Since its discovery, painting and calligraphy have always been important artistic pursuits. The elderly gentleman mentioned by Jiang Yu was a highly respected figure in this field.
His surname was Cui. He gained fame at the age of thirty and made countless contributions to the world of painting and calligraphy. He even served as the president of the National Painting and Calligraphy Association. However, what he was most renowned for was his artwork.
Master Cui specialised in landscape paintings, which were grand and majestic. His style was powerful and vast, making viewers feel a sense of relief and admiration.
Teacher Shen was one of Master Cui’s students. In Jiang Yu’s past life, Teacher Shen had once mentioned introducing her to her teacher, but at that time, she was already in university. Unfortunately, the meeting never happened, as Master Cui passed away before Jiang Yu had the chance to meet him. This was one of Jiang Yu’s greatest regrets.
Now, however, things had changed. Teacher Shen intended to introduce her to Master Cui much earlier than in her previous life. For Jiang Yu, this was an unexpected but delightful surprise.
Seeing the excitement on Jiang Yu’s face, Teacher Shen frowned slightly and sighed, “Don’t get your hopes up too much. My Master is old and has long stopped taking students. This may not work out.”
Jiang Yu smiled. “Regardless of the outcome, this is already something to be happy about. At least I have the opportunity, right?”
Teacher Shen chuckled. “You have an optimistic mindset.”
Over the next two days, Jiang Yu completed the painting. Seeing the entire piece in its finished form made it even more striking. Though the main subject was a rose, the painting emphasised the concept of ‘sunshine’, which perfectly aligned with its name.
Once the painting was finished, Teacher Shen took it and applied for leave from school before flying directly to B City.
Master Cui had many disciples and Teacher Shen was one of his more favoured students. As she arrived at her Master’s home, she happened to run into a senior brother who was just leaving.
“Shixiong*,” Teacher Shen greeted. However, she noticed that her senior brother looked displeased, as if the visit had not gone well.
Teacher Shen also noticed the young man beside her senior brother, a teenager around seventeen or eighteen years old. The boy had the proud air of youth but bore an expression of frustration and embarrassment.
Teacher Shen had a vague guess about what had happened.
Her senior, Du Song, forced a smile and said, “Here to see Master, shimei? Sigh, Master is getting older and more irritable… I’ll be heading back now.”
This left Teacher Shen puzzled. She had no idea what had transpired, but whatever it was, she knew she would always stand by her Master’s side. Besides, her Master was not someone unreasonable.
“Shixiong, you know Master is old. If he did something that upset you, I hope you won’t show it in front of him… As the saying goes, ‘Once a teacher, always a father.’ As students, we must not anger our mentor.”
Teacher Shen’s words made Du Song’s expression shift slightly. He forced a nod. “You’re right, shimei.”
As Teacher Shen entered the house, a servant greeted her. “Miss Shen, you’re here. The master is in the garden.”
Teacher Shen often visited her teacher, never missing holidays or festivals. Over time, the Cui household had grown familiar with her.
The servant added, “It’s good you came. The master is upset right now. Mr. Du brought his nephew, hoping the master would take him as a student, but the master refused. Mr. Du didn’t take it well, so the master scolded him. He’s still brooding over it.”
Teacher Shen had already guessed as much, so she wasn’t surprised. However, the painting in her arms suddenly felt heavier.
The Cui family’s back garden was meticulously maintained, filled with beauty and tranquility. Master Cui sat there with his eyes closed, his expression weary and displeased.
“Master!” Teacher Shen called out cheerfully.
Master Cui opened his eyes and upon seeing her, his expression softened slightly. “Oh, it’s you, girl. It’s a workday today. Why aren’t you at school?”
“I took the day off to visit you.” Teacher Shen sat down beside him. “Aunt Lizi told me you were upset. Getting angry isn’t good for your health. You’re a magnanimous person – don’t let it get to you.”
At this, the old master’s temper flared again. “I don’t want to be angry either! But some people just insist on annoying me. I’ve long retired and only wish to enjoy my remaining years in peace. I don’t want to take on any more students, but that Du Song kept pestering me!”
Teacher Shen fell silent.
Her purpose for coming was actually quite similar to Du Song’s. Now, she wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
Just then, a servant brought over tea. Teacher Shen set down the painting and poured a cup for her teacher. “Have some tea to calm down.”
Master Cui glanced at the box on the chair and asked, “What did you bring? From the look of it, something related to painting or calligraphy. Why don’t you open it and show me?”
Teacher Shen nearly bit her tongue. She hesitated for a moment before saying dryly, “This is a painting by my student. I wanted to show it to you.”
And after you see it… she didn’t say, but Master Cui could guess.
The old man glanced at her but showed no signs of anger. Instead, he said, “Since you’ve brought it, let me have a look.”
Teacher Shen quickly responded, opening the box and carefully unrolling the painting. As she did, she spoke, “I have several talented students in my class, but two stand out the most – one named Yu Bing and another named Jiang Yu. They have extraordinary talent in painting. This piece was done by Jiang Yu. Please take a look.”
As the scroll unfurled, the first thing visible was a golden rose. Roses were typically bold and flamboyant, but this one, bathed in gold, radiated warmth and brilliance. The deep red hues around it added depth, making the entire painting feel vibrant and full of life.
Looking at it, one could almost feel the warmth of the sun, as if rays of light were shining through.
“You teach high school, right?” Master Cui suddenly asked.
Teacher Shen nodded. “Yes, Jiang Yu is in her second year.”
“Impossible!” Master Cui immediately denied. “This level of technique is too refined. Without at least twenty years of practice, it would be impossible to achieve. How could a teenager create such a painting?”
“I watched her paint this myself. I can guarantee it’s her original work,” Teacher Shen insisted.
The old master fell silent, his brows furrowing.
A painting like this, created by a seventeen-year-old girl? If anyone else had told him, he wouldn’t have believed it.
Teacher Shen sighed. “You know my skill level. I don’t think I can teach her much more, which is why I wanted to entrust her to you…”
By the end of her sentence, she felt a bit guilty. “But I realise I was inconsiderate. You should be enjoying your retirement. Forget I mentioned it. I’ll look for another teacher. I can’t let this promising talent go to waste.”
Find another teacher?
Master Cui’s ears perked up and his moustache nearly bristled. Who else could possibly be suitable?
“Did I say no?” he snapped.
Teacher Shen blinked. “?”
Gazing at the painting, the old master’s eyes were full of admiration. “This girl is a natural-born artist. If not me, who else could guide her properly?”
“But you’re getting older…”
“Old? I’m only seventy-three! If I live to a hundred, I still have nearly thirty years left!” Master Cui huffed.
Teacher Shen sighed in resignation.
Fine, fine. He was the master – she’d let him have his way.
“What’s the painting’s name?”
“It’s called ‘Sunshine.’”
“Sunshine… Sunshine… Hmm, good name. A very good name.”
The old master held the painting in his hands, reluctant to let go and pointed at it. “This painting is excellent – it has a touch of the essence of ‘Returning from a Journey Amidst Fragrant Flowers’.* This child is not to be underestimated, not at all. Her future achievements will surely surpass ours.”
Teacher Shen fully agreed. Jiang Yu was still so young, while they were already much older. As long as she continued to study painting steadily and avoided unnecessary distractions, fame was only a matter of time.
The master and apprentice discussed Jiang Yu for quite some time. That evening, Teacher Shen stayed for dinner and spent the night there before returning to the school the next day. However, the painting was kept by the old master.
“Sigh, this new disciple’s painting still lacks maturity. I’ll take it to Lao Wei and the others to have them give some pointers.”
Teacher Shen: “…”
Could you at least restrain the proud look on your face when you say that? You’re practically saying outright that you want to show it off.
At this age, what do elderly men love the most? Boasting and comparing their protégés, of course! Having taken in such a talented disciple, how could the old master resist flaunting it?
Before Teacher Shen left, the old master repeatedly instructed, “When you go back, help me check out some houses. Once I’ve settled things here, I’ll come over. I’m getting tired of staying in B City anyway.”
Teacher Shen nodded in understanding and flew back the next day.
As for the old master, he sat in his study, admiring the painting Sunshine, before calling in his servant.
“Master, did you need me?”
“Yes, call my friends and tell them I’m hosting a tea gathering. Take out the tea leaves I got a few days ago and invite them to come for a tasting.”
The servant was surprised. “But sir, aren’t those your favourite tea leaves?”
The old master waved dismissively. “It’s just some tea leaves. Nothing special.”
Servant: “…”
You sure didn’t think it was ‘just tea’ when you were treating it like a precious treasure a few days ago.
At his age, the old master had a few close friends. As soon as they received his invitation and heard he was serving his prized two-ounce stash of tea, they all arrived the next day.
“Old Cui, how could you bear to bring out this tea? Just the other day, when I asked for some, you were so reluctant. What changed?” his friend, Elder Lin, laughed and asked.
The old master took a sip of tea and said, “What are you implying? Do I seem like a miserly man? It’s just some tea – I can afford to share it.”
“Ha! You’re absolutely stingy. It’s always a struggle to get anything from you. You’re so generous today – did something good happen?”
“Not much, really… I just took in a new disciple.”
The old master tried to sound casual, but the smugness on his face was so blatant it made people want to smack him.
Elder Lin was surprised. “A disciple? I thought you swore you’d never take on students again?”
The old master clicked his tongue. “I didn’t want to, but the kid’s a rare talent in painting. I wouldn’t feel at ease leaving her to someone else, so I had to take her on myself.”
His tone was full of pride, completely unrestrained – he was practically saying outright that he was here just to brag.
The others exchanged glances. Elder Lin, now intrigued, asked, “Is the child really that gifted?”
They all knew Old Cui too well – he was proud and had high standards. Earning just a few words of praise from him was difficult, yet here he was, openly boasting about his new disciple. Naturally, their curiosity was piqued.
Seeing their interest, the old master spoke nonchalantly, “Oh, she’s just a bit more talented than average… Oh, right, she recently painted something. It’s nothing extraordinary, but as elders, why don’t you all take a look and give her some pointers?”
Without giving them a chance to process his words, he immediately took out the painting, which had been set aside and unfurled it before them.
“Take a look – this painting is called Sunshine…”
As soon as the painting was revealed, everyone’s eyes lit up. The interplay of rose-gold and crimson, light and dark, exuded a vibrant brilliance beyond words.
“What a masterpiece!” someone couldn’t help but exclaim.
Elder Lin leaned in, clicked his tongue and said, “Such bold use of colour. This gold – it truly captures the essence of sunlight. The contrast with the shadows makes it even more dazzling… And the emotional depth in this painting – without decades of experience, how could someone paint like this? Old Cui, you say this was painted by your disciple? How old is he? Don’t tell me you took in an old man as a student?”
At this, the old master’s smug expression became even more obvious. He snorted and said, “What nonsense. My disciple is young – just seventeen.”
Seventeen?
“That’s impossible,” Elder Lin said in disbelief. He pointed at the painting. “The handling of colours is masterful. Look at these transitions – seemingly abrupt yet harmonious. Without decades of experience, how could anyone achieve this? You must be pulling my leg.”
“What would I gain from lying to you? This really was painted by my disciple,” the old master replied with absolute certainty.
Elder Lin and the others: “…”
“If that’s true, then this child was born to be an artist… No wonder you couldn’t resist taking her as a student.”
The old master was brimming with pride but still tried to be modest. “She’s just a little better than most, that’s all… nothing special.”
Elder Lin, annoyed by his smugness, rolled his eyes and said, “Looking closely, this painting isn’t all that. The brushwork is immature – definitely just average.”
The old master instantly blew up. “Old Man Lin, do you even have an eye for art? What part of this painting is average? Look at the colour composition – it’s nothing short of brilliant! And the way the roses are painted – you call that ordinary? Are you blind?”
“Oh? Weren’t you the one who just said it was ‘nothing special’? So you can say it’s average, but we can’t?”
“Exactly! Old Cui, you might want to check your attitude. You’re practically glowing with pride after taking in a good disciple.”
Instead of feeling embarrassed, the old master was completely unapologetic. “My disciple’s work is outstanding. I was just being humble. When you call it average, you’re just being blind.”
The others: “…”
Not sure who’s really lacking humility here.
Just then, a servant entered and announced, “Master, Major General Lu has arrived.”
Behind him stepped a young man – broad shoulders, a narrow waist and long legs. His posture was straight and disciplined, exuding the sharpness of a soldier.
The old master was momentarily stunned. “Mingshen? What brings you here?”
Lu Mingshen greeted everyone before sitting down, his posture upright, making even the others unconsciously straighten their backs.
Though his aura was cold and imposing, his tone was gentle as he said, “I just came to check in on you. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Elder Lin waved a hand. “Not at all. We’re just a few old men chatting over tea.”
Lu Mingshen nodded. The old master immediately scooted over, holding up the painting like a treasure. “Mingshen, take a look at this – what do you think?”
Lu Mingshen’s gaze landed on the painting and he found himself unable to look away. “I don’t know much about art, but this painting… it feels full of sunlight.”
He reached out, his fingers hovering just above the golden petals.
A truly great painting carries a soul, one that resonates with people. And this one certainly did.
“Who painted this?” Lu Mingshen asked.
Elder Lin chuckled. “It’s the work of Old Cui’s new disciple. Just look at him – he’s practically bursting with pride. He somehow found an incredible talent. Why can’t I ever be that lucky?”
Lu Mingshen stared at the painting for a long time before speaking. “Master, may I take this painting back with me?”
The old master hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “This painting doesn’t belong to me, so I can’t decide that. But I can ask her – if she agrees, you can come pick it up.”
Lu Mingshen nodded.
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