“!” Jing Nian looked up incredulously. She actually refused what he wanted?
“……” The art teacher opened his mouth, took a long moment before asking, “Why?”
Hua Jie couldn’t very well say that she had already painted for a lifetime, had enough of it, and must do something different in her reborn life.
She lowered her head to think for a while, then looked up and said:
“Teacher, my family is poor. We can’t afford paper, drawing boards, all kinds of pens, drawing books, paints… nor can we afford the art class fees.”
“……” The art teacher was stunned.
Was it really that poor?
She wanted to ask, but fearing it might hurt the young girl’s pride, she hesitated before finally saying:
“Why don’t you think it over and discuss it with your parents?”
“Okay, teacher.” Hua Jie pretended to consider, then smiled and responded, but clearly had no intention of changing her mind.
While they were talking, the homeroom teacher became anxious. Liang Ping approached and blurted out, “Hua Jie, if you don’t take art, do you still plan to go to college?” But considering the child’s self-esteem, she silently corrected her wording before speaking:
“Hua Jie, you need to consider your future university entrance exams. If you don’t take art, your grades need to be exceptionally good. I think you should really think about it.”
“……” Hua Jie immediately picked up on the homeroom teacher’s implication. She tugged at her lips, thinking to herself that she wasn’t foolish; her current grades were truly unexpected.
Before she could speak, the art teacher already took over the conversation, saying first:
“Hua Jie, your painting is truly excellent, and pursuing art could lead to great possibilities in the future, especially good for a girl.”
“……” Hua Jie politely smiled, but thought to herself:
Please, give me a break, teacher. I know too well! It’s killing me! Just thinking about it makes my shoulders, neck, waist, and wrists all ache.
And the dreadful, nitpicking words of the client’s father were all too vivid in her mind—both sorrowful and joyously colorful, all sorts of dark colors… Damn it all!
Yet politely, she said, “Thank you, teacher. I’ll think about it.”
“……”
“……”
Both the art teacher and the homeroom teacher wanted to say more, but seeing the girl’s gentle yet firm expression, they gave up.
With a sigh, the art teacher finally said with some regret:
“Then Jing Nian will be the art class representative.”
“…” Originally, Jing Nian quite wanted the position, but now he felt a sense of humiliation, as if he was being given charity by Hua Jie and reluctantly settled for by the teacher. He just nodded silently, a storm of frustration churning inside him.
“Alright, you can go now.”
As soon as the art teacher finished speaking, the three students politely bowed and left the office.
Exiting the office, Hua Jie and Jing Nian stepped through the door at the same time, nearly bumping into each other.
Both paused and looked at each other.
Jing Nian was still fuming, recalling the art teacher’s fervent gaze at Hua Jie and his indifferent, dismissive attitude towards him. It was enough to make him explode.
His cheeks puffed out like a blowfish, and he glared venomously at Hua Jie, then roughly pushed her away.
Hua Jie was shoved against the doorframe, her shoulder burning with pain.
Her eyes widened in an instant, and before he could take another step, the seemingly cute and round girl suddenly stepped forward and stomped down hard without any mercy.
The force was so great that Jing Nian’s heel almost came off, his heel throbbing as if it had been run over by a car.
He yelped in pain, about to push Hua Jie again in anger.
The girl sidestepped, leaving the door open for the teachers inside the office to see everything clearly.
She provocatively raised an eyebrow at him and then shouted loudly, “Why are you pushing me?”
Jing Nian was stunned, about to yell “You dare to f*cking stomp on me!” when he met the eyes of several teachers inside the office.
“…” He froze, his scalp tingling.
Seeing many teachers hearing Hua Jie’s words and looking at him with reproachful eyes, a wave of cowardice took over, and he instinctively said:
“I’m sorry.”
No sooner had he spoken than Hua Jie flashed a victorious smile, turned her back to the office, facing him and whispered tauntingly:
“You’re such a loser, even worse at painting than me!”
That’ll show you~
Jing Nian felt utterly humiliated, his face turning red and a lump of frustration stuck in his throat, nearly suffocating him.
But right outside the teachers’ office, a place fraught with potential trouble, he dared not act rashly, feeling as miserable and helpless as a dog scratched by a cat—
Internally screaming and rolling in agony!
He felt like he was being infuriated to death!
…
Jing Nian returned to the classroom, intending to confront Hua Jie, but as soon as he turned toward her, a female classmate pushed him aside.
Liao Shanshan had been waiting for Hua Jie for a while and, with excitement, she held up Hua Jie’s painting in her left hand and said:
“Hua Jie, can you give me this painting?”
She had just outmaneuvered all other contenders in the past five minutes, securing her position as the lucky one entitled to ask Hua Jie for the painting!
Hua Jie, blocked at the door, calmly sized up Liao Shanshan—
A lively high ponytail adorned with a pretty, delicate bow, a beautiful pink wristwatch, and a pair of brand-new white sports shoes.
Clearly, she was a girl from a wealthy family.
In her previous life, Liao Shanshan had barely spoken a few words to her.
Her family was poor, and she, being shy and introverted as a child, preferred sitting at her desk, reading romance novels and drawing.
Moreover, the Hua Jie of her first year in high school had only just started painting and seemed to live in a different world compared to the lively and cheerful rich girl like Liao Shanshan.
Taking a deep breath, Hua Jie was somewhat dazed, her smile ethereal.
Thinking Hua Jie was shy, Liao Shanshan cheekily suggested:
“How about I trade it for 4 bags of instant noodles?”
“Master Kang” instant noodles were currently very popular, especially with the promotional set of 108 Water Margin cards not yet expired.
Hearing about the instant noodles, Hua Jie immediately snapped back to reality and firmly said:
“6 bags.”
Bargaining with clients had almost become her instinct.
“Deal!” Liao Shanshan slapped Hua Jie’s shoulder, fearing she might change her mind.
“Wait a minute.”
“Huh?” Liao Shanshan looked nervous.
“Is cash okay?” Hua Jie’s eyes sparkled, her monthly allowance was only 10 yuan, and 6 bags of noodles were worth 3 yuan!
“Okay…” Liao Shanshan, relieved from her brief scare, patted her chest, didn’t say another word, and quickly stuffed the money into Hua Jie’s hand. Holding the painting tightly, she said joyfully, “Thank you so much, Hua Jie~~~”
Her excitement was as if she had obtained a priceless treasure.
Hua Jie almost let out a ‘thanks, tycoon’ but swallowed it back, finding it incredibly satisfying to hear ‘Client Daddy’ thanking her like this.
She walked alongside Liao Shanshan back to class, hearing Liao Shanshan boast to her classmates: “Xiao Yanzi’er is mine now~~”
Seeing someone appreciate her painting so much, even though it was a simple, unrefined sketch, Hua Jie felt a mix of emotions.
If only all clients in the world were as kind as Liao Shanshan.
A smile naturally curled the corners of her mouth, a joy born from her art being appreciated and socially acknowledged.
Hua Jie sat dazed for a while, only realizing she had been lost in thought and unaware that she was smiling.
Returning to her seat, she smoothed out three one-yuan bills and neatly folded them into her pocket.
Patted her pocket, the ‘first bucket of gold’ she had mysteriously earned since being reborn seemed to be heating up—not from the money itself, perhaps, but from her excitement heating her body.
Three yuan, in a small northern town in the year 2000, could buy over three kilograms of rice or four kilograms of flour.
Wow—her first bucket of gold!
She felt as if she had discovered a path to wealth…