Step Down, Let Me Come! Chapter 41
Translated by Liwiaa (Ko-fi)
Chapter 41: It’s an expert (1)
“Really?”
Shen Tang didn’t believe him.
Facing young master Shen’s inquiry, previously expressionless Qi Shan smiled. He pointed at the painting in Shen Tang’s hand: “Young master Shen, did you think it just needed 2 or 3 strokes to complete it? Under the canvas is another rather tricky endgame…”
He meant, Shen Tang really thought too highly of him.
He didn't have time to paint and also solve the mess on the paper.
Shen Tang touched her nose in embarrassment. Her confidence dwindled in the blink of an eye – you couldn’t blame her for being mistrustful, if there was someone to blame it should be Qi Shan’s “criminal record”, it led her to “mental shadow” – She stiffly changed the topic: “Yuanliang, I will go now to hand over the painting, okay?”
“Go, go” Qi Shan waved at her, what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn't grieve over. After Shen Tang moved, he stopped her, warning her: “Hand over the drawing and be careful on your way back. We don't know what’s the relationship between the people behind the scenes and the senior official of Sibao County, so we need to be cautious”.
It would be best if they didn’t have any ties, but otherwise, they needed to be careful.
The waters were deep in the Xiao City, if one wasn’t too careful they would drown.
“I know, I know”.
Shen Tang seemed to be pardoned. As if stepping on the wind, she ran away in the blink of an eye. Qi Shan only lowered his eyes for a second, but only the corner of her disappearing robe was left in his sight. He could only smile wryly and shook his head, then turned and went back to the house. Instead of catching up on sleep, he sat back in front of the desk.
A clean sheet of paper was spread on his desk.
He restrained his remaining gentleness and with rapt attention stared at the paper. He lifted his hand and condensed energy on his palm. In the blink of an eye, his mind entered the endgame.
In the mysterious realm, where yin and yang were intertwined, the battlefield was still active. Both sides suffered losses, the black and white armies were at a stalemate. If one observed the battle situation carefully, the White Army had a slight upper hand. As soon as Qi Shan appeared, the figure on the opposite side raised his head and looked at him.
Qi Shan was unhurried, he calmly raised the hem of his clothes and sat down.
He said calmly: “Without interruption, let’s continue”.
No one replied to him. The man waved his fan, then threw his hand. In one moment, he eliminated the advantage that the white army had.
Qi Shan wasn’t in a hurry, he calmly voiced the magic sentence. The white pieces condensed under the sky, and the white army on the chessboard moved according to his instructions. While the black and white army fought, Shen Tang rode a motor looking for Zhengguang bookstore. She shouted from a distance.
“Shopkeeper, I came to hand it over”.
She jumped down, easily throwing the reins. Her motor raised its neck and opened its mouth tacitly, it grasped the rope precisely, then bent down to rest in the open space in front of the bookstore. The shopkeeper was behind the counter at this moment. He was supporting his head with his hand, narrowing his eyes.
After Shen Tang’s sudden shout, his sleepiness flew away.
“Who, who?” The shopkeeper seemed frightened. After looking closely, he was flabbergasted: “Young lady, it’s too fast, have you completed it?”
Shen Tang appeared a bit diffident. She tried to be vague: “Yeah, yeah…”
“Let’s see what it looks like”.
The shopkeeper couldn’t believe her.
Was it possible to create a meticulous painting just after one short night?
The shopkeeper was somewhat familiar with their client from the Moonlight building. He knew that the person was picky, so any rough and slipshod work wouldn't meet his standards.
After unfolding the painting, with just one glance, he was captured by the person in the painting. For a moment he couldn’t close his eyes, he even unconsciously slowed his breath. In the painting was an elegant youth, he hid his body in a cluster of flowers. The artist did not focus on portraying the boy's face, the essence laid in full but just right red lips. It evoked a desire to snuggle.
The shopkeeper suddenly woke up and turned red.
He awkwardly coughed: “Young lady, your painting is exceptional!”
He has been in this industry for so many years, and he has also received many high-priced orders from Moonlight Building. There were if not a 100 then around 50 painters who took the job, among them there were many who created popular classic works – Some were reserved and restrained, while some enthusiastic and straightforward. If not extremely savory, then their works would be more vulgar. Painters couldn’t wait to use various painting skills to make the work splendid, charming, and sexy.
Honestly, the one that led him to forget himself actually didn’t belong to any of them. He didn't expect that today he would come across something like that.
He could hardly wait to open the second one. The second one had the same style, it looked a bit reserved, but after a careful look, he found the desire hidden under the calm surface. It seemed that a charming but not vulgar fairy was hiding in the painting. It could seduce others with just a frown and smile.
In the third painting were two people.
One of them was still this youth, while the other person’s appearance was blurred, but his silhouette was really well-built. He was sticking to the youth, ambiguously muttering something in his ear. The youth’s full earlobe nearly disappeared in the other person’s mouth.
In the fourth picture were 2 people, a man and a woman. The woman’s face was also blurry, she was slender and well proportioned. The youth was smiling while closing on her. The ambiguous atmosphere assaulted the senses.
The shopkeeper's Adam's apple bobbed as he nervously wiped away his sweat.
Losing self-control in front of Shen Tang wasn't good, so he could only pretend to be thirsty and drink tea in an attempt to suppress his emotions.
What a ghost.
He was in this business, so he had seen various animated books and Mixitu paintings. Because of that, he believed that nothing could move him now. However, he didn't expect that these few paintings made overnight would be an exception. The shopkeeper's forehead was dripping with sweat, and his face was flushed.
After appreciating the painting, he took a deep breath, completely convinced – this was the work of an expert!
The shopkeeper blurred out.
“Young lady, haven’t you thought about releasing an art book?”
The business would surely flourish, the art book would be sold out in minutes!
He believed if these paintings were published, the Moonlight Building’s main employees would fight for the reservation. He wouldn’t lack money!
Shen Tang shook her head: “I don’t want to”.
Yuanliang was in the prime of his youth, and painting this kind of pictures could easily make him conceited. He didn't appear too healthy, so it was best to refrain from wasting words.
The shopkeeper seemed disappointed, he wanted to advise her once more.
Shen Tang stopped him: “In fact, it’s not my painting, last night my brother discovered my painting and was furious, so he helped me to do it on my behalf. He is pedantic, and he wouldn’t agree to take this offer. Are you satisfied with these paintings?”
“It’s not yours?”
Shen Tang calmly nodded: “Yes, is it important?”
The shopkeeper thought: “No harm, you delivered it, so it’s okay”.
It wasn't necessary for the artist to have the same name; as long as the work was satisfactory, it didn't matter who drew it.
However, he was truly disappointed that the person wouldn't publish the art book.
The shopkeeper put away the paintings with great care, and smiled with a good mood: “To be honest, I have seen countless pictures in my life, and these are the best ones I have ever seen. If even I am like this, then the official would certainly be satisfied with these. These paintings will definitely help him raise his social status!”
“When should I hand them over to him?”
The shopkeeper: “Why?”
Shen Tang smiled with embarrassment: “The client is good-looking, rather unforgettable, so I thought…”
The shopkeeper understood, he subtly tried to persuade her: “Young lady, this… the people from Moonlight Building may look nice, but they won’t be moved… after all they are…”
He swallowed back the rest of the words.
If he was from a good family.
But one busy entertaining guests official…
He didn’t know how to deal with the young lady's mischievousness, as she had no resistance to things that were good-looking.
