Chapter 73

A warmth lingered on his lips, as if they were burning, sending an electric sensation through him.

Ji Wei subconsciously licked his own lips. They weren’t sweet. Still, he took a bite of the waffle in his hand and said with unsteady breath, “It is pretty sweet.” The moment the words left his mouth, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning. At this moment, he should… kiss him, right?

Ji Wei turned to look at Lu Shenxing beside him, wanting to give him a kiss. The shadows from the lights fell on the man’s handsome profile, making his features appear sharper and adding a touch of coldness.

He silently pulled back his slightly forward-leaning body.

He just didn’t dare. It seemed he had missed another opportunity to deepen their relationship.

Ji Wei lowered his head, preparing to put the waffle on the table, when the man’s hand suddenly covered the back of his neck, pressing him forward.

And then—

Accompanied by an extremely warm breath.

Lu Shenxing’s kiss descended.

The man kissed him gently, one could even say tenderly. Ji Wei heard his own heart beat faster and faster, so fast it felt like it would suddenly stop the next moment, drowning in this tenderness.

Lu Shenxing slowly kissed away the syrup from the corner of his lips, then looked up at him and said, “I think so too.” It’s very sweet.

Ji Wei’s face, which he had been trying so hard to keep from blushing, finally turned red. A crimson flush spread from the back of his neck to behind his ears, and then across his face, all tinged with a faint blush.

Was it really that sweet?

***

The Alliance charity match, thanks to the organizers’ heavy investment and the attendance of many influencer celebrities, trended on social media for two consecutive days. Surprisingly, however, most of the attention was on Ji Wei.

[Cherry Freedom] Little brother Ji Wei is so handsome! That one-shot kill he made, I’ve watched it over and over again!

[Beastmen Never Surrender] Wilson is actually more skilled, but Ji Wei’s two shots were truly incredible. I was watching it live at the time and didn’t even dare to breathe. The last time I was this nervous was during the Champions League final.

[One Shot, One Crybaby] I can see with my own eyes that Cub Wei’s Weibo followers are about to hit ten million. Who would have thought he only had a few tens of thousands before?

[Not Working Today] Ahhhhh, the organizers should have had a couple more matches! A charity match is about the competition, not an entertainment show. Please invite Ji Wei again next time! Okay?!

However, amidst the chorus of praise, one blogger raised a question.

[Hua University Physics Department Cheng Liang] As a sophomore, shouldn’t Ji Wei’s main task be studying? He’s on a variety show and in a competition. Sorry, but I really don’t see how he’s like a Yan University student. Anyone who flames me gets blocked, hehe!

He blocked quite a few people, and the remaining comments were relatively mild, though not by much.

[When is Ji Wei Streaming Green Hat Valley] How do you know he isn’t studying hard?

[X] You have time to browse Weibo, but you won’t let others participate in extracurricular activities? That logic is just baffling. It’s summer vacation, hey! I saw you went to a tech conference yesterday, blogger!

[Water Watcher] ‘Strict with others, lenient with oneself’ is exactly the kind of person this blogger is, right? Let’s just ignore this guy. Who knows if he’s just trying to ride the coattails of the hype.

[Cool Breeze 2] This person is a habitual hater. The last time Ji Wei was featured in “Traditional Chinese Painting,” he was being all passive-aggressive. Is he really from Hua University?

Cheng Liang sneered at these comments and posted a picture of his university admission letter and his transcript for the semester.

[Hua University Physics Department Cheng Liang] My GPA this semester is 4.2. Am I not qualified to say Ji Wei is neglecting his studies? The Yiqiu Art Museum is holding an exhibition of outstanding works from the Yan University Academy of Fine Arts next week, but Ji Wei isn’t on the exhibition list. I suspect he hasn’t been painting properly at all recently. He has time for competitions but no time to participate in an exhibition?

It wasn’t that Cheng Liang disliked Ji Wei that much; he just couldn’t stand this superficial society. People like Academician Ye Zhi, who dedicated themselves to research, had little fame, while someone like Ji Wei, who was good at packaging himself, frequently trended on social media.

How hard could playing a game be? For so many people to praise him, it would be strange if there wasn’t a marketing campaign involved.

Meanwhile, Yang Xixi, sitting in front of his computer, had an initial reaction to Cheng Liang’s post—

It’s fake! It must be fake!

However, he dragged his buddy from the computer science department out of bed to verify it, and it turned out to be real.

Others on Weibo naturally saw it too.

[A Glass of Wangzai Milk] Holy crap, he’s really an academic ace from Hua University’s physics department!

[Fan Blower] Is it true that Ji Wei didn’t participate in the outstanding works exhibition… With his skill level, he shouldn’t have failed to be selected, right? Or are the requirements at the Yan University Academy of Fine Arts too high?

[Lop-Eared Rabbit] The Yiqiu Art Museum is also in Shanghai, and the exhibition opens next week. He probably isn’t lying. Ji Wei has been a bit busy recently, he can just participate next time!

[Pop Rocks] Well, isn’t that just what the blogger said… The course load at the Yan University Academy of Fine Arts is very heavy. With gaming and variety shows, is there enough time left? Anyway, as a neutral netizen, I feel the blogger’s tone was a bit harsh, but good advice is hard to take!

Ji Wei woke up a little late today. The man beside him was already gone when he woke up. He thought he had gone for his rehabilitation, but it turned out the man was in the study carving a seal. Not wanting to disturb him, Ji Wei shared the local specialties he had brought back with Huang Bo, then went down to the collection room to copy Qi Baishi’s Ink Shrimp.

He had to admit, having a collection room at home was much more convenient.

In the past, when he went to art museums, there were always long lines in front of famous works, and he rarely had the chance to copy them on the spot. But now, he could sit in front of the original and copy it without any distance restrictions. He could even use a magnifying glass to examine the details up close.

Worried he might get hungry, Huang Bo even brought him some dragon’s beard candy.

Ji Wei ate two pieces of the candy and began to copy.

He rinsed the dry writing brush in clean water to moisten it, poured ink onto the inkstone, dipped the brush, and gently tapped it on the inkstone to reduce the water content.

He unfolded the snow-white Xuan paper and made his first stroke.

He actually painted very quickly, his brushstrokes requiring almost no thought. Soon, two lifelike shrimp appeared. Huang Bo, watching from the side, exclaimed in admiration, “These shrimp look like they’re alive!”

“Thank you,” Ji Wei smiled shyly, but he was not satisfied with his painting. Especially with the original hanging in front of him, his work seemed particularly inferior.

It was not easy to copy. The spirit beneath the lines could not be replicated.

As he crumpled up the fourth failed draft, he couldn’t help but think of the fake painting he had seen at the Yiqiu Art Museum. Apart from the madness hidden in the brushstrokes, it was virtually identical to the original; even the spirit was indistinguishable.

A person who could create such a painting should not be unknown, Ji Wei thought to himself.

He continued to paint. By six in the evening, he finally had a piece that was reasonably passable.

With the original for comparison, the details were flawless, enough to fool anyone.

But a closer look would reveal that it was far from capturing the spirit of the original.

He put away the painting, ready to go upstairs for dinner.

He opened his phone and found many new messages in his private message inbox.

[Vitamin] Busy lately? Have you been painting?

[Lu Wei is Real] Miss you.

[Aobi Island] Haven’t seen you paint in a long time. I want to see it.

Ji Wei glanced at his Weibo follower count. It had surpassed ten million today, and it seemed he had never given any fan benefits…

Since everyone wanted to see his paintings, even though he felt his own were quite average, Ji Wei took a photo of the Ink Shrimp he had copied today and posted it on Weibo.

[Ji Wei Who Plays Games] A drawing from today. My followers have passed ten million. Thank you for all the encouragement and support along the way. Leaving a comment for a chance to win one of ten fan faces in a lottery. @WeiboLotteryPlatform

The enthusiasm of his fans took him by surprise. Not long after he posted, there were already thousands of replies, as if they had been waiting for him to post on Weibo.

[Void Mayonnaise] Look what I stumbled upon! Even this unlucky soul wants one of Weiwei’s fan faces.

[Little Black] So beautiful! Go, Ji Weiwei! Hope I win.

[Glutinous Rice Ball] I support you.

The comments below were all about how beautiful it was and hopes of winning, until someone recognized it as a copy of Ink Shrimp and posted a high-definition scan of the original in the comments. Only then did everyone start exclaiming how amazing it was.

[Wahaha] Wait?! Just post the original! With the two pictures side by side, I really can’t tell which one is the original and which is the copy.

[AC Calcium Milk] Look at our Weiwei’s painting, and stop your yapping all day @Hua University Physics Department Cheng Liang.

[Shuyi Burnt Grass Jelly] Hahahahaha, Senior Ji’s painting skills seem to have improved again. Qi Baishi’s shrimp are very difficult to copy. To copy them to this extent, I can only look up in awe. By the way, Senior Ji’s GPA this semester is 4.43. Those with a 4.2 shouldn’t come looking for trouble.

[Lu Wei is Real] Holy crap, a Yan University big shot appeared in the comments. 4.43? As expected, we can’t understand the world of academic gods. They’re excellent at everything they do.

Not long after he posted on Weibo, the Yiqiu Art Museum’s official WeChat account pushed a message.

[Yiqiu Art Museum] Our museum has purchased a copy of A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains by the young artist Ji Wei from the collector Charles for one million US dollars. It will be open to all visitors at the Yan University Art Exhibition next week. Everyone is welcome to visit.

In less than half an hour, it was trending on social media.

[Head Over Heels] Holy crap! One million US dollars! The Yiqiu Art Museum is way too rich.

[Stargazer] Which private art museum isn’t rich these days? Although I really like Ji Wei, is his painting really worth one million dollars?

[Parsnip] Well, someone bought it. Isn’t buying a painting all about personal connection? My cub is awesome! Others are just exhibiting; he has the museum actively purchasing his work. This is so cool!

[Cool Breeze] Ji Wei, you’re amazing! Are you going to the exhibition next week?

Putting aside his fans’ praise, Ji Wei was well aware of his own skill level. He might be a prodigy among the younger generation, but compared to the older generation, there was still a considerable gap.

Therefore, when he saw the news of the Yiqiu Art Museum purchasing his painting, he was utterly baffled.

Although the prices for traditional Chinese artworks were currently soaring, that was limited to famous artists and their masterpieces. One million dollars could buy all the works he had produced up to this year.

Huang Bo kept urging him to eat, so Ji Wei suppressed the doubts in his heart, turned off his phone, and went upstairs for dinner.

Today, Huang Bo had made crucian carp soup, dry-braised small yellow croaker, and steamed fish head with diced hot red peppers. He glanced at Lu Shenxing, who was frowning and hadn’t touched his chopsticks.

“Why did you make so much fish today?” Ji Wei asked Huang Bo.

Huang Bo chuckled. “The community was cleaning the bottom of the lake today and drained all the water. The property management gave every household a basket of fish. I thought A-Xing liked fish, so I just cooked it all.”

Lu Shenxing said flatly, “I dislike fish the most.”

Huang Bo slapped his forehead and said in frustration, “How could I forget? I’ll go stir-fry some shredded pork.”

Ji Wei: …As expected, one can’t have high expectations for Huang Bo’s memory.

“No need,” Lu Shenxing said, lowering his eyes. “The seal isn’t finished yet. I have to hurry.”

His idol ate very little at this meal. After eating, he went back into the study. Watching him, Ji Wei felt a little worried. He couldn’t help but push open the study door and summon the courage to ask from the doorway, “Want to… go for a walk?” And maybe get something to eat.

But as soon as the words were out, he regretted them. “Going for a walk” sounded completely unromantic. If Chen Yan were here, he would definitely give him a failing grade.

The man stopped what he was doing, placed the carving knife on the table, and looked up at him. He asked in a gentle tone, “Where do you want to go on a date?”

So this counts as a date…

Ji Wei’s heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed hard.

He thought for a long time.

He couldn’t think of anywhere.

He could only secretly take out his phone and search.

—Recommended places for a date with a partner.

The first result that popped up was the movie theater.

But his idol was an actor himself. Having to watch movies outside of work was basically like going to work. He probably wouldn’t be too willing. He decisively gave up on that idea.

The second result was an amusement park…

Ji Wei thought about it. There happened to be an amusement park in Yancheng, and there should be plenty of food there too. It might be expensive, but oh well. So he tentatively asked, “How about we go to the amusement park?”

Wait.

There are so many people at amusement parks.

His idol probably didn’t like overly crowded places either.

“Let’s just for—”

He began to say softly, but before he could finish, he heard the man say firmly, “I’ll listen to you.”

Ji Wei was stunned. He clenched his hands and swallowed the rest of his words.

For some reason, he hadn’t been nervous when he asked, but when Lu Shenxing agreed, he became nervous instead. In just a few seconds, his palms were already sweaty, and his heart was pounding forcefully, one beat after another.

He nodded lightly.

The joy in his heart was almost uncontrollable.

***

At eight o’clock, Ji Wei pushed Lu Shenxing out the door and arrived at the entrance of the amusement park.

Although it was evening, due to the night tour attractions, the amusement park was still lit with blue lights. Tourists were queuing up in droves, and the sound of laughter was endless.

Ji Wei didn’t go to queue.

Instead, he pushed Lu Shenxing to the cake shop next to the amusement park. “I want to buy a cup of yogurt.”

He saw the man’s probing gaze and hurriedly explained.

Lu Shenxing took in the young man’s expression, then slowly averted his gaze to the dazzling array of desserts. He said softly, “I’ll have a cheese bread.”

Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’ll get it for you.”

He picked up a tray from the side, placed a cheese bread on it, got himself a bottle of Yan City Old Yogurt, and walked to the counter.

There were two or three people in front of him.

Just as it was about to be his turn, he felt a tug on his clothes from behind. At first, he didn’t pay it any mind, thinking it was accidental, but the pulling became stronger and stronger, making it impossible for him to ignore.

Ji Wei turned around, about to speak, but saw that it was a curly-haired child, about five or six years old.

He couldn’t really argue with a child.

“Little friend, what can I do for you?” he asked, bending down slightly and slowing his speech to make his voice clearer.

Five or six was an age of curiosity.

The child’s bright eyes pointed at the man in the wheelchair. “Big brother, is your uncle’s leg hurt? It must hurt a lot.”

He stared intently at the wheelchair, obviously having been staring for a long time. But Lu Shenxing was wearing a mask, and when he wasn’t smiling, his eyes were cold and indifferent, making him unapproachable. The child only dared to tug on Ji Wei’s clothes.

Children have little sense of propriety, and his voice was loud and childish.

Lu Shenxing heard the child’s words and chuckled softly. “Thank you for your concern. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Unexpectedly, he spoke. The child quickly hid behind Ji Wei, only revealing a small head.

The thought that he was injured because of him made Ji Wei’s heart ache. He turned around and corrected the child, “Not uncle.”

“He’s my partner.”

He himself felt this gesture was unnecessary. What does a child know?

But he just wanted to explain.

Ji Wei was very serious when he spoke, not noticing that the man’s long, narrow eyes had squinted, the coldness in them diluted by an imperceptible gentleness.

Seeing the child’s confusion, Ji Wei added, “He’s just a little older than me.”

The child finally understood and nodded emphatically.

As he paid and pushed Lu Shenxing out of the shop, the man, with his eyes lowered, suddenly spoke, “You should be objective when you speak.”

Ji Wei was stunned. What had he said that wasn’t objective?

He then heard the man’s calm voice: “Brother is still quite a bit older than you.”

“Bigger in every aspect,” he added, his tone full of meaning.