Heartbeat - Chapter 17

Su Jianyue set aside the gift bag containing the aromatherapy diffuser and removed her hat.

After these trivial tasks, she set up the simple easel she had purchased and laid out all her acrylic paints for easy access.

She retrieved her palette, poured the necessary acrylic paints onto it, and picked up her brushes.

After only a moment’s thought, Su Jianyue began painting. The vibrant colors of the acrylics quickly brought a twilight scene to life.

With a few swift strokes, she sketched a slender figure—the silhouette of a dark-haired woman.

The woman held books in her arms, her long white dress billowing in the wind, as pure and ethereal as a celestial being, untouched by earthly concerns.

Su Jianyue worked for nearly an hour and a half before her painting was complete. Examining the finished piece, she found it somewhat rushed but still satisfactory.

This scene was one she had witnessed firsthand. After graduating high school, she had visited her sister in Lin Hai City. Aunt Shen had arranged for her and her sister to stay at a villa in the suburbs for a while.

The villa was surrounded by endless grasslands. Su Jianyue often begged her sister to play outside. Her sister, burdened with schoolwork and company responsibilities, would bring her books or documents and accompany her. While her sister worked, Su Jianyue would play on the grass, often pestering her to join in.

Su Jianyue glanced at her painting, her eyes curving into a smile. The day her sister wore a white dress remained her most vivid memory. She had grabbed her camera that day, insisting on taking photos of her sister. Unable to resist her persistence, her sister relented and let her direct the shoot.

Her favorite photo was one of her sister’s back. Su Jianyue had been completely mesmerized by the scene, convinced she would never forget it. That’s why she painted a similar scene this time, confident her sister would recognize it and choose her!

The thought made Su Jianyue even happier.

Meanwhile, the live stream chat was buzzing with excitement.

Wow, our baby is such a talented artist! This painting is stunning!

Let’s see if I can guess who the person in the painting is… Hmm, it’s so hard to tell! (dog head emoji)

Hahahaha, it’s definitely her Sister Shen Xun!

To the person above: you’re overthinking it, okay? What if Xiao Yueliang just drew it casually? Can you not start shipping pairs right from the beginning?

Oh my god, does our Xiao Yueliang already have toxic fans? Everyone knows she’s been obsessed with Shen Xun since childhood!

Can childhood crushes really compare to adult feelings? Let’s take our Xiao Yueliang away—no shipping, no shipping!

Su Jianyue was completely unaware of the online uproar her drawing had caused. She happily carried the painting and the aromatherapy diffuser she’d prepared downstairs. When she arrived, she noticed several gift boxes already piled on the table; she seemed to be the last one to drop off her gift.

Su Jianyue simply placed her gift box and painting together, indicating they were both from her. After doing so, the Alphas were instructed to return to their rooms, as the remaining time was reserved for the five Omegas, who would soon come downstairs to select their gifts.

Meanwhile, on the third floor, some Omegas were watching a movie together, while others sat at the bar reading magazines and listening to music. When the announcement came, they visibly relaxed.

Shen Xun had flipped through the magazine in her hands several times. Adhering to the principle of professionalism for her pay, she remained on the third floor with the others, refraining from returning to her room alone.

“Finally! Let’s go, let’s go! We can finally go downstairs and choose our gifts!” Ren Peng exclaimed excitedly.

“But how will we divide the gifts after we get them? We can’t just pick based on the packaging, right?” Liang Wenjing added.

Yu Lin pondered for a moment before suggesting, “To ensure fairness, we should open all the gifts before choosing. As for the selection order, we can draw lots. That way, it’s both fair and impartial, leaving it all up to luck.”

Shen Xun nodded in agreement. “Exactly.”

Seeing no objections, Yu Lin smiled. “Alright, let’s do it that way. I’ll go get paper and a pen from my room.”

“Okay, everyone head downstairs first,” Shen Xun reminded them.

The others readily agreed, finding the idea novel and amusing. The element of pure luck—even if you could guess what your crush might have gifted, you’d still need to draw a good lot to get first pick—added a tremendous layer of suspense.

The Live Stream audience was on the edge of their seats.

Ahhh! I’m so nervous! Will Shen Xun and Xiao Yueliang finally go on a date together?

Sniff, sniff It feels like opening a blind box! So exciting!

I wonder if Baby Shen Xun will pick Xiao Yueliang’s painting.

Speaking of which, anyone else want to see a love triangle? I’m actually kind of curious to see Xiao Yueliang go on a date with another sister.

OMG, the person above! Wouldn’t Xunxun Baby die of jealousy?

Want to see +1! Seeing Xunxun Baby jealous would be so cute!

While the audience was reveling in the drama, several omegas inexplicably grew tense.

“How should we do this?” Mao Ning asked. “Should we unwrap all the gifts first?”

Shen Xun nodded, her gaze instinctively drifting to the painting. In that instant, she already knew her answer. But she quickly averted her eyes, afraid the other omegas might notice something.

Ren Peng stared at the painting and said, “This depicts a girl. Doesn’t that automatically exclude Mao Ning and me?”

Mao Ning chuckled wryly. “Alright, we’ll try our best not to pick that one.”

Shen Xun glanced at the items on the table and suggested, “Let’s open the gifts first.”

With that, she casually unwrapped a pink-wrapped box. Inside the pink box was a wooden one. Shen Xun opened it to reveal a necklace with a teardrop-shaped pendant that looked quite elegant.

“A necklace? Who could have sent this?” Ren Peng muttered under his breath.

Just then, Yu Lin returned with paper and a pen. She had brought small, uniform-sized notepads, each no larger than the palm of her hand, to ensure fairness during the lottery.

“Have you opened them already? Just this one?” Yu Lin asked.

Shen Xun nodded. “I opened this one. Let’s each open one now.”

Yu Lin nodded. “Alright, then I won’t hold back. Hmm, which one should I open?”

As she spoke, she set down the paper and pen and reached for the painting. Shen Xun’s heart sank.

Xiao Yueliang’s gift probably won’t be very popular, she thought, her fingers unconsciously clenching. Quickly, she relaxed her hand, afraid someone would notice her anxiety.

Yu Lin took the painting. “Did the sender paint this themselves, or did they buy it?”

“I don’t know,” Mao Ning replied.

“Well, it’s quite beautiful and atmospheric. I’ll keep unwrapping.” Yu Lin pulled out the white tote bag below, opened the box inside, and revealed a scented diffuser.

Yu Lin looked at the diffuser in surprise. “I use this brand all the time! Who sent this? It’s perfect for me!”

Shen Xun pursed her lips, saying nothing. Her little puppy is too good at gift-giving, she thought. I absolutely have to roll a lower number later, or he’ll go on a date with someone else.