Almighty painter

Chapter 727 What kind of person?

After a few hours' flight, he arrived in a foreign country. Even the business class chair was large and comfortable enough for Gu Weijing.

He was also a little tired when he got off the plane.

Old Yang dragged me out for lunch again? Dinner?

Gu Weijing didn’t know what it was. He had lunch on the plane and there was a social dinner in the evening, which could be considered an exceptionally sumptuous afternoon tea.

The boat is tired.

A little bit of alcohol in the drink.

Plus blood flows from the brain to the stomach.

After making that brief but energy-consuming phone call, Gu Weijing felt a little tired.

Awang tried to take a nap at the table next to him.

He also felt sleepy.

Considering that Lao Yang said that he would take him to meet Miss Elena at the evening banquet, Gu Weijing did not expect to have a brief and ceremonial meeting, where he could say something serious or leave a deep impression on the other party.

But he still wanted to take a break, recharge his energy and make adequate preparations.

Gu Weijing leaned on the sofa, resting his head against the window and closing his eyes.

The sun shines on his face.

Very warm.

It's like being roasted by a warm fire.

Gu Weijing was thinking about the symposium in the Esplanade and the social banquet in the evening. He thought that his thoughts would fade away and he would slowly fall asleep.

Who knows, the longer he keeps his eyes closed, the more awake he becomes.

The symposium faded away, and all the considerations at the social banquet faded away. Only Miss Elena's face appeared in front of him.

Heaven and earth disappeared.

She sat in a wheelchair and looked at herself.

The wind from somewhere blew the hem of her skirt.

The rise and fall of the gauze skirt is like the flowing moonlight.

Regardless of whether Gu Weijing was looking forward to meeting Miss Elena, or whether he had a natural aversion to this sense of distance.

He has to admit it.

It's hard to feel tired just thinking about her.

It has nothing to do with desire.

Simplicity is beauty.

That kind of cold and bright quality is like the chilly wind blowing from the snowy mountains, slightly cool to the touch, with a jade-like feeling, which makes people subconsciously feel clear and bright.

Gu Weijing felt uncomfortable with the back of his head resting on the hard window frame, so he had to open his eyes again.

He shook his head.

Didn't run to the bed in the hotel room to sleep.

He raised his wrist, glanced at the time on the watch, and then picked up the book on the table.

He bought the book on his way to the airport.

He arrived at the airport quite early, and before going through customs, Gu Weijing happened to see books displayed outside a small bookstore nearby.

"Want to buy one? It's good for young people to read more physics books. It will make you look super smart!"

The shopkeeper is a stout old man.

The other party noticed that Gu Weijing was staring at a book called "The String Theory" on the bookstall. The book was placed next to "The Mystery of the Pharaoh's Resurrection" and "UFO Contact Incidents".

The owner also put up a handwritten sign next to this bookshelf that read "Subject Monographs".

Gu Weijing really wanted to know whether there were any passengers coming to the airport who would buy an "academic monograph" to read on the plane.

He was not quite sure whether "The Mystery of the Pharaoh's Resurrection" and "The Unsolved Mysteries of UFOs" and some other books with covers showing voluptuous female mummies with "half-undressed" women wrapped in gauze in bikini style, which did not seem to be serious, could be considered serious "academic monographs".

But Gu Weijing knew it very clearly.

This book "String Theory" is definitely not a serious academic monograph.

Do not misunderstand.

This is one of the few serious books on the bookshelf, but it is not about physics, but a book written by David Foster Wallace about his experience in playing tennis.

He knew this because it happened to be in Katsuko Sakai's luggage.

Shengzi likes this book very much and also likes the special insights about tennis in the book.

Cicadas are chirping and frogs are croaking. ...

When you hear the cicadas chirping and the frogs croaking, you are reminded of the memories under the banyan tree by the pond in spring.

This is the case with Katsuko Sakai.

Gu Weijing——

Isn't he the same?
There is one thing that the sturdy old man who looks after the store is probably right about.

In my memory, whenever Ms. Sakai leaned back in her chair, reading the book with the mysterious title "String Theory" in her hand, her baby face with a little bit of baby fat did look super smart.

Katsuko Sakai was originally a super smart girl.

Gu Weijing smiled.

He had no particular liking for tennis, so he ultimately didn't buy the book String Theory.

But Gu Weijing didn't want to let the old man's expectant gaze fall into vain.

He selected a book called "Collection of Conversations with Goethe" from a pile of obviously not serious erotic magazines with bikini girls on the cover in a special bookshelf labeled "Literary Monographs".

From its curled corners and the black face of the bald old man with a white beard and fingerprints on the cover, who looks as if someone owes him money, it can be seen that many people picked it up and flipped through it out of curiosity, but no one has ever actually bought it.

The great thinker looked as if he had been slapped in the face.

This made Gu Weijing feel really unbearable.

In the Xihe Guild Hall, when he was casually writing a long poem, he had the idea of ​​reading Goethe when he had time.

therefore.

Gu Weijing took out the last bit of Myanmar Kyat cash in his wallet, which he could not spend abroad anyway, and ended the fate of this "Goethe" classmate that had been passed around among different people.

"Would you like to buy that book together? I'll give you a discount. If you buy it as a package, you can get a 20% discount!"

Gu Weijing was leaving.

The shop owner was still asking questions lingeringly behind him, as if trying to take advantage of this wealthy customer who didn't bargain at all when buying the obviously second-hand books, and seize the opportunity to make more money.

……

"Tuesday, June 10, 1823."

"I came to Weimar a few days ago and met Goethe for the first time today..."

Gu Weijing couldn't sleep, so he opened the book and read slowly.

The tabby cat seemed to feel that the table was too hard and it was uncomfortable to sleep on, so it bared its teeth.

It rolled over, leaped from the table to its owner's legs, and curled up comfortably into a fluffy ball.

"Hey, Awang? This is just like a gas tank falling on you from a high altitude. Have you ever thought that it's time for us to lose weight? I'm not saying anything bad, but if you keep going like this, you'll get fatty liver..."

in the room.

There was the sound of a young man humming softly.

As he read, he imagined—

That Miss Elena, what kind of person is she?
What kind of person is Gu Weijing?
——The elevator went up to the third floor of the Esplanade, and the doors opened automatically to both sides. She imagined in her mind as Miss Elena's wheelchair drove into the corridor.

Originally, Anna had a pretty good impression of Gu Weijing.

although.

To Miss Elena, it was just a rather illusory shadow, a few "wisteria petals" that floated from a foreign country as recounted by Mr. Cao.

It is difficult for people to get a glimpse of the full picture of the tall and upright flower tree through a few petals that have floated across the ocean.

Smell a hint of the freshness of spring.

It's not difficult in the end.

Anna felt that, no matter what, he should be a very sincere and pure "little painter".

I am from a famous school, but the spring breeze does not come, so I bloom on my own.

There is a quiet and beautiful demeanor.

Miss Elena even considered using the other party's work as an enlightenment work for her to systematically study Dongxia art from scratch, and as her own "Chinese painting" teacher.

If not.

Even if she was not a devout believer, and even if the gold and jade cross was a little big and heavy for a slender woman, she would not take off her jewelry and give it to him.

A Chinese painting and a piece of jewelry.

Back and forth.

It's a favor.

It is also likely that a friendship and good story will develop between the critic and the painter.

Anna had a natural liking for the painting of wisteria.

But given her personality, she couldn't muster much interest in the "slippery and deep-minded" young man she had heard from some people these days.

She was used to seeing Ole.

There are too many faces like this around her.

With Miss Elena's personality, she doesn't like stupid people, and she dislikes those "smart people who are scheming" even more.

The young man in the distance.

She probably doesn't know that many of her clever little ideas are actually demerits in her eyes, right?

Katsuko Sakai criticized Anna several times in the podcast.

Not necessarily a good impression.

The bad feelings... aren't that much.

On the contrary, she quite appreciated the other person, appreciating him like an interesting work of art.

Throughout the ages, the thoughts of kings, princes, and ministers sitting on the nine-tiered steps behind deep curtains in the court have been difficult to guess.

In the eyes of outsiders, their joy and anger are often fickle.

The superiors display emotional changes that are unpredictable in the human world, and this is even a means of maintaining their "dignity".

The so-called thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the emperor.

During the Ming Dynasty, there was an emperor who was famous for his complex personality and cold temperament. He ignored the beautiful women of noble birth in his harem, but instead favored a concubine who was born a low-class palace maid.

Historical records.

Once when worshiping Buddha in the royal ancestral temple, the imperial concubine disliked the emperor's dawdling and said with a smile that "Your Majesty is dawdling like an old lady, which is really annoying."

Upon hearing this, the palace maids and eunuchs all trembled in fear.

When Emperor Zhu heard this, he was not angry at all, but laughed out loud instead.

And similar records.

Regardless of dynasty, East or West, and regardless of culture, from the palaces of the Forbidden City to the court on the Palatine Hill in Rome, and even the Golden Horde, this huge grassland empire spanning Central Asia is not uncommon.

Do not misunderstand.

Not all emperors and monarchs have some kind of "masochistic" plot deep in their hearts that has not yet been fully unearthed. Once they are confronted and whipped with a small whip, they suddenly open the door to a new world and successfully explore different possibilities in life with happy laughter.

It's because they have stayed in high positions of power for too long.

Generation after generation.

Year by year.

From birth to death.

They are tired of sitting on thrones made of gold.

Those who try to please others 100%, cater to their preferences, and only nod and say "um" or "ah" to agree with whatever they say are like clay dolls.

An oily, slippery puddle.

Whether you stroke it in the direction of the fur or against the fur, it will only make one sound: "Woof, woof, woof." It's okay to use it as a clown to kill time when you're bored.

I've seen it so much that I'm tired of it.

On the contrary, they can tolerate characters like Dongfang Shuo or the imperial concubine of the Ming Dynasty, who are interesting and have a bit of distinct personalities.

Even more appreciative of it.

I am all alone. I am all alone.

The world is full of ministers, and the lonely ruler also needs someone who can satisfy his emotional needs for "friends" to a certain extent.

This subtle scale is also something that is extremely difficult to grasp in palace life.

If that concubine was like a nagging spirit, she would argue with every word the emperor said.

Or if you really took out a small whip and slapped the emperor, or even pounced on him with a piece of yellow silk and played the "suffocation game" with the sleeping emperor, then you would be punished with a beating if you deserved it, or be torn into pieces by five horses if you deserved it, or be cut into pieces with three thousand six hundred knives if you deserved it.

The saying "To serve the king is like to serve a tiger" is true.

As the artistic master of the European oil painting world, Miss Elena also has an innate pride in her heart.

When it comes to getting close to someone like her, sometimes less is more.

The more flattering you are and the more you do, the further away you will be.

Anna found Katsuko Sakai's simple and straightforward personality interesting.

Gu Weijing is a little worse.

Anna opened her phone and scanned the comment section of the podcast she recorded with Katsuko Sakai. She shook her head slightly.

The feedback in the comment section is pretty good.

Since Katsuko Sakai could say "either it's a coincidence or it's a crime", her attitude towards the conclusion of the paper must be serious, even full of confidence.

Can get this answer.

Until there is clear evidence of fraud, it will be considered a pass with Miss Elena.

The same is true for ordinary audiences.

The mainstream opinion in the comment section is also full of praise and love for Katsuko Sakai.

That Gu Weijing - at the beginning I invited him to record a podcast, but he kept saying this and that and made up a bunch of excuses saying he didn't have time.

Now that the show has been aired, Katsuko Sakai's performance has been very good and has aroused praise on the Internet. He suddenly found me again and said that he was free and wanted to record the show.

how?

Is he afraid that his position as the "first author" of the paper will be overshadowed or snatched away by Ms. Sakai?

Anna could understand this feeling, but she did not accept it.

At least I don't like it.

It’s too unclean.

It’s a pity that Katsuko Sakai has repeatedly expressed her admiration for him in the show!

Miss Elena understood that in the art world, those who could reach the highest level of skills like Detective Cat and still paint ten-dollar paintings calmly without being anxious, impatient or pretentious must be a minority among the minority.

Anna didn't force it.

But people like Gu Weijing, who are so utilitarian and do everything with pure purpose, are not lovable at all!

Miss Anna doesn't like unlovable people.

The young man who is worth looking forward to as mentioned by Mr. Cao Xuan should not be like this.

The boy that Katsuko Sakai once liked shouldn't be like this.

It shouldn't have been like this when she gave her jewelry to the other person's "little painter".

Miss Elena knew that judging a person based on a few conversations or rumors from others was bound to lead to misunderstandings and distortions.

pity.

She had never actually met the other person before.

She could only piece together the appearance of the eighteen-year-old young painter in her mind through these shadows.

The painting of "Wisteria Flowers" is a beautiful painting that is light, elegant and tranquil.

people.

But he may not be a simple, elegant and quiet "good" person.

I don’t know if I can see each other at the party tonight?
……

Anna had clearly arrived more than a quarter of an hour earlier than the agreed time with Director Tonks, but the assistant curator of the art exhibition still ran out immediately and said apologetically that she was delayed by the curator and could not see her right away, and that she was very sorry to trouble Ms. Elena to wait here.

The female assistant seemed to want to be there to keep him company.

The phone in the handbag next to me seemed to vibrate several times, but I didn't answer it. Until the housekeeper smiled and said, it's okay, miss, just wait here for a while, if you have important work, go and do it.

"Not an important job, no, alas."

The woman wearing a name tag named Bonnie Lampcher seemed visibly lost.

The curatorial assistant curled his lips, feeling resentful and unhappy with the person who called, but he eventually walked to the corner on the other side.

"Hey, this isn't a good time to talk, you know I'm-"

Lampche's voice, filled with suppressed resentment, gradually faded away.

The butler smiled softly.

Anna was too lazy to pay attention to these things.

She leaned back in the chair, her long eyelashes drooping slightly, as if she was resting her eyes.

The woman was thinking about Gu Weijing, Kara, "The Old Church in the Thunderstorm", and the symposium...

I have many thoughts.

Gradually.

Many thoughts slowly faded away, and the only thing left in Anna's mind was Gu Weijing's appearance.

The young man seemed to be standing very far away, looking at himself.

There was an obstructing shadow, swaying on his face, like the branches of a wisteria tree, making it impossible for Miss Elena to see the other person's true face.

Go by feel.

She felt that he was a very elegant and peaceful person.

Analyze based on reason.

She also felt that the other person had a greasy face filled with a desire for fame and fortune.

The more Anna thought about it.

The more I try to calm down.

The more she felt that the treasure that Grandma Karazu left at the end of the world, the last complete work of Miss Elena that was circulated in the world one hundred and fifty years ago, could have fallen into the hands of such an eager person who would not miss even the slightest opportunity to show off.

Miss Elena is not happy.

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became.

With Anna's upbringing, even if she was upset, she would not let it show obviously on her face.

She just reopened her eyes.

She stared quietly at the painting hanging in the corridor opposite the lounge area, and after taking a few glances, she found that it was just a modern handicraft with very ordinary printing quality.

Anna lost interest again.

After thinking about it.

She once again recited Picasso's long-lost "Bust of a Woman" that was found in Yangon, and the question written on the painting with a marker.

I learned that the words were written by a counterfeiting godfather in the underground world before he fell into the law.

Anna was very disappointed.

But it still appears again and again in the woman's mind uncontrollably.

Gently plucking the strings of her harp.

suddenly.

During her stay in Singapore, Anna wanted to read Goethe again.

"Please buy me a collection of Goethe's poems."

The woman suddenly ordered.

"Goethe's poems." The butler nodded.

"I want the original German version. If that's not available, I want Albert George Latham's English translation," said Miss Anna.

"Got it. Goethe's poems, in the original German, or in Albert George Latham's English translation. Send someone to buy them now."

The butler took out the phone from his pocket.
-
The office door opens from the inside out.

Kazunari Sakai was the first to roll out of the door with a smile on his face, followed by Mrs. Sakai holding her daughter's hand, and finally the curator Tonks.

"... A very impressive explanation. Very impressive, Ms. Sakai."

When the curator left, he was still talking to Katsuko Sakai.

The blonde aunt responded with a smile on her daughter's behalf.

"Eh? Miss Elena, you are here too. What a coincidence."

Kazunari Sakai had sharp eyes and both he and his wife saw the woman in the wheelchair at the corner.

Mrs. Sakai poked her husband at the tip of his waist.

then.

Kazunari Sakai was held by his wife and rolled over to Mrs. Cruz like a big ball pushed by a blonde aunt.

The fat uncle stretched out his hand.

"We've met before, haven't we? Remember that year in Berlin, at the Documenta? I was holding a chocolate donut in my hand..."

Uncle Sakai himself seems to have developed the uncanny ability to bind memory fragments to the taste of donuts, just like a dog that can identify people by their scent.

After some simple pleasantries.

Miss Elena looked at Sakai Katsuko.

Katsuko Sakai also looked at Anna.

Shengzi has never been a girl with low self-esteem.

White water reflects one’s heart, and great virtue carries the world.

Katsuko Sakai's personality is not as strong as her mother's, but she has a unique tranquility, as soft and calm as water.

From small to large.

In children's art competitions, Katsuko Sakai has always played the role of the ultimate devil who crushes the self-confidence of other participating children. In the campus environment of Fitz International Middle School, she is an object of desire but unattainable for female classmates like Mona.

But Anna was born to be a woman who made others feel inferior, making everything around her look dull and colorless.

The moment we met.

Katsuko Sakai's aura was completely suppressed by the opponent.

When facing Miss Elena, Lian Shengzi couldn't help feeling a little strange.

If that's not low self esteem.

Most likely it's envy.

If it weren't for envy.

At least it's amazement and curiosity.

I wonder how many beautiful wives a family has to marry and how many beautiful daughters they have to give birth to, generation after generation, in order to make life so bright and colorful.

Miss Elena sat in a wheelchair, but it did not detract from her appearance at all.

Instead, it feels like cherry blossoms falling into water and a waning full moon, which creates a unique feeling.

Katsuko Sakai looked at the other person quietly for a few seconds.

Instead, it was Anna who reached out her hand first.

"It's Miss Sakai, right? We've met before, do you remember?" she asked.

(End of this chapter)