Chapter 72: Similar

Li Zhao also had an art gallery?

Su Mi was a bit curious and said okay, looking at the navigation.

It only took ten minutes to get there. It seemed that the gallery was in the central area of Prime City.

Now, sitting in Shen Han’s car again, her mood was much more relaxed than when she had come.

She had grown bolder. After all, she had spent more than two hours with Shen Han, and nothing had happened. Shen Han was very polite and restrained, positioning herself as if they were friends, with a warm and non-pushy attitude.

Shen Han had deliberately created such a safe atmosphere, and Su Mi naturally melted into it.

She felt at ease, convinced that Shen Han wouldn’t do anything to her, and marked the space around Shen Han as a safe territory for herself.

She even hummed the tune of the last piece as she got out of the car, and couldn’t help but glance back at the bouquet on the back seat.

It was still fresh and vibrant.

Shen Han opened the passenger door for her and said, “If you like them, I can send you a few bouquets every few days to decorate your dorm.”

Su Mi hopped out of the car and said, “I’m not good at taking care of them.”

Shen Han smiled. “Butler Li is very good at it. Next time you come to Southern Garden, have him teach you. All the fresh flowers in the Southern Garden house are tended by him. Or you could grow some flowers that don’t need much care.”

Su Mi recalled the fresh flowers everywhere in Southern Garden and praised, “Butler Li is amazing.”

She skipped over the topic of tending flowers herself, finding it troublesome. She didn’t have that kind of elegant habit anyway.

Shen Han was walking ahead when she paused slightly at that, tilted her head, revealing her profile, and said, “I also tend to Rose Field at fixed times.”

Su Mi: “…”

She felt a bit confused: So what?

A string suddenly connected in her mind. She paused, then tentatively said, “Sister is amazing too.”

Sure enough, she saw Shen Han glance at her, her expression softening a bit as she casually said, “It’s rare to hear you praise me now.”

Su Mi looked at her in surprise: “…”

What was this? Was she being so smug and childish now?

Was this still Shen Han? Or had she been possessed?

Su Mi shook her head and followed Shen Han forward. Suddenly, she realized that Shen Han’s words were true.

She really hadn’t lavished praise on Shen Han in a long time.

Back in the day… or rather, when she had first transmigrated, Su Mi had always upheld the self-discipline of a follower, her flattery skills honed to perfection, always putting Shen Han in a good mood.

But now, when interacting with Shen Han, it was mostly Shen Han taking the initiative, praising her and such. Meanwhile, she, who wanted to continue being a follower, hadn’t maintained her previous state at all.

And yet, she claimed she only wanted to keep their previous relationship.

What kind of follower would accept their boss treating them this well? What kind of follower would accept flowers, have the boss open the car door for her, without any self-discipline as a follower?

If she really only wanted to complete the task, she should have drawn a clear line, retreated to her proper position the moment she sensed Shen Han’s attitude shifting, and honestly played wingwoman for Shen Han and Xu Nanqiao.

She shouldn’t have gone out to play with Shen Han like today, nor should she have answered video calls in the hospital or dorm before. She should have kept the proper distance of a follower.

After all, regardless of what Shen Han thought, just seeing Xu Nanqiao taking on that “part-time job” again last time showed that this contact was effective in reducing Shen Han’s blackening value.

If she continued down this steady path, the blackening value would drop, and with the male lead having disappeared ages ago, there were no triggers for Shen Han.

The task would be completed, right around the corner.

Her relationship with Shen Han didn’t matter at all.

So, from beginning to end, the one tangled up was herself—her own attitude.

Her attitude toward Shen Han had changed.

Even if she hypnotized herself that these concerns were just for the task, she couldn’t control how much she cared about Shen Han’s thoughts.

Under the shell of the task, her mindset had long since shifted. She even used the term “antagonist” less and less to describe Shen Han like some paper character.

Su Mi admitted it: on the contrary, Shen Han seemed to be the person she was most familiar with and cared about most in this world. A living, breathing person with flesh, blood, and emotions.

Otherwise, why would she care?

So, the task hadn’t gotten complicated, and Shen Han’s attitude wasn’t hard to handle.

Su Mi suddenly understood some things.

Actually, the choices ahead were simple: either stick to the original path and draw a clear line with Shen Han, or be brave herself, face Shen Han head-on, and find other ways to complete the task.

The reason she was tangled now was simply that she was being greedy.

To put it bluntly, she wanted it both ways.

She wanted Shen Han to stay within the safe range defined by the task, not doing anything beyond her understanding or control, not shattering the existing sense of security.

But she also wanted to test the waters, to anticipate yet not dare to fully anticipate, to want to change her relationship with Shen Han but not dare to.

It looked like she was just passively accepting it all, seeming not to like it, yet not daring to say she did.

Digging deeper, it was the Su Mi she knew all too well.

She didn’t believe Shen Han could really like her, because she had nothing likable about her. She was dumb and boring, hadn’t seen much of the world, didn’t know how to get along with people.

Even in a pretty dress, she wasn’t the original host in Shen Han’s eyes.

She wasn’t some delicately raised pretty child, unworthy of enjoying the things Shen Han brought her to—like the concert, the art exhibition.

So, even if she agreed to Shen Han, it wouldn’t help the task much and might quickly expose her true colors, revealing her as a worthless, stupid follower.

When she had been tangled before, she came up with countless lame excuses: Shen Han might not really like her, Shen Han might be a flirt, she couldn’t reduce Shen Han’s blackening value.

In the end, it all boiled down to not believing in herself, not daring to make a choice.

From this angle, it even seemed like she was stringing Shen Han along.

If it were someone braver, they might have responded or rejected long ago. Or if it were someone more ruthless, they might use themselves as a method to reduce Shen Han’s blackening value.

But she was timid and weak.

Yet Shen Han was a good person. Su Mi could vaguely sense it—Shen Han had been afraid she would be nervous, so on this outing, she had been careful and polite all the way.

So, she should make up her mind sooner, figure out how to respond to Shen Han. Whether to clarify things or really… give it a try.

Su Mi’s thoughts were a jumbled mess, and she inevitably felt a bit down.

She sighed. Less than a second later, a cool touch came to her wrist.

Shen Han loosely circled her wrist.

Tracing up her arm, Shen Han tilted her head, frowned slightly, and looked at her. “What are you thinking about?”

Su Mi opened her mouth, embarrassed to voice her earlier melodramatic thoughts.

She scratched her cheek and changed the subject. “I’m wondering what this exhibition is about.”

That clearly wasn’t the answer. The strange dejection on Su Mi from moments ago was almost spilling over.

Shen Han narrowed her eyes slightly, stubbornly holding Su Mi’s wrist and suppressing the urge to get closer. “If you don’t like art exhibitions, we can grab the stuff and leave after a bit?”

It made sense. Young girls her age probably preferred more lively activities, not stuffy things like concerts and art exhibitions.

Shen Han quickly ran through the dating spot recommendations she had seen last time.

Su Mi shook her head. “No, I’m actually curious too. Let’s check it out.”

She gave Shen Han a coquettish little smile.

The grip on her wrist tightened slightly.

Shen Han asked, “Really? You like this arrangement?”

She was seriously asking for her opinion again.

The more she did this, the more Su Mi felt a bit uneasy and brushed it off. “It’s pretty fun.”

Just then, a familiar voice came from the entrance.

“You two putting on a drama here?”

Li Zhao walked out with a grin.

Su Mi and the others had already arrived at the gallery entrance. It was a standalone building on a bustling street, with the gallery doors wide open and promotional boards set up at the base of the steps.

Li Zhao approached with her arms crossed, her gaze curiously scanning the wrists they were holding.

Shen Han politely let go. “Li Zhao.”

Li Zhao didn’t say more and led them inside.

As they passed the board, Su Mi glanced at it. It introduced the current exhibition.

There were two artists on display: one was Li Zhao, and the other was an up-and-coming beauty painter. Surprisingly, the theme was couples.

Su Mi subconsciously tugged at Shen Han’s sleeve. “It’s not just Li Zhao’s exhibition?”

Shen Han took one look and commented, “Promoting her new girlfriend.”

Su Mi: “…”

It refreshed her understanding of Li Zhao again.

Their voices were low as they followed Li Zhao inside, where someone came out to greet them.

It was the other featured artist from the board: Yu Ranran. A fitted short skirt accentuated her fine figure, her long hair streaked with red highlights, her face alluring, her aura unique and bold.

She immediately linked arms with Li Zhao and leaned in boldly—one look and it was clear they were in the honeymoon phase of dating.

“A Zhao, your friends?” Her voice was soft as silk.

Su Mi was a bit startled and instinctively scooted closer to Shen Han.

Li Zhao introduced them. “This is my girlfriend, Yu Ranran. These two are the friends I mentioned to you: Shen Han and Su Mi.”

She didn’t elaborate on Shen Han and Su Mi’s relationship.

Yu Ranran asked, “Shen Han? The painter who gave me that painting for reference?”

Li Zhao said, “Yes.”

Cuddled against Li Zhao, Yu Ranran said, “Perfect then. The painting at booth A32 was inspired by your friend’s work. I’ll be showing off my meager skills later.”

Li Zhao chuckled lightly, gripped Yu Ranran’s shoulder, and gave it a comforting squeeze, but said, “In that case, don’t let her see it. You two chat first. Take Su Mi around.”

Suddenly brought up, Su Mi blinked, her social anxiety flaring.

But staying with Shen Han might lead to more overthinking, so she stepped forward proactively. “Sorry to trouble you.”

Yu Ranran smiled. “No trouble. Let’s start from the left gallery. This side is mostly my works…”

She led Su Mi gracefully to the left gallery.

The gallery had a strong modern art vibe. Besides their paintings, there were many art pieces from Li Zhao’s collection.

This was a couples-themed exhibition, open to the public. Along the way, they saw plenty of couples viewing together. The exhibition even had interactive setups for couples to take photos.

Yu Ranran introduced her works to Su Mi along the way. Most were portraits, with vibrant colors and delicate brushstrokes, not confined to one style.

As they chatted while walking, they soon reached booth A32 that Li Zhao had mentioned.

“Here it is. I saw this painting at A Zhao’s house and found it so atmospheric. It inspired me, so I painted a similar female portrait.” Yu Ranran pointed to the painting and said, “Your friend’s painting had an indoor background, with a terrace like a birdcage behind her. The woman inside seemed like a bird trapped and unable to escape. So I painted her in a mountain valley, sitting in the wild winds of the fields playing music. Unfortunately, my skills aren’t as good as your friend’s. I only captured the form, not the spirit.”

Su Mi looked up and suddenly felt it was familiar.

The painting showed a girl playing a cello, her eyes covered by a fluttering ribbon, her face obscured.

But her aura and the way she played inexplicably reminded Su Mi of the performance they had just watched.

She felt an odd sensation in her heart and frowned slightly as she followed Yu Ranran to the next booth.

On the other side, after seeing Su Mi and Yu Ranran off, Shen Han and Li Zhao went to the gallery’s private office.

In the office, they sat on the sofa. Li Zhao brewed tea for Shen Han and casually said, “I thought you wouldn’t agree.”

Shen Han looked at the displays in the office. “To what?”

Li Zhao said, “Letting Ranran take her around the exhibition.”

Shen Han furrowed her brow. “To give her a breather.”

Li Zhao tilted her head curiously. “What, did you two have a fight? How was the first date?”

Shen Han paused and said, “It seems… not great.”

Li Zhao was puzzled. “How so? Where did you take her?”

Shen Han said, “Shi Shuyue’s solo concert.”

Li Zhao nearly dropped the teapot. “Why’d you take her to see Shi Shuyue?”

Shen Han was puzzled. “Is that not okay? Her mental power isn’t developing well. I thought it would suit her.”

Li Zhao said helplessly, “For mental power healing, I have plenty of potions and instruments there. Why go to Shi Shuyue’s? At most, it’s a music concert for show. I reckon it won’t have much effect. Besides, I always felt something was off about Shi Shuyue returning to the country.”

Shen Han replied faintly, “The Shi Family was in a huge mess internally. Maybe she came back to claim a share.”

“No matter how messy, weren’t they still holding a welcome banquet for her? They sent me an invitation. Did they send you one? Tsk, that huge mess at the Shi Family—if it were me, I wouldn’t come back.” Li Zhao wiped her hands. “Forget it, let’s talk about Su Mi. Can’t we arrange it for today? Does she dislike music concerts, or did you do something she didn’t like?”

When it came to Su Mi, Shen Han rarely sighed. She said, “I didn’t do anything. She just got unhappy again. Maybe I still hadn’t found the right approach.”

Li Zhao laughed. “If you ask me, just be more direct. Don’t boil the frog in warm water like this, chasing her without any title or status. When will you ever catch her? You have no experience and can’t figure it out. She can easily slip past you.”

Shen Han said nothing.

Perhaps this method truly didn’t suit Su Mi.

Su Mi seemed chatty on the surface, but she actually hid many worries in her heart. If Shen Han was too polite, Su Mi would overthink and run even farther away.

Li Zhao snorted, knowing Shen Han had taken it to heart. “Come on, you’re both Alphas. Can you really hold back? Even if you can, with all that polite probing and slow testing—asking her out once or twice—she still has that unclear first love. What if that unknown first love comes back? Are you sure Su Mi will choose you?”

She asked like that, but when she truly saw Shen Han show uncertainty about the issue, Li Zhao felt like sighing again.

Why take it so seriously?

Li Zhao served her some tea and said, “Sometimes love is just hormones. I know you’re a perfectionist, but many loves aren’t that perfect. A moment of pleasure is enough. You don’t have to demand that every step be just right…”

Shen Han didn’t answer.

She rarely pursed her lips tightly.

Shen Han had been raised as the Shen Family’s sole heir from childhood. She received the best education and was always the most outstanding among her peers.

There was no need to compare herself to anyone. She was always the absolute best, the number one.

Only in pursuing Su Mi did she constantly worry about rejection. She was more cautious than when handling a multi-billion project, hoping only that her plan would be as perfect as possible—without a single mistake…

Would it succeed?

Shen Han actually wasn’t certain.

Su Mi was easy to see through, yet not easy to see through. Shen Han could sense her moods and discern what she was thinking, but she was always uncertain about what Su Mi truly wanted.

She gently pressed her tongue against her teeth. The slight pain brought instant clarity. Shen Han thought that sometimes, she felt she knew.

It might have seemed strange, but Shen Han always put herself in Su Mi’s shoes—what would she want?

She did this not out of arrogance or an inability to empathize.

Rather, she felt that Su Mi and she were similar at the deepest level of their souls.

That was why she cherished it so much.