Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Be Brave, Be Brave
Chapter 71: Be Brave, Be Brave
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lin Xiaowan arrived early as planned the next day. When Hong Minhua saw her, she instinctively looked up at the clock on the wall. It was only half past twelve.
“You’re here. Have you eaten yet?”
Lin Xiaowan carried her backpack. Her hair had grown a little longer, and she tied it into two low ponytails. She wore a brown sweater with oversized overalls paired with a pair of white sheepskin boots with bows. She also accessorized her outfit with a pair of pearl earrings. She looked like a good student, whom teachers loved.
She tugged at the straps of her backpack, standing upright as she replied, “I’ve already eaten earlier.”
With that, Hong Minhua brought her to meet the teachers, and after greeting them, she led Lin Xiaowan to the classroom.
A few easels were already set up in a few different positions. There were not many of them, which left plenty of empty space.
Hong Minhua told Lin Xiaowan that there was no fixed position and that she could simply choose a position.
As planned, Lin Xiaowan chose a corner to sit in.
After Hong Minhua helped Lin Xiaowan set up everything, the latter sat on the bench and sent a message to Huo Zheng.
[Lin Xiaowan: There’s no one in the classroom yet. I’m ready! 1 feel nervous and excited!]
[Lin Xiaowan: What should I say if another student greets me? Can 1 just say I’m a student from another department coming to have a look?]
[Lin Xiaowan: Today’s class is for second-year students. They must be very good at drawing. I’ve only begun learning, and I’m not very good at drawing.] [Lin Xiaowan: Wow! A student just came in! She’s a girl!]
Lin Xiaowan did not have anything to do now. She did not play any games or read her novels. Feeling uneasy, she sent a few messages to Huo Zheng.
Huo Zheng’s meeting lasted until noon. After lunch, the meeting continued. While the person in charge was talking, his phone rang a few times. He muted his phone, but he could not help but have a look at the messages.
The corners of his lips curled up as he read the messages, surprising many people who were sitting around the conference table.
The female student who just entered was chewing bubblegum and talking on the phone. When she saw an unfamiliar face in the classroom, she was slightly surprised. She stopped talking and paused in her steps before she retreated outside to confirm she was in the right place. Then, she ended the call and switched to messages instead.
The clicking noises rang in the air, and Lin Xiaowan found the sound rather pleasant to hear.
The female student looked at the class schedule and the group message with an uncertain expression on her face. After confirming that she was truly at the right place, she sighed in relief. At the same time, she complained to her classmates, saying that she would not come so early the next time. She thought she had entered the wrong classroom due to the unfamiliar face.
Lin Xiaowan was initially very nervous. However, after being ignored, not only was she not disappointed, but she even felt relieved. She preferred being ignored.
When the class was about to start, more and more people entered the classroom. They greeted each other. Some of them chatted while some of them played with their phones.
Lin Xiaowan hid behind the easel. When people looked at her, they would smile amiably, and she would also return the smile. After that, they would look away first. For some reason, she felt more at ease when this happened.
In fact, she had noticed this when she was on set. Many people were usually more nervous than her when they looked at her. Perhaps, this was the reason she was not very afraid. Moreover, Gu Yuwu told her before that most people were just curious and did not have ill intentions. As such, there was no need for her to panic.
At this moment, she did not panic, and she felt like she was very brave.
Soon enough, the teacher and the model arrived.
Lin Xiaowan looked at the teacher attentively, and the teacher even wondered if something was wrong. However, in the next moment, she lost all of her courage when the teacher instructed the model to remove her clothes and instruct the students to start drawing.
The model was a fifty-one-year-old middle-aged woman. Her skin was sallow, and she was thin, looking a little malnourished. There were many wrinkles on her forehead and the corners of her eyes. Her ribs were also very distinct, and she had a long scar on her stomach. She was very calm, and it was clear that this was not the first time she was doing this. She was very relaxed and calmly got into a comfortable position with a slight smile on her face.
The moment the model removed her clothes, Lin Xiaowan’s face heated up. She lowered her head and pretended to focus on the drawing paper. When she looked up again, she did not dare to look at the model directly. Instead, she looked around and discovered that she was the only one who felt uncomfortable. A boy sitting not far from her had already begun to draw.
It was very quiet now. There was no sound of laughing or conversation. Everyone was seriously drawing.
Lin Xiaowan gradually calmed down. She raised her pencil, feeling a little helpless. She took a few deep breaths to calm down again as she told herself inwardly, ‘There’s nothing to feel embarrassed about. The model, the students, and the teacher aren’t embarrassed so why should I feel embarrassed? Be brave, be brave!’
The position Lin Xiaowan had chosen was not bad. Although it was in a corner, she still had a direct view of the model. She could see the model very clearly.
Lin Xiaowan mentally prepared herself for a very long time before she began to think about how to draw. As time passed, she gradually became immersed in drawing. When she looked up again, she no longer looked as uncomfortable as before. She was focused on thinking about the perspective and drawing.
The teacher observed Lin Xiaowan from time to time and even took the time to send a message to Hong Minhua.
[The teacher: Although it’s her first time attending this class, her performance is not bad.]
Hong Minima’s reply came swiftly.
[Hong Minhua: I’m not surprised. I’m confident about my ability to judge people after all.]
Lin Xiaowan did not need to hand in her work to the teacher. Instead, she only needed to show it to Hong Minhua. Even then, the teacher gave her a lot of advice.
When Lin Xiaowan saw the other students’ words, she could not help but exclaim, “Wow!”
She had thought her own drawing was quite good earlier. However, now that she had seen the other students’ works, she realized that her drawing was truly terrible. In a daze, she said bluntly, “My drawing is terrible.”
The teacher seemed to disagree and said seriously, “Teacher Hong told me that you only learned how to draw recently. Considering that, you’re already very good. Don’t belittle yourself. Look, the way you handle the shadow here is very good. As a whole, your drawing is very good. It’s okay to admire others, but don’t belittle yourself, okay? Admire yourself more.”
Although the teacher’s voice was not gentle and was even a little harsh, her words seemed to have a magical effect on Lin Xiaowan.
She felt like she had learned a lesson again.
‘That’s right.. It’s okay to admire myself more…’