Chapter 38
In the amusement park, there were four different types of roller coasters. Han Xiaolin and his group chose and rode all the most thrilling attractions. After having their fill of fun, they headed to a nearby restaurant to eat.
Before even taking a few bites, Qin Shan pulled out his phone to stream the live broadcast of the Han embroidery event. He held onto the hope that perhaps, despite her illness, Zi Zhang might have made it to the event.
As it turned out, Cheng Zizhang wasn't that committed.
Comfortably resting in the hospital with everything she needed, there was no reason for her to make a strenuous effort to come and risk opening her surgical wound, especially with her mother present to ensure everything went smoothly.
With his keen eyes fixed on the screen, Qin Shan heaved a deep sigh: "Ah, she really isn't coming..."
"What are you up to?" Han Xiaolin, munching on a chicken leg, peeked over, "Oh, you're watching the broadcast? I told you she couldn't come because of her appendicitis. You really won't give up hope until you see it, huh?"
Qin Shan expressed his disappointment, "It's boring now. I'm shutting it off."
"Wait a second," Han Xiaolin had a thought and motioned to stop Qin Shan, "Let's leave it on. Eating without some background noise feels off. Even just hearing it is nice."
Li Yu chimed in, "Right, since it's already on, let's keep watching. We can also appreciate the art."
Seeing both of them agreeing, Qin Shan nodded, "Alright."
He took out a stand from his bag, set his phone on it, placing it in front of the table. The other two adjusted their chairs closer, enjoying their meal while watching the broadcast.
The event had just started. On screen, Teacher Cheng Yunxiu was introducing the attending guests and their works, her demeanor graceful and her voice melodious.
Smiles involuntarily crept onto the faces of the three men watching.
"Teacher Cheng really resembles my senior. They could be cut from the same cloth. Such an elegant aura..."
"Well, aren't they mother and daughter? Of course they'd resemble each other!"
"Speaking of which, this detailed craftsmanship is truly mesmerizing. The colors are so vibrant. Is that bird a phoenix or a mandarin duck?"
"It's probably a phoenix. Aren't mandarin ducks always depicted in pairs?"
The entire event hall was adorned with a classic, traditional touch. Many of the pieces Cheng Yunxiu showcased to the audience were renowned works from the past few decades, many of which had been borrowed from museums or private collectors.
Initially, the trio listened casually, but as time went on, they became increasingly engrossed, even forgetting to eat.
Only when the master's appreciation segment concluded, and it was time for the disciples to present their work, did Qin Shan resume eating.
With a chicken bone in his mouth, Han Xiaolin gazed at the screen, mumbling, "Now that we've seen the masters', isn't it time to see Ji Ruan's piece?"
Qin Shan perked up immediately, "Really?!"
Li Yu leaned in, "Which one is it?"
On the screen, a young unfamiliar girl was presenting her work, with her proud teacher beaming at her side.
Han Xiaolin, not an expert in the field, thought the girl's piece looked pretty but couldn't distinguish any significant difference from the works of the masters.
Qin Shan, excitedly exclaimed, "Oh! I can see Teacher Cheng in the background. Ji Ruan and my senior's embroidery piece must be next! Even if I can't see my senior's beautiful face, being reminded of her through her work is comforting!"
Han Xiaolin: "..."
Li Yu: "..."
They genuinely couldn't relate to this fanboy mentality.
The camera then panned to a tall, slender young man taking the microphone from the girl, introducing himself as a disciple of Teacher Cheng Yunxiu.
Qin Shan frowned, "Who is he? When did Teacher Cheng take on this disciple?"
Li Yu nodded, "While you only had eyes for your senior, how would you know? He is indeed Teacher Cheng's disciple, named Lin Qing."
Qin Shan expressed his surprise, "How do you know?"
"He's from the same art academy. We've crossed paths frequently since we have classes in the same building. However, he's two grades above, so we're not that close."
As Li Yu spoke, a memory seemed to surface: "Right, during the school's anniversary celebration earlier this year, he also embroidered a winter landscape. However, everyone was so engrossed in Ji Ruan's paintings in the hallway that hardly anyone took notice."
"Hmm..." Qin Shan pondered, "Seems his skills are just average."
Han Xiaolin chuckled, nudging him with his elbow, "Let's not talk without knowing, we're outsiders after all. Be careful not to get punched."
"-This piece is titled 'A Corner of the Courtyard,' inspired by the pear orchard behind the North Square of Jing University..." On screen, Lin Qing began explaining in a gentle tone, appearing poised and cultured.
"My senior, Cheng Zizhang, and I spent nearly a month completing this piece. The brick wall of the pond is embroidered with indigo silk thread mixed with silver strands. This technique beautifully captures the aesthetic of mist hovering over the brick wall after the rain..."
The three listened intently. Lin Qing spoke at length, yet when the applause began at his conclusion, they hadn't heard Ji Ruan's name mentioned once.
Han Xiaolin frowned.
Qin Shan expressed his confusion, "What's he up to? What does he mean? Wasn't this jointly created with Ji Ruan and senior? Even if she just assisted, he should've at least mentioned her. Otherwise, others might think he did it all..."
Li Yu responded with skepticism, "That's not right... He specifically mentioned the parts senior worked on. By that logic, the rest would be his own work, which essentially means he's overshadowing Ji Ruan's contribution. Their community takes this very seriously."
Spitting out a chicken bone, Han Xiaolin crossed his arms, "Every community should. Isn't this essentially stealing?"
Li Yu shook his head, "Especially theirs. Chinese embroidery isn't particularly lucrative. They're not in it for the money. They undertake these challenging projects to preserve the craft. Reputation is everything to them, almost foundational. Credit must be clear and precise."
Li Yu leaned in, sharing a piece of gossip, "I once heard a rumor about someone being expelled from a minor competition for pulling something like this. He's been blacklisted from the industry."
Shocked, Qin Shan exclaimed, "Seriously? Why would he risk it? Each embroiderer's technique is unique, similar to one's handwriting. Wouldn't Teacher Cheng, after teaching him for so many years, recognize this? Isn't this easily exposed?"
"Exactly," Li Yu agreed, looking to Han Xiaolin for insight, "Could there be another piece? Maybe this one was truly only done by him and senior?"
Han Xiaolin, rubbing his chin in recollection, responded, "No, no... They only submitted one piece for this event. Ji Ruan mentioned it to me."
Scratching his head, Li Yu mused, "Then it's strange. But today is just a small event, not a competition. Even if discovered, it wouldn't result in expulsion, right?"
"But it doesn't make sense. There's no competition or reward. Why take such a risk? What's in it for him?" Qin Shan was genuinely baffled.
Han Xiaolin zoomed into the screen, carefully examining the details. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "It's Ji Ruan's work! I'm sure of it. Look here-"
The camera zoomed in on the embroidery piece on stage. Han Xiaolin captured a screenshot, enlarging it and minimizing the live stream. Pointing at his phone, he said, "The trees on the far right, they're plum trees. Red plum blossoms!"
Qin Shan noticed immediately, the plum blossoms were strikingly prominent, "Yes, but what about it?"
Han Xiaolin switched the livestream back to full screen, commenting, "Ji Ruan mentioned to me once, saying that the original design was meant to be a pear tree, but he accidentally pricked his finger and a drop of blood landed on it. So they had no choice but to make a last-minute switch to red plum blossoms."
"He also mentioned how that drop of blood almost ruined the piece. I remember it vividly!"
The camera focused on an audience member raising her hand, capturing the attention of the three.
The one asking was an adorable-looking young woman who blushed with excitement when Lin Qing picked her.
"Hello, Senior Lin Qing. I'm a freshman from the finance department, and I re-re-really adore this artwork of yours..." She stammered a bit, nervously adjusting her bangs.
Lin Qing gave a gentle smile, saying, "Thank you. Take your time, don't be nervous. -Could someone please get her a glass of water?"
Qin Shan immediately rolled his eyes, muttering, "Quite the actor, this kid."
The girl's face turned an even deeper shade of red due to Lin Qing's considerate gesture. She stammered, "Th-thank you, senior... I just wanted to say that even if I don't understand Han embroidery, anyone with an appreciation for beauty would love this piece... especially those plum blossoms at the end. I absolutely adore them!"
A fleeting emotion crossed Lin Qing's eyes, but it vanished too quickly to be identified. He joked, "Hmm, only fond of the plum blossoms? You don't like the rest?"
Seemingly caught off guard by his counter-question, the girl hesitated for a moment before hurriedly waving her hands, "No, no, no, I love all of it! It's all beautiful! I just personally adore the plum blossoms the most. They're so lifelike. You embroidered them, didn't you, senior?"
The mirth in Lin Qing's eyes dimmed slightly. He lowered his gaze, discreetly pressing his lips together before looking up with a soft smile, giving no clear answer.
Taking his silence as affirmation, the girl gasped in excitement, "You're so talented, senior! -Oh, I have another question, may I ask?"
Lin Qing courteously gestured for her to continue, "Please, go ahead."
"Earlier, you mentioned that the inspiration came from our school's pear orchard, right?" She giggled shyly, "But why depict plum blossoms in a pear orchard? I'm sorry if my question sounds a bit silly..."
For a split second, Lin Qing's smile froze.
-It was originally a pear tree.
Their artwork was meant to portray pear blossoms. The original sketch clearly displayed pear blossoms!
Due to Ji Ruan's intervention, this was the first time Lin Qing saw the piece in its entirety, and he had inadvertently overlooked this detail.
Biting his lip as he gazed at the plum blossoms, the knuckles of his hand gripping the microphone turned noticeably white.
Qin Shan slapped the table in delight, "What a brilliant question! Truly representative of our finance department's acuity. Sharp as a needle! Let's see how he talks his way out of this one!"
Han Xiaolin also laughed, "Drawing inspiration from the Pear Garden to embroider plum blossoms? Hahaha, what a genuine talent, I must say!"
Lin Qing remained silent for a long time, fixating on the grove of plum trees, while whispers began to spread among the audience.
The young woman overheard some unflattering speculations, frowned in interruption, and then asked anxiously, "Senior...?"
Lin Qing snapped back to reality, glanced at the young woman, then scanned the varied expressions from the audience. His clenched hand relaxed slightly, and he gave a soft, warm smile.
"Are you a freshman, my junior?"
"Huh? ... Yes, I am. Why?" The change in topic seemed abrupt, and the young woman looked confused.
With a playful smile, Lin Qing took his time and said, "It appears many in our audience are also freshmen like this young lady here. Alright, let me explain."
Qin Shan was extremely anxious, "What the heck? What's he going to explain?"
Yet, Lin Qing calmly took a sip of water before speaking, "There used to be plum trees in the Pear Garden. There were two, located in the deepest part. By the time you freshmen arrived, they had been transplanted to the Plum Garden. So, you wouldn't know."
"Originally, we wanted to embroider pear trees. But perhaps out of nostalgia, there was a minor oversight, and we just went with it, turning it into plum blossoms. If you don't believe me, you can ask the trustworthy seniors. They would surely know."
As soon as he finished, a wave of intense discussions erupted among the audience.
"Is that true? Did they really exist?"
"They did. I remember a few years ago there were some plum trees in the innermost part of the Pear Garden. He's telling the truth."
"After all, he is an artist. He wouldn't lie about such things..."
Lin Qing silently listened to the shifting sentiments in the audience, lowered his head, and a subtle smile formed on his lips.
The young woman breathed a sigh of relief and exclaimed, "Thank you for the explanation, senior. I knew there had to be a reason!"
She then took her seat, her face glowing with pride in her judgment of character.
Li Yu was in shock, "Seriously? Just because I'm a freshman, I should have believed this?"
Han Xiaolin, with a furrowed brow and arms crossed, remarked, "Impressive. Never underestimate this guy. He's got quite the composure."
Qin Shan was still fuming, "Come on, we can't let him get away with this, right?! What's Professor Cheng doing? Can't she, a master of her caliber, see through him? She needs to expose this charlatan now!"
Amidst their conversation, a soft, mirthful laugh echoed, "-What are you all looking at, wearing such long faces?"
Everyone looked up to find Ji Ruan. He and President Gu had returned from their date, with Ji Ruan merrily approaching them, cradling a large bouquet of flowers.
Han Xiaolin couldn't help but facepalm at the sight.
At times, Ji Ruan could be quite childlike. He had a penchant for fluffy trinkets and loved both flowers and laughter. The purple fuzzy ball that Gu Xiuyi had chosen for him was still wobbling atop his head.
Holding the bouquet, he looked as innocent and sweet as one could be, with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes.
As for what the two had been up to, one could only guess. President Gu looked radiant, and his black coat was covered in lint from Ji Ruan's purple sweater. By the looks of it, they must have rolled around at least twice, suggesting a rather spirited rendezvous.
"Oh, thank heavens you're back," Qin Shan exclaimed, with an 'eunuch-more-worried-than-the-emperor' expression, "And you're laughing? Do you even know your work has been plagiarized? And still, you laugh?"
"What happened?" Ji Ruan, having just finished dinner, hadn't had a chance to check his phone yet.
Without a word, everyone scooted over, making room for Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi in the center.
Ji Ruan carefully set the flowers aside and took a seat. He noticed they were watching a live broadcast of a Han embroidery event, with everyone red-faced in anger.
Han Xiaolin pointed at the screen, "This Lin Qing here, you know him, right? That plum blossom embroidery, it's your work, isn't it?"
Ji Ruan nodded, "Mm-hmm."
Han Xiaolin scoffed in disbelief, "The nerve of this guy, claiming it as his own work. He's taking credit for your craftsmanship!"
Ji Ruan uttered an "Oh" of realization, "I see..."
"That's not all," Qin Shan added, "Someone earlier questioned why a plum blossom was embroidered for the Pear Garden. But this imposter just played them all, and now everyone's singing his praises! It's infuriating!"
Li Yu frowned, "What puzzles me the most is Professor Cheng. Why hasn't she spoken out? Embroideries like yours should have a distinct personal style, right?"
Ji Ruan smiled at Li Yu, "Yes, you're spot on."
Qin Shan slapped his thigh in exasperation, "Then what on earth is going on?"
Six eyes turned expectantly to Ji Ruan, but he remained silent.
The group then shifted their gaze to Gu Xiuyi, who remained expressionless.
But he had always been this way, his expression unchanging regardless of his innermost thoughts. Nobody expected to glean any insight from his face, so their attention shifted back to Ji Ruan.
Ji Ruan, however, rested his chin on his hand while gazing at the screen, seemingly undisturbed by the audacity before him. There wasn't even a hint of surprise, and the curve of his smile remained as it was from the beginning.
Bathed in the gentle luminance of the restaurant's lights, Ji Ruan's eyes shimmered with warmth. It seemed as though he wasn't watching Lin Qing's insufferable face but rather some heartwarming documentary.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Han Xiaolin asked Ji Ruan, "What are you thinking? Aren't you angered?"
Ji Ruan turned to him, a lingering blush around his eyes making him appear particularly tender. "Let's wait and see," he replied.
Back at the hospital, he had intentionally kept from Lin Qing that he had assisted Cheng Zizhang with some embroidery. He had wondered if a situation like this might arise, so its unfolding wasn't surprising to him.
Since the protagonist had spoken, everyone else had no choice but to curb their impatience and settle down alongside Ji Ruan.
On the screen, just as Lin Qing finished speaking and was about to pass the microphone to the next girl, Cheng Yunxiu suddenly interjected, "Wait."
Lin Qing turned around.
Cheng Yunxiu smiled gently, "I have a question. May I?"
Qin Shan clenched his fist in anticipation. "Is Professor Cheng finally stepping in?"
Everyone noticed Lin Qing's evident pause on screen before he mustered a smile, "Of course, Professor. Go ahead."
While Cheng Yunxiu had a gentle demeanor, her every move subtly exuded an authoritative aura, unmistakably that of a true master.
Cheng Zizhang was quite like her in this regard. Ji Ruan couldn't help but smile, thinking they reminded him of his own mother and sister-each possessing a kind of innate strength that Lin Qing could never emulate, no matter how hard he tried.
Perhaps because of the professor's imposing presence, Lin Qing, no longer as poised as before, somewhat awkwardly moved to stand beside Cheng Yunxiu.
Cheng Yunxiu pointed to a section of the embroidered plum blossoms, turning to Lin Qing, "Why are the colors of these flowers darker than the others?"
The amusement on Ji Ruan's face deepened instantly.
Even though the others didn't understand the specifics, seeing Ji Ruan's reaction, they knew Professor Cheng had hit the nail on the head and became even more attentive.
"Oxidation, perhaps?" Gu Xiuyi, with arms crossed, mused aloud.
The usually reticent boss finally spoke his first words since their arrival.
With the mindset of an art student, Li Yu commented, "Isn't it about using the contrast between light and dark to create the illusion of shadows?"
Coming from a science background, Qin Shan thought similarly to Gu Xiuyi: "It's the darkening of blood due to oxidation, isn't it? That's our precious Ruan's rare Rh-negative Type A blood!"
Li Yu argued firmly, "Yes, but if you'd open your eyes and look, there's only a drop of Ruan's precious Rh-negative Type A blood. There are multiple flowers, clearly an attempt to create a shadow effect!"
"No, Li Yu, it's not like that. We have to be scientific about this. Look-"
"Alright, alright," Ji Ruan, chuckling, stepped in to mediate, "There's no need to quarrel. Both of you have valid points."
His voice was gentle and, combined with the small puffball on his head, he looked irresistibly soft. Both quarrelers immediately felt embarrassed to continue their argument and returned to their seats in silence.
With an innocent and radiant expression, Ji Ruan cupped his face and pointed at the screen, "Let's not rush. Let's see how Lin Qing responds."
But Lin Qing didn't utter a word for quite a while.
He stood motionless at the podium, as if the video had frozen. Qin Shan even tapped his phone, thinking there was an issue with his connection.
Only when they saw others moving around Lin Qing did they fully realize that he was simply stumped by the question.
Han Xiaolin clicked his tongue, "Isn't this basic knowledge? Even I, a mere medical student, know this. Why is he taking so long to answer?"
Qin Shan nodded in agreement, "Maybe he's just a bit dense."
Whether he was dense or not, Ji Ruan wasn't sure, but he knew that Lin Qing had a fragile mental state.
Just as Han Xiaolin mentioned, such basic knowledge wasn't beyond Lin Qing's understanding. However, on stage, under the scrutiny of the audience, and facing a notoriously strict professor, coupled with his own guilt, he was bound to be flustered.
With his mind in a whirl, it's no wonder he can't think straight.
As the seconds ticked by, the audience's impatience was palpable. Murmurs turned into louder expressions of doubt.
Just when Lin Qing's heightened breath was noticeable even on camera, Cheng Yunxiu spoke calmly:
"I surmise there might have been a minor accident, like pricking a finger and shedding a drop of blood. When blood dries, it darkens-"
Pointing to a nearby branch, she continued, "So, the decision was made to embroider several similarly darkened plum blossoms and obscure them with a delicately embroidered branch, creating the illusion of shadows from foreground branches shading those behind."
"As for why only a single branch was embroidered instead of the whole tree..." Cheng Yunxiu chuckled as if finding it amusing, "Perhaps there wasn't enough time? It might be a shortcut, but leaving some space unembroidered can also be seen as an artistic touch."
"He guessed it all!" Ji Ruan's eyes sparkled. Teacher Cheng even pointed out his laziness in only embroidering a single branch due to lack of time without missing a beat.
For a split second, he wondered if Cheng Zizhang had confided in her. But then he remembered Cheng Zizhang had just undergone surgery and the teacher had only had the chance to visit her once; it was impossible.
After waking from anesthesia, neither the mind nor the tongue can be lucid. Ji Ruan knew this all too well. At that moment, Cheng Zizhang wouldn't have been able to share the truth with her own mother.
On stage, Cheng Yunxiu, standing in for Lin Qing, finished her explanation and offhandedly asked:
"Am I right?"
However, she wasn't looking at Lin Qing. Her gaze went past Lin Qing's ear and directly focused on the camera behind him.
The cameraman was sharp, immediately giving her a close-up.
Ji Ruan watched intently. That look felt like an unexpected gaze across the void, rushing towards him and making his heart flutter. It was like a massive rock plunging into water, causing a great splash, only to leave gentle ripples once submerged.
A deep sense of exhilaration washed over Ji Ruan. A beaming smile emerged on his face as he took a hearty sip of his milk tea.
Lin Qing was utterly flustered, not even noticing Cheng Yunxiu's expression. Hearing her question, he nodded frantically, "Yes, yes! Teacher, you're absolutely right!"
Cheng Yunxiu shifted her gaze back to Lin Qing's face, revealing a faintly amused smile, "It's your own work, yet you can't articulate your thoughts? Do you need my assistance?"
Her eyes were gentle but had a piercingly scrutinizing hint. Such a direct gaze was nearly blatant, and even if Lin Qing were naive, he'd grasp its meaning.
He froze completely, seemingly forgetting even how to breathe as cold sweat poured out.
Thud-
The microphone in Lin Qing's hand dropped, causing a piercing feedback from the speakers. The audience covered their ears in complaint, the atmosphere instantly becoming chaotic.
At that moment, Lin Qing realized that Teacher Cheng's decision not to publicly expose him was already a face-saving grace.
"Damn, that's satisfying!" Qin Shan slapped his thigh and stood up, "Look how scared that bastard is! It's absolutely delightful!"
Gu Xiuyi handed Ji Ruan a tissue to wipe off the milk tea on his lips, gently saying, "So, Teacher Cheng discerned that this plum blossom embroidery wasn't by Lin Qing or Cheng Zizhang but from a third party?"
Wiping his lips with the tissue, Ji Ruan's eyes twinkled with amusement, "Mmm, I believe so."
Li Yu frowned, "What I don't get is, each of you embroiderers has a unique style. Didn't Lin Qing recognize this? How did he dare to impersonate?"
Ji Ruan chuckled lightly, "Perhaps it's that part of the work that somewhat resembles, yet is distinct from, my senior sister's technique."
"...What do you mean?"
Ji Ruan took another sip of his milk tea, speaking unhurriedly, "I was merely assisting. To harmonize the entire piece, I intentionally leaned towards my senior sister's stitching style. However, due to time constraints, I couldn't match it perfectly. So, if one were to argue that my portion was done by Lin Qing, it wouldn't be completely implausible."
He glanced at Li Yu, "Lin Qing's stitching technique is similar to my senior sister's to begin with. He probably never imagined a third person's involvement. He might have thought that, if suspicions arose, it would only be a squabble between him and my senior sister. Perhaps the teacher might favor him, fearing accusations of bias since my senior sister is her biological daughter."
"Damn... that's so crafty!"
Ji Ruan laughed and winked, "It's just a personal hypothesis."
A bead of milk tea lingered on his lip, which he instinctively licked off.
Gu Xiuyi noticed that the gazes of the three men across the table instantly shifted to Ji Ruan's mouth.
"......"
Sitting upright, abandoning his previously composed posture, Gu Xiuyi's back detached from the chair for the first time. He swiftly took a napkin and covered Ji Ruan's mouth with precision.
"-Hmm?" Ji Ruan looked up in surprise.
Gu Xiuyi remained nonchalant, elegantly folding the napkin and pressing it to Ji Ruan's lips, "You got some on you again. Let me wipe it off."
"Oh my~~~!" The others despondently covered their eyes.
Being wiped in public, Ji Ruan's ears instantly reddened, and he seemed too startled to react.
It was only when his phone rang that he hurriedly pushed Gu Xiuyi away.
-It was a call from Cheng Zizhang.
Ji Ruan waited for a moment, allowing the caller ID to flash across the screen before finally answering under the curious gazes of everyone. His voice was as usual:
"Hello, senior sister?"
Author's Note:
Ruan Ruan: Hmph~ I'm about to have people from my maternal family! Let's see if you dare to be so arrogant then!
Mr. Gu: ...What did I ever...