Chapter 6
Pei Yu didn’t refuse.
He led me out of the courtyard, through the central court, and into a bamboo grove.
By now, the painted man’s white robe had turned entirely red. The scarlet seemed to be moving, slowly spreading toward the edges of the painting.
Obviously, nothing good would happen once that blood spilled out of the frame.
After about the time it took an incense stick to burn, a handsome man in white appeared ahead. He held a red umbrella, his face excessively pale. His tall, thin body swayed in the wind as though he might be blown into the sky at any moment.
Pei Yu stopped at the sight of him, seemingly wary.
The two men—or monsters—kept their distance, facing each other from afar. This standoff between two kings was oddly thrilling.
I approached with the painting, pretending to make conversation. “It’s been so long, brother. How have you grown even thinner?”
The instant I touched him, a panel appeared:
Character: Su Zhaomei.
Background: Legitimate son of the Su family of Dacheng. A skilled painter, but most of his works have been seized by his younger sister, who signs her own name to them to gain the empty reputation of a talented woman.
Related item: An Eerie Self-Portrait.
Affection: -20/100.
What the fuck? Affection could be negative?
Right. The system had warned me: below 0, an NPC might hunt me down at any moment!
My spine prickled.
Su Zhaomei turned his unfocused gaze toward me like a numb corpse. At some point, red flowers had appeared on his white robe, and their patches were spreading. Those weren’t fucking flowers. His robe was soaked in blood!
I shuddered and shoved the scroll into his hands.
“Brother, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once.”
To win my “brother’s” forgiveness, I bowed after returning the painting. “Your younger sister was foolish and ignorant. Passing your talents off as mine and deceiving everyone was a grave mistake!
“I know my guilt. Tomorrow I’ll go to the painting shop and set the record straight, returning every bit of credit to you. Please forgive me!”
Silence.
A long silence.
My back was aching from the bow when Su Zhaomei finally parted his lips, his voice cold and stiff as a corpse’s. “You stole so many of my paintings. And now, suddenly, you know you were wrong?”
I straightened hastily and clasped his gray-white hands, choking up. “I wouldn’t dare deceive you!
“I’ve simply grown wiser. I was so ashamed I couldn’t face you…”
He listened to my honeyed words—barefaced lies—without moving a muscle. I couldn’t read any emotion.
Since he remained unmoved, I took a desperate step. “Why don’t you stop calling yourself Zhaomei—’Welcome a Sister’—and become Juemei, ‘Cut Off Your Sister’?
“Consider our relationship severed. We can make a clean break. How about that?”
Man, call yourself Su Forget-Your-Sister or Su Destroy-Your-Sister for all I care. Just stop thinking about me!
But after a long pause, he gave a cold laugh.
“There is no need to go that far.”
He rolled up the painting and slowly tucked it into his broad sleeve. “To recognize a fault and correct it is the greatest good.”
The system sent another message:
[Su Zhaomei’s affection +10. Current affection: -10/100.]
That meant he accepted.
Seeing that it worked, I struck while the iron was hot and had a servant bring the haunted screen. “Brother, I’m a coarse person. This is wasted on me. Let me give it to you.
“It’s such an elegant piece. It suits you perfectly!”
After all, its style resembled his paintings. Both were creepy as hell.
His lifeless eyes turned toward the screen, his lips moving. “This is a late master’s work. You truly mean to give it to me?”
“Of course!”
I nodded vigorously. Staring at the screen, he gave his purple lips a slight twitch.
“Very well. I’ll believe you this once.”
Another system message: [Su Zhaomei’s affection +20. Current affection: 10/100.]
Whoa. Generous!
The screen must have been exactly to his taste. He closed his red umbrella and placed it in my hand. “Little sister, the plum rains are here. Have an umbrella.”
His purple lips curved faintly.
“If you fear getting wet, open it.”