Step Down, Let Me Come!

Chapter 37: Problem (1)

After hearing that, Shen Tang got in a bad mood.

She could take people telling her she couldn't sing, but she couldn't take it when someone said she couldn't paint because it was her job before.

You can’t question her specialty!

She choked: “My “painting”, why is it bad?”

Qi Shan wanted to ask her something in return, - 

Just where is it good? 

She painted like a 3-year-old kid.

He was honest: “It’s all bad, there is no place that can be considered good”. 

The teacher who taught young Master Shen painting simply led her astray. 

Shen Tang patted the painting, she was steaming with rage and spoke bluntly: “Mister Qi, if you can, then try it!” 

Qi Shan noticed that Shen Tang was reluctant to admit her mistake, which rekindled the competitive spirit that he had been suppressing for many years. At once, he reached his hand for a brush, he used the other one to spread out paper. He moistened the brush with ink and instantly started to paint: “Young master Shen, I have to accept your enthusiastic invite and show you my incompetence”. 

A few strokes later, you could see the outline of scenery with flowers and birds.

His painting was simple, with one stroke here and there. It made an illusion that he could paint everything. Compared with Shen Tang's lousy painting, it was a difference between clouds and mud. Qi Shan put the pen down, satisfied. It was okay, his painting skills hadn’t regressed too much. 

Shen Tang choked, she provoked: “Only this?”

Qi Shan: “…”

How could she still be reluctant after seeing such a difference?

“Even though I don’t have a talent and didn’t have much time for myself these years, I neglected painting if I want to compare with young master Shen…” Qi Shan wanted to say something but hesitated. The unfinished meaning allowed the listeners to consider it themselves, anyone who wasn’t blind could see which painting was better.

Few people knew that he painted better when he was a teenager. 

Some calligraphers and painters once said that his paintings have the essence of the words of Vimalakirti: “Looking at the mountains from a distance, you can hear the sound of the water when the spring is gone, the flowers are still there, and the birds are not alarmed when people come”. It's a pity that there is no “painting magic” or “painting wenxin” in the world. If there was, his grade would certainly be excellent.

Who knew, Shen Tang would still be stubborn and didn’t fail to say: “Humph! It's time to show you the real drawing skills”.

Qi Shan became interested: “I’ll wait and see”. 

Shen Tang retook the picture, she started drawing on more things, her ample confidence gave Qi Shan a new level of respect for her. Qi Shan stepped aside to give Shen Tang more space. He sat on the side, his expression was becoming more and more bizarre.

He thought that young master Shen would improve, that he would change something rotten into something magical. 

However - 

It was still a lousy picture, only the people were painted with more details, though their heads were still like black circles and their limbs were made of one simple stroke. If there were a difference, it would be the eye-catching “deeply worried” mood had become even heavier. 

Still very flamboyant. 

Qi Shan spent half an hour watching Shen Tang completing the movements of people in her picture – entering, taking clothes off, climbing onto the bed, and striking a pose, later the second person came inside the room, they also took their clothes off and climbed onto the bed to strike a pose… 

Qi Shan swiftly grabbed Shen Tang’s wrist, stopping her movements.

He stared at her: “What are you drawing?” 

Shen Tang answered like it was only proper and expected as a matter of course: “Mixitu”. 

Qi Shan was almost left speechless: “…”

He couldn’t believe it and stared with wide opened eyes. He looked at Shen Tang, then at the people in her picture, he didn’t say a word for a long time. Even in his dreams, Qi Shan would never guess that young master Shen’s picture was unexpectedly Mixitu.

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Qi Shan endured the twitching veins on his forehead.

Suddenly he didn’t know whether to comment that young Master Shen didn't think much about painting Mixitu, or that his painting skills were so poor, and yet he dared to show them.

He took a deep breath and put on a fake smile: “If this Mixitu was standard, then the people wouldn’t care about Mixitu anymore”. 

It needed artistic conception and no artistic conception, you needed to be hazy but not hazy. 

If the newlyweds saw this picture of Mixitu as enlightenment, they probably wouldn’t know what the harmony of yin and yang is, even if they were gray-haired.

Shen Tang: “…”

How can he say such harsh words and after that still be left alive?!

She solemnly said: “Yuanliang, you just can’t appreciate that”. 

She splashed ink, her style was natural and unforced.

Look at the lines, composition, and artistic mood!

If she painted badly, how could she paint for a living? 

This time, Qi Shan was unable to respond. 

He suddenly discovered that young Master Shen wasn’t reluctant to admit his mistake. His expression was magnanimous, he looked bold and confident, and his eyes held a bit of bitterness like they were saying “Your taste is abnormal”. His expression didn’t seem like he was aware of the gap between them and refused to admit it, but more like - 

Qi Shan came up with some incredible idea – young master Shen was so bad and didn’t know about it, so did he think he draws well? 

He took an indirect approach, it was as he expected.

He didn’t know how to start for a long time.

Likewise, he looked at a young Master Shen with sympathy and promised: “In the coming days, if we have more money I will find a doctor for you, it’s better if you recover earlier. Delaying recovery for a long time may make your condition worse!” 

Shen Tang: “…”

Intuition told her that Qi Shan’s words weren’t anything nice.

Scolding her for being mentally ill? 

Qi Shan was also discreet, taking advantage of Shen Tang's outburst to change the subject: “Why is young master Shen suddenly interested in Mixitu?” 

Let’s say that young Master Shen was lustful. He made such paintings and thought they looked good. Who could have such aesthetics?

But to say he is proper… Which proper nobleman wouldn’t change his face after watching Mixitu without shame?

Shen Tang answered: “I received this work from a bookstore. Portrait for someone from Moonlight Building. He’s giving a high reward”. 

Life is not easy, Tangtang sighed.

Qi Shan’s face became increasingly strange. He asked the crucial point: “Has the shopkeeper seen your skills?” 

When was the shopkeeper this easy to persuade? 

When he was in difficulties, he also went to the bookstore to receive orders, it was a small job of copying books and writing family letters for others. The remuneration for portraits would be higher. It was a job to scramble for.

But, the money wasn’t easy to acquire.

They paid a lot of money, so they naturally asked for a lot. So, how did young Master Shen get the job with his poor painting skills?

Shen Tang answered: “No”. 

Qi Shan was astonished. He started worrying that Shen Tang was swindled, so he said: “… tell me what happened back then”. 

Shen Tang narrated systematically and in full detail as instructed. 

He finally understood what had happened.

It's all about luck and the shopkeeper's blindness.

He luckily fooled the shopkeeper, but that young man could never be tricked. This kind of painting is related to his future business, reputation, and face. Naturally, he must strive for perfection, and the requirements for the painter's painting skills should be strict. Young master Shen was so poor that his purse clinked, where did the paper, pen, and ink on his table come from?

Shen Tang was in a bad mood: “It’s the job I took by my strength. Yuanliang, you're too unjust by saying things like that…”.

“I’m saying it for you, do you want to take this picture to them? Can you believe this person would fly into a rage out of humiliation and invite some thugs from Moonlight Building to tear you down after seeing it?”