Chapter Thirty-One: Teaching How to Paint

It seemed that Rena Serizawa had sensed Anhe's gaze. Her movements gradually slowed, and she finally stood prettily on his back, her face flushed with embarrassment, unsure what to do. Even her ten delicate toes curled shyly.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! This was exactly the feeling. You were elated inside, thoroughly enchanted by the motion of her toes. That sensation was even more pleasurable than a direct massage. The only flaw was the surplus of clothing on your body and the socks on hers. If only she could slip into a pair of white stockings... The smooth touch of those white silk stockings would be like the fragrance of exquisite silk—sleek and refined!

For the first time, Anhe wholeheartedly agreed with the narrator. Of course, he only indulged this thought in his mind. After all, Rena’s face was already crimson with embarrassment from his gaze, her body slightly stiff. Anhe had no doubt that if he acted any further, she would tumble right off his back.

With this in mind, Anhe withdrew his gaze, turned his head away, and grinned, “Rena-chan, you’d better get down. You’re quite heavy.”

You’re the one who’s heavy! The words made Rena’s cheeks redden even more. She stomped twice on his back in protest before wobbling off.

Finally, Anhe was able to bend down and retrieve the phone that had fallen to the floor. It wasn’t one of those old-school models like a Xiaolingtong or a Nokia, but even a flip phone of this era wasn’t some useless piece of junk. The minor fall had left the device unscathed.

Climbing up from the sofa, Anhe rubbed the spot where Rena had stepped on him, watching her stand nearby. He said nothing, but wore a mischievous smile.

Seeing his expression, Rena remembered the way he’d looked at her feet earlier. The flush that had just faded returned, and she quickly lowered her head, nervously tugging at her clothes, her feet shuffling backward in retreat, as if hoping to escape reality.

“All right,” Anhe said soothingly, making no mention of what had just happened. Instead, he glanced around the living room and spotted a desk in the corner, walking over to it. “Come on, I’ll teach you how to draw.”

He cleared the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Rena’s eyes lit up and she hurried after him. But then she remembered something, bowed quickly to Anhe, and rushed into the bedroom.

Moments later, she returned carrying a box of sharpened HB pencils, a brand-new sketchbook, and other drawing supplies.

Anhe accepted each item and arranged them on the desk according to his habits.

Having finished, Anhe looked at Rena, who was standing prettily beside him, and smiled helplessly, “Are you planning to stand while you learn, Rena-chan?”

Huh? Rena tilted her head, and as realization dawned, her face flushed visibly red. She bowed again, then fetched another chair from the living room and pressed it close beside Anhe.

The scent of lavender wafted through the air once more. Thinking of Sawu Amamiya’s reaction yesterday, Anhe shifted his position slightly.

“I’ll draw one first,” he said. “As I draw, I’ll explain the key points and things to watch for. When I’m done, you can copy it.”

Rena pushed her glasses up her nose with two fingers and nodded earnestly, like a student preparing for the college entrance exam.

Anhe smiled, turned to face the desk, spread out the paper, and picked up an HB pencil.

A familiar feeling washed over him, and his expression grew focused. He took a deep breath, set the pencil to paper, and with a flick of the wrist, a perfect arc appeared, followed by a second, a third...

Time passed slowly. The arcs gathered and intersected on the page, gradually revealing a figure: a black-haired youth in a dark coat, wielding twin swords.

It was Kirito!

Rena clapped her hands excitedly. Even though it was her first time seeing this face, she immediately recalled the protagonist Kirito from the story Anhe had told yesterday.

Seeing her fangirl expression, Anhe suddenly felt a pang of envy toward Kirito. Great at games, beautiful wife, adorable and capable sister, and so many girls who liked him...

Just as he was lost in thought, he felt his arm shaken. He turned to see Rena gazing at him with wide, eager eyes.

Anhe’s lips curled into a smile. He stopped thinking about Kirito, tore out the drawing he’d just finished, clipped it upright on the desk, then stood and stepped aside. “Your turn. I’ll guide you as you go.”

Mm, mm! Rena nodded vigorously and hurriedly took her seat.

She picked up a pencil, and with Anhe’s encouragement, began to draw. Her expression was focused, her hand steady, and soon a vague head shape appeared on the paper.

Anhe nodded in approval, but as the character’s features grew clearer, his expression gradually changed, until he was staring, mouth agape, in shock.

He glanced at his own drawing of Kirito on the desk, then at what Rena had produced...

Anhe’s handsome face twisted in confusion, frantically searching for a suitable description. At last, he found an apt comparison.

A goblin!

Yes, a goblin! The kind with a broad nose, pointed ears, sharp teeth, and a diminutive body.

The only difference between Rena’s goblin and the ones in Anhe’s memory was that hers wore a black coat, sported black hair, carried twin swords, and struck a dashing pose.

Rena seemed to sense something odd about her “Kirito” compared to Anhe’s. Embarrassed, she lowered her head, fidgeting with her pencil.

Anhe pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

He simply couldn’t understand how, step by step, detail by detail, even in order, Rena had followed his process exactly—yet her result belonged to another species.

He sighed, patted Rena’s shoulder, and she flinched. Then she looked up at him, her big teary eyes pleading, a single drop trembling at the corner, clearly ready to burst into tears if he dared scold her or refuse to teach her.

“All right, I’ll teach you hand-in-hand,” Anhe said gently, lifting her glasses and wiping away the tear at her eye.

Feeling the soft touch on her cheek, Rena’s face reddened and she awkwardly stood up.

Anhe took her seat, scooted backward to make room, and patted the empty space beside him.

“Come, sit here. I’ll hold your hand and draw together.”

Rena’s cheeks burned bright red. She hesitated, but finally took her place.

As soon as she sat down, she felt him move closer behind her. His hands gently clasped hers.

The warmth of a man’s breath on her neck made her a little uneasy, but as Anhe guided her hand in drawing the first line, that strange feeling quickly melted away.