Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 4
Chapter 4 What does your lover call you?
2024-10-13 07:08 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
It’s a bit hot.
Lu Zhen sat in a luxurious art studio and thought this for the fourth time.
He touched his neck; a thin layer of sweat had already formed on his skin. It was May, and the dogwood flowers outside the window were already in full bloom, yet the room he was in was still heated.
Lu Zhen checked his watch again. Fifteen minutes had passed since the bald man led him into the art studio.
“Mr. Lu, please wait a moment. The boss will connect the phone and the call will come shortly after.”
Before leaving, the bald man left behind a nonsensical remark. His strange accent and the gesture of clasping his hands together confirmed to Lu Zhen that he was Thai, after all, he had just returned from a vacation in that country.
The room next door, separated by a wall, was filled with the aroma of alcohol. Fan Xiao sat in an oversized single sofa, seemingly bored, striking a match.
With a whoosh, flames leaped out, bright and dazzling, slowly burning and gradually extinguishing until only a twisted, charred wooden pole remained.
There were more than a dozen black wooden sticks in the ashtray. After throwing the burnt-out match into it again, Fan Xiao looked up at the young man behind the glass.
It was a one-way glass window, behind which sat Lu Zhen alone on a high chair.
“Are you sure he’s You Shulang’s…” Fan Xiao paused, choosing a word, “lover?”
The bald man nodded and replied in Thai, “Confirmed.”
Fan Xiao suddenly laughed. He picked up the red wine beside him and took a big gulp, then slowly wiped the moisture from the corner of his lips with his thumb.
“Such a radiant, holy, and powerful person actually likes men!” He thought as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. “Indeed, there is no perfect person in this world.”
He put down his wine glass, stood up and slowly walked to the glass. Just then, Lu Zhen turned his head and looked towards the glass.
Fan Xiao frowned slightly, muttering to himself, “A man? A lover?” After a moment, the wrinkles between his brows gradually smoothed out, and a playful look appeared in his eyes. “What would You Shulang’s lover smell like? Is it also the scent of wild roses?”
The door was finally pushed open, and a tall man with a slight smile walked in.
Lu Zhen rose from the bar stool, his gaze sweeping over indifferently. He knew exactly what made him most captivating and memorable. But the moment he saw the man, the feigned indifference in his eyes was replaced by astonishment.
The man who walked in was very handsome. He was dressed casually, the soft, smooth black fabric of his shirt clinging to his strong, muscular skin, outlining his perfect physique. The open collar subtly revealed the sexy curve of his collarbone, and the Buddha pendant on his chest made his neck appear long and graceful. His hair was as black as ink, the strands smooth and silky, his features handsome, and his eyes deep and captivating, radiating a starlight-like brilliance.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I just received an important work call, so I had to take up Mr. Lu’s time.”
The man pursed his lips slightly, his apologetic smile revealing maturity and grace.
“It’s okay, I just waited a little while.”
The impatience of the long wait gradually dissipated due to the man’s striking appearance and gentle smile. Lu Zhen politely inquired, “What do I need to do next…”
“Fan Xiao.” The man extended his hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself beforehand.”
When he grasped that hand, Lu Zhen felt a pang of panic. After a brief handshake, he whispered his name: “My name is Lu Zhen. How should I cooperate with Mr. Fan?”
“You just need to sit still.”
Do I need to change my clothes?
“No need. Your beauty is pure and doesn’t need any other enhancements.” Fan Xiao was tidying up his easel when he looked up and said with a smile, “I hope my description hasn’t offended Mr. Lu.”
Lu Zhen shook his head, a little embarrassed, and replied, “Just call me Lu Zhen, that’s what everyone calls me.”
“Everyone?” Fan Xiao asked casually, fiddling with his paintbrush as he looked down. “Does your lover call you that too?”
He looked up, the sunlight streaming through the window behind him, and spoke naturally in the bright light: “Although it may seem a bit rude and strange, I want to establish a relationship with my subjects that is different from others, a familiar, trusting, even intimate one, just like you and your…lover.”
“But don’t worry, this relationship is only temporary. Apart from drawing your image with my pen, I will not have any physical contact with you.”
“I hope you can understand what I’m saying. After all, I once fell in love with a cup and a flower while painting. I think I might fall in love with you for a while too. I hope you won’t resist my love, a man’s love.”
Lu Zhen’s fingers suddenly twitched, a faint blush spreading across his face. He said softly, “I understand, but I don’t know what to do?”
“Just sit quietly.” Fan Xiao looked at him. “And tell me, what does your lover call you?”
Why do you assume I must have a lover?
Fan Xiao opened the polypropylene paint and squeezed it onto the palette without even looking up: “Intuition.”
“You guessed right? So what did he call you?”
“Zhenzhen”.
“Zhenzhen… okay, Zhenzhen, now straighten up, sit sideways in the chair, and look at that mirror.”
You Shulang handed the car keys to the valet, and another waiter led him into the restaurant. To the accompaniment of soothing music, he saw the impeccably dressed Lu Zhen.
The waiter pulled out a chair, and You Shulang nodded his thanks and sat down. After taking his order and the waiter left, he smiled and asked Lu Zhen, “Have I forgotten some important day? Why are we eating at such an expensive restaurant?”
Lu Zhen curled the corners of his lips, feigning a sullen face: “If you forgot an important anniversary, would I still let you eat? I’d rather let you go hungry.”
You Shulang smiled and raised an eyebrow, pouring white wine into Lu Zhen’s glass: “Tell me why, it’ll make me happy too.”
“I made a fortune today,” Lu Zhen said smugly. “Three hours of this is equivalent to half a month of shooting photos for my studio.”
“What kind of job is so good?”
“To be a nude model for painters.”
You Shulang, who was laying out the tablecloth, paused for a moment, then quickly regained his composure: “Since you’re happy because you’ve made money, have a couple more drinks with me today. Don’t get drunk after just a little.”
“Does being drunk mean I can do whatever I want?”
You Shulang took a sip of wine, smiled and nodded: “That’s a good suggestion.”
Lu Zhen leaned forward, resting her chest on the table, and asked in a low voice, “Do you think I’ve become a nude model?”
You Shulang rubbed his fingers against the rim of his wine glass and replied in a deep voice, “I believe you will make your own judgment, and the decisions you make will certainly be in your own best interest.”
Lu Zhen rolled her eyes: “Can’t you just ask me directly? Isn’t it tiring to keep it to yourself and guess?”
“I just don’t want you to…”
“Embarrassing?”
You Shulang did not refute: “So, you didn’t do that?”
“Of course, why would I take off my clothes for a few dollars?” Lu Zhen snorted. “I was completely covered from head to toe and sat on the stool for three hours.”
You Shulang reached out and gently squeezed Lu Zhen’s hand: “Are you tired?”
“Not really tired, just hot.” As if the heat in his body had not yet dissipated, Lu Zhen unbuttoned a button under his collar. “It’s not cold in the room at all, but he insists on turning on the air conditioner with the heater on.”
The steak was already on the table. You Shulang elegantly picked up his knife and fork and cut the whole piece of beef into small pieces.
“Him? Your employer?”
“Hmm.” Lu Zhen thought of the man who was painting earnestly in the sunlight. After each stroke, he would look at her again, his gaze lingering on her for a long time, full of affection, misty and tender, as if he were looking at his real lover, his eyes filled with his beautiful image.
Sometimes, the man would suddenly call him “Zhenzhen,” and his magnetic voice would vibrate through the empty, quiet room.
“Zhenzhen, stop being naughty and sit still.”
“Zhenzhen, are you tired? It’ll be over in a little while.”
“Zhenzhen, you are beautiful in my painting.”
Lu Zhen quickly pulled himself out of his thoughts, looked at the steak that You Shulang had already cut and handed him, and said, “He seems to have just returned from abroad and doesn’t know the hourly wage of models in China. I got a good deal this time, but I might not have such a good opportunity next time.”
The lively and cheerful Lu Zhen raised her glass: “I don’t want to think about it anymore. It’s better to have it once than never. Come on, let’s toast to the wonderful night.”
You Shulang also raised his glass, his eyes filled with love: “To the beautiful you tonight.”
Lu Zhen bit her lip, her face flushed, and said softly, “Want to come to my place tonight?”
You Shulang slowly raised his eyes, and a cool voice came out from his thin lips. His tone was sexy and alluring, and he exuded a strong sense of oppression: “Then I advise you to drink less. I don’t want to mess with a drunkard who can’t even shout.
