Chapter 186

Boss, “I am hungry.” (3)

Luo Zheng also walked over to Chen Kexin and gave Gu Shishi a very provoking look.

“Little sister Keke, you have problems with your taste.

“Why didn’t you ask me instead?”

Chen Kexin pursed her lips a bit and said, “I’ve never seen you selling any paintings.”

Luo Zheng paused for a bit and chuckled.

“You are right. I haven’t. But Keke, do you think that artists are like cabbages? That everyone can just sell their work?”

When he was done chuckling, he pulled out his cellphone in front of Gu Shishi in a sarcastic way.

“It’s no use to have no skills and all talk. The best you can do is to fool the amateurs and make you lowly income as an instructor.

“On the other hand, some others are different…”

He clicked open his screen.

“Look, Keke. Don’t this ink mark and brush work look just like the artist who painted the ‘Four Sons Offering Up Mythical Peaches’ for your grandmother?”

He might look like he was talking to Chen Kexin, but he made sure that Gu Shishi could see his cellphone from where she was.

“This is what you’d call a painting. Unlike someone’s plum blossom… you think you are good enough to teach me with that skill of yours?”

Luo Zheng lifted one corner of his mouth.

Chen Kexin’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened so much that her eyeballs could fall out of her sockets!

That’s the recording of the Oil Painting Guru’s livestream!

That’s the bamboo fan that Gu Shishi had drawn!!!

Luo Zheng….

She stared at Luo Zheng.

Was he really downplaying Gu Shishi’s painting with her own work?

He…

“So you are speechless now, huh?”

Luo Zheng snickered.

The corners of Chen Kexin’s mouth were twitching. She covered her eyes with her hand.

She couldn’t watch this anymore.

This was too embarrassing!

Luckily, he was not her brother. Otherwise, she would have to tell her grandmother. This was just too embarrassing!

She peeked at Gu Shishi through the crack between her fingers.

She almost laughed out loud when she saw the look on Gu Shishi.

“So… you are King of the Hill?”

Gu Shishi has an odd look on her as well.

His alias on the platform was also displayed on the screen.

Chen Kexin was a little stunned as well.

King of the Hill… the one who was fighting over the orange tabby with her then was bashed in the channel when they were discussing how wealthy the channel master was… that was Brother Luo Zheng?!

“Yup. Literally, I am the king of these mountains.”

All the mountains around them belonged to the Luo’s.

Gu Shishi’s lips parted a bit.

This Second Generation Rich was such a… fool!

What could she say?

Would it be too much of a shock for him should she reveal her identity?

That could be a problem.

Right when she was debating if she should give him a wake-up call, the young ladies of the prestigious families were finished with their research on line.

“Brother Zheng, I want to use this sparkling color, draw it right here!”

“Big Brother Zheng. Me, I am next!”

“No problem. Now watch and learn, Instructor Gu.”

Luo Zheng walked away from Chen Kexin and Gu Shishi with a look of complacency.

Chen Kexin felt unjust. She felt unjust for Gu Shishi!

Gu Shishi, on the other hand, just smiled and didn’t say a word.

Like a mermaid, she hopped into the swimming pool and swam.

She was a little bit out of breath after three rounds.

She floated to the surface of the water.

And then she saw the awkward look on Luo Zheng.

“What’s wrong with the crown that I’ve drawn? And this cherry blossom. What don’t you like about it?”

Luo Zheng had drawn on four girls.

The remaining girls were staying as far away from him as possible.

Chen Kexin turned around slightly, showing her back.

Sitting next to the girl with the cherry blossom on her back, the difference couldn’t be more obvious!

The spotted plum blossoms were gorgeous, flirtatious, and enchanting.

The cherry blossoms, when crowded on ones back, was just… tacky.

Tacky!

The young ladies then looked at the crown that he drew; also tacky.

Then they looked at the peonies that he drew. Stiff, red, and…. Tacky.

It’d bring down their classiness to have any of them on their bodies.

They had given up on Gu Shishi when Luo Zheng said he could do the same.

But as soon as he had done it, the difference between the two was too obvious!

Now everybody could really appreciate how amazing Gu Shishi’s painting of lipstick plum blossoms was.

Chapter 187

Boss, “I am hungry.” (4)

“Brother Zheng, you probably should go comfort Sister Pingting.”

“Yeah, she was pretty upset from Chuchu’s words. Go. We will be okay.”

“Yeah, I’ll go swimming now.”

As they were speaking, they started inching toward Gu Shishi.

A look of shame and anger crossed Luo Zheng’s handsome face.

But he wasn’t blind either.

If the girls could tell the difference between his work and Gu Shishi, he could as well.

They both used lip brush, but Gu Shishi’s lines were smoother and more natural.

The plum blossoms that she drew was more lively and interesting looking.

What he had drawn was stiff.

Granted, he didn’t apply make up on a regular basis and was not familiar with girl’s lip brushes.

If it wasn’t for that, if they were both using regular ink brushes, there was no way he would have lost!

Luo Zheng gritted his teeth.

At that very moment, he didn’t even care about how his cousin was yelled at by Huo ChuChu.

His face turned red from anger and shame.

“I see that you didn’t practice at all.

“Your technique with the brushes had gotten even worse.”

Luo Zheng stared over in her direction and saw Gu Shishi’s small and pale face, still sparkling with water droplets on it. She looked like a stunning fairy who just came out of the water and was looking at him.

He was dazed for a brief second there.

“I am not refunding your tuition.

“You want to run before you have even learned how to walk.”

Luo Zheng’s face was burning all of a sudden.

“What did you just say?!”

Gu Shishi pursed her red lips and concluded.

“There are textures on skins. Did you think you were drawing on Xuan paper?

“Do not claim that you are my students to others.

“Too shameful.”

Luo Zheng, “???”

Chen Kexin let out a cry of surprise, “Brother Luo, you are Shishi’s student too??”

Luo Zheng didn’t even know where to begin.

Could he possibly say that he was there to pick on Gu Shishi then he got angry and inadvertently bought her sessions?

He had no idea what to say.

Gu Shishi, nevertheless, had responded for him. “Yup, he’s your second senior [school] brother.”

Luo Zheng’s chin almost dropped to the ground, “?!”

Chen Kexin, “… Then who’s the first?”

Gu Shishi rubbed her chin and said, “Oh, that’s not the ranking. He suffers from secondary disease.” (T/N: means someone who’s very conceited)

“??!!”

Luo Zheng was about to go ballistic!

How dared this woman!

Gu Shishi was about to say something else when her cellphone, sitting aside, vibrated.

She picked it up and took a look but had inadvertently clicked to speaker.

A deep and clear voice came from the cellphone.

[Life-Saving Boss: When are you coming home?]

[Life-Saving Boss: I’m hungry.]

Gu Shishi, who was busy lecturing the man suffering from secondary disease, “Oh, shoot! I forgot about the boss!”

Snickering next to the pool, the wine class slipped out of Huo ChuChu’s hand. “… Big, Brother…”

All of the ladies who were attempting to get close to Gu Shishi to ask for a lip glaze painting were stunned.

Gu Wushuang and Huo Wencheng both had very peculiar looks on them.

Luo Pingting almost balled her fists up tightly!

Since when did that horrible man, rumored to be cursed and refused to meet anyone but hide inside his mansion all day long, became so intimate with a woman?!

He was hungry… that sounded like something one would only say to their loved ones?

The deep voice from the phone stunned many of the boys and girls from the prestigious families.

Many of them didn’t know Huo Sishen very well.

Nevertheless, they had heard a lot of awful things about him growing up.

They had all been told by their elders to keep a distant from Huo Sishen.

Even Luo Zheng, being the oldest of his generation, was a brat around 10 years old.

That was the age that one would easily demonize everything.

Kids that age could derive all sorts of details even from the simplest things.

Never mind the repeated warnings from their elders, evidenced the passing of Huo Sishen’s father and grandfather one after the other…

Chapter 188

Another Round of Fondness (1)

Huo Sishen was, for sure, a mystical taboo among the circle of the Second Generation Riches.

The others dared not play with him when he was a child. They certain would not hang out with him after they have grown up.

Then came the rumors that his curse had extended to two of his fiancées, which made his image seemed even more inauspicious.

Anyone who got close enough to him would die or suffering injuries!

Many of those working at his mansion in the past couple of years had been injured or involved in accidents.

Everybody had heard about those.

They never even invited him to any of their gatherings.

Huo Sishen was the one in the farthest and most marginalized corner.

Everybody knew not to even bring him up.

Nevertheless, the “big brother” from Huo ChuChu suddenly made this secretive and fearful two-dimensional character in everyone’s mind became a three-dimensional person all of a sudden.

Gu Shishi, on the other hand, after her exclamation, quickly responded him with voice text.

“I’m on my way back now.

“You are hungry now? I’ve left a cupcake in the refrigerator this morning. I bought it on my way home yesterday.”

Gu Shishi thought about for a second then added.

“Have Siyi take it out first and wait for it to get to room temperature. Don’t get it straight from the fridge.”

Her caring words made everybody’s looks became even more peculiar.

Was Gu Shishi aware that his curse extended to those around him?

Did she not know that she might die from just being around him?

To the rest of them, her tone sounded way too affectionate.

They cared about how each other were feeling, whether they were hungry…

She was really a couple with Huo Sishen?

Huo Sishen didn’t even attend the engagement banquet. Everybody assumed that Gu Shishi had been dumped and was recognized by neither the Huo’s nor the Gu’s!

Quickly, a tsundere voice text came back over.

[Life-Saving Boss: It’s been there overnight. I’m not eating it.]

The cold and rebellious Huo ChuChu standing to one side, her eyes reddened all of a sudden.

It was her big brother. It really was her big brother!

“Alright, alright. I’m coming home now. I won’t be long~~”

Gu Shishi quickly got out of the pool.

The boss’s needs ranked above everything else.

Gu Shishi took a few steps forward before she stopped on her way.

She hadn’t collected enough fondness today yet.

“I’m going to take a shower. I can help three of you paint on your forehead or your arm while I wait for my hair to dry.

“The opportunity will go to the highest bidders.”

Everybody was startled. They exchanged looks but nobody moved.

Everybody probably would have dashed over just five minutes prior.

But now…

After hearing Huo Sishen’s voice, they were all intimidated.

They have all heard the interactions between the two with their own ears. They realized that Gu Shishi, being with the cursed man all the time, very possibly would carry the curse on her as well.

Gu Shishi paused in her way, turned around, and saw the fear on everyone’s face.

She recalled how the boss sat in his study all by himself everyday…

She couldn’t help but sighed.

She was just about to walk away when she heard a bold voice rang from the crowd!

“I’ll go!”

Gu Shishi turned around and saw Huo ChuChu, who was just sitting in the corner with her eyes red, stood up stiffly.

After her, another hand rose up weakly.

“Can… can I?”

It was Third Young Miss Li.

Li Yiru was still a bit frightened, but she still spoke through gritted teeth.

“Me, I’ll go after her.”

She listened to her father after all.

Gu Shishi nodded.

“Okay. But listen up. My service is not free today. You will have to trade with me. I need top-quality wolf, rabbit, and goat-hair brushes. I will also trade for xuanpaper, inkstone, and paperweights.

“If that’s not a problem, then follow me!”

Gu Shishi waved her hand.

***

After not too long, Huo ChuChu, with her rebellious style had a complex-looking mural on her right arm.

Looking closely, it was a pure black rose.

It was angular and prominent. It has leaves and thorns and its shape was very unique.

It was pretty in a demonic way, classy and mystical.

Those blossoming pedals, nobody know how Gu Shishi was able to achieve it, looked to have the softness and shine of black velvet.

The desolate beauty of the black rose perfectly amplified Huo ChuChu’s metro metallic style today.

Chapter 189

Another Round of Fondness (2)

They turned back around and looked at the peonies drawn by Luo Zheng… It was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Shortly thereafter, Third Miss Li came walking out, blushing.

Every body cried out in surprise when they saw her.

Li Yiru has always been an average-looking girl. Her eyes were rounded and her chin not pointy enough. She was far from being pretty.

Yet, right now, there was a pink cat paw drew under her left eye.

A simple pattern like that but it had thoroughly brought out her cuteness.

On her chest, where her clavicle meet was not prominent, was a hand painted necklace, with a pink and fuzzy little ball in the middle.

They had no idea what kind of makeup did she use to draw it, but it looked very realistic!

Li Yiru’s temperament, in a short ten minutes, had been completely accentuated!

That was not just some casual drawing; they were all customized designs!

A few of them who were braver couldn’t help themselves anymore.

“There were three slots so there is still one left. Do you think it’s too late for me to go up now?”

“Xiao Xi, I want it too. Why don’t you give me the spot? I will trade you with concert ticket for next month?”

“Wait, lets roshambo. And count me in!”

A few others were itching to go as well.

Even the more timid ones were tempted.

Huo ChuChu couldn’t help but balled her fists up tightly.

None of these people dared to get remotely close to her big brother earlier!

Gu Shishi, walking behind her, spun the brush between her fingers.

She pursed her lips slightly.

A hand landed on Huo ChuChu’s shoulder.

“What is the point of being rebellious?

“Dye your hair white, got a lip ring, smoke, skip school. What is the point of all those?

“You want to help your brother? Study hard. Improve yourself,” said Gu Shishi nonchalantly as she walked past Huo ChuChu.

Huo ChuChu shuddered and turned to look at Gu Shishi. She saw Gu Shishi facing the group of noisy wealthy girls and waved.

Much like an emperor summoning his concubines.

Gu Shishi smiled casually.

“I have 10 more minutes while I wait for the chauffeur to get here.”

The wealthy girls immediately started roshambo among themselves.

The final winner was a slightly chubby girl.

Huo ChuChu narrowed her eyes. This was one of her close friends when she was still a kid!

Ever since what had happened to her brother, this very timid girl had never played with her again.

But now…

“Gu… Shishi. Thank you so much~”

She finally ended up with a luxurious large peony on her back.

She was a bit on the fuller side, so the large peony complemented her very well.

It had more than brought out the gorgeousness and gracefulness of a woman.

“Why don’t I add you on WeChat? I’ll contact you after I’ve purchased the paintbrushes. Oh, by the way, my name is Zhou Mi.”

The chubby girl’s eyes were glittering. Looking at herself in the mirror, she seemed to be very happy.

“Umm… Umm… the chef as the Luo’s is very good at making the Napolean. If Big Brother Huo is hungry, you should bring some back with you.”

Having said that, she seemed to have recall something and took a look at Luo Pingting who had already walked far away but still looking very unhappy from being humiliated earlier.

“Don’t be shy! I’ll get them for you!”

Gu Shishi hasn’t had the chance to turn her down before this Miss Zhou had already walked away in her Nike slippers.

She brought be three whole pieces.

And it was even nicely packed.

“You should let cake sit overnight. If you can’t finish them then give them to your maids,” added Miss Zhou.

She seemed to worry that Gu Shishi would be yelled at when she got home.

Huo ChuChu had been watching coldly the entire time but, when she heard that, her sarcastic look had turned into a look of surprise.

She felt that years of friendships with these individuals were all fake.

She didn’t want nor care for them anymore. Whatever!

Chapter 190

Another Round of Fondness (3)

Over the years, her relationships with these individuals had been getting progressively worse and as did her big brother’s reputation.

Who had ever thought about bringing food from a banquet to her “horrible” brother??

Nobody!

Not even her second brother!

Huo Wencheng, even to this date, all he cared about was to be lovey dovey with Gu Wushuang!!

And this Zhou Mi, who had suggested to bring cakes to her big brother… avoided him like a plaque back in the days…

Huo ChuChu, dazed, turned her head and looked at Gu Shishi who was nodding and thanking Zhou Mi for the lunch box.

All of a sudden, she was speechless.

Did she do something wrong?

What did she do wrong?

How did… Gu Shishi did it?

Study hard?

“Okay. I thank you for him then.”

Gu Shishi waved and said goodbye.

Zhou Mi and her little groups stood together and waved at Gu Shishi happily.

“No problem. I was the one who kept you for another ten minutes. Next time, I’ll take you to have authentic Napoleon and… we can bring another order for Big Brother Huo. Bye for now~”

Gu Shishi dared not stay any longer.

She added them on WeChat for her payment later and rushed off.

After she had gotten into the car, nevertheless, she found an uninvited guest.

A girl with silverish gray hair, in her swim suit, her feet bare….

It was Huo ChuChu who hasn’t even changed yet!

“I am going with you, to… see my big brother!”

Squeezing next to the car window, Huo ChuChu’s ears were a bit red.