Transmigrated Into the Stand-In of the Tragic Novel’s Heroine - Chapter 13

?? Qi Milu mentioned this because Lu Li had brought it up to her several times, even asking her to help scout suitable candidates at school, though the specific requirements remained vague. Since her boss had many friends, not lacking in eccentric individuals, Qi Milu didn’t find it strange.

?? Although painting is a category of art, Xie Qingtang wasn’t particularly interested in it, at least not yet. However, since Qi Milu had opened the conversation, she went along with it. Raising an eyebrow languidly, she asked carelessly, “Are there any requirements?”

?? “I’ll forward the recruitment information to you,” Qi Milu replied.

?? Xie Qingtang nodded. Soon, a link appeared in her chat box. She casually clicked on it, scanned the content, and read aloud: “Twenty to thirty years old, young and physically strong, with a certain sense of aesthetics. Outstanding appearance, tall figure…” Xie Qingtang turned to Qi Milu, raising an eyebrow.

?? Qi Milu was briefly stunned. It hadn’t been like this when she first saw it. Had it been recently modified? She quickly opened the recruitment message herself and, upon reading the line, also found it amusing—the position was for an assistant, but the requirements seemed rather improper. “This was posted from Miss Qi Yu’s account, it should be correct,” Qi Milu explained. Qi Yu was a painter who recently held an exhibition, with a single painting valued at a fortune.

?? This strangely worded recruitment message piqued Xie Qingtang’s interest. She looked up at Qi Milu and asked, “Is the contact information listed here?”

?? Qi Milu hesitated for a moment, then replied, “Probably.”

?? Xie Qingtang stood up and stretched, saying, “Then I’ll go join the fun.” Besides contacting them by phone, another way to apply was to go directly to the location, the “Yunmengze Art Studio,” which the navigation indicated was a fifteen-minute drive away.

?? Although Chang Yishao didn’t use the car much, Xie Qingtang still needed to let her know.

?? [Xie Qingtang]: I’m driving out for a trip.

?? Chang Yishao was marking homework. When she saw the message, she immediately started typing, “Where are you going,” but deleted it character by character before sending. After a long pause, she finally just typed a single “Okay.” Gripping the red pen, her thoughts wandered. She was well aware of Xie Qingtang’s “homebody” nature and that she didn’t have many close friends or relatives. Driving out—where could she be going?

?? “Teacher Chang.” Zhang Shang’s voice interrupted Chang Yishao’s contemplation. “I want to learn about history recently. Do you have any book recommendations, Teacher Chang?”

?? Chang Yishao looked at Zhang Shang, who was leaning half his body against a nearby desk, fiddling with his watch from time to time. She frowned, utterly exasperated with him. She casually pulled out a list of extracurricular reading for high school students, slid it forward, and said coolly, “This book list is very popular with students. Suitable for beginners.”

?? A suppressed laugh from the side made Zhang Shang feel somewhat humiliated. He glanced at the book list but didn’t pick it up, instead trying to make small talk again: “Teacher Chang, why didn’t your friend pick you up last time?”

?? “Not a friend,” Chang Yishao’s voice was cold. She adjusted her glasses, a brilliant smile playing on her lips, and added, “It’s a girlfriend.” As the words fell, the snickering became even more pronounced. Zhang Shang felt his face burning and quickly retreated to his own desk, chuckling awkwardly, “You women just like calling each other that.”

?? Chang Yishao ignored him.

?? Chang Yishao was beautiful and good-tempered, and she wasn’t lacking in admirers in the office, but they all returned empty-handed. Persistent types like Zhang Shang were rare. Some people thought Chang Yishao’s “girlfriend” comment was a joke, while others finally understood—no wonder no one could win the beauty over; it turned out the beauty only loved beauties.

?? Xie Qingtang was unaware that she had once again served as a “tool person.”

?? She drove to the “Yunmengze Art Studio,” registered her identity, and was led past the turnstile. The area was spacious and bright, and there were signs of a past art exhibition in the ground-floor lobby. Xie Qingtang followed the staff member upstairs, her curiosity resurfacing.

?? “It’s here,” the staff member said politely. She knocked on the door, and after hearing the “Please come in” from inside, she gave Xie Qingtang a look full of encouragement.

?? Xie Qingtang entered the room.

?? It was a slightly messy studio, with numerous paintings placed around, and pigments and easels haphazardly stacked. A faint, subtle scent hung in the air.

?? The owner clearly didn’t prioritize formalities.

?? Xie Qingtang frowned, her gaze settling on the woman seated in the center chair. The woman had shoulder-length hair, bright, angular features, and a cold, stern gaze, exuding an unapproachable chill. However, Xie Qingtang was certain that the moment the woman saw her, her pupils contracted, and a fleeting look of surprise crossed her face.

?? As Lu Li’s friend, it was possible she also knew Chang Yishao, and she probably mistook Xie Qingtang for He Yanjin.

?? “Are you Miss Chang’s girlfriend?” Qi Yu asked.

?? Xie Qingtang rubbed her brow and replied perfunctorily, “I suppose so.”

?? “En.” Qi Yu nodded slowly, the chill around her noticeably receding. She stared at Xie Qingtang and asked, “Do you know what you are here to do?”

?? “I know everything written on the recruitment information,” Xie Qingtang replied, adding silently, But there was nothing on the recruitment information. Qi Yu was momentarily stunned. She pulled out her phone, glanced at it, and then patted her head, saying, “I forgot.”

?? Xie Qingtang: “…”

?? Do abnormal people always flock together?

?? “It’s not an assistant for the art studio; it’s an assistant for making ceramics, or rather, an apprentice,” Qi Yu said after careful thought.

?? Her words surprised Xie Qingtang.

?? Qi Yu was impatient to elaborate, so she found a printed pamphlet and handed it to Xie Qingtang. In that instant, Xie Qingtang suddenly understood why they hadn’t been able to find a suitable candidate for a month. The recruitment information was too vague, and most people came for the art studio—who would have thought it involved working with kiln fumes?

?? “What do you think?” Although Qi Yu asked this, she didn’t have high hopes for Xie Qingtang. She looked at the face, which bore some resemblance to He Yanjin’s, and couldn’t help but substitute He Yanjin’s personality.

?? “I can do it.” Xie Qingtang nodded. In this retirement world, she also wanted to try being “unorthodox” once.

?? Xie Qingtang’s straightforwardness made Qi Yu look at her differently. She seemed eager to conclude the recruitment process and made a few phone calls in front of Xie Qingtang. Once everything was resolved, she said seriously to Xie Qingtang, “You can go there the day after tomorrow, but whether you can stay depends on you.”

?? Xie Qingtang: “…” She might have been influenced by Chang Yishao; her decisions were becoming hasty and strange.

?? Xie Qingtang was still in a good mood as she walked out of the studio.

?? However, she encountered an unfamiliar woman by the entrance who was staring at her with an intense gaze that was impossible to ignore.

?? Xie Qingtang blinked and said to the unfamiliar woman, “Hello, can I help you?”

?? The woman shook her head, composed her expression, and smiled gently, “Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”

?? Xie Qingtang: “…” She should probably put on a disguise when going out in the future; who knows, maybe He Yanjin’s fans would rush up to ask for an autograph. Xie Qingtang let out a long breath and strode out, but as she drove away, she couldn’t resist glancing back towards the studio.

?? That strange woman was still standing by the entrance, staring blankly at the studio’s sign.

?? Xie Qingtang’s mood was somewhat subtle. She realized her network of relationships had intertwined into a messy knot, and the source of that chaos was He Yanjin.

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