Chapter 51

Chapter 51

A glimmer of starlight flickered in Gu Beixian’s dark eyes as he pushed himself up from her.

He pressed his lips together, staring at her in silence for a long time.

Then, he lowered his head to kiss the tip of her nose and said in a muffled voice, “Keep your word.”

Su Hua gave a soft “mm” in response.

Gu Beixian was dissatisfied with her attitude. “Too perfunctory. Say it again.”

Su Hua wanted to laugh.

He was clearly the one in control, yet he acted as if she was the one who didn’t want him.

After a moment’s thought, she raised her arms to wrap them around his neck. Leaning close to his ear, she whispered, “Many people like you because you’re handsome, wealthy, powerful, and charming. But some people like you because they’ve seen you at your worst and their heart aches for you. They sit silently by your side, wanting to offer you their shoulder and their sweets.”

Gu Beixian’s gaze hardened.

He cradled her head, pressing his face against hers.

It was a long while before he spoke. “I asked you to be provocative, not sentimental. Now look what you’ve done-you’ve touched my heart so much that the mood is gone.”

Su Hua was almost driven to tears by his difficult behavior.

She only knew how to speak the truth from her heart. She really couldn’t bring herself to say those explicit, flirtatious things.

She gently poked his waist and asked tentatively, “If the mood is gone, should we just go home?”

“No need. It’s back now.” He lowered his head, capturing her lips in a deep kiss, gently nibbling on her soft lips.

He was a skilled kisser.

Under his touch, Su Hua turned soft and yielding, as delicate as water.

Though she had a slender frame, she was perfectly curved. Her most alluring features were her lithe, graceful waist and the beautiful line of her hips.

To the outside world, she appeared pure, white, and untouchable; but in Gu Beixian’s eyes, she was the most enchanting and soul-stirring woman.

Outside the car, the river wind howled and the shadows of trees swayed, while indigo clouds partially obscured the moon.

Inside the car, the atmosphere was thick with passion and lingering tenderness.

The next day.

Su Hua suddenly received a bank notification on her phone: one million yuan had been deposited into her account.

The sender’s account was: Jingdu Zhengrong Arts and Crafts Import-Export Company.

This was the parent company of Zhengrong Auction House.

Su Hua found Gu Jinyao’s business card and dialed the number on it.

The call was picked up after a single ring.

“Su Hua,” he called her name in a low voice.

His voice was very masculine, a pure bass.

For some reason, every time she heard him call her name, Su Hua felt a strange sensation. It felt as though those two short syllables were saturated with deep affection.

However, women were prone to overthinking things, and she decided she must be imagining it.

Su Hua said politely, “Mr. Gu, my account just received one million yuan from your company. Did your finance department make a mistake?”

Gu Jinyao chuckled. “No mistake. I ordered the transfer.”

Su Hua was slightly puzzled. “We already settled the payment for that painting. Why are you sending me more money?”

“The painting was in my office. Before I could give it to my father, a regular client saw it and wanted it. He offered thirteen million, which is one million more than the price I gave you.”

Su Hua thought for a moment before saying, “Doesn’t your auction house take a ten percent commission? I should transfer this million back to you.”

When dealing with people she wasn’t close to, she preferred clear accounts and didn’t want to owe favors.

Gu Jinyao said calmly, “It didn’t go through the auction channels, so I won’t charge you a commission.”

Su Hua felt conflicted. “But…”

“If you really want to thank me, just treat me to a meal.”

This request wasn’t excessive at all.

If it were anyone else, Su Hua would have agreed. But Gu Beixian had said he didn’t like her getting too close to him.

Su Hua declined politely. “You’ve helped me so much that I really should treat you to a meal, but it’s a bit inconvenient for me right now. How about this: since your father likes Bada Shanren’s Ink Lotus Painting, I’ll paint a replica for him. It won’t take long-I can finish it in less than ten days. However, I only do replicas, not forgeries, so you’ll have to figure out the seals yourself.”
Gu Jinyao paused for a moment. “That works. I took a photo of the painting with my phone; I’ll send it to you in a bit.”

“No need. I’ve already committed it to memory. I guarantee I can replicate it exactly.”

Gu Jinyao fell silent for a beat before saying in an incredibly soft voice, “You’re still as clever as ever.”

Su Hua’s heart gave a sudden jolt. “What did you say?”

Gu Jinyao chuckled, his tone rising several decibels as he said, “I said, you’re even cleverer than I imagined.”

Su Hua figured she must have misheard him again. She replied casually, “It’s a skill I practiced since I was a child. Practice makes perfect.”

“For the seal on the painting, use your own. I believe you’ll be very famous one day. Once you’ve made a name for yourself, the value of this Ink Lotus Painting you’ve replicated will naturally soar.”

“You flatter me.” Though she said that, Su Hua felt a surge of happiness. It was the feeling of being recognized.

After hanging up, Su Hua went into her study and hung a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.

She ground the ink by hand.

Grinding ink was the first step in painting; it served to cultivate the mind and calm the spirit.

Once the ink was ready, Su Hua gripped her brush and walked to the large desk.

A sheet of ancient Xuan paper was spread across the surface.

Su Hua closed her eyes, slowly replaying the composition, brushwork, and artistic mood of Bada Shanren’s Ink Lotus Painting in her mind.

His style was renowned for its bold ink-wash freehand technique, drawing inspiration from nature with concise brushwork that was both majestic and uniquely innovative.

Having replicated so many ancient ink-wash paintings since childhood, she felt that Bada Shanren’s work was the most difficult to copy.

Chinese painting does not emphasize three-dimensionality or focal point perspective; it must capture the essence-neither a literal likeness nor a complete departure.

A painting that looks exactly like the original is actually considered the lowest tier. The middle tier is called the Marvelous Grade, while the highest is the Transcendent Grade, also known as the Divine Grade.

She felt that Bada Shanren’s paintings truly deserved to be called the Transcendent Grade.

His work always conveyed a desolate, lonely, and melancholic atmosphere-a reflection of his tragic life and cold, detached emotions.

He was originally a royal descendant of the Zhu family, but his life was one of constant displacement and hardship.

In his own words, his paintings were described as: “Few are the ink dots, but many are the teardrops; the mountains and rivers remain the old mountains and rivers. In this chaotic world of cross-currents, I leave these trees for the literary world to ponder carefully.”

A week later.

Su Hua finished the Ink Lotus Painting by Zhu Da, producing two versions in total.

The first lacked a bit of the intended atmosphere, so she sent it to be mounted and hung it in her own study.

She was exceptionally satisfied with the second one. It possessed form, spirit, and charm-the withered leaves and ink lotus were desolate and lonely, radiating a piercing chill.

Once finished, Su Hua called Gu Jinyao. “Mr. Gu, the painting is finished. Would you like to send someone to pick it up? Or should I deliver it to you?”

“Thank you for your hard work. How about this: let’s meet for a meal, and you can hand the painting over to me then.”

Su Hua hesitated. “I…”

Gu Jinyao was silent for a moment before saying, “Everyone has to eat. It’s just a meal; it won’t take much of your time.”

Since he had put it that way, Su Hua felt it would be too cold-hearted to refuse again, so she agreed.

He suggested a private kitchen restaurant, and they arranged to meet at six o’clock the following evening.

After hanging up, Su Hua looked at the Ink Lotus Painting spread on the table. After a moment of deliberation, she called Gu Beixian.

When the call connected, she said, “Are you free tomorrow at six? I have a dinner appointment, and I’d like you to come with me.”

Gu Beixian hummed thoughtfully, then asked with a smile, “Whose dinner is it that requires such a grand mobilization?”

Su Hua said softly, “Gu Jinyao.”

Gu Beixian froze. His grip on the phone tightened until the device almost began to deform under the pressure.