Chapter 4 Reunion Gu Qingyan's gaze fell upon Zhou Xubai and Lin...
As dusk settles, the Western-style villa diagonally opposite the "Shiguang" design studio is brightly lit.
Lin Yuwei stood on the marble steps in front of the villa, making a final check to ensure that all preparations were in place. She looked up at the huge poster hanging in the porch, where the two gold-plated characters "Shiguang" (拾光, meaning "Picking Up the Light") shone brightly in the twilight. Below them was her latest minimalist logo design: a beam of light passing through a geometric prism, refracting seven colors.
"Teacher Lin, the champagne tower is ready." Assistant Xiao Li walked over quickly and handed over a checklist.
Lin Yuwei nodded slightly, her fingertips lightly tapping on the paper: "Let's rearrange the media area again, move the seats for 'Art Finance' and 'Designer' to the front." Xiao Li took the process list: "Okay, I'll arrange it right away."
Lin Yuwei pushed open the carved door of the villa, and instantly, a warm glow and the melodious sound of a violin poured out. A crystal chandelier hung from the six-meter-high ceiling, and thousands of Swarovski crystals refracted a dazzling light, casting dappled patterns of light on the antique-patterned marble floor.
At the entrance, the three-tiered champagne tower gleamed with an amber glow under the lights. Waiters in black tailcoats carried silver trays and moved among the guests, the crystal glasses on the trays clinking gently with each step, producing a clear, chiming sound.
Lin Yuwei paused briefly in the foyer, took a deep breath, and saw her outfit reflected on the mirrored wall: a custom-made white halter-neck gown, the silk fabric shimmering with a pearly sheen, perfectly hugging her slender shoulders and neck. The fishtail hem flared out from her knees, flowing like ripples with each step, making her incredibly slim waist appear even more delicate.
Her makeup was exquisite yet effortless, with only a touch of dark gold eyeshadow at the corners of her eyes, which shone faintly in the shifting lights, like a star shining in the night sky.
"Perfect, everything will go smoothly." She whispered to herself in the mirror, a smile she had practiced in front of the mirror many times before, three parts friendly and seven parts reserved.
In the center of the exhibition hall, Zhou Xubai was talking with several industry authorities. He was wearing a dark blue patterned suit tonight, and the diamond lapel pin on his tie shone with a restrained light under the lights. He looked up and saw Lin Yuwei walking over. He smiled politely and naturally extended his arm. She gently placed her fingertips on his cuff. This gesture immediately attracted a burst of flashes from the media reporters.
The pairing of a rising female artist and the son of the Zhou Group is undoubtedly one of the most talked-about topics in the media tonight.
“Ms. Lin, I’ve long admired your name.” An elderly man with slightly graying temples raised his glass to Lin Yuwei in a toast: “I saw your ‘Light and Shadow’ series in Basel last year, and I didn’t expect to meet you in person in China so soon.”
Zhou Xubai leaned forward slightly: "This is Chairman Wang of the Art Foundation."
Lin Yuwei gracefully raised her champagne glass, lightly tapping the stem with her fingertips: "Chairman Wang, you flatter me. It would be my honor to participate in next month's art biennial." Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, carrying just the right amount of humility and confidence.
Chairman Wang laughed heartily: "Ms. Lin is naturally on the invitation list. The annual exhibition needs fresh blood like you."
A woman wearing gold-rimmed glasses joined the conversation: "What impressed me most was Ms. Lin's solo exhibition in London, the 'Prisoner' series. Your use of light and shadow was breathtaking."
Zhou Xubai whispered to Lin Yuwei, "This is Director Zhao of the Huaxia Art Museum."
Lin Yuwei raised her glass to Director Zhao, the champagne glasses clinking together with a crisp sound: "Director Zhao, you flatter me. The 'Prisoner' series still has many shortcomings. I would like to ask you for more advice when I have time."
Throughout the evening, Zhou Xubai introduced her to various important figures, such as art critics, collectors, and brand representatives. Everyone showed great interest in Lin Yuwei, the young artist who had returned from overseas.
Lin Yuwei handled all the small talk with ease, displaying both the keenness of an artist and a business acumen. She perfectly portrayed the "reborn" Lin Yuwei, and no one could see that a thin layer of sweat had seeped through her back. Only she knew the tension in her heart.
As the party reached its climax, the band played a soothing jazz tune.
A slight commotion suddenly arose in the crowd. Lin Yuwei subconsciously turned her head and saw a tall, slender figure walking from the entrance of the exhibition hall. Gu Qingyan was wearing a pure black suit without a tie, and the top button of his shirt was casually undone. He exuded an unruly elite aura. His appearance was like a magnet, instantly attracting the attention of many people.
Lin Yuwei's breath hitched. Why was he here again? She clearly remembered that she hadn't invited him. She glanced at Xiao Li, who was in charge of distributing invitations. Xiao Li quickly moved closer to her and lowered his voice, "Teacher Lin, I'm so sorry, I forgot to tell you. Yesterday, President Gu asked me for an invitation to the cocktail party. After all, he bought our exhibits, and I couldn't refuse him, so I gave it to him."
Gu Qingyan weaved through the bustling crowd, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath cutting through silk. Guests unconsciously made way for him, and when he finally stopped in front of Lin Yuwei, the surrounding conversations seemed to quiet down.
“Ms. Lin,” he raised his glass, his voice deep and pleasant, “Congratulations on the opening of your studio.”
Lin Yuwei forced herself to put on a perfect smile, raised her glass and gently clinked it against hers: "Thank you for the honor, Mr. Gu."
Gu Qingyan's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, a faint smile curving his lips: "'Shiguang' is a good name." He took a sip of his drink: "Some things are indeed worth picking up again."
Amidst the crisp clinking of champagne glasses, Lin Yuwei was momentarily transported back to the scene of her first meeting with Gu Qingyan twelve years ago. His appearance was worlds apart from his present self.
In the spacious living room of the Lin family villa, eight-year-old Lin Yuwei leaned on the second-floor railing, idly tossing a limited-edition Barbie doll downstairs. The doll's blonde hair drew an arc in the air before crashing onto the marble floor with a "thud," breaking one of its legs. Looking at the broken doll, a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.
"Weiwei, come downstairs." Her mother's voice came from downstairs, carrying an unyielding tone of command.
It was her mother returning. Lin Yuwei slowly walked down the spiral staircase and saw a mother and son standing behind her mother. The woman was about forty years old, with her hands folded awkwardly in front of her. Although her clothes were clean, they were obviously faded from washing. She was also tightly clutching a faded duffel bag in her hand.
A thin boy sat next to the woman. His skin was tanned dark, and his plaid shirt seemed a size too big, hanging loosely on him. The cuffs were rolled up several times and frayed.
Lin Yuwei frowned in disgust; she didn't remember having any relatives who were that poor.
"This is Aunt Gu. She knows how to cook the dishes from her hometown, and she cooks very well. She will be in charge of your meals from now on." Her mother's words were kind, but Lin Yuwei could tell that her voice lacked warmth. Her mother continued, "This is Aunt Gu's son, Gu Qingyan. He is a year younger than you. Didn't you always say you wanted brothers and sisters? I will arrange for him to skip a grade and join your class. He will be your playmate from now on."
Lin Yuwei looked the so-called "playmate" up and down. The boy had his head down, and all she could see was a head of messy black hair and bright red ears. The edges of his sneakers were coming unglued, and he exuded a rustic and unsophisticated vibe.
Lin Yuwei stomped her foot and pouted, "Mom, I don't want to play with this kind of country bumpkin."
Upon hearing this, the boy timidly looked up, and Lin Yuwei saw a pair of overly clear eyes—like unpolluted mountain streams, so clean that they inexplicably irritated her.
"Mom, chase him away!" Lin Yuwei shrieked, pushing the boy away.
Caught off guard, the boy stumbled back a few steps, knocking over the Lego castle next to him. Colorful Lego bricks scattered all over the ground, and he hurriedly squatted down to pick them up.
"Let go!" Lin Yuwei rushed over and slapped the building blocks out of his hand. "You're too dirty, don't touch my things!"
The crisp sound of the slap was particularly jarring in the living room. The boy's hand froze in mid-air, and a red mark quickly appeared on the back of his hand.
Lin Yuwei saw that his eyes were red, but he stubbornly refused to shed tears. Aunt Gu quickly pulled her son behind her and apologized in a low voice, "Miss, I'm sorry, Qingyan didn't mean it... Qingyan, quickly apologize to Miss!"
"No need." Lin's mother waved her hand. "Our Weiwei has a bit of a temper, and the other children at school don't like to play with her. I really like Qingyan because she is so sensible. I'm afraid I'll have to be more tolerant of her in the future."
Aunt Gu nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, my son and I were desperate and had nowhere to go. We are so grateful to you for taking us in and for giving Qingyan such a good school. Qingyan, tell me quickly that you will protect Miss."
Gu Qingyan raised her head, her large, obsidian-like eyes staring directly at Lin Yuwei, her voice childish yet clear: "I will protect Miss."
Who needs a country bumpkin to protect them?! Lin Yuwei turned around angrily and ran back upstairs.
The memory abruptly ended.
Lin Yuwei snapped out of her daze and found Gu Qingyan looking at her meaningfully. The bubbles in the champagne glass kept rising, just like the unspeakable emotions in her chest.
The man standing in front of her now was no longer the skinny boy she used to bully. Time had honed his features, but it couldn't erase the complex emotions that had settled in his eyes.
“I have always admired Ms. Lin’s work.” Gu Qingyan’s voice pulled her back to reality: “Especially the ‘Thorn Bird’ series, which resonates with me.”
He deliberately paused slightly on the word "resonance." Lin Yuwei knew what he was implying. Wasn't that bird, entangled in thorns yet still singing, a reflection of their twisted relationship in the past?
"Mr. Gu, you flatter me." She forced herself to look away. At this moment, Zhou Xubai stepped forward and loosely wrapped his arm around Lin Yuwei's waist: "I didn't expect Mr. Gu to be so knowledgeable about art. No wonder you spent so much money to buy the Thorn Birds."
Gu Qingyan's gaze lingered for a moment on Zhou Xubai's arm around Lin Yuwei, then his eyes turned cold: "I only know a little bit." He swirled his wine glass: "I have a lot of feelings and deep impressions about every single one of Miss Lin's works."
The flash went off again, freezing the image of the three of them together. Lin Yuwei had a dazed feeling, as if time had overlapped at this moment, with the skinny country boy, the imposing tech tycoon in front of her, and herself sandwiched in the middle, wearing a perfect mask.
"Excuse me." Gu Qingyan nodded slightly, turned and left. His back was as straight as a pine tree, and the hem of his suit swayed gently with his steps. He quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Lin Yuwei unconsciously stroked her wine glass; the cool touch brought her back to her senses. Zhou Xubai whispered in her ear, "You don't look well. Are you tired? Do you want to rest?"
She shook her head, forcing herself to return to her elegant and proper artist persona, but deep inside, something had been quietly touched, like the Lego castle that was toppled many years ago. Once a seemingly solid wall develops cracks, it becomes uncontrollable.
A note from the author:
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The female lead was indeed a wicked girl when she was young; little Qingyan was so pitiful, haha. [dog emoji]
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