Almighty painter

Chapter 348 Qualifications and Replies

Gu Tongxiang walked two steps with the soy milk in his hand and walked into Old Man Wu's art shop next door.

"Old Wu, Old Wu?"

The courtyard of the art store covers an area slightly larger than that of Gu's Book Gallery. There are various stones, whether blue or green, gray or gray, placed on the ground against the walls.

Some stones were cut in half, and some stones had been left there for a long time and were covered with a layer of green moss.

There is a lot of fun in Old Man Wu's shop.

Phoebe bracelets, coins, rare stones, and cultural clothing are all selling points, but nothing particularly high-quality.

Ten years ago, when stone gambling was popular, Old Man Wu used his connections to contact his nephew who worked as a steward in the mine. Through his connections, he obtained a batch of rough jade stones.

This old neighbor has his own business experience.

He sold stones to foreign tourists on the Yangon River to cut and play with, but he never understood these stones.

Old man Wu said that when cutting a stone, one will become poor and the other will become rich. What is cut is gambling.

Selling stones is a long-term success, and what you sell is business.

Relying on this shrewdness in business and the diligence unique to Asians, Old Man Wu has accumulated a lot of wealth.

It has always been one of the best businesses among the shops on this street.

There are often European tourists with chains hanging around their necks, Buddhist beads on their bowls, stones in their arms, and a traditional Burmese robe "longji" on their bodies. They are sent out of the gate with a thumbs up by the smiling old man Wu.

Once upon a time, Gu Tongxiang had no choice but to curl his lips and complain, what kind of devilish dressing up was this, while stretching his neck and being jealous in front of his house.

the strange thing is.

Old man Wu seems to have no intention of doing business today.

The gate to the courtyard was unlocked, but it was quiet. There was not a single customer, and the light box on the sign was not on.

"Meow……"

When Gu Tongxiang walked into the yard, a big orange cat lying next to a Honda 250 scooter in the corner meowed, which startled him.

"Oh, Ngawang is here. Didn't I take you with me today?"

Da Mao recognized who this old man was and was not interested in running over to act cute, so he turned over and faced Gu Tongxiang with his butt.

He licked his paws and played with the small non-venomous snake he found out from somewhere in the grass by the river.

Although Ngawang has gained weight, has lost his claws, and cannot pounce on birds, as a street bully by the Yangon River, he can still kill a small snake with ease.

"Hey, this cat is so fat now. If he had cooked a pot of dragon-tiger fighting with the snake at his feet when he was so hungry when he was a child, it would be so delicious."

Gu Tongxiang got vaccinated and forgot about the pain. He looked at Awang's fat butt and clicked his tongue twice.

"Old Wu, is Old Wu here? Why don't you open the door today and fool the ghost guy?"

Gu Tongxiang walked to the door of the house and patted the door, "By the way, let me tell you this, your cat is leaving on behalf of our family."

He remembered that his grandson had asked him a while ago if he could help bring Old Man Wu’s cat over to him when he played chess next time.

It is more convenient for elders to talk about this kind of thing.

During this period of time, Old Man Wu basically didn't come over to play chess. Gu Tongxiang happened to drop by and told him all about it.

There was no reply from the door.

Several minutes passed.

Mr. Gu, who was standing in front of the door, was already ready to take out his mobile phone and make a call to see if it happened that Mr. Wu went out yesterday and didn't come back.

The sound of belated footsteps came into the room.

"You can take it away if you want. Alas, when a cat makes noises and wants to eat imported cat food every day, it has become spoiled and spoiled and is no longer a good cat."

Old man Wu's vicissitudes of life and melancholy voice sounded from the door.

bang.

The iron door of the antique shop was opened from the inside. Old Man Wu looked at his housekeeper, who was reluctant to catch the mouse and ate the cat, with squinted eyes and an expression that said, "How can a beautiful woman be a thief?" 's sigh.

"Ugh."

Old Wu Tou's unshaven face, hair as messy as a chicken coop, his desolate and desolate temperament, and his haggard figure gave people the impression of... the dead snake under Awang's claws.

"Hey, what's wrong with old Wu? It's such a hot day, and I don't have the air conditioner on at home, so I'm not afraid of heat stroke."

Gu Tongxiang was shocked when he saw that his old neighbor had become such a ghost after not seeing him for a few days.

This is still the smart and capable old neighbor.

Gu Tongxiang feels that he is getting younger and younger these days.

But in the past, the neighbor who was very coquettish among the old ladies seemed to have aged ten years.

Old man Wu looked at Gu Tongxiang, nodded slightly, turned around, and walked back slowly like a ghost.

"Didn't you have breakfast? Come and drink some soy milk, freshly squeezed by my daughter-in-law."

Seeing the other party's appearance, Gu Tongxiang felt embarrassed to show off the fragrant wood anymore. He put the thermos cup on the counter and said with concern.

The curtains were drawn indoors, the air conditioner was not turned on, but the desk lamp was turned on.

The air was filled with the smell of cigarette smoke, which was very unpleasant. Beside the ashtray full of cigarette butts on the desk, there were a few pieces of manuscript paper and various invoices scattered. It seemed that Old Wu Tou had been working on these things without sleeping all night.

Old man Wu sat on the sofa without saying anything, staring at the thermos cup in a daze for a long time.

Then he took out a box of cigarettes and a lighter from the sofa cushion, took out the last two cigarettes and handed them to Gu Tongxiang.

"No."

Gu Tongxiang waved his hand, glanced at the number of cigarette butts in the ashtray, frowned and said: "Old Wu, please stop smoking. You smoked so many in one night, be careful of nicotine poisoning."

Old man Wu seemed as if he hadn't heard anything.

He just took one in his mouth, lit it, and took a deep breath.

"Is it so serious? What's going on?"

Gu Tongxiang's good mood completely disappeared.

He just received a WeChat message from Old Man Wu asking him to come over, but he didn't say anything specific.

Gu Tongxiang originally thought that this matter was just a matter of filling in two materials.

Look at the neighborhood’s reaction.

Maybe it was more serious than he expected.

Old man Wu nodded.

"If there is an audit and I am investigated again, I may not be able to be a permanent director of the Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association. Gu Weijing's membership may also be revoked."

He blew out a smoke ring and said with a hollow expression.

"Audit? Audit came to investigate a small government office like the Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association? You are not mistaken." Gu Tongxiang was shocked.

"Who says it's not the case? I started receiving notifications two days ago, and when I realized something was wrong, I was completely stunned." Old Man Wu also looked like he had seen a ghost.

Although the Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association is a subordinate unit of the city's cultural department, it is actually a semi-official, semi-public welfare organization.

Permanent directors like Mr. Wu are not paid.

It's just that when academic seminars are held every year, a certain amount of funding will be allocated.

There are so many large and small bureaucracies in Yangon, and all kinds of power relations are intricately intertwined.

I have never heard of the rectification movement, and it was not related to any art association.

Moreover, the National Calligraphy and Painting Association is not regulating the situation, and Mandalay and other city art associations are not regulating it, but they only regulate it here, or even... only him.

Old man Wu pointed to the manuscripts spread out on the table.

"It said that someone reported that I was using my power for personal gain, selling places in calligraphy and painting associations through personal relationships, and was suspected of misappropriating public funds. I was asked to explain every issue clearly. Otherwise, judicial proceedings may be filed."

"Brother Gu, tell me the truth. Did your family offend someone? There is something wrong with this matter from beginning to end."

Old man Wu turned his head and looked at the neighbors.

The cigarette butt in his mouth flickered on and off, and his eyes also flickered on and off.

He has been a permanent director of the association for many years. He can't be said to be as honest as water, but this kind of association cannot be said to be of a lucrative nature.

At most, they just bring government-owned fruits home, use public gas cards to refuel their cars, and travel with public funds in the name of holding seminars.

Everyone does it.

Myanmar’s Corruption Perception Index ranks in the bottom [-] of the United Nations.

You can go to any train station and encounter police extortion, and he, Old Man Wu, is not even a mosquito among them.The investigators who came to visit this time clearly hinted to him that as long as he made it clear that Gu Weijing's membership application form, which he had just approved this year, was a gray income.

The investigation will be over soon and there will definitely be no big problem with him.

That's all for now.

If Old Man Wu still couldn't figure out what twists and turns there were, he would have spent so many years in the market in vain.

"Old Wu..."

Gu Tongxiang looked ugly.

He realized the risks almost immediately.

For my grandson now, the Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association is not a member of the Myanmar National Association, so at most it is just the icing on the cake.

It doesn't matter if you have it or not.

But if you are accused of using power for personal gain, exchanging benefits, or forging connections to get into a higher education, it will be a big scandal that will affect your entire life.

He immediately thought of Brother Hao who came to visit him during the Spring Festival.

Such a long period of peace and harmony made Gu Tongxiang think that the matter was over.

"this matter--"

"...No need to say anything, everything has already happened. There is no point in talking about it. I just want to inform you, brother."

Seeing Gu Tongxiang's hesitant expression, Old Man Wu waved his hand gently, "I am clean in this matter, and so are you. If you check it to the end of the world, a Shwedagon Pagoda project with Cao Xuan's qualifications for painting together is enough to join the association. .”

"Those idiots."

When this matter was mentioned, Old Man Wu became angry. He chewed his cigarette fiercely: "Several directors are speaking out of conscience. They insist that Cao Xuan is willing to paint with your grandson because the national project provides It’s just a platform. It’s like playing a friendly match with a football star. It can be replaced by anyone. It’s not Gu Weijing’s own ability, and it doesn’t meet the relevant conditions for outstanding achievements and exceptional membership.”

"Bah! Co-signing and friendly competition are the same thing. That doesn't explain the problem enough!"

Old man Wu blew out a smoke ring, "Anyone can do it? Why don't they paint it themselves? If they lick their faces and come closer, Mr. Cao will look at them one more time! Black-hearted, bastard, you said that I am using power for personal gain, why don't you check and tell me about this?" Did the person who said this receive some shady money in private?"

Old Man Wu snarled a few words, knowing that being cruel here would not solve any problems.

The anger was released.

He shook his head in disinterest.

"Don't worry, we have been neighbors for so many years, and I have watched him grow up. I will not destroy him. Even if these people want to bite him, they will at most just revoke his membership. Sorry, originally I wanted to do you a favor, but I ended up self-defeating."

"The rest, this year's board of directors changes, I should have resigned. In addition, I have always been very cautious. Where the association will spend a lot of money, every item is signed by several directors. At most, it is I masturbated, hoping to throw me into the cell with these trivial things."

Old man Wu twisted out the cigarette butt in the ashtray and spit out one word.

"Disaster."

Although the words were tough, the loneliness in his expression was still unstoppable.

Old man Wu has been proud of his status as a permanent director for so many years. Suddenly, his official hat is gone, and he may still have a lot of troubles.

Who can not be sad?

"Brother Gu, I called you here today. In addition to the membership issue, I mainly want to remind you that this matter is in deep water. While I am being investigated, there is another cross river dragon in the association. It is obvious that there is someone behind it. "

"How do you say it?" Gu Tongxiang asked.

"Last week there was a new member on the list of the association. He is not much older than Gu Weijing. That's all. I heard that the Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association was just a stepping stone for him to casually step on. He went to the National Artists Association. ."

Old man Wu licked the corner of his mouth.

“This year’s nomination list for Yangon has two nominations for each permanent director. I know that several colleagues will nominate this person.”

"Why? His father is a general?"

Gu Tongxiang was very unconvinced.

It's not that he is bragging. He searched for young art students all over Myanmar. Gu Tongxiang believed that he could not find anyone better than his precious grandson.

"For no reason, just because he signed a contract with a big gallery, the kind that is famous in the world." Old man Wu shook his head slightly, "Listen, if you are no older than Gu Weijing, you have this kind of way. It doesn't mean that you have great hands and eyes. What is it again?"

"The famous gallery, Gagosian? PACE?" Gu Tongxiang asked inexplicably.

"That's not the case. What are you thinking about? If we can have a painter signed by Gagosian here, the mayor will have to meet him personally and praise him to the sky. A god with this kind of career is still hanging around in the Yangon Painting Association. Damn it, just let him be the president."

Old man Wu, who was originally in a depressed mood, was amused by his old neighbor's imagination.

"I heard it's a gallery called the [-]D Universe Art Center in Seoul, South Korea. It's a serious international gallery. It's amazing. The galleries signed by our Vice President Miao in Paris are not much bigger than this [-]D Universe."

"Sign up with a gallery and you will be recommended to the National Painting Association? Can you pre-sign a contract?" Gu Tongxiang looked a little strange.

"What gallery are you looking at? Ordinary galleries are not good, at least they can't be too different from the Three-dimensional Universe Art Center." Old man Wu looked sideways and smiled sarcastically, "I know you are anxious, but you have to pay attention to methods when you are anxious. . A calligraphy and painting shop like yours, Gu’s, is definitely worthless, don’t be angry, this is the truth.”
-
Afternoon, the other side of the city.

In the small studio,

The air conditioner runs quietly and silently, bringing a cool breeze to the city that has completely entered summer.

On that drizzly night when I returned from the botanical garden, there was still a hint of coolness in the evening breeze.

In the blink of an eye, only a week has passed, and the temperature has completely risen like the mercury meter reading under the armpit of a patient with high fever.

Even the birds are fumigated by the sauna-like heat during the day in the tropical monsoon climate, and lose their vitality.

Standing by the window, I could occasionally hear the fluttering sound of the birds in the orphanage yard spreading their wings. I looked intently, but there was no trace of any feathers.

The girl in a burgundy short skirt was leaning on the sofa with bean bags on the floor, her knees together, and her ankles resting on a small footrest, revealing the slim curves of her thighs under the skirt.

"Sleepy."

The girl blinked hard.

Today, Baixiang Primary School organized a visit to the city government building. Jasmine went with her on a spring outing, so Gu Wei didn't bring the cat with him when he passed by.

Missing are Jasmine and Nga Wang, two fun sources of vitality.

The atmosphere in the studio immediately became quiet. After painting all morning and having lunch, Sakai Katsuko was obviously a little sleepy in the afternoon.

The sleepy Miss Sakai is also very cute, like a lazing little sparrow leaning on a branch outside the window. The sofa is her big tree.

He leaned his head crookedly, his eyelids drooped down, and gradually became a small slit.

Then he suddenly opened his mouth vigorously, shook his head, took two sips of coffee, turned two pages of the book, fluffed his feathers, and woke himself up.

But a few minutes later, he began to yawn again under the cover of sleepiness.

"If you feel tired, why don't you go back to the hotel to rest today?"

Gu Weijing stood by the easel.

Although the girl looked very soft and cute in this way, when he noticed from the corner of his eye that Miss Sakai started to repeat this cycle for the fourth time, he couldn't help but remind her.

"I want to finish this painting today. It will take quite a while. I guess by the time I finish it, it will at least be dinner time."

"Well... forget it, I won't lie down here, otherwise I will really fall asleep in a while."

Sakai Katsuko reacted for a moment before realizing that she was speaking to herself. She straightened up and drank the paper cup of coffee on the floor at her feet.

Shengzi tidied her hair, put her hands behind her head, and did a few movements that were probably performed in the national aerobics of Japanese middle school students to make her blood flow faster.

"I'll take a short break and I'll be fine after I'm tired this afternoon. In the afternoon I'll draft a draft for "The Girl Reading Poems to the Cat." I'll hurry up. The exhibition is getting closer and closer. Just in time, by the time we finish eating together Go back after dinner.”

Mrs. Sakai watched Katsuko closely.

Her daughter and her boyfriend are not allowed to act too intimately in school, so Katsuko always cherishes the time they spend together on weekends.

Don't want to waste a single second.

She took her backpack, put the book in her hand, and then took out her Switch, ready to play two games of Super Smash Bros. to refresh herself.

Exactly at this moment.

The mobile phone in the mezzanine vibrated when a new message was received.

"what."

Sakai Katsuko just glanced at the lock screen.

The girl suddenly covered her mouth with the back of her hand and let out a low exclamation.

"what happened?"

Gu Weijing's attention was attracted by Miss Shengzi's cry, he stopped painting and walked over, asking curiously.

"It's a review letter from the editor of "Artibus Asiae" forwarded by my father."

Sakai Katsuko's tone was a little nervous.

(End of this chapter)