Chapter 47 [VIP]

Light and shadow cut out countless geometric fragments in the heavy and ancient space, and the cool air, carrying the fragrance of oil paint, wafted in.

The overhead lights, like spotlights, shine beams onto the artwork on the wall or on the stand, and the colorful reflections from different angles create a mesmerizing and dreamlike scene.

Jiang Zhuochen glanced here and there, stopping whenever he heard someone talking, hoping to glean some artistic insights from their conversation. After listening for a while, he found himself completely confused and gave up trying to understand what he could.

He pointed to the picture frame in front of him and asked the person next to him, "What kind of painting is this?"

Xu Xing then raised his head and looked at the artwork the other person was pointing to. "A watercolor painting."

Jiang Zhuochen continued walking forward and stopped in another room. "The way this painting is done is very similar to what we do here."

“Hmm.” Xu Xing also stopped. “This is a traditional Chinese ink painting.”

"Oh..." Jiang Zhuochen walked along, not caring about creative inspiration. He would take a few more glances at anything he liked, asking about its genre or style. He would either understand it or not. Fortunately, Xu Xing wasn't impatient and answered his questions one by one after he finished speaking.

He had only intended to see what modern paintings were like; he himself had little artistic talent, so his enthusiasm waned after exploring the entire first floor of the vast exhibition hall. However, since he was already there, he still went up to the second floor.

The layout of the second-floor exhibition hall was even more convoluted than that of the first floor. Each room had only two or three paintings, but a large number of decorative items were hung on the walls. The rooms were still connected, and Jiang Zhuochen was completely confused after pushing open the doors a few times.

He sighed deeply, realizing that he could never understand these artists, whether in his own world or here.

The room in front of him seemed familiar yet unfamiliar. Jiang Zhuochen, too lazy to walk any further, turned his head to look at Xu Xing, intending to ask if the man could take him back to the lobby. Just then, he noticed that the other man's expression was a little off.

Xu Xing pursed his lips tightly, his brows furrowed, and his face turned pale. As if she had seen through his ulterior motives, her heart beat faster than before after she went up to the second floor. A certain aura emanated from all directions, but he couldn't find the target at all. Instead, he was so overwhelmed that he felt dizzy.

Jiang Zhuochen looked surprised and quickly went over to help him sit down. She reached out to check his forehead temperature and then squatted down to look him in the eye. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

There seemed to be a buzzing echo all around, which grew stronger the more he tried to resist. Xu Xing bit his tongue hard, and a sharp pain washed over his brain. He gripped the other person's hand tightly and gradually regained some of his senses.

Once he relaxed, the aura he could sense softened, drifting around him in wisps, haunting Xu Xing like a persistent ghost, constantly reminding him of Jiang Zhuochen's original purpose in approaching him.

Images of the other person's heart-wrenching emotions over a fragment of a soul kept flashing through his mind, and his resistance deepened. Jiang Zhuochen had already collected half of his master's soul; the rest was just a matter of time. And then? What would happen after he finished collecting it?

Xu Xing refused to think about the issue further. He didn't want to let the person go, but he also knew that if the other party really wanted to leave, he couldn't stop them.

He opened his eyes, met Jiang Zhuochen's gaze which held no other concern, and then slowly looked away.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Zhuochen asked anxiously, tugging at the other person's wrist to draw their attention back. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

He was still wondering if Xu Xing was still under the influence of the illusion. His fingers, which were on the other's wrist, slid down, preparing to transfer some spiritual energy to him, but the pulse under his skin caught his attention.

Seeing the rapid heartbeat and the pained expression on his face, Jiang Zhuochen suddenly had a guess. "You... did you sense something?"

His voice was so soft it seemed to carry an unprecedented weight, as if he had carefully considered each word before daring to utter it.

Xu Xing's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. The pent-up anger within him was about to solidify, clashing and merging with the mind-bending aura.

He had ulterior motives and didn't want to say it so soon, but when the other person didn't get a reply, their eyebrows and eyes drooped, and the hand that was holding him became strained.

Xu Xing grasped his palm in return, and seeing the other man's expectant gaze, he helplessly closed his eyes. "I'm not sure, but it might be that I sensed your master's soul."

Jiang Zhuochen's heart skipped a beat; he hadn't expected such an unexpected surprise while going out to see an art exhibition. He wanted to ask what was wrong immediately, but seeing Xu Xing's distressed expression, he couldn't help but feel a pang of unease.

He couldn't describe the complex feelings. He guessed that spending so much time with the other person had unintentionally soothed his insecurity about coming into this world alone, making her unable to bear seeing him in such pain.

"Why don't we leave here first?" Anyway, even if it's true, the soul won't be able to escape for a while.

Xu Xing raised his eyelids slightly, his gaze slowing as he looked at him, as if he couldn't believe those words had actually come out of his mouth.

The other person's concerned expression seemed genuine, and their unusually gentle tone reassured my heart. Could this mean I'd chosen him?

Xu Xing was comforted for a moment amidst his pounding heartbeat, and his voice softened a bit. "No need, I just need to rest for a while, I'll be fine after I get used to it."

Jiang Zhuochen opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "Then don't force yourself. Tell me if there's anything you need."

"Mm." Xu Xing openly held his hand, his fingertips unconsciously circling the back of his hand.

Jiang Zhuochen glanced at him, assuming he was in unbearable pain and needed to find a way to release it. He didn't pull his hand away, but sat down next to Xu Xing, and wisps of spiritual energy flowed into the other's body through their clasped hands.

A warm current slid across his throbbing bones; its healing power was negligible, but amplified by the psychological effect. Xu Xing's lips curled into a smile. "Your body has recovered?"

Jiang Zhuochen shook his head. "Don't worry about me."

Perhaps pleased by Jiang Zhuochen's actions, Xu Xing gradually stopped resisting the aura, and after sitting for a while, his heartbeat gradually became regular. He thought he had adapted, but upon closer inspection, he realized that his heartbeat had indeed slowed down, and the aura that was bothering him was also gradually weakening.

Just as he was about to speak, a burst of laughter and conversation came from around the corner of the art corridor ahead, mixed with obvious flattery and a refined, literary tone in which they were discussing art.

Five or six people were surrounding a key figure, walking towards them. Xu Xing glanced around casually and caught a vaguely familiar face; if he remembered correctly, it was one of the administrators of the Art Innovation Center.

The man had clearly noticed Xu Xing as well. Although he wasn't involved in Xu Xing's projects, he occasionally ran into him at the Innovation Center, so the other man must have recognized him somewhat. His face immediately lit up with an even warmer, yet not overly obsequious, smile, and he quickened his pace to greet him.

Zhang Zhou extended his hand from afar, "President Xu, what a coincidence! You've also graced Mr. Li's art exhibition with your presence."

Xu Xing gave a half-serious, half-fake business smile, shook hands with him, and acted with composure, exuding a sense of aloofness and arrogance that comes with being in a high position. He was a completely different person from the one in front of Jiang Zhuochen.

"Director Zhang." His voice was steady and calm, showing no sign of the brief discomfort he had just experienced. "I came with someone to take a look; the art exhibition is quite impressive."

Zhang Zhou's gaze fell on the boy beside him, then he looked away knowingly. "You flatter me, haha. It's mainly because Mingtian's work is attractive enough."

Zhang Zhou turned to the side and enthusiastically introduced the distinguished-looking man in the middle to Xu Xing.

Li Mingtian smiled warmly, "I have long admired President Xu's name. It is an honor to meet you today."

He speaks with neither arrogance nor servility, fully embodying the aloofness and solitude of an artist, yet also precisely grasping the appropriate respect for every prominent figure.

Several managers approached him to chat, and Xu Xing handled them with ease. Jiang Zhuochen stood half a step behind him, quietly listening to their conversation. His gaze swept aimlessly over everyone present, finally settling on Li Mingtian's face. Perhaps due to good maintenance, he still looked very young despite being over forty.

Jiang Zhuochen couldn't help but glance at the man a few more times. This man had a full forehead, plump nostrils, and a round, fleshy nose tip, which was a typical auspicious feature for wealth.

However, his eyebrows were downturned, and his pupils were unusually pale, lacking the depth and dimension that a living person's eyes should have, resembling two polished glass beads. The lip line, when the corners of his mouth turned up, was so clear as to be drawn with charcoal, so neat that it sent a chill down one's spine, creating an eerie disconnect with the gentle, artistic temperament he was trying to project.

Jiang Zhuochen lowered his eyes, completely baffled by the man's appearance.

At this moment, Zhang Zhou suggested with a smile, "Mr. Xu, Mingtian, this is a rare opportunity. How about I treat you to a casual meal tonight? It would also give Mingtian a chance to have an in-depth exchange of ideas on art and investment with Mr. Xu?"

Li Mingtian smiled and nodded, indicating his anticipation.

Before Xu Xing could speak, he caught a glimpse of Jiang Zhuochen with his head lowered, his eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought. However, this absent-minded appearance made Xu Xing believe that Jiang's mind was still preoccupied with that ambiguous soul. The turmoil that had just begun to subside was stirred up again, and Xu Xing's temples throbbed with pain.

He declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, but I've already promised my child at home tonight."

He turned his body slightly as he spoke, a sly thought lurking in his mind. He placed his hand on Jiang Zhuochen's lower back, a gesture clearly suggestive and possessive. Seeing that the other man offered no resistance, his frustration eased considerably. "I'll be taking him to his favorite restaurant later. We can meet up again another time."

Li Mingtian's expression remained unchanged, and he replied understandingly, "Of course, family is more important."

After exchanging pleasantries, Xu Xing took his leave with Jiang Zhuochen. As he turned to leave, Xu Xing slowed down by half a step, naturally shielding Jiang Zhuochen from all the curiosity and scrutiny behind them.

Once they were alone, Xu Xing tightened his grip on his arm slightly, pulling him back to reality. "Do you want to go home?"

"Hmm?" Hearing the question, Jiang Zhuochen looked up, nodded blankly for a moment, then stopped as if remembering something, and placed his hand on the back of Zhuochen's hand on his waist. "Are you alright? Do you need to rest for a while?"

Xu Xing stared at him silently. This man always seemed to have a knack for controlling his emotions, making him incredibly agitated in a short time, and then calming him down just as quickly. Sometimes he really wanted to ask this man if he was doing it on purpose, or if he was just genuinely stupid.

Otherwise, why would they be so quick to engage in intimate gestures but never think about it in that direction?

A sense of loss of control, a mixture of resentment and infatuation, burned in his chest. He silently mocked his own weakness, and even tasted a trace of almost twisted willingness in this powerlessness.

"It's alright, let's go."

Back at the villa, Xu Xing sat on the living room sofa, propping his head up with his hands and closing his eyes to rest. Jiang Zhuochen brought him a glass of water and sat down next to him.

In the silent space, even the soft sound of a water glass being placed on the table felt jarring. Seeing his hesitant expression, Xu Xing finally relented and asked, "Is there something you want to ask?"

A note from the author:

There will be one more update on Sunday, and starting next week, the update schedule will be five updates a week, with no updates on Mondays and Thursdays.