"What's wrong? Your clothes don't look dirty."
The main entrance of the library,
Sakai Katsuko watched with confusion as Gu Weijing took out a tissue and wiped her shoulders in school uniform hard.
Gu Weijing smiled bitterly.
He couldn't say that he didn't know what the other person's hand touched before patting his shoulder.
"Wait a minute, your tie is not tied properly."
Sakai Shengzi stopped Gu Weijing who wanted to leave.
She took a few steps forward and gently pulled away the loose tie on Gu Weijing's school uniform shirt.
"Let me retie it for you."
She folded the silk cloth on her chest after unfolding it. Shengzi lowered his head and intertwined his fair and dexterous fingers as if tying a delicate knot.
Gu Weijing's body muscles were as stiff as a tight bow.
He knows that in Japanese and Korean culture, it is normal for girls to tie ties, arrange clothes, and even kneel down to tie shoelaces for close friends of the opposite sex.
A few years ago, Song Joong-ki, the top star in the peninsula, appeared in the new school idol drama in which he knelt down on one knee to tie a girl's shoelaces. This also caused a heated discussion on social media about whether boys can tie girls' shoelaces. The nationals quarreled.
However, this situation is still relatively rare in European-style campuses that advocate gender equality.
He felt a little ashamed, a little nervous, and had some unspeakable feelings.
There was the sound of silk rubbing against his ears, and the warm fragrance of Miss Katsuko's body was on his nose. His heartbeat accelerated inexplicably.
Gu Weijing noticed a light red glow on Sakai Katsuko's neck and side of her face.
Close physical contact itself is an important way to initiate a sense of closeness.
Same for boys and girls.
This is true even between parents and children.
In biology, this phenomenon is called "contact intimacy", which is an objective physiological law.
It is for this reason that the social dance has become the most important blind date event in European history, and that there is such a high proportion of male and female figure skating partners becoming husband and wife or lovers.
"Okay, let's continue tomorrow."
Katsuko Sakai tied her tie: "The principal assigned me the reading room B16 alone. We have to take some time every day to write the first draft of the paper as early as possible."
…
time flies,
Soon the first week of school will come to an end.
The progress of writing the thesis was smoother than expected. Katsuko Sakai is indeed a very good person to work with.
Not only does she have good English writing skills and is familiar with the content of art history, but she also carefully formulated a writing outline and task schedule.
Katsuko Sakai breaks a large paper into many small and different points.
Gu Weijing and the girl would sort out yesterday's content in the study room at noon every day, read the paper together, then discuss the next step in writing, and then finish it separately after returning home.
The communication between them was surprisingly in tune.
According to this progress,
Perhaps a rough first draft of the paper can be completed within this month.
Katsuko Sakai lives a hermit-like life on campus.
Except for the physical education classes with the girls, I almost keep my schedule in the study room and the studio.
therefore,
The public studio has almost become the only opportunity for outsiders to see Sakai Katsuko.
Whenever Katsuko Sakai walks into the studio,
The large public studios at Dulwich College always become overcrowded in a short time.
There are even many students from other departments and ordinary classes who sneak into the studio just to see the true face of this legendary artistic girl who is very beautiful and has a net worth of hundreds of millions.
Sakai Katsuko would also politely chat with everyone who struck up a conversation with her at the beginning.
Later, I couldn't stand it anymore, so I could only put on a pair of pink Beats headphones while painting, and use this tactful way to refuse to talk while painting.
There is a rumor on campus that the new transfer student is a bit aloof.
People who are familiar with Shengzi know that she is just not very good at dealing with such problems.
"Gu Weijing, please wait a moment, I want to talk to you."
On Friday,
As soon as Gu Weijing walked out of the library door, he met Mrs. Sakai on the side.
"Mom? What's the matter?"
Miss Shengzi, who was smiling at Gu Weijing, suddenly saw her mother, with a bit of surprise and a bit of nervousness on her face.
"Shengzi, you go to the studio first. I want to have a few words with Xiao Gu alone."
Mrs. Sakai touched her daughter's head and signaled Katsuko to do her own thing first.
"Mom, Gu Weijing is a very good person. He is the best peer I have ever met. I am honored to co-write this paper with him."
Sakai Katsuko didn't move, and looked at Gu Weijing with worried eyes.
She was very relaxed and happy when she was with Gu Weijing.
Don't know why.
Sakai Shengzi could feel that her mother had always had some vague prejudice against Gu Weijing, and she always seemed to dislike her being too close to him.
"It's not about the paper."
Mrs. Sakai shook her head and said to her daughter: "Shengzi, be obedient, you have nothing to do here."
A few minutes later,
Gu Weijing appeared in Mrs. Sakai's school office.
The office space assigned to Mrs. Sakai by the principal is very large, about fifty square meters, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sun and a large sofa for guests.
"Do you want something to drink, Xiao Gu?"
Mrs. Sakai asked Gu Weijing to sit on the sofa, walked to the coffee machine, and pressed the button to make coffee.
"No."
Gu Weijing shook his head: "Madam, do you have anything to do with me?"
He had no impression of Mrs. Sakai.
I just briefly said hello to this beautiful lady through the window glass in the passenger seat of the Mercedes-Benz driven by Komatsu Taro.
"Then, let's be blunt, Gu Weijing, I actually don't like you at all..."
Mrs. Sakai turned her back to the floor-to-ceiling window, holding up the coffee cup and taking a sip.
"…But my daughter might like you."
Gu Weijing was completely stunned.
He imagined countless ways in which the topic between Mrs. Sakai and himself could go, but he did not expect this way of unfolding at all.
"Madam, have you misunderstood? Miss Shengzi and I are not in that kind of relationship." Gu Weijing stretched out his hand, feeling a little at a loss.
Mrs. Sakai looked at Gu Weijing with an unhappy face.
"When I said that Shengzi liked you, your first reaction was not to be ecstatic, but to refute. You know, I really want to throw the coffee in my hand on your face."
"Katsuko, she..."
Gu Weijing opened his mouth, but he had not yet recovered from the impact of Mrs. Sakai's words.
Does Sakai Katsuko like herself?
How is this possible?
She does treat herself differently from others, but that's just because the two of them need to discuss the paper together.
"Okay, don't refute. Young man, I know my daughter better than you do. She is a rare treasure who has been kissed on the cheek by the Muse, the goddess of art. I even once suspected that she would no longer pay attention to anything except the art of painting. Things, let alone falling in love with anyone.”
Mrs. Sakai waved her hand to signal Gu Weijing to listen to her.
“You are the first of Katsuko’s peers whose name is mentioned frequently.
The first week Shengzi came to Myanmar, she frequently mentioned your name on the phone with me.
That kind of admiration and competitiveness when she mentioned you was completely absent from her past life. I was once a little girl, and I know that curiosity about the opposite sex of the same age is the first step for a girl to fall in love with someone. "
Mrs. Sakai leaned forward and looked at Gu Weijing: "So I immediately informed Taro Kosatsu to fly to Yangon with me."
"Do you still remember the guy who tore your painting apart?"
Gu Weijing nodded.
"He tore up your painting with my acquiescence. My husband wanted to stop it, but I stopped him. You have the right to be angry, but I will not apologize for it."
Mrs. Sakai's tone was playful.
"Even now, in my opinion, Komatsu-kun is more suitable for my daughter than you. His father Komatsu Kenta really hopes to marry our family. Mr. Kenta is the chairman of the Japan Painting and Calligraphy Federation, and their Komatsu Gallery can be in Japan is in the top ten. Whether Katsuko likes it or not, he will be a good husband."
"I thought the matter was over. You were just a passer-by in Sakai Katsuko's life. She didn't even realize that she had a crush on you. When she leaves Myanmar, it won't take long for her to forget you."
Mrs. Sakai looked directly into Gu Weijing's eyes.
"But you gave me a reason that I couldn't refuse, an A&HCI. In the face of such a paper, even I couldn't stop Shengzi from staying in Myanmar."
"Katsuko is a person who is very indifferent to love. I know my daughter. It is difficult for someone like her to realize who she likes, but when she really realizes that she has fallen in love with someone, it is difficult to forget her."
Mrs. Sakai sighed.
"I saw her tying your tie that day. Do you think Shengzi would treat ordinary friends so casually?
Katsuko even talked about Komatsu-kun with me during dinner yesterday.
Maybe she was afraid of making me angry, so she said it very cryptically, but I still heard that she was expressing that she didn't want to get engaged to Xiaosong too early.
That's when I realized I had to talk to you. "
Mrs. Sakai raised her chin: "When it came to marriage before, Shengzi always had an indifferent attitude, neither catering to nor opposing.
Gu Weijing, we all know the reason why Shengzi made the change, and that is you, although she may not even realize this yet. "
Gu Weijing frowned: "Mrs. Sakai, I understand what you mean. Are you... warning me to stay away from your daughter?"
"Why?"
Mrs. Sakai smiled.
She asked back: "Do you think I came today to embarrass you? No, no, no, this is too childish. You are the person Shengzi likes. The more forbidden things are, the more rebellious they are. I will give it to you Embarrassed? I was still afraid that you would hurt my daughter."
"But Xiaosong..."
"Of course Taro Komatsu is a better candidate. But I'm not selling my daughter. Whoever pays the highest price will get it."
Mrs. Sakai shook her head and said: "As long as it's not too bad, I naturally hope that Katsuko can find someone she likes. Why should I interfere?"
"So you asked me to come today?"
Gu Weijing was a little confused.
"I didn't like you before because I thought you were completely unworthy of my daughter. Money has never been the focus, and Shengzi is not a girl who worships money. I just think that you, who grew up in an art desert like Yangon, A great indigenous painter will drag Katsuko down. In an environment like Japan, a girl with an unhappy husband will never be happy in her life."
"But now, I have to say that your performance surprised me. Not only is it about the thesis, Kazunari Sakai really thinks highly of you and vowed to me that you will definitely become an excellent artist."
Mrs. Sakai shook her head: "My husband is so optimistic about someone, I am willing to give him a chance."
She stood up and looked down at Gu Weijing: "I won't get involved in the affairs between you young people. I only have two requirements. If you want to be with Shengzi, first, you must pass the exam to a high school. As long as your paper can be successfully published in the top 30 art academies in the world, it shouldn't be a big problem. Second, one of your paintings must be able to sell for more than 10,000 US dollars. This is the lowest baseline for an outstanding young painter. .”
"You should know that this requirement is not too high. You have to prove something before I can trust you with my daughter."
"Before this, the most you can do is hold hands... at least the bottom line is that you are not allowed to go to bed."
Gu Weijing's eyes widened and he looked at Mrs. Sakai seriously for two seconds before confirming that she was not joking.
"I am serious. This is both my request and a mother's plea to you. Shengzi is a simple young girl who forgets everything easily when she falls in love. I have an obligation to protect her, and so do you. If you Really like what she said.”
Mrs. Sakai's face was very serious.
Gu Weijing hesitated for a long time.
Then he said softly: "Sorry."
"Are you not even willing to guarantee this sacrifice? Or have you already..." Mrs. Sakai was shocked.
"No, madam, I mean, it's too early to say this. I don't even know if I like Katsuko. Miss Katsuko may not like me at all."
"It doesn't matter. If you're not in love, I'd be just thankful. Like I said, I still think Komatsu-kun is a better match than you."
Mrs. Sakai smiled.
"Today's conversation can be regarded as a vaccination. I just want to tell you as a mother where the boundaries are."
After knowing that his daughter might have fallen in love with Gu Weijing,
She did quite a bit of understanding.
Mrs. Sakai even heard about Gu Weijing and the president of the women's student union in that school.
But she never took the Indian girl named Sandnu Mona seriously.
Not to mention that she made it clear at the opening ceremony that she didn't have a boyfriend.
Even if the two of them are boyfriend and girlfriend,
What does it matter?
Mrs. Sakai has sufficient confidence in her daughter's charm. In front of the real white swan, the local ugly duckling is not worth mentioning at all.
When she noticed Shengzi's affection for Gu Weijing,
From beginning to end, this matter was not a question of whether Gu Weijing would fall in love with his daughter.
It's just a question of whether Gu Weijing is worthy of Shang Shengzi.
This led to today's conversation.
"By the way, there's one more thing."
Mrs. Sakai took out a letter from the drawer in the office and handed it to Gu Weijing.
"What's this?"
Gu Weijing opened the envelope and found a letter of recommendation handwritten by Mrs. Sakai.
"About my advanced class. Taro Komatsu has also come to Myanmar, and I will ask him to teach for me. He is a very good young man. Frankly speaking, I very much hope that Katsuko will like him. This is what I want to give The chances he creates."
Mrs. Sakai said it calmly and not offensively.
"But I guess it won't be a good experience for you two young people to meet each other. I'll give you a letter of recommendation, but I won't recruit you."
(End of chapter)
