An Angelic B*tch's Climb Up the Social Ladder - Chapter 13

Chap 13- Intentional Encounter at The Art Gallery

Her ears felt a little itchy under the shower of the sunlight. Lin Zhinan rubbed it with her hands only to recall that there was a mole behind her ear lobe that didn’t belong to her.
  
— “Tang Yanan has a red mole in the center of her left ear lobe, but when she first auditioned for the entertainment industry, the director commented it was too bewitching and eye-catching.”
  
— “After hesitation, she decided to remove it by laser.”
  
These few lines appeared in the documents the private detective had sent her, just like sand running through her fingers, not leaving behind even a single trace.
  
Others wouldn’t pay much attention to such a detail, but Zhinan kept murmuring those words and even rummaged through photos Tang Yanan took with friends at university.
  
Sure enough, in a white dress, she turned her head back smiling at the camera and the mole was like a twinkling jewel in her left ear, very eye-catching indeed.
  
And most definitely bewitching.
  
Zhinan began to wonder what Jiang Ting thought of the mole.
  
Since Tang Yanan entered the entertainment world, private photos of the two began to disappear from the public eye, even those secretly photographed photos of the couple posted on the school forums have been entirely deleted.
  
One will know why if you just pondered.
  
Jiang Ting is protecting Tang Yanan, as any rumors of a relationship will become a weapon that harms her after she gains popularity.
  
Lin Zhinan can’t understand his love, but she can speculate on his feelings.
  
What they had isn’t a purely platonic relationship, but a love affair that spanned across long four years. Jiang Ting must know Tang Yanan well like the back of his hand.
  
What would he think of this red mole? Could it have possibly been a passion incite in their sentimental love.
  
She guessed that this was definitely the case!
  
At this very moment, Zhinan had a bold idea. She went and got a red mole on the edge of her right ear lobe.
  

— Changed to having it on the right earlobe instead of the left and made it slightly lighter.
  
The similarities aren’t the same but nevertheless made it tough for Jiang Ting to ignore.
  
How should we put it, the old Jiang Ting was warm and gentle as jade. He gave all his gentleness to Tang Yanan, and it was also buried in the ivory tower together with her.
  
As they parted ways, the simple and handsome man lost his gentleness and became unfeeling and indifferent.
  
According to the data, these four years after their separation, Jiang Ting was obsessed with work and rarely had a woman.
  
The only two occasions could only be called his bedmate where he immediately cut off all contact the second he discovered the women had other intentions.

She has no choice but to take Tang Yanan’s road.
  
If Jiang Ting would offer a helping hand because of these similarities, she would be able to survive for many years with just a single hair from his nine ox hides.
  
It was already a coincidence when she met him for the first time, so as not to arouse his suspicion, Zhinan had not planned any chance encounters with him for the past half month.
  
Even the money transferred to his secretary was returned untouched.
  
Saying that they were just defending her because they saw injustice, she should rest assured, and take this amount of money as MD Jiang’s roadblock clearance fee.
  
With all that’s said, Zhinan accepted the returned money.
  
She didn’t try to get close to him by claiming it as gratitude for saving her life, which was a really lame excuse that would just be telling others ‘I have other intentions’.
  
Zhinan is waiting for another chance– the day of Morian’s art exhibition.
  
Around the corner, the Art Gallery was in sight, and she stepped inside, walking through the antique wood door she entered the deep-dark path that led to the bright, wide exhibition hall.
  
There were no more than two dozen people, standing up and whispering in front of a gritty line on the red wall.
  
Zhinan slowly strolled through the hall, she had even gotten to the second floor but was yet to see him.
  
She wasn’t entirely sure he’s going to come, thus she decided to stand by the edge of the back garden where one could see the vast expense of the complex street of Taiguli when looking out of the large glass window.
  
— Jiang Ting will definitely pass this street if he wants to enter the Art Gallery.
  
In the bright sunshine, the floor-to-ceiling glass blocked the chilliness.
  
Zhinan stared so hard she started to see double images of the building, as the sun falls quietly preparing for sunset.
  
The scenery was breathtaking, but she couldn’t help feeling anxious internally. Have I predicted wrongly and Jiang Ting hadn’t actually planned to come?
  
She had only eaten a sandwich today, so her stomach started hurting with the excessive acid.
  
But she was afraid of missing out on his arrival, thus she’s afraid to leave the gallery; Currently unsure which next course of action she should be taking.
  
At this moment her phone even vibrated a few times unsympathetically, looking down at the screen– It’s from Tang Ziyu.
  
Texts from him are all about inviting her out to dinner or trying to soften her attitude with financial resources. It comes every two to three days and has been happening for almost a month.
  
She politely declines, but instead of stopping, her coldness only made him more interested. Any excuse she has previously declined with would be rebuked by him.
  
Tang Ziyu:
[Where are you? ]
  
[I went to your hotel and they told me you’re on leave. At a university for class? ]
  
[But it’s Sunday today, there isn’t any class. Come out for a meal? ]
  
He went to her hotel.
  
Lin Zhinan: [I went to the library to check out some materials. ]
  
Lin Zhinan: [No, thank you. You go ahead and eat. ]
  
He replied the second she sent a message.
  
[Where? Send me a location to pick you up. ]
  
Tang Ziyu: [It’s not a lot to have a meal together, right? I’ll drive you back tonight]
  
He doesn’t care about her refusal, it’s just straight and arrogant for him. Zhinan found it a headache so she turned off the phone without replying.
  
From the moment she decided to approach Jiang Ting, she could no longer have any entanglement with Tang Ziyi, otherwise, every step she took would be hidden catastrophe.
  
She had even distanced herself from Han Xing so Jiang Ting wouldn’t be able to find a chance to doubt her.
  
Fortunately, many classes are taught at YanChing, and Han Xing probably also had many friends, so after one or two fruitless invitations, their relationship started fading.
  
But as for Tang Ziyu……What can I do?
  
When blood sugar is running low, humans are prone to get depressed, various negative emotions run around in her mind.
  
But as she looked up in negativity, she saw a familiar figure downstairs dressed in a casual trench coat. He entered the gallery in a blink of an eye.
  
Lin Zhinan’s heart is pounding, Jiang Ting is here!
  
She actually encountered him after hours of waiting!
  
After the euphoria came overwhelmedness, Zhinan looked around.
  
How is she going to make it seem like a coincidence that doesn’t make him suspicious.
  
Faint sounds of footsteps are already coming from the stairwell, firm and confident steps. and the south was in disarray as the gaze fell on the two boys who were reading the painting.
  
“I said, let’s go. What’s the point? We can just hand in something from the internet search.” The boy with glasses said very impatiently.

This was a task given by the professor of an elective course. The topic is to study the creation background of Western realist painters; their group’s study has been rejected several times, with the reason that their theory is too weak and full of empty talk.
  
After a few times, the professor didn’t even bother checking anymore, he handed them a gallery’s poster telling them to experience and get a good look.
  
“I’ve never even heard of Marian. He’s but an unknown painter. We have to look at van Gogh, Picasso for inspiration.”
  
“Let’s go! Let’s go!”
  
After a few reminders, the boy in a checked coat was also getting moved about leaving. They were just about to leave when a female voice sounded from behind.  

“Student, I think you’re wrong and it’s not very polite to say this before Mr. Marian’s painting.”
  
The two men turned around, at some point in time, a young woman in a goose-yellow knit with a youthful beauty that beats peach blossoms, had been standing behind them.
  
Just standing there made the ten-mile wide lane behind here seem like a backdrop.
  
The pair’s refute was left on the tip of their tongue, and their faces warmed up.
  
“The artist’s popularity does not represent the artistic value of the painting itself.”A slight smile from Lin Zhinan caused an itch in the pair’s throats.
  
“Van Gogh was nobody when he was alive, but he became famous after he died because he was too advanced to be accepted in the 19th century.”
  
Without turning around, Zhinan could feel a line of sight from behind her, a light examining gaze.
  
Her heart is beating even more rapidly, her mind is wringing its hands in search of words, the worst thing that can happen is to be exposed, so I must hold myself together!
  
Zhinan’s facial expression was one that was calm and collected.
  
“Similarly, it is possible that one day Mr. Marian’s spiritual world will be celebrated and immortalized.
  
“By then, today’s verdict will be overturned!”
  
These words were also spoken to be heard by the man behind, Zhinan wanted him to leave a deep impression on her.
  
“After all there’s bound to be others with a shared interest. There are always people who will understand his work and have even benefited greatly from it.”
  
As she left the pair speechless with her words, Zhinan smiled politely before turning around.
  
Jiang Ting is standing not far behind her, his dark eyes covered by a hazy twinkle, staring at her wordlessly.
  
The girl was dumbfounded as if surprised to see him.
  
Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked up, its gentle flutter was as if stars in her eyes.
  
She lifted her lips slightly in a reserved smile and said, “Jiang, Mr. Jiang, why are you here?”
  
Jiang Ting saw the proud peacock immediately turning into a snail the moment it met him.
  
But he didn’t talk because of her two seconds of stumbling when addressing him.
  
If he was not mistaken, she had wanted to call him by his first name.
  
Jiang Ting.