The Versatile Master Artist

His eyes widened like bronze bells, and he mumbled a few words softly under his breath.

Old Wu’s worldview was shaken.

He didn’t care about the usual rule of not inhaling cigars, viciously took a puff, using the surge of nicotine in his blood to calm his nerves.

”Unbelievable.”

After two long plumes of smoke with a plant-burning scent streamed out of his nose, he finally spoke softly and slowly.

”Old Gu, you were right. Why should this painting technique be taught to others...”

Old Wu shrugged, remained silent for a few seconds, then said: ”This is the bread and butter that can feed generations. Forget I mentioned the lecture.”

”Impressive, Old Gu, truly impressive.”

”It’s not me who’s impressive, it’s my grandson who’s talented.”

”Same thing.”

Old Wu shook his head: ”If my grandson had Xiaogu’s talent, I’d be happier than being impressive myself.”

Gu Tongxiang didn’t deny it, smiled like Maitreya Buddha with his arms folded: ”My friend, now you’re convinced.”

Old Wu lost even the mood to banter with Gu Tongxiang at this point.

If it were Old Gu who came up with this, honestly, vanity would have made him a bit jealous.

But now it seems it truly was Gu Weijing, Gu’s grandson, who came up with it... Old Wu couldn’t even muster jealousy, only genuine admiration remained.

At their age, the greatest wish is for their descendants to be successful.

Who can blame them for having a talented grandson.

Look at the Gu Family’s grandson, then look at his own son and grandson wasting time on Douyin, playing with hand beads, with terrible handwriting.

”This grandson, truly capable!”

Old Wu rubbed his chin hard with the back of his hand, speaking with tremendous envy.

”It’s alright, you don’t need to praise him so much, young people can easily become arrogant. I think my grandson has room for improvement.” Gu Tongxiang said with a shake of his head.

Old Wu licked his lips, too lazy to look at Gu Tongxiang’s disgustingly smug face pretending to be a strict teacher.

He leaned close to Gu Weijing, with an extremely friendly smile on his face.

”Xiaogu, uh, Weijing... Grandpa Wu has always been good to you, right? Could you paint two paintings for Grandpa Wu to take home and hope it’ll bring wealth in the future?”

-----------------

Old Wu’s wish to have paintings wasn’t completely fulfilled,

Gu Tongxiang believed his grandson Gu Weijing hadn’t reached the stage to formally sell paintings yet, given his young age.

Even though he felt that,

In many ways, his grandson’s painting skills were already on par with his own, it would be best if he simmered for another two years, preferably on a bigger stage.

He used his grandson’s busy graduation season studies as an excuse to politely decline Old Wu’s request.

However,

Under Old Wu’s pleading, tantrums, and persistent persuasion, the small Bean Flower Painting Gu Weijing first copied from the ”Immortal Evergreen Bean Flower Painting” was taken by Old Wu.

Gu Tongxiang initially suggested to paint a few paintings for Old Wu himself.

But with Gu Weijing’s shining example, especially being so young, in Old Wu’s eyes, Old Gu’s level didn’t quite measure up anymore.

He was no fool,

What had greater potential, even Old Wu knew with simple logic.

Gu Tongxiang had probably reached his peak for this lifetime, but Gu Weijing’s age suggested limitless prospects.

Taking the ”Bean Flower Painting,” he also stubbornly loitered around the yard.

The long table held a Peony Painting half done by Gu Tongxiang and half by Gu Weijing. The old man smacked his lips and unceremoniously nabbed it too.

Old Wu’s foresight went far.

On site, he even boldly wrote a long inscription at the end of the cut Xuan paper—

”The wonder of painting, delightful and enduring, the skilled are foremost, a grandson need not pale before the ancestor. March twenty-third, Yangon Riverfront, warmth and Spring abound. Gu’s son teaches his grand...”

This lengthy inscription recorded the background story of the creation of this Peony Painting, an elegant anecdote of Gu Weijing instructing his grandfather Gu Tongxiang.

Old Wu meticulously documented all that happened today, slyly highlighting his insight in deciding to collect this piece.

He added over a hundred words, filling more space than the few Peony blossoms of the main subject.

In Chinese paintings, this line of text is called ”inscription,” a literary archive used to document the creation story and the identities of the creator and collector.

Many modern people saw famous works of calligraphy by Su Shi, Mi Fu originally written on the ends of silk or paper of Chinese paintings, then later copied individually by calligraphers.

The ”Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection” that schoolchildren memorized has a similar meaning, and stamp-collecting-enthusiast Qianlong wrote thousands of these inscriptions in his lifetime.

With these records,

If Gu Weijing truly becomes famous in the future,

This piece becomes sequentially part of inheritance, making it more valuable for sale.

Old Wu even shamelessly asked Old Gu to stamp it with his private seal engraved ”Gu Tongxiang.”

”Xiaogu, keep up the effort and paint well! When you become a great painter someday, Grandpa Wu will exchange this for a big seaside villa for retirement!”

Old Wu half-jokingly, half-expectantly advised Gu Weijing.

Then he didn’t even bother to take the portable lunch box he brought.