Chapter 104

By the end of '92, the Party and Government Office had reached the busiest time of the year. Su Xinghui had been busy writing materials in the office these days.

At the end of the year, there were various materials to be written, especially the annual work report. In the current Party and Government Office, the one with the best writing skills was, of course, Su Xinghui, so these reports could only be handed over to Su Xinghui to write.

In previous years, the annual work report of Menghuling Township was difficult to write because the work in Menghuling Township was really difficult to carry out. There was nothing to brag about in terms of work achievements, and without data support, how could you write this work report?

Previous work reports were generally written by Shi Zhiqiang and reviewed by Wei Bingyi. Generally, they could only write some empty things, basically without any data, and wrote more about spirit and drive. Of course, this was not because they didn't want to write data, but because there was really nothing to write.

What to write? Write that the economy of Menghuling Township was at the bottom of the county? Write that the per capita income was only a few dozen yuan? Write that the number of excess births had reached a new high? Write that the incidence of cases had increased compared to last year? These things couldn't be written, so they could only be empty.

This year was different. The economy of Menghuling Township had made some progress this year. Although the progress was not great, it allowed people to see the hope of continued progress in the future. Moreover, Menghuling Township had become a pilot unit for agricultural reform in the whole province, so there were countless things to write.

Su Xinghui had good writing skills, and these things were all handled by Su Xinghui himself, so he knew them better than anyone else. It was naturally most appropriate for him to write this work report.

These days, Su Xinghui hadn't done anything else but write reports. An annual work report was also written by him to be magnificent and extremely wonderful.

On the morning of this day, when it was almost time to get off work, Su Xinghui was writing a report when he suddenly heard someone calling him, "Brother Xinghui!"

He looked up and saw that it was Xia Zhu standing at the door, looking at him with a smile on her face.

He stood up quickly and said, "Xia Zhu is here. Come in and sit down."

At this time, he was the only one in the Party and Government Office. At the end of the year, everyone went to the villages for things. The most important work at the end of the year was to urge the collection of retained funds and overall planning fees, and they all had to help. This work was not a good thing and was easy to offend people. Su Xinghui could be considered to have avoided the urging work by taking the opportunity to write reports.

Xia Zhu entered the office, a little timidly. Su Xinghui pulled over a chair for her to sit down, poured her a glass of boiled water, handed it to her, and said, "How do you have time to come to the street?"

Since Su Xinghui came to Menghuling, he had never seen Xia Zhu come to the street. However, her father couldn't get out of bed before, and her two younger siblings were young, so the family really couldn't do without people. And at that time, her family was poor, so what could she do when she came to the street?

Xia Zhu said, "Didn't Manager Li come to collect bamboo weaving a few days ago, and the village gave me a few hundred yuan again? At the end of the year, I thought about buying some winter clothes for my parents and siblings."

Su Xinghui nodded secretly after hearing this. This was really a filial girl.

He looked at the time and said to Xia Zhu, "You sit for a while. There are still more than ten minutes before getting off work. I'll take you to eat."

Xia Zhu nodded obediently and agreed. She took out a folded piece of paper from a shoulder bag she was carrying, handed it to Su Xinghui, and said, "Brother Xinghui, this is the painting I drew. Help me take a look."

Su Xinghui took the paper, opened it, laid it flat on his desk, and looked at it carefully.

This was the painting of her hometown scenery that Xia Zhu had drawn. She had been drawing this painting for a month or two. She learned while drawing with Su Xinghui. If she was not satisfied, she would redraw it. After several drafts, it was finally completed.

From a professional point of view, some techniques in this painting were not yet proficient, and the brushwork was a bit simple. After all, Xia Zhu had been learning to paint with Su Xinghui for less than half a year.

However, Su Xinghui saw Xia Zhu's spirituality from this painting, saw the simplicity of her brushwork, and saw the powerful vitality contained in this painting.

This painting depicted the autumn scenery of Yezhugou Village. This autumn was a harvest season, and for Yezhugou Village, it was a season when hope began. The whole Yezhugou Village had a kind of vitality, which was expressed on the drawing paper through Xia Zhu's pen.

Compared with the works of famous masters, this painting was naturally immature in technique, but that kind of spirituality and vitality were the most moving.

Su Xinghui stared at the painting for a long time. Xia Zhu said with some worry, "Brother Xinghui, did I draw it badly?"

Su Xinghui shook his head and said, "No, you drew it very well, and it is very moving. You are really a genius in art. You are so spiritual and love life so much. This bamboo forest was drawn by you to be full of vitality, the people here were also drawn alive by you, and even this curling smoke is simply full of vitality, which makes me a little fascinated!"

Xia Zhu was blushed by Su Xinghui's praise. She said with some embarrassment, "Brother Xinghui, did you praise my painting too much? Why do I feel that I can't compare with what you drew?"

Su Xinghui said, "You are not proficient and sophisticated enough in painting techniques, and you need to strengthen this aspect in the future. However, I hope that while improving your techniques, you will not lose this unique spirituality and vitality of yours. If you lose these, you are at most a painter, and only if you possess these can you become an artist!"

Xia Zhu nodded as if she understood, "I remember, Brother Xinghui. I don't know what vitality is, I just know that life at home is better now, I am happy in my heart, and I feel that life is lived with relish."

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "The happiness you said in your heart is a kind of vitality, which shows that you love life. You draw because of this, not for the sake of drawing. This is the difference. You see many famous painters, their social works cannot reach their usual level, which is the reason."

Xia Zhu said, "Well, I understand. By the way, Brother Xinghui, can you help me title this painting? I want to compile this painting and hand it to Manager Li next time, so that he can take it to participate in the Canton Fair."

Title the painting? Su Xinghui was naturally willing to help. Although Xia Zhu was also practicing calligraphy now, her calligraphy level was still very average and needed a long period of hard practice.

Su Xinghui thought for a while, took the painting, brought Xia Zhu back to his dormitory, took out the pen and ink he usually used for writing, and wrote the four characters "Autumn Charm of Bamboo Village" in the blank space of the painting.

"Autumn Charm of Bamboo Village?" Xia Zhu looked at these four characters and said, "Well, good name! Brother Xinghui, your calligraphy is really good. When can I write such a good calligraphy?"

Su Xinghui laughed, "As long as you are willing to practice, there will be such a day. By the way, you don't have your own seal yet. When I help you carve one, if you want to learn seal carving, I can also teach you, and you can carve a few seals yourself in the future."

Xia Zhu said happily, "I want to learn, I want to learn whatever you teach me."

Su Xinghui said, "Fine, then I will teach you when I have time next time."

After the ink on the painting dried, Xia Zhu folded the painting and put it back in her shoulder bag, and Su Xinghui took her to Zhang Fatty's restaurant for dinner.

Zhang Fatty and his wife were naturally very enthusiastic when they saw Su Xinghui coming to eat. This was not only because Su Xinghui was in charge of logistics and reception in the Party and Government Office and could be called their god of wealth, but also because Su Xinghui had no airs, was very polite to them every time he came, and never used his power to sign bills privately or ask for free meals here.

Such people should be respected wherever they are.

Zhang Fatty's wife let the two enter the private room, and Su Xinghui began to order dishes. Xia Zhu said, "Brother Xinghui, I will treat you to dinner today!"

Su Xinghui said, "You don't need to treat me, let me treat you."

Xia Zhu was anxious, "No, no, I must treat you today, I have money."

Su Xinghui said, "Let me do it. There are still many places to use money at your home. You are not like me, I have a salary, so I won't be hungry. Keep your money."

Xia Zhu's face turned red, "Brother Xinghui, I came here specifically to treat you to dinner today. You helped my family so much. If it weren't for you, I don't know what my family would have become now. If you don't let me treat you today, I will, I will..."

Xia Zhu said several "I will", but couldn't say what she could use to "threaten" Su Xinghui so that Su Xinghui would accept the meal she treated.

Seeing that Xia Zhu was almost crying with anxiety, a feeling of pity couldn't help but rise in Su Xinghui's heart. He said softly, "Xia Zhu, don't be anxious, I'll let you treat me, okay?"

This scene made Zhang Fatty's wife, who was standing on the side, cover her mouth and laugh, but seeing Xia Zhu pick up the menu and prepare to order, she quickly restrained her smile.

Xia Zhu picked up the menu and said to Zhang Fatty's wife, "Landlady, order whatever dish is the most delicious, order a few more dishes, and bring a bottle of good wine."

Zhang Fatty's wife agreed and was about to go down. Su Xinghui quickly stopped her and said, "Don't order too many dishes, just get two dishes for rice, and don't bring wine. I have to write a report in the afternoon, and I can't write well if I drink too much."

Xia Zhu was anxious again, "Brother Xinghui, how can this be? You don't have to drink wine, but you have to order two more dishes. It's not easy for me to treat you to a meal, so I have to eat well."