Rebirth in a Shura Field, but in an Abstract Version

047 This is a beautiful wish.

Jiang Di: "You agreed?"

"I agreed, but there's no paint here that can be applied to the body," Wang Zhe shrugged. "Regular oil paints aren't good for your health if you apply them to your skin. You'll have to buy those special water-soluble body paints."

"Where can I buy that kind of paint?" Jiang Di asked eagerly.

"There must be art supply stores near the art school; they'll definitely have it there. I'll go check it out tomorrow..."

"Okay then!"

Before Wang Zhe could finish speaking, Jiang Di cheered and rushed over to hug him tightly.

The girl's soft body bumped into his arms, carrying a faint scent of shower gel.

Wang Zhe patted her back stiffly and smiled helplessly.

Song Zhiyi sat beside them, watching the two hugging, and smiled, "You two are really so innocent."

They don't even kiss; their intimate way of expressing affection is through hugging. How can that not be pure and innocent?

However, considering the previous "discipline" and the upcoming body painting, Song Zhiyi felt that this kind of innocence was a bit too subtle.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Three days later, it was a Sunday.

The weather in Chengdu remained gloomy. There was no sun, yet it was still muggy. However, it was somewhat better than some of the more notorious "furnace cities" in China.

Since it was the weekend, all three students' parents were home resting, so their tutoring group was temporarily suspended. But that was fine; they could do something else besides studying.

10:00 AM.

Song Zhiyi stood at the entrance of Jiang Di's residential compound, carrying a small bag on her back.

A moment later, the increasingly familiar silver-gray Wuling drove up and came to a steady stop in front of her.

The car window rolled down, revealing Wang Zhe's face wearing sunglasses—cheap sunglasses he'd taken from Jiang Peng's car, but somehow they gave him a youthful and handsome look.

"Get in the car."

Song Zhiyi opened the car door and found Jiang Di already sitting in the passenger seat.

Jiang Di was dressed quite unusually today. She wore a white sleeveless vest, revealing her slender, fair arms and rounded shoulders, paired with denim shorts. This outfit is common in summer, but considering today's plans, it seemed like it had been planned for a long time.

"Have you bought everything?" Song Zhiyi asked after getting into the car.

"I bought everything." Wang Zhe pointed to a plastic bag on the back seat. "I went to the Rongcheng Academy of Fine Arts yesterday and bought it at an art shop next door. It's imported body paint, safe and non-toxic, and water-soluble."

Song Zhiyi sat in the back seat, and the car started moving again.

The Wuling van drove through the bustling streets, heading south of the city.

About twenty minutes later, the car turned into Donghu Park. The park was lush with trees, filled with the chirping of cicadas, and wasn't a popular tourist spot, so there weren't many visitors.

Wang Zhe found a parking space under the shade of a tree and parked his car.

"This is fine. The lighting is good, and no one will bother us."

The three of them got out of the car.

Wang Zhe opened the trunk door of the Wuling Hongguang.

The trunk height is just right for people to sit in, and the lift-up rear door can also be used as a sunshade.

"Just sit here." Wang Zhe patted the edge of the trunk.

Jiang Di sat cross-legged in the trunk, placed her hands on her knees, and obediently closed her eyes, like a doll waiting to be inspected.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on Wang Zhe and Song Zhiyi.

Wang Zhe took out a paint palette, paintbrushes, and a bottle of water from the plastic bag.

He didn't rush to start painting, but instead, like a true craftsman, squeezed out paint and mixed colors. His expression was focused and serious, as if what was about to happen was not a game, but a serious creative endeavor.

"Are you ready?" Wang Zhe asked, holding a pen and looking at Jiang Di.

"Alright..." Jiang Di nodded, her voice trembling slightly.

Although she had prepared herself mentally, she still felt a strange tension when Wang Zhe approached with the pen.

The cool tip of the pen touched her left upper arm.

Instantly, Jiang Di shuddered and got goosebumps.

Wang Zhe's hand is very steady, and his brushstrokes are gentle yet powerful, bringing a moist feel to the touch.

He draws slowly and meticulously.

Song Zhiyi, watching from the side, quickly realized that what he had drawn was a school gate.

Simple lines outline the perspective, and the black, white, and gray tones are handled perfectly. There are no superfluous decorations, only precise structure.

That was the gate of their high school.

Jiang Di dared not move, even slowing down her breathing.

She turned her head to look at Wang Zhe's face, which was so close to hers.

His eyes were slightly lowered, his eyelashes were long, and his nose was straight. He didn't even look at her face; his gaze was completely focused on that small patch of skin on her arm.

This focus gave her an unprecedented sense of peace.

"OK, this part on the left is done."

With that, Wang Zhe temporarily put down his pen.

Jiang Di looked down and saw a simple yet highly three-dimensional school gate design on her left arm. Although it was just a simple black and white sketch, it had an indescribable artistic feel when printed on her arm.

"Next is the right side."

Wang Zhe changed his brush and the paint he used.

This time, he drew a tower.

Three spheres are linked together, and the spire pierces the sky.

This is the Oriental Pearl Tower.

This was his wish for the girl's future, and also a silent promise. Shanghai and Hong Kong, the cities they were about to visit, the goals Jiang Di needed to strive to achieve.

Song Zhiyi stood by the painting the whole time.

She didn't say anything, she just recorded a video with her phone.

In the shot, under the shade of trees, in the trunk of a dilapidated van. A boy is intently painting, while a girl gazes at him shyly.

This scene was so beautiful, it was like something out of a pure love movie.

After Wang Zhe finished the last stroke, Song Zhiyi pressed the shutter and took several close-up shots of the two newly painted paintings.

"Perfect," Song Zhiyi smiled with satisfaction as she looked at the photos on her phone. "I'll send you all a copy later, as a souvenir, how about that?"

Jiang Di quickly agreed, "Okay!"

Wang Zhe put down his pen, looked at the patterns on Jiang Di's left and right arms, and nodded in satisfaction.

"This pigment is water-soluble. You can just rub it off with soap or shower gel when you shower at night. Don't expect it to last long."

Jiang Di raised her arm, looked left and right, her eyes practically overflowing with affection.

Upon hearing Wang Zhe's words, she raised her head and revealed a smile that was even more radiant than the summer sun.

"I know. I know it will disappear at night. But..."

Jiang Di was momentarily at a loss for words, so Song Zhiyi continued for her: "Not caring about forever, only caring about having had it?"

"Right..." Jiang Di started to say, then suddenly realized, "No, that's not right either! 'Not caring about forever' only refers to these two paintings, not to me and Wang Zhe!"

Song Zhiyi laughed and said, "I understand, I understand. You're going to Shanghai and Hong Kong to see him next year."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.