The Versatile Master Artist

Perhaps while speaking, Professor Jiu Kai Yicheng might still be slurping ramen on the side, with bits of onion hanging around his mouth?

Even so.

There’s a calmness about him, a peacefulness that is truly lingering.

At this moment, what emerges in his mind is Uncle Sakai’s round face, plump like Four Happiness meatballs, yet tranquil indeed... possessing a certain Zen-like aura, like a serene Maitreya Buddha.

After listening to this story, Gu Weijing finally understood.

Why Uncle Sakai believes he has attained enlightenment.

This ”enlightenment” is unrelated to his fondness for munching on chicken thighs, nor does it relate to Uncle Sakai’s frequent painting of scantily clad ladies in a certain artistic direction.

Lady Sakai is Uncle Sakai’s Buddha, the Zen in his heart, his emotional anchor.

The perpetual unchanging landscape in his soul.

It’s precisely for this reason that Uncle Sakai, existing amid the glitter and glamor, a materialistic and indulgent top-tier artistic circle, can be such an indulgent great painter fond of illustrating young women.

Yet for over the past ten years, he stunningly maintains a record with zero scandals.

And it’s also because of this reason, whether successful or failing, amid the ebb and flow of his career, amidst the capriciousness of critical acclaim or criticism.

As long as Mrs. Sakai is around him.

He is never afraid.

”My mom is the anchor in my dad’s heart lake. This is the most romantic story we have seen and heard over the years. I hope one day when we have grown up and have children, as we finish a meal at the table, you can hold their hands while watching television and narrate a story equally warm and lovely.”

”Even better, both of us will become mutual anchors in each other’s heart. No matter what setbacks we experience, as long as we hold each other’s hand, it feels like the entire world is within our grasp.”

”This will be our pursuit and goal for the coming decades. If we achieve it, it will be a lifelong romantic memory, and my greatest achievement in life.”

”Today’s story is dedicated to Mr. Gu.”

On the small fishing boat in the heart of the Royal Botanical Garden’s lake, the lake water is as blue and enchanting as a beautiful dream, and the ebony arched harp of a phoenix head plays melodious Balinese tunes.

On the fishing boat, an eighteen-year-old girl and an eighteen-year-old boy are holding hands, sharing stories about their life together.

”No matter if our heart lake is calm or stormy, as long as the anchor is steady, all challenges become mere plots in a life’s journey. If the lake is tranquil, we can go boating like today, and if there’s a storm, we enjoy the thrill of surfing.”

Koizumi Katsuko lies partially atop Gu Weijing’s bare frame, their skin touching through a thin layer of cloth, face to face, nose to nose, heart beating against heart.

”I’m only eighteen this year, this is my first love, I hope it’s also my last. At this age, I can’t promise the courage and resolution like my mom jumping off a building, but I assure you... if you fail for real then...”

Shengzi kisses Gu Weijing’s forehead gently once again.

”I’ll take care of you.”

Gu Weijing takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.

After a lengthy breath that seemed like a century, he reaches out to pull off the blindfold.

Their eyes meet.

He gazes into his girlfriend’s clove-colored pupils, ”Sakai, I want to paint.”

This time.

Koizumi Katsuko didn’t see any anxiety or fear in Gu Weijing’s eyes, nor any excitement or eagerness.

She only saw eyes as tranquil and profound as the lake below.

Thus.

Koizumi Katsuko doesn’t hesitate to nod, ”Go paint, no need to dock, I specifically brought brushes and paint in the backpack.”

She knew this boy was finally ready to paint.

Her father’s transformation began at the seventeenth floor of a cobweb-filled, dust-laden unfinished building in Osaka.

Her boyfriend’s transformation, meanwhile, took place right before her eyes on this small fishing boat.

Before Gu Weijing wore the blindfold, he was a sensitive, talented young boy.

After Gu Weijing took off the blindfold.

He was ready to become a true great painter.

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

The boat’s bottom is flat with a shallow draft, a typical calm-water boat, with the lowest part of the gunwale slightly more than a dozen centimeters above the lake’s surface.

Ah Wang wears an inflatable orange rescue collar around his neck.

There are plenty of tourists, who don’t forget to bring their cats and dogs during trips, so this park’s management even rents out simple pet life rings.

When they boarded the boat, Miss Sakai set up a pet airbag and put it on the tabby cat, making it look like a small lion with a mane around its neck.

The cat is quite pleased with her new gear.

Especially since boarding, she’s been lying by the gunwale, peering intently at her reflection in the water and occasionally attempting to paw at the equally handsome feline beneath the surface.

Like dogs, cats are naturally adept at swimming.

Ah Wang is slightly water-shy, probing out half his body several times, paws barely touching the surface before quickly retreating in fear, gazing perplexedly at the ripples-infected reflection, squinting thoughtfully at times.

Even when Gu Weijing searches the backpack for drawing tools, he merely shoots a disdainful eye-roll at the couple engrossed in affectionate whispering, disregarding the cat’s feelings, expressing annoyance.

He continues in his philosophical demeanor, staring at the water.

Gu Weijing is delighted to be free of third-wheel interference in their private world, he glances at the pet tether Miss Sakai attached to the boat canopy extending Ah Wang’s movement range within the gunwale’s edge, ensuring Ah Wang wouldn’t slip silently overboard.

He turns his focus back, rummaging through the backpack.

He retrieves a thin brush for detail and a small box of rouge.

”Seems no rice paper, Shengzi, is it in the backpack’s side layer?” Gu Weijing rummaged repeatedly but didn’t find any rice paper.

”No, I didn’t bring any, I felt drawing on the boat doesn’t require rice paper.”

Koizumi Katsuko lightly bites her lip.

”No rice paper?”

Gu Weijing blinks.

Understandable not carrying pigment mixed water aboard, but without rice paper, where to draw?

”I can’t exactly draw on the boat planks.”

Gu Weijing asks, puzzled.

Drawing on the boat planks isn’t impossible; some artists create their ’ink treasures’ like dogs eliminating wherever they are, leaving art anywhere.

On napkins, billboards, cab headrests, hotel walls.

Such habits and omnipresent artistic expressions are widespread, especially among certain gang, street spray paint, graffiti artists.

Consider Emperor Qianlong’s documented stamp poetry on over 17,000 works from the Qing Dynasty Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Shiqu Treasure Collection, one can understand some of these territorial artists’ spreading ink mentality.

No judgment on the behavior’s inherent right or wrong.

Gu Weijing didn’t want such a memorable piece to be casually painted on an unknown park’s boat plank, he sought to conserve this piece, hopeful to bring it home!

”I.”

Koizumi Katsuko speaks softly, closing her eyes, laying flat on the bamboo mat within the boat canopy.

”Hmm?”

Gu Weijing turns pink, clueless about his girlfriend’s words.

”Alright, I’ll retract my previous comment, in some respects Mr. Gu is ready for a great painter, in others he’s yet a young boy.”

With Koizumi Katsuko already lying back, eyes closed, it was evident her boyfriend hadn’t quite grasped certain sensual aspects yet.

She internally sighed, then again opened her eyes.

”I mean, I can be your rice paper... Gu, like the ancients painting brows, draw a rouge flower on me.”