Don't Say You're Heartless (Modern Edition)

83 Selling Calligraphy

The next day, it indeed got colder. Shen Qiuhua and Yang Qiong both put on their warm clothes again. When they ran into Principal Xu in the school hallway, she glanced at them but said nothing.

"She's smart enough. If she dares to bother you again, I'll tell her about last night," Yang Qiong whispered to Shen Qiuhua.

"Fine, do whatever you want. Now go back to your office and get to work. I'm heading upstairs," Shen Qiuhua reassured her, not wanting her to dwell on her own issues. There's no room to hold onto everything in one's heart, some things are best left in the past.

"Give me a kiss," Yang Qiong pouted.

"What?" Shen Qiuhua asked with a smile. The spark in her eyes made Yang Qiong flee.

"Oh, watching the two of you mess around all day is really sickening!" Teacher Wang, who had just entered, saw Yang Qiong whisper something in Shen Qiuhua's ear and then run off, and couldn't help but joke.

"That's true. Our little Yang is always running upstairs and disappearing in no time. Sister Zhang, I need to complain to you. It's always our little Yang running up, when will your little Shen come down to visit our office?" Teacher Bai from the PE department, who was taking out the trash, joined in on the fun.

Teacher Zhang, who had just entered with Teacher Wang, laughed and said, "That just shows our little Shen has charm. You can't envy that."

In the early morning, a group of teachers was chatting and laughing in the lobby. When Principal Xu returned from her inspection and heard the laughter, she intended to scold them. However, those with sharp eyes saw him and quickly dispersed, vanishing in an instant.

After the morning classes, Shen Qiuhua was reviewing the essays written by students. The office door was knocked, and Teacher Gu entered.

"Old Gu, here to find Xiao Shen?" Teacher Zhang asked urgently.

Teacher Gu nodded and approached Shen Qiuhua's desk. "Xiao Shen, the calligraphy you did for Mr. Li's friend was chosen by another wealthy merchant. He asked me to see if you could do a few more pieces."

"It's no big deal. How many pieces?" Shen Qiuhua inquired.

"If you have the time, do a few more. They'll eventually sell for a good price," Teacher Gu said with a smile.

"Alright, I'll have them for you tomorrow."

Back home in the evening, Shen Qiuhua asked Yang Qiong to help with trimming paper and grinding ink. Yang Qiong loved this task. It felt as if they had returned to a previous life, in the magnificent Longhua Palace, facing a peerlessly beautiful person.

That night, Shen Qiuhua was in high spirits and wrote five pieces in one go. When she set down her brush, beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. Yang Qiong, feeling a bit sorry for her, brought a tissue to help wipe the sweat away.

"I know you put your heart into your writing. Why do so many at once? What if you get tired?"

"It's a request from others and a duty to fulfill. Besides, they're paying for it. The more I write, the more income we get." Though their lives were currently quite comfortable and they weren't lacking money, Shen Qiuhua, who liked to plan ahead, saw any extra income as additional security. She wouldn't change her principles for money but also wouldn't ignore opportunities to earn it. That's just practical, not a matter of literary pride.

When Teacher Gu came to pick up the calligraphy, he chose a quiet spot and said to Shen Qiuhua, "These pieces are all bought. Xiao Shen, tell me honestly, how much are you willing to sell them for?" He was cautious, fearing she might refuse if the price was too high, so he spoke very carefully.