Chapter 16
When compared with Zhou Yunsheng, Ning Wangshu’s whole body was stiff, ready to use his short legs to escape. But the other was careful to avoid him, just picked up the palette and brush from his side, then turned to paint, no other action. Ning Wangshu was quietly relieved, he stepped to the side of Zhou Yun Sheng, turned up his small head, and looked at the canvas with shiny eyes.
Zhou Yun Sheng had completely lost sight of the little thing at his feet. He’d completely inherited Wei Xiyan’s fanatical love of painting, his brush was constantly moving.
Wei Xi Yan was good at modern direct painting, which is drawing the outline directly on the canvas and then slowly coloring it. But Zhou Yunsheng was good at the more ancient transparent painting, which was painting in layers of pigments that are not white and diluted with a palette of oil. The next layer of paint must be painted after the previous layer dried. Your mind had to complete the whole picture before you even start.
Because each layer of color was thinner, the lower layer of color can be faintly revealed, with the upper layer of color blending into subtle colors. So this painting method requires more sophisticated skills and a more accurate grasp of color harmony and judgments.
Wei Yi Xiyan’s painting used a large area of warm colors, and was already dry. Zhou Yun Sheng added blue, purple and green, so the warm colors gradually became cool tones, and used a resin varnish to glaze, so that there were layers of overlapping gray.
After half an hour, the original spring flowers blooming in the garden had become a shower of stars in the forest. The twinkling stars gave out a weak light, it seemed that as long as you reached out a hand you would be able to pick it up with your fingers. It did not look like a picture, but like the entrance to another world, so beautiful, so real yet so illusory.
Zhou Yun Sheng backed up a few steps, looked at his practice when a slight sound of wonder entered his ears. He pulled his mind away from the painting and looked down at the little guy by his feet.
Day to night, sunshine to starlight, garden to forest, even if Wangshu was still too small to know what was aesthetic he was overwhelmed by his small uncle’s superb painting techniques.
He found that he had disturbed his Xiao Shu, Ning Wangshu quickly covered his mouth with little chubby hands, big eyes full of panic.
Zhou Yunsheng only looked at him then turned back, he continued to look at the painting and picked up the brush to make minor adjustments.
Ning Wangshu was relieved, he saw his uncle didn’t seem to want him to leave, so his courageousness became larger, his small hands explored the tools and brushes. Reach out and retract, reach out and pull in, after struggling for a long time he finally took a brush in his hand.
There was a piece of white cloth on the ground with the drum for cleaning the brushes. Ning Wangshu quickly dipped the brush in a little poppy oil, squatting on the ground he began to smear paint on the white cloth. He tried to draw a few stars, but found that the painting did not shine like his uncle’s so he tried to paint the sun … …
He was playing happily and didn’t find that Zhou Yun Sheng had done the final modification and was bent over staring at him.
“No, you can’t play with this.” The voice of the young man was like a trickle of water, but the strength that took the brush was not weak.
Ning Wangshu was alarmed, his rosy little face instantly became pale, like a small quail he shrunk into the corner.
Zhou Yunsheng didn’t comfort him, he put the paintbrush and oil drum on the windowsill, to where the little guy couldn’t reach, and walked out of the studio.
Ning Wangshu covered his little face and started to cry, still next to the wet large white cloth, he looked really pitiable. But not long after, the boy came back in holding a box of watercolor pens and a stack of white paper. He bent over to the little guy and said, “You use this to paint. Paint and poppy oil contains toxins, small baby can’t touch, will get sick.”
Seeing the little guy was still in tears, refusing to look up at him, Zhou Yunsheng didn’t comfort him. He placed the water pens and white paper on the ground, and turned to continue painting. He himself had slight emotional problems, doing and saying so much was a miracle.
His uncle did not despise him. Ning Wangshu’s sad mood was soothed. He rubbed his eyes hard, and quietly looked up. He was ready to reach out to get the watercolor pen when the young man suddenly turned toward him. He jumped and shrunk into himself, like a small turtle.
Zhou Yunsheng was a little amused, but because of the monitors he had to be strong and patient. He took a few deep breaths, kept a serious expression and removed a white shirt hanging on the easel, and helped the little guy get dressed. He whispered, “Obediently put it on, so your clothes don’t dirty.”
Ning Wangshu stopped struggling, and let Xiao Shu help him put on the clothes. The shirt was very large, the sleeves barely exposed a pair of young tender little hands, the hem also dragged along.
Zhou Yun Sheng helped him organize the skirt, patted his stiff head, and then turned to continue painting.
Ning Wangshu also touched his forehead, feeling the nearly dissipated warmth, his heart felt a little sweet. He didn’t laugh, but his eyes were bright, he picked up the brush, and began to doodle like his Xiao Shu’s paintings.
A dropped needle could be heard in the quiet studio. Uncle and nephew were side by side painting, their figures seemed so harmonious, enough to warm the heart.
Time unknowingly passed, till four or five in the afternoon when Wang Ma carried a basket of vegetables slowly into the house. There was another maid at home who can handle all the cleaning and she was getting older and more impatient with children. Every day, after Ning Si went out, she excused herself to buy vegetables, but she actually goes to the nearby park and plays cards with other maids.
Before she avoided being lazy in front of Zhao Xinfang, but now that they were working together, she acted more and more unscrupulous. Zhao Xinfang was also not as good as Ning thought, as long as she wasn’t at home being a stepmother she lost her restraints. She also constantly went in and out, going shopping, or playing cards, or at the beauty salon, etc.
Anyway, Ning Si Nian was busy and rarely came home early. Even if she and Wang Ma came back very late, as long they came home before 6 o’clock they could keep up the pretense.
Today was Sunday, she had the excuse of going to the orphanage to help, so she could come back later.
Wang Ma asked the maid to find out if Zhao Xinfang hadn’t come back yet, then went upstairs to find Ning Wangshu. In the studio, Ning Wangshu heard the cries of Wang Ma, his scared face was white, his body was shaking too hard to stop.
Zhou Yun Sheng patted his little head to appease him, helped him take off his shirt and wash his hands. The former Wei Xiyan didn’t find Ning Wangshu’s strangeness, but when he heard Ning Wangshu piercing cries he had to run to ask.
Wang Ma gave him the excuse that the child had a decayed tooth so he was crying from the difficult pain. Wei still had doubts, but he was suppressed for a long time before his face flushed out a ‘yes ok’. He had to retreat under Wang Wang’s stare.
When he left, Wang Ma closed the door and continued to beat Wangshu, he hadn’t even entered her eyes.
Now Zhou Yunsheng also didn’t have Wang Ma in his eyes, he gently held the little guy, patiently patting his back. When Wang Ma came to the door to find the child, not only did he not send him out, but he also slammed the door shut in front of her face, causing Wang Ma to almost break her nose.
“Pooh, little bastard hybrids! What are you doing?! Sooner or later I’ll let the Master drive you out!” Wang Ma spit a mouthful at the door.
Zhou Yunsheng heard the abuse outside the door, let go of the little guy and continued to paint.
Only Xiao Shu can see his fear and despair, only Xiao Shu would not hand him to Wang Ma, only Xiao Shu so firmly protected him. Although it was just a closed door, it actually separated him from all the dangers. Ning Wangshu was only three years old, but he already had self-awareness, this moment produced indelible attachment to Zhou Yunsheng. But he was also vaguely aware that saying these words in front of his father would produce a negative effect.
He was very happy, at the same time a little sad, carefully holding on to his uncle’s thighs.
Zhou Yun Sheng tried to shake him off, but the action was very gentle.
Ning Wangshu was not afraid this time, he was determined to hold on tight.
Zhou Yunsheng couldn’t get rid of his new tail and had no choice but to let him stick around. If he went left, the little guy also staggered to the left, if he went to the right, he also stumbled to the right, like a Gou Pi Gao, hard to tear off- the scene was very funny.
Uncle and nephew were happy, Wang Ma was also happy not to work, and the maids hurriedly cooked dinner. Until 5:30, the sound of the car engine sounded outside, Ning Si Nian unexpectedly came back early.
Wang Ma remembered the two in the studio, anxious, she quickly ran upstairs shouting, “Wei Xiyan, quickly send out the baby! Mr. Ning came back, if you let him see you together with the baby, he will kick you out!”
As Ning Si developed a more and more cold and disgusted attitude, the original Wei Xiyan really didn’t dare to get too close to Wangshu. Zhou Yunsheng, although he knew the truth, he didn’t intend to expose Wang Ma’s true face. He opened the door and kicked the panicking Ning Wangshu out.
Ning Wang Shu’s forehead was rubbed by Xiao Shu, his fear was greatly reduced, and he understood that as long as his father came back Wang Ma wouldn’t hit him, so he reluctantly walked away.
Wang Ma couldn’t wait to drag the child to her side, regardless of if he could keep up, she half dragged and half pulled him down the stairs. Her mouth whispered a threat, “You’re not allowed to follow that hybrid bastard anymore, otherwise I’ll peel your skin!”
“Uncle is not a bastard.” The Ning Wangshu who hardly spoke suddenly let out a clear and incomparable retort.
Wang Ma was stunned for a few seconds, then her big face darkened, she reached out a hand to pull hard on Ning Wangshu ears. Ning Wangshu instinctively shrunk his shoulder, silently waiting. Fortunately, Nian was anxious to see his son, and was hastily running upstairs. Wang Ma put down her hand, pulled the child into her arms, while putting on a nice smile she whispered between her teeth, “Not only is Wei Xiyan a bastard, you are one too. If you don’t obey my words, I’ll throw you into the river to drown. Your dad has a new wife and will have a lot more children in the future. He’d quickly forget all about you.”
Ning Wangshu was frightened, he desperately closed his eyes, large tears silently dripped down.
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T/N:
Gou Pi Gao – dog skin plaster. Traditional Chinese herbal medicinal plaster. I assume it’s hard to take off.