Chapter 73
The materials have been prepared as requested by Qi Jin: a basin of water at a moderate temperature, with soft white towels stacked beside it; a small basket of pebbles of various colors, among which a few white ones are particularly round and eye-catching; and several pieces of fabric of different materials—smooth silk, rough linen, and soft cashmere, all with neatly trimmed edges.
Lin Xiaoyu was wearing a pink sweatshirt with cartoon cat paws printed on it. As soon as she arrived, she squatted down by the basket and started picking out stones: "Wow, these stones are so pretty! Sister Shiye, look at this white one, doesn't it look like a peeled boiled egg?" She picked one up and was about to stuff it into Shiye's hand.
The original owner of this body subconsciously took a half step back, her eyes filled with the usual wariness, but when her gaze fell on the warm, white stone, she stopped in her tracks. Last time, she had also held a similar white stone... the feeling of its coolness followed by a slight warming sensation seemed to still linger in the cracks of her memory.
She hesitated before reaching out, her fingertips touching the surface of the stone.
Almost simultaneously, a very faint sound came from the entrance of the studio: the electronic lock opening. It wasn't the control room door where Secretary Li usually appeared, but the main entrance.
Everyone instinctively turned to look.
Qi Jin walked in.
She wasn't wearing her signature suit today, but rather a soft, smoky gray cashmere sweater and matching trousers. Her hair was loosely tied back, with a few stray strands falling across her forehead. Her face remained expressionless, but the deliberately crafted sharp aura befitting a business occasion had toned down considerably; however, her overall cool and aloof demeanor was still undeniable. Her right arm was still somewhat stiff, but she no longer needed a sling to support it.
Lin Xiaoyu was the first to exclaim, "Senior?! What brings you here?" Her face was full of surprise, even a little excited, and she immediately put down the stone and jumped over.
Teacher Wang also quickly stood up, her attitude respectful: "President Qi."
Su Xiao's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly adjusted her expression to that of an intern assistant facing a "major client" or "project supervisor," displaying politeness and a touch of nervousness. She bowed slightly and said, "President Qi."
The original owner of this body, Shi Ye, reacted the most. Like a startled rabbit, she jerked her hand back from the stone, shrank back, her face instantly turning deathly pale, her eyes filled with terror and helplessness, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, almost hiding behind Su Xiao.
Qi Jin's gaze swept lightly over Lin Xiaoyu, and she nodded to her as a greeting. Then she looked at Teacher Wang and said in a calm tone, "Teacher Wang, there's no need for formalities. I just happened to be passing by today." Finally, her gaze fell on the original owner of this body, Shi Ye, who was as frightened as a startled bird, and lingered for two seconds.
His gaze was still deep and scrutinizing, but it seemed to have lost some of the cold sharpness he had shown in the studio or on the monitor screen, and gained a more... complex calmness.
“The project has been conducted twice now. As the…arranger, I should also check on the situation in person.” Qi Jin’s voice was not loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the quiet room. She was speaking to Teacher Wang, but it seemed more like an explanation to everyone, especially the trembling Shi Ye. “You all continue, pretend I’m not here.”
As she spoke, she walked towards the sofa by the window—the furthest spot from the creative area in the studio, but with the best view. She didn't sit down, but leaned back on the sofa, seemingly relaxed, her left hand habitually in her pocket, but her gaze had already returned to the creative table. Calmly and undeniably, she became the most silent yet most present observer of this "healing" activity.
Secretary Li appeared silently from behind the control room door, nodded slightly to Qi Jin, and then retreated to a more secluded corner, almost blending into the wall. Surveillance was clearly still ongoing, but the real "eyes" were already on the scene.
Lin Xiaoyu looked at Qi Jin, then at Shi Ye, who was almost frozen in fear. She stuck out her tongue and whispered to Shi Ye, "Don't be afraid, Shi Ye. Senior sister just came to visit. She's actually a very nice person..." She felt a little guilty saying this, since Qi Jin's "keep away" aura didn't seem like a "very nice" person at all.
Su Xiao's mind raced. Qi Jin had come in person! This was completely beyond her expectations! Had Dr. Chen's report played a role? Or had that clay shard triggered something? Her appearance posed a huge risk to the mission, but also... a golden opportunity! Close-up, real interaction, no longer just a cold, impersonal surveillance camera!
She quickly adjusted her strategy, determined to turn this "accident" into an advantage for the mission. The primary task was to maintain composure.
“Miss Shi,” Su Xiao stepped forward, just enough to block Shi Ye and Qi Jin’s line of sight slightly (not completely blocking them, but creating a psychological buffer), her voice exceptionally soft and calm, “It’s a good thing that President Qi is here to inquire about the project’s progress. Shall we just take a look at these new materials, like before?” She gestured to the basin of water, towels, and fabrics, “Look, there’s water today, you can wash your hands, and you can also touch these fabrics and feel the different textures.”
She first introduced simple, safe actions like "washing hands" and "touching a cloth," which are associated with "cleanliness" and "comfort," to help Shi Ye find an operable, low-risk breakthrough from the immense pressure she faced with Qi Jin.
Teacher Wang chimed in, "Yes, Miss Shi, let's start with the easiest thing. Would you like to test the water temperature first? Or perhaps take a look at these fabrics?"
The original owner of Shi Ye's breathing was still rapid. She glanced quickly at the silent figure by the window, then looked away as if burned, her fingers digging tightly into her palm. Under the gentle but persistent guidance of Su Xiao and Teacher Wang, and under Lin Xiaoyu's worried gaze, she finally moved very slowly, little by little, to the table where there was water and a towel.
She reached out, her fingertips trembling, and touched the water in the basin. The water temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold. This familiar, safe touch relaxed her tense nerves by a millimeter. She immersed her whole hand in the water, the clear water enveloping her fingers and washing away the psychological stickiness brought on by the non-existent clay fragments.
Qi Jin's gaze followed her every move. He watched her pale, slender hand sink into the water, watched the ripples spread gently, and watched Shi Ye's profile as she stared at the water's surface—a profile that showed panic, confusion, and an almost fragile focus.
Shi Ye washed her hands slowly and carefully, as if she were performing an important ritual rather than simply washing them. After she finished, she hesitated for a moment and looked at the stack of white towels.
Su Xiao handed over a piece at the opportune moment: "Here you go."
Shi Ye took the towel, and the soft fabric absorbed the moisture. The warm friction made her breathe a barely audible sigh of relief. This simple "cleaning-wiping" process seemed to give her a little sense of control and security.
"Would you like to try out the fabric?" Teacher Wang pointed to several pieces of fabric of different materials next to her. "Feel them and see which one you like the feel of?"
Shi Ye's attention was finally partially diverted. She stretched out her still slightly damp fingers and first touched the smooth silk. The cool, slippery sensation made her frown and immediately withdraw. Then she carefully touched the rough linen, feeling a slight prickling sensation on her fingertips, which she also disliked. Finally, her fingers landed on the soft cashmere.
The delicate, warm, and fluffy texture is like a cloud, or like the softest downy fur on the belly of some small animal.
Her fingers stopped. Then, as if drawn by something, she gently placed her entire palm over it, feeling the warm, soft embrace. The startled expression on her face gradually gave way to a simpler, more immersive enjoyment of the comfortable touch. She even unconsciously and repeatedly stroked the surface of the cashmere fabric with her fingertips.
One after another.
That familiar, delicate caressing motion reappeared. It was exactly the same motion she made as smoothing the edge of the clay with her left hand, the same motion she used to stroke the corner of drawing paper in my memory.
By the window, Qi Jin's left hand, which was tucked into his pocket, suddenly tightened its grip.
She watched Shi Ye's profile as she immersed herself in the feel of the cashmere, and watched her hand repeatedly making subtle caressing motions.
Surveillance cameras may capture the action, but only by being there in person can you feel that unguarded, instinctively comfortable focus, and the unique personal imprint that the action itself carries.
This wasn't acted out.
At least, it wasn't all an act.
Seeing that Sister Shi Ye had finally relaxed a bit, Lin Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief and leaned closer to whisper, "Sister Shi Ye, this fabric feels so nice! Doesn't it remind you of your old, very soft cushion?"
Shi Ye paused in his caressing, looked up at Lin Xiaoyu with a somewhat blank expression: "A pillow?"
“Yes! It’s that white, fluffy one. You used to sometimes hold it while sitting on the sofa reading…” Lin Xiaoyu gestured.
Shi Ye's eyes were even more blank, clearly he had no recollection of it.
Qi Jin's gaze shifted from Shi Ye's face to the basket of pebbles, especially the few white ones. Then, her gaze turned to Su Xiao—the girl who was carefully observing Shi Ye's reaction, offering him a towel at the right time, and guiding him to touch the fabric.
Su Xiao seemed to notice her gaze, looked up to meet her eyes, and nodded slightly politely, with a hint of inquiry, as if asking, "What instructions does President Qi have?"
Qi Jin made no comment, but simply looked away.
But Su Xiao knew that Qi Jin had already succeeded in taking the first step into this "field".
Matchmaker Su Xiao, the on-site director, and one of the lead actors unexpectedly appeared at the event.
The real show has only just begun.
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