Chapter 5, Art Exhibition

After hanging up the phone, Meng Yao stood still.

We are all fellow townsmen, the more people there are, the more paths there are

However, this "closeness" is also relative

While looking at the menu over there, I caught a glimpse of Lin Zhengqing walking this way with two colleagues

Meng Yao turned back again and continued to look at the painting

It was quiet for a moment before getting to the point, "Teacher Feng called me and said that the art exhibition is ready, starting this Saturday at 9:00 AM"

Only a faint and gentle sound of footsteps, one in front and one behind

That should be relatively leisurely

Upon taking it out to have a look, it was Ding Zhuo

Teacher Feng personally funded a significant amount of publicity, and given his considerable standing in the industry, the attendees were all individuals of notable stature.

Not long after her younger sister was born, Meng Yao's father passed away, leaving Wang Limei to bear the entire burden of the family alone

A group of people walked towards the hotel. Ding Zhuo glanced at the crowd but did not see Meng Yao. Turning back, he found Meng Yao standing at the entrance, looking at the promotional text on the X display stand.

Although Meng Yao's previous employment at the prominent newspaper in the capital did not bring her much financial surplus, at least its renowned reputation made her resume quite impressive and appealing

Meng Yu pulled Meng Yao into the room, closed the door, and asked her with a smile, "How much is the salary this time?"

No one spoke, nor was there any exchange of glances

She seized the opportunity and took two days to find a suitable house, making a deposit of one month’s rent and paying three months in advance, before finally purchasing a ticket back to Zoucheng

Meng Yao's expression changed slightly

Seven thousand after tax

The same difficulty in expressing to outsiders the guilt and sorrow for the deceased makes the silence of this moment particularly solemn

She opened her mouth slightly, her voice a bit hoarse, "Have you spoken to Uncle Su and Aunt Chen?"

Meng Yu smiled and said, "Sure, by the way, isn't Brother Ding Zhuo in Dan City? He can provide some support."

A burning sorrow suddenly ignited in Meng Yao's heart; the place that Man Zhen regarded as a childhood memory ultimately became her refuge. What was she thinking in her heart at the moment she lost consciousness

There are footsteps behind.

The sound of footsteps approached and finally came to a stop beside Meng Yao

At this moment, she finally realized that her phone in the bag was vibrating

After staying at home for two days, Meng Yao packed her luggage and went to Dan City

This is the first rain since the onset of autumn

Yes

She put on a coat, stood by the window, and opened it

On Saturday morning at 7 o'clock, Meng Yao woke up

Meng Yao took a step back, leaning against the adjacent brick wall, "Alright"

August has passed, and the weather is gradually becoming cooler. Meng Yao's work and life in Dan City have both entered a stable phase.

It was indeed the younger sister who said a couple of words, "Mom, my sister also wants to earn a bit more money"

Meng Yao paused for a moment, then stepped forward and walked towards him

I apologize, I am outside and it is a bit noisy

Meng Yao nodded slightly

She is diligent and serious in her work. She found a job as a nanny in the Su Qinde family, and has been working there since Meng Yao started high school. Because of this, Meng Yao and Su Manzhen got to know each other and became good friends

Her interview process went smoothly, except for the director's detailed inquiry about her reasons for leaving her previous job, which caused her to hesitate slightly

Which company

Meng Yao said that he has eaten

Meng Yao hesitated for a moment before walking over to greet.

Meng Yu merely mentioned it casually, chatted with Meng Yao for a couple of sentences, and then went to the desk to do homework.

There is a window in the rear diagonal direction, and the sound of rain outside is faint

Lin Zhengqing, twenty-eight years old, single, a graduate of Dan Cheng University, is not considered handsome, but he is quite presentable. He possesses strong work abilities and exudes a reliable and down-to-earth demeanor

Meng Yu let out a cry

It is essential to frequently go out for inspections

Meng Yao's expression became indifferent, "There is no relationship to speak of, so why should I take care of it."

Meng Yao was taken aback, not expecting Ding Zhuo to call her. She quickly answered the phone and walked into a nearby alley with fewer people.

After a long time, Meng Yao took a step forward and continued walking ahead

Today, she wore a white top paired with a black long skirt, and when she stood there quietly, there was a sense of being isolated from the world

Wang Limei did not expect the speed to be so fast, and could not help but retort with two more remarks, "Are you in such a hurry to leave?"

After work, Meng Yao went alone to eat wonton noodles on a nearby street.

Meng Yao turned her head

Ding Zhuo called her name

After exchanging pleasantries with Teacher Feng, Meng Yao prepared to seriously take a look around.

A university classmate came over to visit, and I will have dinner with her tonight

Ding Zhuo uttered a soft "Hmm," greeting her with a tone that inquired whether she had eaten yet

Ding Zhuo has reserved a table at a nearby hotel to treat Teacher Feng and other mentors and close classmates from Man Zhen who are attending the exhibition to dinner

The place where I live is very close to the East District Art Center, just four subway stops away. Upon arriving there, one can immediately see a large display board featuring a half-length photo of Man Zhen.

Before finishing work, Lin Zhengqing went to get water and stopped by Meng Yao's workstation to ask her, "What are your plans for the evening?"

Meng Yu pursed her lips and said, "Then forget it, let's save the money, the medicine for grandmother is expensive"

She walked to the right side, standing in front of a portrait, examining it closely

His fondness for Meng Yao was not concealed, yet he had never made any overt attempts at pursuing her.

Meng Yao smiled and said, "I will buy you a MacBook after you finish your college entrance examination"

She lay on the bed, faintly hearing what seemed to be the sound of rain outside. Pulling back the curtains to take a look, she saw a hazy scene, with a light drizzle falling.

Lin Zhengqing smiled and said nothing further, heading towards the tea room

She has worked outside for four years and earned some money? It is already quite good that the Meng family did not let others stab her in the back

Okay, thank you for letting me know

Meng Yao reported the name of the company

Having looked at this painting, he slowly walked towards the next one, while Ding Zhuo also followed at a leisurely pace.

Ding Zhuo wore a very formal outfit consisting of a shirt and dress pants, with broad shoulders that made the shirt stand out, giving him a remarkably upright appearance

The Su family has helped them a great deal

Shall we not play a few more days

Teacher Feng stood in front of the painting with a cane, shaking hands with colleagues who came to show their support, while Ding Zhuo stood beside him

Meng Yao sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought for quite a while. When she finally lifted her gaze, she saw the white lantern that she had hung in the corner of the wall, and it felt as if her heart was pricked by a needle again

Before leaving, I wanted to meet with Su Qinde and Chen Suyue. However, recalling what Su Qinde had said to her, I dismissed this thought and only asked Wang Limei to pay more attention.

East District Art Center

Planning for the government

The branches above filter the mottled night down, casting shadows upon her face. She stands quietly, her slender figure seemingly merging with the shadows.

After a flurry of activity in all directions, it was time to head out

If you want me to buy a train ticket, I can go over there, as Dan City is closer than the capital.

Su Qinde and Chen Suyue are very kind individuals who offer assistance in various aspects. Later, under Su Qinde's arrangement, Wang Limei went to work at the hospital. She has more responsibilities than before, but she also earns more than when she was a nanny

I asked her when she would start her job

After a brief pause, they said, "It's nothing."

Meng Yao held up the umbrella and looked up for a long time

She does not have a personality that easily allows her to become close to others, so although she maintains a good relationship with her colleagues, she has yet to make a true friend with whom she can have meaningful conversations. The person she is somewhat closer to is her team leader, named Lin Zhengqing.

Gentle raindrops drifted in, soon dampening her hair. Meng Yao stood with her arms crossed, unaware of when a few drops of rain had also landed on her eyelashes, causing a slight itch. She slowly blinked her eyes.

In two days

However, Yiman's true character does not seem to desire to bask in the glory of her mentor. The organization of this art exhibition is mostly for the sake of providing comfort to the living—Yiman is truly talented and still young; as long as she is alive, these honors will eventually be rightfully hers.

Let's go and have a meal together

At 5 PM, the art exhibition concluded, and the painting was auctioned off for a quite considerable amount.

Meng Yao also did not want to go through the hassle. Her greatest hope now is to leave Zou City as soon as possible to find a job. The location is not important; at worst, she can work for a while and then switch jobs. Therefore, she did not hesitate and immediately made arrangements with someone.

Meng Yao is very sensitive to others' attitudes towards her, but she has always seen through it without speaking out. She does not like unnecessary entanglements, but since Lin Zhengqing can maintain boundaries, she simply treats this fondness as mere appreciation between colleagues, behaving with propriety and not giving anyone any misleading hints

Turning a corner, Meng Yao stopped in front of a landscape painting

Meng Yu glanced at her sister and quickly reached out to pull her, "Sister, there is a question I don't understand, can you take a look for me"

The painting titled "Childhood" depicts a stone arch bridge, weeping willows, and the afterglow of the sunset spread across the river—this is the Liutiao River and the Sandao Bridge

Upon entering the hall, one is greeted by a massive oil painting positioned at the center, featuring gray clouds, white snow, a green lake, and a red bird; it is the most esteemed work of Manzhen.

Ding Zhuo did not speak

This has always been Man Zhen's wish

She was startled and quickly hid behind, holding her breath as she watched a few people walk away before finally coming out

Ding Zhuo followed up, speaking in a low voice, "I called them; they are not coming. Uncle has decided to have Teacher Feng auction off that painting in the hall, and the others will be donated to the Dan City Academy of Fine Arts. The proceeds from the auction will be used to support young painters from impoverished backgrounds."

Wang Limei continued to focus on tidying up the table, remaining silent.

Meng Yao did not want to argue with Wang Limei, so she did not take the bait

Two individuals stand half a meter apart, gazing at the painting

The company she applied to was also in urgent need of talent, completing three rounds of interviews in one go, and did not ask her to wait for the results, making a decision on the spot

After some inconsequential small talk, Ding Zhuo said, "I need to go to the ward, let's talk later"

I have moved on and am currently working in Dan City

Meng Yao turned her head; it was Ding Zhuo

After a brief pause, Ding Zhuo asked, "How did your last interview go?"

Where is it