Chapter 162: Become a disciple and make a lot of money

“I just say what I feel.” Li Yan didn’t feel too much pressure, as he was very confident in his paintings.

As long as he could break through 50% of his skills, he would be invincible for his current status as a "junior high school student".

Even if it is placed in the entire environment, it has the ability to fight.

He reasonably suspected that the progress of 60% was the level that could be called "excellent" among all human beings.

"Tell me, what I want is your true feelings." Yang Chengzhang said with a smile.

"I don't like this painting and I don't think it's very good." Li Yan said.

Guo Qiwen's eyes widened even further, with a complicated smile on his face.

"Oh?" Yang Chengzhang motioned Li Yan to continue.

"It's obvious from the large expanses of white that this painting is about snow. Snow is not the environment or the background, but the main subject of the painting." Li Yan looked at the painting and began to analyze it. "There is nothing in the whole painting except snow. There is no old man fishing alone in the snow on the cold river, no tree, no stone, no boat, so there is no visual focus."

Yang Chengzhang nodded.

"I think the artist did this on purpose. Combined with the title of the painting, 'Whiteness', the experience of losing focus in a snowy scene should be the theme of this painting. It is even possible that the inspiration came from the artist's experience of snow blindness."

Yang Chengzhang raised his eyebrows and secretly felt that it was a very familiar feeling.

"But if the painting is based on this theme, and the artist adds some overly specific details, I can see the outline of the mountain in the distance, and some traces of walking on the ground." Li Yan said seriously, "In other words, this painting looks white at first glance, but as long as you look closely, you can see that it is a first-person perspective of walking on the snow-capped mountains."

Guo Qiwen seemed to understand why Yang Chengzhang was so fond of Li Yan.

"Personally, I don't like this approach. After all, the artist is worried that the audience won't understand what he's painting. He mixes colors with specific shapes into the chaotic white. The mountains in the distance and the footprints nearby are just a weakened version of the old man in a straw hat and raincoat on a boat in the painting."

"Why don't you like it?" Yang Chengzhang asked.

"Not pure." Li Yan shook her head. "Since we have given up other imagery and want to highlight this whiteness, why bother whether others can tell it is snow? Mountains and footprints are fine, but pure white is not okay. But I think mixing some special colors in and expressing it lightly is enough. The blurred reality is pulled back by these few realistic details."

Yang Chengzhang pondered and nodded.

Li Yan added, "Of course, if the author is using this... the feeling of whiteness at first glance and returning to reality upon closer inspection to highlight the experience of 'snow blindness', that would be interesting. But in my personal opinion, I prefer to directly express an illusion, pulling people into the snow created by the author, rather than pushing the audience out of reality."

Yang Chengzhang clapped his hands, and Guo Qiwen also clapped his hands lightly.

"Teacher Guo, do you understand?" Yang Chengzhang said happily, as if showing off the treasure in his hand.

"clear."

"You need some snacks."

"I don't know how to teach," Guo Qiwen shook his head gently, "Do your best."

"No need to teach." Yang Chengzhang waved his hand, "I want to help, not teach."

"Been taught a lesson."

Why don't you two pay attention to me while I'm waiting for a response?

"Li Yan, do you know who painted this picture?"

"you."

Yang Chengzhang nodded, "Then why are you saying this painting is not good in front of me?"

"You said you want to feel it truly, so I said it as I thought."

"Very good," Yang Chengzhang patted Li Yan's head affectionately, "This painting is from my early years. The whole creative idea and the entanglement are exactly the same as what you said. At that time, I wanted to innovate but was afraid to do so. My master, Mr. Gao, was also very shaky in his attitude. He supported me in innovation, but couldn't stand it when I really did innovate. After this painting came out, I became more and more dissatisfied with it. I kept it as a warning to myself."

Wouldn't that be...

Li Yan looked at the smiling Yang Chengzhang, not knowing whether he should take the lead in expressing his opinion and shouting "Master" or what.

"Logically speaking, if I were to accept you as my disciple, I should watch you paint in person." Yang Chengzhang walked towards the study with his hands behind his back.

Guo Qiwen motioned for Li Yan to follow him, while he stayed where he was and looked at the painting.

Is this the apprenticeship ceremony?
When you enter the study, what catches your eye is the desk and bookshelf that look a bit like antiques. The ornaments also look like antiques, and the chandelier above your head also looks a bit like an antique... It's hard to tell what it is, but an antique and expensive atmosphere hits your nose.

Yang Chengzhang walked to the desk and began to grind ink.

"I've seen your paintings at New Taipei First High School. Just like your understanding of painting, they are full of spirit. Spirit is not a rare thing. Most young children who like to paint have it. But as their skills become more sophisticated, the spirit disappears."

Li Yan slowly moved to Yang Chengzhang's side.

"You are rare, with sophisticated skills and aura. But you are a child who can do everything. If you were to treat painting as an insignificant hobby, I'm afraid that in two years you would be immersed in improving your skills and forget the true meaning of painting."

Li Yan felt a little awkward standing there doing nothing, and wondered whether she should grind some ink for Yang Chengzhang. Just as she reached out her hand, she was interrupted by Teacher Yang:
"Don't worry about these social conventions. Keep your personality and pride."

Li Yan decisively withdrew her hand and relaxed a lot.

Old Yang, you are a very nice person.

After Yang Chengzhang had ground the ink, he wrote four large characters on the white paper with vigorous strokes and a high level of skill. Then he solemnly took out a seal from the drawer, slowly dotted the ink pad, and stamped the red seal.

God rewards hard work.

"Li Yan, I will give you these four words. After you accept them, you will be my last disciple."

Li Yan actually had no reason to refuse this olive branch from a big boss.

Not to mention the improvement in painting skills, just the resources brought by the network, if he hesitated for a second, it would be disrespectful to his future.

But... this villa, this decoration, these antiques, Li Yan is really a little scared.

So he asked the magic question:
"Master, what do you do for a living?"

This sentence can be said to have perfectly expressed Li Yan's true thoughts at the moment - you have to call him Master, but you also have to be concerned.

Yang Chengzhang was stunned by this sound, and when he reacted he couldn't help but burst into laughter:

"You little brat, I was a famous painter before I became the president of the academy and the chairman of the Artists Association. I didn't become a famous painter just by holding these positions. They asked me to take on these two positions, but I refused for a long time. Hey, kid, you are so young, why are you still concerned about this issue?"

That's a relief... Li Yan happily took the calligraphy and bowed to Yang Chengzhang.

"You just called me Master, why don't you call me Master now?"

"Hey, don't we have to go through any ceremony?"

"ceremony?"

"What about three cups of wine, a throne, kneeling down..."

Yang Chengzhang patted Li Yan's head and said, "What are you doing with this worship? There are not so many rules and regulations. Study painting seriously in the future, and don't forget who your master is when you become famous."

"Thank! Thank! Master! Father!"

The shout was so crisp that even Guo Qiwen, who was standing at the door, heard it. He felt that he was lucky to have passively become Li Yan's teacher, and Chairman Yang had to take the initiative to show goodwill to him.

"Okay, okay." Yang Chengzhang smiled very kindly and looked at Li Yan as if he was his own grandson.

"Master, are these works all yours?" The relationship became much closer. Li Yan became more relaxed and began to walk around and observe the paintings in the study.

"Everything is in this room. Li Yan, I'll find a place for us to paint well..."

"Master, maybe we have to wait until after the winter break."

Yang Chengzhang actually thought for a long time before he suddenly realized, "I always forget that you are still a junior high school student... It's okay, there is a long way to go, study first, study first."

"Thank you for your understanding, Master."

"What do you mean by understanding or not, kid?" Yang Chengzhang laughed. "Well, I am very happy to have you as my apprentice today. Unfortunately, there is a meal at noon and activities in the afternoon, so I can't keep you and Teacher Guo for dinner. As I said before, there is a long way to go."

Chatting and laughing, Li Yan followed Yang Chengzhang and prepared to walk out of the study. At this moment, Li Yan suddenly noticed the row of paintings placed in the corner of the study, with labels on the corners of the frames.

"Hey, is this... the price of the painting?" Li Yan asked.

"Yes." Yang Chengzhang didn't care. "The paintings were given to the gallery. They were determined to be sold, so they marked a reserve price."

Li Yan felt an electric shock all over his body. He suddenly understood what it meant to rub one's eyes because one could not believe what he saw in the novel.

That number is one, two, three, four, five, six... six digits?

Two hundred thousand?
A painting?

Thrown into a corner? Are there seven or eight more paintings like this?
"Are you sure you didn't miss a decimal point?" Li Yan blurted out in shock.

"These are all the fruits of your master's lifelong struggle." Yang Chengzhang patted Li Yan's head, "Take good care of the paper in your hand. There are not many paintings and calligraphy with my seal on them."

From newspaper and magazine manuscript fees to online article manuscript fees to the auction of this painting... thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, it really keeps rising.

Li Yan's breathing became heavier. This was not just paving the way for him, this was actually providing him with a long staircase!

On the way back, Guo Qiwen asked Li Yan, "Becoming Mr. Yang's apprentice is something that many young painters dream of. Cao Xinshuo from our school received guidance from Mr. Yang and met many people in the circle. After training for half a year, he became a famous cartoonist. You became his last disciple. What do you think?"

“I need to be free.”

"Hmm?" An answer that was beyond Guo Qiwen's expectations.

"I need a lot of time, Mr. Guo."

Guo Qiwen understood what Li Yan meant, "Teachers have to fulfill their responsibilities as teachers, and students also have rules that they need to abide by."

"I will come up with convincing results, Mr. Guo."

"It's not just convincing me."

"Yes, not only that."

(End of this chapter)