nian become more docile, but even Bai Lu avoided her, making a deliberate effort not to make eye contact, as if she were some kind of monster.
Tang Yang also toned down her presence, sitting quietly and painting as soon as she arrived in the studio, her usual arrogance diminished, making her much more pleasant.
The senior year students in the studio felt they could breathe easier; the oppressive feeling of Tang Yang’s superiority that used to suffocate them seemed to have vanished entirely.
For a time, the studio was sunny and cheerful, the atmosphere unexpectedly pleasant.
Sitting on a small stool, Hua Jie couldn’t help but sigh in relief—it felt so refreshing.
Nobody bothered her, and she was fully immersed in the world of painting, once again experiencing the pure joy of wielding her brush.
With every stroke she applied, she moved closer to completing the painting, gaining a small sense of achievement with each addition, which collectively enhanced her feeling of elation.
On this piece of paper, she was the supreme deity, the lines completely under the control of her brain and hand, arranged and dominated by her will.
Now that she was in a good mood, her lines were lively and spirited, and the resulting image reflected a bold and unrestrained style.
To her, painting served even better as a way of recording and expressing emotions than keeping a diary did, and it was more joyful and relaxing than singing karaoke or dancing.
When a painting was completed exactly as she had planned, with the outcome just as she had hoped, Hua Jie felt a cozy warmth envelop her, as if basking in the sun in a warm room on a cold day, soaking in a hot spring on a snowy mountain, or enjoying an ice pop in an air-conditioned room on a hot summer day…
Today’s painting was finished, but there was still a considerable amount of time left before class ended. As she sat in the studio drawing quick sketches of her classmates, her work received widespread admiration.
Everyone couldn’t help but show their paintings to Hua Jie, asking for her help and guidance.
In her previous life, Hua Jie had been an outstanding online course instructor, thriving in a highly competitive digital environment. She was equipped with richer information, better education, and more experience compared to Zhang Xiangyang, which is why her skillful guidance always greatly inspired her students.
Zhang Xiangyang, feeling somewhat anxious and tormented by a sense of crisis and the pain of being overshadowed by his students, found himself uncontrollably drawn to listen more to Hua Jie’s explanations to absorb knowledge, leaving him with a complex mix of emotions.
As class was about to end, Teacher Zhang listed a shopping list for the students: gouache brushes, gouache paints, gouache paper…
The art exam was crucial and weighted heavily towards color painting. School had started, and it was essential to keep up with the gouache class immediately.
Upon hearing this, Hua Jie fell silent.
Zhang Xiangyang thought that Hua Jie was only skilled in sketching and knew nothing about gouache, which worried him about losing his advantageous position in the studio. But that was not actually the case.
In fact, that was not the case at all.
The art exam didn’t limit students to just gouache; they could also use watercolors.
Hua Jie had learned traditional Chinese painting as a child, and she actually preferred watercolors. However, since over ninety percent of the candidates opted for still life in gouache, it was easier to compare and grade these during the exams, making it more likely to score higher.
Compared to that, not all examiners were as proficient in watercolor, and those who chose it often ended up with lower scores.
So, bowing to the peculiarities of the college entrance examination for art, Hua Jie had also learned gouache in her previous life.
But…
What about this life?
Would she continue to paint in gouache?
No!
She wanted to follow her heart.
After all, her parents thought she couldn’t get into Tsinghua University and would always have her study art.
In that case, it was better to learn watercolors than gouache.
However, because there were fewer students learning watercolors, it was really hard to find teachers skilled in it.
Moreover, rather than finding a mediocre watercolor teacher and learning subpar techniques, she might as well teach herself… That was a dilemma.
Hua Jie began to ponder her own insignificant connections and how she could find herself a good watercolor mentor.
As she thought about it, she suddenly remembered that there was a vocational school in Jinsong City, specifically aimed at cultivating talents in art, music, dance, and sports.
Such a place should have plenty of art teachers, she thought. Maybe she should go there and ask around?
…
Shen Mo returned home just as his father’s art class was ending, and a few students were saying their goodbyes.
He peeked into the studio and saw the students’ drawing boards on the floor, and couldn’t help but snort disdainfully:
“Their drawings are not even close to Hua Jie’s.”
Shen Jiaru, who was passing by, asked:
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.” Shen Mo withdrew his gaze and, without much care, walked towards the stairs and clomped up to his room.
A beautiful young girl, who was about to leave the first floor, followed his figure with her eyes until he disappeared around the corner of the staircase. Then, reluctantly slipping on her little leather shoes, she politely bid farewell to Shen Jiaru, picked up her small bag, and left.
The man who had been waiting in the living room for Shen Jiaru’s class to end finally stood up, smiling at Shen Jiaru:
“It’s rare for Teacher Shen to decide to teach a class. People from all over the country with dreams of art wish to send their children here, but unfortunately, you have too few spots.”
“Quality over quantity,” Shen Jiaru replied as he handed a cup of tea to the man.
“It’s a pity you’re so low-key. Many people don’t even know you take apprentices; otherwise, your doorstep would probably be worn down by people coming to seek teaching,” the man said with a smile tinged with a bit of regret. If he had been ten years younger, he would definitely have tried to study here too. If Shen Jiaru would accept him, it might have changed his life entirely.
The nation’s most treasured oil painting master, an artist with considerable international influence, being chosen as an apprentice by Shen Jiaru would undoubtedly promise a limitless future.
“These things are a matter of fate; not knowing just means there’s no fate,” Shen Jiaru said nonchalantly as he sat on the sofa, gesturing for the man to make himself comfortable and sit down for a chat.
The man smiled, sat down, and after sipping his tea, he intended to exchange a few more pleasantries with Shen Jiaru. However, seeing that Shen seemed somewhat distracted, he knew that if he kept up the small talk, Shen would likely drift into his own world of inspiration. Thus, he directly asked:
“Teacher Shen, Lu Academy would like to invite you to give a lecture. When might you be available—”
Shen Jiaru was accustomed to receiving various invitations from universities and major art exhibitions; if the organizers didn’t come to him, they would ask someone he knew to approach him.
He leaned back into the sofa, staring at his teacup, pondering whether he had the time, had something to lecture about, and whether he even wanted to go.
But just as his thoughts settled on university lectures, they quickly drifted away again. Shen Jiaru, who was notoriously prone to daydreaming, was considering teaching his students painting and inevitably needing to hire numerous live models.
He dreaded the hassle and rarely interacted with people; the idea of continuously hiring models of different ages, genders, and characteristics was somewhat daunting to him.
However, the mention of “Lu Academy” suddenly sparked an idea. All art schools continuously hire models, and if he could attend a live drawing class at an art school to “borrow” a model, wouldn’t that solve everything?
But, being in the small northern city of Jinsong, he certainly couldn’t travel all the way to Lu Academy to borrow a model.
But… didn’t Jinsong have a small vocational college with an art department? Although the school wasn’t much, it still held life drawing classes.
Perhaps he should visit Jinsong Vocational College!
As the fragrance of the tea slowly filled the room, the tea in the cup cooled in the waiting.
The silence in the living room stretched on endlessly, and the man holding the teacup felt uneasy in the silence.
He had no idea that Shen Jiaru’s thoughts had already wandered far away, and he looked at Teacher Shen, foolishly musing to himself:
Ah! Only those who are truly strong at heart are not afraid of awkwardness!
Outside the window in the courtyard, the big trees rustled in the autumn wind, early winter had arrived, and the leaves were swirling in the air.
…
…
With thoughts of finding an awesome teacher for himself at Jinsong Vocational College after class, Hua Jie came downstairs through the youth center courtyard and stumbled upon something delightful.
She saw Shen Mo at the youth center basketball court, sweating profusely and dunking continuously, looking very cool.
Then, Hua Jie happily ran over to watch Shen Mo play basketball.
He wasn’t wearing his school uniform on the weekend but was in a gray tracksuit, looking casual and sporty, which was very appealing.
However… he was wearing a pair of slippers.
Hua Jie couldn’t help but laugh; he really was a carefree, handsome young man.
He wasn’t even afraid of his slippers flying off while running and jumping.
Many girls were watching from the sidelines of the basketball court, and Hua Jie would bet that ninety-nine percent of them were there to see Shen Mo.
With every run and jump, every dash under the basketball hoop, the girls’ eyes traced the same paths, accompanied by expressions of tension and excitement.
Perhaps only by watching a handsome guy play sports can female pretend-fans experience the heart-pounding thrill real fans feel.
Shen Mo’s fluttering short hair, his long arms and legs, his sweat-dampened bangs, and his muscles tense from dunking were all undeniably eye-catching.
Hua Jie discovered the joy of chasing after a girl’s happiness. The ‘mom fans’ felt honored because their idol excelled in sports, his handsome leaps soaring to the skies.
When he walked by her to get some water after the game, Hua Jie cheerfully greeted him:
“Shen Mo~”
But the young man glanced back at the girl who had her sideburns clipped behind her ears with two small hairpins, then coldly drooped his eyelid, and without hesitation, turned his head and swept past her like a chilling breeze.
He also took her happiness away.
Uh…
Stunned.
She, Hua Jie, the star artist of the youth center, the little genius surrounded by adoration, was just coldly ignored like that.
He was still attentively teaching her math at school the day before yesterday, and today he pretended not to know her?
Shen Mo! Are school tyrants that impressive? Are school heartthrobs that impressive? Are academic aces that impressive?
To just disregard the summer lotus by the Lake of the Great Brightness?
Hua Jie, who had arrived full of life, left wilted and withered.
Was it because her academic subjects were too poor, so he looked down on her?
Or was it because she looked too foolish watching him play from the sidelines?
Or maybe he was just arrogant, and the reason he got along with her at school was only because she was his desk-mate, forcing him to reluctantly interact?
After her rebirth, Hua Jie originally intended to treat Shen Mo, the moonlight of her past life she had always yearned for, with great care. She wanted to support him from a suitable distance like a fan, offering the warmth she hadn’t dared to give in her previous life without expecting anything in return.
But now, due to Shen Mo’s indifference, she has slowly retreated back into her shell, becoming timid.
Her presence in the studio gradually faded, and as Hua Jie walked home, she removed the small hair clips from behind her ears, turning into a gentle girl who sighed and felt helpless about life.
…
When Shen Mo rode away on his bicycle, he saw the girl’s figure from afar and thought it might be Hua Jie as he passed by because of her bob haircut.
But seeing that her hair was tucked behind her ears, he hesitated, fearing an inappropriate response, so he chose not to respond at all and simply sped past on his bicycle.
However, that brief greeting from the girl, though only two words long, sounded very familiar—it seemed to be Hua Jie.
So, had she tucked her hair behind her ears after school?
With hesitation, he balanced on one leg, turned his head, and stared straight at her.
If she responded like an acquaintance, then he could confirm it was her—
If she looked at him blankly, as if she didn’t recognize him at all, or even seemed a bit afraid of him, then she was a stranger, meaning he was mistaken, and he could walk away without too much embarrassment.
This was a strategy developed over the years by a young man with face blindness to avoid awkward situations.
Hua Jie was in a state of melancholy when Shen Mo suddenly appeared beside her, staring intently, which made her anxious and unsure of what to do.
After being stared at for a few seconds, just before he might think he had mistaken her for someone else, she tentatively spoke up:
“Shen Mo?”
Hearing her voice, the young man’s eyebrows relaxed, he poked her head lightly with his finger and casually asked:
“Where do you live?”
“…” Hua Jie pointed in a direction, still stunned.
“Get on, I’ll give you a ride,” Shen Mo said in a commanding tone, nodding towards the back seat of his bicycle as his short hair fluttered slightly with the movement.
“…” Hua Jie was still a bit dazed.
It felt like a dream, even as she sat on the back of Shen Mo’s bike, lightly holding onto the side of his sport jacket.
???
What exactly happened?
A few minutes ago, she greeted him warmly, and he responded with indifference, as if dealing with some random stranger.
And now, a few minutes later, how did she end up riding on his bicycle, chasing the sunset together?
Could it be that the behavior of idols is just that unfathomable?
Hua Jie stared at Shen Mo’s broad shoulders and his slightly arched back as he cycled, and after several seconds, her gaze fell on the back of his head, where his short hair fluttered freely in the wind.
It was as if the wind was asking:
Little Hua, do you have a lot of questions?
Yes!
Her mind was indeed full of question marks!