Chapter 2167: You Are My Only Color 02

After class, Jin Chen packed up his things and headed to the office following Professor Wen's instructions.

The hallway was sparsely populated; just as he reached the office door, Wu You stopped him.

"Are you Jin Chen?" Wu You asked in a low voice.

Jin Chen: "Is something the matter?"

"My name is Wu You, I'm from the neighboring class." Wu You glanced around, confirming no one was paying attention, then continued, "I advise you to be careful around Professor Wen—he…is not an ordinary person."

Jin Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, gave Wu You an extra look, and said, "What do you want to say?"

Wu You hesitated a moment, lowered his voice: "Professor Wen's background is not simple, and his temperament is…difficult. In short, don't provoke him to anger, otherwise the consequences will be severe, and…sorry."

Wu You always felt that Professor Wen was out to harm him, after all, only at school does Gu Xi not have the capacity to manage him.

He just didn't know why, but suddenly he became interested in Jin Chen again.

Jin Chen: "It's fine."

Wu You froze, "Do you know what apology I'm offering?"

"I don't know," Jin Chen said.

But it doesn't matter.

Wu You: "……" Then what should you do?

He hadn't had a chance to say more, and didn't dare waste too much time, so he could only leave in a hurry.

Jin Chen knocked on the door.

"Come in." Professor Wen's voice came from inside.

Jin Chen pushed the door open; Professor Wen was sitting at the desk, holding a steel pen, scribbling on paper.

He lifted his head, his gaze landing straight on Jin Chen, the corner of his mouth hooking into a half-smile.

Without the desk blocking the view, Professor Wen could see more clearly this time; the vivid colors were so striking they almost made him think he was a normal person.

The youth wore a white shirt, the fabric light and crisp, fitting his broad shoulders and slender waist.

The shirt's collar was slightly open, revealing a faint collarbone, giving off an unintentional air of lazy elegance.

A typical art-student outfit; Professor Wen had seen many, yet he had never seen anyone pull off this style.

Jin Chen let him look, then lowered his eyes in thought.

Without glasses, it's just black, white, and gray—does it look good this way?

My wife won't think I'm ugly, will she?

Professor Wen set down the steel pen, leaned back slightly in his chair, and asked, "What did Wu You just say to you?"

Jin Chen hadn't expected Professor Wen to ask directly; he answered honestly, "He told me to be careful of you, not to provoke your anger."

Professor Wen raised his eyebrows, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes: "Oh? Then are you afraid of me?"

Jin Chen looked at him; Professor Wen's features were exquisitely refined, almost unreal, like someone stepped out of a painting, yet he also possessed a dangerous allure.

Jin Chen's tone was calm: "Not afraid."

Professor Wen suddenly broke into a silent smile, his gaze lingering on Jin Chen's face for a few seconds, then said, "You look very good."

The sole chromatic object in the eyes of a total color-blind patient—how interesting.

This topic jumped; Jin Chen slightly lowered his eyes, "You…also look very good."

Professor Wen's gaze, however, turned somewhat dangerous, appearing dark and frightening.

He reached out and pinched Jin Chen's chin, forcing him to look up at himself.

"Have you seen clearly—really, am I good-looking?"

Jin Chen was startled by his sudden move, didn't struggle, seemed unintentionally to lean forward a bit, and earnestly examined Professor Wen's face.

"Really good-looking."

A few seconds later, Professor Wen released Jin Chen, his brows and eyes showing some pleasure, as if he hadn't encountered such an interesting person in a long time.

Jin Chen turned his face slightly, straightened his posture, "So…Professor, why did you call me over?"

"You wouldn't just have me praise you, would you?"

Jin Chen looked at him, expressing doubt.

Professor Wen: "It's fine, go out and close the door."

Jin Chen: "……"

"Okay, Professor, see you in the next class."

Jin Chen had always been good at convincing himself; he didn't linger, politely nodded and left.

As the sun gradually set, when Jin Chen closed the door and left, the evening light filtered through the office's blinds, casting mottled shadows across Professor Wen's side profile.

Jin Chen met up with his roommates waiting downstairs.

Zhao Pei came over and asked, "Brother Chen, what did the professor want with you?"

Shen Qiu and Yun Liu cast the same curious glances.

Jin Chen thought for a moment, then said lightly, "Discussing the aesthetic image of a character."

"... Huh?" Zhao Pei frowned, turned to ask the two companions behind him, "Did you understand that?"

Qi Qi shook their heads.

Jin Chen showed understanding, ruffling Zhao Pei's prickly buzz cut, "It's normal not to get it."

Because I didn't understand either.

Zhao Pei: "……"

Zhao Pei's expression suddenly turned sorrowful, "I get it now—underachievers don't deserve it."

——

They met again at the Art Building.

Summer sunlight splashed onto the glass wall of the Art Building, scattering a blinding patch of light.

Jin Chen and Shen Qiu crossed the courtyard holding their sketchpads, cicadas buzzing loudly, the air heated and distorted, rising.

Shen Qiu held up a black parasol, muttering: "This weather is too hot; if I'd known, I wouldn't have come out—I don't even need to take this elective."

Jin Chen was about to reply when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a familiar figure not far away.

It was Wen Jin.

Wen Jin leaned against the dusty stone wall, standing in the sun's shadow.

He lowered his head, his long fingers idly rubbing the jade bead bracelet on his wrist; his whole person resembled a forsaken sculpture left in the shadows, his breath so faint it was almost like death.

He seemed to be waiting for someone, or perhaps simply avoiding the sun.

For someone with this degree of color blindness, exposure to strong light causes intense discomfort and can result in temporary blindness.

Adding to that, the photosensitive reaction mentioned in the original plot...

Jin Chen's heartbeat suddenly quickened, and he instinctively stopped.

Shen Qiu gave him a puzzled look: "Brother Chen, what's wrong?"

Jin Chen glanced at Shen Qiu's parasol: "Lend it to me, and I'll treat you to dinner tomorrow."

Shen Qiu hesitated, then handed over the umbrella: "But you're not going to class… huh?"

You're not going to class!

Are you even going back to the dorm tonight!

"Strange…"

Shen Qiu watched his brother Chen's retreating back, stroking his chin in a Conan‑style gesture.

That sudden quickening of his steps, that slightly hurried yet unintentionally posed silhouette.

Just like those straight guys who escort girls back to the dorm every night!

Shen Qiu quickly snapped a photo and sent it to the dorm group.