Chapter 37 Art Exhibition
Lin Qingxu's iPad didn't have a password set. It was placed on the sofa, and Jin Yuanbao would often randomly tap on the screen.
There was no important information on the tablet. Seeing that Jin Yuanbao liked electronic devices so much, Lin Qingxu simply downloaded a game specifically for the cat and let it play.
Kan Zhao leaned back on the sofa, scrolling through his phone as he listened to the notification beep on the tablet beside him. Instead of using his right paw to methodically grab the fish as usual, Jin Yuanbao was snapping away with both paws.
Kan Zhao took a casual glance and saw a green chat box.
Lin Qingxu forgot to log out of his account, and it was obvious who had created this entire page of garbled text.
Kan Zhao lightly withdrew his gaze, and just as he lowered his eyes, he saw the other party's reply.
It turned out to be Qu Wen.
Someone with the note "Senior Qu" sent a message.
[Is it ingot?]
Jin Yuanbao is a frequent visitor in Lin Qingxu's circle of friends, and almost everyone he knows knows this chubby little orange boy.
Kan Zhao was pleased to see that Lin Qingxu and Qu Wen had not been in touch for a long time. The last time they chatted, they just said "Happy National Day" to each other.
[Meow?] Jin Yuanbao looked at the message, confused. Unable to read, he turned to Kan Zhao to ask what it meant.
Kan Zhao didn't reply, but raised his eyebrows. Just as he was about to secretly delete the chat history, Lin Qingxu came out of the bathroom wiping his hair.
It seems like a missed opportunity.
Kan Zhao, having retrieved the culprit's gold ingot, secretly despised Qu Wen's scheming. He'd ask about something so obvious it would open up a conversation.
Lin Qingxu walked straight over, saw the chat interface on the tablet, sat down next to Kan Zhao and typed a reply.
Kan Zhao glanced at the screen calmly out of the corner of his eye.
Qu Wen asked about Lin Qingxu's recent situation, and Lin Qingxu responded one by one.
Kan Zhao stroked Jin Yuanbao's shiny and smooth fur, recalling how it looked when he first picked it up.
It was just a little kitten, abandoned on the roadside, barely surviving by being occasionally fed by kind passers-by. It was lazy and looked indifferent. It would bare its teeth and act very fierce if you touched it.
The cat was so thin and sick that when Lin Qingxu and Kan Zhao took it to the hospital, the doctors said it was a miracle that it was still alive. Several critical illness notices were issued, each stating that its chances of survival were low, but the little guy managed to pull through, and now has a belly that's full of flesh.
We did everything we needed to do, including sterilization and vaccinations, but Jin Yuanbao was too young at the time, so sterilization was put on hold until now.
Qu Wen invited Lin Qingxu to see his art exhibition again, and he didn't invite just her. He Jia was going too. Lin Qingxu's other two roommates, one had to attend his sister's wedding banquet, and the other was on a business trip, so they didn't have time.
Lin Qingxu had been taken care of by Qu Wen at school, and the two had a good relationship due to some things. Moreover, this was Qu Wen's first art exhibition after returning to China, so Lin Qingxu should go.
But unable to bear the pettiness of the people around him, Lin Qingxu still talked to Kan Zhao about it.
"Go ahead." Kan Zhao nonchalantly scratched Jin Yuanbao's chin. It felt comfortable, but Jin Yuanbao shuddered inexplicably. He felt he was overreacting, but it was a cat's instinct. He always felt that danger was lurking around him, and most of it came from his father.
Kan Zhao doesn't think he is a petty person.
"It's time to be neutered."
Kan Zhao poked Jin Yuanbao's chubby cheek with his index finger and said, "It's better to kill it in the cradle to prevent it from killing a few stray cats without us knowing."
"The cat has been meowing more and more these days. Being in heat every day is not good for its health."
Jin Yuanbao was confused, looking at Kan Zhao with disbelief in his clear, round eyes.
"Meow?"
The little kitten, who was a few years old, deeply understood what slander was.
*
After consulting with Kan Zhao about whether he had received three vaccinations and dietary restrictions, the doctor asked him to sign the "Consent Form for Surgery." He then introduced various sterilization packages. He glanced at Jin Yuanbao, a sturdy, shiny-haired boy, and suggested, "He's full of energy. Just do a blood test."
Kan Zhao stroked the cat's head and said, "Let's do the biochemical echocardiogram and other tests together. I had a hard childhood and had surgeries. This time, just treat it as another physical examination."
The report came out about an hour later, and it showed that Jin Yuanbao was in good health. "Just a little fat," the doctor said.
"There's nothing we can do. We've already strictly controlled cat food and snacks."
Jin Yuanbao held his head high with pride, having devoted his entire life's intelligence to figuring out how to destroy the plastic cat strips, something humans naturally couldn't see. He hadn't considered that he would soon have to say goodbye to his eggs.
The doctor was used to the "cat fight" that was always practiced before the operation. Seeing Kan Zhao's calm demeanor, he reminded him, "Do you need us to act it out?"
"Um?"
"I pretended to take it away by force, and you pulled my hand to get it back. Then I shook your hand off and went into the operating room. I heard that it will stick to you more in the future."
Kan Zhao chuckled and handed the cat to the doctor. He pinched the cat's face and put his hand down. "Forget it, it's already clingy enough."
The operation lasted about half an hour. When Jin Yuanbao was taken out, he was still under anesthesia. His eyes were open but he was unconscious. His pink tongue was sticking out from between his fangs and tears were streaming from the corners of his eyes, as if he was reminiscing about the last moment with the egg.
After an hour of observation with intravenous fluids and oxygen, Kan Zhao saw that it was almost fine, so he put an Elizabethan collar on it and placed it in an airline box.
The doctor prescribed some painkillers and then looked up and asked, "Would you like some nutritional cream or something? It's perfect for cats after surgery." He quickly recommended a series of products, exaggerating their advantages. Most people have these at home, and if they buy too much, they just pile up. But most cat owners, seeing the miserable state of their newly neutered cats in the hospital, feel compensatory and will buy some.
"Meow..." Before Kan Zhao could say anything, Jin Yuanbao heard there was food and called out weakly. He lay on his side, using saliva instead of tears.
Even losing its eggs cannot stop its desire for delicious food.
"I'll have one of each." Kan Zhao scanned the code to pay.
*
The car wasn't heading home, and Jin Yuanbao meowed doubtfully in the space box. The anesthetic hadn't worn off yet, and Kan Zhao stared straight ahead. His index finger touched the half of Jin Yuanbao's tongue that hadn't yet retracted, and he replied with a curled lip, "Go pick up your mom."
*
Kan Zhao said that the date he had scheduled for Jin Yuanbao's sterilization happened to be the same day, and then he considerately asked Lin Qingxu to go with peace of mind, and he would come to pick her up after he had settled Jin Yuanbao.
Seems particularly thoughtful and considerate.
Lin Qingxu looked at him and said, "Something feels strange."
"What's strange about that?"
“Not Kan Zhao at all.”
Kan Zhao chuckled, "I'm so considerate, why don't you consider giving me a reward?"
"What reward?"
Kan Zhao held her and kissed her.
"Qing Xu." He Jia called her a few times.
Lin Qingxu came back to his senses.
"I saw Senior Qu."
Lin Qingxu looked up and saw Qu Wen walking towards them.
A misty blue long trench coat is paired with an off-white turtleneck sweater. The soft tones make the person look more gentle like jade.
He smiled faintly and explained, "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find the place, so I left first."
"Long time no see." He raised the corners of his mouth, and his whole body was immersed in the warm light and shadow.
We only met briefly at the last gathering. After a few years, it seemed as if Qu Wen was exactly the same as before, just like the first time we met.
Qu Wen led them into the exhibition hall. "This is the VIP channel. Most of the works on display in this exhibition are my works from the past few years abroad."
"Senior Qu is personally serving as our tour guide. This is a fantastic treat." He Jia livened up the atmosphere.
Qu Wen smiled gently, "My pleasure."
He walked slowly, guiding them just the right amount to avoid the crowds. He began explaining, his voice low but clear to their ears.
The exhibition hall was huge and bustling with people.
The exhibition hall features plain white walls and light gray floor tiles, creating a calming atmosphere. Strip lighting overhead evenly casts soft light, illuminating each artwork. The paintings, framed in black frames and covered with anti-reflective glass, sit quietly on the wall.
He Jia asked, "Senior, what are your plans for the future? Will you continue to study abroad or stay in Nanchuan?"
"I probably won't leave. I'll stay in South America to teach."
They unknowingly walked to a relatively quiet exhibition area, where some smaller and more introspective works were displayed.
"These are some experiments from a few years ago, and the style hasn't quite settled yet," Qu Wen explained, his tone a gentle, retrospective look back at the past. He was pointing to a small painting depicting light and shadow in the old city, about to continue his explanation, when a staff member in a navy blue suit hurried over, looking nervous.
"Teacher Qu," the staff member said in a low voice, but loud enough for those around him to hear. "Backstage... there's a temporary problem with the equipment in the media interview area. Several important collector representatives have arrived, and they wanted to say hello to you first..."
"It's okay, it's okay. Senior Qu, you go ahead and do your thing. Qingxu and I will go shopping by ourselves." He Jia immediately waved her hand and said understandingly when she heard it.
Qu Wen smiled at them embarrassedly, turned around and hurriedly left with the staff, his figure quickly disappearing into the side corridor.
"It's not easy to be a great painter." He Jia sighed.
She pulled Lin Qingxu to continue looking at the paintings, "Qingxu, look at this one. It's rare to see you use such bold colors..."
Most of Qu Wen's works focus on outlining the environment. The "Lotus" painting on the wall stands still and silent, but it seems to hide a pool of living water. Before ripples appear, the sound of water has already filled the heart.
After several years of training, Qu Wen's painting skills have improved significantly. He has won many awards and a high reputation abroad in recent years.
very nice.
It seems like everyone around me has already reached where they wanted to go.
Lin Qingxu was so engrossed in watching that she didn't hear the footsteps coming towards her through the crowd of people who were talking in low voices.
"Are you so engrossed in watching?"
A familiar voice suddenly rang in her ears, and her breath sprayed on her neck. Lin Qingxu shuddered subconsciously. When she turned around, her high heels twisted.
A strong arm firmly wrapped around her waist.
Lin Qingxu was half-circled by Kan Zhao's side, and could feel the warmth from his palm through the thin clothes.
"Scared?" Kan Zhao's voice was filled with a faint smile, but he didn't let go of her hand immediately. "I knocked on the door, but you didn't hear it."
"Knock on the door?" Knock on the door to visit an art exhibition?
"Here." Kan Zhao tapped her temples with his finger. "I knocked three times."
Lin Qingxu: "...This is not an uninhabited area."
He Jia laughed dryly twice, "You guys continue, don't worry about me."
Lin Qingxu broke free from his arms, and Kan Zhao relaxed a little.
"Like this one?" he asked.
Kan Zhao's gaze also fell on the painting that Lin Qingxu had just looked at.
Without waiting for an answer, he took out his phone and took a picture of the painting. "Go back and have Luo Ye contact the auction house."
"Um?"
"Buy it and hang it in the study." He lowered his head to operate his phone, and his tone was nonchalant, "This way you don't have to come all the way to see it."
Lin Qingxu opened his mouth and suddenly noticed that his phone screen saver was a picture of her that Kan Zhao had taken when they went to Hokkaido last year. In the picture, she was wrapped up like a zongzi, as if she had eaten something with a particularly strange taste, and her expression was a little out of control.
It was obvious that Kan Zhao had deleted the photo under her supervision, but she didn't expect it to reappear on the wallpaper.
There was a moment of silence.
“…You’re so childish.”
Despite saying so, Lin Qingxu did not stop him. Qu Wen's art exhibition was originally for public welfare purposes, and Kan Zhao had also done many public welfare projects in recent years. The two did not conflict.
In the end, Lin Qingxu left early.
Because Kan Zhao's vicious father used gold ingots as a means of palace fighting and put a cat in the car.
The reason is that the cat has just been neutered and cannot be exposed to the bumpy ride.
...That's true.
But it is not safe for Jin Yuanbao, a cat, to be alone in the car. Lin Qingxu asks He Jia to help and Qu Wen to apologize on her behalf.
He Jia waved her hand and said it was okay. How could she not know who Kan Zhao was?
When I was in college, I was an expert at breaking up her couples.
She's used to it.
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