Chu Luo shrugged. “You’re right. I really can’t appreciate oil paintings from abroad, especially such impressionist paintings.”

Before the women could react, Chu Luo continued, “Compared to these oil paintings, I prefer our empire’s national paintings. The mountains, rivers, flowers, and birds are magnanimous and gentle.”

The woman wearing a Queen’s mask laughed softly. Although she didn’t show it, her words revealed contempt. “To be honest, I don’t appreciate the paintings in your empire either. What’s the point of painting those emotionless flowers and stones all day long?”

“Emotionless?”

When Chu Luo heard this, she frowned. “Who said that our empire’s paintings are emotionless?”

“Are you suggesting otherwise? Look at XX painter’s oil painting. From this painting, we can feel the freedom he yearns for. And this painting evokes hope and dreams.”

“Hmph! Don’t disparage the paintings of a country with your short-sighted opinions.”

“My opinions are short-sighted? If you don’t agree, then draw something that will convince us instead!”

“Ha!”

So this was what these people had been up to.

Chu Luo sneered at the woman. “Painting is fine, but I don’t like being played like a monkey. Since we all insist on our own views, why don’t we each paint one?”

Just as Chu Luo finished speaking, someone started whispering.

“This woman whom Master Li has brought is really overconfident. Doesn’t she know that Adeline is a brilliant student at XX Academy and the proud disciple of the master painter XX?”

“I think this person got carried away after becoming Master Li’s female companion. It’s better to let Adeline deal with her. Destroy her arrogance. When the time comes, we’ll deliberately call over the people in the living room. We’ll see whether or not Master Li will be angry when she disgraces herself.”

“Good idea.”

Adeline’s purpose was to compete against Chu Luo. Hearing Chu Luo’s words, she immediately revealed a smug smile. “Sure.”

Amina tried to stop them, but someone behind her pulled her back.

“Amina, since Adeline and Chu want to compete, as the host, you can just get the servants to prepare the canvas and paint.”

The other women standing beside her chimed in.

“Exactly. We can’t dampen the mood of Master Li’s female companion.”

Unable to refuse, Amina had no choice but to get the servants to prepare the materials.

They had all these things at home because Amina was an art student. She glanced at Adeline, wanting to tell her not to go too far.

However, there were too many people here, and with all that chatter going on, there was no room for her to speak at all.

In the end, she thought for a while and called a servant over. She said to her, “Tell my father what’s happening here.”

The servant nodded at her and turned to walk into the living room.

The other servants quickly prepared the tools that they wanted.

Chu Luo looked at the canvas that the servant had spread out and asked Amina, “Is there Xuan paper1?”

Amina shook her head. “No.”

Adeline deliberately smiled and asked, “Don’t tell me, Chu, that you can’t draw without the paper you need? You have to know that a real expert at drawing can draw good works on any paper.”

“Oh?” Chu Luo glanced at her and said coldly, “In that case, why don’t you use toilet paper to draw? That way, I can give up and admit defeat directly.”

Adeline was stunned at first, then she said in displeasure, “You’re insulting me!”

“No, I’m just giving an example.”

Chu Luo’s casual remark almost made Adeline vomit blood.

She realized that the person Master Li had brought had a vicious mouth. As a lady of the upper-class society, she planned to not argue with her and simply slap her face with the facts.

At the thought of this, Adeline calmed down.

The two of them prepared to draw.

Before holding the paintbrush, Chu Luo said, “In order to be fair, shall we draw a painting that can attract the butterflies outside the door?”

“There are butterflies at night?”

“They can be caught even if there aren’t any.”

“…”

These words were too reasonable. The person who asked the question actually had nothing to say.

After a whispered discussion, everyone looked at Amina.

Amina suddenly had the feeling that things weren’t going to be easy to clean up tonight.

However, she couldn’t say much at this time. She called two servants to the garden to catch butterflies.

Chu Luo and Adeline began to paint.

As the two of them drew, the servant Amina had sent to inform her father found Atlantis and told him about what was happening in a hushed voice.

Atlantis glanced at Li Yan, who continued to sit in the wheelchair with a cold expression, occasionally taking a sip of wine. He frowned.

At this moment, Li Yan suddenly turned to look at him.

The moment Atlantis was stared at by Li Yan’s sharp eyes, his body tensed up. He felt that if he didn’t say anything, he would be in trouble in the next second. Thus, he quickly walked to Li Yan’s side and leaned in to whisper into his ear about Chu Luo’s matter.

When Li Yan heard this, he pursed his lips slightly. It was impossible to tell if he was happy or not.

“Li, do I need to stop this?”

Li Yan suddenly looked up at him. “No need.”

After saying that, he brought the wine in his hand to his lips and took a sip.

Atlantis heaved a sigh of relief.

At this moment, Li Yan asked, “Who’s the one who wants to compete with her?”

“Mr. Lausanne’s daughter, Adeline.”

Li Yan said after a few seconds, “Let her play. Tell me after they’re done.”

It took Atlantis a few seconds to realize what Li Yan meant. He quickly responded and said to the servant standing there, “Go take a look over there. Call us when Li’s female companion is almost done.”

“Yes, Sir.”

…

Chu Luo didn’t start painting immediately. Instead, she watched Adeline paint for a while.

“Why isn’t Chu drawing yet? Could it be that she really doesn’t know how to draw? Was she just bragging?”

“It’s possible. Look at how she uses the paintbrush. It’s obvious that she doesn’t know how to draw.”

“Does this count as Adeline winning before the competition even begins?”

“Tsk tsk, I feel embarrassed for Chu.”

…

“Chu, why aren’t you painting?” Amina couldn’t stand it anymore. She had walked over and asked Chu Luo this in a low voice.

Chu Luo said calmly, “I think she’s painting too slowly. I’ll wait for her first.”

Everyone: “…”

Ten minutes later, Chu Luo started.

Chu Luo’s drawing was smooth and flowing, and her strokes were spirited.

Soon, she’d outlined the shape of the flower leaves.

Everyone stared at her drawing.

Towards the end, everyone seemed to have been bewitched. Their breathing subconsciously followed her paintbrush a little more closely. And when Chu Luo began coloring them, everyone held their breaths.

Chu Luo put down her paintbrush and announced, “I’m done.”

Then she turned to look at Adeline, who had just completed a third of her painting.

To Amina, she said, “Release the butterflies.”

Halfway through, Adeline had seen Chu Luo’s painting and was already feeling very stressed. Hearing Chu Luo say this now, she raised her voice and said angrily, “I’m not done yet! How can you release the butterflies!”

Chu Luo retorted directly, “Do you want to continue painting until the banquet ends?”

Adeline’s face turned red.

At this moment, the sound of a wheelchair and footsteps came from the archway of the small living room into the great room.

In a panic, Adeline accidentally made an extra stroke on the paper. At this moment, everyone was looking at the arched door. She looked at the drawing on the paper, and tears welled up in her eyes.

At that moment, a heavy push came from the side.

“Ah…”

Adeline screamed in surprise and slammed into Chu Luo.

Seeing that she was about to bump into Chu Luo, Adeline panicked. Her hand quickly grabbed the drawing table, but instead of grabbing the edge, she grabbed the paint tray.

Before everyone’s gaze, the paint tray was knocked over and thrown towards her and Chu Luo.

Although Chu Luo reacted quickly, she didn’t have time to dodge all the paint.

Seeing that the light purple dress had quickly been stained with paint, before Chu Luo could react, a berating voice was heard. “Adeline, what are you doing?”

It was Adeline’s father, Lausanne.

There was more paint on Adeline than on Chu Luo. After being shouted at, she was so panicked that she started crying.

“I… It wasn’t me… Someone pushed me just now.”

Chu Luo turned to look at Adeline.

At the same time, she glanced at the people standing beside her.

They quickly retreated and clarified, “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me.”

At this moment, Li Yan’s wheelchair arrived beside Chu Luo.

Chu Luo looked up at him.

Li Yan frowned deeply and said in a cold voice, “Your dress is dirty.”

Atlantis, who was standing nearby, felt his heart swell. He quickly said to Amina, “Amina, quickly, take Chu to change her clothes.”

Chu Luo frowned. “No need.”

She didn’t like wearing other people’s clothes.

Atlantis looked at Li Yan, afraid that he would cancel his cooperation with him if he became unhappy.

Li Yan pursed his lips and looked at her.

Chu Luo pointed at her dress indifferently. “Don’t you think it’s good to add a splash of color?”

Adeline had been framed. She could tell at a glance that someone was trying to make a fool of her. Why would she let that person have her way?

Li Yan seemed to have guessed her thoughts and actually responded with an “Mm.” Then, before everyone’s watchful eyes, he removed his suit jacket and handed it to her.

“Put it on.”

Chu Luo looked at him. “No…”

Li Yan said in disdain, “Even though it’s nice, you can just show it to me alone.”

Everyone: “…”

Master Li had just said something romantic!!!

Right?!

Everyone couldn’t believe their ears.

However, Chu Luo could tell that Li Yan was disdaining the paint on her.

She straightened her face and glared at him.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes at her threateningly.

As soon as their eyes met, Qin Ming, who was standing behind the wheelchair, suddenly walked over and took the suit jacket from Li Yan’s hand. He then approached Chu Luo and put it on her.

Chu Luo: “…”

Indeed, like master, like servant!

1 Xuan paper, or rice paper, is a kind of paper originating in ancient China used for writing and painting