Almighty painter

Chapter 668: True Warriors (Part )

Anna returned to the lobby of the manor. She took out a delicate little tail plug-in sound card from her handbag and connected it to her mobile phone.

Then I called the other party back, and the Internet call was connected without any waiting.

"Hi."

Gu Weijing heard Mr. Sloth's voice coming from the speaker of his laptop.

"Have you finished the drawing of "The Cat"?" the other party asked in a cheerful tone.

"Yes, I just finished drawing it." He stuck the sticky note "Charming Cat·Left View" printed by the thermal printer in his hand on the surface of the plastic page and said casually.

"There's just one thing I feel I need to mention to you."

"Ah."

Miss Elena hummed softly and waited for the other party to speak.

"Among them, there are several three-view drawings of cartoon cats. I drew the structural drafts of the line drawings. Well... to be precise, there are three drawings that are sketches without color."

"A sketch?"

She obviously didn't expect that Detective Cat called her early in the morning about this matter.

Anna was stunned for a moment.

"Ah."

Gu Weijing said: "Their color schemes can be found in other setting drawings. However, I think it is necessary to explain this to you in advance. I am sorry if it will cause any trouble. But I have to go out temporarily, so... maybe I can only draw to this extent for the time being."

"I see. With a few three-view drawings, the sketch won't be a big problem."

Anna thought for a while.

She said: "It should be enough for modeling reference. If the crew is not satisfied with anything, Mr. Jane Arnold's illustration studio can also handle the coloring."

The woman's fingers stroked the collar of her shirt across her chest and she smiled.

“However, I think there is nothing that he can be dissatisfied with as the artistic director of the musical Cats.”

"The design drafts you submitted are all good enough. I really like the bleak feeling of the theater cat you drew, like a disillusioned shadow. Of course, the Charm Cat is also very well drawn, an old cat with a girlish feeling. I can see the shadow of every cat in her..."

If Secretary Elliot was around at this moment and saw Anna's appearance, she would definitely be shocked.

She was smiling more than just barely noticeable.

The smile simply never left her face.

Miss Elena's attention was obviously not on the trivial matter that the other party suddenly mentioned that there were three sketches mixed in with the three views.

She commented on the works that Detective Cat was going to use in the Singapore Biennale one by one.

Miss Elena said softly.

Gu Weijing listened quietly.

"——I rarely think that any cartoon-themed paintings can have a subjective advantage in front of the judges of the Art Biennale. Originally, I just thought that it could gain some off-site resources by relying on the popularity and publicity resources of "Cats". But when I saw your drawing, I changed my mind. It doesn't need to have a subjective advantage, nor does it need the help of any off-site publicity resources."

Anna paused and said, "Again, a truly beautiful work of art will speak for itself."

"Yes, I'm hoping it can make a sound and win me a prize." Gu Weijing sighed.

"It's more than just a prize. I'll tell you a secret." Miss Elena said firmly and concisely, "This year's gold medal is yours. I said it."

Gu Weijing didn't say anything.

He just listened to Mr. Sloth's gentle voice and couldn't help but smile.

There was silence on the phone channel for a while.

Elena turned her head.

She looked through the carved glass of the manor's living room at the busy engineering team on the lawn.

The bronze sculpture seemed to have finally landed on its pedestal, and everyone was busy removing the various safety rigging tied to it.

"Mrs. Detective Cat."

She suddenly asked softly.

"Ok?"

"You called me because you have something to say to me?" Anna tilted her head to look at the phone, her body motionless.

To some people, silence is just silence.

But in some people's ears, silence carries a thousand echoes.

Miss Elena has always been a very perceptive person. Even if the other person just listened to her quietly, she still noticed something different.

"No--"

"If you have anything to say, you can say anything." Anna interrupted.

"Then..." Gu Weijing paused.

"Mr. Sloth?"

“I’m listening,” she said.

"Thank you, it's nice to meet you, really." Gu Weijing said into the computer microphone.

"Why did you suddenly remember to tell me this?" Anna stared at the screen of her mobile phone.

"I just suddenly wanted to thank you, nothing more."

She heard Detective Cat's smiling reply in her ear.

"I'm your agent, Detective Cat." Anna paused and repeated, "I'm your agent."

I'm your agent.

You are my painter.

and so.

No need to say thank you.
-
Gu Weijing hung up the phone and put the last note on the folder.

He glanced at the clock on the wall - "1:36 p.m."

I think it’s still early.

Gu Weijing closed the folder and put it on the table.

He did not rush out, but went to the bathroom to get a broom, mop and bucket, and started cleaning the house bit by bit.

He swept the dust off the floor and used a mop to clean up all the footprints left by people coming and going in the house last night.

Until the house became spotless again, just like the days when my aunt had cleaned it.

then.

He sat on the sofa in the living room, turned on the TV, randomly selected a TV series from the streaming media, and started playing it.

The TV automatically resumed the show, and a clip from the classic American TV series "Breaking Bad" appeared on the screen.

This is a popular American TV series that tells the story of a middle-aged teacher with cancer who wanted to leave a large sum of money for his family by making drugs, but ended up "transforming into a dark side" and becoming a powerful drug lord.

What's on the screen right now is probably a synopsis of an episode from the second season.

The protagonist, bald Lao Bai, and his assistant Xiaofen ran to the suburbs to make drugs. During the process, Lao Bai's cancer suddenly broke out and he was very depressed. Xiaofen was trying hard to persuade him to cheer up.

"I have it coming. I deserve this." said Walter White.

"You snap out of it. First off, everything you did, you did for your family, right?" Pinky yelled.

“All I ever managed to do was worry and disappoint them and lie.”

Lao Bai shook his head and said.

Gu Weijing smiled.

Interesting.

Although what he was about to do and what the protagonist in the TV series was doing were, in a sense, two completely opposite things, like two poles of magnets that would never come together.

But at this moment.

This is really a very timely TV show.

Gu Weijing curled up quietly on the sofa, watching the TV series on the screen.

He stared at the TV screen, recalling the time many years ago when the show was a big hit on the Internet. His family would curl up on the sofa at night, watching the show together.

Memories are like old film that has turned yellow and changed color.

Shadowy.

The things of the past are just scattered fragments.

He vaguely remembered that Gu Lin always finished his homework slower than her, so she always yelled at her family to wait for her, and no one could start playing in advance.

My uncle is always commenting on the side, it's like watching an American version of "How to Get Rich", and my aunt will chatter about this and that, and can't even concentrate on watching a TV show.

As for grandpa.

Old Man Gu, on the contrary, was not very attracted by this American TV series. He usually said nothing in front of the TV, and occasionally would make a few comments that it was not as enjoyable as "The Bund" or some old Hong Kong TV series.

but.

Gu Weijing could see that every time the old man looked at the protagonist's shaved bald head, he often couldn't help touching the tufts of hair on his forehead, pouting, with a strange sense of superiority flowing in his eyes.

While Gu Weijing was watching the protagonist's lines on the TV screen, he was thinking about those memories in his mind.

He couldn't help laughing and laughing.

Memories are old photos hanging in frames and slices of old scenery in crystal balls.

When you are taking pictures or buying a crystal ball in a tourist shop, the people and scenery are all around you and you never feel anything.

But many years later.

When they have left you or are about to leave you.

You hold it in your arms and look at it. Even if it is just a fragmentary memory of the past, it seems so dear, lovely and memorable.

Gu Weijing even began to miss those super embarrassing short videos of elderly people and his aunt's endless chattering that Gu Tongxiang liked to watch.

The theme of this year's Singapore Biennale is called "Human Noise".

If what is the hustle and bustle of the world.

So this is probably what it sounds like.

Thinking of this, Gu Weijing couldn't help laughing again. He didn't know how many times he had laughed today.

so funny.

He had already sent all his paintings to the organizing committee of the Lion City Biennale, and it was only then that he suddenly realized the true meaning of the hustle and bustle of the world.

Gu Weijing shook his head helplessly.

He sat on the sofa and slowly watched two episodes of the TV series without a beginning or an end, then glanced at the wall clock.

"3:56 p.m."

almost.

By the time he arrived at his destination, his grandfather, aunt, cousin and their plane had probably already flown over the Myanmar Sea.

Gu Weijing turned off the TV and walked back to his bedroom.

On the bed in the bedroom, there was a set of black formal suit neatly placed. My grandfather bought it in a brand store when he traveled to Dongxia a few years ago. It cost more than one thousand yuan.

This is also the best suit and dress that Gu Weijing has besides the Dulwich school uniform.

He had already packed the suitcase, intending to take it to Singapore to wear at an artist banquet during the art exhibition.

Just now when cleaning the house, Gu Weijing took this set of clothes out of his luggage.

He went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Then, in front of the dressing mirror, he put on the formal suit piece by piece: shirt, vest, jacket, leather shoes, and tie.

Even in the afternoon after a rain.

Wearing such a big outfit in Yangon is still very hot, and walking on the street even looks like a lunatic.

But Gu Weijing still cleaned it up meticulously.

He even combed his hair again in front of the mirror.

"Everyone pretends to be awesome in social situations... No matter if you are really awesome or just pretending to be awesome, when you do something big, you have to at least show off your awesomeness."

This is the classic teaching of my grandfather.

Gu Weijing felt his heartbeat was getting faster and faster, but his expression was becoming more and more peaceful.

He didn't know if this was what the ancients called "thunder in the heart but a calm face", but he stared at the calm young man in the mirror.

There is no need to hold a collection of Hemingway's essays under your arm, nor is there any need to give orders while holding a cigar in your mouth.

Vaguely.

He actually saw some "awesome" and even "handsome" in the other's eyes. Courage is the new makeup of men.

Gu Weijing nodded to the person in the mirror to express his greeting, then he turned around, picked up the folder on the table, and picked up Awang.

He checked the valves of the tap water and gas pipes in his home one last time.

Lock the door.

Turn around and leave.

……

Gu Weijing first went to a post office express point on the street and sent the folder in his hand to the local office of Schönbrunn Palace.

"Xiao Gu, why are you dressed so formally? What are you going to do?"

The old lady at the courier point saw Gu Weijing's outfit and asked curiously while filling out the mailing form.

"There's a class reunion at school and we need to take a group photo, so we have to dress formally."

Gu Weijing said.

His eyes turned to the small shelf next to him, which was the kind that sold snacks on the side. He reached out and took a lighter.

"and this."

"Lighter? Smoking is not a good habit, don't learn it from your grandfather." The old lady's eyes showed a hint of vigilance.

Everyone in the old street here has been neighbors for many years, and the children have grown up under the care of the adults, so they are very enthusiastic.

"No, no, no."

Gu Weijing waved his hand and handed over another 1000 kyat note from his wallet. "The gas stove at home is out of power and won't light. I need to light it temporarily."

"Oh."

Only then did the old lady feel relieved.

Without waiting for Gu Weijing to say that he didn't need to change the money, she generously waved her hand and said, "Then just use it. Don't be polite to me. I heard that you and your sister are going abroad after buying it. Just wait for the gift from your aunt."

A hint of petty-bourgeois cunning flashed in her eyes again.

"When you become famous, don't forget us old neighbors!"

"must."

Gu Weijing nodded.

He turned and walked out of the express delivery point, came to an empty corner, put Awang down at his feet, and took out a palm-sized note from his wallet.

This is the Mizuho check that Mrs. Sakai handed him last night.

A full $100 million.

"His."

Gu Weijing calmly tore the piece of paper, which might be enough to buy the entire street under his feet, into pieces, and then lit it with the lighter he had just bought.

The note quickly turned black and twisted in the air.

A few pieces of paper with sparks on them were blown by the wind and stuck to his collar, leaving a few burn marks on the collar of his white shirt.

Gu Weijing just stood there silently, unmoved.

Until he confirmed that all traces of the note with the personal signature of "Sakai Kazunari" were engulfed by the flames and turned into ashes.

Awang also didn't move.

It just lay quietly at the young man's feet, raised its head and stared at him.

"Do you really want to go with me? You can still be a free and happy wild cat now." Gu Weijing looked at the cat at his feet.

Awang remained motionless, just looking at him.

Only then did he hug the tabby cat in his arms again, turned around, and hailed a taxi on the street.

"Xihe Guild Hall." Gu Weijing said.

The driver looked at him in surprise.

The name seemed to have some kind of magical power, and his eyes immediately showed a hint of flattery.

Gu Weijing didn't say anything. He handed all the cash in his wallet directly to the taxi driver, then sat in the back seat and lowered his head to take out his cell phone.

"we broke up."

His fingers hesitated on the screen for a moment, and then he continued typing: "But I am glad to meet you, thank you."

Gu Weijing clicked to confirm and sent the message to Miss Sakai.

just now.

The other party should have landed in Japan.

He clicked on Miss Koko's profile picture again. "I'm very happy to meet you, thank you." - He selected the line of text and copied it.

I thought about it.

Gu Weijing felt that these words sounded too explicit and too much like a farewell.

and so.

He deleted the text again and changed it to.

"Everything has been resolved. See you in Germany!"

He selected a smiley face emoji, clicked send, and then turned off his phone.

The driver seemed to see that the young passenger seemed to want quiet.

So he didn't chat, and didn't even dare to play music. He just drove there quietly.

Look in the rearview mirror.

Gu Weijing leaned sideways in the chair. The street lights outside at night shone through the car window, leaving orange-yellow shadows on his cheeks, making him look like a silent and quiet statue.

Only the fat cat was lying on his legs, rubbing his belly gently with its forehead.

……

"All I brought to my family was lies, worry, and disappointment." - "Heisenberg" Breaking Bad

……

Some of the words were meant to lie to Koko, such as Goodbye Germany.

Some of the words were also lies to grandpa and aunt, such as Boss Chen had already resolved the matter.

Gu Weijing did call Chen Shenglin, but unfortunately, Boss Chen was not in the country and his secretary answered the call.

The secretary was very enthusiastic, but there was nothing he could do. He just said he could find a way to convey the matter to Mr. Chen.

That's it.

Gu Weijing finally called Brother Hao, and they reached a new agreement. He released Gu Lin last night, and in exchange, he went to Xihe Club to meet the other party today.

This matter may be resolved in other ways.

For example, he could wait for the letter from Boss Chen, ask Uncle Sakai for money, contact the gallery, contact Mr. Cao... Even when he made the phone call just now, he had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Sloth.

He was almost certain that the other party should be an executive of Scholastic, a high-level executive of this multinational publishing giant. If the other party was willing to help him, perhaps it would bring about international pressure.

Gu Weijing had an intuition.

As long as he opens his mouth.

Mr. Sloth will definitely help me.

Even...Gu Weijing had another idea in his heart.

"Detective Cat" - he can directly expose this identity. Not only the influence he has now, but also perhaps it can make Brother Hao have some concerns.

more importantly.

That Anna Elena, just a few months ago, publicly announced at the European Art Conference that she would name an art museum worth billions of dollars after herself.

Even for the sake of the reputation of this art museum, she might be willing to give herself a hand.

Miss Elena is a noble person. There is no need to add a prefix modifier like "artistic nobles" like Sir Brown. She is a noble person in the true sense of the word.

Go back two hundred years.

She wanted the old European man to kneel down and kiss her hand.

This is no longer a question of wealth, but a question of power.

Brother Hao may look like an average guy, but he is like a local tyrant in his hometown.

Maybe he really is also extremely rich.

Miss Elena's main assets, apart from those artworks, mainly consist of various real estates, ranches, farms and other properties around the world left by her ancestors.

Brother Hao and Miss Elena, both may have assets worth billions.

As a professional money launderer, he might have more cash flow than Elena's family.

however.

If the two sides really meet.

Excuse me.

Who do you think you are, brother Hao?

White gloves and black gloves are, after all, things that are not presentable. People like the Elena family used to wear gloves.

If Miss Elena could just look at a lowly person like Brother Hao, she would be very disappointed.

She lost anyway.

But Gu Weijing still chose not to do so.

There is one thing that Brother Hao’s theory about canned food is correct - no matter where the bacteria came from, whether it was not sterilized properly in the first place or it fell in from the outside environment.

A bad can is a bad can.

If you force a rotten can of food with bacteria into a large pot of good cans, it will not kill the bacteria, but will turn the whole pot of good cans into rotten cans.

Brother Hao is the bacteria floating in the can.

Kazunari Sakai and his wife said, "It was never about the money," but that helping could easily get him into big trouble.

The same applies to anyone else who can help out.

First it was Gu Lin.

Then there was him.

Kazunari Sakai helped, and Kazunari Sakai was dragged into this quagmire.

Because Mr. Cao wanted to help, he was dragged into this quagmire.

Maybe he can really force Miss Elena to help, maybe Miss Elena doesn't care who Brother Hao is at all.

but.

What if the "grassroots" painter she had just supported at the European Art Conference was reported to be entangled with a Southeast Asian money laundering gang?

She will become the biggest laughing stock in the circle.

He knew even so.

As long as he really asked, some elders would come to help him, such as Mrs. Sakai, but he couldn't do that.

There are some things in life.

You can't hide behind adults forever.

Some roads.

It is destined that no one can walk for you, not Kazunari Sakai, Mr. Cao, Uncle Ale, Miss Elena... none of them can.

You can only face it yourself.

He and Brother Hao, two people, man to man.

Solve this matter completely.

Gu Weijing did lie, but he was not Heisenberg.

Or.

He chose not to be Heisenberg.

He couldn't avoid lying to his family and friends, and he couldn't avoid making them worry.

But Gu Weijing may not bring "disappointment".

Don't let them down, and don't let your former self down.

He has been on the run for six months since the Spring Festival, and Gu Weijing is not prepared to continue running away.

(End of this chapter)