Chapter 504

Gentle, uniform, carrying a warm golden tone.

The mottled light and shadow, along with the maple leaves swaying gently in the breeze, flowed and changed slowly on the ground, under the corridor, and on people’s sleeves.

Between the interplay of light and shadow, everything in the garden seemed to be covered with a dreamy filter.

Quiet, beautiful, full of poetic imagery.

"Right here."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun decided immediately.

He picked up the drawing paper and pencil, carried the easel, and walked under the maple tree in the garden.

He also asked the Furukawa family maid to help move two round stools for people to sit on.

Set up the simple easel and put down the drawing paper.

He signaled Konoe Hitomi:

"Hitomi, you sit here."

He pointed to the round stool placed opposite him.

Konoe Hitomi didn't speak, walked to the round stool silently, and sat down in a proper posture.

She faced Xia Xia Xia Mujun, leaning against the mottled maple tree trunk, and looked at him calmly.

Like a delicate model waiting to be depicted.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun, separated by a distance of a few steps, carefully examined Konoe Hitomi sitting in the light and shadow.

She was still wearing that simple and fit improved maid outfit today, outlining a slender but straight figure.

The black long hair was combed meticulously and tied behind her head with simple hair accessories.

On her fair face, the features were exquisite like a doll, but lacked vivid expressions.

Her eyes were calm and waveless, her lip line was straight.

The whole person exuded a distant, quiet, near-inhuman sense of beauty.

At this moment, she sat quietly under the maple tree.

The afternoon soft light passed through the red leaves, casting mottled light spots on her.

The breeze blew, and occasionally a few early red maple leaves drifted down leisurely.

This scene itself was a very beautiful painting.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun looked and looked, for some reason, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up into a subtle arc.

A faint, interesting emotion rose in the bottom of his heart.

After all, Konoe Hitomi hadn't teased him less before.

Now that there was a rare opportunity to let her sit here quietly and let him "wantonly" observe and depict...

This feeling was quite wonderful.

Carrying a little bit of the joy of successful "revenge."

And Konoe Hitomi sitting opposite him seemed to keenly capture the fleeting smile on his face.

Her calm eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

She looked at Xia Xia Xia Mujun and asked directly, expressionlessly:

"Why haven't you started yet?"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun restrained his smile, but the lingering smile in his eyes was still there.

He picked up a sharpened pencil and compared it on the drawing paper to locate it.

"Now..."

He raised his eyes and smiled at her slightly.

"Started."

He didn't say anything more, gathered his mind, and put all his attention into the scene in front of him.

His eyes became focused and sharp.

The pencil in his hand began to draw the first light and certain line on the white paper.

The rustling sound of the pen tip sounded in the quiet garden, mixed with the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves.

Konoe Hitomi maintained a sitting posture, her gaze falling calmly on Xia Xia Xia Mujun, or rather, on the drawing pen in his hand.

She glanced at Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s focused profile, which quickly entered the state and looked exceptionally serious and even somewhat charming.

She raised her eyebrows imperceptibly.

Always felt... this guy was up to no good.

But she couldn't say anything or do anything now.

Could only give up for the time being.

At this time.

In the tea room, the attention of both Furukawa Masahiro and Furukawa Saio was attracted by this strange scene of "painter and model" in the garden.

Furukawa Saio was purely curious and excited.

It was the first time she saw big brother drawing!

Furukawa Masahiro was full of doubts and confusion in his heart.

He couldn't understand at all why this eldest miss of the Odo family, whose mind was as deep as the sea, suddenly wanted Xia Xia Xia Mujun to draw her personal maid?

What deep meaning was behind this?

Could it really just be wanting to test Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s drawing level?

Eldest Miss Odo’s mind was always like a deep ancient pool, hard to fathom.

He didn't dare to speculate, could only suppress the doubt in his heart, and watch silently.

Time.

In the rustling sound of the pen in the garden, the occasional sound of pieces falling in the tea room, and the slight sound of the wind blowing the maple leaves.

Flowed quietly and slowly.

Don't know how long it had passed.

In the tea room.

Furukawa Saio looked at the situation on the board that had become a foregone conclusion, her small head drooped, and she let out a sigh of annoyance:

"Mmph... lost again."

She raised her head and looked at Odo Orihime, who was still calm opposite, her tone full of admiration and unwillingness.

"Senior sister is too strong... Saio clearly felt that she had improved a lot, but still couldn't play at all."

Odo Orihime didn't make any comments on the game, nor did she comfort her.

She just raised her hand slightly, the wide kimono sleeve sliding down a section, revealing her fair wrists.

Her fingers reached into the sleeve, and after a while, her fingertips pinched a beautifully packaged candy and handed it to Furukawa Saio.

Furukawa Saio’s eyes lit up, and the annoyance just now was driven away by more than half.

She happily took the candy and thanked her sweetly:

"Thank you, senior sister!"

Just then.

Odo Orihime, wearing a red and black kimono and sitting in front of the board, turned her head slowly.

Her gaze was cast into the garden.

And in the garden.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun also happened to stop the pen in his hand.

He let out a soft breath, raised his head, and said to Konoe Hitomi who was still sitting:

"Okay, Hitomi."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Konoe Hitomi heard this, and her body relaxed imperceptibly for a moment.

She stood up slowly from the round stool.

Her movements were still elegant, without any stiffness, as if that long sitting had no effect on her at all.

She walked, walked behind Xia Xia Xia Mujun, leaned over slightly, and looked at the sketch fixed on the simple easel.

The moment the scene in the painting came into view—

Konoe Hitomi’s eyes, which were accustomed to hiding all emotions and were as calm as a deep pool, couldn't help but ripple with clear waves.

What was presented on the drawing paper was a view of the quiet afternoon garden just now.