Chapter Published
After the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, Ji Ruan prepared for the exam without stopping, and became busy because he joined a club.
Ji Ruan chose the Chinese Painting Society at the beginning because he was attracted by the fact that it was quiet and had few people, and it was quite leisurely for everyone to get together occasionally to paint.
However, Kyoto University is about to hold its centenary celebration at the end of the year, and the society and the school news center have jointly undertaken some promotional activities. A huge school history map will be exhibited on that day, which will be edited by Ji Ruan and the two presidents, and they are very busy.
"Be careful..."
"Up and up, along the line..."
"Oh, go slower and don't get it torn..."
The school specially allocated a spacious studio on the top floor of the bell tower, and the workers were busy hanging canvases.
The huge canvas, ten meters long and two and a half meters wide, was spread out bit by bit and nailed to the wall. Even though it was still blank, it vaguely revealed its majestic momentum.
Ji Ruan was watching quietly below. The members had already decided on a small draft together, and once the canvas was spread out today, they would officially start work, trying to restore the changes in the cultural landscape of Kyoto University over the past century through painting.
"Xiao Ruan, come and have lunch." Cheng Zizhang greeted Ji Ruan while carrying two takeouts, dodging the workers who were moving a ladder.
Ji Ruan quickly stepped forward to lend a hand and took the takeaway: "Thank you, senior sister."
"What are you thanking me for? I should thank you." There were many drawings scattered on the table. Cheng Zizhang carefully put them away and said, "I originally recruited you to join the club because you said you liked to be free. I thought our club was the most free, so I encouraged you to join. Who would have thought that so many things would suddenly pop up."
There was a space on the table, Ji Ruan put the takeaway on the empty space and smiled: "But to be honest, this is quite meaningful."
After the school anniversary exhibition, their painting will be directly placed in the school history museum for preservation. How many celebrities and patriots have emerged from Kyoto University over the past century, and how many of them can appear in the school history museum?
Although they drew this school history picture with the help of their predecessors over the years, they also left their own marks in the school's history, which is an opportunity that cannot be missed.
"You're right," Cheng Zizhang handed a pair of chopsticks to Ji Ruan. "Whether from a personal or school perspective, we will definitely not suffer any loss if we draw this picture. It's just tiring, and time is tight. I'm really a little worried that we won't be able to finish it."
Ji Ruan used to do Han embroidery. He designed and drew all his works by himself. Drawing was a basic skill for him since elementary school, and he was confident in his skills.
In addition, Cheng Zizhang and the vice president are also good at painting. There are still three months before the school anniversary. In principle, the three of them can complete a huge painting together.
But we are all students, and apart from daily life and classes, the time is already quite tight.
Ji Ruan opened the takeaway box and said with a smile: "Then let's eat quickly and start working after eating... By the way, where is the vice president?"
Cheng Zizhang is the president. In addition to drawing, he is also responsible for contacting people at the Student Union News Center. He has very little time, and his brows have been furrowed for the past two days:
"He went to buy materials... Never mind him, let's do it first, he should be back in the afternoon."
As we were talking, a tall and thin boy came to the door of the studio. He seemed to be holding a drink such as coffee or milk tea in his hand. He stopped for a while in front of the canvas pulled open on the wall.
Against the light, Ji Ruan couldn't recognize who it was.
Cheng Zizhang seemed very familiar with him and waved: "Ah Qing? Why are you here?"
The man named Ah Qing took a few steps forward. When he was illuminated by the incandescent light from the roof, Ji Ruan saw a familiar face: "Lin Qing?"
Lin Qing was also a little surprised to see him, and covered her mouth: "Ji Ruan? How come you are from our school too?"
Cheng Zizhang was in the middle and laughed: "So you all know each other."
"Yes, I have met you once." Lin Qing put the hot drink on the table and did not mention how they knew each other. He smiled and said, "Please have a drink, everyone."
Cheng Zizhang took the lead in picking up a cup of coffee, and Ji Ruan picked up milk tea without hesitation: "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Lin Qing said calmly, looking at the canvas on the wall: "So you guys want to paint together?"
Cheng Zizhang pressed his lips with a tissue and said, "Yes, to be honest, Xiao Ruan is really good. You will be amazed when the finished product comes out."
She looked at Ji Ruan and said, "A Qing is also from our club, but he's a little busy lately."
Lin Qing smiled upon hearing this and said to Ji Ruan, "Originally I should have helped Senior Sister draw, but I have been busy with Master and working on the winter landscape painting and I really don't have the time. Sorry to bother you, Ji Ruan."
"Master?" Ji Ruan pursed her lips and met Cheng Zizhang's eyes: "Senior Sister?"
"Oh, this," Cheng Zizhang laughed, "I forgot to tell you, I don't know if you have heard of teacher Cheng Yunxiu. Ah Qing and I are both her disciples, and we learn Chinese embroidery from her."
Cheng Yunxiu... Ji Ruan frowned. He seemed to have heard of this name before. He had a very faint impression of it in his memory, but where...
Oh, right, shirts!
Ji Ruan's mind suddenly became clear.
When getting the certificate, Gu Xiuyi took him to buy a white shirt. He chose one with black bamboo embroidered on the cuffs. He exclaimed that it must be the work of a master. The manager introduced it as a cultural heritage cooperation, and the master mentioned seemed to be this name.
Ji Ruan was shocked and lamented that her fate with embroidery could not be severed in two lifetimes.
Cheng Zizhang took a sip of coffee and said, "Aqing and the teacher are embroidering a winter scene, which will be exhibited at the school anniversary as a cultural exchange."
Lin Qing added: "Teacher Cheng is amazing. She is the most famous inheritor of Han embroidery culture. I spent a lot of effort to become her disciple... Oh, but my sister is her biological daughter."
Ji Ruan raised his eyebrows. He found that Lin Qing's words were sometimes a little subtle.
"What are you talking about?" Cheng Zizhang said jokingly, deliberately making an exaggerated expression: "Even if we are mother and daughter, I still went through a lot of tests before I could officially become your apprentice!"
Lin Qing covered her lips and laughed a few times: "I'm just kidding... Then I'll leave first, Master still has a lot of work to do."
Cheng Zizhang waved his hand: "Let's go."
Ji Ruan curled the corners of his lips and smiled: "Goodbye."
Lin Qing nodded slightly, stared at the blank canvas for a while, then turned and left.
·
Autumn in Beijing is always short. After a few more rains, the weather will turn cold. By November, Ji Ruan had already put on a thick down jacket and wrapped himself tightly with a scarf when going out.
He was really afraid of catching a cold and having a fever. When he thought of the neuralgia that felt like it would pierce his ears and spread to the cerebral cortex, Ji Ruan felt a tingling sensation on his back and he wished he could carry cold medicine with him every day.
As the school anniversary draws closer, time is running out. Except for classes, Ji Ruan spends almost all his time in the studio. Together with Cheng Zizhan and others, he almost becomes a wild man walking out of the studio.
When I get home from work and return to the dormitory in the evening, while queuing up in the cafeteria to buy a midnight snack, my brain suddenly goes blank.
Ji Ruan himself found it magical, he didn't feel tired or bored doing the work, even though he was obviously trying to avoid idleness and accidentally got involved in it. He even occasionally recalled the time when he was a child, learning embroidery with his mother under the lamp.
At that time, he no longer found it difficult to sit in a small room for a whole day just to do one thing. Instead, he enjoyed it.
As for now, except for the back pain from standing, everything is fine.
"Brother, the wontons are packed!" The cafeteria aunt's shout brought Ji Ruan back to his senses.
"Thanks."
Ji Ruan took it from the window, tightened his scarf and walked towards the dormitory. As soon as he walked out of the cafeteria, the wind blowing in from outside suddenly made his face cool. He raised his hand and felt a little water stain on his cheek.
Is it raining?
Ji Ruan looked up. There were many pedestrians around. The sounds of footsteps of people bouncing and chasing the ball in the roadside basketball court rose and fell. The dim street lights illuminated the white crystals floating in the air. There were not many of them, and they were floating here and there.
It looks like the first snow!
Ji Ruan tried to reach out and catch it, but the tiny white crystals melted immediately when they touched his skin.
It’s really the first snow!
Ji Ruan took a photo excitedly and sent it to the dormitory group. After thinking about it, he sent it to Gu Xiuyi at the same time.
There was no one in the dormitory yet. When Ji Ruan opened the door, it was dark. Han Xiaolin should still be practicing on the sports field, and the other two had evening classes.
Ji Ruan turned on the light, put the wontons on the table, and when he came back after washing his hands, he received a message from Gu Xiuyi.
[? ]
Ji Ruan frowned: "......?"
Why am I asking a question? Don’t you think the first snow is romantic?
He clicked on his own photo and tried to appreciate it again, but suddenly found that the photo seemed... not very well taken.
Due to the influence of light and pixels, his mobile phone was unable to capture snowflakes. The tiny bit of first snow seemed to have never existed and disappeared in the noise.
So the scene that Gu Xiuyi saw changed from the romantic first snow to the male classmates who took off their jackets and put on sports vests, with well-developed muscles, agile bodies and sweating in the roadside basketball court.
Ji Ruan: “…”
"!"
Depend on!
The phone started vibrating wildly, and dozens of messages instantly popped up in the dormitory group.
[Han Daxian:?]
[Painting Saint Lao Li:? ]
[Mr. Qin, the rising star in the financial world: ? ]
[Mr. Qin, the rising star in the financial world: Ruan Ruan, what’s wrong with you? ? ]
[Painting Saint Lao Li: Why are you looking at men all of a sudden? Is your account hacked?]
[Painting Saint Lao Li: These men are not that good either, their arms are too developed and lack aesthetic appeal]
[Han Daxian: Don’t let Mr. Gu find out. It’s okay to take a peek. Don’t worry, we will keep it a secret!]
[Painting Saint Lao Li: Don’t worry, we will keep it a secret!]
[Mr. Qin, the rising star in the financial world: Don’t worry, we will keep it a secret!]
Ji Ruan's toes curled up tightly, he was so angry that he activated his administrator skill to withdraw the message at the speed of light.
[Ji Ruan: It’s all misunderstanding!]
He didn't even have time to open the lid of the wonton before quickly jumping back to the chat interface with Gu Xiuyi, typing away, trying to explain that he was not looking at the man.
But he suddenly stopped halfway through typing. Why did he have to explain?
The contract only states that one cannot be ambiguous with others. Even if he looked at the man, so what? There is a net between them on the basketball court, so it cannot be said to be ambiguous. Explaining would make him seem guilty.
Ji Ruan thought about it, put down his phone, opened the lid of the takeaway and started eating his midnight snack. His wontons were a little clumpy, with some pieces stuck together. Ji Ruan carefully separated them with chopsticks.
“Buzz——!”
The phone on the table suddenly vibrated, which scared Ji Ruan. The wonton skin was thin, and his shaking hand directly pierced two of them!
Ji Ruan's heart was broken.
The three big characters "Gu Xiuyi" were still jumping wildly on the caller ID. Ji Ruan pressed the answer key and turned on the speakerphone again: "What?"
The tone is not good.
The other party was silent for two seconds, then suddenly laughed out loud: "Are you angry first?"
Ji Ruan knew he was talking about the photo, so he snorted and didn't answer.
Gu Xiuyi seemed a little helpless, and there was a hint of smile in his voice: "Start the video."
"No," Ji Ruan said, "I'm having a midnight snack."
Ji Ruan was very particular about dining etiquette and would not let others see him talking with something in his mouth. After hearing this, Gu Xiuyi did not force him and instead asked, "What supper?"
"Small wontons." Ji Ruan picked out the ones with broken skins to eat first, and said in a sticky voice, "Just because you called me just now and scared me, I pierced the skins. You should know how sad it is to not be able to swallow a whole wonton, right?"
Gu Xiuyi didn’t know.
Maybe because of the generation gap, he often doesn’t quite understand Ji Ruan’s cute obsessive-compulsive disorder.
"Well, of course I know," Gu Xiuyi lied with his eyes wide open: "I apologize to your wontons, sorry that I made it incomplete."
Why does it sound a bit weird...
Ji Ruan bit the spoon in confusion.
"What about you?" Gu Xiuyi said in a light but weighty voice, "What do you think about that photo?"
Ji Ruan: “…”
Ji Ruan ate another wonton in silence.
Gu Xiuyi was quite patient at this time. He turned on the computer and worked while waiting for Ji Ruan's reason.
When eating with Ji Ruan, the boy was very polite and Gu Xiuyi had never heard him make any chewing sounds.
But now Ji Ruan might have placed the phone very close to him, and Gu Xiuyi heard the subtle sound when he was eating the wontons, softly and slowly, like a newborn animal practicing eating.
Gu Xiuyi laughed unconsciously while typing on the keyboard. He turned up the volume, feeling the satisfaction of listening to a food show: "Hmm? Talk to Ji Ruan."
Ji Ruan swallowed a mouthful and drank a spoonful of soup: "Well, okay, I'll tell you, I didn't mean to take pictures of men for you to see. What do I want? Their figures are not as good as yours. Think about it yourself. Does it make sense?"
Gu Xiuyi covered his lips to hold back his laughter: "Yeah, I agree."
Ji Ruan continued to eat wontons, and spoke more slowly because of something in his mouth: "So, I actually wanted you to see the snow. It's the first snow here."
Gu Xiuyi was startled, and his fingers that were tapping the keyboard stopped: "...Really?"
"Yeah," Ji Ruan said softly, "but it was too small to be photographed. I took it with my hand, and it was indeed snow. It melted in my palm."
Gu Xiuyi could almost imagine Ji Ruan standing on the path and stretching out his hands to catch the snow. He must have been excited and innocent, with rosy cheeks, looking very cute.
Gu Xiuyi's heart began to beat secretly because of those words.
He leaned on the edge of the table and moved his chair to the window. It turned out that the snow had fallen very heavily without him noticing.
An entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows almost exposes the entire city to Gu Xiuyi's feet, allowing him to overlook it at will. However, Gu Xiuyi in the past never had the time to pay attention to the scenery outside the window.
So this was also the first time he saw the first snow seriously.
There was a thin layer of mist on the window, making the view unclear, but the snowflakes were light and beautiful, dancing in the sky.
"Ji Ruan," Gu Xiuyi said softly, "Are you opening the curtains?"
"No."
"Open it and take a look."
Ji Ruan was eating supper with the heater on. They always liked to keep the curtains tightly drawn in their dormitory. Upon hearing this, he opened a corner of the curtains and then opened his eyes wide with joy.
The blurry streets outside the window are about to turn into a snowy world.
"When will it snow heavily..." Ji Ruan murmured.
Gu Xiuyi said in a low voice: "That is to say..."
The two of them sat there without saying anything, quietly watching the snow for a long time. Ji Ruan slowly closed the curtains and returned to the table to work.
Gu Xiuyi listened to the silence on the other end of the phone for a while, and suddenly there were crisp "click" and "click" sounds.
He frowned: "What are you doing?"
"Ah?" Ji Ruan laughed, "I'm cutting my nails, how about you hang up first?"
Gu Xiuyi laughed and continued to work: "It's okay, just cut your hair."
The sound of typing on the keyboard sounded again from the other side. Ji Ruan curled his lips and said nothing.
I don’t know how long it took, but when Gu Xiuyi finished his work and came back to his senses, he found that there was no sound from Ji Ruan’s end, but the screen showed that the call was still ongoing.
"Ji Ruan?"
He called out tentatively, but received no response.
"Ji Ruan, what's wrong?"
Still no sound.
"discipline--"
"Hello, Mr. Gu..." The voice on the other end turned into a male voice that was deliberately lowered.
Gu Xiuyi was silent for two seconds: "Han Xiaolin?"
"Yes, it's me," Han Xiaolin said in a low voice, "I just came back, and Ji Ruan has fallen asleep. He might be too tired from being busy these past two days."
Gu Xiuyi knew that Ji Ruan had recently taken on a painting job for the school anniversary and was busy from morning till night. He paused for a moment and said, "Okay, let him go to bed - forget it, please put a blanket on him."
Han Xiaolin quickly responded: "Okay, I will."
"Thank you for your help."
"It should be."
After hanging up the phone, Han Xiaolin put the phone back on Ji Ruan's desk, gently took the blanket from Ji Ruan's bed, spread it out and covered him.
Ji Ruan rested his cheek on his forearm. His nails were only half trimmed, and he still held a pair of nail clippers in his other hand.
·
On the morning of the winter solstice, Song Ling and Gu Xiuyi went to Peking University.
Gu Xiuyi has been donating money to his alma mater for building buildings for many years, and he would receive a letter of thanks and a donation certificate every few years.
Some entrepreneurs will choose to go to the scene in person to receive it, meet and chat with the principal, and some will even contact the media to take photos.
But Gu Xiuyi had never been there once. He either had it sent to the company or sent someone to pick it up. It was the first time that he came here in person after the morning meeting like today.
The only difference is probably that it happened quietly and in a very low-key manner without letting any media know.
After meeting the principal, Song Ling put the thank-you letter and certificate into his handbag. Gu Xiuyi walked in front but showed no intention of leaving immediately. He was holding his cell phone and making a call, but the other party did not answer.
Song Ling thought about it and immediately sent a text message. Not long after, he received a reply. He took two steps forward and said to Gu Xiuyi, "Ji Ruan should be taking a physical examination now."
"Physical test?" Gu Xiuyi raised his eyebrows. He never doubted the information given by Song Ling, so he was even more shocked: "Ji Ruan went for a physical test?"
Song Ling nodded: "Yes."
Gu Xiuyi's jaw tightened. Doesn't the physical test require running a thousand meters?
Ji Ruan's body that can't be touched or knocked can run a thousand miles? Are you kidding?!
Gu Xiuyi pinched his brows fiercely: "You go back first."
Song Ling had expected this: "Okay."
"Wait," Gu Xiuyi pointed his finger, "Leave the car keys behind."
"??boss?!"
"The taxi fare will be reimbursed."
"Okay!"
Song Ling then handed the key to Gu Xiuyi with a smile.
·
After jumping, Ji Ruan sat on the stands and watched people running in the playground.
One thousand meters is a piece of cake for some boys, but for some it is more painful than death. In the middle of winter, everyone exhaled a large cloud of white air. Ji Ruan has seen several people vomiting.
"Long time no see, junior." Someone sat down next to Ji Ruan without permission, with their clothes sticking together.
Ji Ruan frowned and moved to the side.
It had indeed been a while since they last saw each other, and the moment Ji Ruan saw that person, he almost forgot about him.
"It's been three months, and you haven't agreed to my friend request?" Bai Ang said with a smile.
Ji Ruan smiled awkwardly: "I've been too busy recently, I forgot."
"It doesn't matter," Bai Ange propped up his chin and looked straight at Ji Ruan: "You can add it now."
Ji Ruan remained calm: "I didn't bring my phone."
It was such a perfunctory and poor excuse that Bai Ang couldn't help but burst out laughing: "You don't like me that much? Why don't you want to be friends with me?"
Ji Ruan looked back at him without dodging, his eyes were calm: "You don't just want to be friends with me."
Bai Ange was stunned, and he pressed his index finger on his lower lip with a faint smile: "Do you talk to Gu Xiuyi like this? You know, you are particularly attractive when you talk like this."
His gaze was always intense, like a poisonous vine that made people uncomfortable.
Ji Ruan turned his head away, not wanting to suppress his emotions: "So you know Gu Xiuyi, I thought you didn't know that he and I were married."
This naked irony did not make Bai Ang back down. Instead, he looked at Ji Ruan with more interest: "Well, who can say for sure? What if you get divorced in the future?"
Ji Ruan finally frowned speechlessly. The phone in his pocket vibrated and he answered it without thinking.
Bai Angge was stunned for a moment when he saw the person who just said he didn’t bring his cell phone, and then started talking on the phone the next second.
Although he knew very well that it was just an excuse, Ji Ruan's indifferent look still made him laugh at himself.
"—look forward."
Ji Ruan didn't expect to hear Gu Xiuyi's voice. He subconsciously looked up and actually saw Gu Xiuyi on the inside of the runway.
He wore a simple black coat over his suit, and looked exceptionally tall and slender. His watch flashed a low-key dim light as he spoke on the phone. He still looked cold and completely unfriendly.
"Why are you here?" Ji Ruan was a little surprised.
Gu Xiuyi must have seen him talking to Bai Angge, but no emotion could be heard in his voice: “Come here.”
Ji Ruan originally didn't want to stay, so he stood up and walked towards Gu Xiuyi without hesitation.
Gu Xiuyi's gaze did not stay on Bai Angge for even a second. He hung up the phone after Ji Ruan came to him and first checked the temperature on his neck.
Not bad, it seems that this round down jacket on the child has a good warmth-keeping effect.
"Have you done any exercise?" Gu Xiuyi asked.
"No," Ji Ruan smiled and shook his head, "I just jumped a long way and pulled my ligament. I don't like running anyway, so of course I had to be lazy."
"Hmm," Gu Xiuyi curled his lips slightly, seeming very satisfied: "Good boy."
He took Ji Ruan's hand and walked away slowly, saying in a normal tone: "Let's go, today is the winter solstice, I'll take you to eat something warm."
Ji Ruan was indeed a little hungry, and smiled happily: "What to eat? For the winter solstice, mutton soup pot?"
Gu Xiuyi pursed his lips slightly and looked at Ji Ruan with a gentle gaze:
"Well, if you like."
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