IR Chapter 23

Title: 不正经关系 (Improper Relationship)

Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists ：严海安 (Yan Hai’an – MC), 孙言 (Sun Yan – ML)

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But even if Yan Hai’an was the original painter, he still couldn’t save such a painting. Sun Yan said it was okay. He would find another professional to do the repair.

Yan Hai’an smiled and said, “You may be the first person to find a repair for such a painting.”

Sun Yan just smiled and didn’t say much. Yan Hai’an had heard him say too much about this painting and he was a little embarrassed.

Why is he so embarrassed? Sun Yan thought.

He didn’t say much and Yan Hai’an also didn’t say much.

It’s unusual for the two of them to be so embarrassed. Sun Yan saw that it was almost time and he said, “I’ll send you back.”

This was the first time he took the initiative to send Yan Hai’an home in the morning. But Yan Hai’an only had a meal and did not refuse. After this, the atmosphere between the two is a little awkward and there is a trace of inexplicable embarrassment between them.

They drove all the way to the destination in silence. Yan Hai’an got out of the car downstairs of the studio.

Sun Yan suddenly said to him, “You really don’t plan to continue painting?”

“I really don’t have the talent.” It’s very difficult to admit that one doesn’t have talent, but Yan Hai’an has long since passed that tangled period. He smiled lightly, “Painting is not a matter of practice. If you have no talent then you have no talent. This part, you can’t force it.”

He can also be like many people, forcibly eating the bowl of trying to become a professional painter. But as long as he can go to work, he can get along with life. But what’s the point of trying? Yan Hai’an feels disdained to do so.

Yan Haian looked at Sun Yan and said, “Thank you.”

Sun Yan was being thanked and he has no idea for what reason the gratitude was for.

Yan Hai’an smiled and said: “Thank you for collecting and keeping that painting for so long. Anyway, it is my proudest work. I was very sad when I lost it. You cherish it and it means a lot.”

It is the greatest affirmation to the painter that his works can be appreciated and treasured by others. Yan Hai’an had given up painting for so long, but he never expected to receive such happiness one day.

So this gratitude is very sincere.

Thinking that maybe even if the painting was given to the person he originally wanted to give it to, he would not get such cherishment. So Yan Hai’an felt even more emotional.

Sun Yan squinted his eyes at him, then turned back to look at the steering wheel. His slender fingers tapped on the steering wheel with each click: “I also want to… thank you.”

He rarely has a serious time. But once he is serious, he will seem to have become a different person.

He didn’t say why he was thankful, but Yan Hai’an understood immediately. This is a bit ridiculous. There has always been a tacit understanding between the two of them that is beyond ordinary relationship.

Yan Hai’an didn’t know what the painting meant to Sun Yan, just as Sun Yan didn’t understand what the painting meant to him. But that’s okay. They both know the painting is important to each other.

This common cognition is like a kind of covenant. Although the many pasts buried deep in the heart are still unspeakable, needless to say, the loneliness is secretly comforted at this moment.

The two looked at each other with a heart-to-heart look and then they both laughed inexplicably.

Sun Yan was lying his head down on the steering wheel. And when he turned his head to look at Yan Haian, only one eye was exposed: “Can’t it be more than twice a week?”

“Let’s look at the schedule.” Yan Hai’an was suddenly asked by him, shook his head amusedly, pushed the door and got out of the car, “If you have time, please contact me.”

He crossed the street after getting out of the car, walked to the entrance of the building and turned around with a thought as he went up the stairs.

Sun Yan’s eye-catching sports car was still parked in the same place. Seeing him turn around, he stretched out his hand and waved, then lowered his head and Yan Hai’an couldn’t see what he was doing.

Yan Haian’s phone vibrated slightly in his pocket. There was an unread WeChat message.

Mr. Sun: You never seem to look back at me before.

Yan Hai’an raised his eyebrows and replied: You never seem to have waited for me before.

Mr. Sun: Do you have anything to do tomorrow?

Yan Haian raised his head and glanced across the street: Nothing to do. Back pain. See you later.

After saying that, he turned around decisively. This time, he really left.

“Has anything good happened recently?”

Yan Hai’an looked up from the phone dully: “Huh?”

Mo Yisheng held a palette in his hand, sat on the wooden bench and looked at him with his head tilted: “It’s rare that you also have such a time to be distracted.”

Yan Hai’an calmly kept his phone: “What’s the matter?”

“Wait a minute.” Mo Yisheng asked with a very interested smile, “I often see you looking at your phone recently. Who are you talking to? By the way, you often don’t come back at night lately. What are you doing?”

What am I doing? Of course, I’m having sex, Yan Hai’an thought secretly.

The frequency between him and Sun Yan having sex has changed from once or twice on the weekends to four or five times a week if they are not busy. Yan Hai’an felt that he had some kidney deficiency and he wondered if Sun Yan was secretly taking some drugs. He was like a beast every time.

Last time they did it at the terrace in the middle of the night. Yan Hai’an was sweating profusely and was blown by the cool night wind and he caught a cold. He doesn’t mind having fun, but it’s not good for Sun Yan to be so unrestrained.

Just because of this, the two of them are always bickering and thinking about it is also akin to being drunk.

Yan Hai’an couldn’t speak to Mo Yisheng about this. It was just like a primary school student hiding his stash of pornt: “It’s all work-related.”

The word ‘work’ seems to be a switch. Yan Hai’an’s temperament changes as soon as he says it, “Do you remember the Bo Yi Art Gallery in S City last time?”

Mo Yisheng’s expression clearly stated that he did not know.

Yan Hai’an felt a little uncomfortable in his throat, and coughed twice: “I kept in touch with him during one of the stops during the tour. He admires you very much and he wants your paintings to enter his gallery.”

Mo Yisheng asked curiously, “Aren’t my paintings always sold in Li Qing’s gallery?”

Yan Hai’an is really speechless to this child. He doesn’t even know that he has offended Li Qing. During this time, Li Qing has no contact with them at all. But should he just let them be treated that coldly by her?

He doesn’t know if Li Qing has Wang Yuhu in her pocket now, so should he? Li Qing recognized Mo Yisheng’s value and would not break them off completely because of such a trivial matter. This woman’s mind was not to be underestimated.

Yan Hai’an said: “It’s not for sale. It’s just for exhibition. If someone wants to collect it, only then we’ll talk about it. Aren’t you painting a city series? Among them is the city of S, which I think is very suitable. And you can let him take a look. He’s going to City B anyway. What do you say?”

Being surrounded by him like this, Mo Yisheng had completely forgotten the question he had originally asked Yan Hai’an, and instead said: “Oh, yes. What do you think about me participating in the National A Portrait Association Grand Prix?”

“Okay…Okay! Of course it’s okay!” Yan Hai’an was shocked that Mo Yisheng would take the initiative to mention this. He never liked things like associations, competitions, and exhibitions. And he didn’t like to compare his painting skills with others. Of course, the National Portrait Association Grand Prix is ​​unmatched by any competition in China. It is one of the three top portrait painting competitions in the world. The gold content can be imagined. It is through this competition that many modern artists have entered the world.

Mo Yisheng suddenly had this kind of ‘motivation’, Yan Hai’an was really pleased: “I’ll check the time when I can sign you up and we can submit the manuscript next year.”

Mo Yisheng said, “It’s probably March.”

Yan Hai’an was even more surprised. When did this guy change his views and even figured out the time?

Mo Yisheng explained: “He Ling told me. He said he wanted to try it out, so he invited me to come along. I saw the award-winning works in previous years and it was really amazing. I think it would be interesting to enter with friends.”

That is, he can say it so easily.

But Yan Hai’an was not so happy when he heard He Ling’s name. He Ling was not a painter according to his standards and could only be called a normal painter. At his level, he still wants to participate in the National Portrait Society Grand Prix? Probably at that time, it will be another piece of “A Country Portrait Society Grand Prix Entry” to sell a painting.

Yan Hai’an is like a parent all over the world. For fear that his top-class child will be damaged by the tail of the crane, he exhorted, “I think it’s better for you and He Ling to have less contact.”

Mo Yisheng stared, he really didn’t expect Yan Hai’an to say such a thing: “Why?”

Yan Haian said simply and rudely: “He’s not good at painting.”

On the contrary, Mo Yisheng could not refute this point. He would never lie about painting: “I think the attitude towards painting is the most important thing. He is much better than those who are hypocrites.”

Yan Hai’an didn’t want to talk to him about this. So he waved his hand to signal the end of the chat. The phone in his pocket vibrated a few times and he was a little reluctant to check it. Anyway, it was all Sun Yan’s text messages.

Mo Yisheng refused to stop. He put down the palette and moved it from the stool to the sofa. He was still a little sincere: “Hai’an, I wanted to say it for a long time, are you too prejudiced against people?”

Yan Hai’an didn’t want to discuss any outlook on life with Mo Yisheng. His phone vibrated twice.

Mo Yisheng sighed and said, “I know you’re doing it for my own good. But you are too prejudiced about people. If you think they’re bad, why do you still want to associate with them?”

Although he knew for a long time that his and Mo Yisheng’s three views were somewhat inconsistent, every time they collided with each other, Yan Hai’an’s brain hurt a little. He doesn’t know if it’s because of the cold and headache, but tonight he has no patience for this.

The phone continued to vibrate. This time, it wasn’t a text message. It was a phone call.

“I’ll answer a call.” Yan Hai’an got up and walked out of the studio. He took out the phone and picked up the call without looking at the caller ID, “Hello?”

Sun Yan said, “Why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

Yan Hai’an said, “I didn’t see it.”

Sun Yan didn’t seem to bother about this and went straight to the topic: “Are you coming tonight? I just came back from there.”

Sun Yan was referring to the ancient town where they happened to meet last time. The Sun family was engaged in development over there. Sun Ling didn’t care much, so he, the second-in-command, was watching over the project there.

Yan Hai rubbed his forehead irritably. He wanted to make an appointment. But he also really wanted to talk to someone. Of course, with Sun Yan, you can’t just have a normal chat.

He said, “Going to your place?”

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Next update: 2022.06.03

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*Translator’s note: It was hard for me to type. My cat was sleeping on one of my wrists grr. -K