After a One-Night Stand with a Seductive Bad Woman - Chapter 5

Wen Qiu gripped the paper cup of her coffee tightly, wondering if Lu Jia was worried about their collaboration.

Seeing Lu Jia acting completely normal, showing no signs of being a victim manipulated by some scheming woman, Wen Qiu hesitated to press further.

Wen Qiu closed her eyes briefly.

When she reopened them, her voice carried a newfound weariness. “…Let’s take a look at your linework.”

What was done was done.

She couldn’t uncook the rice now, could she?

After repeatedly reminding Lu Jia to be careful and discussing the details for another half hour, Wen Qiu pointed out areas needing refinement and ordered lunch from the nearby cafeteria.

By the time Lu Jia left the Academy of Fine Arts building, it was already past 2 PM.

Carrying the freshly printed linework, she headed straight to her studio.

The linework was pinned to the untouched third woodblock, but her gaze drifted to the first two prints, lost in thought.

Her fingertips traced the smoothly polished edges of the wood, calming her chaotic thoughts.

A mentor truly lives up to the title.

Wen Qiu’s suggestions for improvement, driven by a pursuit of perfection, were subtle at first glance. Yet, upon closer examination, the flaws became impossible to ignore.

Wen Qiu had assured her there was still time, urging Lu Jia to reflect on the revisions over the next few days.

Lu Jia sat working until dusk, the natural light in the studio gradually fading. After a quick dinner, she returned to her dormitory to pack a few essentials before heading straight to the hotel.

She had barely arrived when Sheng Shubai pushed open the door.

“A gift for me?” Sheng Shubai asked, eyeing the paper bag Lu Jia held out. Without hesitation, she accepted it. “Thank you, Little Sister Lu.”

Sheng Shubai recognized the perfume as her usual brand, thinking to herself, The old stick is surprisingly thoughtful. She set the bag on the table and pulled a small silver USB drive from her purse. “Here,” she said, handing it to Lu Jia.

Lu Jia blinked in surprise but obediently took the drive.

The cool metal pressed against her palm. She lowered her gaze to examine it before looking back up at Sheng Shubai. “Miss Sheng, what is this?”

Sheng Shubai’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’m lending you my laptop for now. You can look through the files inside.”

After a day spent shuttling between locations and attending an afternoon meeting, Sheng Shubai entered the password, handed the laptop to Lu Jia, and leaned back against the sofa, closing her eyes to rest.

“Th-this is…”

For once, Lu Jia’s usually composed voice wavered.

The files contained over a dozen printmaking works by the artist known only as “L.”

While blurry images of a few pieces could be found online, most were entirely new to Lu Jia.

From the initial sketches to the engraved plates and ink proofs, every image was remarkably clear.

For Lu Jia, who was frantically struggling with her graduation project, this information was like a lifeline in the snow.

Sheng Shubai raised an eyebrow, opened her eyes as if expecting this reaction, and saw the girl looking at her with a mixture of surprise and delight.

“I noticed you looking at this painting yesterday. There happened to be some archival materials in C City, so I brought them along.” Sheng Shubai’s tone was gentle.

Lu Jia couldn’t shake the feeling that this gentleness was only half directed at her. The other half… was the faint wistfulness that crept into the woman’s gaze as she looked at the screen.

“These were left by someone very important to me, so please don’t share them with anyone.”

Lu Jia nodded earnestly. “Don’t worry, I’ll only look at them myself. I won’t even tell my mentor.”

The girl’s earnest promise, complete with raised fingers, was practically a vow. Sheng Shubai chuckled softly and ruffled her hair. “Alright, I trust you.”

The lingering shadows of melancholy were dispelled by the amusement. Remembering Lu Jia’s earlier message, Sheng Shubai asked, “By the way, you mentioned this afternoon that you ‘misunderstood what your mentor said.’ What happened?”

After Lu Jia explained the whole story, Sheng Shubai couldn’t help but chuckle again. She beckoned Lu Jia closer with a wave of her hand, inviting her to sit beside her.

Lu Jia turned to look at the screen, hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly released the mouse.

“Everyone has their own way of experiencing life. There’s nothing wrong with saying that ‘art originates from this.'”

Sheng Shubai gently tugged a strand of her hair, wrapping it around her slender, pale fingertips in circles, then releasing it, only to wrap it again, as if playing with an intriguing object.

“Your mentor pointed you in a direction, but the specific path you choose depends on what suits you best.”

Lu Jia pondered this.

It reminded her of the earnest advice Wen Qiu had given her later, suggesting she try using films and novels to find the delicate emotions she wanted to express.

But she had already tried that.

Compared to works mediated through other mediums, it seemed only the feelings she experienced when close to Sheng Shubai could truly inspire her art.

It wasn’t just reactions she had borrowed from other women; some… were her own firsthand experiences, which she could also draw upon.

Seeing Lu Jia deep in thought, Sheng Shubai didn’t disturb her, instead continuing to idly twirl strands of the girl’s hair around her fingers with amusement.

While Sheng Shubai’s hair was rather coarse, Lu Jia’s was much finer and softer. Untreated, healthy, and naturally smooth, it felt so pleasant to the touch that Sheng Shubai couldn’t resist playing with it.

When the girl finally looked up, her face lit up with understanding. “I get it now, Miss Sheng. Thank you.”

This hands-on approach was exactly what she needed.

Though she understood, Lu Jia couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

For her graduation project, she had deliberately chosen a style similar to her graduate mentor’s. With Sheng Shubai’s help this time, she had managed, but… what about the future?

Sheng Shubai nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“Miss Sheng, you seem very knowledgeable about this. Are you in the arts?” Lu Jia asked casually, having never inquired about Sheng Shubai’s background before.

The woman glanced at her, her tone teasing. “I’m not telling you.”

You’ll find out soon enough anyway.

Assuming she was protecting her privacy, Lu Jia nodded and apologized for prying. “In any case, thank you so much. For the materials and for your advice earlier.”

The fingers that had been twirling around Lu Jia’s hair loosened, sliding down her cheek to gently lift her chin.

The woman raised an eyebrow. “If you’re going to thank me, just a few words… isn’t that a bit insincere?”

For Lu Jia, those three nights of intimacy felt like a fleeting, dreamlike spring.

On the fourth morning, after saying goodbye to Sheng Shubai, she returned to school as usual. She saved the contents of the USB drive from the previous night onto her device and became completely engrossed in the material.

An entire day passed unnoticed, during which she only ate a bag of bread to stave off hunger.

When Lu Jia finally put down her tablet and remembered to check her phone, she discovered several messages from Sheng Shubai sent half an hour earlier:

[Image] [Image]

“My business trip is over. I’m heading back to C City first. Looking forward to seeing you again, Little Sister Lu.”

The images showed the airport waiting area.

Slender, pale fingers gripped the handle of a suitcase, a silk scarf was tied around her wrist, and the hem of a black skirt peeked out from the lower left corner.

That morning, before leaving, the woman had held up two dresses, one in each hand, and asked Lu Jia which one looked better.

Both were French-style strapless dresses, each with its own unique design. Unable to discern any significant difference, Lu Jia pointed to the left, “That one, the black one.”

She had never seen Sheng Shubai wear black before, but she thought it would suit her well.

Underwear didn’t count.

After a moment, Lu Jia noticed the woman showed no sign of changing.

Sheng Shubai was busy applying makeup, explaining that she had an opening ceremony to attend later and asking Lu Jia to check if her makeup looked appropriate.

Lu Jia glanced at the neckline of Sheng Shubai’s nightgown, hesitating before speaking. “The hickeys… are they going to be a problem?”

Sheng Shubai looked at herself in the mirror. “I’ll try covering them with concealer later.”

She said it casually, but the concealer wasn’t blending evenly.

Lu Jia met Sheng Shubai’s subtle, sidelong glance and belatedly realized that her impulsive bites from the night before had caused the other woman some trouble.

“I’m sorry, I—”

She wanted to say she wouldn’t do it again, but Sheng Shubai hadn’t asked her to stay tonight, and she didn’t know if there would be a next time. She stopped herself.

Her fingertip brushed near the hickey, the slender curve of Sheng Shubai’s collarbone rising and falling gently with each breath. Sheng Shubai’s tone remained unconcerned. “It’s fine. I can just wear a scarf.”

Lu Jia remembered how the scarf, when Sheng Shubai had adjusted it in the mirror, had framed her slender, elegant neck beautifully. Now, removed and wrapped around her wrist, it looked equally delicate and refined.

Had the hickeys faded so quickly?

Lu Jia wasn’t sure, but there was no need to ask.

Just as Sheng Shubai, despite leaving today, hadn’t mentioned a word about it during their morning farewell until just before takeoff.

A brief encounter, a parting of ways. They had never been close enough to care about such things.

The dry, strained feeling from overusing her eyes lingered. She blinked and typed a reply:

Safe travels.

She thought, We probably won’t meet again.

Lu Jia’s graduation project progressed more smoothly than she had anticipated.

After repeatedly studying the materials Sheng Shubai had provided, Lu Jia finally found inspiration to refine a few details. With the line draft finalized, all that remained was the less mentally demanding work of engraving the plate.

Having worked with wood for many years, plate engraving was Lu Jia’s most comfortable skill.

After two sleepless nights, she rushed out a rough draft. She then spent several days refining and polishing it. The final print, inked and transferred, exceeded her expectations.

The deadline, which had seemed impossibly close, turned out to be several days away after Lu Jia framed the three woodblock prints.

Following her successful defense, Drunken Night was selected as an outstanding graduation project, and the school agreed to host the subsequent Graduation Design Exhibition. Apart from returning to campus in June to collect her diploma, Lu Jia found herself completely free.

She returned to her family’s Forest Farm, spending entire days cradling various types of wood.

In July, a printmaking exhibition opened in C City, scheduled to run for two weeks.

Her graduate advisor, Rong Yi, sent her a message inviting her to visit the exhibition and meet at the school to get acquainted.

C City, located in the southern part of the country, had a humid and sweltering climate.

The weather was decent when Lu Jia arrived, lacking the oppressive humidity that preceded and followed the rain. Still, the scorching sun beat down relentlessly, making it far from comfortable.

It was still summer vacation, so the Academy of Fine Arts at C University was nearly deserted, with only a handful of students and faculty present.

Lu Jia made her way to the fourth floor, encountering hardly another soul along the way. The offices she passed were all tightly shut.

She knocked on the door of room 409 and waited for a voice to call out, “Come in,” before turning the handle.

“Lu Jia,” the woman said, standing by her desk to shake Lu Jia’s hand. She wore a light gray silk blouse, buttoned all the way to the top. “I’m Rong Yi. It’s a pleasure to be your mentor for the next three years.”

Lu Jia was pursuing a professional master’s degree, a three-year program.

She returned Rong Yi’s handshake with utmost respect. “It’s an honor to meet you, Professor Rong. I look forward to learning from you and will work hard to meet your expectations.”

They had met during the interview process, but their interactions had been limited to the formal roles of interviewer and candidate. Lu Jia remembered Rong Yi’s serious demeanor and the thoughtful, insightful questions she had asked, though none were particularly difficult.

Since Rong Yi’s research interests aligned perfectly with her own, Lu Jia had chosen her as her first-choice mentor without hesitation—a decision that had paid off.

“The exhibition lasts for half a month. Are you staying at a nearby hotel? Is that convenient?”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Rong Yi remembered Lu Jia was from out of town.

The graduate dormitories at C University wouldn’t open to new students until September, and even then, securing a spot required lightning-fast reflexes during registration.

Lu Jia shook her head. “Before coming, I contacted a real estate agent online. I plan to look at apartments these next few days and move in as soon as I find a suitable place. I’m not planning to stay in the dorms.”

Rong Yi nodded slightly. “Since you’re new here, feel free to message me anytime if you need anything. Just be extra careful when living off-campus.”

After a few more brief exchanges, the atmosphere settled into silence.

Neither of them was particularly outgoing or talkative. After more than ten seconds of awkward silence, Rong Yi’s phone suddenly rang.

Letting out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief, Rong Yi gestured toward the door. “I need to take this call. Why don’t you head back and get some rest?”

Lu Jia left the office and closed the door behind her.

She had barely turned around, not even taken a step, when the door to office 410 next door suddenly swung open.

A woman in a dark green dress, holding a latte, raised her eyebrows with a cheerful smile.

“What a coincidence, Little Sister Lu?”