The Versatile Master Artist

She sat on Miss Sakai’s chest, snuggling into Shengzi’s curvaceous neckline, affectionately rubbing her soft skull against Koizumi Katsuko’s chin, making her giggle.

Ah Wang rolled around on Koizumi Katsuko.

Adjusting her posture, the tabby cat found a comfortable position on the girl’s chest and fell asleep, clutching Shengzi’s clothes with her claws, refusing to let go.

She was very smart and knew.

If she had to be a doll to be petted by others, it was much more comfortable to seek out sweet and soft Sister Sakai rather than being a playmate for the energetic Jasmine.

”Ah Wang, be good, don’t run around, be careful not to fall. If you get lost from the train, we won’t have any way to find you.”

Koizumi Katsuko gently stroked the silky fur on the tabby cat’s back, softly reminding her.

”Thinking about something? That little unpleasantness from before is over, I’m fine.”

Koizumi Katsuko turned her head to look at her boyfriend.

The girl noticed that ever since the incident in the train station waiting hall, Gu Weijing seemed a bit absent-minded for the past half hour.

Often lost in thought and dazed.

”Uh... I’m fine, just thinking about something.”

Gu Weijing was not overshadowed by the bribery incident with the military police.

He was merely pondering the rhetorical question posed by Chen Shenglin, the collector.

”Gu Weijing, have you ever thought about what you would do if the rules of the world operate this way? Police kill, gangsters kill, senators also kill. Fairness and justice are not the core of societal operations; textbooks teach children to be kind, but in the adult world, there is only interest.”

This sentence rang like a bronze bell, buzzing in his ears.

Gu Weijing was well aware.

In many people’s minds, serving a big gangster is considered an extremely honorable and prestigious thing.

Good or bad doesn’t matter.

Just like Ah Lai’s words, the notorious drug lord, the ruthless warlord, everyone witnesses the ceasefire agreements under the United Nations investigation teams and holds press conferences for journalists.

Transforming into respected senior officials in news releases.

Changing from embodiments of evil to maintainers of order.

Perhaps right and wrong have always been a fuzzy concept.

In dealing with this issue, Chen Shenglin’s performance was far more mature and profound than Gu Weijing.

But for someone his age, raised from childhood under Grandpa Gu Tongxiang’s ”gentleman” theory and a Confucian worldview, such reality might be too dark and oppressive.

”Shengzi, if you discover that the essence of this world is less beautiful than I imagined, and the mode of operation might be a lot darker and more sinister, what should we do?”

He asked in a trance.

”Hmm?”

Koizumi Katsuko was taken aback.

She didn’t ask Gu Weijing why he suddenly asked such a strange question but instead thought quietly for a few seconds and replied, ”I would be a kind person and then paint good paintings.”

”Just like that?”

”Mr. Gu, just like that. We are painters. I don’t have any great ambition to save the world; I just want to be a painter. Life is short, and just the task of art is enough to immerse me for a lifetime, leaving no energy for other concerns.”

Koizumi Katsuko chuckled lightly.

”So don’t be conflicted.”

She patted her boyfriend on the shoulder, gazing into his dark eyes: ”You just need to know that this world is an oil painting under the brush of the Celestial Father. If it’s warm, I will be by your side. If the world’s rules are cold and dark, I will also be by your side.”

She noticed that Gu Weijing still seemed a bit dazed, so she left the quiet space to him, picking up the squinting cat and standing up from her seat.

”I’ll take Jasmine to the empty space at the back of the carriage to feed the cat. Today we went out together, so when I come back, you should be happy.”

Koizumi Katsuko lightly ruffled Gu Weijing’s hair like she was stroking Ah Wang’s cat fur.

Gu Weijing nodded.

He actually felt better already.

”I will paint good paintings and be a kind person.”—Koizumi Katsuko’s very wise words made Gu Weijing feel a sudden clarity.

What a brilliant statement!

Gu Weijing realized that just as he couldn’t represent all the young people in the city, he didn’t need to think about such profound issues.

He wasn’t Chen Shenglin, nor was he the mayor.

He only needed to play the role of a painter well, living his life kindly and righteously was enough.

Besides.

A pure and lovely girl like a lotus whispering in your ear that she would accompany you, whether the world is warm or cold, makes it really difficult not to feel happy.

Gu Weijing watched the scenery outside the window for a little while before fetching his phone to play some lively music to change his mood.

At that moment, he noticed an unread message on WeChat.

Like Elder Gu Tongxiang, who needed to maintain relationships with various clients, Gu Weijing also had a myriad of social media accounts on his phone.

He had a Gmail for work messages, WhatsApp for contact with Mr. Tree Sloth and various people he knew as Detective Cat, Hank’s Telegram, and Koizumi Katsuko’s Line.

Sometimes.

He was really afraid of logging into the wrong account and revealing something unintended.

Gu Weijing was even considering buying another phone to keep Detective Cat’s social circle completely separate.

He didn’t have many contacts on WeChat, only two he used frequently, but both were so weighty that putting them online could incite the envy of countless artists.