The Versatile Master Artist

(Note: The Tatars, a Mongolian Grassland ethnic group here, do not distinguish between Asian races.)

”In the end, your grandmother calmly had a servant go to the supermarket and buy a ready-made lasagna. Facing your grandfather’s somewhat angry questioning, she kicked me under the table and said it was the family’s cat that knocked over the aluminum tray originally holding the lasagna.”

Mrs. Sakai recalled her youthful past and chuckled, ”That big orange cat didn’t get a good look from your grandfather for a full six months. I always felt quite sorry for that old cat in the house for a long time.”

”You and dad had such things happen, huh.”

Koizumi Katsuko rarely heard her parents talk about their dating past.

She only knew that her mother’s family conditions were much better than her father’s.

However, each winter when vacationing at the seaside villa in Barcelona, her grandfather, that little old man, was always very kind to their family.

He continuously excitedly showed off to all neighbors that his ”great artist son-in-law” had come to see them, treating Professor Yajima even more dearly than his wife’s several brothers.

”Katsuko, telling you this story is to let you know that your mother understands your feelings and the joy you feel the first time you discover liking a boy. Your mother is not your enemy. On the contrary, your little boyfriend may abandon you, but your parents will never abandon you; they will always stand by your side.”

Mrs. Sakai stroked her daughter’s cheek.

”What truly makes me angry today is that you secretly went out without thinking to discuss it with me. Did you ever think, running out so late secretly, how worried I would be if I suddenly found you weren’t home?”

”I thought...”

Koizumi Katsuko opened her mouth wanting to explain.

”I know what you want to say. It’s true I never really liked Gu Weijing, and of course, I don’t want my daughter running out to play with boys so late; these things are natural because I am your mother.”

”I wish for your life to be smoother, more affluent, and easier to succeed. If life is a game, marrying Koshiba Tarou is the Easy mode. But if you insist on choosing the Hard mode, then I am also willing to wish my daughter happy playing.”

Mrs. Sakai softly said, ”It’s just you might suffer more hardships, that’s all.”

”I’m not afraid.”

Koizumi Katsuko lifted her head from her mother’s embrace and firmly repeated, ”I don’t care.”

”Whether you care or not, it’s all a path you’ve chosen yourself. We will grow old one day; ultimately, the person accompanying you for life is your husband, not me, your mother.”

”If your husband is ambitious, then great, you will receive countless envious gazes. Your grandfather didn’t think much of my husband then, but isn’t he very fond of him now? Humph, all the childhood neighbor friends say the Cruz family’s girl caught a billionaire man.”

Mrs. Sakai proudly raised her neck, as if she was a forty-year-old princess.

”If... I mean, if Mr. Gu doesn’t succeed, will you always look down on him?”

Koizumi Katsuko cautiously asked slowly.

The uncertain variables on the artistic path are too many, and all those agents who confidently guarantee your success are mostly frauds.

There are countless wasted geniuses,

and it often happens that good painters don’t achieve fame.

Even for Koizumi Katsuko herself, she doesn’t dare to guarantee that she can be as successful as her father.

She can only say perhaps, probably should have a higher chance of success than others.

She believes in Gu Weijing’s abilities, but whether he succeeds or not, Koizumi Katsuko knows it is heavily reliant on luck.

Just discussing the current situation,

like the artist older sister with almost perfect sketching skills and profound aesthetic understanding like Detective Cat, before Mr. Hibernian noticed her on YouTube, she was still drawing ten-dollar illustrations like before.

”If your husband is a failure and ends up being a small painter without fame, actually... it’s not that bad.”

Mrs. Sakai smiled and said, ”Even if I can’t stand him, how can I not help him? Even if Gu Weijing achieves nothing and is laughed at, so be it; he has no skills, right? You close the door living your small life, as long as he treats you well and you can find happiness, that is amazing. I am also willing to bless you both.”

”I have only a few absolute non-negotiable requirements for my daughter’s other half. Firstly, he cannot be a habitual gambler, and secondly, he cannot abuse drugs.”

”You know, because acquiring money is easy, playing with women and men, racing, surfing, and all those thrill-seeking activities become monotonous, and many in our circle are involved with these two.”

Mrs. Sakai held Katsuko’s porcelain-like cheek and stared into her eyes seriously.

”Gambling can lead to the rapid demise of a household. A family like ours, having vacations, buying bags and shoes, such consumables, the money can be spent endlessly in a lifetime. But gambling away ten thousand fortunes can take just one night. As for drugs, a person indulging in desires wouldn’t care about family at all. Once hooked on drugs, the whole person is ruined, overdosing till one’s death, and addicts have a high chance of domestic violence; I could never allow your spouse to be such a person.”

”Lastly, do not touch money laundering and business related to underground societies.”

Mrs. Sakai thought for a moment and added, ”Not to mention underground societies, even the underground artist groups associated with gang culture are quite chaotic; I shouldn’t have to explain it to you specifically.”

Street artists or those starting with graffiti, KWAS is the most successful.

Globally recognized and controversial, the Godfather of trendy toys.

KWAS’s street art went viral on Instagram. Various co-branded art clothing, action figures, and trendy toys became worldwide phenomena.

Uniqlo’s collaboration with KWAS had sold-out items from Asia to Europe, from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean, with clothing store queues spanning hundreds of meters.

Each year, KWAS’s various co-branded items approached Kanye’s Yeezy in sales, with even more fan loyalty; in recent years, there have been single pieces worth over US dollars.

KWAS’s successful case brought numerous semi-gang individuals involved in street graffiti into the art field, like rap culture.

There have been investigative journalists publishing special reports; a large amount of gang-related funds flooded into the art industry, hoping to launder money through trendy art hype.

However, art investment is a classic money laundering hotspot and isn’t missing this aspect.

But this kind of street graffiti is even more chaotic, with gang members broadcasting online, painting on other leader’s territory, like hyenas urinating on other pack’s territory, which easily leads to gunfights.

Ironically, while KWAS became wildly popular on the street, he wasn’t part of the street scene at all. KWAS graduated from the School of Visual Arts, New York, majoring in illustration, and was originally an Illustrator for Disney.

”Making such money feels unstable. In the morning it’s credited to your account, and by evening you could mysteriously get shot. Besides, your father Yakai Ichiro achieved real fame through genuine and stable efforts, this kind of thing, our family doesn’t touch.” Mrs. Sakai advised.

”The rest is just living life. Whether a man is ambitious or skilled, that depends on his fate.” Mrs. Sakai pinched her daughter’s cheek jokingly, ”And also on your ability to nurture and train your husband. I believe your dad has been nurtured well and obedient.”

”Hmm.”

Koizumi Katsuko made a nasal sound, with her cheeks blushing.

She thought for a moment and suddenly asked, ”Mom, did you see the drawing I posted on Instagram? I think drawing such a piece, Gu Weijing is quite promising.”

”That drawing... is just average, rather immature, with quite a few rough spots.”

Mrs. Sakai sternly said, glancing at her daughter,

watching her eager expression to showcase her beloved’s talents like a treasure, hoping to gain affirmative approval.

She eventually smiled.

”Considering the boy’s age, I can grudgingly give it a good review.”

Mrs. Sakai patted her daughter’s head.

”Mr. Gu wants to participate in this year’s Singapore Art Exhibition, Mom, I also want to participate.” Katsuko suddenly said.