Jiang Si's period came and went quickly, and by the sixth day, it was practically over.
Huo Tingzhou remembered the compensation she had mentioned that night, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to disturb her.
As his wife often said, they were still young—there would be plenty of time ahead.
By heaven’s grace, after that heavy snowfall, the temperature in Capital City had warmed slightly over the past few days.
Daytime temperatures hovered between five and six degrees Celsius, which made it easier for the construction team to work efficiently.
Thanks to the collective efforts and cooperation of everyone involved, Jiang Si officially joined the project on December 6th.
During her time at home, aside from eating and sleeping, she had spent most of her hours in the study, memorizing the key figures of the mural’s theme.
Now that she had started painting, it all flowed naturally.
Meanwhile, other members of the mural team, after finishing their own tasks, took time to visit the square and observe her progress.
But after several days of watching, none of them could make out anything.
Jiang Si had sketched her initial draft in pencil, and with the scaffolding obstructing the view, they couldn’t even discern the basic outline.
A few bold souls tried to climb the scaffolding for a closer look.
But before they could get near, Huo Tingzhou stopped them.
Tall and imposing, Huo Tingzhou rarely showed any expression to others—except for Jiang Si, around whom he softened, even smiling and talking more.
Under his stern gaze, the intruders grew nervous and hastily pulled out their work IDs.
“Comrade, don’t—don’t be alarmed. We’re also from the Capital City Artists Association.”
“Yes, yes! We just wanted to see how Comrade Jiang’s work is coming along and if she needs any help.”
Huo Tingzhou thanked them but firmly declined their request.
“Sorry, she doesn’t like being disturbed while painting, nor is she comfortable with others watching.”
“In a few more days, it’ll be done. You can see it then.”
With that, no one dared to push further.
When word spread, most people understood.
Yet somehow, rumors still began circulating.
Early one morning, Tan Ailing, the head of the creative team, came looking for someone to vent to. President Zhou happened to be away, so Fang Wenjun, noticing her troubled expression, asked what was wrong.
“What’s the matter?”
Tan Ailing, eager to unload her frustrations, spilled everything.
“Vice President Fang, you’ve been resting at home these past few days, so you wouldn’t know how unreasonable that Comrade Jiang has been.”
“Other team members just wanted to check the mural’s progress, but her husband blocked them every time.”
“I’ve even heard she’s only painted the facial features so far—no basic outlines at all.”
“I know her portraits are lifelike and excellent, but the costumes and props are far more challenging. If she hasn’t even started those, how can she finish on time?”
She sighed. “Honestly, Comrade Jiang shouldn’t be so possessive. Why not let your little apprentice help out—”
“Team Leader Tan, where did you hear these things?” Fang Wenjun frowned. “Also, Qiu Yashu isn’t my apprentice. I only tutored her for a few years—at most, I was her temporary teacher.”
Tan Ailing blinked. “She… she’s not your apprentice?”
Then why had Qiu Yashu been hinting to everyone that Vice President Fang was her mentor?
Fang Wenjun confirmed it firmly. Then, without asking again where Tan Ailing had heard the rumors, she cut straight to the point.
“Team Leader Tan, you heard this from Qiu Yashu, didn’t you?”
“Well…”
Tan Ailing’s hesitation was answer enough.
Before confronting anyone, Fang Wenjun defended Jiang Si.
“Team Leader Tan, don’t worry about Jiang Si’s abilities. If she says she’ll finish on time, she will.”
Tan Ailing was puzzled. “Vice President Fang, you’ve only met Comrade Jiang once. How can you trust her so much?”
“Of course I do. I trust my husband’s judgment.”
Her husband?
Tan Ailing knew exactly who Fang Wenjun’s husband was—the only figure in China’s art world worthy of being called a master, the founder of the country’s sketching system.
But what did that have to do with Jiang Si?
“Vice President Fang, is Comrade Jiang… Professor Yu’s apprentice?”
“Yes. She’s the only disciple he’s ever accepted.”
Good heavens!
A direct successor of Professor Yu himself.
Tan Ailing’s doubts vanished instantly.
Before she could react, Fang Wenjun stood and strode out of the office.
Tan Ailing hurried after her. “Vice President Fang, where are you going?”
Fang Wenjun didn’t answer.
When they reached the square, she spotted Qiu Yashu in the crowd.
“Qiu Yashu!”
Qiu Yashu, who had been whispering with members of the small mural team, jumped at the sudden call.
Turning, she met Fang Wenjun’s icy glare.
“V-Vice President Fang… you wanted me?”
“Yes.”
Before, out of respect for their neighborly ties, Fang Wenjun had held back. But today was different.
In front of everyone, she spoke sternly.
“Didn’t I already tell you not to call me your teacher? I am not your teacher. Did you not hear me?”
“I…”
The people who had just been chatting warmly with Qiu Yashu now stared in shock. Humiliated, her face burned.
But she was no stranger to such situations.
She knew how to handle them.
“Vice President Fang, I’m sorry…” She hung her head. “I shouldn’t have told others about our relationship…”
Fang Wenjun, however, refused to let her twist the truth.
After clarifying their actual connection, she delivered the final blow.
“The small mural team’s work is nearly done. Go to accounting tomorrow to collect your payment. After that, don’t come back.”
“Why?!” Qiu Yashu, beyond caring about embarrassment now, protested. “You said those who performed well could get permanent contracts! What did I do wrong? Are you firing me just because I mentioned knowing you?”
Fang Wenjun didn’t argue. Instead, she handed Qiu Yashu a freshly cleaned pair of cotton shoes.
“I visited the shoemaker. You know exactly what you did. Do I need to spell it out?”
“…”
Originally a pair, Fang Wenjun had kept one shoe.
When Qiu Yashu saw the other, she fell silent.
That day, after picking up the shoes, she had used scissors and an awl to remove half the anti-slip hemp knots from the soles.
She had assumed that if Fang Wenjun took a fall, the task of coloring the mural would fall to her.
And then, she would rise to fame in Capital City.
Then it would only be natural for her to become a full-time employee of the Capital City Artists Association.
Everything had been meticulously planned, and even fate seemed to be on her side—yet now, it had all crumbled to nothing.
The radiant smile Qiu Yashu had worn just minutes ago had now twisted into an expression of sheer humiliation.
None of this, however, was known to Jiang Si.
On the first day of joining the project, she completed the grid partitioning of the wall, dividing the entire mural area into forty-eight proportional squares.
On the second day, she began sketching the facial features and skeletal frameworks of all the figures.
Over the next two days, she refined their expressions and hairstyles.
Starting from the fifth day, Jiang Si dedicated herself to painting the intricate details of the ethnic costumes and headdresses, a task that took her two and a half days.
By the afternoon of the seventh day, she began working on the play of light and shadow.
On the eighth day, Jiang Si started painting the decorative borders, feeling the overall composition lacked vibrancy.
After consulting with the creative team, she thoughtfully added elements like lanterns, bronze drums, and fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
Before she knew it, the ninth day arrived. After perfecting the final details, Jiang Si finally set down her large brush with satisfaction.
Turning around, she saw Huo Tingzhou.
The awe in Huo Tingzhou’s eyes was unmistakable.
Then, the two exchanged a knowing smile.
In that moment, the two hundred-plus hours of painstaking effort suddenly felt insignificant—seeing the finished piece made it all worthwhile.
Now, it was up to the coloring team.
Yet strangely, after searching through the crowd for a long time, Jiang Si couldn’t spot Vice President Fang Wenjun anywhere.
