The Little Brat's Sweet And Sassy Chapter 1248 - Side Story 27: Art Exhibition

1248 Supplement 27: The Art Gallery Showcase

Physics Department, research laboratory.

Kong Wenhan approached Xu Zhe, offering him some documents. "Senior Brother, your German is excellent. Would you mind translating this for me?"

Xu Zhe, busy tinkering with some testing apparatus, didn't even look up as he replied, "German? Why not ask Zhijin?" He had spent an entire year at the Fino Laboratory in Bai City; surely he was the most qualified person to handle this.

A twitch appeared at the corner of Kong Wenhan's mouth as he leaned in and lowered his tone. "How could I possibly ask him? Senior Brother Xu Zhe, have you not noticed? Senior Brother Shen has been in a foul mood lately!"

Shen Zhijin was naturally aloof and distant, yet he had always maintained a polished, polite demeanor toward his peers. Recently, however, an oppressive atmosphere seemed to radiate from him, leaving everyone in the lab trembling and terrified of making even the slightest error.

Kong Wenhan had no intention of inviting trouble upon himself.

Hearing this, Xu Zhe finally set his work aside and turned his gaze toward him. "You've felt it too, then?" He had known Shen Zhijin for ages and had never witnessed him in such a state.

A nearby student couldn't resist chiming in. "Do you think it’s related to the fact that Junior Gu hasn't stopped by as often lately?"

Everyone at Xijing University knew Gu Tingyin was actively pursuing Shen Zhijin. Those in the Physics Department often crossed paths with her. She would drop by, sometimes to sit through a lecture, other times to share a meal. Most frequently, she arrived with her sketchbook, though everyone understood there were hidden motives behind her visits.

Xu Zhe stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, that does seem correct. Perhaps she’s just buried in studies and doesn't have the time to drop by?"

"That doesn't seem likely. She had a heavy workload before and still managed to visit constantly. I heard from a friend at the Art Academy that the Capital is hosting several major master exhibitions this month, so the schedule should be quite light for those students."

"Art exhibitions? If that’s the case, given Junior Gu's nature, she definitely would have invited Zhijin to go with her..."

"Exactly. If you truly care about someone, you find the time—period. I suspect... Junior Gu has simply given up."

"Given up? You mean she’s stopped chasing after him? That’s hard to believe... she’s been so incredibly devoted to him!"

"I know, but my opinion doesn't change the facts. Think about it: she’s been chasing him for ages without a single ounce of reciprocation from Senior Brother. Which girl wouldn't reach her breaking point? I find it remarkable she lasted this long."

Kong Wenhan, standing to the side, felt none of this sat quite right. He kept replaying the bookstore incident in his mind. If Senior Brother felt nothing for her, why would he have looked so flustered? Yet, she certainly hadn't visited in a while, and the mystery behind their relationship remained unsolved.

Xu Zhe began to waver, listening to their chatter. "...Your points have merit. Junior Gu is stunning, personable, and gifted in her craft—a true goddess! She has plenty of suitors. There was never any reason for her to tether herself to an iron tree like Zhijin. If she simply signaled she was open to dating, she'd have no shortage of choices. Why—Cough!"

He caught a glimpse of someone and began wheezing violently from a sudden, intense cough, his face turning beet red. "Ahem... Ahem... Zhijin... what are you doing... Ahem... here?"

Shen Zhijin stood at the entrance, his expression unreadable. No one knew when he had arrived or how much he had overheard.

Kong Wenhan and the others scrambled to their feet. "Senior Brother." Nothing felt more humiliating than being caught gossiping behind someone's back.

Shen Zhijin remained stoic. With a quick nod of acknowledgment, he strode into the lab. The room fell deathly silent. Shen Zhijin offered no words or outward reaction, but the tension in the room skyrocketed. An invisible, freezing chill permeated the lab, making it so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

He switched on his workstation and pulled up his observation files. Nevertheless, the lines of data that were usually crystal clear now seemed like a chaotic mess.

The sixth day.

Since they parted at the bookstore, she hadn't returned to Xijing University. Was she furious because he refused to answer her, or potentially because he had used the name 'Yin Yin' that day?

However—Shen Zhijin pressed his lips into a thin line.

It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to respond, only that the timing hadn't felt right. He alone knew how much effort it took to steady his racing heart when she had teased him with that nickname.

That single moment had consumed his thoughts completely, leaving no room for anything else. Since then, however, she had vanished. He finally understood that if she stopped taking the lead, even seeing her would become a distant, unreachable dream. He had grown accustomed to her presence everywhere he looked, but he had never imagined a reality where she disappeared from his vision, no matter how desperately he waited for her to appear.

The whispered chatter echoed in his mind, and his grip on his desk tightened. He closed his eyes to focus solely on the monitor. Ten minutes later, however, the cursor still blinked in the same spot, motionless. No progress had been made, and the familiar numbers only served to frustrate him further.

Xu Zhe cautiously approached, whispering. "Zhijin, please, I was just spouting nonsense. Don't take it to heart!"

Shen Zhijin’s gaze remained fixed on his task, his profile stone-cold, as if he hadn't heard a word.

Xu Zhe rubbed his head in defeat. "Honestly, though, this might actually be for the best. Junior Gu won't have to put in so much effort running back and forth anymore. You'll have plenty of time..."

Shen Zhijin abruptly stood up.

Xu Zhe looked on, stunned. "Hey, Zhijin, where are you going? The reports aren't finished yet!"

Shen Zhijin headed for the door without looking back. "I just remembered something pressing. Please ask Professor Su to cover my absence."

Xu Zhe stood bewildered, staring at the monitor and muttering to himself, "What could be so urgent that he wouldn't even shut down his computer?" Given Shen Zhijin’s meticulous habits, this situation was completely unprecedented. He longed to chase him and ask more, but Shen Zhijin had already vanished through the exit.

Kong Wenhan observed the scene with a clicking tongue. His Senior Brother hadn't bought those books for no reason. Wasn't this clearly the catalyst?

...Shen Zhijin made his way straight to the female dormitory at the Xijing Academy of Fine Arts. He knew her schedule; she had exactly one class at ten in the morning and would likely be returning shortly after lunch.

It was currently the end of November, and the Capital was biting, with gray, gloomy skies. Even mid-day offered no warmth. Shen Zhijin lingered for an age before finally hearing the sound of lively voices nearby.

His pulse quickened as he looked up. As the noon hour passed, girls began returning from their morning lectures. Soon, they noticed him standing there, prompting someone to gasp in surprise. "Is that... Shen Zhijin?"

He rarely visited the Fine Arts building, but his reputation within Xijing University ensured that few were unfamiliar with his appearance.

Finally, he spotted a familiar face—Gu Tingyin's roommate. He remembered bumping into her once when dropping Tingyin off. She was close with Gu Tingyin, but today, she was clinging to a different girl's arm. It wasn't Tingyin.

Shen Zhijin stepped forward, ignoring the curious, adoring gazes cast his way by the surrounding crowd. "Hello," he stated, his voice calm. "I am looking for Gu Tingyin."

The girl stared at him, seemingly caught off guard. "Senior Shen? Didn't you hear? She headed to the Zong Pei art exhibition with someone else today! I assumed that person was—" She caught herself, realizing her mistake.

Shen Zhijin’s hand, shoved deep into his coat pocket, tightened. The two tickets to the art show inside were crushed into a mangled ball under his fingers.