Chapter 43

Su Xinghui said, "Xia Zhu, your bamboo weaving skills are actually quite mature and very spiritual, but your problem is that you lack systematic art learning, and your appreciation of these world-famous paintings needs to be improved. To weave these bamboo weaving paintings well, both in shape and spirit, you just need to improve in these aspects."

"Like Mr. Xu Beihong, he studied both Chinese painting and Western oil painting. His works combine the techniques of Chinese painting and Western painting. For example, this 'Eight Horses Picture' uses perspective techniques, and the painting method of shaping bones and flesh borrows some techniques from oil painting."

"You don't understand these things. If you want to weave this 'Eight Horses Picture' well, it will naturally have shape but no spirit. Once you learn these things and learn how to draw, you will have a plan in mind when you want to weave such flat bamboo weaving paintings in the future."

Xia Zhu nodded repeatedly. Although she hadn't received any systematic art training, she had good artistic talent. Therefore, she could understand some of the things Su Xinghui said.

Xia Lan asked, "Su Xinghui, can you also draw?"

Su Xinghui said, "I’ve learned some. Xia Zhu, do you have pencils and white paper at home? The kind of pencil that is relatively soft."

Xia Zhu nodded, went into the house, and took out pencils and white paper. These were used by her younger siblings.

Su Xinghui sat down, put the white paper on a chair where Xia Zhu put her bamboo strips, and drew quickly. While drawing, he looked up at the sisters Xia Lan and Xia Zhu. The sisters knew he was drawing them. Xia Lan puffed out her chest with a smile on her face, while Xia Zhu was shy, but she didn't dodge.

Su Xinghui’s brush moved like flying. In just over ten minutes, he had drawn a sketch. He handed the sketch to Xia Lan. After looking at it, Xia Lan said happily, "Su Xinghui, you draw really well!" ===== CHAPTER 78 =====

Xia Zhu also leaned over to look. She saw the two sisters standing there prettily in the drawing. Xia Lan was smiling, while she was shy. That moving shyness made her heart beat faster when she saw it herself.

Xia Lan said, "You didn't just learn 'some,' you simply drew people alive."

Xia Zhu didn't speak, but she secretly glanced at Su Xinghui, looking extremely happy.

Su Xinghui said, "Xia Zhu, starting today, I will teach you how to draw every day. The first thing I will teach is sketching, which is the kind of drawing I just drew with a pencil. One hour a day. Actually, this kind of pencil is not soft enough and is not very suitable for certain parts of sketching. Next time I come back, I will bring you some soft pencils."

Xia Zhu nodded and asked, "Do I have to learn how to draw from you before I can weave this kind of bamboo weaving painting?"

Su Xinghui shook his head, "No. You can still weave. Actually, you shouldn't have dismantled this one just now. The kind of bamboo weaving paintings that Manager Song offers hundreds or thousands for can only be considered handicrafts and don't require very good artistic literacy. As long as they look like the shape, it’s fine. If you have deep artistic literacy and your work can achieve spirit, then your work can be called art, and the value will be more than that."

Xia Lan said, "Is that the level of the arts and crafts master Manager Song mentioned?"

Su Xinghui nodded, "Almost. To reach the master level, you also need to have an innovative spirit. You can't just copy other people’s paintings, which is an original work. Of course, it’s still possible to weave some bamboo weaving paintings of these world-famous paintings now. This is a need for your bamboo weaving factory and also a need for Xia Zhu’s family. And weaving this kind of bamboo weaving painting now is also a polishing of Xia Zhu’s skills."

Xia Lan and Xia Zhu nodded repeatedly. After Su Xinghui finished speaking, Xia Zhu said, "Then I will learn sketching from you now."

Su Xinghui said, "Alright."

He handed the pencil to Xia Zhu, let her sit down, and he stood behind Xia Zhu, pointing out how to hold the pen, how to put the pen down, how to observe the characteristics of things...

Looking at the two of them, Xia Lan smiled secretly. She said to Su Xinghui, "Su Xinghui, I’ll go to others to see how their bamboo weaving is going."

Su Xinghui nodded, and Xia Lan left.

What surprised Su Xinghui was that Xia Zhu was really a talented girl. After he taught her some techniques and asked her to draw a sketch of the white porcelain teapot in her house, she actually drew it quite well. Although it couldn't compare to him, it was already much better than many beginners.

In fact, this was also because Xia Zhu had liked weaving bamboo since she was a child. The various objects she wove, including birds, beasts, insects, and fish, were all lifelike and vivid. This showed that her ability to observe things was already top-notch, and learning sketching naturally resulted in twice the result with half the effort. Now she just needed to be proficient in using the pen.

With her skillful hands that could play with thin bamboo strips, playing with a paintbrush was not a difficult task.

Su Xinghui couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Such a talented girl, if it weren't for his rebirth, would probably have married that lame man by now, her talent unknown, at most weaving a few baskets for her family and a few small toys for her children. That would really be a pity.

Thinking of this, Su Xinghui felt a sense of accomplishment. His efforts had at least changed Xia Zhu’s fate, letting a dusty pearl shine again. This ugly duckling would sooner or later transform into a beautiful white swan.

An hour passed in a flash. Su Xinghui said, "Xia Zhu, think about what I taught you today carefully. Don't abandon your bamboo weaving either. You can weave some less complex ones first. After all, your family still needs this income now."

Xia Zhu’s face was full of excitement. What Su Xinghui taught her today was like opening a brand-new door in front of her. She nodded, "Thank you, Brother Xinghui!"

Su Xinghui nodded, "Alright, then I’ll go to the village committee."

Xia Zhu said, "It’s almost time to eat, just have a meal at my house!"

Su Xinghui said gently, "Xia Zhu, let’s eat at your house next time. Today I have an appointment with Director Zhao to eat at his house at noon."

Xia Zhu was a little disappointed, but she also knew that if Su Xinghui really agreed to eat at her house, her house didn't have anything good to entertain him with. If her father hadn't been injured, he could still catch some wild rabbits or pheasants, but her mother didn't have this ability now.

So she nodded, "Alright, Brother Xinghui, go ahead, I will work hard!"

Su Xinghui arrived at the village committee. Zhao Zhongfu smiled, "Director Su, if you didn't come, I would have to go find you. Your sister-in-law’s dishes are already done."

Su Xinghui said, "Didn't I come?"

Several village cadres stood up together and said, "Let’s go, let’s drink to congratulate Director Su on his new appointment."

At Zhao Zhongfu’s house, a table of wine and dishes had already been served. Zhao Zhongfu greeted, "Sit, sit, Director Su. It’s not as rich as last time today, only the wild boar meat left from last time, salted, and the rest are just some vegetarian dishes. Don't dislike our neglect."

Su Xinghui said, "How could I dislike it? This is already a disturbance. Don't call me Director Su anymore, just call me Little Su."

Several people sat down. Zhao Zhongfu poured wine for everyone and raised his glass, "Come, everyone toast Director Su together to congratulate him on his progress."

Several people raised their glasses together. Su Xinghui saw that Zhao Zhongfu still called him Director Su, so he had to let him be. He also raised his glass and drank with everyone.

Fang Youcai said, "Director Su, the villagers have caught a lot of pheasants and bamboo rats these days. The first batch of pheasants are laying eggs, and the bamboo rats are also pregnant. It is estimated that a batch can be sold by the end of this year. When can that Boss Yu you invited last time come to sign the contract with us?"

Hearing Fang Youcai’s words, Su Xinghui knew that the village cadres were somewhat worried because Yu Gaoshan hadn't come for so long. They had already invested a lot in the breeding farm. If Yu Gaoshan didn't come to purchase it, they would be blind.

This couldn't blame the village cadres for being short-sighted. After all, no one had done this before, and it was normal for them to be a little worried. It would be fine once everything was on the right track.

Su Xinghui said, "My cousin is registering a company at home. I will call him again when I return to the township government to urge him. He should be here soon. Don't worry. Since I found this path, there will absolutely be no one to collect it when the time comes."

Fang Youcai was indeed a little worried. Their village committee had borrowed twenty thousand yuan from the credit union, and most of it had already been invested. If there was any change on Yu Gaoshan’s side and he didn't come to purchase, then the twenty thousand yuan would be wasted, not to mention the villagers’ hope for wealth would be dashed.

Of course, they could sell it themselves, but they had no paths outside, let alone transportation capacity. How much could they sell?

Hearing Su Xinghui’s words, Fang Youcai felt relieved. Although Su Xinghui was young, he was very methodical in doing things.

Fang Youcai said with a smile, "Director Su, don't blame me, Old Fang, for not being at ease. It is indeed too important, related to the livelihood of the whole village."

Su Xinghui smiled, "Party Secretary Fang, I can understand. This matter is indeed very important. I would be worried too."

Fang Youcai raised his glass, "Director Su, I’m relieved now that you said so. Come, I’ll toast you again!"

Su Xinghui drank a glass with Fang Youcai, and Gao Daping also toasted him.

Gao Daping said, "Director Su is reliable in doing things. Come, I’ll toast you again!"

Several village cadres took turns toasting Su Xinghui. Wan Xing’an hurriedly took the initiative and toasted these village cadres. He knew the style of drinking in the villages below. He thought Su Xinghui’s drinking capacity was not good, as he had once drunk too much at Hu Chengli’s house, so he wanted to help Su Xinghui block the wine. ===== CHAPTER 79 =====