Chapter 146 Tokens of Love

The sound of rain outside the window grew louder, pattering like it was hitting Qu Hexin's heart.

She stood at the intersection of the second-floor corridor and the staircase. In the entire exhibition hall, this was the only dark corner that was not illuminated by the lights.

Seeing Qu He turn and leave, Yan Shu no longer concealed her scheming and hypocrisy, revealing her final trump card.

She practically screamed those words.

After saying that, she turned and walked into the exhibition hall on the left, as if she was certain that Qu He would come back.

Yan Shu's footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Qu He remained frozen in place, her mind still unsettled by what had just been said.

Reason screamed at her to leave immediately.

She should trust the man who showed her favoritism.

But another voice whispered in my ear, "Turn around."

Weak but persistent.

If Zhuang Bieyan and Yan Shu are truly innocent, then why did Yan Shu go to such lengths to lure her here?

Why does she always look at me with hostility?

But if she really goes in, can she bear the so-called truth?

She looked up at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the corridor, its dazzling light failing to illuminate the dimness beneath her feet.

To advance or to retreat?

Is it the comfort of self-deception, or the unknown truth?

The rain outside suddenly intensified, pounding against the windowpane with a thud.

Qu He closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, she was already walking towards the independent exhibition hall.

Yan Shu stood at the entrance of the exhibition hall, listening to the approaching footsteps behind her, and a knowing smile appeared on her face.

“I thought you would hesitate for longer.” Her voice was soft, carrying a confident ease.

Qu He stopped at the entrance of the exhibition hall, where the lights were dim.

She gripped the bag strap tightly. "You went to all this trouble to let me in, what exactly do you want?"

Yan Shu didn't respond to her words, but walked inside and turned on all the lights in the exhibition hall.

On the wall directly opposite the corner of the exhibition hall, there was a painting completely covered with white silk cloth, the edges of which hung down on the wall and swayed gently with the air conditioning.

A projector sits in the center of the floor, its lens pointed at the white wall with the paintings hanging on it, like a silent eye.

She walked up to the painting and gently stroked the edge of the frame through the silk cloth.

"Have you ever wondered why my art exhibition is called 'Five Seasons'?" she suddenly asked, her voice soft and low.

Qu He frowned but didn't say anything.

She didn't understand what Yan Shu was up to, but she felt that the air in the exhibition hall was eerie, and the air conditioning was blowing a cool breeze straight down her neck.

"A year has only four seasons: spring brings forth life, summer fosters growth, autumn brings harvest, and winter brings storage. How fair is that?"

Yan Shu chuckled softly, a laugh tinged with self-mockery and a touch of obsession. "But I love him. Four seasons are too short, simply not enough. So I want an extra season, specifically to hold our past."

Qu He's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest, and her unease grew stronger and stronger.

But people always have to pay the price for their curiosity.

Yan Shu turned her head and looked at Qu He with a smug and provocative gaze, "The answer you're looking for is right here."

As she spoke, she grabbed a corner of the silk cloth and yanked it down sharply.

The white silk cloth floated lightly to the ground.

At the same time, the projector suddenly turned on, a beam of white light shone on the wall, and then dozens of screenshots of Weibo comments began to scroll on the wall.

Qu He's gaze was fixed on the painting, and her mind went completely blank for a moment.

The painting depicts a black swallow with outstretched wings, its posture both sharp and flamboyant.

The swallow's form and spirit, even the details of the patterns on its wings, are so familiar, as if I've seen it every day, as if I've seen it long ago.

She involuntarily stepped forward, staring intently at the painting, trying to find even the slightest difference, but it was all in vain.

This swallow design is exactly the same as the subtle swallow pattern on Zhuang Bieyan's tie.

As she approached, the rotating images on the wall became clearer, and the bolded, enlarged text pierced her eyes:

[Am I seeing things? Yan Shu's oil painting of swallows is exactly the same as the subtle pattern on President Zhuang's tie last night!]

[In a previous interview, Yan Shu mentioned that this painting was a work she created during her university years, inspired by a mysterious gentleman surnamed Z. Could he be Zhuang Bieyan?]

[Didn't Zhuang Bieyan and Qu He just go public with their relationship? If he and Yan Shu knew each other in England, then what is Qu He? A homewrecker who interferes in someone else's relationship?]

[This is chilling! Could this swallow be their token of love? Otherwise, why would President Zhuang be so fond of this design?]

The images switch one by one.

Qu He tried to look away, but it was as if she was glued to the spot, and she couldn't look away no matter what she did.

She hadn't seen any of these comments, and hadn't even heard of any related trending topics.

She found the answer in the posting time of a comment: it was the night she watched the live stream with "Chengqi".

Early morning?

Was it the night Zhuang Bieyan was on the balcony in the middle of the night?

At the time, he only said he wanted to go out for a smoke, so he was actually dealing with these things.

Remove trending topics? Suppress public opinion?

Why?

If he has a clear conscience, why remove these trending topics?

What story lies behind this swallow pattern that she doesn't know?

Is Zhuang Bieyan and Yan Shu's past a case of lingering affection, or is there something else going on?

Qu He felt her temples throbbing, her vision blurring, and something seemed to flash through her mind, but she couldn't grasp it.

She felt incredibly cold, as if she were on the verge of drowning.

Just then, a cell phone rang urgently.

Qu He came to her senses, her body trembling slightly.

She searched the exhibition hall but found that Yan Shu was nowhere to be seen. Only the black swallow painting hung quietly on the wall, silently mocking her disheveled state.

The phone screen was still lit up, and the caller ID showed Zhuang Bieyan.

The name that used to warm her heart every time she saw it now feels unfamiliar to her.

Her phone kept ringing, and she slowly pressed the answer button.

A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone, "The art exhibition is almost over, right? The weather forecast says the rain will get heavier later, I'm coming to pick you up now."

You can hear the sound of rain and car horns in the background.

Qu He looked at the picture of swallows, her throat feeling as if something was blocking it.

After a long while, she finally found her voice and said lightly, "Okay."

The lights in the corridor were still bright, but she felt as if everything was dim and every step she took downstairs felt unsteady.

In the lobby on the first floor, Yan Shu stood at the door saying goodbye to several media reporters, her smile polite and gentle.

Seeing Qu He arrive, he simply smiled politely yet distantly, as if treating any other guest, and asked, "Is Teacher Qu He leaving?"

She was completely different from the stubborn and provocative woman she had been in the exhibition hall on the second floor.

Qu He felt nauseous looking at the smile on her face, and her headache worsened.

She forced a smile and nodded.

Yan Shu took two steps forward and escorted her to the door. "Well then, see you next time."

next time?

Just then, my phone vibrated; it was a notification of a new email.

A sense of foreboding crept into her heart. She opened the email; it was an electronic invitation.

"A private cinema prepared just for you. Tomorrow at 2 PM, North City Cinema, Hall 3."

A QR code for ticket collection is attached below.

The signature was a small black swallow pattern, exactly the same as the one in the painting.

Qu He suddenly looked up at Yan Shu, meeting her gaze with undisguised provocation.

Her hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

There is an outdoor corridor leading from the lobby to the art museum entrance.

Just as Zhuang Bieyan had predicted, the rain intensified, blurring visibility.

The wind, carrying raindrops, slanted into the corridor, wetting their arms and skirts.

Qu He quickened her pace.

It was only three in the afternoon, but the sky was as gloomy as night, with low-hanging dark clouds that made it hard to breathe.

Lightning flashes across the sky every now and then, briefly cleaving through the darkness, only to be followed by rumbling thunder.

"Boom!"

The thunder seemed to explode overhead.

Qu He shuddered, staggered, and almost fell.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind and steadily pulled her into an embrace.