Step Down, Let Me Come!

Chapter 38: Problem (2)

Shen Tang thought of opening Qi Shan’s head for the Nth time, but she stiffly endured because of their still existing companionship. She suppressed her anger: “Humph! Why would I be angry? I can paint so well…” 

Qi Shan: “…”

He could really admit it at this point. 

Young Master Shen’s taste was different from other people's. 

The two stared at each other in dismay, no one wanted to admit defeat. In the end, Qi Shan got a headache and had to rub his temples, so he avoided Shen Tang’s full of confidence, just and forceful gaze. He'd seen confident people, but he'd never seen someone who was that confident.

How could he be so confident with his subpar painting skills?

Knowing that the communication barriers could affect communication efficiency, Qi Shan could only choose to be “indirect”. He pointed at Shen Tang's masterpiece on the table, and asked a dreadful question in a deep voice: “No matter how good your painting is, if that person can’t appreciate it, can you still get the reward?” 

Shen Tang awoke with his words: “…”

That’s right, if he’s dissatisfied, it won’t do. 

She looked at Qi Shan as if she was doubting her life, to seek his confirmation: “How can you ensure that his aesthetics are the same as yours… that he won’t be able to appreciate it?” 

Shen Tang swallowed the words “abnormal taste” back. 

She didn’t fear Qi Shan, but she didn’t dare to attack him verbally. She retracted the assessment because of the face (reward) of an employer.

Qi Shan took a deep breath, and put on an eccentric fake smile: “Laymen have similar tastes in most cases”.

Young Master Shen’s eyes were like heresy. 

Who knew young master Shen would still neglect Qi Shan’s “good intentions”. He thoughtfully nodded with regret and sighed for a long time: “The more difficult the style of the music, the fewer people can sing along, so “a bosom friend is hard to find”.

After speaking, he shook his head emotionally.

Qi Shan was on the brink of slipping in his heart: “…”

Shen Tang looked somewhat painfully at the two pictures on the desk, she pinched her brows: “Like this… first party, no, how can I explain it to the customer? I can’t paint the painting that he wants”. 

Qi Shan asked: “Did you sign the contract with the shopkeeper?”

If they didn’t, quitting would be okay, at most his reputation would take a little hit, and later it would be difficult for him to take on this kind of work, but young master Shen didn’t live by coping, writing, and drawing. If his reputation took a hit, it was still better for him than being stubborn.

Who knew Shen Tang nevertheless said: “I already signed the contract”. 

She already took the payment in advance.

Shen Tang took out her small money purse, and over 20 silver coins dropped with a crashing sound. Qi Shan looked at it with a complicated gaze – who gave her the courage to take on work, and down payment, without any skills? It’s over now, let's see how he’ll end now. 

“What should I do?”

Although Shen Tang still thought her art was outstanding – after all, she used it as her main source of money before, Qi Shan’s few words hit her – so she worried a little. She believed even if her skills were good if the first party still didn’t agree, it wouldn’t do. 

She hesitated: “Maybe I should probe the customer? Perhaps his tastes are different from laymen, and he would be “a soul mate” able to find the beauty within the painting!” 

Qi Shan: “…”

A bosom friend ???

Chuckle, he’s daydreaming.

“It can’t be like that…” 

Shen Tang really wanted to say “Even if it’s impossible let’s try once, it’s not certain who will win in the end”, but Qi Shan said at the same time: “It won’t do, I will help you with it, we have to be low-key in the Xiao city. It’s better to not cause trouble if possible”. 

“…that’s also okay. It's the same if you do this job. However, later you still have to say hello to the shopkeeper and tell him that we’re changing painters, he can't take advantage of you.” Shen Tang had no objection to this, and readily agreed, “Let me tell you about that person’s appearance and demeanor”. 

Qi Shan: “…”

Heaven knows how many years he hasn't done this, not even in the worst times of his life.

He cursed silently, however, he still carefully captured Shen Tang's description, not to miss a detail, while constructing the layout in his mind. 

Thank heavens! Young Master Shen’s skills were bad, but his organization ability wasn’t, it was clear and concise, and his observation skills were meticulous.

By only hearing his description, he could imagine the customer's look, bearing, characteristics, and temperament. He had some idea about that person now.

Only - 

Qi Shan keenly caught the details. 

“Did you say that that customer originally wasn’t satisfied with you?” 

Shen Tang solemnly corrected him: “In the beginning, he was dissatisfied, but wasn’t it because my appearance is too deceiving? He should have been thinking that I’m young, so my skills couldn’t be as good as other older painters. However, later he discovered I’m extraordinary, so he gave me the job, right?”

Qi Shan: “He just discovered you have wenxin”. 

Being “extraordinary” because of a wenxin and “extraordinary” because of young master Shen’s ability to paint were two completely different concepts.

Moreover, could young master Shen paint?”

Shen Tang waved her hand: “It’s the same”. 

Qi Shan shook his head: “How could a 15 to 20-year-old boy, recognize your monogram as Wenxin monogram at first sight? Handing over such an important job, just because you have Wenxin monogram, is not quite right. You didn’t even have to verify your painting skills, it's even more wrong”. 

Wenxin monogram and painting skills had no relation to each other.

Shen Tang didn’t doubt the intentions of her customer. 

“What’s wrong with it? He is a celebrity, even in the Moonlight Building. In the future, he will come into contact with all kinds of people. Would it be rare for him to meet with customers with wenxin? You don't want to say that that person also has wenxin, so he recognized me?

After staying in this world for a while, she knew that even if one possessed the lowest level of wenxin, one was still above ordinary people. 

As long as it wasn’t abolished or encountered other devastating disasters, it was difficult to fall into a really difficult situation under normal circumstances.

That person's energy didn’t look like it could be from the person with wenxin. 

Qi Shan couldn’t figure out where the problem lay, so he asked again: “You said that his condition was for you to use the pen, ink, and paper he provided?” 

Shen Tang answered: “Yes”. 

He kneaded his brows, he asked her to describe that person again. Shen Tang didn’t miss a single line, but he still couldn’t find the source of his doubts. 

Shen Tang folded her arms around her chest and looked at him frowning in deep thought, she couldn’t understand at all: “Yuanliang, what are you worrying about?”

Qi Shan: “I’m not worrying, I just don’t like unknowns”. 

Or you could say he didn’t like his gut feelings about this unknown overall situation. His intuition told him that that person was problematic. If he couldn’t get an answer, he would still have it in his mind and feel unwell.

According to Shen Tang’s understanding, it was his OCD flaring up.

Seeing him so earnest about it, Shen Tang conveniently said: “If he really had a problem, clues should lay in the paper, pen, and ink he especially provided”. 

He was instantly aroused from his stupor.

Qi Shan suddenly got an idea, he took one piece of paper from the stack and placed it near the candle flame, then he sprinkled some water and waited. 

Shen Tang calmly looked at this “madman”. 

After a while, she reminded him: “Maybe it’s related to the magic words?” 

Yuanliang, the world has changed.

This is the irrational world.

Scientific methods such as using fire and splashing water shouldn’t be popular here.