Chapter Fifty-Four: The Finishing Touch

  Superior

  This is what Zhao Heng thought of.

  The middle-aged man nodded slightly, without asking Zhao Heng's identity or background, and skipped the tedious courtesy. After Zhao Heng returned the greeting, he smiled warmly and greeted him: "Just now I heard a classmate sigh, which seemed to be filled with regret, what's the reason?"

  The middle-aged man's frankness made Zhao Heng secretly pleased, and he responded without any concealment: "This young man's casual sigh has no particular meaning, but seeing Uncle's painting is effortless, whether it's the brushwork, ink, composition, structure, or correction, all have reached the realm of a master, this young man really admires you."

  A middle-aged man smiled: "If so, why are you regretful, fellow student?"

  Zhao Heng took a step forward and walked to the desk, looking at the eagle that still hadn't lowered its eyes. He let out a soft sigh and replied: "The sky is high and the clouds are light, the eagle soars - this is a majestic painting. Uncle's eagle painting has a high enough sky, light enough clouds, and an eagle fierce and overbearing enough, but it lacks a touch of grandeur."

  A middle-aged man showed interest: "Atmosphere? What does it mean?"

  Zhao Heng thought for a moment, organizing his words before speaking: "The eagle in your heart is not just about solving survival, but about the great roc spreading its wings and resenting the low sky. So this eagle, apart from its inherent ferocity, should also have a majestic aura that swallows mountains and rivers. I suppose Uncle has been thinking along these lines too, which is why he hasn't started drawing yet."

  "My dear friend."

  The middle-aged man's interest in Zhao Heng was exceptionally strong, his eyes fixed intently on Zhao Heng's: "I didn't expect a student from Huahai to easily see through my thoughts. What you said is right, I indeed wanted to express a majestic momentum that overwhelms the mountains and rivers, but no matter how I try to put it into words, I feel it's not quite right, unable to convey the grandeur."

  He couldn't help but smile wryly: "So I stood for so long and didn't finish the last stroke, not only because I was afraid of wasting my previous efforts, but also because I was afraid of leaving myself with a hint of regret!" He also self-deprecatingly said: "I have a bit of a pursuit of perfection, so I often get entangled in things, let alone painting. Ah, what's wrong with me?"

  Upon hearing the middle-aged man's words, Zhao Heng smiled lightly and replied after a moment of contemplation: "Painting skills are like mountains, while artistic conception is like the sea. Mountains can be climbed to their peak, but the sea has no bounds. Your painting skills have already reached an impressive height, nearing that of a great master, yet your artistic conception still lacks something. Uncle, you probably haven't seen eagles truly soaring in the sky, have you?"

  "The eagle soars, all things are like tiny mustard seeds."

  The middle-aged man shook his head: "We've raised two at home."

  Zhao Heng smiled lightly: "This is where the problem lies."

  A middle-aged man burst into a smile, his expression sincere as he opened his mouth: "Fellow student, please give me some advice." As he spoke, he handed the paintbrush in his hand to Zhao Heng and made way for the desk: "Fellow student can actually see through my thoughts and point out the problem, I suppose you are also a heroic young man, please teach Du Mou."

  Modestly seeking advice, without the slightest pretension.

  Zhao Heng was pleased with his humility, and seeing that he was sincere in seeking guidance, he took a step forward, grasped the brush, stood upright, one hand behind his back, the other holding the brush, his body slightly leaning forward, grasping the brush motionless. Just as the middle-aged man focused his eyes, Zhao Heng's right hand suddenly made a stroke, and the eagle immediately had a pair of proud eyes.

  No ferocity, only pride, disdain for all living things!

  When looking at the painting again, the middle-aged man not only felt the wind blowing and the clouds floating, but even the eagle was proudly soaring, as if it could burst out of the painting at any moment. In an instant, this painting of the eagle soaring was suddenly endowed with a soul, and its momentum became majestic, making people's hearts boil with hot blood.

  Condensing the killing aura of the golden sky, majestic bearing on the frosty wall!

  A middle-aged man clapped his hands and cheered: "Good! Good!"

  Zhao Heng gently placed his brush on the inkstone and looked up with a smile: "I've made an ugly piece."

  Zhao Heng was bored with the mountains and forests of Lu's Village, so he played with the eagles in the sky. Before catching an eagle, he lay on the ground motionless countless times to observe the eagles circling above, completely familiarizing himself with their shape and demeanor. He even once caught a live eagle with his bare hands and rode on its back, making it fly low for over ten meters.

  A middle-aged man held the painting of a soaring eagle and kept looking at it, praising it repeatedly. Although 90% of the overall picture was done by him, he had to say that Zhao Heng's last two strokes brought the painting up to a higher level, truly a masterstroke. He looked at Zhao Heng with an expression as if he saw a monster, and gave a thumbs-up in praise:

  "Little brother, it's not simple, it's really not simple."

  With just a few strokes, in the blink of an eye, he can turn the ordinary into a masterpiece that will be passed down for generations. Is there really such a person in this world? It's really unbelievable! However, he wondered how Hua Hai University could have such a shocking painter, and why he had never heard of him before. Someone with such painting skills should have been famous long ago, but this young man was unknown to him.

  He took an interest in Zhao Heng and asked aloud:

  "Under the willow tree in the lower village, may I ask what is your name, fellow student?"

  "Zhao Heng!"

  Zhao Heng realized something when he reported his own name: "Du Tianxiong?"

  "Dad, what are you doing here? I've been looking all over for you!"

  Zhao Heng hadn't even revealed the other person's identity when Du Ziyuan came running over like a sprite, surrounded by countless gazes of all kinds. Although Du Ziyuan had only appeared at Huahai University a few times, her family background, beauty and intelligence, as well as Ding Sanshao's declaration, had already made her enter the public eye.

  Dad?

  No coincidence, no book!

  Zhao Heng never thought he would meet Du Ziyuan here, after all, a young lady like her coming to this kind of place was quite unusual. He didn't expect the middle-aged man to be Du Ziyuan's father either. When he realized that the man in front of him was actually Du Tianyong, one of the three most powerful men in Huahai, Zhao Heng's eyes filled with a mixture of emotions and a hint of amusement.

  "Zi Yan, finished with your work?"

  A middle-aged man apparently doted on Du Ziyuan, smiling lightly as he hugged his daughter into his arms. He then lowered his head to look at his beloved daughter and said, "Have you found an interesting club? Play whatever you like, young people should have more vitality, don't worry about your mom's and grandma's opposition."

  "Thanks for your support, Dad."

  Du Ziyuan burst out laughing and then pulled Ding Lingling over, saying: "Lingling says girls should learn to protect themselves. She suggested I join the taekwondo club with her, it's good exercise and can also protect you. Dad, do you think it's a good idea for me to learn taekwondo? Will girls learning martial arts be too rough?"

  Du Ziyuan was obviously very dependent on her father, so her tone carried a hint of playfulness, which made the countless attentive gazes around her secretly swallow their saliva. Du Tianxiong, however, didn't think much of it and pinched her nose in response: "Silly girl, how could I be rough? As long as you like it, go learn it, and don't bother with what others think."

  "Good boy!"

  Ding Lingling didn't see Zhao Heng, who was facing away from her, so she raised a very warm smile and said: "I've already said that Uncle Du will definitely not object. I'll tell my brother about it, and later we'll put your name on the list. The Taekwondo club only recruits 50 new students this year, and once the quota is full, you won't be able to get in."

  As soon as she mentioned Ding Sanshao, her expression became slightly proud.

  Du Tianxiong suddenly realized something and burst out laughing: "I remembered, Jialiang is also from the Taekwondo Club of Huahai University. It's great, you can train together and let me worry less, and also motivate each other." Then he slapped his forehead: "Right, I'll introduce someone to you."

  He suddenly pulled over Zhao Heng, who was looking at the painting, and pointed to his daughter Du Ziyuan and Ding Lingling, enthusiastically introducing them: "Little brother, this is my little girl Du Ziyuan and her best friend Ding Lingling, they are also freshmen at Huahai University." Then he pointed to Zhao Heng again, with a warm smile: "This is the little brother I just met."

  He explained how the two met, without any pretentiousness: "I was just making a painting here, but I couldn't seem to get the dragon's eyes right. Luckily, my younger brother gave me some pointers and brought this painting of soaring eagles to life. I've been playing with paintings for many years, but this is the first time I've seen such a talented student."

  "Zhao Heng!"

  Before Du Tianxiong could finish praising Zhao Heng, both Du Ziyuan and Ding Lingling shouted out the name at the same time. One was overjoyed, while the other's face turned gloomy. Du Ziyuan was excited to see Zhao Heng again, but Ding Lingling was furious that she kept running into him everywhere. Meanwhile, Du Tianxiong looked slightly stunned and asked his daughter and Ding Lingling:

  "Do you know each other?"

  "We know him!"