The lady in front of her is laying on her own bed. With a pipe in her hand. She looks like she is smoking. She is not wearing any clothes. She is only having her white socks on. One leg one the bed the other touching the floor. She spread her legs wide. Painter Hong in her veil hat paint quietly in the room. The lady's maids are standing outside the room wondering what their mistress is doing inside. While outside is getting warm, inside the room is getting warm too but this doesn't bother Painter Hong. She have a bit more time before the sandalwood incense is completely burn out. She draws all the details as clear as how she see it and color them as close as the colors of the subject.
"Make sure you have my private parts drawn well…."
"I will madame."
"I want to give my husband this surprise… Do you think he will like it?"
"Of course. Madame is so beautiful. He will be so enchanted by the sight of you."
Lady Shi is happy to hear that. She is after all one of the most beautiful woman in the capital. To capture the heart of her husband. She did many things to surprise him and it proves that it all work out well. His eyes never look at other woman and always wondering what his wife is thinking and doing.
By late afternoon, the panting is complete and left to dry in the room. Madame Shi dress up behind the folding screen with the help of her personal maid. While Painter Hong is keeping her instruments and putting them into her box, a man walk in. Madame Shi hurry to walk over and hold the man's arms. They look at each other lovingly thus Painter Hong knows that this is the husband that madame Shi mentioned. The man that she wants to capture and keep forever. He is not a young man but a middle age man with a full beard and an absolute authority. Bing Chang Kun is one of the richest man in the capital. He have many business dealings and also appointed by the royal imperial court as the company that supplies rice to the imperial family. He look at Painter Hong who is bowing to him.
"Who is this? What are you doing?"
"My husband she is the painter that i have asked specially to come here to do a painting of me."
"Oh what kind of painter that dress like this?!"
"She is a special type. Come here i show you what she have painted."
The couple walk towards the painting that is hanging up to be dry. The painting is facing outside the window instead of the door. Thus when they see it for the first time, it take their breath away. The usual style of Chinese painting is not shown on the paper. Instead a picture of a real life person is shown to them. The master turn around to look at the painter.
"How did you know to paint in this style?"
"My husband, she doesn't talk to man. It's her rule."
"This is strange but amazing!"
The couple continue to admire the painting which satisfy Painter Hong. Soon the maid comes with twenty gold ingots and Painter Hong accepts it. She bow to the couple and follow the maid to the back door.
She walk along the back alley and into the busy street. After awhile into a shop. She change and walk the back alley and again out into the busy street. She return home in the evening and start to cook. With simple dishes she eats her dinner and clean up after that. Before she goes to bed, she writes down what she have earn for the day and where she have been. She hide her gold and silver ingots in her tool box. Also she check the paint pigments what she needs to purchase. She lay on her bed and stare at the ceiling. The night is long and quiet. Occasionally there will be dogs barking other than that, everything is peaceful.
Class is starting at the usual time. She walks into the classroom. The students greet her. Song Ning puts down the flower pot at the center of the room. She smile and announce loudly.
"Students, today let's paint more than just one flower. I would like to see the whole plant in your painting."
"Lady Song! It will take at least three days to complete!"
"Then let's make it a three days project. I am sure that you all can do it. Come let's start!"
She walk over to her desk and pick up her brush. She watch the students picking their brushes and start to draw. She begin to sketch. After her sketching is done, she look up and walk around her students. They are still drawing and a maid walk into the classroom. She bow and inform her that she have a visitor.
"Oh … get the visitor in…"
" Reporting to teacher Song, i am afraid that i cannot do that. The visitor is a male. You know the school rules that no males are allow into the school area. Thus it is better for you to go to the school entrance to meet him."
"Can you tell him to meet me an hour later at the restaurant opposite to the school."
"Teacher Song i will tell him this."
She bows and about to leave.
"Maid Teng wait. Who is the visitor."
"Oh i forgotten to tell you this. He say his name is Zhang Nan Feng."
She walk up the stairs into a room that Nan Feng have booked. The waiter push open the door. Inside a man stand at the window looking outside. His long hair is tie half up and the rest is down reaching his waist. He turn around without a smile. That is the Nan Feng she knows. The Zhang brothers are alike the Song sisters. One of them cheerful and smiling always. The other is a block of ice that refuse to smile. Song Ning sits down and the waiter left with the door close. On the table spread is the food that she likes. She look up and see the face that she grows up with. He pour a cup of tea and hand it to her.
"How long have you been in the capital. I did not… know."
"Brother Feng, you are too busy to know. Have you seen the letter?"
"Yes… a few days back, i got it… open it. Read it… Is that what you want to do?"
"I think brother Feng what the letter states is very clear. It will benefit you since you are going to marry the Noble Lady."
He open his eyes wide and pinch his thin lips. He continue to look at Song Ning. He remember how happy they are while growing up. Between the Song sisters, he prefer the second daughter. Her twinkling eyes and the deep set of dimples appear when she smile. It capture his heart the moment they meet. When he knows that he is engaged to marry Song Ning in the future he is so happy. Growing up, his goal was to marry Song Ning and have a son and daughter like her. However now, things change. He met Lady Wen who court him and make him change his mind. However seeing Song Ning now, he doesn't want to leave her to suffer alone.
"I… i don't agree on breaking up the engagement."
"Why? You have to marry that noble Lady eventually…"
"We … Our family have sign the contract. So…"
"Just write or go back home to inform your elders that you want to break up the engagement and marry someone else. I am sure they will be fine with it. Look our eldest brother and sister are preparing to get marry or maybe have marry. So the contract is done! So if we say we are not going to get marry. They won't get angry. My parents are long gone. They won't know. Besides marring a noble Lady into the family is a huge honour! Reason with them on this… i am sure they will be fine."
She smile and take a sip of the tea. He continue to look at her without a smile. His hand is playing with the tea cup.
"Why… don't we just get marry back home and i …"
"You are a law officer. Don't you know you are breaking the law for marrying twice without the knowledge of the women? Besides that your noble Lady, won't she be in a rage to know that you have a wife somewhere else?"
"I just…"
"Feng ge… you know me, best. I don't like to be force into situations. For this there is only one clear solution. We have to break up."
His hands tremble when she say her last line.
"Do you… have someone else…"
She remain quiet. She look at his long skinny fingers that are shaking with the tea cup.
"I don't have to answer you that but i will live well. We can still meet up to have a meal once in a while. I will still call you my brother Feng."
Tears form in his eyes. He knows that what Song Ning is saying and doing is for his happiness.
"I will… return home one of these days to … talk to mother and the clan members. I will bring Lady Wen with me…"
"That is good! Bring her to the famous boat ride at the lake there!"
She smile to show her dimples and that makes he more upset. His tears fall as they talk.
She return home and eat her dinner quietly. She clean up the other room for Song Qin who is returning home soon. After that she write in her book what she have spend her money on. Finally under everything she writes that Nan Feng have met her and agree to break off the engagement. She close her book and look outside the window. She hum a song as she keeps everything. Laying on the bed, she sleeps peacefully.