Chapter 36. Li Li discovered that Tan Su, to some extent…

Li Li discovered that Tan Su, to some extent, was just as obsessed with his goals as she was.

He is determined to do what he wants to do, and even if he was rejected so ruthlessly by Li Zhoudu last time, he will still find an opportunity to make the same request again.

Li Li firmly refused him: "I will not paint for you, Tan Su. You're just wasting my time and ink."

Tan Su politely corrected her wording: "I am formally inviting you on behalf of Ms. Wan’s charitable foundation. You can find the backgrounds of the members and the partners online. Don’t underestimate their power and scale."

"You're just using me to do favors and make connections."

“No. Not only that,” Tan Su smiled, “before she remembered me, the first person she thought of was the daughter of the Wan Jing Li family.”

Before she could continue speaking, Tan Su added, "My mother has an independent studio on Fuxin Road. You can go there; I guarantee you won't waste your personal tools and writing implements."

"Your mother?"

Tan Su nodded.

——

Fuxin Road connects the financial center of S City to the north and the high-end commercial district to the south, linking the two. It is a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle and is an artistic landmark in the old city.

Qi Xi's studio is a three-story independent building on Fuxin Road. The building dates back to the Republic of China era and is her family's ancestral property, as well as one of her dowry items.

Tan Su drove his car into the gate and greeted Qi Xi's assistant who was waiting.

Li Li was being led by Tan Su. She looked up at the gray terrazzo facade that was pieced together in a fish-scale pattern, and it felt like she had entered an old school building.

Qi Xi converted the villa into a series of art studios. Li Li was taken to one of the studios on the third floor, where all the equipment was new.

Tan Su stood by the window with his sleeves rolled up. Outside stood a transplanted palm tree, evergreen and sturdy year-round.

The assistant brought in two cups of tea, and he commented, "The environment is alright."

Li Li said, "It's like this is your first time here."

"That's true," Tan Su said.

"How is that possible?" Li Li found it quite unbelievable. This place was very close to where Tan Su worked and lived, just a short drive away. Why was this his first time here?

Tan Su did not answer, but turned to his assistant and asked, "When will Ms. Qi be back?"

Li Li glanced at the title slightly, and heard the other person reply, "The teacher is participating in a touring exhibition in Europe and will be back in about a month."

"good."

The assistant's shoes tapped on the marble floor, the crisp sound fading into the distance.

Li Li looked at Tan Su, who was holding a water glass, and sat down in front of the easel, asking stiffly, "What do you want me to draw?"

He took a sip of tea and casually said, "Whatever."

"No theme?"

"It will be all right."

When do you need it?

Tan Su said, "It could have taken longer, but now it's only a month."

Li Li didn't ask any more questions.

Tan Su left shortly afterward, leaving her staring at the easel, unable to bring herself to paint.

One reason is that she hasn't painted seriously in such an environment for a long time; another is that when she's feeling anxious, everything seems the same to her.

Li Li comforted herself, thinking that it was good to see Qi Xi here, at least to let her know what good things her son was doing.

Li Zhoudu knew that she had found a studio outside to practice her art, but he didn't think too much about it and picked up and dropped off Li Li a few times.

With the Spring Festival holiday approaching, the people coming and going here are mostly students from Qixi. She only takes women with her, ranging from retired teachers in their fifties and sixties to children as young as ten.

They said that Teacher Qi was aloof and strict, and only considered whether someone caught her eye when admitting students; she was rarely seen.

Li Li saw Qi Xi's introduction in the studio's manual, which talked about her background in learning painting, her experience, and the honors and achievements she had made over the years.

However, there was no trace of her family in the handbook. Li Li thought of Tan Su’s fluent “Ms. Qi” that day and wondered if their relationship was that bad.

——

That year, my parents, as in previous years, were unable to come back for the Spring Festival, nor was Tan Yi.

Li Li spent a relatively uneventful Lunar New Year with her family.

On the third day of the first lunar month, she received a call from Tan Yi. He sounded tired and said he had just landed at the airport.

Li Li jumped out of bed and, under the pretense of having dinner with Fang Xuan, escaped from home.

The three met at a French-owned pub that was still open. Fang Xuan raised her glass and said, "The Iron Triangle is back in all its glory! Congratulations! Cheers!"

Li Li took off her coat, wearing only a sweater, and nestled in Tan Yi's arms. She raised her glass to drink and tilted her head back to kiss his chin.

Tan Yi stroked her hair, his hand sliding down to hold her shoulder.

Fang Xuan looked at him with a pained expression and said, "Alright, alright, hurry up and eat. Take care of us empty-nest seniors too."

Li Li sat up from Tan Yi's embrace. She suddenly remembered that Fang Xuan had been single for a long time since she became a minor celebrity, so she asked, "Hey, it seems like you've changed your ways recently. How long has it been since you talked to anyone? Are you on the verge of becoming a nun?"

"Yeah, unlike you who can occasionally indulge in a meaty meal, I'm so vegetarian I feel like I'm about to become a Buddha." Fang Xuan nonchalantly went along with her joke and made a self-deprecating remark.

Tan Yi seemed a little sleepy. He ate his food and didn't participate in the slightly suggestive jokes between the girls.

Fang Xuan asked, "Where are you going to stay tonight? Do you want me to cover for you?"

Tan Yi said, "My home."

Li Li frowned slightly as she thought about what had recently happened in that house.

Fang Xuan: "That house hasn't been sold yet? How about you buy a new one together after you graduate with your master's degree and come back to S City?"

"Not necessarily," Tan Yi said, adding that he might not come back.

Li Li said to Fang Xuan, "Yes, my brother said... he's sending me to study abroad this year."

If the kitten isn't around, Tan Yi doesn't plan to settle back in S City.

Fang Xuan originally thought that the three of them could go back to how they were in high school and play together all the time.

She was understandably disappointed when she heard the news: "The art and design program at the university next door is also highly ranked in QS. I thought you would stay in China."

“The postgraduate entrance exam is a bit too difficult for me,” Li Li paused, glancing sideways at Tan Yi’s eyes, “It’s hard to say right now.”

At that moment, she really wanted to ask Tan Yi directly, "If you successfully withdraw your shares, will you come with me?"

Will you come to see me after you graduate from your third year of graduate school?

But when she recalled Tan Yi's firm yet silent refusal during that phone call, she ultimately lacked the confidence to ask a question that she probably already knew the answer to.

That evening, back at the villa for sale, Tan Yi cupped Li Li's face and kissed her.

His kiss was breathtakingly profound. Li Li suddenly remembered that Tan Su had stood here that day, holding her wrist. The memory was like a thorn in her side, making her subconsciously distance herself from Tan Su.

Tan Yi stopped what he was doing, his breath lingering on her ear.

His voice was unusually calm: "Don't you like it anymore?"

"Go take a shower first," Li Li said somewhat awkwardly.

Upon hearing this, Tan Yi stood up. Li Li sat on the sofa for a while, then stood up again.

She found it unbearable to be intimate with Tan Yi here, in a space that Tan Su had already coveted and spied on.

Li Li went upstairs, intending to suggest to Tan Yi that they change their accommodation for the night.

The moment she stepped onto the stairs, her phone rang. Seeing Tan Su's name, the pent-up anger from the night's misfortunes found an outlet. She said, "Tan Su, are you ever going to stop?"

Tan Su had just finished a social engagement. He had been drinking and was lying on the sofa when he asked, "How's the painting coming along?"

Are you in a hurry?

"It's been almost two weeks without any news, I have to check things out at the halfway point," he joked.

“I never show unfinished products to others,” Li Li retorted.

"Do you have any photos? Photos will do." Tan Su chuckled, knowing she wouldn't agree, but still tried to make conversation with her.

Li Li asked impatiently, "Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble?"

Tan Yi came out after taking a shower and stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor. He asked, "Who are you talking to on the phone?"

Tan Su clearly heard this, because the voice on the other end of the phone changed immediately.

“Li Li,” Tan Su sat up and said seriously, “where are you?”

Li Li didn't answer. Tan Yi had already come downstairs. He walked up to her in a bathrobe, took the phone from Li Li's hand, and his hair was still wet.

He heard the voice on the other end and called out, "Big Brother."

She was saying something on the other end, and Tan Yi looked up at her.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he looked at Li Li, saying, "My brother said he'd send someone over to pick you up and take you to his studio to have a photo taken and send it to him. Are you going? Or... stay here?"

“I’m right here,” Li Li said stubbornly.

The voice on the phone said in my ear at the same time: "The contract hasn't been signed yet, Tan Yi, you should be more pragmatic now."

Half an hour later, the car stopped at the door, and Tan Yi saw Li Li out.

He greeted the driver in front of him, and with a forced smile, said to Li Li, "I'm tired today too, so let's finish taking the photos and have the driver take you home as soon as possible."

"Call me when you get back." He kissed Li Li's short hair.

Li Li nodded and got into the car sent by Tan Su.

Li Li, the driver for the Tan family, had seen her before. He drove her to the studio entrance in silence. When she got out of the car, she saw Tan Su waiting in front of the door, wearing a trench coat.

He said he was waiting for her photo, but she showed up here instead.

Tan Su didn't have the password, so he couldn't get in. The streetlights cast long shadows at his feet.

Li Li didn't want to pay any attention to this incredibly boring person. She quickly entered the password, pushed open the iron door, and slammed it shut behind her. The loud slamming sound she expected didn't happen.

Tan Su raised his hand and followed behind to block the strong wind.

Li Li walked along, turning on the lights as she went. Finally, she went up to the third floor, opened her studio, turned on the lights, and said to Tan Su behind her.

"Did you see that? Are you sure you've got it?"

Tan Su's gaze wasn't on the painting at all; he stood in front of the door, knowing full well the answer, and asked, "You came from Tan Yi's place, right?"

“Of course,” Li Li said, arms crossed. “My boyfriend and I haven’t seen each other for a long time. What’s wrong with spending the night together? We can kiss, hug, and sleep together whenever we want.”

Tan Su interrupted her: "You've completely forgotten how you ran away from the hotel in Singapore crying last time. You're a typical example of someone who only remembers the good and not the bad."

Li Li, feeling embarrassed by his words, forced a smile and said, "This is my privacy, and ultimately it's none of your business. Tan Su."

"Yeah?"

Tan Su glanced at her vibrant features, and after what seemed like a long period of careful consideration, he calmly said, "I used to think that my parents' loveless marriage was meaningless."

"But now, it seems acceptable."

Li Li looked utterly bewildered: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Regarding the comments about the progress, I feel that the recent progress of the romance story hasn't been too slow. The reason why everyone feels it's slow is probably because I haven't been updating much. I've been very busy this week, but I will add more updates next week as appropriate.

Other issues involve spoilers, so I can't say too much. [laughing emoji] Rest assured, I won't write any plot points involving male infidelity. [throwing confetti emoji]