She had liked drawing ever since she was a child. When she was five, Gu Moming went to Italy to study abroad, and she went with him. It was then that she began learning how to paint, and it was also then that she parted ways with Shen Yanchen.
The teachers always said she was a talented child, that her drawings carried a certain soul.
She didn't really know what a soul was, only that she wanted to draw what she wanted to draw, put emotion into her work, and make her paintings come alive. Perhaps that was what a soul was?
She had studied a variety of subjects, drawing still life and figures, using colored pencils, gouache, oil paints, and ink, though she mostly used colored pencils and gouache.
Before long, the table was cluttered with 120 colored pencils in a disorderly fashion. Gu Qimiao carefully paired the colors together, so focused that she didn't realize how time slipped by.
When Shen Yanchen returned, it was already one o'clock in the morning. As soon as he opened the door, he looked towards that room, and light was still leaking through the crack.
So late, and she still wasn't asleep?
He changed his shoes and walked in. In the quiet room, he could hear his own footsteps.
He didn't knock but directly opened the door.
Under the white light, she was sitting cross-legged on his usual office chair, wearing the fluffy pajamas she had bought for her that afternoon, which seemed a bit big for her. Her long hair was casually tied at the back, with strands falling and resting against her face.
Her eyes were downcast, seemingly unaware of his arrival, fully engrossed in the drawing she was working on.
The black office table was covered with colored pencils, a chaotic mess that was so her style. However, the whole scene looked comfortable, probably just because she was in it.
He walked up softly behind her and asked, "Still not sleeping?"
Gu Qimiao's face showed a second of panic. She turned her head, slightly blocking the painting with her body, and asked with a dry laugh, "You're back?"
"What are you drawing?" He became more curious when he saw her trying to hide it and leaned over to have a look.
Gu Qimiao was thankful that she knew she was going to exhibit this painting. Since it looked too much like Shen Yanchen, it would definitely be recognized, so she had made some slight changes to the person's appearance in the painting to resemble him only vaguely.
Fortunately, he didn't probe deeper. He just glanced at it and said, "It's one o'clock. Go to sleep."
Gu Qimiao looked at the time and was surprised at how quickly it had passed. As she was tidying up the desk, she noticed her suitcase still lying by the wardrobe, with clothes she had rummaged through in a mess.
She glanced at him guiltily. In less than a day, she had made such a mess of his room. Would he change his mind and kick her out?
Shen Yanchen reached out and grabbed a folder from the desk. Then, he said to her, as she cleaned up her things, "In the future, you must sleep before ten o'clock."
Gu Qimiao was dumbfounded for a moment, then saw him turn around and add, "Otherwise, you'll disturb my work."
She originally thought he was worried about her health. Pouting behind his back, she sulkily replied, "Oh."
The next morning, Gu Qimiao tidied up a bit after getting up and then went out to work.
When Shen Yanchen got up, he didn't see her, only a note on her door: I'm off to work.
He tore off the note, looked at the neat handwriting on it, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He then put the note in his pocket.
He dressed and went downstairs. In the business car, He Ye immediately greeted him obsequiously, "Chen-Ge!"
Shen Yanchen, wearing a long black trench coat, looked even taller. He lifted his foot and got into the front passenger seat.
He Ye closed the car door, walked around to the driver's seat, and turned on the music in the car, an energetic DJ track, humming along as he drove.
Before they even left the apartment's gate, the old man sitting next to him was displeased: "Turn the music off."
He Ye pouted. The old man's mood was the most important. He turned off the music and continued to drive forward.
Just as they entered the right lane, the old man said, "Go to Zihua Lane."
He Ye complained with a black line forming on his forehead, "Chen-Ge, can't you tell me in advance? It'll take a long time to turn around here!"
Shen Yanchen coldly replied, "Did I set a time limit for you to get there?"
He Ye reluctantly shut up and resignedly kept driving forward. After turning back, he couldn't help but ask, "Chen-Ge, why are we going to Zihua Lane? Suddenly interested in art?"