Heart Like Brilliant Words

It wasn’t clear when Gu Yaoyang will forget about it, but on the way back to the dormitory, Lin Yuyan forgot all about it first.  

He was busy thinking about learning how to paint with Mr. Cao, and after struggling for a while, he temporarily placed Gu Yaoyang’s words in the back of his mind. 

The two went back to have a simple meal and went out together again.

Mr. Cao lived in the club to the north, a bit far from the dormitory. Along the way, Lin Yuyan kept talking about Mr. Cao’s achievements many years ago and his international reputation as well. Moreover, it was rumoured that he had a quirky temper and rarely showed up to events. He was already lucky enough to meet him in an art exhibition, so it would be really difficult for him to ask for some advice. 

Lin Yuyan spoke for a long time, but Gu Yaoyang never responded. Instead, he was smoking a cigarette as he walked by his side, selectively deaf to his chatters. 

“Gu Yaoyang.”

“Huh?”

Lin Yuyan suddenly fell silent and quietly asked, “Do you not like listening to me chattering about this?” 

Gu Yaoyang answered, “It’s fine.” It would be better if he could say less about Mr. Zeng. 

Lin Yuyan hesitated, but after he thought for a bit, he continued, “I really like his paintings and he is also a very respectable painter in my heart. If I can get his advice, I can be happy for three days without falling asleep.”

“I- I don’t know why, but I just want to share this feeling with you… But if you don’t like listening to me…”

“Then.. I’ll stop.”

Gu Yaoyang responded, “No, it’s not that I don’t like listening to you; it’s just that I don’t understand what you’re talking about, so I can’t give a response.” 

Lin Yuyan said, “Then let’s talk about something you know, shall we?” 

Gu Yaoyang responded with a grunt. 

Lin Yuyan grinned and asked, “Why did Mr. Zeng open a fighting club?”

Gu Yaoyang: “Still talking about him?”

Lin Yuyan blinked: “He- what happened to him?”

Gu Yaoyang squinted his eyes and coldly said, “I just don’t understand him.”

At this time, the incomprehensible Mr. Cao was brushing his teeth. He heard someone knocking on the door just after rinsing his mouth. He wiped his mouth and walked out with a shower cap. Seeing Gu Yaoyang, he covered the crack of the door and said, “What are you doing here?”

Gu Yaoyang: “Open the door.”

Mr. Cao: “You’re here to resign?”

Gu Yaoyang answered, “I’ve just signed in and I came here not too long ago, is there something wrong with your brain?” 

Mr. Cao was relieved, he opened the door a little wider, saw Lin Yuyan again, and said in surprise, “What a coincidence!”

Lin Yuyan hurriedly bowed and smiled at him.

Speaking of which, the two people did have some fate. This time not counted, the first two were coincidences. Mr. Zeng lived alone, with the messy style of an artist. He may look like a gentleman when he went out, but he was like a beggar at home. Dried paint was stained on the walls and floors and not cleaned in time, they became brand marks of his works.

Only the small bar was slightly cleaner, just barely clean enough to entertain guests. He poured a glass of red wine for Lin Yuyan, and Gu Yaoyang replaced it with mineral water in an instant.

Mr. Zeng was dissatisfied with the other, “So bossy.” 

Lin Yuyan quickly waved his hand and explained for Gu Yaoyang, “I’m sorry. I don’t drink much and still have a hangover from yesterday.” 

Lin Yuyan then realized that Mr. Zeng had taken out a pack of instant coffee and handed it to him, “Then go boil some water and drink this.” There are also a lot of expensive coffee beans in the wine cabinet, but none of them had been opened. He’s probably too lazy to grind them down, so he probably usually drank this instant coffee instead. 

Mr. Zeng then turned his head and asked Gu Yaoyang, “Visiting me so late at night, what’s the matter?” 

Gu Yaoyang got straight to the point, “Teach him how to draw.” 

Lin Yuyan hurriedly stood up and introduced himself nervously. He was afraid that Mr. Zeng would not agree, and he felt uneasy in his heart. He said that he was joking, but he didn’t know how to impress Mr. Zeng.

“Okay.”

“Ah…”

Mr. Zeng asked, “How’s the foundation?”

Lin Yuyan: “Beginner, foundation is okay.”

“Have you only liked painting recently?” 

“I liked it since I was a child…but I don’t have any talent, and I don’t work hard enough…”

Mr. Zeng laughed and said, “Aren’t you quite honest?”

Lin Yu shamefully said, “Although there are some external factors, my own problem is still bigger.” 

Mr. Zeng really liked his straightforward character and asked. “Are you here to play? How many days are you going to stay?” 

Lin Yuyan: “There are 20 days left before school starts, so I might leave before school starts.”

“Well, that’s fine. “Mr. Zeng said: “If you have nothing to do, let’s start tomorrow.”

Lin Yuyan was completely stunned, he didn’t expect things to go so smoothly. Until he sat in Mr. Zeng’s studio with a palette in hand, he thought he was in a dream.

“The foundation is really good, but there are still some small problems.” Mr. Zeng changed into a set of pajamas today and took a look at what Lin Yuyan just drew. He didn’t ask Lin Yuyan too much about his previous experience. Since he was asked to teach, he had to start from scratch. Mr. Zeng looked a little sloppy, but he was never perfunctory about painting. 

It was the first time in so many years that someone taught him this way. His father was not supportive, his teacher was perfunctory, and his mother was not around all year round. 

“Ah?” Mr. Zeng stood beside him and asked, “Why are your eyes red?”

“Ah?” Lin Yuyan lowered his head, wiped his eyes and hurriedly said, “It’s okay, I’m a little excited to be taught by you.”

“Haha.” Mr. Zeng patted him on the head lovingly: “It seems that teaching you is right. I have taught two people in my life. The last one was a bit talented, but his ego basically flipped me to the sky.”

Lin Yuyan asked curiously, “You taught other students?”

Mr. Zeng: “You don’t know?”

Lin Yuyan shook his head.

“It’s Gu Yaoyang.”

Lin Yuyan was surprised: “He…he learned painting from you?”

Mr. Zeng took a pen and sat beside Lin Yuyan and painted with him, “It seems that you are not very familiar with each other?”

Lin Yuyan nodded. After thinking about it, he continued, “Actually… I really want to know him, can you tell me about him?

Mr. Zeng’s hands didn’t stop, and he was silent for a while before saying: “His business is a bit complicated. Are you sure you won’t be scared away after listening to it?”

“Why would I be scared? Did he do something bad? “

“It has nothing to do with him, mainly his parents.”

Lin Yuyan said, “No, as long as he didn’t do bad things.”

“His father, to a certain extent, is a friend of mine. At that time, Yaoyang was still young. After living in his house for a few months, I taught him a few things

along the way. His father’s background… to you, it may be a little far away.” Mr. Zeng explained everything he knew, including Gu Yaoyang’s family background, the scar on his body, his dead parents, and the fact that he had been alone all these years.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t shocked. Lin Yuyan asked in a daze, “Then, is the “ring” you painted also Gu Yaoyang?”

Mr. Zeng: “Yes. I told you before that I like fighting. A long time ago when I started this club, I just met Xiao Lingzi and met Yaoyang from Xiao Lingzi. After all, we’re friends in this circle, so they couldn’t escape my notice.” 

Lin Yuyan asked, “Then you invited him to join the club because you wanted to help him?” 

Stroking his beard, Mr. Zeng pointed to Lin Yuyan’s writing and said with a smile, “I’m not that kind, I just wanted to see him throw punches. He’s so magnificent, how can he not stand in a high place? Wouldn’t it be a waste?”

Lin Yuyan agreed with this, “He seems to be interested in the professional boxing ring…”

Mr. Zeng seemed to know what he wanted to say, “This is his problem.”

“Don’t look at the dumb look on his face. It doesn’t matter whether he’s dead or alive, in fact, he cares more about the past than anyone. I guess he looks down on himself more or less, and he is not really a carefree and easy person.”

So that’s why he dejectedly said that he wasn’t worthy of standing in such a high place? Lin Yuyan was stunned for a few seconds. He looked out the window and saw that it was already dark. He said goodbye to Mr. Zeng before turning around and walking out the door.

Sure enough, snowflakes floated outside again, landing on the ground. It made a rustling sound every time he stepped on it, and his footprints were immediately covered in more snow. A man stood under a street lamp not far away, looking over.

It was Gu Yaoyang.

Lin Yuyan hurriedly ran over and asked, “Why are you here?”

Gu Yaoyang: “Waiting for you.”

“Why didn’t you come in?” He must be watching for a long time. One of Gu Yaoyang’s hands was in his pocket, and the other was red from the cold, probably smoking. 

Gu Yaoyang didn’t speak and turned to leave.

Lin Yuyan guessed: “You staying outside…were you afraid of disturbing me?”

Gu Yaoyang glanced at him, but did not deny it, “You can read minds?” Then he asked, “How was your lesson?”

Lin Yuyan: ” Mr. Zeng is really good, what I have learned today is almost catching up to the previous ten years of missing experience…”

But before he even finished speaking, Gu Yaoyang didn’t want to continue listening to him, “How are you going to thank me?”

“Ah?”

“I’ve helped you find a teacher, shouldn’t you thank me?” 

This request was not too much.

Lin Yuyan thought about it for a while and suddenly held his cold palm, holding it to his mouth. He blew at his cold palms. His warm breath caressed his cold hands as a faint “ha” sound came out.

He smiled and said, “Thank you, Gu Yaoyang, you’re so kind.”