You Mian stood there and raised his chin slightly to look at Pei Huaiji. He spoke with surprise in his tone, “Pei Huaiji?”
Pei Huaiji just lowered his eyes and spoke softly, but Qian Li was already secretly excited due to You Mian’s way of calling this person. She raised her arm carrying the luxury bag and covered her mouth. Her eyes were bright and she didn’t have the cool appearance from just now.
You Mian looked blankly at the woman in front of him. He hadn’t expected her to be Pei Huaiji’s mother.
Judging from the results, You Mian now saw some similarities between the two people’s heroic brows.
“Let me introduce you. This is my mother, Qian Li.” Pei Huaiji finished speaking and looked at You Mian while saying, “Mom, this is You Mian.”
Pei Huaiji didn’t use any identity to call You Mian, but this was enough to be special.”
Pei Huaiji stood next to Qian Li. Qian Li patted Pei Huaiji on the shoulder. She smiled in a soft and kind manner as she said to You Mian, “I’m sorry, Xiao Mian. I really wanted to get to know you just now, so I told a little lie.”
“I’ve seen you on the show before.”
Qian Li looked at You Mian with gentle eyes that exuded a soft light.
You Mian immediately shook his head. “It’s okay, Aunt.”
You Mian stood in front of Qian Li. The young man’s coat was soft and clean, his eyes were clear, his back was straight, his figure was thin and tall, and his curly chestnut hair swept across his beautiful eyes. When he smiled, he subconsciously made people want to get closer.
The more Qian Li saw him, the more she liked him. She felt more and more that her son wasn’t living up to expectations.
She had watched the episode of the show on time and liked You Mian at first sight.
Who wouldn’t like a young man who made people’s hearts melt when he smiled?
Qian Li knew that Pei Huaiji also participated in Matching Heartbeat. She initially watched the show to see Pei Huaiji outside of work. She never thought he would find a partner here.
Who would’ve thought that Pei Huaiji’s attitude on the show would really surprise her, his mother?
Pei Huaiji might always have a cold face on the show, making it difficult to see through his thoughts, but only Qian Li knew that Pei Huaiji’s eyes were always focused on You Mian. No matter what the other person said or did, Pei Huaiji would always be subconsciously attracted.
At that time, Qian Li felt that Pei Huaiji’s mind had finally opened.
Qian Li immediately decided to return to China. During this period, she followed the trend of young girls and joined the cultivating cotton base.
The group of people inside ate candy together and thought that the cotton cultivation was really going to happen. Qian Li was the only one who clearly understood what type of cold personality her son had.
To put it nicely, he was self-disciplined and restrained. To put it directly, he was stupid.
He was like a lion who always stood aside conservatively. He would rather silently pull at the bark outside the tree hole and wait for the rabbit to pop out on his own rather than reach in with his claws and dig into the back of the rabbit’s neck to pull him out.
Qian Li understood that these things were dictated by personality, so she didn’t want to interfere too much.
After all, feelings were the two children’s business. Qian Li didn’t want to ruin this beauty.
She also preferred You Mian to shipping CP.
After finally meeting by chance, Qian Li didn’t want to miss this opportunity. She raised her hand and pushed Pei Huaiji, saying softly with an attitude of chasing him away, “You go aside first. Xiao Mian and I will go around to visit the exhibition.”
Pei Huaiji’s domineering and cold demeanor seemed like a sleeping lion in front of Qian Li. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “You don’t need me to accompany you any longer?”
Qian Li had returned to China today. Pei Huaiji deliberately set aside a day to accompany her to see the exhibition.
However, Qian Li didn’t care about Pei Huaiji. She waved to You Mian across from her. “Xiao Mian and I made an appointment to visit the exhibition together. Who asked you to leave here just now to answer the phone?”
Pei Huaiji smiled helplessly. He looked at Qian Li’s arms linked with You Mian’s arm.
The young man, who was two heads taller than Qian Li, answered Qian Li’s words with a gentle temperament and lowered eyes.
This scene made Pei Huaiji’s heartbeat suddenly heat up. Numbing electric currents passed up his arms to his shoulders and straight to the top of his head.
“You Mian,” Pei Huaiji said in a deep voice. “If you have something you are busy with…”
Before Pei Huaiji could finish speaking, You Mian smiled and said, “It is no trouble. I came here because I wanted to see the exhibition hall here.”
Qian Li took You Mian’s arms. The two of them talked and laughed. They quickly left Pei Huaiji behind and walked into the distance.
Pei Huaiji fell far behind the two people, holding You Mian’s wooden stool in his hand.
You Mian followed Qian Li while carefully and softly explaining the original meaning of the work.
Qian Li couldn’t hide her surprise after listening to the explanation of two or three works.
She looked at the young man beside her and felt the complex emotions of pity and distress in her heart.
He was such a good child. How did he end up with someone like the You family?
Even when she was abroad, she had heard a bit of gossip among the ladies. She also knew about the You family. She hadn’t thought much about it at the time, but now she was part of it.
Qian Li had lived to this age and only believed what she saw and experienced with her own eyes.
As for the gossip, she didn’t listen to it and never let it enter her mind.
The two of them walked out of the interactive exhibition hall and came to the oil painting section.
Qian Li suddenly hugged You Mian’s arm and invited him with a smile, “Aunt just returned to China today. There is a reception party in the evening. I want to invite you to attend. Are you willing to come?”
You Mian stopped in front of a dark-colored oil painting and lowered his head in a daze. Qian Li was a very gentle person, and all her actions expressed her love. You Mian couldn’t refuse such a warm kindness.
Therefore, You Mian smiled. “I will go.”
Qian Li couldn’t hide the surprise on her face as she asked with a smile, “Really? Then you must come! I will ask Pei Huaiji to pick you up.”
You Mian blinked. Then Pei Huaiji’s voice came from behind them. “Mom, you’ve been delaying him for too long.”
Qian Li hissed, but she knew that Pei Huaiji was telling the truth.
You Mian took the wooden stool that Pei Huaiji handed over and secretly marveled at Pei Huaiji’s observation skills. How did the other person know he wanted to copy the painting in front of him?
Pei Huaiji stood beside You Mian, and said softly, “You draw slowly. I’ll take her to other places.”
Qian Li looked over Pei Huaiji’s shoulder and waved to You Mian with a smile, “See you in the evening, Xiao Mian.”
You Mian’s eyes curved. “Goodbye.”
He sat on the small wooden stool, took out his sketchbook, and almost immediately devoted himself to copying.
It was one stroke after another as countless inspirations burst into his mind.
Tender maternal love…
Why did it have to be a portrait?
You Mian drew while pondering on it.
What could show the characteristics of maternal love, which was soft but also had a cold and hard side?
You Mian’s thoughts came to a standstill again. The force of his strokes became heavier, and the smudged colors became darker.
—
Qian Li followed Pei Huaiji out of the exhibition hall and couldn’t help asking, “Who just called you? Dr Wu? Are you sick?”
Pei Huaiji put one hand in his pocket and his other hand pressed against his forehead. “Mom, you listened very carefully.”
Qian Li raised her chin. Her sharp brow lines were exactly the same as Pei Huaiji beside him.
“It doesn’t sound like you are sick. Who did you call the doctor for?”
Pei Huaiji put his arm around Qian Li’s shoulders and led her outside the hotel. He ignored the topic and said, “Grandpa just called to ask when you will be home.”
Qian Li immediately walked a bit faster when she heard this.
The powerful Ms Qian Li wasn’t afraid of anyone, but she was afraid of Pei Hongru.
Pei Huaiji said in a deep voice, “Also, you scared him just now.”
Qian Li snorted. What did he know?
“Xiao Mian likes me very much!”
You Mian sat in front of the oil painting, and his ears itched slightly. It was as if someone was talking about him.
But he didn’t have time to care about that at the moment. His movements became faster and clearer.
Once the time for retreat came, You Mian pulled the wooden stool and quickly got up to leave.
He had an idea and wanted to go to the sculpture room to put it into practice now.
Liu Hao was walking out of the office when he saw You Mian quickly walking out of the exhibition hall. You Mian smiled at him and said, “Senior brother, the stool is here.”
Liu Hao didn’t stop him. Liu Hao just patted his head and shouted, “You Mian! The director will be done soon!”
However, You Mian had already run out without looking back.
You Mian carried the black shoulder bag and rode his bicycle to the gate of A College in the pink light of the sunset.
The moment he entered the first floor of the teaching building, he saw a piece of encouragement written with a gold paint that he could see every day. It was framed by glass and hung directly on the wall above his head.
[Sail out of the warm harbor. Bravely face the storm. Don’t sigh, go on adventures!]
Just like every time he stepped into the teaching building in the past four years, You Mian would subconsciously look up at the words when he walked toward the stairs.
He walked quickly to the door of the sculpture room. Just as he took out the key and was about to open the door, he suddenly heard someone calling out behind him. “Senior.”
You Mian paused before opening the door. He looked sideways at the person and realized he didn’t recognize him.
Fang Xiaofeng noticed You Mian’s expression. He immediately took a step back to show he wasn’t dangerous.
“Sorry, I just happened to see you come to the classroom. I wanted to say hello.”
The boy was of medium height and was handsome.
You Mian was sure that he didn’t know this person, so he asked, “Do you want to see me for anything?”
Fang Xiaofeng immediately smiled excitedly. “I don’t know if it is inconvenient for you. I want you to help me take a look at the work I just carved.”
The boy’s shoulders drooped. He looked particularly aggrieved and weak. “I don’t know what went wrong. I can’t always carve the style and texture that the teacher arranged.
You Mian put the door key back into his pocket and asked calmly, “Why are you looking for me?”
Most seniors had classes in the sculpture room on the first floor, but they were busy and were rarely here. Still, it was a school. There must be others in other classrooms.
You Mian didn’t understand why this student came to him.
Fang Xiaofeng paused for a moment. He was a bit speechless.
Fang Xiaofeng had heard the name You Mian since he entered school as a freshman. He was a legendary sculpture classroom and the number one student in the Academy of Fine Arts.
His class this semester happened to be arranged on the first floor, right across from You Mian’s sculpture classroom.
You Mian didn’t know it, but Fang Xiaofeng had been paying attention to him silently. This type of attention had nothing to do with love or anything else. It was just pure admiration.
Fang Xiaofeng watched You Mian arrive early and return late at night. He watched You Mian carve one work after another with the most serious concentration. The worship in his heart became stronger and stronger.
“I like your works very much, Senior. I want to be like you.” A shy smile appeared on Fang Xiaofeng’s delicate face. “You are my goal and my idol.”
You Mian looked back calmly. The gentle look in his eyes made Fang Xiaofeng bolder.
The boy bowed heavily to You Mian. “Senior, I’m sorry to disturb you.”
You Mian tugged the strap of his shoulder bag and smiled softly. He showed an expression friendly expression to anyone looking at him
“Take me to see it.”
Fang Xiaofeng’s ears instantly turned red with excitement. He replied loudly, “Thank you, Senior!”
The boy’s voice echoed in the empty corridor of the teaching building.
You Mian rolled his eyes helplessly. “You’re welcome.”
You Mian followed the boy into the opposite classroom and sorted out the problems with the boy’s sculpture with a few simple sentences. Then he saw that the excitement in Fang Xiaofeng’s eyes became more substantial.
Fang Xiaofeng murmured to himself, “It is amazing.”
You Mian picked up the backpack he had just put aside and placed it on his shoulder again. He asked with a slight smile, “Why do you want to be me?”
Fang Xiaofeng held his breath. His shoulders tensed up. He started to stutter due to nervousness when speaking. “It is because Senior’s carving skills are very strong. It is stronger than anyone else.”
You Mian lowered his eyes and noticed the thick layer of calluses on the boy’s hands, as well as the tools used by the other party and the small amount of clay left.
Fang Xiaofeng’s sneakers were badly worn. His clothes were washed to the point of turning white.
Seeing the other person’s extraordinarily bright eyes, You Mian couldn’t help remembering Guan Tong.
They were very similar. They both looked like cute little animals begging to be petted.
You Mian raised his hand and ruthlessly rubbed the head of the boy, who was half a head shorter than himself.
You Mian smiled softly and said, “You can definitely do it too.”
You Mian’s voice wasn’t loud. It was even very soft, but it brought endless power. It made Fang Xiaofeng’s eyes gradually turn red.
Fang Xiaofeng pursed his lips and said in a hoarse voice, “Thank you, Senior.”
You Mian smiled and left the boy’s classroom. By the time he sat back down in front of his sculpture table, the design in his heart had been changed, and a few more strokes added.
He looked at the clay beside him and suddenly decided on the material he wanted to use.
It was simple plaster. Just use the simplest plaster.
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Thank you for the update ☺️
Thanks for the chapter!
So curious!
Why am I waiting for the classic “his sculpture got destroyed the day before the competition” plot line? TT.TT I really hope the author doesn’t use it…
Thanks for the chapter and stay safe!
Just a reminder: even if the final sculpture will be plaster, that doesn’t mean that what he is going to be sculpting the buck with will be plaster. The buck for cast sculptures can be made of any number of materials. Conventional clay, polymer clay, oil clay, sculpting wax, etc. Casting in plaster does provide some flexibility in what the mold can be made from and it also reduces a step in the mold making process compared to casting in metal if he wants to sculpt in something other than sculpting wax. This is because, to cast in metal, the original buck must be something that can be melted out of a plaster or ceramic mold in what is called the lost wax casting method. Basically, you turn the whole thing upside down and heat it in a furnace or kiln until all the wax pours out of the casting holes left in the top of the mold. Often this wax is collected to be reused. The reason it is called the lost wax casting method is because the original wax sculpture is “lost” during the process of preparing the mold for casting. So if he wanted to sculpt in polymer clay, then he would need to spray the surface with a release media and then paint on several coats of silicone before building up a support structure with fiberglass. Then he could separate the different parts of the mold and extract the polymer clay, clean up the silicone mold, and subsequently cast it is wax. If you sculpt it in wax to begin with and you’re very confident that you won’t need multiple attempts to cast the sculpture, then you can move directly to plaster mold making. Most artists will still insist on creating a mold just for insurance purposes in case something goes wrong during casting. And there’s quite a lot that can go wrong. If there’s any moisture left in the plaster then the mold can explode when pouring the molten metal. There could be slag that wasn’t noticed and skimmed off during the melting of the casting metal. There could be dissolved gasses in the metal that bubble out as it cools. Etc. But if you’re casting in plaster then it’s a bit less risky when casting, though the final product is considerably more delicate. One thing that can be done to improve the durability is to apply a skim coat of fine plaster to the mold, allow it to set almost completely, then fill the interior with a fiber reinforced plaster. It won’t prevent surface damage, but it can prevent arms and legs from randomly snapping off.
Thank you for you’re detailed insight in to the technical aspect of sculpting !!
Thank you for the chapter !!!!