17 Love at First Sight

Ning Xue glanced up from her half-finished painting, and she saw him. Their eyes locked.

It was as if Cupid descended from the heavens, shooting a love arrow through Jiang Sheng's heart because he fell in love for the very first time in twenty-two years.

While holding her brush, Ning Xue paused to study the person standing not far away—the dappling of the shade under the tree made his complexion even more flawless. And his dispassionate eyes made him look surreal. He was above average, she guessed. Well, she wouldn't mind making him her subject.

As if they were telepathic, they looked back down simultaneously,

When the gentle breeze tousled her fine strands of hair, they brushed across her cheeks, making her itch. She had to admit—while she was shallow, the young man was indeed striking. She lowered her head again to work on her piece. Then, she added him in.

Jiang Sheng was still trying to calm his restless heart when he realized how Ning Xue didn't seem to mind his abrupt appearance. He did a little internal celebration—did that mean that she didn't repulse him? He tried toning down his emotions.

After some time, Ning Xue finally put her brush down, and he marched towards her. He looked stoic on the outside, but inside, he panicked, his anxiety out of control.

"Hi there. I'm Jiang Sheng. C-can I get to know you?"

Ning Xue tore her eyes away from her painting, her expression blank. "No." It wasn't worth revealing her identity over an "okay-looking" guy.

"Uh... You could at least tell me your name, maybe?"

"..."

While it was Jiang Sheng's first asking for a girl's number, and he ran into a stone wall. "I'm sorry if I ever made you uncomfortable."

Ning Xue glanced at him again, and her impression of him changed—he wasn't only pretty but also even-tempered. "It's not your fault. I'm just not good at making friends." She pulled out the painting that she had been painting and handed it to him.

"This is for you, by the way." She held up the painting between her pearl-skinned fingers, her features cold, the same kind of alienness that would inject fear into people's hearts. She seemed to be blocking out anyone who'd try to take a step into her world.

Huh. Jiang Sheng inhaled a deep, cold breath. He'd thought she was an art major from an NYC college, being at the park randomly nature sketching. It would've been impossible to complete a full-detailed painting in the short period she was here anyway.

But the painting he was holding was as if Da Vinci came back to life. He had appraised the works of many internationally renowned artists, and such standards—coming from a young lady like her—took him aback. Her skills were masterful.

He carefully rolled the painting. His shock remained undissipated. He recollected his cool, and his eyes focused back on Ning Xue—not only her beauty had reflected in her appearance, but it was also in her character itself. Her radiating elegance soothed the hearts of many. One would find it similar to standing in the middle of a forgotten valley with orchids blooming all over the place.

"Your painting... it's amazing," he complimented. He was no professional, but he'd seen many of their work, including master-tiered artists. Still, none of the paintings was a match to the one he was holding. Hers were perfect.

Then came a set of footsteps from afar. He turned to the source—it was an old man dressed in casual clothes strolling down the path.

"Oh, gorgeous. Could I check out your work?"

Ning Xue nodded, and Jiang Sheng handed the painting over.

He only took a single glance before muttering to himself. "It's a miracle. A flawless one. Drawn by the only person who knew what they're doing in the whole wide world."

Ning Xue didn't even twitch at the comment—it meant nothing to her plain life.

The old man got agitated, and something fleeted across his eyes. "Ever thought of looking for a mentor? After taking a look at your work, I can guarantee your talent. You're artistic!"

Jiang Sheng moved his gaze to the old man's badge pinned on his coat—it read "National Artist of the US". He could already tell it was a rare token from its material.