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 of manipulation, 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 line drawings.”

 

What’s done is done.

 

Could she uncook cooked rice?

 

After repeatedly reminding Lu Jia to be careful and discussing the details for over half an 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 p.m.

 

Carrying the newly printed line drawings, she headed straight to her studio.

 

The line drawings were taped 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, and her chaotic thoughts gradually began to settle.

 

A mentor is a mentor for a reason.

 

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

 

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

 

Lu Jia sat in the studio until dusk, the daylight fading through the windows. After a quick dinner, she returned to her dormitory to pack a few essentials before heading straight to the hotel.

 

Just minutes after she arrived, 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.”

 

Lu Jia paused, then obediently took the drive.

 

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

 

Sheng Shubai’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “You can borrow my laptop for now. The contents of the drive are inside.”

 

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

 

“Th-this is…”

 

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

 

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

 

While a few blurry images could be found online, most of the pieces 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 struggling with her graduation project, this information was like a lifeline in the snow.

 

Sheng Shubai raised an eyebrow, anticipating the reaction. As expected, Lu Jia turned to her with a mix of surprise and delight.

 

“I noticed you were looking at this painting yesterday. Since C City happened to have some related materials, I brought them along,” Sheng Shubai said gently.

 

Lu Jia sensed that only half of this warmth was directed at her. The other half… was the faint wistfulness in the woman’s gaze as she looked at the screen.

 

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

 

Lu Jia nodded solemnly. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep them to myself. I won’t even tell my mentor.”

 

The girl’s earnest promise, complete with raised fingers, almost resembled an oath. Sheng Shubai chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Alright, I trust you.”

 

The lingering shadows of melancholy were dispelled by the playful gesture. 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 laugh softly. She beckoned Lu Jia closer with a flick of her hand.

 

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 ‘art stems from this.'”

 

Sheng Shubai gently tugged a strand of her hair, wrapping it around her slender, pale fingertips, 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 heartfelt advice Wen Qiu had given her later, suggesting she try using films and novels to find the exquisite feelings she wanted to express.

 

But she had already tried that over the past few weeks.

 

Compared to works conveyed through media, it seemed only the sensations she experienced when close to Sheng Shubai could truly inspire her art.

 

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

 

Seeing Lu Jia deep in thought, Sheng Shubai didn’t interrupt, instead continuing to idly twirl strands of the girl’s hair with interest.

 

While Sheng Shubai’s hair was rather coarse, Lu Jia’s was much finer and softer. Untreated and healthy, its natural texture felt wonderfully smooth, and Sheng Shubai couldn’t resist running her fingers through 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 won’t tell you.”

 

You’ll find out soon enough anyway.

 

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

 

The fingers that had been twirling around her hair loosened, sliding down her cheek to gently lift Lu Jia’s 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 found several messages from Sheng Shubai sent half an hour earlier:

 

[Image][Image]

 

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

 

The images showed the airport waiting lounge.

 

Slender, pale fingers gripped the handle of a suitcase, a silk scarf tied around her wrist, and the hem of a black dress 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 one. “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 asking, “The kiss marks… are they 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 didn’t blend evenly.

 

Lu Jia met Sheng Shubai’s sidelong glance, belatedly realizing 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 kiss marks, the delicate curve of Sheng Shubai’s collarbone rising and falling gently with each breath. Sheng Shubai’s tone remained nonchalant. “It’s fine. I can just tie a silk scarf around my neck.”

 

Lu Jia remembered how the scarf had framed Sheng Shubai’s slender, elegant neck when she adjusted it in the mirror earlier, making her look exceptionally beautiful. Now, wrapped around her wrist, the scarf retained its pristine, refined charm.

 

Had the kiss marks faded so quickly?

 

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

 

Just as Sheng Shubai hadn’t mentioned her departure this morning until right before her flight took off, despite knowing she was leaving today.

 

Parting ways, they had never been close enough to care about such details.

 

Her eyes, still dry from prolonged screen use, blinked as she typed a reply:

 

Safe travels.

 

She thought, We probably won’t meet again.

 

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

 

After repeatedly studying the materials Sheng Shubai had provided, Lu Jia finally found the inspiration to refine a few details. With the linework finalized, all that remained was the less mentally demanding task of carving the woodblocks.

 

Having worked with wood for years, carving the blocks was Lu Jia’s most comfortable and skilled area.

 

After two sleepless nights, she rushed to complete the rough drafts. She then spent several days refining and polishing them. The final prints, inked and transferred, turned out even better than she had hoped.

 

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. 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 last for two weeks.

 

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

 

C City, located in the southern region, had a humid and sweltering climate.

 

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

 

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

 

Lu Jia walked all the 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 “Come in” before turning the handle.

 

“Lu Jia.”

 

The woman, dressed in a light gray silk blouse buttoned to the top, stood by her desk to shake Lu Jia’s hand. “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 respectfully. “It’s an honor to meet you, Professor Rong. I look forward to learning from you and will work diligently.”

 

They had met briefly during the interview process, but their roles as interviewer and interviewee had prevented any meaningful interaction.

 

Lu Jia remembered Rong Yi’s serious demeanor during the interview. Her questions weren’t tricky, but they were insightful and demonstrated a high level of expertise.

 

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

 

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

 

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Rong Yi remembered that 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 quick reflexes in the online registration.

 

Lu Jia shook her head. “I contacted a real estate agent online before coming. 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 sure to stay safe if you’re living off-campus.”

 

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

 

Neither of them were particularly outgoing or talkative. After about 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. You should head back and get some rest.”

 

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

 

She had just turned around, barely taking a step, when the door to office 410 next door suddenly swung open.

 

A woman in a dark green dress emerged, holding a latte and raising an eyebrow with a playful smile.

 

“What a coincidence, Little Sister Lu?”