041 This is a master (Part 1)

"Truly none at all?" If she were to be honest with herself, Shen Tang didn't believe it.

Facing Shen Xiaolang's skepticism, Qi Shan, who had previously been expressionless, chuckled directly. He pointed to the drawing Shen Tang held, his tone tinged with sarcasm, "Does Shen Xiaolang think they can be drawn with just a few strokes? The formations laid out on the paper are quite tricky to decipher..."

Implicitly, Shen Tang had perhaps overestimated him.

Where would he find the time to stay up late to draw, let alone spend ample time deciphering the intricate formations hidden on the paper?

Shen Tang awkwardly rubbed her nose, feeling guilty as she averted her gaze. It wasn't entirely her fault for being suspicious; blame could be squarely placed on Qi Shan's numerous "past offenses," causing her to have some "psychological shadow." She changed the subject abruptly, "Yuan Liang, should I take the drawing to the bookstore now?"

"Go ahead, go ahead." Qi Shan waved dismissively at her, preferring not to dwell on it. As Shen Tang turned away, he called out to her, advising, "When you go to deliver the drawing, be careful on your way back. We're not sure what connection the person behind the scenes has with the Four Treasures County Magistrate. Caution is paramount."

It was best if there were no connections; if there were, one had to be cautious.

Xiaocheng's waters ran deep, and one misstep could lead to drowning.

"I know, I know." Shen Tang felt like she had been granted a reprieve. With the agility of the wind, she disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving only the hem of her robe visible by the time Qi Shan lowered and raised his gaze again. He could only shake his head wryly, then turned back into the room. Instead of catching up on sleep, he returned to the desk.

Spread out on the desk was a clean sheet of paper.

He suppressed any lingering relaxation, focusing solemnly. With a concerted effort, he gathered his literary essence, and in the blink of an eye, his mind entered the realm of the formation.

In the mysterious realm where yin and yang intertwined, the battlefield beneath his feet continued to rage, with both cities suffering damage, and the black and white armies deadlocked. As soon as Qi Shan appeared, the figure on the opposite side raised their head and met his gaze.

Qi Shan lowered himself gracefully and took his seat.

In a calm voice, he said, "No one to disturb us, let's continue."

There was no response, only the sound of the figure wielding the fan to make a move, swiftly erasing the advantage that the white army had managed to gain.

Qi Shan remained unperturbed, calmly uttering a phrase of the encrypted language. The white pieces gathered beneath the celestial canopy, and the white army on the chessboard followed orders. As the black and white armies battled each other, Shen Tang rode her motorcycle to the Zhengguang Bookstore from the day before, shouting from afar.

"Shopkeeper, I'm here to deliver the drawing."

She leaped off her motorcycle and casually tossed the reins. Her motorcycle, understanding her perfectly, tilted its head back and opened its mouth, accurately gripping the reins, then settled down to rest in the open space in front of the bookstore. At this moment, the shopkeeper was sitting behind the counter, supporting his head with one hand, dozing off with half-closed eyes.

The sudden shout roused him from his sleepiness.

"Who, who?" The shopkeeper was startled, but upon seeing the visitor clearly, he exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, you're done with the task so quickly?"

Shen Tang felt a bit guilty and mumbled, "Uh, yeah..."

"Let me see how the drawing turned out." The shopkeeper didn't quite believe it.

Could such a finely detailed drawing be completed in just one night?

He knew the temperament of that lad from the Moonlight Pavilion quite well; he was discerning, and shoddy work wouldn't pass his scrutiny.

As he slowly unfurled the drawing, his gaze was immediately captured by the figure in the drawing, unable to look away for a moment, and even his breathing slowed unconsciously. On the paper stood a handsome young man with a hint of childishness, hiding among the flowers. The artist had not focused on depicting the youth's face; almost all the effort had been poured into those full and perfectly shaped red lips, making one unable to resist the urge to lean in closer.

The shopkeeper suddenly snapped out of his trance, his old face slightly flushed.

Awkwardly clearing his throat, he said, "Miss, your painting skills are truly exceptional!"

He had been in this business for so many years, and he had received many high-priced orders from brothels and taverns. There were at least fifty artists he had hired, and among them were some celebrated masterpieces—some were subtle and restrained, while others were passionate and unrestrained. Some were extremely alluring, while others were excessively vulgar. Artists would use all kinds of techniques, creating captivating and seductive works.

If he were to be honest with himself, what truly made him lose his composure was not a single one of them, but unexpectedly, he encountered it today. He could hardly wait to open the second piece. This painting was of the same style, seemingly subtle and restrained, but upon careful examination, one would discover the desires lurking beneath the calm surface, as if a seductive yet not vulgar fairy hid within the painting, capable of captivating one's soul with a smile or a frown.

The third piece depicted two individuals. One was the same young man, while the other had an indistinct face but possessed a robust and sturdy physique, whispering ambiguously close to the young man's ear, almost as if his full earlobe was being gently held between the other's lips.

The fourth piece also depicted two people, a man and a woman. The woman's face was similarly indistinct, her figure slender and well-proportioned, while the young man was smiling and leaning close to her, an ambiguous atmosphere almost breaking through the paper and engulfing the viewer.

The shopkeeper's throat moved several times, discreetly wiping away sweat. It wasn't good to lose composure in front of Shen Tang, so he pretended to be thirsty and drank some tea, using the cold tea to quench the fire of agitation within him.

This was truly beyond belief. Considering his years in this industry, he thought he had seen it all—classic works of erotica and secret erotic drawings—but he never expected to be surprised by a few hastily completed portraits in one night. Beads of sweat formed on the shopkeeper's forehead, and his face turned red.

After admiring all the paintings, he let out a long sigh, completely convinced—these were definitely the works of a master of secret erotic drawings!

The shopkeeper blurted out, "Miss, have you considered publishing a collection of your drawings?"

The business would definitely be booming, and the collection would sell out in minutes! He believed that once these paintings were unveiled, the top artists in the industry would scramble to make appointments, regardless of the cost!

Shen Tang shook her head, "This is just a one-time thing."

For a young man like Yuan Liang, spending all day drawing this kind of artwork could lead to emptiness. It didn't seem healthy for him to look at either.

The shopkeeper felt a bit disappointed and wanted to persuade her further.

Shen Tang interrupted him, "Actually, I didn't draw these. When I went back last night, I only managed half a page before my elder brother found out. He was furious and helped finish the rest. My brother has a conservative personality and wouldn't agree to make a living from this. Are you satisfied with these paintings?"

"Not drawn by you?" Shen Tang nodded calmly. "Does that matter?"

The shopkeeper thought for a moment and said, "It's alright, as long as the job is done."

He wasn't specifically asking for a particular artist to draw the pictures; as long as the work satisfied him, it didn't matter who the artist was.

It was just a pity that the collection couldn't be published.

The shopkeeper carefully stored away the paintings, smiling with a good mood, "Honestly, I've seen countless drawings in my lifetime, and these are the most stunning. Even I am so impressed, I'm sure that young lad from the Pavilion will be pleased. These paintings will definitely raise his value even higher!"

"When will you deliver the paintings?" Shen Tang asked.

"What's the rush?" The shopkeeper asked.

Shen Tang smiled shyly, "That young lad is so handsome, unforgettable. I thought..."

She blushed and lowered her head coyly.

Understanding her implication, the shopkeeper awkwardly advised, "Miss, the people in the brothels, no matter how good-looking they are, you shouldn't develop feelings for them... After all, they are all..."

He swallowed the rest of his words.

It was one thing for a respectable young lady.

But for a brothel customer...

Unfortunately, this young lady didn't listen at all. She was infatuated beyond measure!