The Romance of a Young Painter

There is a sense of transparent light in the foggy morning. In the flower room of a private villa, the owner of the room is reclining on a recliner with his eyes closed. He has golden hair mixed with sporadic white hair and fine lines around his eyes, proving that he is no longer young.

Someone knocked on the door, then pushed it straight in and said: "I heard that Trememe is walking around for Brexit, and you, an advocate, are here to dodge. Is this appropriate?"

"If I had to worry about how to implement it, I would have replaced that seat with someone who knew how to do things." The man on the recliner opened his eyes, and he motioned for him to use the chair next to him, saying, "Dear Joyce, you It seems like you haven't seen me for a long time."

"Please don't call me by that name," the black-haired oriental man lay down like him, and said, "Three years and two months, this time was used to rebuild a relationship network that was almost destroyed by the opponent , Fortunately, I finished it ahead of time, and this is what I got in exchange for this week's vacation, and I flew here as soon as the matter came to an end."

"You look tired," Steve said.

"Is it that obvious?" Although it was a question, Joyce obviously did not mean to wait for an answer, he said, "My father always believed that being the eldest son should take on due responsibilities, even though it was not my wish. "

Steve looked serious and said, "Maybe you can run away from home."

Joyce smiled and said, "I tried it when I was 13 years old, you know this best, don't you?"

"At that time you were still a kid," Steve said, "Although City B is the capital of China, the law and order there is not good enough to allow a minor to sleep alone on a park bench at midnight, let alone Besides, you have an attractive face."

Joyce said: "It's lucky that I met you, isn't it?"

"I'm not some kind of knight for justice," Steve said. "You should be glad I just lost my favorite Joyce, and you happen to have the same coat color as him."

"Don't compare me with your pet," Joyce snorted dissatisfiedly, and said, "Isn't the truth of the matter because someone was lost and urgently needed a qualified guide? Also, I solemnly emphasize again, please Call me Yuan Xun by my name, don’t keep calling me Joyce Joyce, and your subordinates too.”

"Okay, okay," Steve said tolerantly. Although the child has grown up many years ago, his personality has not changed. He said, "Didn't you say to come here for vacation? I'll let someone arrange where you want to go."

Joyce, it should be said that Yuan Xun shook his head and said, "I don't want to go anywhere. If it's convenient, I want to stay with you for a few days."

Steve said, "Of course my door is always open to you, dear boy."

"Instead of being called a child by you, why don't you continue to call me Joyce," Yuan Xun said helplessly, he stretched his body, and said, "Thank you Steve, only with you can I really take off the burden from my body." The burden, looking back now, we really have known each other for a long time, sometimes I really envy you, at least you once had your own freedom."

Recalling the experience in China when he was 20 years old, Steve showed nostalgia and said, "Yeah, it was really a beautiful time."

Yuan Xun turned his face sideways, just in time to see the melancholy flashing across the other's face, and asked, "Still think of that woman often?"

"In less busy times," Steve said, not trying to hide from someone who could share his past, "usually I can't remember her face, but every now and then she smiles and she's cold. Come out of your head."

Yuan Xun said: "Are you still looking for her whereabouts?"

"I haven't looked for it for many years, and I have been looking for it for more than ten years. If she didn't hide on purpose, how could I not find it? Dear Joyce, I think this is probably what you Chinese people said." There is no fate'." Steve said, "Let's not talk about me, how about you? You used the condition of dedicating your life to the family in exchange for the freedom of marriage, how come you are still single now?"

Yuan Xun said: "I only like people of the same sex. You know the situation in Huaguo. They are relatively conservative in this regard. Besides, I have been busy all the time, so I don't have time to think about personal issues at all."

"A man who only has business in his eyes will not be favored by Venus," Steve said narrowly, "Maybe you can find a regular bed partner first, do you want me to help you find one?"

"No matter how interesting a plaything is, it's just a plaything. You know this best, don't you, and what I'm looking for is a partner," Yuan Xun said with a smile, "I met a good one at the auction in the first district yesterday, but unfortunately it's just I met him once, and I didn't even know his name."

Steve said, "You didn't even ask for your name? That's not like you."

Yuan Xun said distressedly: "I didn't expect to meet in such a situation. At that time, my mind was blank. In addition, there was a little misunderstanding between me and him. He probably didn't have a good impression of me."

"I want to see who can catch your eye," Steve rang a bell next to the recliner and said to the other side, "Liz, call Snark over and ask him to replace my old man." Friend Joyce is looking for someone."

Soon someone came over to confirm the situation with Yuan Xun.

After Snark left, Steve said: "Cunning boy, is this the reason why you made such a big circle today?"

Yuan Xun yawned and said, "As expected of Cahill, I can't hide anything from you."

"Dear Joyce, it looks like you need a break," Steve said. "As for what you want to know, you will have the answer when you wake up."

"En." Yuan Xun lazily replied, looking as if he was going to fall asleep soon.

Steve, Dedalus, and Cahill①, the uncrowned king of country E stood up. Such a leisurely morning was a luxury for him. The Cahill family's property is intricate, and there is still a long way to go to completely cleanse it. , and there have always been disagreements within the family about the whitewashing.Another unstable factor is the issue of heirs. His first wife gave birth to a child for him, but the child was obviously not qualified enough, and then his heart was always concerned about another woman, so that he did not marry and have children Fortunately, he is not yet fifty, and he still has enough time to select and cultivate heirs from other channels.

"Sir, I have been found," Snark quickly came over to report to Steve, "His name is Zhou Nianjiu, he is from China, he entered the country three days ago, and has been staying at the Mayfair Hotel."

"Surname Zhou?" Steve raised his head from the file and said, "Bring me the information."

Snark handed over the document in his hand respectfully, and added another sentence, saying: "There is someone who is traveling with him, he is also from Huaguo, and he is a very famous painter in recent years. In addition, this person also inquired about you from the auction house yesterday. itinerary."

Steve said: "What does a painter want me to do? Sell paintings?"

Snark said: "His name is Shen Guangji, and he is from Huaguo's Fang family. The intention of coming to see Mr. Joyce is probably the same as that of Mr. Joyce."

Steve is carefully looking at the photo on the document. Judging from the angle, it should be a screenshot of the hotel security camera. The picture is not very clear, but it can still be seen that the two oriental men inside have a kind of intimacy that no one else can intervene. , he said: "It seems that this person is a strong competitor of Joyce in every respect, Snark, I remember there is another auction today, you can arrange it, I would like to see this What does the idle painter ask me to do, and by the way, I will meet this Oriental Helen whom Joyce misses."

Zhou Nianjiu sneezed, and suddenly came out of the warm bed. He was still a little uncomfortable with the room temperature outside. After living with Shen Guangji for a while, he found that the other party turned the air conditioner to a very low level and slept tightly under the quilt. He is a typical night owl, and it is still early to go to bed before [-] o'clock in the morning. What is even more incredible is that he wakes up earlier than him the next day after going to bed late tomorrow and is full of energy all day long.

This day was no exception. When the sneezing ended, Shen Guangji had already put a thin blanket on Zhou Nianjiu's shoulders, and at the same time a kiss fell on his forehead: "Wake up, my sleeping prince."

"Good morning." Zhou Nianjiu rubbed his eyes and asked in a daze, "You don't feel sleepy after sleeping for a few hours every day?"

"I have a secret weapon," Shen Guangji pointed to the cup on the small table by the floor-to-ceiling window, and said, "The coffee provided by the hotel is good, would you like a cup?"

Zhou Nianjiu shook his head and said, "No, give me a glass of water."

After washing up, Zhou Nianjiu was completely awake, and while eating breakfast, he criticized Shen Guangji for his unhealthy work and rest.

Shen Guangji took a sip of his coffee without changing his face, and said, "Why sleep more during life, and sleep forever after death."

"Sophistry," Zhou Nianjiu recalled a topic that Leye had talked with him before. He said, "Assuming that the time for a person to stay awake is pre-set, then what you are doing now is to accelerate the consumption of your own life."

"You also said it was just a hypothesis." Seeing Zhou Nianjiu glaring at him, Shen Guangji quickly changed his words, "Of course, I will try to get more sleep in the days to come. Do you know that I used to go to bed after three o'clock."

"Is this something to boast about?" Zhou Nianjiu frowned upon hearing this.

Shen Guangji patted his head and said with a smile: "I mean, I have been adjusting my living habits since I have you by my side, please give me more time, okay?"

This gentleman surnamed Shen and surnamed Guangji, it's a foul to kill with a smile and touch his head, okay?

Zhou Nianjiu felt his face was getting hot again.

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Note ① The names Steve and Dedalus come from the autobiographical novel "Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man" by James and Joyce. He is the protagonist in the book, a painter.