Chapter 35
"I think," Zou Ping said softly, as if testing or weighing something, "I don't know much about the other two, but Mr. Ma... isn't a good person."
After she said this, her heart tightened slightly.
The air between them froze briefly. She looked up at Tang Yuchuan, then quickly lowered her gaze. She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and pulled out a hotel room card from the crack in her phone case and placed it in his palm.
The thin card reflected a cold and hard light under the light, appearing abrupt and dazzling.
"He handed it to me." Zou Ping added, her voice even softer, like the trembling of leaves in the wind.
She was afraid that Tang Yuchuan would misunderstand and think that this was a denial of his social circle.
She knew that with Tang Yuchuan's status and position, the person he would introduce was definitely someone he approved of. But at that moment, her discomfort was real. She would rather risk ruining the atmosphere than speak out about it.
Tang Yuchuan was obviously stunned for a moment, the lines between his brows tightened, and then he raised his eyes and looked at her seriously.
He didn't get angry or lose his composure as she worried, but lowered his voice, his tone gentle but revealing a hint of anxious concern: "Did he—"
He paused and changed his words to be more subtle, "--did he do anything out of line to you?"
Zou Ping was struck in the heart by his momentary nervousness. Her heart shrank slightly, and a hint of warmth rose up.
"Nothing else." She shook her head, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "Maybe he's concerned about you, the occasion... and his own image. It's just that his hints are so obvious."
Tang Yuchuan's eyes darkened a little, and his fingertips gently stroked the room card in his palm, as if it weighed a thousand pounds.
After a moment, he spoke, his voice low but sharp beneath his calm and restrained tone: "I'm sorry, I didn't handle the situation well today and almost put you in danger. I'll learn more about Ma Pingwei. In the future... if I introduce anyone to you, I'll be more cautious."
"No need." Zou Ping interrupted softly, looking up at him with a hint of stubbornness in her eyes, "Tang Yuchuan, I don't like getting to know people this way. I still prefer making friends naturally. Even if it's hard for me to get ahead, even if I'm just a small-time painter that no one knows in my life, it doesn't matter."
She took a deep breath, and her tone softened, yet revealed an almost stubborn determination: "I still want to be myself naturally."
Tang Yuchuan looked at her, the light reflecting a faint glimmer in his eyes.
He'd thought many times how much easier it would be if she were willing to seek help from others. He had the ability and connections to help her overcome many obstacles. He hoped she would suffer less injustice, experience less indifference and rejection.
But he also understood that her pride and her persistence were her bones and flesh.
He likes people of flesh and blood.
"Zou Ping," he finally spoke, his voice soft, like a warm stone dropping into the night. "Taking advantage of opportunities doesn't mean losing your edge, and sticking to your heart doesn't mean being stubborn. What really matters is that you choose a path you want to take and are willing to shoulder all the challenges along that path."
"I think so too." Zou Ping responded softly, her voice as gentle as the wind blowing across the water. "So, Tang Yuchuan, you've already helped me a lot. I don't need more. This is my choice."
Tang Yuchuan was silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on her face, then he smiled faintly: "I don't want my kindness to become a shackle on you. I respect and approve of your rejection because you don't like it. I don't have any more requirements for you, only one thing: I hope that every time you say yes or no, it is because it is your own voice, not to consider anyone else, including me."
Zou Ping nodded, looking serious: "I know, it's my choice, a choice that comes entirely from my heart."
She lowered her head and gently stroked the hem of her skirt, as if she needed a little movement to distract herself from her emotions. "Tang Yuchuan, I hope you can be less bounded in life, but when it comes to our work... there's nothing wrong with being a little more clear. It's like, I don't know what you're busy with at the company every day, and I don't want to know. You've helped me so much in my painting development, and I just want to rely on myself."
Tang Yuchuan looked at her, with a moment of tenderness and heartache in his eyes.
He knew very well that she had taken the initiative to choose a more difficult path and was willing to devote all her energy to it.
Zou Ping noticed his expression, took a deep breath, raised her eyes, and curved them into a smile. "Don't look at me like that. Maybe I could have become a great painter recognized by future generations. You don't want me to be known as someone who relies on others because of your help, do you? I can definitely rely on myself."
Tang Yuchuan laughed, his voice low and gentle: "Yes, yes, yes."
His eyes softened, as if he wanted to keep these words deep in his heart, and he added softly, "I'm looking forward to...looking forward to your future."
There are countless roads in the world, some are smooth and some are full of thorns. It is not wrong to choose any one of them as long as it is what your heart desires.
There are countless kinds of people in the world. Some choose to ride on the wind, while others choose to go against the current alone. Every attitude does not need to be judged, because the choice belongs to oneself.
Tang Yuchuan thought.
"Are you familiar with Miss Shu?" Zou Ping suddenly spoke, her tone sounding casual but with a hint of inquiry.
Tang Yuchuan recalled for a moment and said softly, "Not really. We've met a few times at private cocktail parties. Her father collected art in Europe in his early years, and she's been influenced by him and has seen quite a few fine pieces."
He paused, a slight smile on his face. "The first time I saw her, she was lying on the floor in the corner of the exhibition hall, adjusting the angles to look at a still life. Her skirt was covered in dust, and she complained that others were blocking her light. Later, she opened a small collection of her own and collected many paintings."
There was no disrespect in his words, but rather a hint of genuine appreciation.
Zou Ping lowered her eyes and casually adjusted the ring on her finger: "She really knows a lot."
She paused before continuing, "I casually discussed the underpainting of oil paintings with her, and she immediately recognized that the painting 'Gray Dawn' being auctioned today used an old-school burgundy base. She also mentioned the subtle bleeding of the burgundy base under the changing light and shadow, saying it's the most easily overlooked aspect, yet the one that tests one's skill the most."
She paused, then added casually, "She also mentioned you, and the landscape you took in Paris, saying, 'Mr. Tang's vision is always accurate.'"
Zou Ping raised her eyes and said casually, "She probably... likes you very much."
"I have always had a good impression of her." Tang Yuchuan admitted that he did not realize the implication of Zou Ping's words.
Zou Ping carefully observed Tang Yuchuan's application and realized that he really didn't seem to understand what she meant. After hesitating for a few seconds, she added, "I'm talking about the love between men and women."
Tang Yuchuan was slightly stunned, then chuckled and said calmly: "Probably not. She has a boyfriend who she has been dating for many years, a childhood sweetheart."
Zou Ping said "Oh", seeming to accept this explanation, but a trace of doubt arose in her heart.
Her mind flashed back to the brief conversation in the garden, the glint in Shu Zijin's eyes, the undisguised admiration in his voice. Those details were hard for her to ignore; that look and tone were so real, almost like something she had only seen in herself.
That was the love she had revealed countless times when she looked at Tang Yuchuan.
The similarity is slightly sour.
"for you."
Tang Yuchuan took out the necklace that caused a sensation at the auction and was sold for 8.66 million. His movements were quick and natural, as if it was not a big deal, just a small gift.
Zou Ping was stunned.
She had been there when he took the photo, watching him raise the sign and the number climb to a thrilling number. But she had never thought that such a thing would be related to her.
"No, I... I don't have the occasion to wear it." She instinctively refused, her tone slightly weak.
Tang Yuchuan didn't give her room to retreat. He leaned in, so close that she could smell the fir fragrance on his body, and his hands lightly but firmly clasped the necklace around her neck. When the coolness of the metal touched her skin, her heart suddenly sank.
"It suits you very well." His voice was low and firm, leaving no room for doubt. "There will be more in the future. You deserve everything. Jewelry complements beauty, it's only natural."
Zou Ping's heart was disturbed by his words. Her first reaction was not joy, but a sudden panic.
Yesterday, she also swiped his card.
Eighty thousand yuan. A momentary emotion made her swipe his card and spend eighty thousand yuan to buy two worthless hand-woven bracelets.
Zou Ping admitted that she was not acting out of pure kindness at the time.
Maybe it's more of an emotional release.
She felt that Tang Yuchuan had concealed his background from her, and at that moment, she had doubts and resentment about this relationship. Using his card to help others seemed like a small protest against him.
At this moment, this necklace worth millions fell on her neck, and her mood was as complicated as being entangled by tangled threads.
She was suddenly afraid—
Could it be that Tang Yuchuan felt that she had spent his money, so he responded by spending even more?
Could it be that he had already quietly included her in the trajectory of the "canary" that the strange man coldly mentioned?
There’s a saying that goes, when everyone says you’ll be a certain way, you’ll most likely become that way at some point without realizing it.
Her breathing was slightly disordered and her throat was dry.
Tang Yuchuan clearly sensed her emotional fluctuations. His fingertips gently stroked the necklace clasp, his eyes softening, and his voice becoming gentle, like a light in the night, swaying in the wind yet remaining steady: "Zou Ping."
She looked up at him, panic in her eyes.
He chuckled softly, pretending to be relaxed: "Accept my gift, it's my turn to ask for a gift in return."
Zou Ping was stunned for a moment, and she instinctively shook her head: "I...don't want this gift. Really, Tang Yuchuan."
Having said that, he reached out to pick it.
Tang Yuchuan hurriedly stopped her, and then his eyes fell on her wrists, where two simple hand-woven beads were hanging quietly.
"Just use this to pay it back." His voice was gentle, but with a firmness that could not be refused. "This string is a return gift."
Zou Ping lowered her head, her fingertips gently stroking the two bracelets. Her voice was so low that it seemed to be squeezed out of the night: "This is not worth much, and... I bought it with your card."
Tang Yuchuan looked at her quietly, his eyes emitting a gentle yet firm light: "They are the same as necklaces."
He gently ran his fingers over the clasp. "I bought this necklace at a charity auction, and you bought the bracelet for the disabled girl. The forms are different, but the essence is the same. Kindness and thoughtfulness have no price."
As the words fell, the air seemed to be silently stirred, carrying a hint of indescribable warmth and weight.
Zou Ping's heart tightened slightly, but she did not resist anymore.
Tang Yuchuan reached out and gently took off one of the bracelets on her wrist.
Obviously, this kind of bracelet is mostly worn by girls, but when Zou Ping looked at it, she felt that the simple color looked surprisingly beautiful on Tang Yuchuan's hand.
"Help me tie it." Tang Yuchuan's voice was low, as if it could be swallowed by the night at any time, but it carried an irresistible certainty.
Zou Ping pursed her lips slightly and took the bracelet. Her fingertips touched his wrist, feeling his pulse beating slowly and steadily.
She carefully wrapped the bracelet around her wrist, her movements slow and cautious.
"It's a little looser." She whispered, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible.
"Then wrap it tighter." His eyes were gentle and his low voice carried a slight smile.
Zou Ping looked at the bracelet on Tang Yuchuan's hand, which was exactly the same as hers, and felt a strange throbbing in her heart.
The night was deep, and the surrounding light and shadow were sparse and scattered, as if quietly outlining the contours of the two bracelets.
They were not connected originally, but at this moment they were gently brought together.
Two bracelets are placed side by side in the palm of the hand, and the texture, color, and tightness of the weaving seem like some kind of tacit code.
Zou Ping stretched out her hand slightly, placed her fingers on the back of his hand, and fastened the bracelet for him.
My heartbeat quickened slightly, but with it came a bitter complexity.
Yesterday, she swiped his card to help the disabled girl. On the surface, it was well-intentioned, but let's admit it, her original motive was to vent her emotions, to avenge some hidden harm caused by Tang Yuchuan, and to vent her own dissatisfaction.
She understood that this kindness was not pure, but as she watched the bracelet silently echoing between the two of them, she felt an unexpected warmth, as if the two of them were quietly exchanging their thoughts without the need for words.
Zou Ping lowered her head, rubbed the bracelet lightly with her fingers, and helped him tie it.
She didn't dare tell him her impure motives, but a thought flashed through her mind: He had already seen through it, right? Perhaps her anxiety, anger, and stubbornness had always been clear to him.
Tang Yuchuan's eyes were gentle and determined, as if silently reminding him: the action itself is more worthy of affirmation than the motivation.
Encouraged by Tang Yuchuan's eyes, Zou Ping made a small decision in her heart: not to continue to think about the distractions of the past, but the kindness in the future must be simple and pure, just to give the world a little warmth, rather than venting emotions.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
