Lao Zhao's words were like a steel needle pricking me. If the art exhibition's revenue didn't reach 100,000, Feng Feng would have to pay the remaining amount out of his own pocket. And my days wouldn't be easy either.
Lao Zhao wouldn't pay us, that was for sure. Because both Feng Feng and I were only temporarily working at Lao Zhao's studio, and we hadn't signed formal contracts, so we weren't protected by law. There was nothing to say to a black-hearted capitalist.
So, to keep the meager wages we had, I got up early in the morning and quickly tidied myself up before heading straight to the art exhibition.
Feng Feng arrived earlier than me. As soon as I got off the bus, I saw him with other employees arranging the paintings to be exhibited. He saw me and said a few words to the other employees before walking over to me.
"Ruan Qi, the situation isn't good. We're still more than 60,000 short of reaching 100,000 in revenue for the art exhibition. The exhibition is only held for two days, and we only have today left," Feng Feng said, then took two cigarettes from his cigarette case and offered me one.
I took one, and Feng Feng lit his first, then lit mine. I immediately cupped my hand around the flame.
Both Feng Feng and I took a deep breath. The salvation of nicotine lingered in our mouths, and slowly exhaled from our noses with the flow of air.
I tried to relax as much as possible, watching my colleagues move the paintings in and out, hoping to find some inspiration to tackle this problem.
"Ruan Qi, do you have any ideas?" Feng Feng's face wasn't looking good; he'd been tense since I saw him this morning.
"To be honest, I don't have any good ideas either. Our only hope now is to find a rich guy who's not too bright, and then fleece him."
"...Never mind," Feng Feng said speechlessly and walked back.
I was also preparing to head towards the exhibition when the crisp sound of high heels hitting the ground caught my attention. I saw a woman in a red coat carrying an LV handbag walking towards the residential complex across the road.
I looked at the residential complex across the road. It was the locally famous "Zhongying Black Forest." It was Feng Feng who had strongly insisted that Lao Zhao hold the exhibition here because it was across from a wealthy area. The residents were local dignitaries, including some art-loving, cultured youths. But there were pros and cons. The only downside was that the rent was too expensive.
Initially, Lao Zhao was absolutely against it because the "Zhao I See" studio didn't have any works by true art masters, only works by painters like me who weren't up to par. It would be difficult to attract collectors, and they only earned money from people with unique tastes and those who believed in fate.
But Feng Feng kept pestering him day after day, saying that holding an exhibition here could boost the studio's reputation. They could seize the opportunity to be accepted by people with unique tastes and even attract investment.
Lao Zhao's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he gritted his teeth and rented two plots worth 70,000. But after a day, he hadn't even earned back the rent, let alone talk about investments. Naturally, he took his anger out on Feng Feng.
I watched the woman in the red coat gradually disappear from my sight. I felt a sense of familiarity, as if I'd even met her before, but I only saw her back and not her face. I imagined her temperament must be extraordinary.
Just as I turned around, my pupils suddenly dilated. I saw a BMW 740LI Leading Model parked less than 50 meters from the art exhibition. I thought to myself, "It can't be a coincidence, can I meet her here?" I steeled myself and cautiously walked over.
When I got close to the car, I could be sure it was the girl who had argued with us. No wonder her back was so alluring, no wonder she looked so mysterious from afar.
Just as I was about to examine the car closely, I was suddenly hit in the back as if by a stone. The pain caused me to instinctively lean forward. I fell onto the hood of the car, and I heard a mocking laugh from behind.
"Haha, you bastard, I knew you'd take the bait."
I immediately turned my head, supporting my injured back with my hand, and saw Yang Fei standing before me like a victor.
"Hey, you bastard, why aren't you talking? I didn't hit your pig brain."
My back hurt so much I couldn't speak, and then I looked down and saw the boulder-sized rock, and anger welled up inside me.
"What's wrong with you, lady? We've only met twice, and we don't have any deep-seated hatred for each other. Is it really necessary to smash me with such a big rock?"
Yang Fei's expression changed instantly when she heard me. She pointed at me and cursed, "How dare you say that? You bastard, you only know how to bully women, and you even hit women."
I thought that if I didn't teach this woman a lesson, I'd probably be harassed and retaliated against by her every day. So, I imitated a heart attack and let out a muffled groan before collapsing straight to the ground. I was betting that this woman in front of me wouldn't just stand by and watch me die.
Sure enough, seeing me fall to the ground instantly, Yang Fei immediately panicked, but at the same time, she retained a sense of caution, shouting from a distance, "Pervert, I know you're faking it, get up, don't be a sore loser."
I ignored her, waiting for her to come closer to me.
Seeing that I didn't respond, Yang Fei immediately became nervous and started to slowly approach me. When she was about three or four meters away from me, she stopped and leaned over to look at me.
I saw the opportunity right in front of me, and exerted all my strength, grabbing her waist tightly with both hands, and with a kick of my foot, I immediately hoisted Yang Fei up.
Suddenly, a sharp scream of "Ah" pierced the air. Seeing this, I immediately covered Yang Fei's mouth, threatening her not to scream again, or she'd be in for it. I put her down from my shoulder, pressing her against the car door, but my hand covering her mouth didn't move.
Looking at Yang Fei, she was already deathly pale with fright. I felt something wet on the back of my hand. Looking closer, Yang Fei's eyes were filled with tears, dripping down her face. She was beautiful at this moment, like Lin Daiyu weeping, a picture of delicate sorrow.
I realized I'd probably gone too far, so I finally removed my hand from her mouth and took a step back, giving her some space, making the situation less cramped. But I regretted it the next second.
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