The Versatile Master Artist

He randomly picked a topic to understand Gu Weijing, but this chubby kid indeed didn’t look quite normal.

Children who develop early often start learning to speak around ten months old.

At his age, he should already be starting elementary school, but the other party’s chubby kid still mumbles indistinctly.

”His name is Bu Dao.” Gu Weijing sighed while holding the chubby child.

Many orphans here are abandoned at the doorstep of the orphanage, without even a name.

The Myanmar cultural tradition has a given name without a surname, and naming is quite casual.

The female director habitually uses the names of flowers to name them.

Just like Little Girl Mo Li, Bu Dao is a transliteration of the Burmese name of Myanmar’s national flower, the Padauk flower.

”I’ve taken him to see a doctor, diagnosed with autism and mild language disorder. Theoretically, with companionship and special intervention corrective therapy, he can achieve the same effect as normal children, but...”

Gu Weijing shrugged.

The world has very developed dedicated treatments for autistic children, but they’re very expensive.

In developed countries in Europe and America, a three-hour professional one-on-one child autism correction course starts at one thousand dollars, with three sessions a week.

Enough to make the uninsured middle class tremble.

Not to mention Myanmar.

Language disorders, unlike Mo Li’s AIDS, do not have dedicated United Nations funding; such treatment expenses are unaffordable for an orphanage.

They can only have volunteers accompany them more.

”Bu Dao, thank this uncle for the chocolate?”

Gu Weijing raised the chubby child, looking over at Du Wen.

The little guy looked reluctant to speak, and Gu Weijing wasn’t in a hurry. He patiently reminded him several times before the child mumbled a few words from his mouth.

”I want to draw a picture. It seems you’re free now; is it convenient for you to hold him?”

Feeling that he had learned enough about the little model, Gu Weijing started to sketch and asked Du Wen.

Wanting to get closer to Gu Weijing, Du Wen did not refuse.

Gu Weijing took out a drawing board and pen, handing back the chocolate Du Wen had just given to him.

”Talk to Bu Dao for a while, and reward him with chocolate. Hmm... give him up to three pieces, the director said he’s teething.” Gu Weijing gently brushed off the chubby child’s small hand reaching for the pencil sharpener, while he started sketching Bu Dao’s appearance on the paper.

Similarly a child, the chubby kid has autism, but is quite curious.

At least his behavior while Gu Weijing was drawing was far less obedient than Little Girl Mo Li, always wanting to grab things.

When he painted for Little Girl Mo Li, he never needed other volunteers to help watch over her.

Du Wen tried talking to the chubby child for a while, but wanted to give up. Bu Dao was very reluctant to speak, and when he did, it was incoherent mumbling, so he couldn’t understand a thing.

”Talk more, and you’ll get more candy.”

Gu Weijing lifted his pen, saying a sentence to the chubby child first.

He then turned to look at Du Wen, explaining, ”He’s asking for chocolate from you. Be patient, and you’ll actually understand what Bu Dao is saying.”

”His pronunciation is a bit different from normal children.” Gu Weijing demonstrated, ”I’ll teach you, his retroflex sounds make a ’zuo’ sound, plosive sounds...”

Du Wen actually admired this Fitz middle school student quite a bit at heart.

Whether the saying of wealth not being benevolent or wealthy people having a conscience is more accurate, this boy is indeed very patient with all the children in the orphanage.

As a journalist, Du Wen knew well that compared with many formulaic, main-theme reports and performative charitable donations, stories filled with warm details are more moving for readers.

”Truly, good people are rewarded, a special feature in a Myanmar Mirror special edition could even make the Yangon Mayor cry with envy.”

Not to mention other things.

This kind of student who can rise to the cover of a major news feature for acts of kindness at an orphanage, regardless of academic performance, can easily secure a full scholarship of up to one hundred thousand dollars to top-notch schools like Stanford, Cambridge in Europe and America.

After graduation, there are plenty of NGOs (non-profit organizations) battling to hire you with high salaries. NGOs only represent the organization itself as non-profit, senior management salaries are not low.

As long as you don’t make a big mistake, it is no exaggeration to say that one news article can keep you going for a lifetime.

”Hmph, looks cool and detached on the outside. Kid, if you knew what I am doing, you might excitedly cling to my leg, tearfully thanking me!” Du Wen thought to himself smugly.

”Little brother, I heard from the director that your family runs a gallery? There aren’t many big galleries for selling and buying in Yangon.”

Du Wen chatted, ”Is it ’Golden Village’ or ’Guli Gallery’ on Diplomat Avenue?”

A street-roving investigative journalist isn’t less familiar with a city than a taxi driver, especially in the cultural industry.

He just casually brought up the names of some of the largest galleries in Yangon City.

”No.” Gu Weijing shook his head.

”No?”

Du Wen was puzzled; there aren’t many galleries in Yangon worth mentioning.

He couldn’t remember any other notable galleries.

Could it be a family business in another city?

Hold on, actually there might be a true major business.

A quick-witted journalist’s mind flashed with a sudden thought.

Du Wen stepped back slightly, hugging the chubby kid tighter.

”You... wouldn’t happen to be Brother Hao’s nephew, would you.” His expression was incredibly complex at that moment.