Chapter 45: How can you be so clueless?

Mu Youyu didn't make a draft, she put the first stroke directly on the drawing paper.

The light gray paint spread under her brush, quickly covering a desolate wasteland.

Cracked land inlaid with several segments of dark, broken walls, the wall skin curling at the edges.

Further down, a bent piece of dead wood; even the air seemed soaked in a gloomy chill, revealing the desolation of desperation, as if all vitality had been drained.

"My goodness, does she not need to sketch her colors??"

"I'm going."

"I, Miss, have broadened my horizons......"

The two girls beside her, who had been whispering, now stared dumbfounded.

One of them couldn't help moving closer, staring at her palette and whispering in amazement: "How did she mix ochre and light brown to be so transparent? I tried several times before and it just looked like mud......"

"That was mixed by Young Master Jiang!"

"Oh oh, I forgot."

"How does Young Master Jiang know what color she needs?"

"......"

Time passed second by second; the girls around who had been murmuring gradually fell silent, their eyes glued to her drawing paper.

Everyone thought this would be a gloomy still life.

But the next second, Mu Youyu dipped a light pink brush and lightly touched down; in the cracks of the broken wall, a few strands of pale wildflowers clung, their petals dotted with white paint.

She lifted her hand and took the light green brush Jiang Liangjin handed her, stroked the drawing board, and several sprouts emerged from the cracks in the dead wood.

Clearly a desolate scene, yet it draws the eye straight to the flowers and sprouts, like vitality bursting from desperation, instantly sweeping away the background's gloom.

She looked, then dotted the land with red before putting down her brush.

The clash of cool and warm was just right; the decaying background showed vibrant life, and the gloom was forcefully pierced by red, bringing forth vividness.

"I'm going......"

"Isn't that the new school belle? I heard her language score equals Young Master Jiang's!"

"I didn't expect the new school belle to be so good at painting."

"Look at mine again—it's just a lump."

"I saw it, really a lump."

"We might as well go learn dance; that's simple."

"Let's go!"

Jiang Liangjin's gaze moved from the drawing to her face; she lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting a faint shadow below.

His gaze then fell to the paint on her fingertip; he stood and asked, "Go wash up?"

Mu Youyu had been just playing around with her painting; hearing that, she replied and walked off with Jiang Liangjin without looking back.

"She's just leaving like that?"

"Stop watching, keep painting yours; there's still a competition next week!"

"......"

Jiang Liangjin took a call and then went first to the archery range.

Mu Youyu had just entered the restroom when she saw several girls.

Four girls had their backs to her, surrounding a bespectacled girl, speaking harshly:

"You little slut! Who let you seduce Xingnan brother!"

"Why don't you just go die!"

"Are you doing this on purpose!"

"School hunk Gu is our Yue sister's! Who let you deliberately bump into him today!"

The bespectacled girl's voice was nasal: "I... I accidentally bumped into him......"

"You dare talk back? Don't forget your mother works as a maid in Yue sister's house!"

Mu Youyu heard the familiar name, a bit surprised, and walked in under the gazes of several people.

"Hey, who let you come in!"

She didn't stop turning on the tap, squeezed out some hand soap, water flowed onto her palm, washing away the paint residue on her fingertips.

After washing fairly well, she turned her head to look at the speaking girl—long hair, very proud posture.

Indeed it was her.

Leng Yueyue.

The one engaged to Gu Xingnan, who had previously come to cause trouble.

She lazily rinsed her hands with soap, saying, "Miss, do I need your permission to come in?"

The moment Leng Yueyue saw Mu Youyu's face, sparks flared in her eyes; evidently recalling yesterday's incident, she snapped, "You jinx! How are you everywhere!"

She was so angry today she specially brought her little entourage and the people she dislikes to this fifth floor, where all the rooms are painting studios.

The restroom had hardly anyone.

Unexpectedly, another person she dislikes also showed up!

"What's it to you?" Mu Youyu said in a flat tone, without a hint of fear, her gaze sweeping over the girl surrounded in the middle.

The other clutched her bag strap, her glasses slipping to the tip of her nose, her eye sockets very red, and there were several slap marks on her face.

Her clothing was black, with clear footprints visible; her bag was dirty, yet she bit her lip hard, not letting out a sound.

Mu Youyu turned off the tap, grabbed a paper towel from the side, slowly and deliberately dried her hands; when she lifted her eyes, the light in her irises had lost all warmth.

She walked straight into the midst of them and helped the girl up.

Leng Yueyue checked the campus website and learned that Gu Xingnan and Mu Youyu were childhood sweethearts!

Seeing this face and still having to help up the person she disliked made her even angrier.

She glanced again at the outside of the restroom, confirmed Mu Youyu was alone, and the arrogance in her eyes surged instantly.

She shoved the bespectacled girl in front of her hard, and the girl staggered, crashing into the sink.

Leng Yueyue raised her hand to push Mu Youyu's shoulder, saying, "Look, Young Master Jiang isn't here this time—what are you going to do? There's no surveillance here!"

"Oh? Him not being here and no surveillance makes things even easier."

Hearing that, Mu Youyu's expression changed instantly; she turned her other wrist, precisely gripping the wrist that had been pushed toward her, applying slight pressure with her fingertips.

Leng Yueyue hissed in pain, her face instantly paling; she struggled to pull her hand free, but Mu Youyu held it so tightly she couldn't budge.

"Let go! Dare you touch me?" Leng Yueyue screamed.

The four girls nearby immediately surrounded her; one short-haired girl reached out to grab Mu Youyu's back, shouting, "Dare to move Sister Yue, you're asking for death!"

Mu Youyu turned sideways, lightly hooking her ankle; the girl lost balance and fell straight onto the tile floor, grimacing in pain.

Without turning back, she merely brushed dust off the bespectacled girl's backpack, her wickedness impossible to conceal: "What's wrong with touching you? Last time I didn't teach you manners, this time you actually came to me."

The remaining three girls exchanged a glance and then lunged at Mu Youyu together.

Some tried to grab her arms, some wanted to pull her hair.

Mu Youyu clicked her tongue, gently pushed the bespectacled girl aside, released Leng Yueyue's wrist, and sidestepped.

Dodging the left girl's pull, she raised her hand to press the right girl's arm, using the force to fling her aside; the girl hit the edge of the sink with a muffled grunt.

"Useless things!" Seeing that none of them had hurt Mu Youyu, Leng Yueyue seized the chance to attack from behind, reaching to grab Mu Youyu's long hair.

Mu Youyu didn't look back, elbowing backward, striking her squarely in the abdomen.

Leng Yueyue doubled over in pain, tears forced out; just as she straightened, Mu Youyu pressed her backhand against the sink, her cheek against the cold tile, immobilizing her.

"Sister Yue! You—you…" the remaining girls panicked, but dared not advance, merely stepping back.

Those few moves were clean and neat; Mu Youyu didn't even muss a hair, and the coldness in her eyes made them tremble.

Mu Youyu glanced at them, casually flung Leng Yueyue to the ground, curled her lip, and said, "Hey, why are you hiding?"

Finally, she snorted, and as she turned her head back, her shoulders gave a dismissive little shake—her arrogant bearing impossible to conceal.

In less than half a minute, the five girls were down—some fallen, some in pain—none able to stand and act arrogant.

Mu Youyu looked down at Leng Yueyue sprawled on the floor, her voice light and devoid of emotion: "Is the Leng family's upbringing nothing but 'bullying with power'?"

Really boring, she just lay there.

Mu Youyu suddenly understood, showing an expression of apology and self-reproach.

"Sorry, I forgot you have no mother… no one taught you!"

Saying that, she sighed, drawing out her tone: "How pitiful."

As she spoke, she slightly lifted her chin, her gaze sweeping over with a hint of condescension, the kind of attitude that says even bothering with you is a favor, making Leng Yueyue furious.

"You!" Leng Yueyue covered her abdomen and glared at her, but didn't dare rush forward again.

Anyway, she had no feelings for that dead mother, so there was no need to suffer again just to talk back.

Those two girls struggled to their feet to help Leng Yueyue, their eyes darting, not daring to say a word.

Meanwhile, another girl couldn't straighten her waist, and yet another girl was sniveling.

The bespectacled girl had stopped crying; looking at Mu Youyu, she was clearly stunned, her mouth forming a small "O".

Mu Youyu turned to look at her, somewhat helpless at her reaction.

Why is she so dense?

She didn't have time to think further, grabbed the bespectacled girl's hand, shoved the backpack on the ground into her arms, and said, "What are you standing there for? Run!"