Chapter 10: Disrupting the Venue

Not really

"What’s the rush! Business is coming," the old man said as he pushed a piece on the chessboard, causing several pieces to scatter immediately. The middle-aged man across from him chuckled and called him an old fool, tossing aside the piece in his hand

Fang Yi was observing this vendor. His hair was completely white, and his beard reached down to his chest. He wore a pair of round, old-fashioned glasses perched on his nose, reminiscent of the style of the great master Qi Baishi. While there was a slight resemblance, the painting itself was truly unworthy of praise, falling far short of the master's level.

Upon hearing about money, the old man's expression brightened slightly as he reached up to stroke his beard: "This is acceptable, but ten yuan is a bit too little; at least fifteen!" After saying this, he fixed his gaze on Fang Yi with his two old eyes, and the ethereal demeanor he had when discussing money instantly vanished.

Mu Jin smiled and said, "You get out of breath when I call you fat. Let me tell you, your two dimples when you smile are a definite plus."

In the corner of the library where the two often sit, Fang Yi has his arm around Mu Jin's waist while flipping through a recently borrowed art album, featuring masterworks printed on coated paper. However, no matter how well the printing is done, the size is only A4, making it impossible to discern any brushstrokes; it can only be considered marginally better than nothing.

Um! Fang Yi nodded at the aunt, released his girlfriend's hand, and reached into his pocket to retrieve his library card

I would like to borrow a piece of paper and a pen from you, as I intend to use you as a model to draw a picture. Do you think that is feasible?" After Fang Yi finished speaking, he noticed the old man displaying an impatient expression and added, "I can pay you! Ten yuan. You can go about your business afterward, is that acceptable?"

The old man had just finished a game and leaned forward to look at the painting in Fang Yi's hand. Initially intending to glance at it casually, he found himself captivated and turned his body to take the painting in his hands. After examining it for a moment, he said, "Are you trying to ruin my performance with this little thing?"

"You don't know anything! This little thing is quite well drawn; I'll keep it and study it when I have nothing to do," the old man said

Why don't you also name a university in the capital? Or I can change to another school and test you on a city instead?" Fang Yi said

The middle-aged man across said, "I am just two steps away from winning, hurry up"

Feeling a slight itch on his face, Fang Yi turned his head slightly down and smiled at Mu Jin, saying, "What’s wrong?"

What is this all about? Even the elderly have been poisoned by the gangs in the port city! And you want to smash the place? Do you even have a place to smash? At most, there are just two old street trees that might be worth something, but are they even yours?

"Go to hell," Mu Jin lightly nudged Fang Yi's chest with her elbow and said with a smile

The elderly woman smiled and waved her hand, saying: "No need to take out your things, every time I see you two, just go straight in. The usual seats are still unoccupied"

From time to time, they exchanged a word or two, sitting quietly in the reading room, leisurely enjoying the rare moments of leisure that high school seniors in love seldom experience

An old man with a face full of wrinkles is sitting on a small bench by the roadside, playing chess with a middle-aged man. Next to the old man are two signs; one reads "Fortune Telling" and the other "Portraits." Behind them, two tree trunks are tied with a rope, on which several portraits of elderly and young faces are clipped.

The two murmured and sat down again to set up the chessboard. Fang Yi picked up a brush and began to sketch on paper. While the two were playing chess, Fang Yi completed a total of seven or eight sketches before he finally put down the brush

After listening to Mu Jin complain for a while, Fang Yi said, "Then you should apply to Mingzhu University. After all, there are phones in university dormitories now, and if that doesn't work, we still have the internet. We can chat in the evenings, right? The distance creates beauty; who knows, maybe we'll meet once a month in the future, and the more you see me, the more you'll like me."

"Then what are you showing off for?" The old man handed the painting to Fang Yi and said, "There are many who paint better than you at the art academy; if you want to show off, go to the art academy." After saying this, he turned his head away.

At the curb in front of the stall, Fang Yi propped up the vehicle with one foot, watching the old man, preparing to memorize him from memory.

Mu Jin smiled and said: "Thank you!"

"Height doesn't add points?" Fang Yi asked in a manner that was very accommodating to his girlfriend's interest.

If you really get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the distance between us will be a bit far" Mu Jin thought about the distance that would exist between them after both had entered university, feeling somewhat unsettled in her heart

Are you still learning from the young man

Image

Upon hearing this, Fang Yi suddenly realized: "Damn! Of course, why didn't I think of going to the Art Institute!" He immediately stood up from the stool, leaving the painting behind, and said, "Thank you!" He hopped onto his bike and rode home.

The founding emperor taught us to learn as long as we live! You young people today are not grounded, an old man proudly said: Hurry up and set up the chess!

Mu Jin smiled and said: "I remembered something from a couple of days ago. I accidentally overheard two sophomore girls discussing which boy in the entire high school is the most handsome. One of them said you ranked second! The other said you look the best when you smile. How do you feel about that? Doesn't it make you feel particularly good inside"

Mu Jin, upon hearing this, reached out to embrace Fang Yi's neck and comforted him, saying: "You are already quite extraordinary. You've only been learning for a little over a year, and your painting is already as good as Wang Qiluo's. If you continue to make such rapid progress like before, will there be room for others to thrive? Nevertheless, even so, I know my boyfriend is a painting genius"

The old man took out a piece of paper from the tattered bag beside him, along with a pencil stub about five or six centimeters long. He pointed to the drawing board leaning against the small stool next to him and extended his aged hand towards Fang Yi, indicating for payment.

"Who is the first then? Don't say it's the high school department; I've been the most handsome since I entered middle school, alright? Even when I was about to leave, someone took my spot?" Fang Yi chuckled lightly and joked. He was not particularly concerned about such things as the four major school flowers and school hunks.

Hmm! Fang Yi sighed softly and explained: "I've encountered some difficulties in my painting; it's just lacking a bit of finesse, and I haven't made much progress during this time"

"Young friend, are you here to inquire about your future or your romantic prospects?" The old stall owner immediately noticed a young man looking at him, raised his head, and asked Fang Yi. The old man could tell at a glance that Fang Yi was not there to have his portrait painted; his expression was neither sad nor distressed, and his clothes were quite fine. How could he possibly be seeking a portrait? If one lacked this level of discernment, what business did they have mingling on the streets? With one option ruled out, it left only fortune-telling. Young people are either concerned about their future or women, isn't that obvious?

Not ! ''

Having signed my name, I took the sketch off the drawing board: "Alright, it's done!"

"Alright! Fifteen it is," Fang Yi readily agreed.

Fang Yi pulled over a stool and sat down: "I do not tell fortunes!"

The place for a date between two people is simply the library. Many people might say that a date at the library is not that great! This is where you don't understand. The library is not crowded and is quiet; the most important point is that it has air conditioning in both summer and winter. In this weather, if you go outside, you won't last an hour before you're sweating profusely, so what kind of romance can you talk about!

A middle-aged man approached with a smile, saying: "You old thing, stop being lazy. Pay the one yuan from last time first."

Fang Yi's mind once again recalled his painting issues, and he unconsciously slowed down his speed. Just about ten minutes after leaving Mu Jin's neighborhood, Fang Yi was captivated by a small stall by the roadside

Mu Jin was engrossed in a popular romance novel. Fang Yi did not enjoy reading such novels; in his words, the protagonist was the type of person who was simply bored out of their mind, seemingly engaged in nothing but a professional romance, without even needing to earn a living. What Fang Yi found most intolerable was the sight of two or three well-bred young men surrounding a female lead who was indecisive. One day, she would discover her love for one character a little more, and the next day, it would shift to another, only for her to realize by the end of the book that her true feelings were for a third character. Fang Yi had just one thing to say about such novels: it was all a bunch of nonsense! However, since his girlfriend enjoyed reading them, what could he do? Besides, he had no authority to stop her.

Mu Jin thought for a moment and said: "It's better not to. There aren't any good art schools in Mingzhu City; wouldn't it be a waste of talent for you to go there? I also have little chance of going to the capital; I have no confidence in getting into Qinghua or Beida. Choosing one of the two universities in Mingzhu is better than going to another school! It's much easier than getting into a university in the capital. I don't understand why so many students want to rush to the capital. Have you seen last year's scores for Postal University? They are even higher than those of Shicheng University, and Shida ranks in the top five nationwide."

It is unclear what scene moved Mu Jin's heart or suddenly awakened her childlike spirit, but Mu Jin grabbed the tip of her ponytail and brushed it against her boyfriend's profile with the end of her hair

The elderly woman watched as the two figures turned around the bookshelf and disappeared, clicking her tongue: "Look at these two children, how polite they are!"

"What’s good about being as tall as a telephone pole? One meter seventy-eight is just fine." Mu Jin's height of one meter sixty-eight is considered not short among girls, but standing next to Fang Yi, who is one meter eighty-three, she still appears a bit shorter. She raised her head and reached out to stroke Fang Yi's chin; ever since they started dating, Mu Jin has enjoyed touching Fang Yi's chin, saying that the stubble feels interesting.

The old man watched as Fang Yi disappeared for a moment, then directly took the painting in his hand, rolled it up, and placed it into the old bag.

Fang Yigan decisively got out of the car. The old man, seeing the young man's actions, threw the chess piece in his hand onto the chessboard: "Business is here, this game ends here"

Although he knew it was merely a comforting remark, it alleviated Fang Yi's inner gloom to some extent. He gently kissed Mu Jin's forehead without saying a word

"Read books, read books!" Fang Yi said, touching his chest.

You are truly putting me in a difficult position, " Fang Yi feigned a pained expression, " I can't possibly saw off a bit of m.hetushucomcom's leg, can I

The middle-aged man next to me asked, "This painting is not as good as yours!"

He took two tickets from Fang Yi's hand and tucked them into his pocket, immediately calling out to the middle-aged man at the stall a few meters away: "Bring a few more plates!"

What attracts Fang Yi cannot be this kind of portrait. To an ordinary person, it may seem decent and quite realistic. However, in Fang Yi's eyes, even a random piece pulled from an art studio would surpass what this old man has painted. The flat, unrefined work holds little value and does not even qualify as craftsmanship. This kind of stall, referred to as a portrait studio, is more akin to a professional service for creating memorial portraits. Some families, after losing an elderly member and lacking recent large photographs, seek out these artists to create a large portrait.

"What are you doing here?" The old man, feeling a bit annoyed upon hearing this, thought to himself, Aren't you just here to pass the time with me? The young man in front of him was no longer the friend he had in mind, and he stared at him with wide eyes.

Mu Jin shifted her body slightly in Fang Yi's embrace to feel more comfortable, and did not respond. Instead, Fang Yi changed the subject: "Have you been feeling unhappy about something during this time?"

Speak up! Young friend, what would you like to ask? The old man straightened his posture, stroked the long beard on his chin, and tried his best to present himself with an air of ethereal wisdom. He was completely unaware that his nose, red from the wind, had already betrayed him.

Two or three hours passed quickly, and the two left the library. Fang Yi rode his bike to take his girlfriend home, but instead of dropping her off at the entrance of Mu Jin's building, he turned around at the community gate and rode back home.

Before Fang Yi could speak, the old man himself said: "Not at all! The way you are dressed doesn't look like someone who would paint on the street. Are you from an art academy?"

On Sunday afternoon, the two of them walked into the city library together. As soon as they entered the reading room, the elderly lady at the entrance greeted them with a smile, saying, "You’re here!" The lady was quite fond of Fang Yi and the other person; in her words, the young man was tall and handsome, while the young woman was fair and beautiful, a perfect pair of young lovers. It is rare to see young couples coming to the library; it is commendable that today’s youth have such intentions.