Chapter 47 No matter what my brother says, you should do it your way...
The days slipped by quietly amidst busy anticipation.
Wen Yu devoted all her energy to the creation of "Chasing the Light".
The sunflowers on the canvas are gradually becoming fuller, and their sense of struggling and indomitable strength is almost bursting out of the painting.
Shen Jinhuai saw Wen Yu's persistence and took even better care of his wife.
When Wen Yu got tired of painting, Shen Jinhuai immediately handed her a glass of warm water and massaged her shoulders.
When Wen Yu encountered a creative block, Shen Jinhuai drove her to the suburbs for some fresh air.
However, Wen Yu's "Chasing the Light" got stuck on details during the final adjustment stage, and it always felt like something was missing.
"Rest first, I'll take you somewhere later."
Wen Yu could only fall asleep in Shen Jinhuai's arms.
When Wen Yu woke up again, she found that she and Shen Jinhuai had somehow ended up at the best viewpoint on the outskirts of the city.
It was the deepest darkness before dawn. Shen Jinhuai pointed to the faint but stubborn halo of light on the horizon, trying to break through the night, and said to Wen Yu in his arms, "This is what the sky looks like after the darkest moment has passed and before the first ray of light appears."
"It has gathered its strength all night long, just to keep tearing through the darkness with unwavering determination."
Wen Yu was slightly taken aback.
Then, gazing at the halo in the distance, she suddenly felt enlightened.
Wen Yu had always pursued a strong and confrontational sense of power, but she overlooked the fact that the power accumulated in silence and that could quietly sprout in the darkest moments was a more tenacious vitality.
"I see."
Wen Yu was excited, and deep down she was eager to try.
"Shall we go back?"
"Um."
Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai immediately drove home.
Upon entering, Wen Yu rushed back to her studio to adjust the color tones. Soon, the painting gained a powerful, inward-growing resilience.
When the last stroke was completed, Wen Yu was extremely satisfied.
She nestled happily in Shen Jinhuai's arms: "Jinhuai, thank you."
"You found the answer yourself."
Shen Jinhuai kissed the top of Wen Yu's head, then picked her up and carried her around the waist.
"So... now, can my dear wife draw me?"
Shen Jinhuai was puzzled, then understood what Shen Jinhuai meant, and shyly hid in the man's arms.
She let him carry her back to the bedroom, and they continued to fuss over her until the room was filled with sunlight.
The preliminary results of the exhibition were announced the following day.
Wen Yu sat on the sofa in her apartment, seemingly flipping through a magazine casually, but her tense lips betrayed how nervous she was.
Shen Jinhuai didn't go to the company either. He was working on his laptop, occasionally glancing up at Wen Yu and pushing a cup of warm water to her side.
The phone rang, and Wen Yu took a deep breath and answered it.
"Hello, is this Ms. Wen Yu? This is the Municipal Art Museum. Congratulations, your work 'Chasing the Light' has passed the preliminary selection for an international exhibition of young artists..."
Wen Yu couldn't quite hear what was said after that.
An immense joy washed over her entire body like a warm current.
After hanging up the phone, Wen Yu looked at Shen Jinhuai with bright eyes and her voice trembling slightly in disbelief: "I...I passed the preliminary selection."
Shen Jinhuai closed his laptop, walked over to Wen Yu, and squatted down.
"Congratulations."
The man wiped away Wen Yu's excited tears with his fingertips: "I knew you could do it."
Wen Yu nodded vigorously and threw herself into the man's arms.
Just then, a sudden cell phone ringtone sounded.
On the phone screen appeared Zhou Yingchen's name.
Wen Yu frowned, but still answered the call and put it on speakerphone.
Congratulations on being shortlisted.
On the other end of the phone, Zhou Yingchen's deep voice came through, revealing little emotion.
Wen Yu: "...Thank you."
There was a pause of a few seconds on the other end of the phone before the voice continued, "About what Grandpa left you..."
"Once this competition is over, we need to find some time to deal with this."
"Something my grandfather gave me?"
Wen Yu frowned: "What is it?"
You'll find out then.
Before Wen Yu could ask any more questions, the other party hung up the phone.
Wen Yu held her phone, feeling completely bewildered.
But I didn't feel suffocated or oppressed like I used to.
She is now able to face the two Zhou brothers with increasing composure.
only……
"Jin Huai, do you know what Zhou Yingchen said?"
Wen Yu looked at the man in front of her, puzzled: "Grandpa, you mean Grandpa Zhou, right? What will he give me?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Jinhuai's eyes flickered slightly.
If I'm not mistaken, Zhou Yingchen is probably going to use his last resort.
That was his only chance to get close to Wen Yu now.
It's just unknown what kind of trouble the Zhou Group shares, which seem unattainable to outsiders, will cause Wen Yu.
"It's some stuff, it shouldn't be too important, otherwise I would have given it to you when you returned to the Zhou family."
Shen Jinhuai suppressed the turbulent emotions in his eyes and put his arm around Wen Yu's shoulder: "Focus on the exhibition. Everything else is unimportant."
Wen Yu nodded, putting the little incident behind her.
Meanwhile, in the CEO's office on the top floor of the Zhou Group, Zhou Yingshen was reviewing a new proposal drafted by his lawyer.
The last attempt to transfer ownership was several years ago, but it was temporarily put on hold due to Wen Yu's strong resistance.
This is his responsibility as the heir of the Zhou family, and also to fulfill the promise the old man made to Grandma Wenyu.
This was also his last chance to get to know Wen Yu.
As long as Wen Yu accepts the shares, she will always be a member of the Zhou family, and no one can change that.
Even if she regains her memories in the future, she will never be able to sever ties with the Zhou family again.
In Zhou Shiye's studio, his assistant carefully informed him of Wen Yu's nomination.
"You made it to the shortlist?"
Zhou Shiye looked at the large floor-to-ceiling window, watching the cars come and go outside, and his empty eyes finally showed a slight change.
He sat on the ground for a long time, but his face was expressionless, while his eyes were filled with complex and unreadable emotions.
There was jealousy, resentment, and also a faint sense of relief and... pride that even he himself was unwilling to admit?
Look, the girl he likes always shines.
From that day on, although Zhou Shiye's studio was still lifeless, the difference was that he no longer resisted eating.
He also picked up his paintbrush again.
"Attorney Zhou, I recently heard some news..."
Seeing that Zhou Shiye finally had the will to live, the assistant quickly reported the information he had recently heard at the law firm: "It seems that President Zhou is planning to transfer some of his shares to Miss Wen."
"What?"
Zhou Shiye scoffed, his hands still drawing: "The old man has been gone for so many years, and my brother still hasn't forgotten about the share transfer? Does he think Xiaoyu cares about that little bit of money? If she wanted it, she would have asked for it long ago. My brother doesn't understand at all; he just wants to tie Xiaoyu to the Zhou family."
Unfortunately, no one can hold Wen Yu back now.
·
Three days before the final submission date, Wen Yu added the final touches to "Chasing the Light".
She stepped back a few paces and gazed quietly at the painting that embodied months of her hard work and reflected her complex emotional journey.
The vast expanse of somber blue-black background is like the inescapable pressure of the past, but a few sunflowers break through the soil with a twisted yet incredibly determined posture.
The thick stems and leaves are covered with signs of struggle, while the golden flower heads droop, some gather strength, and some stubbornly pierce the darkness. The edges of the petals are scorched and damaged, but in the center of the flower, an even stronger vitality is being nurtured.
The overall image is full of contradictory power: despair and hope coexist, trauma and healing are intertwined.
It is not just a landscape, but more like a portrait of the soul.
Wen Yu gazed at the painting before her for a long time, her eyes gradually welling up with tears.
She did it.
She poured all her unspeakable pain, fear, struggle, and resilience that broke through the soil into her paintings.
Wen Yu turned around and saw Shen Jinhuai standing at the door for who knows how long. A bright smile bloomed on her face: "Jinhuai, I've finished drawing."
Shen Jinhuai stepped forward and embraced Wen Yu.
"It's beautiful. Just as beautiful as you."
The completion of "Chasing the Light" felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Wen Yu stood in front of the easel for a long time before belatedly realizing how exhausted she was.
Shen Jinhuai picked up Wen Yu and placed her on the sofa.
He rubbed Wen Yu's head and said, "Wait."
Before long, a delicious and visually appealing bowl of shrimp and beef noodles was served to Wen Yu.
The warm yellow light enveloped the two of them at the dining table.
Wen Yu ate her noodles in small bites, and her tense fatigue slowly relaxed.
What are your plans next?
Shen Jinhuai asked casually, then put the peeled shrimp into Wen Yu's mouth.
"Submit your work first, then..."
Wen Yu thought for a moment and said, "I want to rest for a few days and clear my head."
After months of intense creative work, Wen Yu's brain cells needed a break.
"Okay, whatever you say. Once this matter is completely finished, it will be almost winter break. Do you want to go on a trip?"
"OK."
In the days that followed, Wen Yu's life became much easier.
More than anything, it's about waiting.
The day before the final results were announced, Wen Yu received a notification from the organizing committee that all shortlisted authors needed to attend a brief pre-competition meeting, mainly to familiarize themselves with the dinner process and details of the work presentation.
At the communication meeting, Wen Yu saw many familiar and unfamiliar faces from the industry.
They nodded to each other, the atmosphere subtly tense.
To Wen Yu's surprise, she saw a familiar figure in a corner of the venue: Zhou Shiye.
Zhou Shiye was dressed in a simple black shirt and casual pants, without a tie. His hair was carefully styled, but it couldn't hide the haggard look on his face and the lingering gloom in his eyes.
He stood alone in the corner, out of place with his surroundings, but his gaze was fixed on Wen Yu.
Wen Yu's heart tightened.
She hadn't seen Zhou Shiye for a long time.
In my memory, Zhou Shiye was crazy and obsessive, but at this moment he has become much more restrained.
Although the man's complex gaze contained pain, struggle, and... something she couldn't understand, an almost humble plea?
Wen Yu quickly looked away, forcing herself to focus on the host's explanation, but the gaze on her back followed her like a shadow.
After finally getting through the meeting, Wen Yu quickly left with the crowd.
However, just as they reached the exit of the venue, they were blocked by Zhou Shiye.
"Xiaoyu".
Zhou Shiye's voice was hoarse.
Wen Yu stopped and took a deep breath: "Attorney Zhou, is something the matter?"
Zhou Shiye met Wen Yu's distant gaze, and his prominent Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
"Xiaoyu, be careful of my brother at the banquet tomorrow night."
"No matter what my brother says, follow your own ideas and don't let him control you."
After saying this, Zhou Shiye took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his courage. Before Wen Yu could react, he staggered and turned around, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Wen Yu stood there, stunned.
Zhou Shiye... was he reminding her?
Remind her... to be careful of Zhou Yingchen?
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