C15 He Was Dizzy from the Heat!

"Thank you, Miss Zhou. Today, I'm painting a portrait of a lady with a stone. I'll need you to hold that stone in your arms and stand among the flowers. My work will take about three hours, during which you must remain still, or it will disrupt my process."

Wen Ruanruan's tone was all business, but Zhou Xirou was already fuming.

Pointing at the roughly twenty-pound stone on the ground, she was hopping mad. "Are you doing this on purpose? Do you know how hot it is right now? And you want me to stand there holding this stupid rock in the sun?!"

Wen Ruanruan smirked. "What are you saying, Miss Zhou? I'm just following the guidelines you requested."

Gritting her teeth, Zhou Xirou muttered under her breath, "You witch! You're doing this on purpose!"

"So what if I am?" Wen Ruanruan replied with a mocking smile, lowering her voice as well. "Miss Zhou, we're all adults here. It's time you learn to face the consequences of your actions. My family is not to be insulted at your whim."

"You!" Zhou Xirou was livid.

But with everyone watching, she had no choice but to struggle as she lifted the heavy stone and stood among the flowers.

Wen Ruanruan calmly picked up her brush, mixed her paints, and began sketching. Her movements were skilled yet deliberately slow, as if she was intentionally taking her time.

It was the middle of June, and the sun was blazing. The scorching rays felt like fire on the skin, and beads of sweat began to form on Zhou Xirou's forehead.

She was always a delicate young lady, never having endured such hardship before. In just half an hour, Zhou Xirou was already on the verge of collapse, the heavy stone in her hands having worn her tender skin raw, and her feet ached as if they were filled with lead.

Meanwhile, Wen Ruanruan had only sketched a basic outline on the pristine canvas, just a simple draft.

Choo’s mother, naturally concerned for Zhou Xirou, couldn't help but scold, "Wen Ruanruan! Are you doing this on purpose? Half an hour and all you've got is a draft? Who are you trying to fool? You're just a struggling artist, and Xirou, with her refined upbringing, is doing you a huge favor by modeling for you. Are you deliberately making her suffer, disregarding my presence?"

Wen Ruanruan met her gaze steadily, her tone calm, "Auntie, you can ask Mr. Du if my pace is really slow. I may not come from a privileged background, but I take my work more seriously than anyone. People may be judged by their status, but no one has the right to question the sincerity and passion someone has for what they love."

As she spoke, Wen Ruanruan's face was unusually serious and earnest.

For a moment, Choo Liting seemed to see an illusion—a small woman with an immense, resilient strength, shining brightly before him.

Upon hearing this, Du Yuchun couldn't stay silent any longer. "Mrs. Choo, please don't be upset. Miss Wen isn't working slowly at all. Creating the initial outline is quite challenging. Please be patient a little longer."

With this professional insight, Mrs. Choo had no choice but to suppress her dissatisfaction.

As time ticked by, Zhou Xirou's face grew increasingly pale, and she felt more and more unsteady on her feet. Her gaze, filled with resentment, fixed on Wen Ruanruan, and her intense anger clouded her judgment.

In the next moment, to the shock of everyone present, Zhou Xirou hurled a large stone toward Wen Ruanruan. However, perhaps due to the exhaustion from standing in the sun for so long, Zhou Xirou stumbled and fell in a rather undignified manner, landing flat on the ground. Her forehead collided precisely with the large stone in front of her.