“These days are really comfortable—red sleeves adding fragrance, haha, no wonder so many people in later generations fantasize about romantic scholars and beauties. Turns out, being a scholar has so many benefits.” Adam Sullivan felt extremely content in his heart, thoroughly enjoying himself.

“Big Brother Sullivan, what poem were you reciting?” Ethan asked curiously, her eyes always wide, as if covered in a layer of mist.

Adam Sullivan smiled and said, “This is Ji Kang’s poem of sorrow and anger. The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove were all people who abandoned the classics in favor of Laozi and Zhuangzi, who scorned ritual and law and admired freedom and unrestrained living. To portray such people, you must first understand their state of mind. Only then can you write in one go after picking up the brush.”

Ethan smiled and said, “Does Big Brother Sullivan really know how to paint?”

Adam Sullivan put on a stern face and said, “If I can’t paint, then no one in the world can.”

Sam Walker, standing to the side, muttered, “You sure talk big. I’ve known you for so long, but I’ve never seen you paint.”

Actually, Sam Walker was worried for him. He had already boasted, and if he couldn’t produce a painting, Young Master Zhou surely wouldn’t let it go. Adam Sullivan ignored him and suddenly leaned close to Ethan, his nostrils flaring slightly as he actually went to smell Ethan’s fragrance.

“So fragrant!”

“Hey… Big Brother Sullivan…” Ethan murmured, unable to get the words out, her face blushing bright red.

Adam Sullivan gave an embarrassed laugh. “I’m doing a life study.”

“Life study?” Ethan felt that Adam Sullivan was full of lies.

“It means that before painting, you have to understand the artist’s temperament, to feel his character and brushwork. The person who painted this was Sun Wei. As for Sun Wei…” Adam Sullivan pursed his lips and said, “He was a bit unrestrained, especially fond of beautiful women. Haha, I’m just experiencing life, trying to understand Sun Wei’s preferences.”

On the side, Sam Walker couldn’t help but spit blood. “Big Brother Sullivan, why don’t you blush when you lie?”

Adam Sullivan waved his hand. “Sam, go outside. I need to paint.”

Sam Walker said, “What does painting have to do with me?”

Adam Sullivan loftily tossed his brush. “Sun Wei doesn’t like smelly men.”

“Really? Isn’t Sun Wei himself a smelly man?” Sam Walker decided to argue to the end.

Adam Sullivan curled his lips. “The smellier a man is, the more he dislikes other smelly men. Like repels like, opposites attract, don’t you get it? Out, out…”

Sam Walker had no choice but to leave the study, feeling very aggrieved.

“You’re lying to me.” After Sam Walker left, Ethan glared at Adam Sullivan, biting her lower lip almost to the point of breaking the skin.

Adam Sullivan stood his ground, arms akimbo. “Why would I lie to you? Simple copying is full of flaws. My copying is different—I treat myself as Sun Wei, and after switching roles, I use Sun Wei’s mindset to understand the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, then paint in one go. That’s the highest realm of copying.”

Ethan couldn’t resist his trickery and her heart softened at once. “Alright, I’ll let you smell again.”

Adam Sullivan put down his brush and pressed closer step by step. “No, just smelling isn’t enough. It’d be best if I could hold you. Sun Wei always painted while embracing beauties. I need to truly feel his experience.”

Adam Sullivan then shook his head in frustration. “A good girl like Ethan, I can’t bear to disrespect her. Sigh, this Sun Wei, such a great painter, but such poor character. Forget it, I won’t try to experience him anymore.”

“But if I don’t experience him, I can’t make a good copy, and I won’t be able to answer to the young master. What a headache.”

Ethan lowered her head, too embarrassed to speak. Gathering all her courage, she said, “If this will help Big Brother Sullivan answer to the young master, then Ethan will let you hold me.”

Adam Sullivan said with sorrow, “No, I’d rather be beaten to death by the young master than disrespect Miss Ethan. Miss Ethan is like the goddess Luo—just being able to see her and talk to her is already a great privilege. To get physically close would be a grave sin.”

Ethan was on the verge of tears. So, in Adam Sullivan’s heart, she was held in such high regard. But then she thought, if Adam Sullivan couldn’t paint and angered the young master…

Thinking of this, Ethan’s eyes turned red, and she trembled as she moved closer to Adam Sullivan, whispering, “Big Brother Sullivan, I… I…”

“What’s wrong, Ethan?” Adam Sullivan gracefully picked up his brush again, looking very hesitant.

Ethan bit her lip, her gentle body pressing over, clinging to Adam Sullivan’s chest like a frightened kitten, her body still trembling.

“Wow, this isn’t quite right.” Adam Sullivan thought, feeling hurt, but quickly cooperated with Ethan, pulling her into his arms. The delicate body in his embrace swayed softly, trembling all over. Her breathing grew more and more rapid—at first a bit shy, but soon she completely melted into Adam Sullivan.

“Fragrant, even more fragrant.” Adam Sullivan took a deep, intoxicated breath, his scheme succeeding, feeling even more delighted. He freed one hand to lift Ethan’s chin and gently tapped her cherry lips. “Haha, inspiration has struck!”

After the embrace, Ethan was so shy she couldn’t lift her head, stammering, “Big Brother Sullivan, hurry and paint.”

“Alright.” Adam Sullivan gripped his brush, as if he had suddenly become a different person. His wrist moved lightly, the tip of the brush dipped in a bit of ink on the snowy white Shu paper, and then the brush danced swiftly, painting with lively strokes.

Just moments ago, he was still acting unrestrained, but now he appeared extremely focused. His wrist never stopped, his eyes fixed intently on the tip of the brush, as if he had even forgotten to breathe.