When Will My Childhood Sweetheart Marry Me?-Chapter 210: Reunion

Pei Yan walked out with the room key and found the girl standing motionless outside the hotel, her head tilted slightly upwards, seemingly gazing at something.

Hearing his footsteps, Jiang Shuyao pointed at the building and murmured, "Once it’s completed, I want to go inside and take a look."

Following her finger, Pei Yan’s narrow eyes shifted to the building.

The structure hadn’t yet been topped out, but its silhouette was clearly visible.

"Do you like that building, Princess?"

"Mm."

He frowned. "I can’t afford to buy it for you right now."

What.

Jiang Shuyao couldn’t help but smile sadly, "You don’t have to buy something just because you like it, and besides..."

Did he not realize the building was owned by his own family?

In the next moment, Pei Yan seemed to suddenly realize something and chuckled through his nose.

"When you become the Pei family’s daughter-in-law, if you really want it, my dad probably won’t be so stingy."

"..."

The more he spoke, the more outrageous he got.

Having been around him for so long, Jiang Shuyao had practically become immune to his words.

"Mr. Pei, please make sure to ask my parents next time before you say such things, to see if they agree to hand their daughter over to you."

Ha.

The girl turned and walked towards the hotel, with Pei Yan following lazily behind her, his face breaking into a wide grin.

No amount of cheeky remarks could stop him from looking so devil-may-care and arrogant.

"If they don’t agree, I’ll just take her by force."

Look at that, what sort of normal person talks like this?

The elevator doors opened, and they stepped in, the doors slowly closing behind them.

Jiang Shuyao couldn’t help but remind him, "One is your godmother, the other is your father’s old friend, go ahead and try to take me."

As she watched the floor numbers fluctuate, a faint twitch developed in her eyelids.

Why did they have to get a room on the top floor; were there no other rooms available?

Without a doubt, the large hand next to her wasn’t about to allow them to maintain such a distance.

As he pulled her close, the elevator doors opened with a ’ding.’

Pei Yan’s chuckle resonated above her head, "Didn’t my godmother tell you not to casually share a room with a man?"

She glared at him, her face flushed red.

"If she didn’t mention it, it proves that the old lady approves of me."

"Don’t believe me, go ahead and ask."

"..."

Jiang Shuyao couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

Fine, Ms. Zhu had indeed never mentioned it.

But that only showed that her mother trusted her daughter.

It had nothing to do with the man beside her.

Too lazy to argue with him, she went into the room, tidied up a bit, and then took her change of clothes into the bathroom.

They had lunch at the hotel and arrived at the art gallery half an hour early.

It was less an award ceremony and more an exhibition of outstanding works.

The lobby was filled mostly with the works of the new generation, with a majority by university students.

The painting "Dawn" was placed near the stair corner in the second exhibition hall. It was still early, and many visitors had not yet made their way over there.

Jiang Shuyao stopped in front of her painting, quietly admiring it.

This was the first time she had paid such focused attention to her own work outside of creating it.

But the person beside her was too quiet, and as she was looking, Jiang Shuyao felt it was somehow lacking in fun.

Turning her head on a whim, she asked him, "What do you think of this painting?"

Having previously seen him scoff at Mr. Zong’s painting, she suddenly really wanted to hear what this guy thought about his girlfriend’s work.

Pei Yan’s gaze moved from the painting to the girl’s face.

"I’m saying that what you paint is more interesting than that old man’s work, do you believe it?"

Jiang Shuyao dryly retorted, "Do you think I could believe that?"

Wait, interesting?

Her eyes gleamed, "That statement is actually true, Mr. Zong primarily focuses on traditional ink landscapes, whereas I specialize in oil painting, which definitely holds a visual advantage in terms of color when compared."

Knowing someone wasn’t just humoring her, she felt instantly comforted.

At three o’clock in the afternoon, the award ceremony began on time in the conference hall.

Jiang Shuyao never expected to see that mixed-race man again at such an event.

He sat at the awarding table, genteelly presenting trophies to each of the winners.

Still wearing gold-rimmed glasses, the only difference from last time was that today he was dressed in a suit, looking more like a businessman.

Beside her, someone whispered in discussion, "I didn’t expect Mr. Yuan to personally present the awards this year, it seems the rumors are true."

"What rumors?"

"You know about Mr. Yuan’s father, the direct disciple of Master Zongnan, who announced suddenly at the end of last year that he would auction all his works for charity to set up a foundation for young creators, to support new domestic artists. Today’s award is one of those support projects."

Some exclaimed in awe, "It’s said Mr. Yuan’s father has emigrated overseas for many years, not forgetting his roots and giving back to his homeland, it’s truly remarkable."

"Indeed, but there’s another theory."

"That’s because..."

Jiang Shuyao listened distractedly, her gaze instinctively turning towards the stage.

The man’s pupils, visible behind his glasses, betrayed half of his Chinese heritage.

His father was a direct disciple of Master Zongnan, which explained his presence at Zhuo Cubic last time.

Jiang Shuyao couldn’t help thinking of that painting, "Cherished Love."

The person in the painting, with a beautiful and elegant profile, once again slowly overlapped with the image in her memory.

"Princess."

"Hmm?"

She looked puzzled at the person beside her.

Pei Yan raised his chin slightly, "They called your name."

Oh.

The girl snapped back to reality and calmly walked up to the stage.

Under the focused lights, many noticed that the author of "Dawn" was such a young and moving girl.

Those who had seen the painting in the exhibition hall earlier, none were not shocked by it.

Some artworks are appreciated for technique, others for their artistic conception, but to have both at such a young age is truly rare.

Receiving the prize from the man’s hands, Jiang Shuyao nodded slightly towards him.

After a moment of surprise, a flicker of joy crossed the man’s eyes, "Congratulations, beautiful girl, we meet again."

Jiang Shuyao didn’t speak, only smiled politely.

Returning to her seat, the number of glances cast her way gradually increased—if they were strangers earlier, now, Jiang Shuyao’s name was indelibly linked with "Dawn."

After the exhibition ended, as the two of them were preparing to leave, they encountered Mr. Yuan again in the corridor.

This time, it was Jiang Shuyao who initiated the greeting.

The man spoke graciously, his suit making him seem like someone from a different world standing before her and Pei Yan.

Before parting, he handed her an invitation, which Jiang Shuyao thought was for some art exhibition but turned out to be for a private cocktail party.

Her eyelid twitched, and before she had the chance to decline, the invitation was taken by the large hand beside her.

Pei Yan looked down, glanced at the invitation in his hand, and sneered coldly, "Luring minors to drink is illegal here, you know?"

The atmosphere turned awkward.

Jiang Shuyao almost lost her composure, her face stiffening.

As his inquiring gaze came her way, she stiffly introduced, "He’s my boyfriend."

The man’s reaction was surprisingly calm, he didn’t say anything but simply extended his hand with a smile.

Falling in with local customs, a gesture of goodwill.

However, what Young Master Pei was worst at was giving face.

Watching their figures gradually fade from view, the assistant frowned and said, "Mr. Yuan, should I go—"

"No need."

Behind the glasses, the man’s light blue pupils glimmered with a chilly luster, like a venomous snake coiling in the cold pond of the night.