Yingqu Liuzi was pampered by her wealthy daddy.

Shen Yu'an has been doing quite well at school lately.

The professor praised his rapid progress, saying that his painting of the Thames was very inspired.

Several classmates asked him how he made that blue color, and Shen Yu'an happily shared his method with them.

But some people are unhappy.

Shen Yu'an didn't notice this at first.

He usually gets along well with his classmates, and he will help anyone who needs his help.

But he later discovered that there was a boy in the same department named Marcus who always seemed a little strange whenever he saw him.

Marcus is a year ahead of him and is also very good at drawing, but his grades on recent assignments have not been very good.

Shen Yu'an once greeted him in the corridor, but he only glanced at Shen Yu'an and left.

Another time, when Shen Yu'an was mixing colors in the studio, Marcus came in and deliberately said something loudly to the person next to him. Shen Yu'an didn't hear it clearly, but the tone was a bit off.

Shen Yu'an didn't think much of it, assuming that the other person might be in a bad mood.

Shen Yu'an had class that afternoon, and after class he went to the art studio to pack his things as usual.

He left a new painting in his studio the day before, and after several days of work, he finally got the hang of it, only the last layer of detail was left unfinished.

He plans to finish today and hand it over to the professor next week.

He pushed open the door and walked towards where he kept his paintings. Before he even got there, he stopped.

The easel fell to the ground.

The canvas lay face down on the floor, next to a puddle of stale paint, all mixed together and looking filthy.

Shen Yu'an squatted down, lifted the easel, and his hand trembled slightly as he turned the canvas over.

Paint was splashed on the canvas.

The muddy paint covered most of the painting, obscuring all the colors that had been applied before, leaving only a small patch at the edge where the original blue could still be seen.

The canvas was also scratched several times, cracked from the middle to the edge, and completely ruined.

Shen Yu'an held the canvas and squatted on the ground, looking at it for a long time.

His hands were trembling, and his eyes were sore and swollen, but he didn't cry.

He stood up and looked at the other students in the art studio.

Everyone was busy with their own things, and it seemed that no one noticed what had happened.

He glanced down at the canvas in his hand again; the paint wasn't completely dry, indicating that it had only been painted in the last hour or two.

He went to see the professor.

The professor looked at his painting, frowned, and said he would check the surveillance footage, telling him not to worry. Shen Yu'an agreed and left the office.

He walked down the corridor, his pace slowing. He had been working on that painting for several days, and the first thing he did every morning when he came to the studio was to add color.

He really liked that painting and thought it was the best one he had painted recently.

Now it's all gone.

He walked to the end of the corridor, stood against the wall, and lowered his head. A classmate passed by and asked him if he needed help.

He shook his head and said he was fine.

After the person walked away, Shen Yu'an took out his phone.

The first name in his contacts was Xize. He tapped on it, and the call connected after two rings.

"Baby?"

The moment Shen Yu'an heard that voice, all her grievances welled up inside her.

He could have held back, but when he heard Xize call him "baby," his nose stung with tears, and he opened his mouth several times before he could make a sound.

"Daddy……"

His voice had a distinct nasal tone, and the last syllable trembled.

There was a brief silence on Xize's end before he spoke, his speech a little faster than usual.

"What's wrong? Where are you?"

"At school...outside the art studio." Shen Yu'an sniffed, trying to keep her voice steady. "My painting was ruined. Paint was spilled on it, and it was scratched. The one I'd been working on for days is gone."

After he finished speaking the last two words, his voice became completely hoarse.

He raised his hand to cover his mouth to stop himself from crying, but his breathing was already erratic.

I could hear the sound of a chair being moved and footsteps coming from the other end of the phone.

"Don't move, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

You don't need to...

"Don't move, wait for me."

The call hadn't ended. Shen Yu'an heard the sound of car keys being picked up on the other end.

The sound of Xize breathing came through the receiver; it was heavier than usual, but his voice was steady.

"Don't cry, I'm on my way."

Shen Yu'an leaned against the wall, squatted down, and held his phone.

He buried his face in his knees, listening to Xize's breathing on the other end of the phone and the occasional turn signal beep, and finally tears fell.

He cried quietly, only his shoulders were shaking.

I held the phone to my ear the whole time, listening to the voice on the other end.

Xize would occasionally say "almost there," and sometimes he would say nothing at all, only his breathing letting him know that someone was there.

About twenty minutes later, Shen Yu'an heard the sound of a car parking and a car door opening over the phone.

I've arrived. Where are you?

"At the entrance of the art studio."

"Stand still."

Shen Yu'an stood up and wiped his face haphazardly with the back of his hand. He glanced at the other end of the corridor and saw Xize walking in from the main entrance.

Xize was wearing a suit today, with his tie still on, so he must have come directly from the office.

He walked quickly down the corridor, and when his eyes found Shen Yu'an, he quickened his pace.

He walked up to Shen Yu'an and looked down at him.

Shen Yu'an's eyes were red, as was the tip of his nose, and there were still tear stains on his face. He gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Xize didn't ask what happened. He first reached out and pulled Shen Yu'an into his arms, one hand around his back and the other pressing on the back of his head.

Shen Yu'an's face was pressed against his chest, the fabric of his suit brushing against his cheek, along with that familiar cedar scent.

"It's alright," Xize's voice sounded above him. "I'm here."

Shen Yu'an shed a few more tears in his arms, but it was much better than before. He sniffed and said in a muffled voice, "The painting is gone."

"Baby, stop crying. Who did that?"

"The professor is checking the security footage. I'm not sure who it is."

"Find out first," Xize patted him lightly on the back twice. "Let's go home first."

Shen Yu'an nodded and stepped out of his embrace.

Xize looked down at his tear-smeared face, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to him. Shen Yu'an took it, wiped his face, and sniffed.

"Let's go."

Xize didn't let go of his shoulder, but just half-embraced him as they walked out. As they passed through the corridor, some classmates saw them, stole a few glances, but didn't come up to ask anything.

After getting into the car, Xize didn't start it immediately. He turned around and looked at Shen Yu'an intently.

"Besides painting, is there anything else?"

Shen Yu'an thought for a moment and then told him about Marcus, saying that the man's attitude had been strange lately, that he was ignoring people and had said some unpleasant things.

After listening, Xize nodded.

"I see."

Shen Yu'an looked at him, knowing in his heart that Xize wouldn't let it go so easily. But he didn't say anything. He leaned back in his seat, looking out the window, his eyes still stinging.

Xize started the car and reached out to take Shen Yu'an's hand, which was resting on his lap.

"Let's go back and get something to eat first."

"Um."

Shen Yu'an grasped his hand in return; his fingertips were icy, but Xize's palm warmed them. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat.

The hurt from today is still there, but it's not as intense anymore. Because someone came quickly, hugged him, gave him a handkerchief, and said, "Let's go home."

He slowly relaxed, holding Xize's fingers tightly, unwilling to let go.