Undercurrent and Preparation
[Huli Apartment Art Studio, Beijing, Morning]
As the sunlight gradually brightened outside the window, it fell upon the worktable and easel in the small studio converted from the second bedroom of the apartment. Hu Li took out her works from the past few years one by one, examining them carefully. She had originally packed up three paintings—"Entrance Left," "Lighthouse Corner," and "Line Near Left"—to take to the group exhibition in France in the autumn, but felt that something was missing. She examined them repeatedly, her fox-like eyes wandering among the paintings, and finally carefully selected ten works to take to Paris, so that these accumulated efforts could bloom under the lights of a foreign land.
The table was littered with the coffee cup from the previous night and smudged paint. She should have been exhausted, but the approaching exhibition deadline made her tense. Her phone screen kept lighting up with emails from partners and messages from her senior.
Senior's message: [The venue has been confirmed. Your plan needs one more adjustment to the lighting wiring. I'll go over this afternoon to check it out for you.]
She stared at the message, a slight smile playing on her lips. Her senior's attempts to make his presence known weren't abrupt, but they always carried the implication of "I'm here."
She replied: "Okay, but don't steal my job."
Senior: [Understood. I'll keep an eye on the company's procedures and ensure nothing goes wrong. As for the artwork you're taking to France, I'll provide you with an insurance list, customs declaration details including the name and materials, and the dimensions of the wooden crate.]
She: [I'll handle the insurance myself, just send me the template.]
Senior: [I've already sent the letter. I've also included the contact information for the French gallery and the shipping company's tracking number so you can send your artwork. Additional pieces can be included, but please don't work too late.]
She: [The fox doesn't work overtime, it just adds sugar.]
Senior student: [I'll bring a label maker and shockproof foam to help you apply back labels and corner protectors. You just need to decide the order.]
She said, "I'll arrange the order; you just need to make sure I'm not overwhelmed."
Senior: [Received. By the way, have you booked your plane ticket? What date and which flight are you departing on?]
She: [I owe you a coffee. Forget about the flight details, just double-check the back label and customs declaration for me.]
Senior: [The coffee will be changed to a late-night snack after the exhibition. Don't worry, I'm helping out as a friend; I'll be on your side if you need me, but I won't make the decision for you.]
Hu Li stared at the conversation, a slight stirring in her heart. Her senior's thoughtfulness was hard to ignore, but she quickly shifted her attention to arranging the paintings one by one. She knew his help was supportive, but the tenderness in her heart had already been given to someone else.
A short while later, Mu Tianlang's call came in. She answered, her tone natural yet with a hint of a smile: "Hello?"
"Have you had breakfast?" His voice was still low and restrained, as if he was holding his breath before speaking.
"I was halfway through my meal when you interrupted me."
"Finish eating."
She chuckled and said defiantly, "You're really nosy."
"I only care about you." His tone was indifferent, yet firm and uncompromising.
Hu Li pursed his lips, twirled the paintbrush between his fingers, and said with a hint of playfulness, "Understood, Mr. Wolf."
[Beijing Mu's Headquarters, Afternoon]
Mu Tianlang stood by the conference room window, his gaze coldly fixed on the documents on the table. The investigation report on the anonymous messages and the secretly taken photos was spread out, and he tapped his fingertips on the table inch by inch, like a wolf sensing the scent of its prey.
"The source path was broken on the third-layer proxy server," the assistant reported. "We suspect there was collusion from within, otherwise it wouldn't have been so clean."
His brow furrowed. "Investigate. Start with the purchasing units, filtering them one by one. Whoever's bills don't match the timeline, summon them for a talk immediately."
His tone wasn't loud, but it chilled the entire room. No one in the room dared to breathe too heavily.
The assistant hesitated for a moment: "Um... senior, should we investigate this as well?"
Mu Tianlang's gaze sharpened, his voice low and cold: "Leave it for now. If he wants to get closer, let him. But record all his movements."
He finished speaking but didn't sit back down. Instead, he went to the monitoring room and pulled up the lobby entry and exit footage from the past few days, watching it frame by frame. His fingertips slid along the edge of the screen, his sharp gaze making the technicians gasp. He spoke coldly, "Here, zoom in. Who's watching her?" The image froze on a blurry figure from behind, his eyes growing even colder: "Catch her, no matter how troublesome."
[Evening in a hospital ward in Beijing]
The light in the ward was soft. Mu's mother was awake, leaning against the headboard. Her face still showed signs of weakness after her illness, but it was brighter than in the previous days. The door was gently pushed open, and Mu Tianlang walked in carrying a thermos in one hand, placing the soup on the small table beside the bed.
"Mom, have some water first, it'll warm your stomach." His tone was low, but steady.
Mother Mu took it, smelled it, and a faint smile curved her eyes: "Was this made by that child?"
"Hmm." He admitted softly, without saying anything more about forcing her to meet, and simply pulled the blanket up a little higher.
Mother Mu lowered her eyes, took a sip, paused for a moment, and then said calmly, "Your father came by at noon, said he had a meeting at the company and then left."
He paused, his fingertips pausing. "I know."
Mother Mu looked out the window, her voice still faint, "My husband and I are both busy with our own things. We don't talk much, and our affection isn't shown. It's been like this for many years. Being indifferent doesn't mean we don't love each other; it just means we don't want others to see it."
She put down her soup cup and added in a flat tone, "If you stay in a wealthy family for too long, people will use your closeness to scheme against you. Don't always show your vulnerable side."
She paused, seemingly unintentionally yet as if reminding you, "That girl is intelligent; don't let her suffer. If she stays by your side, consider yourself lucky."
Mu Tianlang stood beside the bed, leaned down slightly, and raised her pillow an inch higher: "I will remember."
She turned to look at him, her gaze still cool but not sharp: "Tianlang, don't be so tense. You need to be affectionate, but you need to be able to control yourself."
His eyes flickered, and he responded softly, "Mm."
[Night at Hu Li Apartment in Beijing]
After dinner, the two walked inside side by side. Hu Li casually hung up her coat and turned to meet Mu Tianlang's deep gaze. She tilted her head and smiled, "What's wrong?"
"You're too tired today." His voice was low and hoarse, sounding both commanding and worried.
"If you're tired, just sleep. Isn't that normal?" She raised her hand, her fingertips lightly touching his collar, her eyes bright and defiant. "Or do you have another suggestion?"
He grabbed her wrist, his strength restrained yet firm: "Stop provoking me."
"But I insist." She tiptoed and placed a light kiss on his lips, then turned and walked towards the desk with a smile, her voice light and melodious, "Only when the wolf chases will the fox obediently stop."
His gaze darkened, and he followed her, pressing her against the desk. Their breaths mingled, their heat intense, yet they still managed to restrain themselves just a little.
"Hu Li," his voice was low and close to my ear, "if you keep teasing me, I won't let you off the hook."
She tilted her head back, her breath tinged with laughter: "Who said I was going to run away?" Her fingertips hooked around his collar, pulling him forward an inch. "I'm right here."
He tightened his arm, trapping her between the desk and his chest, his palm covering her pulse, his rhythm steady and restrained: "Don't test my limits."
"Then draw it for me, show me where the lines are." She looked up, her eyes slightly upturned.
He lowered his head and gently bit her lips, then stopped, as if declaring or asking for permission: "Here."
She laughed, reached behind him and cupped the back of his neck, then lightly kissed his chin: "This part is mine."
His Adam's apple bobbed, his breath hot but held back, and he pressed his forehead against hers: "If we go any further, we'll have to take responsibility."
"Okay," she replied softly, "but this is tonight."
He suddenly tightened his embrace, lifting her to sit on the table, their breaths almost touching, but he abruptly stopped at the last moment. She smiled mischievously: "That wolf is so cruel."
"I'm ruthless because I want to protect you."
The air between them was so thick it felt hot. Like a wolf and a fox, it was both a test and an approach; sweetness and repression intertwined, stopping at the boundary, making the night seem even more intense.
[The next morning at Huli Apartment Art Studio in Beijing]
The morning sunlight streamed in, and Hu Li was already busy preparing in her small studio in the apartment. Ten of her carefully selected older works stood against the wall. She checked each one, examining the frames, protective corners, and hanging ropes on the backboard, noting the dimensions and notes, and confirming their condition before shipment. Mu Tianlang walked in, still holding his morning coffee.
"Take a sip." He placed the glass beside her and then stopped behind her.
Hu Li looked up, his eyes bright with the light of someone just waking up, and took a sip: "It tastes good."
"Less sugar," he added softly, lowering his voice at the end, then reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her into his embrace.
She paused for a moment, then laughed and lightly punched his chest: "How can I examine you like this?"
"Don't dodge," he said in a deep voice, his forehead resting on her shoulder. "No matter how busy you are, you have to leave some time for me."
She turned her head to the side, her eyes sparkling, and a mischievous smirk played on her lips: "When a wolf is jealous, he becomes exceptionally domineering."
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but he simply tightened his embrace, pressing her back against his, and softly uttered, "I'm willing."
[Afternoon at a corner cafe in Kyoto]
Hu Li sat by the window with her senior, an exhibition list on the table. Her senior said earnestly, "This exhibition in France is very important to you. I can help you double-check with a few partners to avoid any last-minute problems."
She smiled, her tone light yet firm: "I can handle it myself. Thank you, senior, but this is my exhibition."
He paused for a moment, his gaze softening, but he couldn't help asking, "Then Mr. Mu... he won't stop you, will he?"
"He's domineering, but he understands me." Hu Li's tone was confident yet gentle. "We walk our own paths, but we'll walk side by side."
The senior's expression darkened, but he smiled and said, "You always shine so brightly."
The aroma of coffee filled the air, casting long shadows on the corner of the table. Just then, a tall figure swept through the doorway. Mu Tianlang stopped outside the glass, his gaze lingering on the table for only a moment before he didn't enter. The senior student noticed his gaze, his heart tightening slightly, but he maintained his smile and pushed the list back to Hu Li.
"Just call me if you need anything."
She nodded, but she knew in her heart that this exhibition was not only a battlefield for artworks, but also a test of emotions.
[Beijing Mu Clan Headquarters at Night]
As night deepened, Mu Tianlang reviewed investigation materials at his desk. The clues from the anonymous messages were gradually coming together, and the shadow behind them was emerging. He closed the file, his coldness deepening.
My phone vibrated; it was a message from Hu Li: "Are you done with work?"
He replied: "There's still a little bit left. But you should go to sleep."
She returned soon after: "If the wolf is too tired, the fox won't give him candy."
He stared at the screen, a barely perceptible smile finally curving his thin lips. He put the phone down, the coldness in his heart gradually melting away.
——
That night, the air in the capital seemed thick with unspoken tension. Some were investigating, some were preparing, and some were waiting. The story of the wolf and the fox continued.
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