Chapter 55: Art Association

The next day, Art Association.

Beautiful banners were hung outside the art gallery, volunteers from the Student Council wore their signature red armbands, a red carpet was laid out inside the venue, and the seats for school leaders and major shareholders, along with blue nameplates, were neatly arranged in front of the auditorium.

Since the stage play was the finale, requiring time for costume changes and hair and makeup, the host specifically scheduled Ling Wu's piano performance early in the program.

There was one hour left until the performance.

A large crowd of students had already flooded into the art gallery.

"Hurry, hurry! Every year at the Art Association, Young Master Yu and the others sit in the judges' seats. We have to grab a good spot in the front row so we can at least be closer to their backs."

"Why are there so many people?"

"I brought my camera. I heard that Senior Ling Wu is not only playing a piano piece but also participating in the finale stage play. It's simply a paradise for face-lovers... I must get some god-tier photos of him!"

"A stage play?"

"Isn't that for Special Students? Ling Wu is the dignified Eldest Young Master of the Jin Family; is he really stooping so low to participate in that?"

"Oh, there's no helping it. I heard a Special Student fell down the stairs and was hospitalized. Who else but my wife, who is as beautiful as she is kind-hearted?"

"We get to see all four young masters in one frame again, so happy!"

"I had the Student Council volunteers save us good seats. Let's run, or the spots will be snatched by others if we're late."

Ling Wu had just come out of the auditorium when he bumped into a few girls carrying cameras. Seeing him, their eyes lit up with joy: "Senior Ling Wu!"

"Can we take a photo together?!"

"We searched everywhere and finally found you."

As soon as the words fell, the girls surrounded him.

"Ah?" Ling Wu was a bit flattered. He nodded at their hopeful gazes, his voice cool and clear: "Of course."

One of the girls immediately took out her phone: "Use my phone to take it. I just got this new phone, it takes portraits really well... Of course, Senior's looks don't test the equipment, it's just that I'm not as good-looking."

Ling Wu: "You are very sunny and bright."

The girl was stunned for a moment before realizing he was complimenting her beauty: "Thank you."

Ling Wu reached out with a gentlemanly air: "Let me hold the phone."

"Okay, okay."

Soon, a beautiful photo appeared on the phone screen.

After the photo was taken, a wave of excitement erupted from the front of the auditorium:

"Young Master Jin, you look so handsome today!"

"Young Master Yu, Young Master Yu, look at me, look at me... how can you be this handsome?"

"Waking up early really does let you see the people you've been longing for!"

Ling Wu looked out along the red carpet. Jin Shaoyu and the others were walking side by side, tall and outstanding in appearance, making the simple red carpet look like a runway.

Jing Du saw Ling Wu at the end of the corridor and awkwardly looked away.

Yin Huaiyu walked with one hand in his pocket and nudged Jin Shaoyu with his elbow: "Hey, Shao Yu, did you look at the photo I sent you yesterday?"

Yesterday, he had taken a photo of Ling Wu performing in the stage play and sent it to Jin Shaoyu, but the other party had never replied.

Jin Shaoyu's eyes grew darker than before: "Didn't look. It's as ugly as a funeral."

A funeral?

Yin Huaiyu pressed his tongue against his back teeth, recalling that photo. Ling Wu's plain white attire with gilded embroidery on the hem didn't look like a funeral at all.

Who would dress like that for a funeral?

Floating as if independent from the world, as if ascending to immortality.

Yin Huaiyu called his bluff: "Didn't look? If you didn't look, how do you know it's like a funeral? Do you have X-ray vision?"

Jin Shaoyu stopped in his tracks, a smile touching his brows and eyes: "Has that batch of arms been recovered yet?"

"Damn it!" Yin Huaiyu almost exploded: "Are you calling me a busybody?"

Jin Shaoyu spread his hands, sighing: "Truly so clever."

The four of them were close friends of ten years and were long used to this scene, yet Yin Huaiyu loved to poke at Jin Shaoyu's sharp, prickly tongue.

The situation in the Jin Family was complicated. After Ling Tingwan, the former Mrs. Jin, passed away, the mistress Xiao Yu and her two illegitimate children were brought into the house in less than half a year.

Jin Shaoyu was just ten years old, still a half-grown child, and suffered many losses at Xiao Yu's hands—several kidnappings, several frame-ups. Over time, his personality changed from peaceful and timid to extremely aggressive and unforgiving, habitually using sharp words to disguise and protect himself.

Later, during his rebellious phase, he could stand on a table alone and point at the noses of Jin Liangjin, Xiao Yu, and the others, cursing them—usually starting with their relatives and sparing no ancestors down to the eighteenth generation.

Only to be hung up and beaten by a furious Jin Liangjin.

Everyone knew this well and never picked at his scars.

Yu Shixue's lips curled slightly as he looked at the two men's profiles: "What photo?"

Yin Huaiyu opened his phone, selected the photo from his album, and narrowed his peach-blossom eyes: "Sent it to you. Don't act like we left you out."

"Jing Du, what is wrong with you?"

"You've had a sour face since we got back to Jingwan last night."

"Was your family's arms shipment intercepted too?"

Jing Du's expression froze for a moment; the young man's desperate words seemed to echo in his ears—

"Jing Du, can you stop being so overbearing? When you didn't like me, you could curse me as disgusting and cheap, telling me to get lost, without any restraint. Now that I don't like you, I've really stayed far away from you."

"Can you stop coming over on your own initiative?"

After a long while, Jing Du's expression was cold, his voice without the slightest fluctuation: "It's nothing."

But Ling Wu got one thing wrong: this world revolved around him. He could have what he wanted, and discard what he didn't.

Ling Wu saw a large crowd of fanatical fans rushing toward the red carpet. He returned the phone to the girl and politely said goodbye: "The performance is about to start. Please be careful and go take your seats. I still have things to do back at the backstage."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye..."

"Goodbye, Senior!"

Ling Wu was tall with long legs; he quickly walked toward the backstage area and disappeared into the corridor.

The few girls remaining where they stood sighed with emotion: "Who gets it? Senior Ling Wu is just too nice. He specifically held the phone out in front to make our faces look smaller. If only my future boyfriend could have half this level of awareness."

"He's too easy to talk to."

The backstage dressing room was busy beyond measure; several hired makeup artists were using powder puffs to apply makeup, and Yang Wanyue was helping the students performing in the stage play with their hair and makeup.

Seeing Ling Wu come over, she raised a finger to point in a direction: "Ling Wu, I put your clothes in the dressing room over there. You can come over to change after your piano performance is finished."

"I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find me later, so I'm telling you in advance."

Ling Wu nodded: "Okay."

He saw clearly the movements Yang Wanyue was fiddling with under her hands: "Are you braiding hair?"

Yang Wanyue: "Yeah, my hands are clumsy, so I can only help with small tasks like this."

Ling Wu walked over: "Let me help you."

"You actually know how to braid hair?" Yang Wanyue's eyes crinkled with a smile, her tone somewhat incredulous.

Ling Wu grabbed a strand of hair, his movements practiced: "I used to braid my mother's hair when I was little."