Chapter 7, the duck has run away

"Alright, I know you want to finish drawing, but forcing it is just a waste of paper. Let's go, we should eat first." He firmly grasped her arm, not allowing Fu Qingliu to refuse, and led her out.

She sat in the office, with a meal that Chi Fei had packed for her placed in front of her. Chi Fei was outside taking a phone call, and an excited voice could be heard coming through, though the details of the situation were unknown. Xiao Yang cautiously poked his head in from outside, looking at her carefully, "Manager..."

It is likely due to the sudden emergence of the Ten-Mile Gallery, coupled with the enigmatic nature of its resident artist, and the fact that the artworks are exclusively exhibited within the Ten-Mile Gallery, that its reputation has far surpassed that of several other renowned galleries. This situation has led to considerable dissatisfaction among the owners of these galleries, who have united to marginalize the Ten-Mile Gallery, secretly competing for the exhibition of works by artists who wish to collaborate with them. The reason their external gallery has not been opened for the past six months is precisely because of this

Mentioning Fu Yixun, Fu Qingliu felt a slight stir in her heart. She greatly admired Master Fu's works; even though she herself is a genius with an IQ of 210, she had to admit that Fu Yixun is undoubtedly a genius among geniuses. His artworks are not confined to one or two types, unlike her who is only skilled in painting, or others who excel in pottery. Fu Yixun's artworks range from small pieces like paintings and pottery to grander forms such as operas, dances, and even skyscrapers. The iconic building in Qing City that once inspired her is his creation, and every foreigner who sees it would recognize it as a symbol of Country C. His artworks are not limited to one or two types, unlike her who is only skilled in painting, or others who excel in pottery. Fu Yixun's artworks range from small pieces like paintings and pottery to grander forms such as operas, dances, and even skyscrapers. The iconic building in Qing City that once inspired her is his creation, and every foreigner who sees it would recognize it as a symbol of Country C.

Fu Qingliu immediately made a gesture to him as if to zip up his mouth

On the second floor of the inner corridor, in Fu Qingliu's studio, she can see the lotus pond below as soon as she steps out of the floor-to-ceiling sliding window. There are several potted plants on the balcony, and occasionally, a dragonfly lands on the petals.

If it were someone else who was robbed, it would be one thing, but do you know whose art exhibition they have stolen this time? It is Master Fu Yixun's! Originally, the Blackstone Gallery had already joined forces with other galleries in the mainland to exclude us. How could Master Fu, who had originally decided to hold the exhibition here, suddenly choose the Blackstone Gallery? They must have done something! It makes me furious, truly furious! No, I need to ask someone to check Master Fu's recent schedule. We must still have a chance to persuade him to hold the exhibition here!

Her gaze seemed to be vacant, as if looking through the canvas to a distant light-year away. The brush in her hand moved slowly, painting a mysterious and captivating deep purple on the paper

He is a true "great artist" in every sense of the word, and no one would disagree.

What?

Apart from Chi Fei and Xia Junning, even the staff in the Shili Huagong believed that Fu Qingliu was merely a staff member responsible for managing the Shui Qingliu paintings

A cotton swab dipped in alcohol was gently used to disinfect the small wound on the elbow, followed by the application of a band-aid. Fu Qingliu changed into the black shirt he wore while painting, walked to the curtains, and pulled them aside, allowing the sunlight that had been blocked by the curtains to flood into the room, warming the entire space

Blackstone Gallery has stolen our business! Damn it! Those despicable and shameless bastards!

Fu Qingliu was pulled out of the studio, but her passion seemed not to have left with her. She is always like this; when she is not painting, she appears to be leisurely, as if the sky were falling, she would not hasten her pace, displaying a carefree demeanor.

Inside the room, there are many paintings covered with white curtains, as well as rows of easels and canvases. Fu Qingliu took a new canvas and placed it on the easel, clipped a clean white sheet of paper, and sat in a tall round chair with his back to the sunlight. He mixed vibrant colors on the palette when suddenly his movements paused, and an exquisitely delicate yet entirely un-feminine face emerged in his mind... along with that hazy, dreamlike silhouette. In his mind, a noble figure from ancient Europe stepped onto the rings of time, gracefully and nobly advancing into this modern world filled with vibrant colors and rampant material desires.

Bang! It is uncertain whether it was the fourth or fifth time, but Fu Qingliu once again kicked over the easel in front of her. She stood up irritably and paced around the studio. Outside, the sky had turned pitch black. Her stomach was empty, yet she had no desire to eat at all. After a while, she squatted down in front of several easels on the floor.

The duck that was about to be caught has flown away, causing Chi Fei to become so angry that his blood pressure skyrocketed

Fu Qingliu glanced at him while holding his head, stood up, walked over, and took another drawing board, "I will go eat in a moment"

How?

Although some people rated her just below Fu Yixun, Fu Qingliu herself knew that she was still far from Fu Yixun. Compared to Fu Yixun, she was merely a small-town citizen

Fu Qingliu inserted her hands and, while moving forward, held her head in her arms, her entire face twisted in a tangle of emotions. "Why can't that figure just stand still and not move? If only he would remain still, she would definitely be able to draw it!

If it was taken, then so be it. After all, the gallery along the ten-mile stretch will not go bankrupt just by exhibiting her paintings alone

So?

After much effort, he learned that Fu Yixun would be returning to the country soon to hold an exhibition. He leveraged his connections to find the relevant person in charge on Fu Yixun's side and finally secured a verbal agreement from them. Considering that after Fu Yixun held an exhibition with them, the reputation of Shili Gallery soared once again, he believed that even if other galleries offered much lower prices, many celebrities would still be willing to hold exhibitions with them. However, just when everything seemed to be in place, Fu Yixun's exhibition fell through

I want you to find Master Fu and persuade him to give up the Blackstone Gallery and hold the exhibition here

Xiao Yang slowly inserted the hanger she was holding, on which hung a dark red scarf adorned with golden exquisite patterns, carefully wrapped in a transparent bag to ensure that not a speck of dust would touch it. She said, "I have already sent it for dry cleaning once, this..." She looked at Fu Qingliu with difficulty, completely unsure of what to do with the scarf.

Each canvas holds a nearly complete painting, showcasing such captivating and wonderful colors. Yet, it invariably gets stuck at one-third of the way, becoming disconcerting. This is because every time she reaches that point, the hazy and beautiful figure in her mind suddenly turns around and scolds her, "Vulgar! Perverted!" Consequently, her hand trembles, leading to repeated failures in her artwork.

Chi Fei looked at her with a maddening gaze, "You really don't know the value of money until you manage a household! Do you think the gallery can sustain itself for long if the outer corridor is not open? I asked you to sell a few more paintings, but you are unwilling!"

"Qing Liu!" The voice of Chi Fei echoed outside the door, followed by the sound of a key being inserted into the keyhole. The door opened, and Chi Fei appeared at the entrance with a look that suggested it was to be expected. "Have you skipped meals again because of painting? You don't want to end up in the hospital again because of stomach pain, do you?"

Fu Qingliu glanced at the scarf with a hint of annoyance and pointed to the coat rack behind her office door. Xiao Yang immediately hung the scarf up and then quickly tiptoed out.

As soon as Fu Qingliu saw that wicked scarf, she recalled those two words. To be honest, throughout her life, she had been called a freak and malicious, but she had never been accused of being lewd or perverted. Wasn't it just a careless touch? It wasn't as if a young lady had been violated.

Knock knock knock

Chi Fei has gone out, and Fu Qingliu, regaining her focus, continues to eat the dinner that has already become somewhat cold. By the time she slowly finishes her meal, Chi Fei walks in with a resolute expression, directly approaching her table, placing both hands on the surface, and seriously staring at her, "Master Fu will go to the Heimei Club to ride horses tomorrow"

"Come on, put down the drawing board and come eat with me right now," Chi Fei said as he walked over, snatching the drawing board from her hands. He glanced down at her discarded sketches, his eyes widening in surprise. A flicker of admiration crossed his face; even though this was merely a rough draft and incomplete, he could discern that if fully realized, it would be incredibly captivating. This painting would undoubtedly make the name 'Shui Qing Liu' renowned in the European art scene. However, he also noticed that Fu Qing Liu had encountered an insurmountable bottleneck.

Hmm? With a mouthful of rice, Fu Qingliu lazily lifted his eyes to look over

Xiao Yang had just gone out for a short while when Chi Fei walked in, his face flushed and neck thick with anger. He forcefully slammed the door shut, exclaiming, "I am so furious! This is too much! Damn it! Huh... huh..."