After seeing [A Fleeting Dream]’s artwork, fans had developed refined tastes. When they looked at the works of Lemon Passionfruit, the artist chosen by Changqing Publishing, they were stunned.
Lemon Passionfruit was certainly talented, after all, Editor Zhou had selected her and even Xia An had agreed. Her skills were by no means poor, but compared to the perfect artistry of [A Fleeting Dream], the gap was simply too vast.
In truth, the two artists followed different paths. Lemon Passionfruit was a professional manhua artist, whereas Jiang Yu was a serious fine artist. There was no real comparison. However, since the fans had initially assumed [A Fleeting Dream] was the chosen illustrator for the project, now that another artist had been selected, it was only natural for them to make comparisons.
And once they compared the two, dissatisfaction began to spread. Fans started flooding the publisher’s Weibo page with complaints, You promised us [A Fleeting Dream]! How did it end up being someone else?
“Editor Zhou, what should we do? Lemon Passionfruit just called, saying fans have flooded her Weibo with insults…” Xiao Li asked anxiously, seeking guidance.
Lemon Passionfruit had become collateral damage in this mess. She wasn’t untalented, her manhua style was delicate and beautiful and she had a strong following. Yet now, people were unfairly tearing her down.
[A Fleeting Dream] is a master, practically at a PhD level. Comparing her to others is just bullying!
Lemon Passionfruit felt utterly wronged.
Editor Zhou massaged his temples, inwardly cursing the endless troubles this manhua adaptation was causing. He sighed, “What can we do? Fans can complain all they want, but do you have any idea how expensive [A Fleeting Dream]’s artwork is? Even if I wanted to hire her, could we afford it? It’s easy for them to demand, but who’s paying for it?”
Xiao Li scratched his head. “So… should we just explain that to the fans?”
Editor Zhou waved a hand dismissively. “Just tell the truth. It’s not like it’s embarrassing. I doubt any company in this industry could afford her rates.”
Xiao Li nodded. Of course, the final statement they released would be carefully worded, but the core message boiled down to: “We can’t afford her.”
The fans, who had been furious, deflated like popped balloons.
Wait, what? How are we supposed to argue against that?
They couldn’t exactly force the publisher to hire someone they couldn’t afford.
At this point, curiosity took over.
[How much does [A Fleeting Dream] even charge? The publisher outright admitted they can’t afford her, now I really want to know!]
This comment resonated with everyone. Soon, art professionals and industry insiders started chiming in.
[As a fine arts student, let me tell you, [A Fleeting Dream] is truly out of reach. When novel fans were bashing her before, I could only laugh. Her artwork, if sold on the open market, is at least six figures per piece. How much do you think a single manhua volume earns? And you guys thought she wasn’t ‘worthy’ of illustrating your story? Please, that’s delusional!]
[I’m also a fine arts student. [A Fleeting Dream]’s skills are top-tier, world-class even. When my professor saw her work, he called her a true master. The idea that a publisher could afford her is ridiculous.]
[Remember when the novel fans were raging about a ‘newcomer’ illustrating The Ladle Chronicles? Saying it was an insult to the book? Hah! How does it feel now? Smacked in the face yet?]
The fans of The Ladle Chronicles were mortified. They never expected this situation to lead to widespread ridicule, almost as if they were being branded as ignorant and uncultured. Many were furious but had no choice but to back down, because, well, the critics weren’t wrong.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yu’s fans were thrilled. Supporting such an amazing artist proved that they had good taste!
By the end of the ordeal, everyone learned something new, [A Fleeting Dream]’s artworks start at six figures. Her fans lamented: At that price, even if they starved, they still couldn’t afford her work!
But some wealthy individuals disagreed: Six figures wasn’t that bad. Art was priceless if they truly loved it. The real issue? Even if they had the money, they still couldn’t buy it!
One comment stood out: [I once offered ¥200,000 for a commission, but she rejected me. I wanted to cry!]
The user, @MyFamilyOwnsMines, was an actual rich second-generation heir with multiple mining businesses. He was used to getting anything he wanted with money. Yet, this time, he had failed.
He had desperately wanted [A Fleeting Dream] to paint the picture of Zhao Jun Departs for the Frontier1 in her unique style. He even offered a generous price, but she declined.
Feeling a mix of sympathy and amusement, fans upvoted his comment. The replies were even funnier:
[For the first time, I feel like I’m on equal footing with the wealthy. None of us can buy [A Fleeting Dream]’s art!]
Jiang Yu happened to see this comment while scrolling and couldn’t help but chuckle.
But at this point, everyone became even more envious of the three people who had won last time. How unbelievably lucky they were that they could freely choose a painting by the great [A Fleeting Dream]! Those paintings are worth six figures!”
Seeing this wealthy guy’s rather pitiful comment, Jiang Yu thought for a moment and sent him a private message.
Coincidentally, she was currently studying figure painting under Master Cui. It was her weak point, but with her mentor’s guidance, she had made significant progress. Since she needed practice, she figured she could take on two commissions to test her skills.
After sending countless private messages to [A Fleeting Dream] without ever getting a reply, @MyFamilyOwnsMines had long since given up on the idea of commissioning a painting.
But as the saying goes, what you can’t obtain always seems the best. The thing he yearned for but could never have had now become, to him, like a cinnabar mark or a red rose, an unforgettable obsession.
So when he suddenly received a private message from Jiang Yu, he was momentarily in disbelief.
Jiang Yu finished her painting Starry Sky and gave Teacher Shen a call. Ever since seeing the unfinished painting, Teacher Shen had been thinking about it nonstop and had reminded Jiang Yu multiple times to inform her as soon as it was completed. So the moment she received the call, she didn’t care that it was late at night, she drove over immediately.
“Shijie, why are you in such a hurry? You could have waited for the paint to dry and I could have brought it to you then,” Jiang Yu said, a little amused.
Teacher Shen gazed at the painting with admiration, completely engrossed in it. “If I didn’t know it was finished, it wouldn’t have bothered me. But now that I do, if I don’t see it today, I won’t be able to sleep tonight… This painting is truly incredible!”
Jiang Yu, however, shook her head. “It’s still missing something.”
Hearing this, Teacher Shen immediately shot her a glare and said helplessly, “If you say that, how am I supposed to feel as someone with only average talent? If I could paint something like this, I wouldn’t just be hanging around here.”
Teacher Shen was well aware of her own abilities. Compared to the average person, she did have artistic talent. However, among her peers, her skills were nothing extraordinary, at best, she could be considered an above-average painter, but not a master. That was why she was content being an art teacher. But now, right in front of her, was an outright prodigy.
She couldn’t help but think, sometimes, talent is something you simply have to accept.
“What do you plan to do with this painting? Sell it or keep it for yourself?” Teacher Shen asked.
Jiang Yu thought for a moment and said, “If possible, I’d like to sell it.”
She had already made up her mind from the start. The money Shen Zhiwei had given her was enough for a while, but painting itself was an expensive endeavour. Just buying the paint had already cost her tens of thousands. She couldn’t just sit around and watch her savings dwindle.
“If you want to sell it, I can help you find a buyer.”
Teacher Shen nodded. Then, a thought occurred to her. “Actually, you could enter this painting into a competition… There’s a provincial high school calligraphy and painting contest coming up soon. It’s a national event and if you place in the top five in the province, you’ll qualify for the national competition in B City. Most importantly, the top three winners will not only receive prize money but also extra points for the college entrance exam. This is a great opportunity for you.”
Jiang Yu touched her face absentmindedly. “If I enter, wouldn’t that be unfair to the other contestants? I think I’d better not.”
After thinking it over, she decided to reject the idea. Competing against high school students felt like bullying, it was practically shameless. She just couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Hearing this, Teacher Shen’s eyes widened. “You’re a student. What’s unfair about it? It’s completely fair!”
Jiang Yu replied seriously, “…Teacher, I’m actually thirty years old this year. Competing with kids would be way too unfair.”
Teacher Shen looked at her just as seriously and said, “Well, I’m actually fifty. You’d never be able to tell, right?”
Jiang Yu: “…”
Teacher Shen rolled her eyes but, after thinking it over, conceded, “…With your skills, it really would be unfair to the other contestants. But this competition offers extra points for the college entrance exam, which is really important. Every point matters.”
Balancing painting and studying was tough, so art students often had lower academic subject requirements. However, many art students struggled with their academic scores, even if their artistic abilities were strong. For them, competitions like this were a great opportunity.
Teacher Shen didn’t know how well Jiang Yu did academically, but since she spent almost all of her time painting, her grades had to be affected. That’s why she was trying to help, every extra point in the college entrance exam increased her chances.
“My academic performance is actually quite good,” Jiang Yu said earnestly.
Teacher Shen gave her a doubtful look, clearly unconvinced.
Jiang Yu sighed and didn’t bother explaining further. Once the midterm results came out, Teacher Shen would see for herself that she wasn’t lying.
When the time comes, facts will speak louder than words!
- Zhao Jun Departs for the Frontier (昭君出塞) is a famous historical and cultural story in China, based on the legend of Wang Zhaojun, a Han dynasty court lady. To maintain peace between the Han dynasty and the Xiongnu, she was chosen to marry the Xiongnu chieftain. Her departure to the frontier is often depicted in literature, paintings and operas as a symbol of sacrifice, duty and sorrow. The scene is known for its melancholic beauty, often featuring Zhaojun riding a horse while playing a pipa, mourning her homeland as she journeys into the unknown. ↩︎
Wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Zhaojun
Leave a Reply