Chapter 70
White oil pastels dotted the edges of the blue-gray blocks, like a few grains of salt accidentally spilled. The original owner of Shi Ye stared at those few white dots for a long time, so long that Teacher Wang thought she had fallen into a daze again and was about to ask her softly when she suddenly made a new move.
With that white pen, she drew a small, not-quite-round circle around a dot of white, very lightly and slowly. The movement was clumsy, the lines trembling, and her intention almost indiscernible. Then she stopped, as if puzzled by her own inexplicable action, her brows furrowing even more deeply.
Su Xiao (Shi Ye) watched from the side, a slight thought stirring within her. This subconscious, circling motion... it was somewhat like a child's unconscious doodle, and also vaguely resembled... the beginning of some kind of symbol? She glanced discreetly in the direction of a hidden camera on the wall.
In the control room, Secretary Li recorded the facts: "Miss Shi used white to add dotted strokes and tried to draw an incomplete circle."
In Qi Jin's office, her gaze was fixed on that crooked little circle. The rhythm of her fingertips caressing the necklace in her pocket unconsciously quickened slightly.
Draw circles...
Long ago, among the photos she secretly took, there was one of Shi Ye sitting by the window in the library, sunlight falling on her open notebook. She was unconsciously drawing small, linked circles in the margins of the pages, her expression focused yet somewhat detached, as if she were pondering some difficult problem, or perhaps just passing the time.
That habitual little gesture and the clumsy, bewildered circle on the screen overlapped for a moment.
Qi Jin's breath hitched almost imperceptibly.
Is it a coincidence?
Or... bodily memory?
In the surveillance footage, Teacher Wang's gentle voice rang out: "Dream a circle? That's quite interesting. Do you want to keep drawing circles, or try something else?"
The original owner of Shi Ye seemed to be startled awake. Her hand trembled, and the white oil pastel drew an abrupt diagonal line on the paper, ruining the unfinished circle. She put down the pen in a panic, her fingers curling up, and shook her head: "No... I won't draw anymore."
She gently placed the white stone she had been holding in her left hand next to the torn circle on the drawing paper. The stone pressed down on a small part of the white diagonal line. Then, she lowered her head, no longer looking at the drawing paper or anyone else, but only at her clasped fingers, which were stained with a little paint.
A silent sense of retreat and frustration is clearly conveyed through the screen.
Seeing this, Su Xiao got up and poured a glass of warm water from the water dispenser next to her, gently placing it beside Shi Ye. "Take a break if you're tired, have some water." She spoke softly, her gaze sweeping over the unfinished painting—a somber blue-gray background, a few struggling reds and blues, a few lonely whites, a broken circle, and a cold stone.
She suddenly spoke, as if talking to herself, or as if addressing Shi Ye and Teacher Wang: "Sometimes, when you're drawing, you don't know what you're drawing, or you don't even understand what you've drawn yourself, which is quite normal. Maybe... your hand is faster than your brain, and you've memorized something you didn't even know."
These words, though spoken lightly, were like a pebble dropped into a still lake.
The original owner of the body tightened his grip on the water glass.
Secretary Li in the control room frowned slightly. The words, which sounded like comfort, seemed to carry a different meaning. She looked at Su Xiao; the girl on the screen had a calm expression and clear eyes, looking at Shi Ye with concern.
Qi Jin's fingertips stopped rubbing. His hands, faster than his brain, had remembered something he himself didn't even know…
She stared at Shi Ye's lowered head and the hand tightly gripping the water glass. Those hands had once left smooth lines on drawing paper (even if they were just basic ones), had once played simple piano pieces (the original owner's skill), and had also, in the final moment, unleashed astonishing strength to push her away...
Memory can be masked or distorted by trauma, but what about muscle memory? What about those tiny habits and reactions deeply ingrained in our instincts, belonging to the individual "Shiyan"?
“Teacher Wang,” Qi Jin suddenly spoke into the microphone, his voice transmitted through the encrypted line to Secretary Li’s earpiece, “Next time, try preparing some clay or polymer clay.”
Secretary Li paused for a moment, then immediately repeated the instructions. Clay or polymer clay? These weren't standard materials in the initial submission, but they might be more helpful for tactile and three-dimensional expression, and would allow for observation of more details.
Teacher Wang received the "suggestion" relayed by Secretary Li through her earpiece. Although she was somewhat surprised by Qi Jinfang's direct intervention, her professionalism kept her expression calm. She said gently to Shi Ye, "Ms. Shi, how are you feeling today? If we do activities together again next time, would you be interested in playing with clay or making some small things? Don't think too much about it, just use your hands to feel the softness and changes of the material."
The original owner of Shi Ye looked up, her eyes somewhat blank: "Clay?" She unconsciously moved her fingers, "I can't mold things..."
"It's okay, just play around with it. You can make it into whatever shape you want. If you mess it up, you can roll it up and start over," Teacher Wang said with a smile. "Just like when we played with mud as kids."
Shi Ye's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she gave a very soft "hmm," which could be considered tacit approval. She seemed to have a barely perceptible reaction to the word "when I was little."
Su Xiao listened intently, her mind racing. Clay? A three-dimensional, malleable material that required more physical involvement. This was clearly Qi Jin's instruction. What did she want to observe? More subtle body language? Tactile responses? Or… did she want to see if the act of "shaping" itself could trigger anything?
This is both a challenge and an opportunity for her. Three-dimensional creation can convey far more information than flat painting, and it's also much more difficult to fully control through monitoring. But conversely, if she can skillfully guide it…
The first trial activity was drawing to a close. During the guidance session, Teacher Wang simply packed up her art supplies (actually, she just put the few used oil pastels back in the box) and asked her if she would like to take the painting and stones home with her.
The original owner of Shi Ye looked at the messy drawing paper and the stone next to it, hesitated for a long time, and finally shook his head, saying in a low voice: "I don't want it."
Su Xiao carefully rolled up the drawing paper, tied it with a ribbon, and placed it, along with the white stone, into a plain paper bag. "I'll keep it for you for now, in the locker in the studio. If you change your mind next time you come, or want to continue painting, that's fine too," she offered a compromise, a stress-free option.
Shi Ye looked at her, a flicker of emotion in his eyes, and nodded gently.
Secretary Li appeared at the door connecting to the control room at the opportune moment, her tone flat: "It's time. The car has been arranged to take Miss Shi and Teacher Wang back. Assistant Su, please stay for a moment; we need to confirm a few details regarding the subsequent material preparation and procedures."
This was a private reprimand. Su Xiao knew perfectly well what was going on, but her smile remained unchanged: "Okay."
Teacher Wang accompanied the still somewhat dazed Shi Ye as they left. The large studio was now left with only Su Xiao, Secretary Li, and the silently operating cameras.
Secretary Li approached her and handed her a new list, outlining the materials to be prepared for the next event. Clay and polymer clay were listed first, along with some new tools. "President Qi hopes to try more diverse forms of expression next time. Please ensure that these materials are from safe sources and of reliable quality, and that samples are submitted for testing in advance before use."
"Understood, I will prepare strictly according to the requirements." Su Xiao took the list with a proper attitude.
Secretary Li looked at her, her gaze sharp behind her glasses: "Assistant Su was very professional today. However, while accompanying Miss Shi, please be sure to maintain professional boundaries and avoid any personal remarks or suggestions that may trigger unnecessary associations or emotional fluctuations. Miss Shi's current psychological state is very sensitive, and any slight stimulus may have unpredictable effects." She specifically emphasized "personal remarks" and "suggestions," clearly taking Su Xiao's earlier comment, "Hands are faster than brains," to heart.
Su Xiao felt a chill run down her spine, but her face showed just the right amount of reflection and caution: "Thank you for the reminder, Secretary Li. It was my oversight. I will pay more attention to my wording in the future, and focus on Miss Shi's immediate feelings and the therapist's guidance."
Seeing her cooperative attitude, Secretary Li's expression softened slightly: "In addition, Ms. Lin Xiaoyu may join as an escort at the next event. You will be notified of the specific arrangements in advance."
Lin Xiaoyu is coming? Su Xiao's eyes lit up slightly. This was good news. Lin Xiaoyu's presence could naturally ease the atmosphere and also serve as a more natural bridge between her and her target.
“Okay, I look forward to designer Lin joining us,” Su Xiao replied.
Secretary Li nodded, said nothing more, and indicated that she could leave.
Holding the paper bag containing the "discarded" paintings and stones, Su Xiao stepped into the elevator. As the elevator descended, she looked at her reflection in the sleek metal wall—Su Xiao's face, Su Xiao's attire, Su Xiao's "life."
She lowered her head, opened the paper bag, took out the rolled-up painting, and slowly unrolled it.
A blue-gray background, struggling red and blue, a solitary white dot, a broken circle, and a white stone that she "keeps safe" outside the painting.
Through Su Xiao's eyes, she looked at this bewildered and repressed painting created by another "self".
The void in my heart, isolated by the system, seemed to let in another silent breeze.
She slowly rolled the painting up again.
Matchmaker Su Xiao, in her first performance, received a subtle reaction from the audience, and instructions had already been given.
Next scene: Clay and old shadows.
The cast may be expanded.
And the director/audience member sitting behind the monitor seems to be... becoming more deeply involved in the plot.
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