Chapter 153: Why Do You Like Drawing?

Lin Tingsong saw his beloved disciple's little expression, laughed out loud, his tone nostalgic: "What more than just being troubled? Back then, to paint well, I stayed on the mountaintop for a whole week, every day facing the colors on the horizon, painting."

Every day before dawn he would get up and keep watch, from fish-belly white waiting until orange-red soaked through, then to golden light breaking the clouds; even meals were just hastily grabbed two bites, his eyes and heart full of the colors shifting on the horizon.

He didn't mention the past hardships any further, his gaze turning to Jiang Liangjin standing quietly beside Mu Youyu, his tone natural: "A Jin has come too."

He wasn't surprised that the two had reconciled.

No matter what, A Yu must return to C Shi for school by her senior year at the latest!

Being in the same city and having grown up together since childhood, meeting and reconciling is just a matter of time.

Jiang Liangjin met Lin Tingsong's gaze, tone respectful: "Hello, Teacher Lin."

He always followed Mu Youyu in addressing people; hearing this familiar address, Lin Tingsong didn't say anything more.

He simply nodded gently, his gaze sweeping over the two, his eyes full of relief.

Mu Youyu stepped forward half a pace and casually asked: "Teacher, do you still have other things to attend to later?"

Lin Tingsong thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "Nothing much; everything here is arranged well. I'll head back later—just come tomorrow morning or afternoon! I'll introduce you to people."

Mu Youyu wasn't surprised, after all she's the main character of tomorrow's banquet: "Sure!"

She was still a little excited.

Lin Tingsong watched her excited demeanor, the relief in his eyes deepening.

He suddenly seemed to recall something, pulling a small sketchbook from his pocket: "A Yu, let me show you something fun."

Mu Youyu and Jiang Liangjin instinctively moved closer.

Lin Tingsong lightly flipped open the sketchbook; the first page that met their eyes showed two small, youthful yet lively figures.

One was a little girl with her hair in a ponytail, sitting before an easel, her clothes and hands specked with paint; beside her was painted a little boy with pursed lips and focused gaze, holding a clean handkerchief.

These were the young Mu Youyu and Jiang Liangjin.

"Teacher actually still kept this!" Mu Youyu exclaimed, surprised and delighted, eyes sparkling, reaching to grab the sketchbook, but Lin Tingsong easily sidestepped.

"This is one of my most precious sketchbooks; how could I let you just snatch it?" Lin Tingsong laughed, shaking his head, and turned to the next page.

It was a rough draft of Mu Youyu's first award-winning painting; the brushwork, though immature, the colors were especially bold and intense.

Beside the draft, written in delicate pencil were a few lines of commentary: "Bold colors, full of spirit, highly infectious."

Lin Tingsong said gently: "Back when you held this painting and asked me if you could win an award, I knew this child would surely stand firm in the art world."

Jiang Liangjin looked at the lines in the sketchbook, recalling how Mu Youyu always gave him the first look at her finished works when they were little, even if it was just a doodle, she'd look at him with eager anticipation.

He added softly: "She used to say she wanted to paint pictures that put people at ease, just like Teacher's works."

Mu Youyu raised her chin, feigning calm: "Too much praise, too much praise."

Lin Tingsong heard this, gazed deeply at both of them, his tone carrying expectation: "A Yu has talent and perseverance, but the artistic path is never easy—loneliness, bottlenecks, doubts are common; yet with someone by your side, it's not so easy to feel alone."

If Mu Youyu's thirteen brothers who doted on her to the heavens were here now, they'd surely be speechless.

Their precious little sister, pampered since childhood, never lacked people who doted on her or kept her company—how could she possibly be lonely?

Lin Tingsong handed the sketchbook to Mu Youyu: "Keep it; if you ever hit a bottleneck, flip through it and recall why you first liked to draw."

Jiang Liangjin hadn't forgotten his earlier words: "This is one of my most precious sketchbooks; how could I let you just snatch it?"

It's not yet time to hand it over personally to Youbao.

He thought, a faint smile unbidden rising in his eyes, yet he didn't say much more.

Mu Youyu gripped the sketchbook tightly, lowered her head to glance at the colorful cover she herself had drawn.

Why do you like to draw?

She silently asked herself in her heart.

No complicated reason—just because she likes it.

She likes the feeling of colors flowing on paper, likes using a brush to record the beauty she sees, likes conveying her emotions through her paintings, likes those moments when she's completely absorbed in drawing, mind undistracted.

…Even more, she likes drawing, stroke by stroke, everyone she loves.

She lifted her gaze to Jiang Liangjin; their eyes met, and each saw amusement in the other's.

Jiang Liangjin's voice was low, his tone earnest, as if making a promise: "No matter when, I'll be with you."

Mu Youyu nodded: "All right."

Lin Tingsong added a few reminders about tomorrow's forum, then smiled, turned and left, preparing to go home and give the two young people some private space.

Mu Xin had been watching from behind for a while and wouldn't let them be alone.

Seeing Lin Tingsong leave the door, he instantly exchanged a glance with Jun Chenling, ready to step forward and block between them.

But a figure dashed past them even faster!

It was Mu Nian.

He wasn't wearing a suit but ordinary casual clothes, a low pressure of unapproachability surrounding him, his dark eyes calm; as his gaze swept over the two smiling at each other, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Youbao." Having said that, he didn't pause his stride, walking straight to Mu Youyu's side and naturally pulling her toward him.

When his gaze fell on Jiang Liangjin, it differed from the indulgence he showed his sister—just calm and unfathomable, with a hint of invisible scrutiny.

The last time he heard Jiang Liangjin call him "big brother," he hadn't reacted in time—the other had already walked away.

This time he won't let him think he's easy to talk to again!

Mu Youyu saw her, eyes lighting up, she asked delightedly: "Big brother, how did you come here?"

Jiang Liangjin turned his head, not expecting Mu Nian to come here, paused, then still using the former address, tentatively said: "... Big brother, hello?"

"What do you call him?!" a clear, cold, sharp female voice suddenly rang out, tinged with incredulous astonishment.

?!

Several people instinctively looked over, only to see a woman in a neatly tailored black cheongsam.

The collar and cuffs embroidered with a special pattern, the thread fine, accentuating her graceful figure and outstanding bearing.

She had black short hair, a clear-cut cold face, brows slightly raised, sharp eyes, a diamond ring on her fingertip lightly resting on Mu Nian's wrist, her movement elegant.

Jiang Liangjin recognized her.

Yan Yuejiu.

Mu Nian's girlfriend of not long ago, 25 years old, from a century-old embroidery family, talented and beautiful, is the top inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage Su embroidery and a top domestic fashion designer.

The independent brand she founded has some reputation internationally.

"Yan elder sister!" Mu Youyu saw her, her eyes lit up instantly, her tone affectionate.

Yan Yuejiu, not only is the older brother's girlfriend, but also, the parents of both sides have long tacitly accepted, and they are about to formally get engaged——

The older brother's fiancée.