One piece from Chen's  Red and Black series which was showcased at a landmark department store in Milan, Italy, in January. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chen from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, was always fascinated by the world outside. She went to Paris at the age of 14 and was drawn by the charm of the metropolis, staying there for about a decade, studying design and graphic art at ESAG Penninghen. The experience tempered her in such an immersive way that later inspired her to release her first book of illustrations, Paris and Me, in 2018.

The book reflects her life experiences and inner change while studying in Paris. In it, she paints in a bizarre manner - salamis become dancing girls, the local ancient architectural buildings are opera performers waiting in the wings, and stools hurry to have afternoon tea... "It is a book full of my 'crazy ideas'," says Chen, who has garnered more than 330,000 followers on Sina Weibo.

Chen seems to have the knack of "making up stories", after years of training from her sister, who, being four years younger than her, pleaded with her to read bedtime stories every day when she was young.