"You think I drew the president?" Xiang Lan asked, amused. "Tell me, why is there such a misunderstanding?"
"How could it be a misunderstanding?" Wang Runqiu was very composed today, saying calmly, "Art comes from life. You're familiar with the chairman, so it's normal for you to paint him. Why don't you dare admit it?"
Li Xingda also sensed something was wrong; Xu Na and Wang Runqiu had come with ill intentions. He looked at Xiang Lan with some concern, trying to stop the argument, but clearly, even as the student council president, he had lost his authority in this matter, and no one paid him any attention.
"Why should I admit to something that isn't true?" Xiang Lan stared at Wang Runqiu. "It must have been tough for you, finding one of my discarded paintings in the corner and thinking you'd found evidence?"
Wang Runqiu's expression remained unchanged. "What do you mean?"
“I crumpled this painting into a ball and threw it in the corner of my office. This morning, it was lying in the trash can as scraps of paper. It would be strange if the person who cleans up the trash had a problem with the paper scraps and had to destroy the evidence.” Xiang Lan reached out to Xu Na. “Xu Na, this has nothing to do with you. Give me back the painting.”
Xu Na looked at Xiang Lan, then at Wang Runqiu, and hesitated.
Li Xingda stepped forward, took the piece of paper from her hand, and returned it to Xiang Lan, saying, "Xiang Lan, this is your thing, keep it safe."
"Xiang Lan, explain yourself clearly." Wang Runqiu couldn't stand Li Xingda's friendliness towards Xiang Lan and said, "Are you implying that I tore up the painting?"
"Take it the way you hear it. Anyway, you've never understood human language—"
Wang Runqiu trembled with anger and said, "Xiang Lan, you have no evidence, so you'd better not talk nonsense!"
Chapter Fourteen
"What's the evidence?" Xiang Lan smiled. "I'm just like you, spouting nonsense."
“Since the president is here, let’s settle this properly in front of him.” Xiang Lan spoke slowly and deliberately, staring intently at Wang Runqiu, putting immense pressure on her. “Please tell me, what exactly did I do, and what happened that made you so indignant on behalf of the president? How could you possibly think that I don’t even know who I’m drawing?”
Wang Runqiu was so angry that her face turned red. In her eyes, Xiang Lan's arrogance was extremely despicable.
Li Xingda frowned, his eyes fixed on Wang Runqiu before finally settling on Xiang Lan's face, where she wore an indifferent expression.
Xu Na knew Li Xingda was truly unhappy, so she quickly said, "We didn't come here today for this. I was wrong just now; I shouldn't have tried to take Xiang Lan's painting. After all, it's her personal property—"
“No, we must make this clear.” Xiang Lan turned to look at Li Xingda. “President, please forgive me for not being as magnanimous as you think. The source of the rumors is this kind of unfounded speculation.”
"So, Wang Runqiu, what heinous thing have I done?" Xiang Lan asked, noticing her lowered head and changing expression.
Xu Na stood beside her, grabbed her arm, and said coquettishly, "Oh, Xiang Lan, it's all my fault. Please don't dwell on Runqiu's unintentional remark. I was wrong, okay?"
"I've already explained it to you once, and I don't want to explain it a second time," Xiang Lan said seriously. "If you continue to speak to me like this, I won't be polite anymore. You only have one last chance, so cherish it—"
Li Xingda rubbed his temples. "Xu Na, take Runqiu for a walk first. I'll come find you guys later."
Xu Na laughed, "It's not necessary. Runqiu just misbehaved. By the way, she came today to check on the progress of the display boards. She also mentioned yesterday that she was particularly worried about not making it in time. If you need her help, please don't hesitate to ask!"
Xiang Lan couldn't help but roll her eyes, then glanced at Li Xingda sideways before entering the conference room without a word.
Xiang Lan found a piece of scrap newspaper, wrapped the tattered drawing in it, and stuffed it into her bag. She glanced sideways and saw Li Xingda forcefully pulling Wang Runqiu's wrist toward the grove behind the office. She smiled; this Li Xingda, he had quite the domineering CEO vibe in private.
She looked around, picked up a piece of cut white paper, took out her paintbrush, sat down by the window, and began working on the first draft of the theme painting for the exhibition board.
"Xiang Lan—" Xu Na said cautiously.
Xiang Lan glanced at her, and she immediately leaned against the windowsill, saying, "Are you angry?"
"No."
"That's good." Xu Na smiled. "The young couple went outside to talk, and I didn't want to be a third wheel, so I came to visit you. What are you doing?"
"The first draft of the display board." Xiang Lan said expressionlessly.
"You draw so well." Xu Na watched as her nimble pen tip drew smooth lines on the paper, her hands resting on the windowsill. "Every time I see you and Yifan doing these things, I feel amazed."
Xiang Lan looked up and smiled at her.
“Actually, Runqiu is also very upset about this.” Xu Na observed her expression. “The president has applied to several schools, but Runqiu hasn’t received a reply yet. She’s worried that she won’t be able to go to America with them, which is a sad time for her.”
She actually went across the ocean to chase after her husband; her courage is commendable. She said, "I support her in spirit."
"The student council president is handsome, a top student, has great character, and is very capable. So many girls like him. Anyone with a boyfriend like that wouldn't feel comfortable—" she sighed. "A few days ago, they seemed to have a bit of a disagreement; Runqiu hurt her hand. The president thought she was deliberately making things difficult for her, so he turned around and asked you and Yifan to make the display board. Of course, this has nothing to do with you two, but Runqiu felt really aggrieved—"
"Oh, so she wants to play despite her injury?" Xiang Lan flexed her wrist. "And I just inexplicably became a stumbling block on their road to love?"
"No, not really." Xu Na said affectionately, seeing that she was easy to talk to. "Be more magnanimous and don't hold it against her. Women in love are all crazy, aren't they?"
Xiang Lan put down her pen, looked directly at Xu Na, and said with amusement, "Xu Na, you're really something. Wang Runqiu wanting to go abroad and date is her own business, what does it have to do with me? We've always kept to ourselves, even if we argue or have disagreements, we're graduating soon anyway, and we might never see each other again. So, does it really matter whether I forgive her or not, or whether I hold a grudge?"
Xu Na was a little embarrassed. "I just didn't want things to get unpleasant for everyone at the last minute."
"I desperately hope she won't forgive me, that she'll avoid me whenever she sees me, and that she won't speak to me at all, so I can spend my last days in peace and happiness. Please help me persuade her; she must hate me, she absolutely mustn't forgive me." Xiang Lan said with a grin, "We're friends, so I'm telling you the truth. You won't think I'm heartless, will you?"
"How could that be?" She smiled, and after a moment, said, "Xiang Lan, you didn't go online last night?"
Xiang Lan shook her head. "No."
"You'd better check online," she said cautiously. "I didn't mean to upset you, but we're classmates, and I don't want you to—"
"Thank you, you're so kind."
"You're welcome."
When Deng Yifan rushed over, Xiang Lan had already finished a rough sketch. Xu Na was leaning on the desk discussing with her whether it fit the theme. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully the volcanic eruption she had imagined did not happen.
"Hey girl, how's it going?"
Xiang Lan looked at the panting Deng Yifan and said, "The president and Wang Runqiu were talking outside, didn't you see?"
"No!" Deng Yifan slumped back in his chair casually and said to Xu Na, "God of Wealth, you're here too?"
Xu Na smiled and said, "Runqiu was in a bad mood, so I came with her."
Deng Yifan gave her a thumbs up and said, "Niu and I are about to start working on it today. It's quite inconvenient for you all to come one by one. Why don't you all just leave?"
Xiang Lan smiled at her, which suited her perfectly.
Xu Na looked somewhat embarrassed and, seeing that Lan didn't seem inclined to help, said, "Runqiu still wants to paint, and she's currently discussing this with the president."
Xiang Lan chuckled to herself; now Li Xingda couldn't blame her for not helping.
"What did you say?" Deng Yifan exclaimed, almost jumping up from his chair. "She wants to paint? Isn't her hand injured and she can't move? How come she's fine as soon as our girl steps on stage? Does she think our student council affairs are her own private domain? Is she flirting and acting cute with Li Xingda like that? Is she kidding me?"
Li Xingda happened to walk in and, upon hearing this long string of words, turned ashen-faced.
“Yifan—” he said, “Don’t get agitated, and don’t say anything reckless.”
"I'm not agitated at all, I'm perfectly sober right now." She slammed her hand on the table. "I told you before that you wanted me and Niu to do this, so stop with the whining. Now that we've both started, you suddenly say you can draw it yourself, are you kidding me?"
“Runqiu only has this idea, I haven’t agreed yet.” Li Xingda looked at Xiang Lan, as if asking for help. She pretended not to see it and turned to look at the locust flowers outside the window.
"Heh, you always talk a good game, saying you're clear about separating public and private matters. What a load of rubbish! You've turned it into your own backyard, coming and going as you please." Deng Yifan was furious, grabbing his schoolbag. "Girl, let's go, let's quit."
Xiang Lan wasn't in a hurry. She said quietly, "Deng Yifan, you big fool. Someone wants it, and you get angry and run away. Isn't that just handing it over to them? Don't let them get what they want and then laugh at you for being a fool."
Xu Na said awkwardly, "I was just helping out—"
"I can finish my painting myself without anyone's help," Xiang Lan said casually. "The president entrusted me with this task, and I promised. A woman's word is her bond, and no one can find an excuse to make me a person who breaks their promise. So, I'm determined to finish this painting. No one can persuade me otherwise."
Deng Yifan laughed and said to Li Xingda, "Chairman, alright, don't worry about the display board."
Li Xingda nodded, then said with a headache, "Deng Yifan, can you please control your temper and stop slamming the table like that? Also, stop yelling at me and Wang Runqiu all the time; it's not a good influence."
"How is it bad influence? Isn't that what you're all about?" Deng Yifan grinned. "Are you afraid of people talking about the truth?"
"It's not true, okay?" Li Xingda was also getting a little angry. "She and I are just ordinary classmates."
Xu Na felt a little embarrassed and looked at Xiang Lan. Xiang Lan didn't seem to mind and smiled at her.
"I don't care what your relationship with her is, just don't bother us," Deng Yifan said. "Otherwise, if the exhibition boards aren't finished, don't blame us."
"Alright, I know." Li Xingda turned to Xu Na and said, "Xu Na, she's outside. You should take her back first. We don't need her help with the display board for now."
Xu Na nodded, looking a little disappointed, and said, "Okay, I'll go and comfort her."
After everyone had left, she rushed to Xiang Lan's side, her face full of gossip and curiosity, "Girl, hurry up and tell me about that prescription."
Xiang Lan chuckled and excitedly pulled her sketchbook out of her bag, pointing to a portrait of a beautiful woman from the past to show her. "Look, what's this?"
"What a beautiful woman you painted!"
"What if the recipe I give looks exactly like his? Would you believe me?"
Deng Yifan's lips parted slightly, but he couldn't speak; he could only shake his head.
Xiang Lan laughed wildly, hands on her hips. "I knew you wouldn't believe me. He told me yesterday that he was going back to America, so he couldn't accept me. I wasn't giving up, so I used a little trick, and he took me to his place."
"ah--"
"I was drunk, so I went and took off his mask." Xiang Lan laughed, her face flushed, and covered her chin with her hands. "He went crazy on the spot, okay?"
"I don't believe you. Your opening is too much like a romance novel. Do you have any photos?"
Xiang Lan shook her head, "No!"
"Unless he stands in front of me—"
Xiang Lan smiled again and took out a note from her schoolbag. "He left this for me too."
Deng Yifan immediately snatched it to read, and after reading it, his face was full of jealousy. He reached out and grabbed her neck with both hands, saying, "Girl, you're so lucky."
One person attacked, and the other resisted. In the ensuing scuffle, they managed to tear off the coat, revealing the red spots on Xiang Lan's neck.
Deng Yifan pointed at her, "Ah—"
"All you can do today is scream?" Xiang Lan casually pulled up her clothes and straightened her collar. "What's so strange about that? I have a boyfriend now."
She slowly took out her phone, pulled up Fang Zidu's text messages and showed them to her, "Look at this."
After reading it, Deng Yifan blinked and asked, puzzled, "What do you mean by 'failed'?"
Xiang Lan smiled ambiguously, "That's right, it's exactly what you mean."
"You're amazing. Where did you learn this style of getting people into bed so easily?"
She took her phone back, tossed it back into her bag, smoothed her short hair behind her ear to reveal her smooth face, and said earnestly, "At the beginning of life, people are inherently good. In the beginning, sex was a very beautiful thing."
Chapter Fifteen
Xiang Lan pulled out a wallet she'd kept hidden away, flattened the two slips of paper containing the recipe for her, and carefully placed them inside. Deng Yifan complained about the designer wallet, saying that the luxurious thing had been sitting in a box for two years, never seeing the light of day, and now its main purpose was to hold keepsakes—what a waste!