Jiang Yu slept for an entire day and night. When she woke up the next day, it was already dark outside, and the bedroom was pitch black. Her mind felt sluggish, and for a moment, she couldn’t even tell how many days had passed.
She heard voices outside. Sitting in bed in a daze for a while, she finally got up slowly, put on her shoes and stepped out.
The old master was sitting at her drawing desk, turning his head to talk to Teacher Shen. Hearing the noise, both of them looked over and saw Jiang Yu standing at the bedroom door, looking confused.
“You’re awake?” Teacher Shen walked over. Noticing that Jiang Yu was dressed a bit too lightly, she casually grabbed a nearby coat and draped it over her shoulders. “I figured you’d wake up soon. You’ve slept for an entire day and night. Go wash your face and come out to eat.”
Jiang Yu looked at her, her dark eyes still clouded with drowsiness, carrying a misty, innocent look. She clearly hadn’t fully woken up yet.
Teacher Shen had rarely seen Jiang Yu looking so obedient. Jiang Yu was naturally well-behaved, but her personality was too mature and composed for her age, lacking the innocence typical of children. Only in moments like this, half-asleep and dazed, did she show a youthful and tender side that matched her age.
“Go freshen up. I’ll bring out the warm food.” Unable to resist, Teacher Shen gently pinched Jiang Yu’s cheek. It was rare to see her looking this soft and dazed, she was clearly still in a sleepy fog.
As Teacher Shen went to the kitchen to fetch the meal that had been kept warm, Jiang Yu entered the bathroom to wash up. It wasn’t until she splashed her face with water that she fully regained her senses. But even after sleeping for so long, she still felt drained and exhausted.
“Staying up late is just draining your body. How could you recover so quickly?” The old master scolded her with a stern expression. “You can never finish all the paintings. Thinking you can complete an entire piece in one go, aren’t you just dreaming? You’re only hurting yourself.”
Jiang Yu obediently nodded while holding her bowl. She was the type of child who would look very well-behaved when being lectured. But when she got absorbed in her painting, she would forget everything else, including time itself.
The old master sighed, partly helpless, partly proud. In the end, he said gruffly, “Hurry up and eat. You haven’t had anything all day. You must be starving.”
Jiang Yu was indeed starving. The longer she sat there, the more intense her hunger became.
After finishing her meal, she noticed that the old master was still looking at her painting. Feeling proud, she moved closer and asked expectantly, “Teacher, my painting is good, right?” Her eyes sparkled as she sought praise.
While painting, she had felt an incredible flow of inspiration, so much so that she couldn’t stop. That was why she had worked for so long and nearly exhausted herself. But she had no regrets, when inspiration strikes, if she missed the moment, she might never be able to recreate the same masterpiece again.
Art depends on the artist’s state of mind. A painting infused with passion and love naturally resonates with people far more than a technically perfect but lifeless piece. That’s what people mean when they say a painting has a ‘soul’.
The old master glanced at her and slowly said, “It is indeed a very good painting. In terms of colour handling, even I wouldn’t have done much differently… How many colours did you use in total?”
Jiang Yu thought for a moment but couldn’t quite remember. She gave a rough estimate. “Probably over forty? I’m not entirely sure…”
When it comes to painting, more colours don’t necessarily make it better. In fact, using too many colours can be difficult to control, if handled poorly, the result could look chaotic.
But Jiang Yu had managed it exceptionally well. Her use and combination of colours were practically perfect. Despite using dozens of different shades, she achieved a harmonious and beautiful composition instead of a messy one.
The old master gave her another indifferent look and asked, “Did you enjoy painting this?”
Jiang Yu nodded honestly. “I really enjoyed it.”
She didn’t just love painting, she truly immersed herself in it. The night before, she had been completely in the zone, painting nonstop because she was so thrilled. That kind of passion was what allowed her to create a truly moving piece of art.
“This painting should be submitted to the next Spring Colour Exhibition,” the old master said.
Jiang Yu was taken aback. She hesitated and asked, “Colour… Do I have enough experience for that?”
“What do you mean, ‘not enough experience’? Are you doubting your own work?” the old master challenged.
Jiang Yu immediately shook her head. “No way! My painting is definitely good.”
The old master snorted. “Not very humble, are you?”
Jiang Yu: “…”
The old master continued, “This piece has rich colours and strong national characteristics. It’s perfect for the Colour Exhibition and would help promote international cultural exchange in painting and calligraphy.”
The Colour Exhibition was a major event held in City B every March. It was an art exchange between Eastern and Western countries, featuring only the best works of the year. Not just anyone could participate.
As a leading figure in the national painting and calligraphy world, the old master naturally had exhibition slots reserved. He had originally planned to have Jiang Yu paint something for the event to gain some exposure. It just so happened that this piece fit the criteria perfectly, it was inspired by Dunhuang murals, exuding a strong sense of cultural heritage and classical elegance.
Jiang Yu was familiar with the exhibition. In her previous life, she had participated in numerous prestigious events, becoming the most dazzling star of her generation. Among her peers, she had almost no competition, except for Anna from M Country. Anna was slightly older and specialised in oil painting, creating deeply emotional works. She was a well-known young artist in her home country.
Hearing about the Colour Exhibition made Jiang Yu think of Anna. In their past life, they had been rivals, but they also shared a mutual respect and appreciation for each other’s talent.
The old master asked, “What’s the name of this painting?”
Jiang Yu snapped back to reality and replied, “Ah, it’s called… Feitian (Flying Goddess)!”
The painting depicted celestial goddesses in flight, so Feitian was a perfect name.
The old master nodded approvingly. “Feitian… Not bad, not bad. The name fits well. But wouldn’t it be a bit plain to submit only one painting? You should create another one to submit alongside it.”
Jiang Yu frowned slightly. “I’m just a newcomer. Isn’t one painting enough?”
This was an internationally renowned exhibition. Countless artists dreamed of getting their work displayed. Even securing a single spot was a huge honour. As a newcomer, if she submitted multiple pieces, people might talk behind her back, thinking she was riding on her teacher’s reputation.
The old master glanced at her and said, “You’re too young to be worrying about all that… The exhibition slot is mine, not someone else’s. Honestly, I’m getting old and don’t have the energy to paint much anymore, so I’ll have to rely on my students to fill the space. What, you don’t even want to help your teacher out?”
Jiang Yu felt a warm sensation in her heart and obediently nodded. “I understand.”
She knew the old master was giving her an opportunity. For an emerging artist, an international exhibition like this was an incredible chance, it would add prestige to her name. She wouldn’t waste his kindness. The best thing she could do was create an even better painting and make sure she didn’t embarrass him at the event.
After they finished discussing the exhibition, the old master suddenly looked at her with a curious expression. “Ah Yu, if I remember correctly, you can paint in oil too, right?”
He was thinking of her Starry Sky painting, the piece that had left a lasting impression on him. That clear, radiant night sky with its countless shining stars was an absolute masterpiece.
Jiang Yu nodded. She was indeed skilled in oil painting, exceptionally so. And not just oil painting; she was also highly proficient in gouache and watercolour.
Seeing her nod, the old man’s expression became even stranger. He pressed further, “Then, do you know the Yipei painting technique?”
Yipei painting technique?
Jiang Yu was stunned. She opened her mouth slightly, countless thoughts flashing through her mind. In the end, she simply nodded honestly. “Yes, I do.”
The old man’s eyes widened as he asked, “How do you know the Yipei painting technique? Did someone teach you?”
Jiang Yu shook her head, denying his assumption. She looked at him calmly and said, “I taught myself.”
The historical figure known as Yipei was a rare genius, often referred to as a “madman in painting.” He was a dazzling figure in history, gaining fame at a young age and excelling in oil painting. On the international stage of his time, he was an extraordinary talent. Under his brilliance, no one could rival him in oil painting and that period was the most glorious era for oil painting in Country Z.
He pioneered the Yipei painting technique, a name given posthumously in his honor. At the time, he called his own technique “messy painting.” And it truly was messy, the essence of it lay in chaos. Until the painting was complete, no one could tell what it would turn out to be.
In her past life, Jiang Yu had learned about this figure in college. She had sought out his autobiography, yes, Yipei had written an autobiography filled with his painting experiences and methods. However, the book itself was chaotic, one moment he’d be discussing one thing and the next, he’d veer off into something entirely different, as if rambling nonsense.
Jiang Yu had even visited a museum to see his works. Since he wasn’t too far removed from the present era, a few of his oil paintings had been well-preserved. One, in particular, was filled with twisted lines and colours, seemingly random strokes that formed a humanoid figure. That figure was a blurred, deceased form and beside it was a massive, contorted crow, grim and terrifying, its head lowered as it fed on flesh.
The entire painting exuded an oppressive, distorted atmosphere, with an overwhelming emotional intensity that carried a strong sense of death. After seeing it, Jiang Yu had been shaken for days, even vomiting multiple times.
This was Yipei’s work, full of raw emotion, powerful enough to pull viewers into his world.
And after seeing his paintings, Jiang Yu had unconsciously drawn many similar lines. Eventually, she grasped the Yipei technique without a teacher. No one had taught her, yet she had mastered it. That was the most shocking part.
“Perhaps… genius speaks to genius…” After hearing this, the old man could only come to this conclusion. Many had tried to learn the Yipei technique, but it wasn’t something that could be mastered just by trying.
Teacher Shen scratched his head and muttered, “Why couldn’t I learn it?”
Jiang Yu asked, “Teacher, why did you suddenly bring this up?”
At her question, the old man gave an awkward laugh and said, “Oh, no reason, I just happened to think of it…”
But in his mind, he was gritting his teeth. Based on this, that old rascal Yang must have been looking for Jiang Yu! If he found out that the girl skilled in the Yipei technique was his own little apprentice, he’d definitely try to steal her away.
“That shameless old Yang, he’d definitely fight me for my student!”
The old man sulked inwardly.
Old Yang was an oil painter whose greatest wish was to find a talented student. He had children and grandchildren, but none of them were interested in painting. This frustrated him endlessly, and he was always searching for students. The old man had to stay on guard.
Initially, the old man hadn’t linked the girl skilled in the Yipei technique to Jiang Yu. But yesterday, something Old Sun said made him suspicious.
Old Sun had remarked, “Why are there so many outstanding newcomers this year?” He had also mentioned that the girl who knew the Yipei technique was in S City. How could the old man not think of Jiang Yu?
After all, geniuses were rare. What were the odds of two appearing at the same time? And in the same city? On top of that, Jiang Yu was so monstrously talented that he couldn’t help but suspect.
And now, his suspicions were confirmed, his little apprentice was indeed the one with the Yipei technique.
Thinking of this, the old man felt a little smug. If it weren’t for the need to keep it a secret, he’d be calling his old friends right now, bragging about his brilliant student.
But reason told him that he couldn’t. If he bragged, he’d be exposing Jiang Yu’s identity. Then what? Old Yang would come running to steal his student!
Sigh!
The old man couldn’t help but sigh.
Jiang Yu, puzzled, asked Teacher Shen, “Teacher, what’s wrong? You keep sighing and looking excited.”
Teacher Shen glanced at the old man, thought for a moment and then said, “He’s probably just too happy!”
She patted Jiang Yu’s shoulder and said, “Having a student like you, I’m excited too! You don’t know this, but you’ve gone viral online. Yesterday, while you were busy painting, your livestream had over 300,000 viewers!”
Jiang Yu was stunned. “I was just painting, where did all these people come from?”
Teacher Shen explained, “I checked, someone on Weibo, ‘Have You Eaten Melons Today?’, gave you a boost. Not intentionally, though. They were actually complaining that your livestream was too long and that you might collapse from exhaustion.”
Jiang Yu: “……”
Teacher Shen waved her hand dismissively. “Anyway, regardless of the reason, the result is good! That gossip blogger ended up becoming a fan of your work and even promoted you on Weibo. She has two million followers! With her recommendation, of course your popularity skyrocketed.
“Let’s see, you’ve only been streaming for a month and have already trended on Weibo twice. But I think the platform, Pineapple Live, must have also pushed your stream. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been such a huge influx of viewers.”
Yesterday, some viewers were genuinely interested in painting, some were just curious and others simply wanted to see how long she could keep streaming. But together, they had made her stream increasingly popular, so much so that it even crashed the platform.
Jiang Yu glanced at her phone and opened Weibo. This was her new phone, with a better system and smooth performance. Despite having thousands of unread messages, it still ran flawlessly.
This scene felt familiar…
She first checked her Weibo page, her followers had grown by another 300,000, now surpassing 500,000 and reaching 700,000. Her fans seemed active, with some asking if she would stream today. Others quickly responded, saying, “She streamed for so long yesterday, no way she’s streaming today!”
Jiang Yu simply posted a Weibo update: No stream today.
“700,000 followers! My goodness!” Teacher Shen marveled, then chuckled. “Ning shixiong and the others don’t even know that ‘A Fleeting Dream’ is you. Yesterday, they were in the group chat talking about some insanely talented artist that came out of nowhere.”
She laughed again and said, “I didn’t tell them it was you. Just wait, when they find out, they’ll be absolutely shocked!”
Jiang Yu: “……”
Shijie, with your mischievous streak, aren’t you afraid that Ning shixiong and the others will chase you down later?
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