Being Raised in Captivity by the Former Canary - Chapter 4

In the bedroom’s sitting area, an easel and canvas had already been set up in advance.

The woman deliberately tugged down her loose nightgown, revealing her snow-white, rounded shoulders.

Quan Ruo’an sat on the edge of the large bed, gathering the remaining fabric upward as she explained her vision: “For a private portrait, I want it to be both secretive and bold, subtle yet intense.”

After stating her requirements, she boldly fixed her gaze on the delicate, beautiful figure before her.

Jiang Jixue stood opposite her, one standing and the other reclining. It was difficult for Jiang Jixue’s gaze to avoid “accidentally” drifting toward the snow-white inner thighs.

Composing herself, Jiang Jixue said earnestly, “We could use a seated pose to emphasize the leg lines. There’s no need to be so deliberate.”

Quan Ruo’an smiled faintly, saying nothing more, but she followed Jiang Jixue’s suggestion.

After confirming everything was in place, the woman sat languidly before the white gauze curtains, her supple waist leaning diagonally against the round stool like a drunken fairy sprawled across a moss-covered branch in the forest. Her shimmering gaze met Jiang Jixue’s, restrained yet intense.

Their eyes locked in the air, and Jiang Jixue’s ear tips flushed crimson.

She moved quietly to the easel and sat down. The canvas and paints were already set up; Jiang Jixue had only brought her preferred brushes and palette knives of various sizes.

Before starting, she took a photo of Quan Ruo’an with her phone. The entire painting process unfolded in complete silence.

In this tranquil and solemn atmosphere, Quan Ruo’an used the natural light streaming through the window to study the girl who was focused intently on painting his portrait.

Her features were gentle and refined, her lips full and well-shaped, with a slightly thinner upper lip. When pressed together, they revealed a hint of coldness and sharpness.

Quan Ruo’an suddenly smiled.

Jiang Jixue: “……”

After posing for an hour, Jiang Jixue told Quan Ruo’an he could leave.

The rest she planned to take home to paint.

Quan Ruo’an circled around to stand before her oil painting frame, gazing at the canvas where her silhouette and nearly life-sized features were emerging. She couldn’t help but exclaim, “My form is really coming through! This thing is huge—it’ll be such a hassle to move. Why don’t you just stay here until it’s finished, then go home?”

Jiang Jixue cast her a sidelong glance. “Is Miss Quan in a hurry to finish?”

“Hmm… what are the dimensions of this canvas? Not really. Just take your time and work at your own pace,” Quan Ruo’an replied, leaning in closer as she spoke.

She was completely absorbed in admiring and comparing the likeness of herself on the canvas.

Standing so close, Jiang Jixue could almost feel Quan Ruo’an’s body heat. Her spine stiffened slightly, her muscles tensing involuntarily.

“It’s 150 by 200 centimeters. If I work steadily, it should take about a month to finish,” Jiang Jixue murmured.

A drawn-out “Hmm…” drifted from Quan Ruo’an.

The unique fragrance of a woman enveloped her, and the beautiful woman standing behind her carried none of the oppressive tension or fear that men often brought.

Under Quan Ruo’an’s breath, Jiang Jixue felt inexplicably dizzy, her inner warmth intensifying.

“Miss Quan…” Jiang Jixue murmured.

Hearing her soft voice, Quan Ruo’an finally realized how close they were standing. Her expression remained as calm as a still lake as she gracefully stepped back.

“Just stay here. Going back to campus would be too much trouble,” Quan Ruo’an repeated, her tone slightly colder than before.

“But I have classes,” Jiang Jixue protested.

“I have a friend who teaches at your university,” Quan Ruo’an replied. “Don’t third-year students have fewer classes?”

Jiang Jixue sighed. “Fewer classes doesn’t mean no classes at all.”

“Your transportation to and from campus will be reimbursed, all three meals will be provided, and no one will disturb you until this painting is finished,” Quan Ruo’an said, scrolling through her phone beside Jiang Jixue, her gaze lowered. “I’ll be out of the country for about two weeks.”

Jiang Jixue casually asked, “Where are you going?”

But as soon as the words left her lips, she realized she had overstepped into personal territory. She didn’t expect Quan Ruo’an to answer.

After a brief silence, the woman’s cool, clear voice replied, “Milan and Paris.”

This business trip abroad was to visit a master jeweler for a new product design. Quan Ruo’an took only Ruo Shui as her assistant, and the two departed from an airport on the outskirts of the city the day after bidding farewell to Jiang Jixue.

Upon arriving at their hotel in the foreign country, Quan Ruo’an had little appetite and ate only a light meal.

Ruo Shui stood beside her, watching her pick at the salad on the white plate. Suddenly, she said, “Miss Jiang also studied fine arts. If that accident hadn’t happened, she would have graduated smoothly from the Repin Academy of Fine Arts.”

“Why are you bringing her up now? Besides, she studied oil painting, not jewelry design,” Quan Ruo’an replied, her tone unconsciously tinged with disapproval, suspecting Ruo Shui was trying to “recruit” Jiang Jixue.

Ruo Shui didn’t pursue the topic. Instead, she asked, “Have you seen the painting yet?”

Quan Ruo’an: “I saw a vague human figure, but it looked quite professional.”

“Sister Quan, you…” Ruo Shui hesitated.

Having worked with Quan Ruo’an for years, Ruo Shui knew perfectly well that her boss harbored a desire to take Jiang Jixue under her wing.

But right now, the boss was still in the active “courting” phase. By the time the business trip ended or the painting was finished, Quan Ruo’an’s patience might have run out.

Quan Ruo’an said coldly, “You don’t need to worry about anything. I have my own plans.”

Ruo Shui pursed her lips, unable to interject more than a few words under the boss’s assertive demeanor.

During Quan Ruo’an’s business trip, the private full-body portrait was more than halfway completed.

Jiang Jixue sat in the same spot, at the same time each day, immersing herself wholeheartedly in the task.

Each time, it was the housekeeper Quan Ruo’an had hired who knocked on the door, prompting her to tear herself away and hurriedly eat a meal.

The money she would receive would not only cover her remaining year of tuition but also allow her to pay off some of her lingering debts, finally allowing her to live without such exhausting burdens.

Jiang Jixue kept thinking this, and on the twenty-second day, the painting was unexpectedly finished ahead of schedule.

While painting, she had grown accustomed to wearing headphones and indulging in a moderate buzz.

So, after completing the work, Jiang Jixue, still wearing her headphones, drunkenly collapsed in the chair.

Quan Ruo’an had been away on a business trip and only found time to visit after catching up on work at the office.

But when she pushed open the door, this was the scene that greeted her:

A young woman’s cheeks flushed a delicate crimson, her porcelain-white skin scattered with stray strands of disheveled hair. Her breathing was steady and gentle, her lips parted slightly, revealing a glimpse of pearly-white teeth.

Quan Ruo’an stepped closer, stopping half a step from the chair. Her gaze fell upon the large, finished painting before Jiang Jixue, then lowered to silently study her.

A glass vodka bottle lay on the floor, along with a glass wine cup containing only a thin layer of liquid.

Quan Ruo’an lowered her gaze, picked up the cup, and brought it to her nose. As she carefully discerned the aroma, strands of her dark hair cascaded down her face, a few stray ends brushing against Jiang Jixue’s cheek. Afraid of waking her, Quan Ruo’an gently set the cup back down.

Standing in silence for a long moment, Quan Ruo’an saw that Jiang Jixue was truly sound asleep. He decided to be kind and remove the wired earphones from her ears.

Holding the earphones in his hand, he heard the music clearly in the quiet room, causing his hand to pause.

After a moment’s hesitation, Quan Ruo’an placed one of the earbuds within a centimeter of his left ear, listening intently to the heavenly sound.

“I miss you, I miss you, I miss you every day.”

Quan Ruo’an: “……”

According to the information Ruo Shui had sent, Jiang Jixue indeed had a history of bipolar disorder and a fondness for alcohol. These were major reasons for her expulsion from the Repin Academy of Fine Arts and subsequent repatriation.

Quan Ruo’an gazed at the empty wine bottles on the floor, took a deep breath, and calmly called the housekeeper to clean up.

Ruo Shui had just settled onto the sofa on the first floor when Quan Ruo’an descended from the second floor, his face as calm as ever.

“Sister Quan,” Ruo Shui called out, approaching him.

Quan Ruo’an walked over to the sofa and sat down, crossing his long legs. His tailored suit pants accentuated their sleek, elongated silhouette.

“She’s drunk,” Quan Ruo’an said, his expression betraying no emotion.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ruo Shui ventured, “…Then Sister Quan, should you consider finding someone else? I can scout for more girls like her at the art academy.”

Ruo Shui knew Quan Ruo’an well. He was fastidious, with a peculiar obsession with cleanliness, and his temperament was both cold and eccentric.

Moreover, Miss Jiang’s situation was indeed problematic for someone like Quan Ruo’an. Keeping her around might even have negative consequences.

As Quan Ruo’an’s closest confidante, Ruo Shui naturally prioritized her boss’s well-being.

Quan Ruo’an shook his head, his expression thoughtful.

He hesitated.