PPS Chapter 79
by VolareOn Friday, Chu Zhaoyi submitted his artwork for the second round of the competition. Because there were few participants, the judging process was quick, and the results would be announced next Monday.
However, the academy organized an event for the weekend: an art exhibition featuring paintings submitted by students from the entire art school’s painting major.
Xie Haoran was quite involved in this, mainly because the student union he was a part of needed to organize activities, and as one of the class leaders, he was extremely busy.
Li Ze was even a little worried that he wouldn’t have time to create the artwork for the second round of the competition, but Xie Haoran had already submitted his work to the teacher, so Li Ze didn’t say anything.
Recently, he had grown increasingly displeased with Xie Haoran as a student. He saw a strong desire within him. It was normal for a person to have desires, but Xie Haoran’s desires seemed to carry a sense of radicalism and unscrupulousness.
He knew about the online issues but didn’t want to get involved, nor did he know how to manage the situation.
He just felt a little guilty towards Chu Zhaoyi.
The art exhibition was on Saturday, and the academy encouraged parents to attend and appreciate the students’ achievements.
Chu Zhaoyi didn’t like these kinds of events, but everyone was required to attend. He had promised Gu Yusen that he would study hard and attend university properly, so he naturally had to abide by the school’s rules and regulations.
So, on Saturday, he reluctantly followed along.
And his “guardian” was naturally “Brother” Gu Yusen.
Gu Yusen was very happy to participate. On Saturday, he even meticulously groomed himself and wore new clothes.
“Brother Sanmu, this is mine!” Chu Zhaoyi took Gu Yusen around the art exhibition. He said “around,” but he almost skipped past other paintings, purposefully walking up to a certain painting and stopping in front of it, his fair face full of pride.
Like a little cat wanting to be praised.
Gu Yusen naturally wouldn’t dampen the spirits of his little Chu cat, so he carefully examined the painting from top to bottom.
“Ah Yi, did you paint me? You painted me so well. Was I smiling so happily back then?”
In the painting, a boy held a rose flower in his hand, his eyebrows slightly raised, looking ahead, his eyes full of smiles.
It wasn’t a very valuable painting.
But for Chu Zhaoyi, it was the most precious painting.
Chu Zhaoyi often drew Gu Yusen. Other paintings might be finished in a few hours, but Gu Yusen’s were different. He would set them aside and carefully paint them over several days. It might take two or three days to finish one painting.
These paintings were carefully kept in the cabinet of the painting studio at home, while other drawings were thrown into his dormitory.
“Brother Sanmu scolded me, it was too much, I got angry, and you brought flowers over to make up, but you still laughed at me,” Chu Zhaoyi remembered the incident depicted in this painting very clearly. Brother Sanmu was clearly in the wrong, but when he brought flowers to apologize, his eyes were full of laughter, as if mocking him for being delicate.
But he had said that a flower was a symbol of reconciliation.
So he could only accept it.
“Chu Jiaojiao, why are you talking nonsense? When did I ever scold you?” Gu Yusen felt wronged. He wouldn’t dare. Comforting him wasn’t difficult, but Chu Jiaojiao’s angry expression was still a bit intimidating.
“Yes, you did, you called my name very fiercely!” Chu Zhaoyi remembered it clearly, and could even imitate the tone at the time.
“Like this.”
“Chu Zhaoyi! What are you doing!” Chu Zhaoyi’s tone was a perfect imitation.
Gu Yusen met Chu Zhaoyi’s wide, angry eyes, and remembered the event. But that was considered scolding?
“Chu Jiaojiao, that’s considered scolding?”
Chu Zhaoyi had a temper and sometimes got angry for no reason. Gu Yusen couldn’t figure it out but would subconsciously bring flowers to coax him.
So, many times he didn’t have much of an impression.
“Yes, it is!” Chu Zhaoyi said very seriously.
“Okay, I’ll pay attention next time,” Gu Yusen conceded. He was indeed a delicate little darling.
While the two were talking about this, a woman walked over from a distance, accompanied by Xie Haoran.
“Chu Zhaoyi, what a coincidence,” Xie Haoran hadn’t spoken much to him since their little scene in the classroom. It was quite strange for him to come over and strike up a conversation now.
Chu Zhaoyi didn’t want to pay attention to him, so he shrank back and hid behind Gu Yusen, his entire face concealed behind Gu Yusen’s back.
Gu Yusen patted the boy’s head. He knew this woman and had to show her some respect. The grievances between young people were one thing, but involving parents could touch on family and group issues.
Naturally, he couldn’t simply ignore her.
“Madam Xie, you’re here too,” Gu Yusen politely extended his hand to the woman. The boy behind him was quietly hiding, not making a sound.
“Young Gu, it’s been a long time. I’ve been busy overseas recently. It’s been three years since I’ve been back. I didn’t expect to meet you here,” the woman said with a gentle smile. She was soft and carried a unique temperament, shaking hands with Gu Yusen simply.
“You’ve worked hard, Madam Xie,” Gu Yusen nodded, responding politely.
The woman had almond-shaped eyes. Although they were passionate eyes, they always carried a gentle expression when looking at people.
Chu Zhaoyi also had almond-shaped eyes. Because his face didn’t have much expression, and his pupils were dark black, he would give others an inexplicable sense of strangeness when looking at them.
Looking at it this way, their eye shapes were somewhat similar, but the feeling they gave was completely different.
Gu Yusen pondered this for a long while.
Xie Haoran stood next to Madam Xie, not saying much. He smiled when he saw the painting signed “Chu Zhaoyi” on the wall.
“This is your painting? Is it of Gu Yusen? It’s very down-to-earth.”
At the art exhibition, everyone was trying their best to show off their skills, and the paintings submitted were mostly grand masterpieces. Chu Zhaoyi’s simple portraits were rare.
If Gu Yusen didn’t know Xie Haoran, he might not have thought anything of it.
But because he knew that Xie Haoran always belittled his kid, these words sounded different.
Like a mockery.
“Down-to-earth? What? Is this how Madam Xie’s son views me, Gu Yusen? Does he think I’m unsophisticated?” Gu Yusen would give Madam Xie some face, but he didn’t want to give Xie Haoran any at all.
Even though his mother was standing there.
He wasn’t afraid of the Xie family.
Giving Madam Xie face was just out of respect for her as an elder.
Xie Haoran’s face paled slightly, and a flash of loathing in his eyes disappeared completely when he looked up, replaced by helplessness and grievance.
“Mom… I just wanted to say a few words to my classmate, I didn’t mean that… Young Master Gu, are you misunderstanding…”
Madam Xie glanced at Xie Haoran lightly and sighed as she met Gu Yusen’s playful gaze.
They couldn’t afford to offend the Gu family, but that didn’t mean her son could be bullied by others, even if she didn’t like this son who didn’t inherit any of her or her husband’s strengths.
Just as she was about to say something, she saw the boy behind Gu Yusen reach out and tug on Gu Yusen’s sleeve. Gu Yusen lowered his head to listen, revealing half of Chu Zhaoyi’s face hidden behind him.
Madam Xie was stunned.
In that moment of surprise, Gu Yusen had already left with Chu Zhaoyi.
Leaving the two of them with only their backs.