Chapter 43

Chu Linchuan recognized the owner of the hand at a glance.

These hands will stir the owner's hair when he is uneasy, clench into fists when he is nervous, curl up slightly when he is happy, turn into childish little branches when taking pictures, and hide in bags or behind the back when he is embarrassed.

But Chu Linchuan had never seen it in the state described by Su Cheng.

Calm, gentle, even a little shy.

The mole in the painting is clearly visible. How close did Su Cheng and Xia Lanzheng have to be to observe it so carefully?

What did they talk about? It must have been more than just what to eat tonight.

Family, ideals, life?

Xia Lanzheng never told him.

What about his secret? Does Su Cheng know it too?

Chu Linchuan immediately realized that he was jealous.

Jealous of an outsider, jealous that Su Cheng could easily spy on Xia Lanzheng's secret.

Why?

This is clearly a highly affecting work, and the surroundings are unusually quiet, with several veteran artists leaning in to observe the painting's technique.

Chu Linchuan clenched his fists unconsciously, and someone tugged at the hem of his clothes. A familiar smell came into the cold air.

He suddenly heard Xia Lanzheng ask in his ear: "Brother, does this cost extra?"

The venue seemed to be vacuumed.

Rumbling.

Xia Lanzheng was like a baby sheep that had sneaked into a pack of wolves. She jumped up and down, eyes shining, and asked excitedly, "When are we going to set out hunting?"

Chu Linchuan's clenched fist loosened.

All his recent emotional fluctuations were caused by Xia Lanzheng, but Xia Lanzheng seemed to have magical powers and could calm his uneasiness with just a few words.

When you punch cotton, you can't even get any air out.

He had no way to deal with Xia Lanzheng.

Chu Linchuan cleared his throat and said half-truthfully: "If you need, I can ask for you."

"Really? Thank you in advance."

Of course Xia Lanzheng didn't need it, he was just at a loss and spoke nonsense.

It was actually quite strange for Chu Linchuan to see this painting.

If Chu Linyu was standing here, he would definitely say excitedly: "Zhengzheng, look, isn't this your hand? Your hand is on display too!"

But when facing Chu Linchuan, the first thing Xia Lanzheng thought of was how to explain that she was a model for Su Cheng?

There was no one else in the studio at that time except him and Su Cheng, so Chu Linchuan had no idea about these things.

Xia Lanzheng's thoughts stopped here. Some of the people in front of him walked away, and he followed them forward, feeling uneasy.

He couldn't wait to explain to Chu Linchuan and told him that there was no other reason at that time, it was really because of Su Cheng's model request.

But why explain?

It's so weird.

Xia Lanzheng met Su Cheng's gaze. When Su Cheng stood here, the feeling of being out of place suddenly disappeared.

He seemed like a natural artist, even the gloom on his face looked like a stroke of light color on a painting.

"Zheng Zheng," Su Cheng walked over from the side of the painting, "Do you like it?"

The familiar smell of ink blends perfectly into the art gallery.

Xia Lanzheng smiled at Su Cheng: "I didn't expect this painting to appear here, congratulations."

Su Cheng wanted to say something, but Chu Linchuan put his hand between them and shook it. "Congratulations, Mr. Su. The exhibition was a success."

Su Cheng was startled and held Chu Linchuan's hand tightly: "Thank you, did my dad disturb you?"

The two hands were held together like this, and no one let go first.

"Don't bother me," Chu Linchuan said with a smile, "I'm here to accompany Zheng Zheng. This painting is very special. Did you put a lot of thought into it?"

Su Chengping looked Chu Linchuan in the eye and suddenly smiled: "I want to talk to Zheng Zheng alone for a few words. Could you please wait for me, Mr. Chu?"

Chu Linchuan looked at Xia Lanzheng, who was standing with Su Cheng's assistant.

The former looked as if it had nothing to do with him, while the latter had a worried look on his face, his heels off the ground, as if he was about to step forward to stop the fight in the next second.

The onlookers all noticed that the atmosphere was wrong, but the person involved was still confused.

As expected, it’s Xia Lanzheng.

Xia Lanzheng came back to her senses when she saw the conversation was about her: "Okay, brother, wait for me for a while, I'll be back soon."

Although they said they were going to chat alone, there was no private space in the venue. Su Cheng found a corner and turned his back to block Chu Linchuan's sight.

Xia Lanzheng waved to his brother, then turned and asked, "What's the matter?"

Su Cheng was reminded by him and realized that he was a little nervous, so he coughed lightly.

"Zheng Zheng, do you like this painting?"

Without waiting for Xia Lanzheng to answer, he couldn't help but continue, "This was originally a birthday present for you, but I couldn't wait and wanted you to see it quickly."

Xia Lanzheng was a little surprised. "I like it very much, but your painting must be very expensive. It's not appropriate to give it to me."

"Really," Su Cheng nodded, almost saying it word for word, "I was thinking of you when I drew this."

Xia Lanzheng was speechless. A huge painting suddenly fell on his head, and he felt an inexplicable pressure.

However, before Su Cheng finished speaking, a drop of sweat ran down his forehead. He wiped it off and said with his head down, "Zheng Zheng, you are very special to me."

Xia Lanzheng opened her lips slightly, and the weight on her head seemed to have increased again.

"I don't know how to describe it. In fact, I only figured this out recently."

Su Cheng spoke faster, and because he was anxious, the ending of his words had a foreign tone.

Xia Lanzheng felt something strange, but couldn't explain why. "Don't be nervous. Speak slowly."

Su Cheng closed his eyes, and the light above his head and Xia Lanzheng's shadow flashed in his blue pupils.

He finally made up his mind and took a deep breath: "Zheng Zheng, I like you very much."

The word "喜" (happiness) was pronounced heavily, and the pronunciation of "很" (very) was also very awkward. Su Cheng was not a person who sweated easily, and his palms became dry after holding the pen for a long time.

But at this moment, sweat oozed from his hands and he had to wipe them on his clothes.

Xia Lanzheng looked at him with wide eyes. He paused in wiping and hid his hands behind his back.

The venue became as hot as a steamer, and the cramped and uneasy feeling seemed to turn into visible mist. Su Cheng watched it drift to every corner.

This scene, which had been rehearsed countless times in my mind, was silenced by Xia Lanzheng's silence.

Su Cheng began to feel that his pronunciation was inaccurate, his gesture was not sincere enough, and perhaps even the venue was not suitable.

And that painting, did Xia Lanzheng dislike it but couldn't bear to refuse it?

what to do.

what to do.

Maybe he was too straightforward, leaving Xia Lanzheng at a loss for words?

"Su Cheng."

Xia Lanzheng suddenly spoke in a clear voice, bringing Su Cheng back to his senses.

"Hmm?" Su Cheng uttered a syllable with difficulty.

"I understand." Xia Lanzheng said.

Su Cheng clenched the hands behind his back and waited for him to finish speaking.

He even suspected that he was still abroad because of the time difference, which made every minute and every second so unbearable.

Xia Lanzheng curved her eyes, a smile spilling out of her eyes: "I will accept the painting, no need to explain, thank you very much."

He didn't expect that his excuse would make Su Cheng distressed. Foreigners are so straightforward and can express their love to friends without hesitation.

"I like you, too," thinking this, Xia Lanzheng went forward and hugged Su Cheng, patted his back twice, and then let go. She imitated Chu Linchuan's social tone and said, "The exhibition was a success. Congratulations."

He Sucheng stood frozen in place, like a potted plant in a corner.

Xia Lanzheng patted his arm again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chu Linchuan standing at the exit waiting. "My brother is still waiting for me. I'll be leaving now. See you next time."

Su Cheng called Xia Lanzheng's name. Xia Lanzheng turned around, and there was no embarrassment, shyness, or helplessness in her eyes... He did not show the reaction that Su Cheng had imagined, but was full of confusion instead.

"Address," Su Cheng's voice was a little hoarse, "your home address. I'll send the painting there when the time comes."

"Okay," Xia Lanzheng waved at him generously, "I'll send it to you on WeChat. Bye."

Xia Lanzheng walked faster and faster. When she was near the exit, she trotted a few steps and jumped to Chu Linchuan's side.

He looked back again and saw Su Cheng still standing there, his eyes unfocused, staring at the shadow on the ground.

"What did you say?" Chu Linchuan asked calmly.

Xia Lanzheng said "Oh": "Su Cheng said he would give me that painting as a birthday present."

Chu Linchuan imitated his tone and said "Oh": "Su Cheng's paintings are very expensive, he has many regular collectors."

"I know," Xia Lanzheng said distressedly, "but he seemed serious and said..."

He stopped talking halfway. Chu Linchuan waited for a moment and asked, "What else did you say?"

Xia Lanzheng laughed and waved her hand in front of his eyes.

"He said he likes me very much and that he drew this picture with me in mind. Look, my hands look beautiful, don't they?"

When I walked out of the art gallery, the outside suddenly became empty. As the weather forecast said, a strong wind was blowing in the square.

Chu Linchuan stood in the wind for a while, not knowing how to describe his mood at the moment.

Xia Lanzheng's hands are undoubtedly beautiful, but not only her hands, but her whole person and temperament are also different.

However, the handsome young master was unusually slow-witted and could not even understand the confession, so he happily showed off his hands to him.

Chu Linchuan was both amused and confused. The sky was gloomy, but his mood was exceptionally bright.

It’s a good thing not to understand, and it’s not bad to be a little slow.

He can continue to be a carefree young master and do whatever he wants.

"Look, you haven't even seen it!" Xia Lanzheng put her hand on Chu Linchuan's glasses, "My hands are really long, aren't they? How about I learn piano?"

His glasses were smudged. Chu Linchuan looked up and grabbed his restless hand. "You learned this when you were a kid. You cried while learning and scared the teacher away."

Xia Lanzheng said: "That's impossible, I'm very smart."

Chu Linchuan laughed at him: "He's very smart among lambs, but not necessarily among children."

Xia Lanzheng leaned forward to pull his glasses off: "Chu Linchuan, you scolded me, you're done!"

Chu Linchuan stopped him with one hand, pulled him over, took off his glasses, and wiped them on his clothes.

"I'm not scolding you, you're not a sheep."

"Don't use my clothes to wipe your glasses, this is new!" Although she said this, Xia Lanzheng didn't dodge and her head almost leaned against Chu Linchuan's chest.

Chu Linchuan stood in front of him, the two of them close together. He looked up at Chu Linchuan's face, and before he could think, he blurted out, "Brother, you really have never been in love?"

"Hmm?" Chu Linchuan was about to put on his glasses. "No."

Xia Lanzheng blocked his hand and stopped him from wearing them. She leaned in closer to take a closer look: "You give me a different feeling when you don't wear glasses."

Chu Linchuan said with a smile: "What's the difference?"

He couldn't see Xia Lanzheng's face clearly without his glasses, he could only vaguely see that her eyes were particularly bright, and the expression on his face was straightforward and unconcealed.

"I can't really put it into words, but he's quite handsome anyway," Xia Lanzheng took the glasses, raised her feet a little, and placed them on Chu Linchuan's face. "He looks different with the glasses on. He looks like the type who can curse without using any curse words."

He made a fool of himself: "There must be a lot of people who like you."

Chu Linchuan gave him a slap on the head: "I'm leaving, do you want to leave?"

Xia Lanzheng followed him eagerly, like a sparrow, insisting on asking the question: "Did I get it right? I must have gotten it right."

Chu Linchuan glanced at him and asked, "Do you care about this?"

"It's okay," Xia Lanzheng followed his steps, "I'm just curious."

Chu Linchuan gave him the answer: "But I don't like them."

Xia Lanzheng said she was just curious and didn't ask any further: "Why don't we go home and go eat?"

"Look at the cars," Chu Linchuan pulled Xia Lanzheng to the side of the road, "What do you want to eat?"

Xia Lanzheng responded like a yes-man: "What are we eating?"

Chu Linchuan stood by the roadside waiting for Xia Lanzheng. He thought that the young man's attitude towards food was extremely serious, to the point of being oblivious to the surroundings.

He looked down a few times, his gaze unconsciously softening.

"Xia Lanzheng, you are so slow." He whispered.

"I'll send Su Cheng my home address first..." Xia Lanzheng spoke at the same time as him. She didn't hear clearly, but she understood his expression. "Are you scolding me again?"

"How is that possible?" Chu Linchuan laughed. "I'm saying, I wish your friendship will last forever."