Jiang Youwan was led by Jiang Jinyi into her art studio.

This studio was a forbidden sanctuary within the villa, a place she had never allowed anyone to enter, concealing many of her secrets.

But bringing in a blind person seemed harmless enough.

Jiang Jinyi's studio was spacious, with a massive floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the villa's backyard. The windowsill was lined with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, while the walls were adorned with her paintings. Several easels, chairs, a sofa, a computer, and a coffee bar stood before the window, creating a particularly comfortable atmosphere. The air was filled with a delicate floral fragrance, making simply sitting there a pleasure.

"This is the first time this young lady ever brought anyone in here," Jiang Jinyi said as she settled Jiang Youwan onto the soft sofa. "You should feel honored."

Jiang Youwan was currently in a position where she needed to appease her, so she naturally agreed with whatever Jiang Jinyi said.

Though she couldn't see, she could sense that this was a very comfortable place.

Jiang Jinyi brought over a dozen tubes of paint, stood before her, and began mixing them with a brush.

The paint's aroma gradually spread through the air, but it wasn't pungent. Miss Jiang's paints were, of course, of the highest quality.

Jiang Youwan vaguely sensed that the young girl before her was about to do something to her.

After mixing the paints, Jiang Jinyi dipped a brush in white and dabbed it onto the tip of Jiang Youwan's nose. The sensation was cool, but the scent wasn't overpowering.

Next came blue and green, painting cheeks, forehead, eyelids, jawline...

Jiang Jinyi painted on Jiang Youwan's face, even her eyelashes and strands of hair were stained with different colors.

But bending over grew tiring. Jiang Jinyi propped her right knee on the sofa, pinched Jiang Youwan's jaw with one hand, and commanded, "Look up."

Jiang Youwan obediently tilted her head back, her long hair cascading in a graceful arc. Though her face was covered in paint, it couldn't conceal her inherent beauty.

Her shallow breaths carried an indescribable fragility.

"Sister Youwan? Is it okay if I call you that?" Jiang Jinyi was speaking with a spoiled tone, but her actions were extremely cruel. Calling her "sister" only amplified the humiliation of being degraded by her own younger sibling.

Jiang Jinyi towered over her, their faces close despite the height difference. Her soft, sugary breath brushed Jiang Youwan's face as she spoke. Jiang Youwan had never been this inti.mate with anyone before—or rather, she had never been subjected to such punishment.

From childhood, she had endured countless punishments: whippings, solitary confinement, starvation, physical abu.se... The mere mention of "punishment" now made her body tense involuntarily, bracing for physical pain.

She had never experienced such a "gentle" punishment before.

So this is the kind of punishment a child would give.

"This is the first time I've used a person as a canvas," Jiang Jinyi murmured, chuckling softly as she dipped her brush in red paint and lightly sketched. "You look so pathetic right now. I told you not to make me angry. Do you even know how expensive that vase was? Do you think if I painted a portrait on your face and auctioned it off, I could make back the money?" Jiang Jinyi deliberately said these harsh words to provoke her.

Jiang Youwan's lips parted slightly, but she remained silent.

Jiang Jinyi frowned, muttering inwardly, Why doesn't this woman react at all, even when humiliated? This gives me no sense of accomplishment from bullying her.

I guess I need to try harder.

Unwilling to give up, Jiang Jinyi abruptly released Jiang Youwan's jaw and set the paint aside on a small wooden table.

She hurried to a box, rummaging through it with rustling sounds for a while. Finally, she seemed to find what she was looking for and skipped back to Jiang Youwan.

In her fair, delicate hand was a leather collar with a silver bell attached to the front. The bell jingled lightly with each gentle shake.

Jiang Jinyi had originally bought this collar as a reference for drawing dogs. Now, she intended to use it on Jiang Youwan. If an older sister was treated like a dog by her younger sister, she would feel extremely humiliated, wouldn't she?

She wanted to see Jiang Youwan's anger, the angrier the better. After all, she broke my vase, Jiang Jinyi reasoned. If I get angry, someone will comfort me. But when she's angry, no one cares. I want to make her so mad she cries!

Jiang Jinyi unfastened the collar, leaned down, and brushed Jiang Youwan's hair aside, exposing her slender, swan-like neck. In the next moment, the vulnerable neck was encircled by the black collar.

With each movement, the silver bell jingled softly. Jiang Youwan realized what was now around her neck, her expression shifting slightly as she instinctively tried to move.

The visual impact was striking, almost provocative.

"Don't move!" Jiang Jinyi snapped.

Jiang Youwan stopped moving, slightly pursed her lips, and sat perfectly still on the sofa.

Her face was beautiful, Jiang Jinyi hadn't made her look ugly. She refused to allow any ugliness in her art. She had painted hyacinths all over Jiang Youwan's face—blue and red, strikingly beautiful. The collar only enhanced her allure, adding a hint of sen.suality to her cool demeanor, stirring forbidden thoughts.

But this kind of thing shouldn't be happening between them.

What kind of younger sister puts a collar on her older sister?

Jiang Jinyi certainly didn't see her as a sister.

With a mocking tone, she asked, "Do you know what I drew on your face?"

Jiang Youwan didn't know. She gently shook her head, the bell on her collar jingling with each movement. Though normally a pleasant sound, to Jiang Youwan it carried an indescribable sense of shame.

She immediately stopped moving, even her breathing becoming shallow.

Jiang Jinyi chuckled softly, then whispered secretively, "I drew a turtle, a caterpillar, and a stink bug on your face. Now that you're wearing my collar, you've become—"

Jiang Jinyi paused deliberately, then breathed softly into Jiang Youwan's ear, "My little puppy."

"This is your punishment," Jiang Jinyi said, her voice sweet as honey, yet her words were utterly cruel.

Jiang Youwan's eyelashes trembled, and her voice shook as she weakly protested, "You're so mean..." She looked utterly humiliated.

Seeing her pitiful state, Jiang Jinyi felt satisfied, yet still thought it wasn't enough. This troublemaker had broken her vase on her very first day at home—she deserved a proper punishment.

She retorted childishly, "You're the mean one."

Leaving Jiang Youwan slumped against the sofa, Jiang Jinyi surveyed her handiwork. Jiang Youwan's white shirt hung loosely at the collar, her face was covered in childish drawings, and the collar around her neck completed the picture. With her eyes closed, she looked both disheveled and strangely artistic.

Jiang Jinyi found her camera and snapped several photos in quick succession.

"Is that enough?" Jiang Youwan asked, her voice strained as she suppressed her emotions, her breathing growing heavier.

"Not yet," Jiang Jinyi replied, admiring the photos. She tugged on the collar, her smile sweet as she said, "My artwork is so beautiful, of course I want to show it off. Don't you agree, Sister Youwan?"

To make someone look like this and then parade them around?

Jiang Youwan bit her lip, whispering, "No..."

Jiang Jinyi hummed. "You don't get a say in this."

She's truly awful.

Jiang Jinyi tugged on the chain, pulling Jiang Youwan roughly off the sofa. When she sensed resistance, she lowered her tone slightly, "Who told you to upset me? Let me remind you, I'm the only Miss Jiang in this family. If you disobey me again and make me angry, I'll kick you out immediately."

The studio door opened and closed as the two women left, Jiang Jinyi leading the way. Showing a rare moment of consideration for Jiang Youwan's blindness, she descended the stairs slowly. The servants exchanged nervous glances, too afraid to speak. Aunt Cai was the most panicked, holding her breath in terror.

Last summer, Jiang Ningshu had brought a relative's daughter—a cousin—to play here. The cousin, being overly curious, had touched Jiang Jinyi's belongings. Jiang Jinyi immediately ordered the servants to pack the cousin's luggage and throw her out onto the street.

She showed no mercy whatsoever.

Now, having painted Jiang Youwan's face and fastened a dog collar around her neck, Jiang Jinyi's actions were no better than simply tossing her luggage onto the street.

Jiang Jinyi led Jiang Youwan to a secluded corner of the vast backyard. After walking quite a distance, she took advantage of Jiang Youwan's blindness to taunt her: "You're standing right in the middle of the street now, you know. Everyone's staring at you. How about I leave you here for them to admire my masterpiece?"

With that, Jiang Jinyi released the leash and turned to leave. Jiang Youwan immediately grabbed her hem, biting her lip and pleading urgently, "No!"

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Author's Note: 

Eldest Sister: Everything's going into my little notebook.

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