Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

Chapter 302 The Charming Painter 3

As the sun gradually sank into the lake, golden-red rays of light spread across the sky and spilled onto the lake surface.

The water rippled with light, and even the air was filled with a warm, sweet fragrance.

She gently lifted her wrist, holding the paintbrush, her movements slow and focused.

Her long eyelashes cast delicate shadows under her eyelids, making her seem to blend into the afterglow of the setting sun, incredibly gentle.

Jiang Chi stood beside her without saying a word, simply watching her paint quietly.

Occasionally, his gaze would fall on her watery almond-shaped eyes, but he would quickly look away, afraid of disturbing her.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Yunshu put down her paintbrush and let out a soft sigh of relief.

Looking up at the horizon, only a small portion of the setting sun remained, yet the afterglow grew ever stronger.

Jiang Chi quickly leaned closer, his gaze falling on the canvas, his eyes filled with amazement: "It's so beautiful! Yun Shu, you're truly amazing!"

His voice carried the fervor of youth, and the admiration in his tone was impossible to hide.

"This sunset looks so real, even the light on the lake is shimmering, it's absolutely stunning!"

Liu Yunshu blushed at his praise, lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and spoke in a soft, sweet voice:

"Thankfully... it was drawn based on the actual scene."

"You're so good at copying paintings, you're practically a genius!"

Jiang Chi smiled, his eyes crinkling, then his tone carried a hint of cautious anticipation.

"Could I have this painting? I'd like to hang it in my dorm room so I can see it every day."

Liu Yunshu looked up and met his expectant eyes.

A soft smile curved her lips as she nodded gently: "Sure, if you don't mind."

"No problem! How could I possibly mind!"

Jiang Chi was so excited he almost jumped up, waving his hands frantically, his eyes brimming with joy.

"I love it! Thank you, Yunshu!"

The sun had completely set, the afterglow on the horizon had gradually faded, night began to fall, and the breeze by the lake had become a bit chilly.

Liu Yunshu put away her paintbrush, carefully rolled up the canvas, and handed it to Jiang Chi: "Handle it carefully, don't fold it."

"Don't worry! I'll definitely keep it safe!"

Jiang Chi quickly took it, holding the canvas in both hands as if it were a rare treasure, and then took her easel bag.

"It's getting dark and the wind is getting chilly. Let me take you home. Where do you live?"

Liu Yunshu looked up at the street where the night was getting darker and said softly, "I live in the cultural and creative residential area up ahead, not far away."

"We have to deliver it, even if it's not far!"

Jiang Chi spoke with certainty, his eyes filled with seriousness.

"It's not safe after dark. You're a girl all alone. I'll feel more at ease if I walk you downstairs."

As he spoke, he naturally walked to her side, moved closer to the roadside, and shielded her on the inside.

The streetlights cast long shadows of the two people, sometimes overlapping, sometimes separating, moving slowly across the quiet sidewalk.

Jiang Chi would occasionally steal glances at her; the warm yellow light softly outlined her porcelain-white cheeks and slender neck.

My heart felt like it was being filled with a gentle evening breeze, and even my steps became lighter.

When they arrived at the apartment building, Liu Yunshu stopped and looked up at Jiang Chi.

The light from the streetlamp fell into her light brown eyes, creating shimmering, fragmented reflections.

"Thank you for bringing me back."

Her voice was still soft and sweet, "Thank you for treating me to noodles, and... thank you for liking that painting."

"You're welcome! Really!"

Jiang Chi smiled a little foolishly, his ears turning red. He tightened his grip on the canvas roll, his tone carrying the awkward yet sincere reluctance of a young man.

"Then... can I come see you again tomorrow? I... I'd like to invite you to the amusement park."

After he finished speaking, he held his breath and stared at her intently, waiting for her response.

Looking at the undisguised expectation in his eyes, Liu Yunshu smiled gently.

Those eyes, filled with the soft glow of the streetlights, now seemed to hold scattered starlight. She nodded gently: "Mm."

"See you tomorrow at noon! Goodnight, Yunshu!"

Jiang Chi's face instantly lit up with a smile, radiating youthful energy.

He couldn't help but glance at her a couple more times before turning and running out of the residential area.

After running a few steps, he turned back and waved vigorously before quickening his pace, his figure joyfully disappearing into the night.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

When Jiang Chi returned to his dormitory at the training base, his footsteps were light and cheerful, and he even opened the door faster than usual.

As soon as he entered, he carefully placed the canvas he was carrying on the table and then took out a clean dust cover from the cabinet to cover it.

Her fingertips gently caressed the edge of the fabric, and she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips; the light in her eyes was brighter than the streetlights outside the window.

My roommate had just come out of the shower and was rubbing his hair with a towel.

Seeing his face beaming with joy, she immediately came over, nudged him with her elbow, and teased him with a wink.

"Hey Jiang, judging by this, you've made big progress with our 'Porcelain Doll Painter'? Have you confessed yet? Did you win her over?"

Jiang Chi's ears turned bright red, but he still tried to remain calm and reached out to push his teammate.

"Go away, stop making trouble. What do you mean by 'getting him' or 'getting him'? We're just... ordinary friends."

But despite saying that, he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes.

His fingertips unconsciously touched the carefully covered canvas on the table, his tone filled with undisguised pride.

"However, she gave me a painting, a sunset she painted herself, it was especially beautiful."

"Oh my, 'just ordinary friends'?"

His teammate raised an eyebrow, exaggeratedly drawing out his words, and leaned closer to the table, curiously peering inside.

"A regular friend would send a hand-painted picture as a gift? Let me appreciate it and see just how charming Brother Jiang really is?"

As he spoke, he reached out to lift the dust cover.

Jiang Chi grabbed him and looked at him warily.

"Don't touch it! What if you break it? Yun Shu specially painted this; I want to frame it and hang it on the wall."

His teammates were amused by his possessive behavior towards his food, withdrew their hands, and smiled even more ambiguously.

"Okay, okay, I won't touch it, I won't touch it. Look how precious you are."

He nudged Jiang Chi with his elbow, lowered his voice, and his eyes gleamed with gossip.

"Seriously, did you confess your feelings? Did the girl say yes?"

Jiang Chi's cheeks flushed slightly. Recalling his impulsive yet sincere confession by the lake that evening, he scratched his head a little embarrassedly.

She said we haven't known each other for very long and we need to take things slowly.

Even so, a flicker of joy instantly rekindled in his eyes.

"But she promised to let me get to know her slowly! And she agreed to go to the amusement park with me tomorrow!"

"Not bad, Brother Jiang! You got the rhythm right!"

His teammates immediately patted him on the shoulder and started laughing and joking.

"But that girl looks delicate and frail, so you have to be gentle with her and not be as impulsive as if you were training her."

"I know!"

Jiang Chi nodded immediately, his tone as serious as if he were dealing with an important match.

"I will definitely treat her well, not make her angry, spend more time with her, and let her gradually like me."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at the canvas on the table, his smile growing even brighter.

Even in my dreams, I long for tomorrow to come quickly so I can see Liu Yunshu sooner.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Jiang Chi woke up, a full hour earlier than his usual training time.

Unable to fall asleep, he got up, changed into a clean white tracksuit, and went to the training ground.

They even put in more effort and took it more seriously than usual during warm-up activities.

Start, hurdles, sprint...

Every movement was swift and fluid, and the arcs drawn when leaping into the air carried the vigorous spirit and power unique to young people.

Sweat dripped from his forehead down his defined jawline, yet he felt no fatigue whatsoever.

What kept replaying in my mind was Liu Yunshu's appearance, sometimes with her eyes down as she painted, sometimes with her eyes up and a slight smile.

He didn't quite hear the coach praising his progress, only responding vaguely, but the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.

As soon as training ended, he rushed back to his dormitory like a gust of wind and took a quick shower.

I dried my hair until it was half dry, grabbed a large box of blueberries that I had prepared beforehand, and headed out the door.

He picked out the blueberries at the nearby supermarket last night; each one was plump and round, with a fresh, purplish hue.

Just imagining her moistening her lips while painting, her fingertips pinching the edge of the packaging box, made my heart beat a few beats faster than usual.

Arriving at the bottom of the apartment building, Jiang Chi took a deep breath and took out his phone to send a message:

[Yunshu, I'm downstairs, ready to leave anytime~]

The message notification tone had barely faded when light footsteps echoed in the hallway.

He immediately looked up, his breath catching slightly when he saw who it was.

She wore a light apricot-colored floral dress today, with tiny flowers adorning the soft fabric.

The skirt was adorned with a delicate lace trim, which swayed gently in the wind, making her already slender figure even more charming.

Her porcelain-white skin had a healthy, faint pinkish glow in the morning light.

Her long, black hair was loosely tied into a low ponytail, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears and neck.

When the breeze rustles through her neck, her slender, graceful neck is revealed.

She was like a gardenia quietly blooming in the morning dew, fresh and soft, making it impossible to look away.

Jiang Chi felt his breath skip several beats, and he almost dropped the blueberry box in his hand.

Her ears turned bright red, and her speech function briefly became disordered again.

"Yun, Yun Shu, you look especially beautiful today."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt they were too blunt, and his cheeks burned even hotter.

Liu Yunshu's ears burned from his straightforward praise. She lowered her eyes and pursed her lips.

"Thank you. You... look very energetic and handsome."

A simple sentence, yet it made Jiang Chi feel as if a cluster of tiny fireworks had exploded in his heart.

The crackling sound brought a sweet dizziness, and even the fingertips felt a warm, tingling sensation.

He hurriedly handed over the blueberries in his hand, his tone filled with obvious nervousness and anticipation: "Here, these are blueberries I brought for you."

Liu Yunshu looked up and her gaze fell on the box of bright purple blueberries in his palm, a clear warmth flashing in her eyes.

She reached out and gently took it.

As her fingertips brushed against his palm, they both felt a slight electric shock.

He paused for a moment, then quickly withdrew his hand.

A faint, almost imperceptible ambiguity permeated the air.

"Thank you for your trouble."

She spoke softly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the smooth edge of the packaging box, the curve of her lips soft and genuine.

"No trouble at all! No trouble at all!"

Jiang Chi quickly waved his hand, his smile bright.

"We'll take a taxi to the amusement park. There are lots of restaurants and food stalls there, so you can eat whatever you want."

As he spoke, he gently took the bag from her hand.

"Let's go, let's set off early, so we don't stay in the sun for too long."

Liu Yunshu nodded gently and followed beside him, walking towards the roadside.

As dawn broke, the two shadows were cast faintly on the ground, very close together.