Chapter 117: It's outright provocation!

In the blink of an eye it was afternoon; all three afternoon classes for Class A were free practice periods.

Most of the people in the class left in an instant.

Yu Ci didn't know when he got into photography, pulling Gu Xingnan straight to the photography room in Building Seven.

Bai Yun and Xia Chao Yi also.

Mo Song went to a class on another floor.

Mu Youyu looked at the few people left in the classroom, lightly poked Jiang Liangjin's arm with her fingertip, and asked, "A Jin, what class do you want to take?"

Jiang Liangjin looked at her with his usual indulgence in his eyes, "Anything is fine, up to you."

Then let's go to the painting studio.

In response, the two went side by side to the painting studio on the fourth floor.

There weren't many people in the painting studio; plus there were fewer than ten of them, the wooden easels were neatly arranged, quiet and comfortable.

Mu Youyu chose a seat near the front, had just set up a sheet of paper, and when she turned her head she happened to see Jiang Liangjin in the act of mixing paints.

The youth lowered his eyes, long lashes casting a faint shadow below his eyelids, a hint of nonchalance in his gaze; his distinct, pallid fingers held the palette knife.

Against the variegated paints, this created a strange sense of beauty.

Mu Youyu's gaze lingered on his hand for a few more seconds, and she quietly sighed in her heart.

Well, actually, besides being a voice fetishist, she was also a hopeless hand fetishist, plus a color fetishist.

And Jiang Liangjin happened to have all three of those points right on her aesthetic sweet spot.

... She came back to herself, her thoughts drifting to the message she'd received that morning, and she said, "Lin Tingsong is returning to West City."

Lin Tingsong has been traveling outside this year, occasionally sending her scenery photos; just this morning he said he'd be returning to West City in the next few days.

Jiang Liangjin's hand holding the paintbrush paused, he lifted his eyes to her, eyebrows slightly raised, "Is Teacher going to hold a formal recognition banquet for our Youbao?"

His voice was kept low, deliberately softened with a magnetic quality, the tail slightly rising, as if he were coaxing some fragile treasure.

A Jin is really smart.

Mu Youyu nodded, "My older brother will be coming back from abroad in a couple of days; after handling company affairs, he'll first formally confirm the identities of the Mu and Song families… Then, a few days after that, Lin Tingsong will take advantage of the C Shi Annual Art Forum to publicly reveal my identity in the art circle."

My older brother Mu Nian was originally supposed to return home in July, but for some reason it's been delayed until early September now.

Even Grandpa is getting a bit anxious.

She's been thinking about it for two months, and now he's finally back!

Thinking about this makes her a little bit anticipatory.

The few people in the painting studio who had been preparing to focus on their painting couldn't help but stop what they were doing upon hearing this.

After all, the classroom is only so big; no matter how quietly the two spoke, some of it would still be heard.

Thus, the others all shot shocked glances their way, their eyes full of disbelief.

What did they hear!!

"Is this… the Mu goddess?" a girl whispered, tugging at her companion's sleeve, her voice trembling with excitement, yet she still spoke softly.

Goodness, she's actually in the same painting studio as the goddess!

"Who is the Lin Tingsong she just mentioned? He sounds really impressive." someone asked, full of doubt.

"In the art circle, the only notable Lin is Lin Tingsong!"

"Lin Tingsong? Could it be that grandmaster of the art world, the Lin Tingsong who's lived in seclusion for years?" a student with some knowledge of the art circle ventured, his tone full of uncertainty.

Jiang Liangjin: Yes.

"Hiss… how could that be? Teacher Lin always said he had no disciples—oh wait! I recall he seemed to have a closed-door disciple!"

A girl suddenly realized, her voice rising a few degrees before she hurriedly lowered it: "I lose, I lose! Although I've never seen her paint, just from her and Young Master Jiang's demeanor when they came in, I sensed something unusual—so it turns out she really has that status!"

"The Mu and Song families are anything but ordinary! I believe she's a student of Teacher Lin."

"No wonder someone said before that trying to get a painting from that closed-door disciple is harder than climbing to heaven—turns out it's the Mu goddess!"

……

Mu Youyu ignored what others were saying, lightly tapped the drawing paper with her fingertip, and added: "Teacher said this is the best timing, just in time for the C Shi Annual Art Forum; many seniors from the art circle who are close to Teacher will come."

Jiang Liangjin tugged at the corner of his mouth, his eyes brimming with indulgence almost spilling over: "Youbao is the future rising star of the art world; if she debuts… she'll have to stun the whole venue."

He could imagine that when Lin Tingsong's sole closed-door disciple's true identity and the Mu and Song families' eldest miss status are revealed, the entire art world will surely be stirred up!

Those collectors who had long sought Mu Youyu's paintings in vain, those who had speculated for years about her identity, would probably all rush to attend the banquet.

No one in the art circle would ever think that the closed-door disciple who won an international art competition gold medal a few years ago and earned Lin Tingsong's endless praise is actually a fifteen-year-old girl!

Mu Youyu felt a bit embarrassed by his words: "No need to stun the whole venue… actually, there's no need to be too showy; Teacher Lin said just invite some familiar seniors and friends, have a simple gathering, and invite a few media reporters."

Jiang Liangjin looked at her bashful appearance, his heart turning completely soft.

He picked up a clean paintbrush, dipped it in a light pink paint, raised his hand and painted a small flower, the petals shaded just right, delicate and adorable.

It happened to land in the lower right corner of the paper, like an exquisite seal.

"No matter how we gather, Youbao just needs to be herself." He straightened up, his gaze blazing as he looked at her.

Moreover, just her standing there is enough to astonish.

Saying this, Jiang Liangjin slightly leaned in, bringing his mouth near her ear, his voice low enough for only the two to hear: "When the time comes, I'll go with you to back up our little painter."

A warm breath brushed past her ear, and Mu Youyu's heartbeat skipped a beat.

She furtively lifted her eyes, meeting Jiang Liangjin's smiling gaze, which clearly reflected her figure, full of focus.

She muttered softly: "You were going to come anyway, or are you saying A Jin didn't originally plan to go?"

Jiang Liangjin put down his paintbrush, reached out to ruffle her hair, "How could that be?"

Mu Youyu hadn't even had a chance to reply when she heard an urgent, angry male voice from the painting studio doorway, as if long-suppressed fury had finally exploded: "Jiang! Liang! Jin!"

The voice carried an unstoppable presence, making people's eardrums tremble, and everyone present couldn't help but look over.

"Holy crap, you scared me—how did this person appear out of nowhere like a ghost?"

Shhh, shhh, shhh, look who he is, can't say!

He hurriedly corrected himself: "... When I didn't say anything, how did the male god descend from heaven!"

Everyone in the Painting Studio silently closed their mouths in unison.

At the doorway stood a boy with gray‑pink hair, his collar slack but unable to conceal his fierce aura.

His originally gentle brows were slightly furrowed, his black eyes flashing with anger as he stared at Jiang Liangjin, his jawline set straight.

Mu Youyu also jumped in fright, turned her head to see who had come, and her eyes instantly filled with delight: "Lujing gege!"

Hearing her voice, Song Lujing's anger faded by half, replaced by a gentle smile; he lifted his chin at Mu Youyu and said, "Youbao..."

Before he could say anything else, his gaze caught Jiang Liangjin's hand resting on Mu Youyu's head, and the anger in his eyes flared up again.

But before he could react, Jiang Liangjin slowly withdrew his hand, the corners of his mouth turning up in a half‑smile, imitating the baby sister's tone and calling out softly, "Lujing gege."

Song Lujing:? Provocation, absolutely a provocation!