Xiao Yanzhi had grown accustomed to Jiang Li's coquettishness as a little woman. Without pausing his actions, he told her to put on her clothes obediently.
"While we're out, a big star should keep a low profile," the man coaxed as he straightened her collar. "There will be times for you to show off your beauty."
The snow in Beicheng this year came particularly late, but the cold wind showed no sign of weakening. It was so piercing that it seemed to freeze one's very marrow.
Jiang Li pouted and twirled in front of the mirror. Looking at her somewhat bulky figure due to the thick coat, she was dissatisfied with her outfit. "I look so ugly," she complained.
Xiao Yanzhi walked over and wrapped a scarf around her neck. "You're clearly very pretty."
"Your ability to tell white lies isn't very convincing," she retorted.
"I'm telling the truth."
"Then tell me, when am I not pretty?"
"Never," Xiao Yanzhi replied calmly. "There's only pretty, and even prettier."
His answer was so precise that Jiang Li couldn't help but widen her eyes. Curiously, she asked, "When am I even prettier?"
Xiao Yanzhi squinted his eyes, leaned close to her ear, and gave his answer, "When I'm making love to you."
Jiang Li's face instantly flushed bright red. She pushed him away with her hands, her face full of shyness and disgust. "Is there nothing else in your head?"
Seeing her act like a shy little girl scolding him, Xiao Yanzhi found it incredibly amusing and couldn't help but laugh. "No, my head is full of you."
Damn it! It was such a cliché love line, but it still made her heart flutter.
Xiao Yanzhi briefly elaborated on his love line. "All kinds of you, you on the stage, you on the set, you on the posters, you at home, and you in bed..."
Jiang Li's face turned crimson. "Stop talking!"
The plane took off on time from the Beicheng airport. Jiang Li finally got to take off the down jacket she disliked so much.
There was wind today. After a short period of turbulence, the plane flew smoothly in the clouds.
Naturally, they were in first class. The service and experience were both excellent. Jiang Li wrapped herself in the cashmere blanket the stewardess had just handed her. Still not fully recovered from the turbulence, she leaned her head gently on the man's shoulder.
Once she had adjusted, she turned to look at the man sitting beside her.
Xiao Yanzhi also turned to look at her. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Jiang Li shook her head and voiced her inner question. "I've been wanting to ask. You travel abroad so frequently. Why haven't you considered buying a private jet?"
The last time she heard about a private jet was when Sheng Shuocheng casually mentioned that he would use one to pick her up to visit Cheng Yingchun.
For the Xiao family, getting something like this shouldn't be too difficult.
After all, he had a yacht of his own on the Seine.
Xiao Yanzhi said, "I did consider it before, but the procedures for buying flight routes are too complicated. Moreover, there's no need for such extravagance. Civil aviation is just as convenient."
His tone was calm. "If you want one, I can start preparing to buy you one."
Jiang Li was flabbergasted. "No, no, no. I was just asking casually."
Seeing her look so panicked, Xiao Yanzhi smiled. "Sometimes I draw on the plane to kill time."
"Draw?"
Xiao Yanzhi nodded and asked the stewardess to bring his drawing board and pens. The stewardess kindly asked if he needed the paint that had been prepared before. He shook his head and said no.
Jiang Li thought silently that this was no different from having a private jet. The stewardess even remembered his usual habits on the plane and would prepare the things he needed in advance.
Xiao Yanzhi loosened his tie a bit and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He turned to her and asked, "Do you mind if I draw you now?"
His gentlemanly inquiry almost made Jiang Li forget that this was the second time she was being his model.
Jiang Li shook her head to indicate that she didn't mind, but she felt a bit nervous for some reason. She curled her palms. "Go ahead."
Noticing her nervousness, Xiao Yanzhi said nonchalantly, "You don't have to hold a fixed pose. Just relax."
After he said that, Jiang Li casually picked up a nature magazine on the plane and nestled in her seat to read it.
The magazine's introduction to natural landscapes was very vivid and attractive, but Jiang Li just couldn't focus. She could always feel a pair of eyes on her.
The gaze wasn't too intense, but it was very focused.
She swallowed a few times, trying hard to look "relaxed", but in fact, her body was very tense. She wanted to turn her head to look at him, but she had to maintain her current state.
It was really strange. When she walked on the red carpet before, being watched by so many eyes and cameras, she had never felt so unnatural.
Was it because she hadn't participated in any activities recently and her on - the - spot performance ability had declined?
She had a lot of inner monologues. It wasn't until the man said "it's done" that she turned her head to look at his drawing board.
He had drawn her profile, capturing the moment when she was turning the pages. Her slender shoulders and long swan neck made her look very elegant sitting there. Even her eyelashes were drawn in great detail.
It was just a sketch, but it was very vivid.
"It's so beautiful," she gave the most sincere evaluation and gave him a thumbs up. "It's good enough to be used for publicity."
As she said that, she held the drawing board by the window. The light outside the thick clouds happened to shine in. She took out her phone and took a picture.
With the addition of sunlight, the drawing became even more special.
She said that she would post this photo on Weibo after they landed.
"Will it cause any negative impact?"
"It's just a drawing."
Xiao Yanzhi shifted his gaze to the drawing and stared at the inconspicuous "X" in the corner. He thought that no one would notice it.
It was his habit not to use too obvious patterns to mark his works.
But they underestimated the netizens' ability to capture details.
After the plane landed, Sister Chen and Jingyi came to pick them up.
When they met, they didn't mention what had happened before. As usual, they gave her a welcoming hug. Sister Chen reminded her of the things to pay attention to here, and Jingyi asked her what she wanted to eat for dinner.
Jingyi looked very happy. "Sister Chen booked a very big hotel suite. I've tidied up your room in advance. You can rest after dinner. The hot water is already ready for you."
After she finished speaking, Sister Chen gave her a few looks.
Jiang Li looked back at the man standing behind her and felt a bit embarrassed for a moment.
Jingyi was a bit slow - witted. Only later did she realize something. For a moment, she looked a bit disappointed. "Um... Sister Jiang Li, are you not going to stay with us?"
She was young and hadn't learned how to hide her emotions. The sadness and disappointment on her face were very obvious.
Seeing the little girl's face wrinkle up in disappointment, Jiang Li felt a bit sorry for her. After thinking for a while, she gritted her teeth and stamped her foot. "I'll stay with you guys tonight."