Fifth stroke

He glanced at the claws on his arm. She observed his expression and realized that she had not crossed his bottom line, so she shamelessly did not let go. "In fact, I have been following you for quite some time and have learned a thing or two. I would like to put this knowledge to practical use."

The art of buying and selling is not limited to a single type of oil painting; it encompasses everything from traditional Chinese ink wash paintings and calligraphy to the oil paintings and sculptures popular in the West. Any product related to art can be found.

Perhaps it was because she stood quietly for a little too long, or perhaps it was because she sensed her gaze. Those eyes, which had been fixed on the screen, slowly shifted, fluttering with the long eyelashes, and gradually turned towards her, "Go ahead and speak."

No need to see me off, this is it. Thank you for treating me today. An Yanran took out her phone to check the time and walked towards the nearest bus stop

Given this matter along with work-related issues, it is likely that he will not be in a good mood when he returns this week. Assisting with large purchases and using food and gifts as a strategy is her usual tactic

An Yanran smiled, it seems that he is in a really good mood today, and this matter is likely to have hope. She did not beat around the bush and directly said, "I want to participate in the art competition"

The dinner venue was chosen by An Yanran, a hot pot restaurant with a thriving business. There were no private rooms available, so they sat in the main hall, surrounded by the noisy voices of people, with a steaming hot pot in the center, clearly not an ideal place for conversation

An Yanran was overjoyed; such unexpected fortune was truly a gift from heaven. Next, it would be interesting to see how she would successfully take on his ... ...

Since its establishment nearly twenty years ago, Bo Xiang has only held two major competitions.

The legs, one on the left and one on the right, knelt on either side of his body beneath the oversized T-shirt, with the hips pressing directly against his center point, and the chest pressed against his chest, to the extent that even their breaths were almost in unison.

It was not like this before. He had never waited for her outside the girls' dormitory or the classroom. Each time, it was she who went to the boys' dormitory or the art studio to find him, waiting for him to finish what he was doing, and then they would go out to eat or on a date together

"Have you been waiting long?" An Yanran stepped forward and actively opened the car door, "I apologize, there are many matters in the studio. Let's find a place to eat and talk; I have something to attend to this evening."

In fact, she had no intention of discussing anything with him. What she aimed to achieve was merely this opportunity for a private meeting

"Don't be unreasonable." He supported himself on the table, feeling quite annoyed, "You stand properly first."

Apologies! An Yanran interrupted his words with a smile, her dark pupils slowly rising and finally settling on his face. "I think you have misunderstood. Being Gao Fei's assistant is entirely voluntary on my part; there is none of the situation you seem to imply. I find this job to be excellent; she is both talented and capable, and I believe success is only a matter of time."

"Then let's have seafood hotpot; the flower crabs shouldn't be left too long!" She was completely indifferent to this kind of cold treatment; the fact that he could speak to her was enough for her to secretly smile. An Yanran put on an apron, categorized all the items, and began to get busy.

Once during the early establishment and once seven or eight years ago. The male guest named Liu Hui, whom An Yanran met at the opening reception of the Gao Fei Studio, was the champion of the second competition held by Bo Xiang.

Under the faint orange sunset, he leaned against the black sedan by the roadside, smoking

Xiao Ran—he sighed softly

Good food only becomes delicious when shared with others

The soft black strands of hair brushed against his fair forehead in the gentle breeze. No matter from which angle one looked, Guan You possessed a uniquely captivating aura that quietly drew the attention of those around him

From her perspective, he appeared to be a silent sculpture. Whether it was his tightly pressed lips, his prominent nose, or his long fingers, they all resembled the pinnacle of a master artist's work, perfect to the point of being breathtaking

Catching a glimpse of the fleeting dimness in his eyes, she instinctively tightened her grip on the chopsticks, and the smile at the corners of her lips faded slightly. She took a napkin to wipe her mouth and said slowly, "I believe that since time has passed, some things need not be spoken of again. Everyone now has their own lives, and that is good."

I know I am quite bothersome, and I do not wish to be this way either, so please just agree to my request

The last four words were abruptly severed under the chilling gaze of his eyes

After the power was restored, An Yanran did not leave the gallery immediately. She completed all the tasks that needed to be done and only then slowly made her way to the agreed location. She was nearly an hour late, yet he did not make a single call to urge her. The wait seemed to be a matter of course.

Regarding the matter of exchanging work with the bookstore, I am not sure how Gao Fei communicated this to you. In fact, her studio has just opened, and it will not be of much help to you in the short term. If you have any needs, I can—

Indeed. He does not eat, yet she moves her chopsticks swiftly, dipping both lamb and beef, and in a moment, her lips are flushed red.

This time she invested heavily, using flower crabs, abalone, and clams to prepare the soup base for the hot pot. She also purchased premium beef and lamb rolls, along with refreshing vegetables and mushroom vermicelli, setting a lavish table for dinner.

The results stem from the long-term accumulation of connections in the marketplace and a unique eye for collecting paintings over the years. In the initial phase of the business, several emerging artists were signed at very affordable prices, and subsequently, they were packaged and nurtured into well-known and capable artists in the country today

Gao Fei's studio is different from the gallery; the gallery owner is relatively easy to talk to. Upon hearing that she has regular commitments on weekends, he only instructed her to remember to hand over the tasks to the intern, Xiao Da.

Her thoughts came to a halt here, the summer shirt conveying the most genuine sensation of his body to him. Consequently, she looked at him in some astonishment, "Teacher, how come you have already..." reacted...

She turned her gaze away and let out a long sigh

I have been training for more than eight months!" she lamented, "Teacher, I know my skills are lacking, and my mindset is not right... In short, I am not good at anything, but I really want to participate in the competition..."

In fact, she looks forward to this kind of busy routine once a week. When she was in her small apartment in the city, being alone usually meant that her meals were either takeout or instant noodles fried rice.

All night long, she busied herself with this and that for him, showing several times more thoughtfulness than usual. After dinner, he did not go to the studio but instead went to the living room to watch the news. Knowing that he would not be busy tonight, An Yanran quickly tidied up and brought the cut fruits and milk to him.

Why? She sat down beside him, her tone soft and her gaze sorrowful, like a pet abandoned by its owner. "Teacher, I really want to participate..."

At that time, upon hearing these words, she would always shake her head and smile sweetly. There were so many girls in school who liked him, and it was not just one or two who actively pursued him, yet he never did anything to create misunderstandings with others

This decision has further alienated several assistants who already had a poor relationship with her, leading to an increase in trivial gossip both in public and behind her back

In the living room, only a few recessed lights were turned on. He leaned against the black, soft sofa, his long legs crossed, with an indifferent expression. The glow from the television cast a bewildering hue on his sharply defined, handsome face, causing his pupils to reflect a strange luminescence.

She responded with a sound, intending to get off the sofa, but lost her balance and fell onto him. The distinctly refreshing scent of a man wafted towards her, and as she straightened her body, she realized that her current posture was indeed quite favorable

Bo Xiang's boss is said to have been a businessman in the past, and opening a gallery is purely a way to fulfill his youthful passion and dream for art

Matters related to work were also hardly communicated with her, to the extent that by Friday noon, she learned through other channels about the art competition jointly organized by the Bo Xiang Gallery, S City Academy of Fine Arts, and several well-known groups

I have said that your mindset is not right and needs refinement He frowned

"Do not make me say it a second time," he interrupted without hesitation

Bo Xiang is one of the top renowned art galleries in the country, possessing its own sales and management team, and has signed long-term collaborations with several well-known domestic artists.

Until I got on the bus and passed by the hot pot restaurant, that black car was still parked by the side of the street without leaving

"Have you been working in the gallery this year?" He held the chopsticks firmly, his gaze fixed on the person across from him

Therefore, overall, the art competition organized by Bo Xiang will be the most significant and noteworthy highlight in the industry this year

Due to her poor performance two weeks ago, she was ordered by someone to be confined for a week, meaning that last week he did not want to see her appear at the villa

The studio's holidays are on a rotating schedule, and any special circumstances must be reported in advance. She initially thought that the requirement to have fixed weekends off would not be accepted by Gao Fei, and she was considering how to negotiate a change in the time to return to the villa. To her surprise, Gao Fei did not refuse.

Before returning home that evening, she made a trip to the supermarket

"It is you—" she interrupted him again, her smile growing even more pronounced. "Senior Guan You, you should understand her temperament better than anyone else now. It would be best to refrain from calling her 'Xiao Ran' in the future. Meetings like today should also be avoided as much as possible. You have already wronged one person; do you really want to wrong a second?"

In terms of galleries, compared to the previous bookstore where she worked with Bo Xiang, it can only be considered a micro-sized art shop, solely responsible for receiving and selling paintings

He glanced at her and casually uttered two words, "Whatever"

After dinner, he asked her where she was going

... ...

As soon as An Yanran returned to the villa, she went to her room to take a shower. When she changed into a large T-shirt and came downstairs to prepare to tidy up the pile of spoils, she discovered that someone had already gotten there before her

"Alright." She stood up from the sofa obediently; the sofa was too soft, and she was not very steady on her feet, swaying slightly. When he turned to look, he was directly facing her long, smooth thighs.

Among all the dishes, the best she makes are seafood hotpot and steak. These two are her favorites. Although her personality can be difficult, her requirements for main meals are not very strict, so she prepares them according to her own preferences

I bought new towels, bath towels, and shower gel. By the way, this is a razor; the clerk said this model sells very well! She stepped forward, tidying up while explaining, "Here are all the vegetables. I bought seafood, which I brought in a frozen bag. Shall we have seafood hot pot tonight? I bought the seasonings you like, or do you prefer steak tonight?"

Do you think I wouldn't notice? If there's something, just say it

In the field of fine arts, it is quite rare to achieve fame in one's twenties. Liu Hui, now thirty-nine years old, only stepped into the ranks of renowned painters after winning the championship from Bo Xiang.

He glanced at her indifferent face through the car, lit a cigarette, and got into the vehicle

Regarding this romantic dynamic where women take the lead over men, Xiao Ru once jokingly expressed her disdain, stating that women are inherently meant to be cherished. She indulges him so much that he will inevitably go astray and run off with someone else.

Sometimes when he is busy, she has to wait for a long time, or in the end, she simply goes to the cafeteria to buy food for him

The person stood beside the dining table, one hand in their pocket and the other casually fiddling with her spoils

This is very good

The plum rain season has passed, and the heat of summer envelops the entire city of S. The process of carrying large and small bags to catch the bus and then walking up the mountain is no less than taking a sauna.

The color of his eyes, projected onto her face, grew a few degrees colder. He moved his lips and said, "No." Although he was looking up at her, she still felt an overwhelming pressure as heavy as a mountain.

The Bo Xiang team is robust, holding numerous exhibitions of various scales each year; however, the competitions they organize are few, and there are hardly any books published.

In a state of urgency, she once again disregarded the advice, her fingers instinctively climbing up his arm, tightly embracing him.

She certainly did not have the confidence to express these words with a perfect demeanor in the bright and tranquil atmosphere of a Western restaurant; the noise and warmth here perfectly masked her barely noticeable gritting of teeth

When she arrived, he was already waiting there

I haven't even let you touch the pen." He glanced at her

She did not deceive Guan You; she indeed has matters to attend to. She needs to do some thorough shopping before returning to the villa on Friday evening

But it has been such a long time, I have always listened to your words... This time is a very good opportunity

Then let me touch it from now on! She smiled brightly, unaware if he had caught her double entendre

Someone's expression was somewhat unpleasant, "Stand on the ground!"

As for the effect... um, in fact, she has never really demanded much in front of that person

The table was enveloped in steam, rendering each other's faces somewhat blurred. At this moment, An Yanran silently thanked the pervasive heat, thinking to herself that such a phrase, "This is nice," which could only be uttered by the saintly characters in idol dramas, was truly unsuitable for her at this time.

Noticing that he had become more lenient, she simply knelt beside him, her fist playfully pounding on his shoulder. "Yes, I know my drawing isn't good, and it will embarrass you in the competition, but I didn't plan to use my real name to participate! I will enter the competition anonymously, teacher~~ teacher~~~~"

An Yanran quietly listened to the conversation of two female colleagues outside the restroom. When she heard that Gao Fei had also signed up for the competition, a certain thought quietly surfaced from the depths of her heart

In the shifting glow of the screen, she appeared soft in demeanor, her pure black eyes filled with hope and yearning, gazing at him without blinking.

In the words of Boss Bo Xiang himself, art is valuable precisely because it is rare and refined. Although there are many people learning to paint in the country today, truly talented individuals are still few and far between. If one were to select once a year, it would be akin to picking the tallest among the short; no matter how one chooses, it cannot be considered refined.

At that time, I was so resolute in my belief, yet unexpectedly, it later turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy

He averted his gaze and said, "You are quite annoying"

This is good? He repeated her words, ultimately shifting the gaze that had long lingered on her face. "Yes, as long as you think it's good."