After thinking for a while, Shen Xingcan looked at Song Tiantian. "How many varieties of mango are there on Chongshan Island?"
Song Tiantian said, "Two. One is the Guifei mango we picked today, and the other is the green mango."
Shen Xingcan said, "All right, but we're short on time today, so I can only draw the Guifei mango for now."
Song Tiantian asked curiously, "Are you planning to draw, Xingcan?"
Shen Xingcan said, "Yes. I'm planning to draw a mango mascot. The production team has a scanner and printer, right?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Shen Xingcan acknowledged her, but before he could get up to find drawing supplies, several items appeared in front of him.
Xie Linchuan said, "Work out the sketch. I'll find everything else."
Shen Xingcan blinked. "Okay."
[You can tell from how practiced Best Actor Xie is that he must've often waited on his wife while he painted.]
[Shen Xingcan can do this too? I've never heard about it before.]
[We don't know how good Shen Xingcan's drawing actually is, but he's famous. With him designing a mascot for Chongshan Island's mangoes, they'll definitely be more popular than before.]
[Exactly. Xie Linchuan is practically a marketing genius...]
[He's a best actor, but don't forget his family background. Selling some mangoes is a piece of cake for him.]
[I have reasonable grounds to suspect that if Shen Xingcan hadn't asked, Xie Linchuan wouldn't have offered this plan at all.]
Xie Linchuan asked, "Oil painting or traditional Chinese painting?"
"Traditional Chinese painting. It's faster."
Xie Linchuan's proposal was to distinguish Chongshan Island's mangoes from those grown elsewhere, but to older people, mangoes were eaten the same way no matter where they came from.
So these mangoes would target young customers, and the style young people preferred should be...
Having established his target customers, Shen Xingcan began drawing.
Shen Xingcan had rarely painted in recent years, but the foundation he had built from childhood remained. Although he couldn't compare with any top masters, he wouldn't be at a complete loss with paper and brushes before him, either.
[Shen Xingcan knows traditional Chinese painting and oil painting??? He's that good?]
[They're two different systems, but they probably have something in common. Master one and you can master them all... right? (I don't know anything, I'm just talking nonsense. Don't flame me.)]
[Oil painting, traditional Chinese painting... those two skills are rather intriguing. If I remember correctly, Empress Shen's parents are apparently an ink painting master and an oil painting master, and Shen Xingcan's family also has an apple orchard...]
[Shen Xingcan = Empress Shen's son? Doesn't she only have two children? The older one is second-in-command at his father's company, and the younger one is thriving in the jewelry world.]
[But Empress Shen has never said she only has two sons!]
[Whoa, Shen Xingcan's technique is pretty impressive. You can tell at a glance he's had training.]
The other two groups of guests also began making their packaging.
Since Jiang Yifeng and Bai Lin disagreed, they simply took fifty jin of mangoes each to package separately.
Lin Cen and Ye Ran, on the other hand, reached an agreement and chose cardstock in various colors.
Xie Linchuan, who looked quite idle, set up an easel and began mixing the paints they would need later according to Shen Xingcan's instructions.
By the time Shen Xingcan had settled on the mango mascot's general appearance, Xie Linchuan had also finished his preparations.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering dancing patches of light across the ground. A gentle breeze swept past, stirring the black hair of the young man sitting upright before the easel.
His dusty-pink cotton-linen short-sleeved top perfectly accentuated his slim, straight shoulders. Beneath the neckline, his beautiful, delicate collarbones rose and fell gently with his breathing, while cream-colored wide-leg trousers outlined his waist just right.
His shimmering peach-blossom eyes were focused and serious.
Shen Xingcan's brush moved across the paper, and soon the image of a mango mascot sitting in a miniature wooden boat, paddling hard across the sea, sprang to life.
The mango mascot had short, chubby limbs and two round eyes like black grapes set into its face, with a faint pink at the corners like petals touched with honey.
Its nose was a pale, soft-yellow dot, its cheeks were rosy, and the emerald-green leaf atop its head curled slightly.
Shen Xingcan painted several mango mascots with different expressions: one on a swing, one in traditional attire holding red wedding silk...
He painted attentively, and the person standing behind him watched just as attentively.
Time grew quiet and beautiful in that moment.
[I feel like I've glimpsed their past through this scene.]
[They must've been like this long ago too. One painting with complete concentration, the other gazing intently at the person painting...]
[Xie Linchuan's fans always say he looks at everyone affectionately. That's because they've never seen how he looks at Shen Xingcan!]
[I still don't understand. Since they like each other, why did they separate back then? Why spend years apart, one at home and the other abroad?]
[What do you mean, like each other? They were just good friends who fell out back then, and now they've made up.]
[I reasonably suspect that even if Shen Xingcan and Xie Linchuan were caught having sex one day, both sides' solo stans would say they were having a friendly exchange between brothers...]
[Wait, does nobody care what Xingcan's mango mascots actually look like??]
An hour later, Shen Xingcan stood up. "The mango mascot holding the red wedding silk can be paired with a green mango later. There isn't enough time today, so I won't draw that one yet."
Xie Linchuan said, "Okay. You've got paint on your face."
Shen Xingcan instinctively reached for his cheek. "Where?"
With that movement, three thin streaks suddenly adorned his cool, pale skin, a bright, translucent yellow that looked just like a cat's whiskers.
Shen Xingcan remained completely unaware. His peach-blossom eyes still held a little confusion, and he hadn't realized at all that his face had gained some decoration.
He looked like a pretty kitten that had stolen a taste of honey, its face covered in traces of the deed while it remained oblivious.
Xie Linchuan chuckled softly, then said, "On the left. I'll wipe it off."
Shen Xingcan froze for a moment. The next second, Xie Linchuan was already wiping his face with a wet wipe.
The dampness on his cheek made Shen Xingcan's eyelashes tremble involuntarily.
"Done."
Shen Xingcan looked doubtful. "...Done already?"
"What else?"
Shen Xingcan felt something was off. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I want to see the wipe you used."
Xie Linchuan readily handed Shen Xingcan the wet wipe he had just used.
The soft-yellow paint stood out clearly against the wipe. Had there really been something on his face?
Xie Linchuan asked, "You thought I was lying to you?"
Shen Xingcan nodded earnestly. "Yes, because I thought you wanted to take advantage of me."
Xie Linchuan asked, "Why would I want to take advantage of you?"
Shen Xingcan suddenly hooked a hand around the back of Xie Linchuan's neck with irresistible force, instantly pulling him down and erasing the height difference between them.
The movement brought their noses almost together, and even the warmth of their breaths seemed to mingle.
Shen Xingcan gazed into Xie Linchuan's eyes, his lips curved in a challenge emboldened by his own beauty. "Because I'm pretty. Isn't that reason enough?"
His tone was haughty and willful, like a tuft of pure-white feathers brushing lightly across Xie Linchuan's heart.
[Aaaah, so close, so close!!!!]
[?? Shen Xingcan, why don't you just kiss him already?]
[You two really are something. One pretends to wipe paint off the other's face to touch it, while the other looks like he's provoking him but is practically kissing him.]
[Why do I feel like Xie Linchuan's attitude toward Shen Xingcan has changed... but it's a very subtle change...]
[You're not imagining it. Just now, there was clearly nothing on Xingcan's face, but he said Xingcan had paint on it.]
[Isn't a change only natural? His wife is working so hard to flirt with him. Unless he's dead, he's going to notice, okay!]
[What nonsense are you talking about? They've clearly just made up. It's such a pure friendship.]
After speaking, Shen Xingcan released Xie Linchuan and returned to his original position, as though nothing had happened.
Xie Linchuan's gaze on Shen Xingcan was dark and dangerous.
Shen Xingcan seemed oblivious. "Let's find the production team to print these, then put them on the fans. I just saw that they prepared quite a few blank folding fans for us."
Xie Linchuan didn't answer, looking as though he wanted to see right through Shen Xingcan.
When no answer came, Shen Xingcan grew a little displeased and glared at Xie Linchuan. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Xie Linchuan said, "...Sure."
Shen Xingcan said, "Let's go."
Song Tiantian had actually wanted to come over and see Shen Xingcan's paintings for a while, but the atmosphere between him and Xie Linchuan had been far too lovely. Only now, hearing that they wanted to find the production team, did she approach.
Then she exclaimed, "What adorable mango mascots!"
To keep the audience in suspense, there had been no more close-ups of the drawing board after the initial sketch. Now, as Song Tiantian exclaimed, the camera moved in, and the endearingly goofy, colorful mango mascots on the board instantly appeared before everyone.
Washes of colored ink formed their bright orange bodies, while the emerald leaves atop their heads were dabbed in with indigo mixed with ink. Their rosy cheeks looked festive, and their various poses were both endearingly goofy and lively.
[What adorable mango mascots!]
[Shen Xingcan can actually do this too??]
[Where are you setting up your stall tomorrow? I'll fly over tonight.]
Song Tiantian's voice drew the others' attention, and soon the other guests gathered around as well.
Jiang Yifeng clapped like a seal. "Wow!!"
Ye Ran also clapped enthusiastically. "So cute! Xingcan, are you planning to use them to design the packaging?"
Shen Xingcan said, "Yes. I'm planning to print them on paper fans first, as complimentary gifts for people buying mangoes. As for how these mango mascots are used afterward, that's up to the mango orchard."
The director spoke from behind the camera. "The head of the mango orchard and the secretary in charge of Chongshan Island are already on their way. They said they want to thank Xingcan in person."
The secretary and the orchard head clearly both understood what Shen Xingcan's contribution meant.
With Shen Xingcan's fame, even drawing a few circles for Chongshan Island's mangoes would ensure they had no trouble finding buyers, let alone when he was putting genuine effort into it.
So the moment they learned that Shen Xingcan was designing a logo for the island's mangoes, the two immediately set off for Chongshan Island.
Jiang Yifeng looked even prouder and happier than Shen Xingcan. "Wow, that's our captain! Our captain is always freaking awesome!!!"
Ye Ran said, "You're amazing, Xingcan."
Song Tiantian said, "With this logo, our Chongshan Island mangoes will definitely become famous far and wide!"
"That's right! They'll definitely be sold all around the world, so everyone will know how great our Chongshan Island mangoes are!"
[I thought Shen Xingcan would draw something vaguely resembling a mango at most, but he produced an entire series?]
[Can any professionals evaluate Shen Xingcan's work?]
[Longtime art student here, arriving uninvited. Shen Xingcan's work is very professional, and I can even see a hint of Professor Cao Ren in it...]
[It really does have that feel. So, given that Professor Cao Ren is Empress Shen's mother, and Shen Xingcan's work resembles Professor Cao Ren's... who exactly is Shen Xingcan?]
[Don't you think Shen Xingcan's situation is strange? He's been in the industry for so many years, yet the entire entertainment industry doesn't know a single thing about his family.]
[Fuck, if Shen Xingcan really is that person's son, there's nothing wrong with him calling himself the crown prince. I'm even starting to think he has a good temper. Bai Lin provoked him and still got to keep his life...]
[Xie Linchuan is one lucky guy too. His top-tier fair, rich, beautiful wife is utterly devoted to him.]
Even Shen Xingcan, who considered himself thick-skinned, found everyone's words a little too much to bear. "Stop praising me, stop. Any more and I'll be too embarrassed to show my face. I only painted a few things."
Ye Ran said, "How are we exaggerating? We're just stating facts."
Jiang Yifeng agreed. "Exactly."
Shen Xingcan suddenly bumped his head against Xie Linchuan's shoulder. "Xie Linchuan, what if the mangoes don't sell? I don't want to embarrass myself."
His tone was both proud and coy, with a touch of petulance.
A hint of amusement entered Xie Linchuan's eyes. "The Xie Group has a total of 125,600 employees."
Shen Xingcan's beautiful face paled. "You're going to force your employees to buy mangoes? That's way too evil-capitalist of you."
Xie Linchuan said, "...Provide them for free."
Shen Xingcan said, "You scared me to death. I thought you were planning to take me, your sworn enemy, down with you."
Xie Linchuan said, "...The Xie Group treats its employees quite well."
[@Xie Group employees, your crown princess has secured free mangoes for you.]
[Hahaha, forcing employees to buy mangoes, seriously?]
[He specifically explained that his employees are treated pretty well so his wife wouldn't mistake him for an evil capitalist. Hahahaha.]
[It really is good. I can vouch for it. The benefits, subsidies, and cafeteria are all excellent, and the afternoon tea spread is super, super generous! It's just so hard to get in, o(╥﹏╥)o]
[I hereby declare that Shen Xingcan will be my one and only connection at the Xie Group.]
Shen Xingcan and Xie Linchuan divided the hundred jin of mangoes into twenty portions in kraft paper bags, then placed a folding fan printed with mango mascots into each bag.
Shen Xingcan looked contentedly at the twenty bags of mangoes before him. "Mission accomplished!"
Soon, the other two groups of guests also finished their tasks one after another.
Song Tiantian said, "After two hours of hard work, our guests have finished packaging all the mangoes. Considering that all three groups need to leave the island at five tomorrow morning to sell them, today's show will end here. Viewers, get some rest early too, so you can tune back into our livestream at five tomorrow morning."