Chapter 246: The pressure is maxed out

It's still over an hour before Mu Youyu comes out.

Jiang Liangjin sat in the lounge outside the competition venue, his aura somewhat cold.

Passing students couldn't help but glance sideways, yet no one dared to step forward and speak.

He tapped the screen with his fingertip, dialing Song Yusui's number.

The other side seemed busy; the call was answered only a few seconds before it would have been disconnected, and the background was somewhat noisy.

Song Yusui's voice carried a hint of hurry: "What's up, A Jin? Do you need help?"

He got straight to the point: "Song Yusui bro, regarding Cheng Siqing and your mother's matter, you'd better ask the elders in the family."

"Who is Cheng Siqing?" Song Yusui wondered.

It rang a bell, but not much.

"My great-aunt."

The other side reacted: "Oh! Youbao mentioned last time that woman who was looking at me!"

"Mm."

"Got it, got it, I'll remember."

From Song Yusui's side came footsteps, followed immediately by Lu Yuchu's impatient urging: "Who are you dawdling on the phone with? Hurry up, Dad's about to come out."

"Coming, coming! Why the rush?" Song Yusui hastily added into the phone, "A Jin, bye, I'm going with Chu Chu to see someone first!"

As the words fell, the phone was hastily hung up.

Jiang Liangjin put away his phone, lifted his gaze toward the competition arena, his fingertips unconsciously curling.

She must be getting bored sitting there.

Inside the competition venue.

Sunlight poured through the huge floor-to-ceiling window onto Mu Youyu's drawing paper; as light and shadow shifted, a vividly colored landscape painting had already taken shape.

The brushstrokes were lively and delicate, colors intertwining light and dark, distant mountains draped in blue, nearby waters gleaming, exuding the ethereal ambience unique to Yue Shu's paintings.

Just a few strokes brought the whole painting to life.

The painter wore a soft, milky-white knit sweater that outlined her delicate collarbones.

On her feet were a pair of off-white little leather shoes, their toes adorned with tiny bows.

She looked like a piece of fresh, soft milk cake—sweet but not cloying.

She had long set down her pen, now propping her chin in boredom, her pink-gold long hair loosely tied into a low ponytail, with princess-cut bangs falling at her cheeks.

Her gaze occasionally drifted to the door, thinking of Jiang Liangjin, wondering if he had grown impatient waiting.

The examinees seated near her were already frazzled, their pen tips hesitating on the paper, their minds frantically refreshing.

Ahhhhh, save me! Sitting this close to the great artist Yue Shu, the pressure is maxed out!

I don't know how long I waited before a staff member's voice came from the competition venue entrance.

Mu Youyu looked up and saw Jiang Liangjin standing at the doorway, his gaze precisely landing on her, his brown eyes softening to nothing but tenderness.

He wore the same white knit sweater as she did, gently waving at her with a faint smile on his lips.

In an instant, they became the most eye-catching sight at the competition venue entrance.

The surrounding examinees all froze, instinctively looking toward the boy with the gold‑powder hair.

Seeing Yue Shu walk over, they finally realized who this person was.

Oh, he's Yue Shu's childhood friend.

How did he even change his hair color?

Mu Youyu quickly walked over, saying, "A Jin, have you been waiting long? I finished my painting fast, but I can't leave early."

"Great."

Jiang Liangjin raised his hand to ruffle her hair, his tone indulgent: "I haven't waited long; are you hungry? Let me take you to eat."

Mu Youyu smiled with crescent eyes, nodding firmly: "Okay!"

The two walked out side by side, their matching hair color and white knit outfits especially striking—a perfect pair of talent and beauty that made it hard to look away.

Behind them came Yu Ling's exaggerated wail: "How is it about color? I'm still good at sketching; the god has plenty of time, I don't have enough."

Nanran replied in a disordered read: "From childhood watching them two be all lovey‑dovey, A Yu is truly happy— in front of Young Master Jiang she's just like a little kid who hasn't grown up."

Yu Ling came over, face full of envy: "No way! The god is both talented and handsome, plus Young Master Jiang dotes on her so much, and her thirteen brothers dote on her! Does she even need to grow up?"

"If I had that luck, I'd wake up laughing in my dreams! Just one of those thirteen brothers for me would be fine—I'm really not greedy…"