Sensing her confusion, Song You let out a helpless chuckle.
"In school, I didn't realize it, but after entering society, I truly understood the importance of connections.
"Having a master with both fame and ability is more useful than a graduation certificate you painstakingly earned.
"This master is a nationally and internationally recognized giant in printmaking, with countless awards, and is even the chairman of the domestic Artists Association.
"If we can forge this connection, everything will be much easier." The young man's refined and elegant eyebrows revealed a hint of the calculating nature honed by the business world, yet it was strangely not off-putting.
Wen Tingxue lowered her eyes and said, "Then I wish you luck, senior."
"You think I have ill intentions?" Song You scoffed at himself.
Wen Tingxue shook her head, "No."
Song You lowered his gaze to her. In the pouring rain, his eyes were as clear as ever.
Wen Tingxue said, "I haven't experienced what you have, and I haven't been in your position, so I'm not qualified to judge you.
"If you insist on me saying something, I can only say that compared to before, you have indeed changed quite a bit."
Perhaps this was growth.
One had to learn to accept the rules they once detested.
Song You gazed at her for a moment, then smiled faintly, "When I drove into the village, I saw you, but I didn't approach. You were likely thinking about your competition piece, weren't you?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any direction?"
"A little."
Wen Tingxue shared her thoughts with him.
By the time Song You finished listening, they had arrived at the girls' accommodation.
Wen Tingxue walked to the corridor and looked at him in the faint light.
He said, "My suggestion is simple: Master Yan will be arriving in the next couple of days. When he does, you can accompany me to pay him a visit. Of course, I highly recommend you become his disciple.
"A senior's experience and insight are always more acute than ours, and having Master Yan's discipleship as a stepping stone will make it much easier for you in the future, whether you're looking for a job or opening your own studio.
"Even setting aside these external honors and fame, Master Yan's abilities are evident to all. With his guidance, your talent will undoubtedly be maximized."
Wen Tingxue pondered for a moment and nodded.
As the saying goes, different professions are like different mountains.
Even with the Song family's influence, Song You couldn't claim a slice of the pie in territories the Song family hadn't ventured into.
And what about her?
In the following days, Wen Tingxue spent her free time chatting with Grandma and Qiao Hui.
From them, she learned about the customs and folk traditions of Xing'an Village, as well as their ethnic clothing.
The images in her mind began to come to life, bit by bit.
As the sketching period neared its end, Wen Tingxue finally sketched a small painting and sent it to Fu Yushen, asking for his opinion.
Half an hour later, Fu Yushen replied with a long WeChat message, clearly analyzing the strengths and weaknesses.
He also offered corresponding suggestions.
On a bright afternoon, Wen Tingxue carried her easel to the bridge to sketch.
Based on the advice from various sources and what she had learned during this time, she now knew how to begin.
However, halfway through the painting, her inspiration faltered again. As she was staring blankly at the lake, Song You called.
He said that Master Yan had arrived at the mountain bamboo house last night and asked if she had time to visit the senior together.
Wen Tingxue happily agreed. She desperately needed guidance from a senior right now.
She just wondered if the senior would be willing to guide her.
Song You had already prepared gifts for the visit, and Wen Tingxue only needed to accompany him.
With a feeling of apprehension, she went up the mountain, but they were stopped halfway.
"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" the man blocking the road asked, rolling down his car window.
Song You was slightly taken aback, then shook his head.
"Then I'm sorry," the man said, raising his hand, "Please turn back."
Song You paused for a second, then got out of the car and offered a cigarette.
Before he could utter any words of persuasion, the man saw through him, "I don't smoke, and Master Yan won't be seeing any idlers like you recently."
—Idlers.
Hmph.
Song You immediately lost any desire to speak further and gave a perfunctory smile.
He drove back down the mountain.
"Don't be discouraged, senior. Perhaps you'll be able to see Master Yan next time," Wen Tingxue comforted him.
She didn't know how much hope he had placed on this trip, but it was certainly more than hers.
Otherwise, why would he have traveled so far?
Song You smiled faintly and shook his head, "It's fine. I wasn't expecting to see him on the first try." However, he hadn't expected Master Yan to be so difficult to meet.
What was even more troublesome was that once they left Xing'an Village, opportunities would be even fewer, perhaps nonexistent.
Therefore, he had to meet Master Yan within these few days.
Back at their accommodation, Wen Tingxue continued to work on her painting, and before she knew it, it was late into the night, and she was starving.
The food that Lu Youran had brought back was already cold.
She didn't know how to use the local stove either.
She could only open the door and try her luck, seeing if any house still had lights on, or if the small shop was still open.
As it turned out, as if guided by fate, she wandered to the bridge. Just as she was about to brave the cold wind to fill her stomach, she spotted a dark figure by the bridge.
"Who's there?"
Wen Tingxue shone her flashlight towards the figure.
The next second, the dark figure turned around, holding a phone with its flashlight on.
Wen Tingxue squinted and recognized him.
"Senior Song? What are you doing here?"
After speaking, she noticed how close he was to the water.
Thinking he was going to harm himself, she quickly ran over, "Don't do anything rash! You can talk to me about anything. There's always a solution to problems. You..."
Song You suddenly burst out laughing, and Wen Tingxue was puzzled.
In the intersecting beams of light, the young girl's cheeks slowly turned red as she said, "I thought... the rest is understood."
Song You smiled and said, "I used to, but not anymore."
"?" The young girl looked up in confusion.
Song You gazed at the water surface illuminated by the light, not replying.
A moment later, he asked, "You came out so late, are you hungry?"
"Ah," Wen Tingxue touched her nose sheepishly, "I was hoping to get lucky, but my luck wasn't great."
"Not necessarily," Song You said, looking at her with a smile.
Wen Tingxue: "?"
In a spot sheltered from the wind, Song You skillfully set up a small campfire.
"You stay here and watch. I'll be right back."
He handed Wen Tingxue a stick for tending the fire.
"It's late at night, where are you going?" Wen Tingxue asked, not understanding.
Song You didn't say, only, "Don't worry, you won't go hungry."
"?"
After tending the fire for about ten minutes, Song You returned with several fish, his pant legs wet.
Wen Tingxue looked closely and saw that their insides had already been cleaned.
"You must have brought some chili sauce with you when you came here?" Song You asked, sitting by the campfire.
"Yes." Before going out to sketch, Youran had done some research.
Seniors had advised her to bring some chili sauce, saying it was delicious with rice.
When Wen Tingxue went back to get the chili sauce, Lu Youran and Jiao Yutong had just woken up. Wen Tingxue asked if they wanted a late-night snack. Lu Youran naturally wouldn't refuse, while Jiao Yutong still wanted to sleep, but couldn't resist Lu Youran.
The three of them arrived at the campfire just as the village head walked over with his hands behind his back, smiling and asking, "Didn't you have enough for dinner?"
Lu Youran said, "No, no, it's just that Xiao Xue was so engrossed in her painting that she didn't have time for dinner."
The village head nodded and said, "If this happens again, just knock on my door. Don't be shy, I don't sleep early."
After sitting around the campfire, the village head taught everyone how to roast fish.
Song You had been here before, so he had experience.
Wen Tingxue and the other two learned diligently, and the results were… passable.
"Eat this."
Song You took the slightly perfunctory roasted fish from Wen Tingxue's hand and handed her the one he had roasted to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Before she could refuse, he said, "I had a good dinner. I actually roasted this fish for you."
Wen Tingxue was truly starving, so she didn't stand on ceremony.
"Thank you, it's delicious."
"I'm glad you like it."
After speaking, Song You looked at Lu Youran and Jiao Yutong with a smile, "If you don't mind, I can help you with yours too." Lu Youran sweetly handed over her fish, while Jiao Yutong, unaccustomed to troubling others, said, "I'll just learn from you."
"Alright," Song You didn't insist, but he deliberately slowed down his movements.
The village head watched with a smile, occasionally offering pointers.
Once everyone had fish to eat, the village head asked, "I heard you went up the mountain to find Master Yan today?"
"Yes," Song You didn't hide it.
"Didn't you see him?"
Although it was a question, the village head's gaze was certain.
Song You nodded, "Yes."
The village head smiled and said, "Many people have sought out Master Yan over the years, but very few have managed to meet him."
Song You wasn't surprised.
The village head said, "I'm a person who believes in mutual liking. I like both you and Xiao Xue. You are good children, and I don't mind lending you a hand."
He gestured towards the back of the mountain and said, "Master Yan always comes because of the spring water in the back mountain, but what he prefers even more is the dew on the lotus leaves here.
"In the past, his assistant would collect the dew every time he visited, but two years ago, his assistant died in a car accident..."
The next morning, Song You arrived at the lotus pond through the morning mist to find the young girl already in the water.
Hearing the commotion, Wen Tingxue turned her head and said, "Just two-thirds more and it will be full." She smiled and held up the small jar in her arms, her eyes sparkling. In the dawn light, she was captivating.
Song You stared for two seconds, then lowered his head and took off his shoes.
After collecting three jars of dew, the two of them took the village head's car up the mountain.
This time, the man didn't stop them, but his expression was not pleasant.
Finally arriving at the legendary bamboo building on the mountaintop, Wen Tingxue looked at the small courtyard before her with some surprise.