The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 37: Chapter 25: Change

”If there’s a mistake in the project for Mural No. 17, is there any way to fix it? Do you think using enzyme agents for chemical cleaning is feasible?”

Fix it?

Nearby, as Yakai Ichiro was rolling forward, he was slightly startled, sucked in his belly, and stopped, like an athlete stopping a 200-pound medicine ball. He knew Elder Cao had been extremely cautious with this mural project, so how could something have gone wrong?

”If it’s just a small mistake in one or two strokes, it’s better to keep it as it is. Retouching means secondary damage, and that’s completely unavoidable.”

He didn’t know if Cao Xuan was talking to him, so he shook his head and answered.

”What if it’s a large area of error?”

”A large area? How could that be?”

Yakai Ichiro was startled again.

He wondered who the fool was that messed up so badly, making Elder Cao so worried.

Encountering such a situation was always annoying, just thinking about it felt exhausting. Fortunately, it wasn’t his own work.

”If it’s a large area, there might be nothing that can be done. If the color is too light, you can only cover it with another layer on top, if it’s too dark, you have to scrape it off, or use chemical fading to gradually make the color lighter.” Yakai Ichiro jiggled his belly, ”I’m not too familiar with these matters, I suggest asking the museum people more.”

”In other words, it’s akin to doing a second restoration on this new painting, like a veiled use of the shadow restoration technique, considering the applied color as a stain needing chemical cleaning.”

Elder Cao nodded.

”That’s not good, it doesn’t utilize the advantages of shadow restoration, which doesn’t damage the original relics, and no matter how the paint applied is modified, using a painting knife could damage the wall structure of the entire mural.” A local museum staff member voiced opposition.

Yakai Ichiro also shook his head, thought for a moment, ”It’s not good, it’s better not to change it.”

”I know too, but... plans can’t keep up with changes.”

Elder Cao let out a light sigh once again.

”Elder Cao, I found the work order, it was registered by them.”

Old Yang had found the task sheet from the registration desk on one side, which clearly stated ”Mural No. 17- Yakai, Gu, their English initials.”

When Tanaka Masakazu saw this, he knew there was no way to deny it.

Gu Weijing and his team were in such a bad situation, beyond explanation.

He was convinced he had been very careful, even if the number plaque was sent for forensic identification, it wouldn’t leave half a fingerprint of his.

Elder Cao said nothing, just handed the registration form to Yakai Ichiro.

”Professor Yajima, take a look for yourself.”

Elder Cao said.

Yakai Ichiro craned his neck curiously, wondering who the colossal fool was to create this epic mess.

The chubby uncle initially didn’t understand, Yakai Gangchang was thinking about his Thai food, and just lazily wrote the initials as a formality. He stared at the big ’S’ and ’G’ on the signature sheet, wondering who it was.

He couldn’t figure out why Elder Cao specifically showed it to him.

”SG? Super good? Super great? This guy sure knows how to name himself, though the handwriting looks familiar.” he calculated in his mind.

”Sakai and Gu.” an assistant next to him reminded softly.

Yikes!

Report, good news, the big fool has finally been found!

Bad news.

It’s his own son!

When Yakai Ichiro saw his precious son’s name on that registration form, his face nearly turned green. He knew what Mural No. 17 meant.

”Yakai Gangchang! Yakai Gangchang! Come over here!”

His belly shook violently, shouting like the landlady using the Lion’s Roar Skill in ”Kung Fu.”

He was calling Yakai Gangchang, not Gangchang.

Any parent using the full name to shout at their child is a sign of extreme anger.

Yakai Gangchang didn’t expect this to have something to do with him, he had a satisfying seafood meal at noon, and while others were worshipping Buddha, he asked the monk for two prayer mats to nap for a while.

At this moment, he was leisurely roaming at the back of the crowd.

The salted fish was enjoying swimming in the sea.

He wasn’t concerned at all with what was happening, expecting an exciting show with the mindset of enjoying the spectacle, hoping to skip the afternoon’s work.

But suddenly he got caught, the young man quickly ran over when he heard his father’s voice and the unprecedented anger.

”What’s going on?”

”Mural No. 17, was it you who signed for it?” Yakai Ichiro asked.

”Yeah, what about it?”

Yakai Gangchang glanced at the registration form, he only remembered casually picking the topmost plaque from the box and signing.

Smack!

Yakai Ichiro directly slapped his son across the face.

Yakai Gangchang was dumbfounded by the hit, covering his face, sitting on the ground, dazed.

He didn’t remember his father ever hitting him, not even once.

What on earth happened?

”Alright, this isn’t Gangchang’s fault. Even if he picked the wrong plaque, Gu Weijing shouldn’t paint recklessly without knowing his own limits.”

Lin Tao, understanding the circumstances, no longer had any affection in his tone for Gu Weijing.

A reckless fool not knowing his limits, he thought to himself.

...

When Gu Weijing, covered in paint, stood before the ’Buddha Worship and Protection Painting,’ and everyone saw him, the crowd erupted into a buzzing discussion like a swarm of flies.

”What’s going on? Why is he here?”

”Isn’t this Elder Cao’s painting?”

”Who allowed him to color this? How dare he touch such a complex mural? Utter nonsense.”

Gu Tongxiang immediately sensed something was off.

He didn’t know what Mural No. 17 was for.

But the murals left for the young painters, including his grandson’s work, he paid close attention to each one and there was definitely no ’Buddha Worship and Protection Painting’ among them.

Recalling Elder Cao’s reaction to Old Yang’s words earlier, a sense of foreboding struck him.

He instinctively wanted to rush up and question his grandson about why he was there.

But a dry, small, elderly hand speckled with age spots blocked him at the chest.

It was Elder Cao.

”...Elder Cao, I don’t know what’s happened, but Gu Weijing is just a child... I... I...” Gu Tongxiang’s face turned pale.

However, Elder Cao showed no interest in answering Gu Tongxiang’s explanation.

He even ignored Gu Weijing entirely, his eyes fixed on the wall, his eyelids twitching slightly.

Huh?

Uncle Sakai’s belly fat quivered a bit, he too noticed something was off with the paint on the wall. Lin Tao and Yakai Ichiro simultaneously saw the change in the paint on the wall, Lin Tao scratched his nearly balding head and let out an intrigued hum.

Actually... it seemed... maybe.

Lin Tao took a casual glance and found the situation wasn’t as bad as he initially thought.

It was in moments like this that everyone’s experience level became apparent, several seasoned mural artists suddenly stood frozen, emitting all sorts of strange nasal sounds, like an orchestra in high and low keys.

The paint on the wall looked quite good.

Very harmonious.

Authentic, not just similar, but genuinely so.

As if the spirits of old painters from centuries ago had traveled through time and filled the wall’s gaps with paint and color.

Though they could blend colors to quite similar degrees, they all knew even the slightest change in tint could lead to a completely different final impression.

The newly painted colors on this mural weren’t familiar to any of them as any known combinations.

”Impressive!”

The original commotion in the crowd quickly quieted down, many attributing it to Elder Cao’s handiwork.

But why was Gu Weijing the one holding the brush?

Was it because he might be a future disciple, given a special opportunity? Such an important mural’s penmanship rights, even some young professors were interested.

Given to a young lad not yet an adult.

Wasn’t he given too much credit?

”Sorry, sorry, Elder Cao, apologies...”

Only Gu Tongxiang wasn’t focused on the painting, bending at the waist, looking at Elder Cao, with a face full of trepidation.

It concerned his grandson, face-saving was no longer important.

”Let’s not rush to this topic, Mr. Gu.”

Elder Cao waved his hand.

Looking at the mural, he didn’t know what to make of it.

When he initially deemed the No. 17 mural beyond saving, his heart ached so profoundly, now the surprise in his heart was just as marked.

One of the great secrets to maintaining joy in life is expectation management, the old man had to firmly control his mouth corners to not let his lips curl up.