WSSAPF chapter 4

“What else do you want to say? I’m getting ready for a nap.” Zhou Chulan’s voice carried a deep laziness.

“For the interior design of the villa, I thought of you. I’ll give you a salary. Money is not a problem.”

“If you have money, go find a professional studio. I only know how to ‘fuel cars.'” Li Zhuoyao heard Zhou Chulan lightly laugh on the other end, with a hint of mockery.

“But your paintings are excellent. I like every one of them. I believe in your aesthetics.”

In fact, Li Zhuoyao rarely gave such high praise to people, but for some reason, he said it now without thinking, as if he knew the other person very well. However, he actually knew nothing about art, and the paintings he had seen were just a few hung in Zhou Chulan’s dim room.

There was a brief silence on the other end, and Li Zhuoyao heard the sound of a lighter igniting.

“What does the inside of the villa look like? Send me pictures.” Zhou Chulan dropped this sentence and hung up the phone.

Li Zhuoyao hurriedly sent photos. Twenty minutes later, Zhou Chulan’s reply came.

“This house lacks soul.”

“Is it because of the lack of local decorative items? I plan to buy some in a few days.”

“It’s not just a decorative problem.”

“What else?”

“This design is too practical, lacking the spirit of nature.”

“Such as?”

Li Zhuoyao didn’t quite understand, but he vaguely felt that Zhou Chulan’s words were very accurate. It seemed more profound than even Gao Jun.

“Why do you think this house lacks soul?”

“Buildings have their own language. Only by combining the real and the imaginary can you create the ‘atmosphere’ you desire.”

He said these words in the end.

After listening to this, Li Zhuoyao felt enlightened, as if it were a crucial and insightful suggestion, something even Gao Jun couldn’t express. Zhou Chulan was indeed talented; his talent, Li Zhuoyao sensed it the first time he saw his paintings. Li Zhuoyao couldn’t help but wonder, why would this talented person willingly stay hidden in his hometown? But it was clear that Zhou Chulan was not entirely content; he still maintained a certain pride.

“I’m also planning to add some local decorative items. Where can I buy them?”

“There’s a market in the town, and the fair will be held the day after tomorrow.”

“Can you go with me?” Li Zhuoyao typed this line, pondered for a while, then reluctantly deleted it and changed it to “Do you have time to go to the market the day after tomorrow? I’d like to take a look.”

“Maybe, depends on the situation.”

“Alright, I plan to go in the morning.”

The phone screen remained quiet for a while. Li Zhuoyao checked the time; it was almost 10 PM.

He quickly took a shower in the bathroom, dried off his body, grabbed his phone, but still, there were no new message notifications.

Li Zhuoyao placed the phone under the pillow and turned off the lights to sleep.

He slept until noon, and he was awakened by an urgent knocking on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Boss, it’s me, Xie Jun. Open the door quickly.”

Li Zhuoyao, with sleepy eyes, put on slippers and opened the door. Xie Jun stood anxiously at the door. When he saw Li Zhuoyao standing fine, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Boss, I called you many times, and your phone was off. I thought something happened to you on the mountain. The rain has made the mountain road particularly slippery.”

“Sorry, I was sleeping. My phone ran out of battery.”

“It’s okay.”

“How is your mother?” Li Zhuoyao asked while plugging his phone in to charge. As soon as it powered on, the screen was filled with missed calls, messages, and unread WeChat messages.

Zhou Chulan’s chat box remained silent.

“My sister is keeping her company; it’s not a big deal. After the surgery, she just needs a few days of rest.”

Xie Jun put down his black backpack. This backpack was a graduation gift Li Zhuoyao gave him when he graduated from university. He still treasured it and took care of it. There wasn’t a scratch on it. He carefully unzipped it, took out two packs of cured meat. They seemed heavy, wrapped in layers of oiled paper and then covered with plastic bags.

“Boss, I brought you some local cured meat. It’s smoked with pine branches, very fragrant.”

He handed the cured meat to Li Zhuoyao, nervously watching Li Zhuoyao’s expression.

“Oh, still remembering that I love this.”

Li Zhuoyao took the cured meat and sniffed it contentedly.

Xie Jun breathed a sigh of relief, and his smile relaxed.

Afterwards, he added with a gentle tone, “Of course. Boss, no matter what you say, I will remember it very clearly.”

“Not bad, a good employee.”

Hearing this, Xie Jun was slightly stunned. He opened his lips, as if wanting to say something.

“Why does your complexion look a bit off? Are you hot? I’ll turn on the air conditioner.”

Li Zhuoyao picked up the remote control and turned on the air conditioner.

“Not hot. Boss, if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now. Rest well.”

Xie Jun stood up slowly, put the black backpack back on his shoulder. It was bulging when it came, filled with cured meat, and now, after unloading the burden, it became empty. He turned to leave, and just as his hand reached the door handle, Li Zhuoyao’s voice sounded from behind.

“Wait.”

Xie Jun quickly put his hand back from the door handle and turned around.

“The production team and other PDs from the director group will come in the afternoon. Inform them that there will be a meeting in the conference room at 7 PM. You can borrow the hotel’s No. 2 meeting room; it has a projector.”

“Oh, okay.”

Only now did Xie Jun truly exit the room. He closed the door gently, and the wooden door made a soft “creak.”

“This kid, everything he does is so careful and cautious, unable to let go.”

Li Zhuoyao still quite liked Xie Jun, diligent, intelligent, and attentive. He turned 30 this year, seven years older than Xie Jun. In terms of the boss and subordinate relationship, Li Zhuoyao had always treated Xie Jun like a younger brother.

The planning meeting that night continued until after 1 AM, filling the entire conference room with the smell of cigarettes and betel nuts. The TV crew was energetic, everyone full of confidence in the show.

Li Zhuoyao opened the window to let in some fresh air. That night’s stars were not many; the night sky resembled a piece of black velvet draped over it.

“I’ll go to town tomorrow morning at 9 AM.”

He sent a WeChat message to Zhou Chulan.

A shooting star streaked across the night sky, eliciting exclamations from the crowd. Two female PDs chattered and squeezed to the window, excitedly looking at the sky. One of the girls even made a wish.

Li Zhuoyao used his fingertips to brighten the screen, watching it gradually dim. He repeated this process.

The next morning at 9 AM, Li Zhuoyao drove to the market, parking his car under a tree on the roadside. The town’s market was concentrated on the main street, with locals setting up stalls on both sides. Many Miao ethnic grandmothers with red flowers on their heads sat on small stools, selling their embroidered products.

Li Zhuoyao squatted in front of one of the grandmothers, picking out embroidery patterns from her basket. When he reached for a piece with a coin flower design, another person simultaneously picked up the same embroidered cloth. Their fingertips touched.

He raised his head and met Zhou Chulan’s face, who was looking down at him from a higher position.

Zhou Chulan stood in the shadow of backlighting, like a sculpture in a temple, with firm lines as if painted with meticulous brushstrokes. It was rugged, carrying a wild beauty, and even the edges seemed to shimmer with a faint golden light.

Li Zhuoyao crouched on the ground, looking up at Zhou Chulan’s memorable face. In this moment, he unexpectedly felt a sense of reverence, and his heart skipped a beat in an instant.