Keywords

1.

The Xi Art Studio

A vast, tranquil space.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, a crescent moon hangs high in the sky. Gentle moonlight falls on thick clouds, forming a clear, luminous halo.

An easel stands in the middle of the studio, holding an oil painting that has yet to dry. It depicts the corridor of an old mansion steeped in classical charm.

At the far end of the corridor, a short-haired man in a long white robe stands with his back turned, striking a theatrical pose. A finely carved openwork folding fan rests between the fingers hanging at his side.

On a bookshelf not far from the easel are stacks upon stacks of photo albums and neatly arranged books. The words The Grave Robbers' Chronicles can just be made out among the titles.

2.

Shanghai, New Year's Eve concert

An adapted performance of Farewell My Concubine; a live painting of The Hegemon.

The music ends, the brush falls still.

Zhang Yixing, dressed in a black Han-style robe with silver patterns, comes to life on the paper. The artist has captured his essence perfectly, bringing the figure vividly to life.

Just as the audience thinks they're about to leave the stage, a woman in a gauzy blue robe and white gown picks up her brush again and writes a line on the paper.

"In the next life, may I still reign supreme; at sunset, the light is just right."

3.

A private room in a cafe

Yun Xi flips through the menu listlessly.

The private room's door is suddenly pulled open from outside. At the sound, Yun Xi looks up, and freezes when she sees who's there.

A young man slips into the room and hands her a scroll painting before sitting down on the bench opposite. He wears his trademark gentle, harmless smile, yet there's a hint of foxlike cunning in it.

"Hello, Miss Yun."

"I'm your blind date, Zhang Yixing."

*

Thanks to the photographer of the original cover image: overwater

Theme: I've painted your face ten thousand times, but that alone isn't enough for me