Jiang Yu reached out to sharpen the pencil she was about to use. She was used to doing this and the pencils she sharpened were always both beautiful and practical.
As she sharpened, she pondered her current situation. She was well aware that she wouldn’t learn much more at the studio, but if she told Teacher Shen that, the teacher would only assume she was lying because she couldn’t afford the tuition.
Laying the paper on the drawing board, Jiang Yu thought to herself: If she drew a painting, Teacher Shen would naturally realise her skill had already surpassed the need for further instruction. At her level, what she needed most was simply more practice – drawing consistently and waiting for that fleeting moment of inspiration. If inspiration struck, she might create a painting so breathtaking that it would leave everyone in awe.
In her past life, Jiang Yu’s breakthrough piece had been a starry night painting – an oil painting where black and blue intertwined in the sky, shimmering with a silver river of stars, like a floating ribbon in the night. The painting exuded an ethereal brilliance, stunningly beautiful. It had won first place in an international art competition, making her the first artist from her country to ever claim the championship. At the time, she was only twenty-three – so young that people found it unbelievable.
When the news of her victory spread back home, media outlets flooded with reports about her. She was exceptionally young, exceptionally beautiful and impossible to ignore. But more than anything, her undeniable talent was what won everyone over.
Without a doubt, in her past life, Jiang Yu had been a prodigy – an indisputable genius. That had never changed!
Thinking about her past life, Jiang Yu decided to recreate that starry night painting once more.
She rummaged through the painting supplies Teacher Shen had given her, finding various paints, oil painting canvases and brushes – high-quality materials that were quite expensive but well worth the price.
The scent of paint wasn’t pleasant, but to Jiang Yu, it was comforting.
Colours were fascinating – when mixed together, they formed new shades, bringing endless possibilities. Jiang Yu especially enjoyed experimenting with colours on her palette, as blending new hues always brought her joy. The most crucial element of her starry night painting was the background colour – the night sky itself.
A summer night was rarely pure black; it often carried hints of blue. In her past life, the most striking aspect of her starry night painting had been the depth of its night sky. The colour she had blended was so pure and clean that it captivated everyone who saw it.
Back then, it had been a moment of inspiration – when she mixed the colours, she had been surprised at the breathtaking result. Now, she wasn’t sure if she could replicate it.
She tested the mixed colour on paper. The deep hue stood out starkly against the white surface, but… it still wasn’t right.
Without hesitation, Jiang Yu discarded the mixture and started again.
The studio was well-lit, with windows open to let in sunlight. However, the summer heat remained stifling and the room was filled with the scent of paint and other art supplies, making it somewhat suffocating after a while.
Ji Lan, having ruined her previous painting due to a mistake, was already in a foul mood. The heat only added to her frustration. Annoyed, she set her brush aside and started chatting with a girl nearby. But as they talked, Ji Lan’s gaze involuntarily drifted toward Jiang Yu, watching her work.
Jiang Yu had only started learning to paint in the second half of her first year in high school, but some people were just born with talent. Despite beginning late, she had improved at an astonishing pace. Her paintings had an inexplicable charm that drew people in. According to Teacher Shen, her art was full of ‘spiritual energy’. Because of this, Teacher Shen treated her differently – favouring her above the others.
Ji Lan had noticed this and couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Why should an inexperienced beginner like Jiang Yu receive so much attention from Teacher Shen just because of a little talent?
The more she thought about it, the more bitter she felt.
Now, watching Jiang Yu play around with the paint, mixing and discarding colours repeatedly, Ji Lan grew even more irritated. She couldn’t hold back her complaints:
“Look at her – Teacher Shen gave her such expensive paint and she’s just wasting it like that. Does she even realise how valuable it is?”
The girl beside her glanced over and added, “She’s probably trying to paint something. But yeah, Teacher Shen really spoils her. I’ve had my eye on that brand of paint for a while, but it’s way too expensive for me to buy.”
Yet here was Jiang Yu, carelessly experimenting with it.
Annoyed, Ji Lan suddenly stood up and walked over to Jiang Yu. Looking at the blank canvas, she asked, “Are you trying to paint an oil painting?”
Jiang Yu looked up at her. Of course, she didn’t recognise Ji Lan and had no idea how much the girl disliked her. So, she simply nodded and replied, “Yes.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Lan immediately let out a mocking laugh. “An oil painting? Everyone, listen to this! She says she’s painting an oil painting. Our studio hasn’t even started learning oil painting yet – what could she possibly paint? Jiang Yu, I know you have some talent, but do you really think that just because you’re gifted, you can paint well without even learning the basics?”
She cast a glance at the paints in Jiang Yu’s hand and added, “Teacher Shen gave you those expensive paints because she values you. But look at how you’re wasting them! Do you think painting is just a game?”
Her accusatory tone made it obvious that she had come over just to stir up trouble. Jiang Yu could easily see through her intentions, but instead of getting angry, she simply found it amusing.
“Even if I’m just playing around, these are things that Teacher Shen gave me. Do you really need to be this angry?” Jiang Yu naturally didn’t understand the mindset of girls competing for favour.
Ji Lan said, “I just can’t stand you wasting materials. You don’t even know how to paint with oils. What could you possibly create? You’re just wasting these supplies.”
Jiang Yu retorted, “Who said I don’t know how to paint with oils?”
Ji Lan was stunned. “The studio hasn’t even started teaching oil painting yet…”
And there was no guarantee that it ever would.
Jiang Yu smiled and said, “Just because the studio hasn’t taught it doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I’m not wasting paint; I’m just mixing colours. I just haven’t achieved the shade I want yet.”
“Anyone can boast. You say you can paint with oils – do you think I’d believe that? You’re an orphan, you have no money, so where would you have learned oil painting? Didn’t you leave the studio last time because you couldn’t afford the tuition?” Ji Lan gritted her teeth. She absolutely refused to believe that Jiang Yu could paint with oils. They were all part of the same studio – if Jiang Yu already knew oil painting, wouldn’t that make the rest of them look incompetent?
Orphan…
The others in the studio were taken aback upon hearing that word. They knew Jiang Yu had financial difficulties, but this was the first time they had heard she was an orphan.
The smile on Jiang Yu’s face faded. She had initially thought that Ji Lan was just a petty teenager and not worth getting angry over. But with her pushing things this far, it was clear she was just looking for trouble.
“What if I do know how to paint with oils?” Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow and said bluntly, “How about this – if I can paint an oil painting, you must apologise for everything you just said.”
Ji Lan pressed her lips together. Seeing the confidence on Jiang Yu’s face, she suddenly felt uncertain – could Jiang Yu really know how to paint with oils?
“…But if you can’t, then you have to get out of the studio!” Ji Lan said hatefully.
Jiang Yu was surprised and asked, “Did I offend you in some way? You seem eager to kick me out of the studio…”
Ji Lan ignored her question and simply asked, “Are you going to bet or not?”
Jiang Yu chuckled. “Of course, I’ll bet. Why wouldn’t I take a gamble I know I’ll win?”
Ji Lan sneered. “Let’s see what you can actually paint.”
Jiang Yu didn’t respond, focusing instead on her palette, carefully mixing the colours she needed.
The base of her starry sky painting required five carefully blended colours, layered one by one. This was how to create the most beautiful night sky. Then came the stars – some bright, some dim, yet all equally beautiful. Together, they formed the most breathtaking galaxy.
Teacher Shen walked into the studio and immediately sensed a shift in the atmosphere. A crowd had gathered around Jiang Yu, everyone staring at her easel, whispering among themselves.
Approaching the scene, Teacher Shen was stunned and exclaimed, “Jiang Yu, when did you learn oil painting?”
The oil painting paper already had a layer of paint applied. The colour was deep and rich – almost black but not quite. At this stage, it was unclear what Jiang Yu was painting, but the supplies around her left no doubt – she was indeed working on an oil painting.
Jiang Yu turned around and said, “Teacher Shen… I saw the oil painting supplies in the box, so I just went ahead and used them.”
Teacher Shen waved a hand dismissively and took a closer look. “I gave them to you, so of course, you can use them however you like… But when did you learn oil painting?”
How was she supposed to explain this?
Jiang Yu blinked and said, “Probably in my dreams. In my dreams, I’m a very famous painter!”
Teacher Shen: “…You’re joking with me now.”
Jiang Yu smiled and said nothing more.
She was telling the truth – people just wouldn’t believe her.
“I never expected you to know oil painting. What a surprise… The college entrance exams don’t include oil painting, so I never taught you all. But if you’re interested, I can teach you.” Teacher Shen seemed to be thinking out loud.
Checking the time, she said, “Class is over now. I’m heading out… Yu Bing, remember to lock the door later.”
“Got it,” Yu Bing responded immediately, watching Teacher Shen leave before shifting his gaze to Jiang Yu, his brows slightly furrowed.
Oil paintings required layering, waiting for each layer to dry before adding the next. Jiang Yu had applied the first layer and was leaving it to dry before continuing tomorrow. The painting would take a total of thirty layers – just creating it would take a long time.
In her past life, this painting had taken Jiang Yu over a month to complete. Back then, if her assistant hadn’t dragged her out of the studio, she might have eaten and slept there until she finished.
Seeing her cover up the painting, Ji Lan suddenly became excited and called out loudly, “Why are you covering it up? Are you unable to paint? If you can’t, admit your loss and leave the studio!”
Jiang Yu glanced at her and said, “This painting is complicated and will take a few months to finish…”
“Liar! You obviously can’t paint!” Ji Lan smirked triumphantly, convinced that Jiang Yu was bluffing.
Jiang Yu paused, noticing Ji Lan’s smug expression and added, “…So, I’ll paint a simpler one to prove that I can paint with oils.”
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