Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 20. Art Class Sketching

October 11, 1994, Tuesday.

After their first class of Chinese Language in morning, the students of Class 6, Junior Two walked from the teaching building to the art building for their art class.

Guan Xuchen wasn't particularly fond of art, but he looked forward to the art class nonetheless. That's because in the art class, students could choose their own seats, which meant he could sit next to Gao Xinglang.

The class bell had not yet rung, Guan Xuchen turned to Gao Xinglang next to him and said, "Lang, give me your pencil box."

Gao Xinglang took his pencil box out of his schoolbag and handed it to Guan Xuchen, saying, "Soupy, just take whatever you need."

Guan Xuchen took the pencil box, placed it on the desk, opened it, and then tore off the school timetable that was pasted on the inside.

Gao Xinglang felt puzzled, "Soupy, why did you tear off the timetable you made for me?"

Guan Xuchen pulled out his art textbook from his schoolbag, opened it, and took out a piece of blue cardboard. With a smile, he said to Gao Xinglang, "The old timetable was made of a workbook sheet; it's not very nice or durable. It's already a bit tattered just a month after school started. I've made a new one for you with cardboard. Look."

Gao Xinglang looked at the piece of cardboard in Guan Xuchen's hand and said happily, "It's so beautiful! Soupy, you're so kind to me!"

Guan Xuchen smiled and said, "Let me help you put the new timetable on your pencil box."

At this moment, a girl with shoulder-length hair, fair skin and almond-shaped eyes, sitting in front of Guan Xuchen, turned around and said with a smile, "Guan Xuchen, you're actually making a timetable for Gao Xinglang?"

Guan Xuchen smiled faintly and said nothing. Gao Xinglang, however, said proudly, "Li Peiling (pron.: lee pay ling), that's right. Because Soupy is my best friend!"

Just then, the class bell rang. Mr. Qi (pron.: chee), the art teacher, entered the classroom. The class monitor asked everyone to stand up. After they greeted the teacher, the students sat down again. The teacher began his class. Guan Xuchen listened attentively and carefully pasted the new timetable onto the inside of Gao Xinglang's pencil box.

"Alright, for the next two weeks, we'll be learning still-life sketching. Our subject will be the canna lily..." Mr. Qi hung a sketch on the blackboard and, pointing at it, said slowly, "This is a canna lily that I drew. When drawing a canna lily, there are a few things to keep in mind..."

After explaining at length, Mr. Qi looked at the students and then returned his gaze to his own painting, admiring it as he asked, "Does anyone have any questions about the techniques and points I just talked about?"

"Sir, can we draw a beauty instead of a flower?" Some boy said that and caused the students to burst into laughter.

"Who's talking nonsense!" Mr. Qi got angry. He turned around and glared at the students, his slightly chubby cheeks bulging.

"Sir, it's Yao Zhengxia (pron.: yhow jheng shia)!" Another boy whispered.

"It's not me! Stop it!" The boy named Yao Zhengxia protested loudly.

"It was clearly your voice just now! Stand up!" Mr. Qi reprimanded loudly as he walked off the podium and over to Yao Zhengxia. With a stern face, he continued, "When I was explaining, you weren't paying attention. What were you looking at with your head down?"

With a swift movement, Mr. Qi reached out and grabbed a book from the drawer of Yao Zhengxia's desk. He glanced at the cover and then read the title aloud, "Portrait of the Human Body."