Lady

Sheng Qijing appeared out of nowhere, and his clean and refreshing voice made Bian Jiaping, who was standing next to him, pause slightly, his male intuition suddenly flashing through his mind.

“Hello, I’m Sheng Qijing, Ju Hui’s senior.” He extended his hand to Bian Jiaping. “It’s such a coincidence that we meet here.”

“Bian Jiaping.” Bian Jiaping shook his hand back, the aroma of tobacco and citrus filling the air. “It is quite a coincidence.”

“I also came here specifically to see Teacher Zhuang Hong. Ju Hui, would you like to go and have a chat with him?” Sheng Qijing asked her again, his tone even gentler.

“Okay, go ahead.” Bian Jiaping gave her a nudge.

"Let's go," Sheng Qijing said.

"No, no," Ju Hui said, taking several steps back as things happened too fast. She glared at Bian Jiaping, who stood by looking completely unconcerned.

“Actually, I’ve already talked to Teacher Zhuang,” Ju Hui explained gently, then exchanged glances with Sheng Qijing and quickly reached a consensus.

Bian Jiaping disagreed with Ju Hui going with him.

“Mr. Zhuang Hong’s mentor happens to be an old acquaintance of my mother’s; I even introduced Ju Hui to him,” Bian Jiaping explained. “Would you like me to introduce you?”

"No need."

Sheng Qijing's smile remained unchanged. After exchanging only a few words, he followed the flow of traffic and left from the back hall.

-

The exhibition proved to be very useful for exchanging ideas, and before the end of the month, Ju Hui successfully got her teacher's approval for her proposal.

Before, I was busy moving materials and making drafts in the studio, but now it seems like I was blindly making a joke.

The teacher guided her to conduct a simulation experiment first. She found that more than half of the ten subjects said that because the observation time was short, they judged the device to be larger simply because the model was male, without paying attention to the size of the muscles.

This means that Ju Hui does not necessarily have to make a life-size human figure, nor does she have to find Bian Jiaping as a model. The initial plan is to make three 120 cm human figures and one large installation.

The task is easy.

But it seems to be getting further and further away from her original idea.

The charity exhibition arrived amidst countless human figure sketches. This was the first exhibition that Ju Hui had helped plan in her life, but unfortunately, she wasn't as excited as she had imagined. She hadn't been able to help much with the exhibition.

At the opening ceremony, Ju Hui, wearing a name tag, stood on the side of the reporters and media, handing out microphones. On the other side, Sheng Qijing, whom we hadn't seen in a long time, was also wearing a work vest, chatting and laughing with Ding Youyuan beside him.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest, and Ju Hui stared intently at him.

The teacher said that sculpture creation should follow a 20/80 rule: 20% for the hands and face, and 80% for the whole body. The whole body refers to the dynamic tension brought by the muscles. How to realistically and abstractly sculpt every muscle in the whole body is what she wants to achieve.

Ju Hui's right eyelid twitched several times.

Whether it was Sheng Qijing's face or his perfect body, all Ju Hui wanted to do when she saw him was touch him, to turn him into nourishment for her work, to help her grow.

He doesn't care who he talks to or laughs with.

She only wanted to invite Sheng Qijing to be a model.

Ju Hui looked up and saw that Sheng Qijing was also looking at her.

The gallery's spotlights were as bright as sunlight, so bright that it seemed you could see the other person's eyes clearly. Ju Hui didn't intend to look away first like she had that day; she wanted to make a good impression on him.

Ju Hui smiled at him, her eyes narrowing.

Sheng Qijing was taken aback and before he could respond, Ju Hui was called back to work.

The opening ceremony concluded amidst the sweltering heat, officially commencing the charity exhibition that will run until the middle of next month.

This charity exhibition does not mean it is non-profit. The Inkstone Gallery occupies over a thousand square meters and features hundreds of works, all intended to generate revenue. Staff members are tasked with inviting as many buyers as possible to purchase the available pieces, with all proceeds donated to children's education.

To maximize revenue, Yun Aonan and Pei Yao were "transferred" back to Ruobei the next day to serve as sales representatives at the exhibition.

It goes without saying who transferred her back. Yun Aonan was speechless, not understanding why Sheng Qijing was so fixated on her. Not doing social practice wouldn't get her fired.

Yun Aonan, wearing the Oona name tag, glanced at Sheng Qijing next to the client, then leaned closer to Ju Hui and asked, "How was it? Did you manage to touch him?"

"Not yet," Ju Hui said. "There's not much of a chance."

Yun Aonan asked in confusion, "What have you been busy with lately? Didn't you say you liked him? Why don't you take the initiative?"

Ju Hui shook her head. "I don't think I like him, I just admire him."

"Don't you like it?" Yun Aonan looked at her with a "don't be ridiculous" expression, patted her shoulder and said seriously, "Don't think of yourself as so noble. You're already lusting after her body, and you still want to say it's for art."

Ju Hui changed the subject for now, and asked with a pained expression, "What do you think of the sketch I sent you last time? I'm still hesitating about whether to continue with the abstract muscle design."

An outsider's perspective is often clear. Yun Aonan, despite her limited knowledge of sculpture, could tell that Ju Hui still cared about the original plan, but lacked someone's approval.

Yun Aonan pretended not to understand: "Of course we have to do it. We need to make the reference point no longer the two pieces of flesh on the chest and the penis. I thought that was what you wanted to express."

Ju Hui thought for a long time and then nodded.

"You too, your progress is so slow. If all else fails, just sleep with him. He's not bad looking."

Yun Aonan changed the subject too quickly, and Ju Hui returned to her original post, "What? Everyone says there's no chance..."

“If you don’t have a chance, I’ll create one for you!” Yun Aonan pulled her shoulder close. “After the exhibition, I’ll make him sit obediently in front of you and let you touch him for half an hour.”

"real?"

"real."

Just then, Sheng Qijing happened to pass by behind him, and Yun Aonan subtly raised an eyebrow at him.

The other person's lips twitched, a smile that looked more like a grimace, before they immediately regained their composure and followed the customer to the next showroom, leaving.

Ju Hui didn't know what she was going to do, but Yun Aonan's way of doing things was just like all the shopping flash sales she participated in—no matter how limited the amount, she could get what she wanted.

Ju Hui waited quietly for the exhibition to end, and sure enough, she received the news that "Blind Touch Portrait Sculpting - A Tribute to the 'Time Travelers' Exhibition" would open immediately.

The day before the charity exhibition closed, Ju Hui was pulled by Yun Aonan to the large billboard in the center of D area. The charity exhibition advertisements that had been hanging for a month were being taken down by workers, and the simple red and white quick-sculpting exhibition advertisements were spread out in half a corner.

The opening time mentioned above is the day after the charity exhibition ends, which is the evening of the day after tomorrow.

Ju Hui looked up, stunned.

If she wasn't mistaken, Sheng Qijing's official photo was printed next to the title.

Yun Aonan put her arm around her neck and smiled easily. She didn't know when she had organized this flash mob exhibition.

"It turns out that money can buy someone thirty minutes of being at someone's mercy." Yun Aonan waved his hands in the air.

"Is he really coming?" Ju Hui calmed down. "Ao Nan, if he doesn't know about this, he could sue you."

"Who cares? Besides, it was Pei Yao's idea, not mine." Yun Aonan shrugged. "I didn't expect to get along with Pei Yao. When it comes to Sheng Qijing, we have the same thought process."

"Get him?"

"...It's all about getting him under control."

Yun Aonan straightened her head and looked at Sheng Qijing again, her calm eyes looking down at them with disdain and mockery.

"With this face on the advertisement, believe me, the tourist crowd will be huge tomorrow. He'll have to come whether he wants to or not."

The next evening.

The mid-August dusk was cool, like a clear sky after rain. Ju Hui's heart pounded like the fence flashing past the window. She was heading towards Tank 79; tonight, on this full moon night, the thousand-square-meter venue was open for her thirty minutes.

Ju Hui was so nervous that she was breathing heavily in Bian Jiaping's car.

After talking with Yun Aonan yesterday, Ju Hui told her teacher that she still wanted to stick to her original idea and wanted to go back to the studio to create her own works.

But her advisor wouldn't let her leave, demanding she redraw the sketch before she could go. A revised plan meant it was rejected again, and today Ju Hui was kept late by her advisor.

"Alright, the car doesn't smell that bad." Bian Jiaping frowned, listening to her exaggerated breathing. "Because of you, I've started smoking women's cigarettes. Should I take you to the hospital?"

How much longer until we arrive?

"Evening rush hour, just wait and see."

When the red light ended, the car moved forward one inch.

When she arrived at the 79th Tank, the Speed ​​Plastic Exhibition had already officially started. Ju Hui ran over and saw Yun Aonan letting go, holding something and waiting for her in front of the crowd at the ticket gate.

"They're finally here. Sheng Qijing has been waiting inside for over half an hour," Yun Aonan whispered, pulling her inside.

The 79 cans were sealed inside, and although it was dimly lit before Ju Hui's eyes, it wasn't completely dark. Yun Aonan stopped in front of the entrance passage of another shaded canopy, handed her the things he was carrying, and Ju Hui took them out; inside the silk package was a pair of glasses.

"Put on the night vision goggles first. After you go inside, Pei Yao will take you to Sheng Qijing's table. Don't worry, he doesn't know who you are."

After saying that, Yun Aonan drew back the curtain for her, and Ju Hui hurriedly put on her glasses and went inside.

"Please sit down, Miss." Pei Yao said in an official tone, leading him to Sheng Qijing's table.

Ju Hui, wearing glasses, saw that Sheng Qijing, who was resting his chin on his hand, visibly relaxed after hearing the sound. He had been waiting alone in the dark for so long, but he didn't seem afraid; he was just bored.

"Hey, watch out."

Pei Yao strode over and kicked the chair she was about to sit on, causing the table and chair to make a clattering sound, and even the plaster strips next to the shelf to spin halfway around.

Ju Hui looked at him with a puzzled expression. Pei Yao said softly, "Are you alright? It's easy to bump into things when your field of vision is limited. Be careful."

Ju Hui looked around and, sure enough, none of the tourists in the seats were wearing glasses, otherwise the ambiguous atmosphere in the room wouldn't have been so pervasive.

Ju Hui pretended to have difficulty sitting down again. Partners need to sit very close to each other to touch, but Sheng Qijing was sitting casually, his long legs and toes encroaching on her space.

Ju Hui opened her mouth, but then decided against it and didn't dare to make a sound.

Pei Yao began to introduce the materials on the table to Ju Hui, from the hand-wiping cloth to the silicone soft knife. After he finished speaking, Pei Yao patted Sheng Qijing's shoulder and left.

Now that only Ju Hui and he were left, she was a little confused. Should she touch him directly now?

There were almost no people around who were actually sculpting clay, and they spoke in hushed tones, with at most a slight clatter, so it wasn't very helpful. Ju Hui decided to start by shaping the wooden frame.

“You’ve done sculpting before, haven’t you?” Sheng Qijing straightened his long legs and sat closer, the rich citrus scent instantly overpowering the perfume in the venue. “Judging from this, it’s like you’re about to take a speed sculpting exam.”

Even though his voice hadn't changed, Ju Hui suddenly felt that he was very gentle, as if he treated everyone except her very well.

During those two seconds that Ju Hui was lost in thought, Sheng Qijing asked her with a puzzled "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Don't want to talk about it?"

Sheng Qijing was very close; his beautiful pupils had an old, grayish-blue hue through his night-vision goggles. He wasn't looking at her; he was just staring into the darkness directly in front of him, his eyes brimming with deep affection even without being directed at anyone.

The citrus base note is tobacco. Sheng Qijing slowly pulled her body back, but her arm was suddenly pulled by the other person. Her hands were very small.

--No

Ju Hui drew four strokes on his palm with her index finger, paused for a second, and then drew the three words "want to talk".

“Okay,” Sheng Qijing said.

Then, as if receiving some instruction, Ju Hui did not let go of him, and her right hand slowly climbed up his arm.

From her forearms to her shoulders, chin, and nose, Ju Hui felt that her act of pretending to be blind was very convincing, but also quite rude.

"Slow down." Sheng Qijing chuckled at her groping hands. "It'll only take thirty minutes to finish."

Ju Hui held her breath slightly. Sheng Qijing then moved the chair forward, and even when his knee bumped into her, she only moved to the side. She swallowed hard, not daring to imagine how thirsty his thigh must be.

After touching him for about two minutes, Ju Hui let go of him and began to focus on kneading the clay, using the rolling pin to bang the head out.

"Don't you need to touch your chest and neck?" Sheng Qijing asked, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, but enough to make the surroundings quiet for a couple of seconds.

Ju Hui saw someone squinting in their direction. She quickly and briefly ran her hand up his thigh, as if she had finally found his palm, and said, "No need."

Sheng Qijing smiled, nodded, and sat upright, waiting for the unknown temperature. The coolness of the wet wipes lingered on her fingertips.

He hoped that Ju Hui really intended to clean her hands; otherwise, if she touched his face like that, she would probably be covered in two layers of dust.

But it doesn't matter if my face is covered in dust, then she probably won't be angry anymore.

When the 30-minute mark is up, the sculpting partners can choose to leave with their creations, or they can choose to leave one after the other, and the creations will remain in place accordingly.

Like the mutual selection process at a blind date.

Want to come together?

Sheng Qijing listened as Ju Hui quickly tidied up her work on the table. She wanted to take the portrait, but he didn't feel anything in his palm.

When the citrus scent faded to the point of being undetectable, Pei Yao helped him up, and a minute later, a new person took his place.

Pei Yao and Yun Aonan worked together, never mentioning Ju Hui's name in front of him. Sheng Qijing acted as if nothing was wrong, and after a brief farewell, he left towards the studio.

So Ju Hui really just wanted to touch him.

And they ran away after touching it, which was disappointing.

On the way back, he received a phone call from his father's assistant. He always only answered the phone for business purposes, so Sheng Qijing didn't answer and went straight to the studio.

He wanted to see if Ju Hui would appear there, so he could grab her and sneak into the studio, stuffing her image into some corner.

That way he could ask her openly and honestly, "Were you the one who just touched me?"

Sheng Qijing's tone softened, gently coaxing her to say that she wanted to touch him because she liked him.

If you dare to do something, you must dare to take responsibility. If she lies and says no, Sheng Qijing will expose her on the spot and make her say what he wants to hear.

Of course, if she honestly said yes, he would allow her to touch him.

After all, Sheng Qijing is a normal man, and he falls for the "playing hard to get" tactic.

However, the prerequisite for touching him again is that she must resolve her emotional issues—specifically, Bian Jiaping's—before seeking him out again.

Sheng Qijing walked to the courtyard of the loft. The room was dark, but the full moon hung on the roof, casting a faint golden glow. He stood there for two seconds.

Push open the door.