novelraw Chapter 0139 Rebirth in the Art Studio
Chapter 0139 Rebirth in the Art Studio
Wutong Street in the old city.
There are no CBD skyscrapers here, nor the imposing walls of affluent neighborhoods.
There were only mottled red brick walls, fallen leaves covering the ground, and noisy voices filled with the atmosphere of a bustling marketplace.
Wen Ning rented a small art studio on the second floor.
The house is old; the wooden floors make a slight creaking sound when you step on them, and most of the paint on the window frames has peeled off.
But there is a large south-facing window here.
Opening the window, you can see the golden sycamore leaves covering the trees, and an old man selling roasted sweet potatoes downstairs.
The sunlight streamed in without any obstruction.
The air not only smelled of dust, but also carried a long-lost scent called "freedom".
Wen Ning rolled up his sleeves and put on the paper hat.
Holding a rag and mop, they began cleaning.
For the past month, she hasn't even had to pour herself a glass of water in Jiang Ci's apartment.
At this moment, she was kneeling on the ground wiping away years of dirt, her back aching from exhaustion, and her forehead covered in sweat.
But she felt incredibly happy.
Every single floorboard was wiped clean.
Each easel was neatly arranged.
It all seems to be a declaration—
This is her territory.
It was Wen Ning's world all to herself.
……
"Knock knock knock".
There was a knock on the wooden door.
Wen Ning straightened up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Please come in."
The door was pushed open.
Zhou Xu walked in.
He was wearing an expensive cashmere coat, and his assistant was still following closely behind him.
Standing in this narrow, simple, and even somewhat shabby studio, he felt out of place.
Zhou Xu looked around.
Looking at the spider web in the corner and Wen Ning's old clothes covered in dust.
His brows furrowed tightly.
"Ningning."
He sighed, his tone full of disapproval.
"Is this the life you want to live?"
"Why would someone choose to suffer in a place like this when they could just move into a perfectly good apartment?"
"This is not suffering."
Wen Ning put down the rag.
She poured Zhou Xu a glass of water; the glass was just bought from the supermarket and cost only a few yuan.
"This is life."
She looked at Zhou Xu with a calm and firm gaze.
"Brother, thank you for coming to see me."
"But... I want to try it myself."
Zhou Xu placed a bank card on the table.
That was the one he had given her before, the one she had returned.
"The password hasn't changed."
"Even if you want to be independent, there's no need to go against your money. The conditions here are terrible; there's not even heating in winter."
"Listen to your older brother, move to an apartment in the city center, or go back to the Zhou family home."
Wen Ning looked at the card.
shook his head.
"No."
She pushed the card back.
"Brother, for the past three years, I've been living under someone else's wing."
"I relied on you for support while I was abroad, and now I'm being supported by Jiang Ci after I returned to China."
"I have never truly lived a single day on my own."
She laughed self-deprecatingly.
"I used to think it was just good luck."
"Now I think... he's a useless person."
"I want to try, without relying on the Zhou family or Jiang Ci."
"Will I, Wen Ning, be able to survive in this world?"
Zhou Xu looked at her.
Looking into her eyes, though tired, they shone with an astonishing brightness.
The light inside was much calmer and more resilient than that of the spoiled young lady three years ago.
He remained silent for a long time.
Finally, the card was taken back.
"it is good."
Zhou Xu stood up.
He reached out and, just like when they were children, gently patted the top of her head.
"I've grown up."
His tone was a mix of emotion and relief.
"Since you want to fly, then go fly."
"If you're tired outside, or if you're bullied by others."
"I remember... you have an older brother."
Wen Ning's eyes felt slightly warm.
"Thank you, brother."
Zhou Xu is gone.
It took away the Zhou family's last refuge.
It also took away all of Wen Ning's dependence on the past.
The door closed.
The studio returned to silence.
Wen Ning took a deep breath.
She went to the window and set up the easel.
Extruding the pigment.
The palette is a riot of colors.
She sat down.
Pick up a paintbrush.
His hands were trembling slightly.
That was a consequence of being imprisoned and subjected to mental oppression for a month.
It is also the fear of facing an unknown future.
She stared at the blank canvas.
Many images flashed through my mind.
Jiang Ci's face, the stormy night, and that golden cage.
"call……"
Wen Ning closed her eyes and adjusted her breathing.
forget.
Forget about it all.
Now, all you have here is the canvas, the paint, and yourself.
She opened her eyes again.
With a flick of the wrist, I steadied the paintbrush.
The first stroke is made.
Those were dark brown lines, rough and powerful.
That's soil.
It's ruins.
then.
It's a touch of light green.
One point, two points, connected into one.
She was no longer painting Jiang Ci.
He was no longer the man she both loved and hated.
She drew a tree.
A sapling that stubbornly sprouted from the cracks in the rocks amidst the ruins.
It is thin and weak.
But it is holding its head high, facing the sun, and growing desperately.
That's her.
They crawled out of the mud, washed away the filth, and although they were covered in wounds, they still longed for the warmth of the sun.
Time passed second by second.
The sunlight moved from the east to the west.
The golden sunset cast its light on the canvas, giving the little tree a sacred glow.
Wen Ning put down his pen.
Looking at the painting in front of me.
An unprecedented sense of satisfaction filled her chest.
That is the joy that belongs to the creator.
It is also a joy belonging to those who are reborn.
She stood up.
Walk to the window and open it.
The late autumn breeze felt cool on my face, yet it was very refreshing.
She looked down at the bustling crowd below.
Looking at the myriad lights of homes in the distance.
at last.
She gave a genuine smile.
"Hello, Wen Ning."
She spoke softly to the wind.
Welcome back.