Chapter 77

Xia Zhu also leaned over to look, only to see the two sisters standing there prettily in the painting. Xia Lan was smiling, while she was shy, and that moving shy state made her heart beat for it when she looked at it herself.

Xia Lan said, "You didn't just learn some, you simply brought people to life."

Xia Zhu didn't speak, but she secretly glanced at Su Xinghui, looking as if she was overjoyed.

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

Xia Zhu nodded and asked again, "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 it. In fact, 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 crafts and don't need too good art literacy. As long as they are similar in shape, it's fine. If you have profound art literacy and your work can reach the spirit, then your work can be called art, and the value will be more than that."

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

Su Xinghui nodded, "Almost. If you want to reach the master level, you also need to have an innovative spirit and cannot just copy other people's paintings, which is an original work. Of course, you can still weave some of these world-famous bamboo weaving paintings now. This is both the need of your bamboo weaving factory and the need of 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, "Okay."

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

Looking at the two, 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 she couldn't compare with him, she was already much stronger than many beginners.

In fact, this was also because Xia Zhu 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 observation ability of things was already top-notch. Learning sketching was naturally twice the result with half the effort. Now she just needed to be proficient in using the pen.

With her clever 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, and her talent would have been unknown. At most, she would have woven 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 had a sense of accomplishment. His efforts at least changed Xia Zhu's fate, allowing a dusty pearl to 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, you should carefully ponder the things I taught you today. Don't throw away your bamboo weaving either. You can weave some less complicated ones first. After all, your family still needs this income now."

Xia Zhu's face was full of excitement. The things Su Xinghui taught her today were like opening a brand new door in front of her. She nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Xinghui!"

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll go to the village committee."

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

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

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

So she nodded and said, "Alright, Brother Xinghui, you go, I will work hard!"

Su Xinghui came to the village committee. Zhao Zhongfu smiled and said, "Director Su, if you don't come again, I'll have to go find you. Your sister-in-law's dishes are all ready."

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

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

At Zhao Zhongfu's house, a table of wine and dishes had been served. Zhao Zhongfu greeted, "Sit, sit, sit, Director Su, it's not as rich as last time today. There is only the wild boar meat from last time, pickled with salt, and other dishes are just some vegetarian dishes. Don't dislike our neglect."

Su Xinghui said, "How could I dislike it? This is already disturbing you. 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, let everyone toast Director Su together and congratulate him on his progress."

Several people raised their glasses together. Seeing that Zhao Zhongfu still called him Director Su, Su Xinghui had to let him go. He also raised his glass and drank a cup 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 slaughtered 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 Yu Gaoshan hadn't come for so long, and the village cadres were somewhat worried. They had already invested a lot in the breeding farm. If Yu Gaoshan didn't come to purchase it by then, 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 bit worried. It would be fine when everything was on the right track.

Su Xinghui said, "My cousin is registering a company at home. I will go back to the township government and call him 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 by then."

Fang Youcai was indeed a bit worried. Their village committee had borrowed twenty thousand yuan from the credit union, and most of it had already been invested. If something went wrong with Yu Gaoshan and he didn't come to purchase, then the twenty thousand yuan would be wasted, and the villagers' hope for wealth would be dashed.

Of course, they could sell it themselves, but they had no channels 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 laughed and said, "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 and said, "Party Secretary Fang, I can understand. This matter is indeed very important. If it were me, I would also be worried."

Fang Youcai raised his glass and said, "Director Su, I feel relieved when you say so. Come, I'll toast you again!"

Su Xinghui drank a cup with Fang Youcai, and Gao Daping also raised his glass to toast 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 also toasted these village cadres. He knew the style of drinking in the village below, and he knew that Su Xinghui's drinking capacity was not good. He had drunk too much at Hu Chengli's house once, so he wanted to help Su Xinghui block the wine.