The Versatile Master Artist

Gu Weijing didn’t expect such a remark to come out of Mrs. Sakai’s mouth.

He felt a bit at a loss.

"No need to trouble yourself, I’m not really that thirsty."

"If you’re thirsty, drink; if you’re not, don’t. You keep licking your lips, and yet you’re pretending to be polite. Just a glass of juice, what’s there to be embarrassed about? Hmph, this is what I dislike about you—you’re not generous at all."

Mrs. Sakai raised her eyebrows, mocking with dissatisfaction.

Gu Weijing instantly felt relieved.

Good,

This tone and combat power are the true colors of Koizumi Katsuko’s mother that he was familiar with. When she asked him if he wanted water, it gave him the creeps.

"Mom, enough."

Koizumi Katsuko opened the small refrigerator in the backseat, took out two glasses of freshly squeezed juice, handed one to Gu Weijing, and hugged one in her arms.

"About the contract with Ma Shi Gallery, let my mom take a look for you. She’s an expert in this area, often handling my father’s contract and exhibition matters."

Koizumi Katsuko whispered softly in Gu Weijing’s ear.

"Mrs. Cruz, thank you for going through all the trouble for me, and thanks for your help with the Ma Shi Gallery matter. I will work hard on my painting."

Gu Weijing earnestly nodded towards Mrs. Sakai.

Just before he received the phone call from his aunt, Koizumi Katsuko had been casually telling him in the studio that a manager might come to him these days and advised him not to rush into signing.

If he was willing,

her mom could help him review the contract.

"You’re quite thoughtful."

Mrs. Sakai thought to herself.

Since she wanted to do her daughter a favor, she couldn’t just throw Gu Weijing to Ma Shi Gallery and call it a day. At such times, she had to step in personally.

After knowing Hanks had already arrived.

Mrs. Sakai went to the orphanage to pick up her daughter and also brought Gu Weijing along. Mrs. Sakai thought the boy’s earnest gratitude showed a decent attitude, albeit just passable.

She was satisfied at heart, but her words remained a bit caustic.

"Just a thank you? Being recommended to a grand gallery like Ma Shi Gallery is more than just a simple recommendation letter..."

"Mom." Koizumi Katsuko whined.

"Shengzi, don’t interrupt me." Mrs. Sakai didn’t care for her daughter’s thin-skinned sensibilities.

If she didn’t lay out all the effort she put into this boy, her kindness would go unnoticed!

"You’re going to work hard on your painting—haha, Xiaogu, you don’t really think we helped you purely for your talent, do you? There are plenty of outstanding talents in this world. Would Ichiro spend his influence on every one he meets? Why should he? Are we running a charity?"

Mrs. Sakai pouted, speaking with particular haughtiness.

"A genius? Just because you have some talent, do we absolutely have to value you? As if it’s that simple! So many people would offer a fortune just to get my husband to speak a word on their behalf, and you think your painting is that special? Don’t be so self-absorbed, really think I went out of my way just for you."

"Uh..."

Gu Weijing wasn’t embarrassed or angry.

What she said was completely down-to-earth without any airs or falsity.

Senior artists are ordinary people too; and people are complicated creatures.

Some, seeing talented juniors, would selflessly lend a hand; some are afraid of being overtaken and might shove them away.

If the ratio of the former was that high, benefactors wouldn’t be lauded as the most crucial and rare elements for an artist’s successful career since the inception of the painter’s profession.

Fortunately,

he’s not too foolish either.

Gu Weijing only needed a couple of seconds of thought to figure out the correct answer to this problem.

"Mrs. Sakai, thank you, I know it’s not for me. Meeting Shengzi is truly a very lucky thing."

"Smooth talker."

Mrs. Sakai finally felt content hearing the desired response from the boy.

She straightened her neck, signaling proudly to her daughter, and leisurely said, "Talk is cheap. It all comes down to actual performance."

"By the way, Xiaogu, you usually live with your grandpa, along with your uncle, aunt, and cousin Gu Lin. Both you and Gu Lin study at Fitz, and will graduate this year, right?"

The car fell silent again for a while until it was about to stop in front of Gu’s Painting and Calligraphy Gallery when Mrs. Sakai spoke like she was cross-checking a household registry.

"Yes, that’s right."

"Are they good to get along with?" the blonde woman asked.

"I think they’re okay. Maybe my aunt has a sharp tongue, but she’s not bad." Gu Weijing shrugged, knowing he couldn’t badmouth his relatives at this moment.

Thinking of this,

Gu Weijing felt a bit nervous.

Mrs. Sakai wasn’t like Yakai Ichiro, a round, amiable, harmless chubby elder; her words were like knives.

Among all the middle-aged women he’s met.

Mrs. Sakai’s scathing sarcasm from a high place and his aunt’s incessant moral pressure were comparable to the "Eastern Evil and Western Poison" of the argumentative world.

It’s hard to determine which of these two aunts was more formidable.

Wasn’t today kind of like meeting the parents?

Gu Weijing was a bit worried the two might start bickering.

...

When he was on the phone with his grandpa, he mentioned briefly about Mrs. Sakai coming, so when the black luxury car parked on the embankment in front of the gallery.

Mr. Gu was already personally waiting at the foot of the steps at the door.