After waiting so long for the snow to melt and spring to arrive, An Jin unexpectedly found she still couldn't escape her days of being cooped up at home. During her boring days, she researched new recipes, practiced calligraphy, and painted.
As the signs of her pregnancy began to show, Mi Yin and the others stopped letting her into the kitchen. An Jin's world shrank to just the living room and her bedroom, and she often painted to pass the time.
One day, Xi caught a glimpse of her painting the scenery outside the window. His eyes misted over, and a look of sorrow crossed his face.
His heart ached. 'Poor Ah Jin must be so bored,' he thought. 'She's already starting to get sentimental over the scenery.'
"Ah Jin, I want to learn to paint, too. How about… you teach me?" he asked, sidling up to her with a beaming smile. He reached out and took her hand; beneath their overlapping fingers was a paintbrush.
