Being Raised in Captivity by the Former Canary - Chapter 1

In the hazy, humid rainy season, a strikingly vibrant iris stood on the bedside table…

Soft, shallow breaths mingled with the dense, incessant kisses that fell like raindrops. Sweat streamed down her back and delicate, pale neck, while half of her silken black hair clung damply to her face.

Their breaths intertwined, and fragmented, intermittent moans echoed through the increasingly warm room. Raindrops slid down the glass window, their rhythmic patter forming a steady beat.

Tears welled in her flushed eyes, one drop landing on the hand braced beside her ear. The woman pressed kisses to her temple, as if offering silent comfort.

On a late spring morning after the rain, a ray of sunlight pierced through layers of clouds and streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, illuminating the snow-white bed. The golden light transformed the woman’s silk-black hair into a wheat-gold hue, while her deathly pale skin gained a hint of color.

Jiang Jixue awoke groggily. Her hand instinctively reached out to the empty space beside her, finding it cold once again.

He always left her alone to sleep in another guest room after they were done—a habit of his. After briefly recalling the lingering intimacy, Jiang Jixue sat up, lost in thought.

As if unwilling to accept the emptiness, she touched the vacant spot beside her again. Realizing what she was doing, a flicker of desolation flashed in her eyes, quickly masked by a ruthless resolve.

It was thanks to his years of habit that she had grown accustomed to his departures.

Another dream about the past, she thought.

Just as Jiang Jixue was about to get up, her phone rang.

She answered, hearing the voice on the other end say, “Teacher Jiang, knowing your biological clock, I timed this call precisely.”

“Mm, I’ll be downstairs in ten minutes.”

Jiang Jixue heard her own voice echo in the cold, quiet bedroom.

After hanging up, she rose without lingering over the warmth of the bed and went to wash up.

Today was the opening day of the “Azalea Snow” art exhibition in R City. As an invited guest, she was required to attend and stay for the entire day.

The organizers were also responsible for her makeup and photos. So Jiang Jixue simply washed up, changed into loose-fitting clothes, and headed out.

By the time Jiang Jixue came downstairs, a black van was already parked outside. As she approached, the door slid open, and a young woman stepped out.

“Teacher Jiang Jixue!” Xiao Li, the life assistant assigned to her by the museum, emerged from the van carrying a paper bag and walked straight toward her.

Jiang Jixue paused and smiled warmly at the approaching assistant. “Have you had breakfast?”

“Yes, I have. I brought you a sandwich and coffee,” Xiao Li replied, offering the paper bag.

Jiang Jixue’s eyes curved into crescents. “Let’s get in the van first.”

Once inside, Jiang Jixue sat in the back, taking small bites of her sandwich while placing the cup of hot coffee in the cupholder on the door.

In the front seat, Xiao Li began outlining the day’s schedule.

“Here’s the plan, Teacher Jiang. You’ll take the stage to speak at 10:00 AM. After your speech, the sponsors will wrap up, and then they’ll start selling merchandise. At that point, visitors can explore the exhibition freely. The stage is on the first floor, leading to a gallery. Beyond the gallery, you can access the second and third floors…”

As a private art museum, it inevitably had to incorporate some commercial elements, making the process a bit more complicated.

Jiang Jixue was already aware of this, and she was now simply listening to the Little Assistant’s more detailed explanation.

Her long, deep-set eyes fluttered shut as she rested her head in one hand, lost in thought, though she herself wasn’t sure what she was thinking about.

At eight in the morning, the museum hadn’t yet opened to the public. After entering through an internal passage, they immediately saw the staff gathered in the backstage lounge, chatting animatedly.

The moment the lounge door was pushed open, all eyes turned toward the entrance.

“The star of the show has finally arrived!” Sister Yang, the project manager and one of the museum’s shareholders, was the first to speak.

Jiang Jixue gave a slight nod, smiled warmly at the group, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before stepping into the grand hall, its floor covered in a classic carpet.

“Seeing you in person, I realize the rumors online weren’t exaggerations. There really is a beautiful painter who’s both stunningly attractive and exceptionally skilled,” remarked a middle-aged man with a goatee and refined wooden-framed glasses, a renowned local artist from City A.

Whether it was the group’s imagination or not, they thought they heard a faint scoff from the aloof, ethereal-looking painter.

But when she looked up more closely, she saw only a bright smile that still carried a hint of detachment.

“Teacher Zhang, next time you can put my painting skills first,” Jiang Jixue said, glancing at the speaker. As soon as she finished, Sister Yang stood up and affectionately pulled her over to an empty leather sofa on the other side of the room.

It was clearly a seat reserved specifically for her.

“Alright, you came without makeup, right? We’ll have the professional makeup artists take care of you later,” Sister Yang said, placing her hand on Jiang Jixue’s shoulder and gently pressing her down onto the sofa. She casually asked, “How have you been?”

Jiang Jixue’s lips curved into a smile as she shook her head.

“It’s only been a month since we last saw each other, but you look even thinner. I’ll have someone send you two boxes of ginseng later,” Sister Yang said, lightly patting the back of Jiang Jixue’s hand.

“Sister Yang, I just didn’t sleep well last night,” Jiang Jixue replied.

Sister Yang chuckled, “Nightmares?”

“…Yes, but I’m used to it,” Jiang Jixue said after a pause. She couldn’t help but recall the unusually vivid dream from the previous night, her expression darkening for a moment before she masked it with her usual cool, detached smile.

By the time she emerged from the makeup room, it was already nine in the morning. With only an hour until the opening ceremony, the visiting tourists were still being held back in the large waiting area outside.

Wearing a long dress, Jiang Jixue paired it with simple cloth shoes. Her movements were graceful, the white dress adorned with a dark red rose on the back. Her wide-brimmed hat featured only a black ribbon bow.

Beneath the hat’s brim lay a face as fair as snow, with delicate and refined features. Her slender, pale hands were encased in white lace gloves. At the Little Assistant’s suggestion, she returned to the lounge where she had started her day to wait.

“Teacher Chen brought West Lake Longjing tea,” Sister Yang said, smiling as she sat beside Jiang Jixue.

Jiang Jixue accepted the cup. “Thank you,” she murmured, taking a small sip.

“You’re truly radiant! Someone who didn’t know better would think a TV star had just walked out of the screen,” one of the other artists involved in the project chimed in.

Jiang Jixue smiled. “Don’t exaggerate so much. You’re all being too flattering.”

“Teacher Jiang, Teacher Jiang, I have a question! Everyone’s been saying you only had one relationship in college. Is that true?”

Someone among the seated group of middle-aged and young artists had initiated the topic, acting as a reporter to ask the question.

No matter how refined or noble one’s public persona, everyone inevitably succumbs to “common curiosity.” The question asked was precisely what everyone had been wondering.

Instantly, all eyes turned to her.

After all, who wouldn’t be curious about the romantic life of a beautiful woman?

Jiang Jixue pursed her lips slightly, her smile freezing for a moment.

After a long pause, she slowly spoke under the expectant gazes, “Yes, I’ve only had one relationship.”

“I heard you started dating before Teacher Jiang became famous?”

“Mm,” Jiang Jixue replied tersely.

Seeing her melancholy expression, the others assumed she had been deeply hurt and quickly changed the subject.

When the opening time arrived, all the artists and investors from the private exhibition hall gathered in the main hall.

After they had all left, Jiang Jixue finished her cup of West Lake Longjing tea, then slowly rose and made her way backstage to the makeshift stage at the center of the exhibition hall.

Jiang Jixue sat on a red velvet stool. Her Little Assistant noticed that a narrow silver hairpin was snagged in her hair and offered to fix it. Jiang Jixue turned slightly to make it easier for her.

The young woman’s hand brushed against the cool, soft strands of hair. Holding her breath, she gently removed the hairpin.

Before her, the woman’s skin was as smooth as jade. Lowering her gaze slightly, Xiao Li could see the nape of Jiang Jixue’s neck beneath the delicate lace collar.

Faintly visible beneath the fabric, Xiao Li spotted a red mark hidden deeper within the folds of her clothing.

It looked like a scar from a burn.