Finest Servant

Chapter 17 The Advent Of The Three Editions of Tabloid (2)

Chapter 17 The Advent Of The Three Editions of Tabloid (2)

 

Oh, what a woman after my own heart. Lin Wanrong wished he could hold Dong Qiaoqiao and kiss her, This girl is really a treasure. Choosing this father and daughter, my vision is really good.

Although not knowing what Lin Wanrong was thinking, seeing his excited eyes, Dong Family father and daughter knew that his heart is surely satisfied.

Seeing Dong Qiaoqiao’s lighten up face, Lin Wanrong suddenly laughed: “Miss Qiaoqiao, aren’t you very close to the eldest miss Xiao? Seeing how our arrangement for her, why are you still ‘taking the side of the evildoer’?”

Dong Qiaoqiao knew that the content inside these several pages all came from her Dad’s hearsay plus some random made-up, there was nothing authentic in it.

She smiled and said: “Gongzi, just like you said, in doing business, the emphasis is on the profit. The things in this booklet are some minor matters that were pa.s.sed on the street. But we did put them together and made some exaggeration, neither of which are derogatory, but out of self-interest. Moreover, eldest Miss Xiao and I are not close, we have not even met each other.”

Truly Wonderful, Lin Wanrong inwardly sighed, Managing to produce these three editions of tabloid is already a feat in itself, how could I expect any authenticity in it. However, Lin Wanrong found that some of Dong Qiaoqiao’s words were strange, When making her clothes, wouldn’t the tailor need to take eldest Miss Xiao’s measurement?

Dong Qiaoqiao saw through Lin Wanrong’s doubt, smiled and said: “Eldest Miss Xiao is extremely busy, so I always take eldest Miss Xiao’s old clothes as examples.”

Taking an old clothing as an example and made clothes that can satisfy eldest Miss Xiao, this Dong Qiaoqiao was indeed a handy girl.

After talking about many things, these three editions of tabloid still lacked one crucial thing.

Dong Qiaoqiao looked at the spot that was specifically left blank by Lin Wanrong, puzzled: “Gongzi, these remaining blank spots, is there any use of them?”

Lin Wanrong mysteriously smiled without answering her. Instead, he told her: “Qiaoqiao, is there any wood charcoal here?”

Dong Qiaoqiao obediently complied at once, went into the kitchen to look for a burnt wooden stick for Lin Wanrong. In this era, naturally, no one would know the thing called pencil or even graphite. Lin Wanrong did not know how to use a writing brush, so he had to use wood charcoal instead.

Lin Wanrong has not drawn a painting for four or five years. Being out of practice, he practiced his skill on the ground.

Two or three minutes later, Dong Qiaoqiao saw the face of a pretty woman appeared on the ground. That woman was lifelike, dignified and beautiful, her appearance and demeanor were extremely realistic.

Father and daughter both have seen someone else’s brush painting, but seeing Lin Wanrong’s quick sketch was the first time for them.

Lin Wanrong later looked at his portrait and his heart could not help but sigh. Sigh, I haven’t drawn for years, my skill is a bit rusted. Previously, I can do much better than this.

Sketch was something that Lin Wanrong learn since middle-school. And later in the University, in order to pursue his first girlfriend, he exercised for the whole four years, which resulted in two full boxes of portraits of her that he drew. Unfortunately, after graduating from University, she went to the USA; Lin Wanrong also has more opportunities to pursue other girls.

Lin Wanrong continued to indulge himself with the past memory, until Dong Qiaoqiao has called him several times, Lin Wanrong’s awareness finally returned; He smiled and said: “Miss Qiaoqiao, what is it?”

Dong Qiaoqiao softly asked: “Gongzi, what kind of painting is this? It’s so simple. Your drawing is really nice.”

Toward this beautiful and gentle Dong Qiaoqiao, Lin Wanrong has a lot of patience. He smiled and said: “This is called a sketch, a simple drawing with a writing brush from my hometown. I haven’t drawn for years, so now I’m out of practice.”

Dong Qiaoqiao shook her head: “No, I think that although Gongzi’s strokes were simple, it is like an amazing and profound brush work, and the best part is, with just a piece of abandoned burnt wood, you can make such an artistic drawing, Gongzi will definitely become a ‘great scholar respected for learning and integrity.’”

Even though Lin Wanrong’s skin was thick enough, but hearing such a compliment from her, he cannot help but blush a bit. He quickly shook his head and smiled: “Miss Qiaoqiao, if you say that again, I will become arrogant.”

Dong Qiaoqiao covered the smile on her lips, her beautiful eyes smiled into a pair of attractive crescents; She said in a soft voice: “But I don’t know where Gongzi’s hometown is?”

Lin Wanrong was stunned; Looking pale, he gently said: “My hometown? It’s far, far away from here.”

Dong Qiaoqiao thought that Lin Wanrong was unwilling to tell her; A desolate look flashed through her face and she nipped her lips as she looked at Lin Wanrong’s drawing, no longer spoke with him.

After staring at the portrait, Dong Rende suddenly called out in a soft voice: “This woman is a lot like Madame Xiao, but –”

Lin Wanrong smiled: “Look carefully, is it really Madame Xiao?”

After carefully looking at it, Dong Rende commented: “It seems much younger than Madame Xiao, and more beautiful, could it be, could it be –” The father and daughter looked at each other, both have a look of surprise on their faces, then they looked at Lin Wanrong and said: “It’s Eldest Miss Xiao –”

Lin Wanrong smiled without saying a word. Dong Rende hastily said: “Lin gongzi, have you seen eldest Miss Xiao?”

Lin Wanrong shook his head and said: “Even the two of you have never seen her, much less I? I just happened to see Madame Xiao today, so this portrait is according to Madame Xiao’s look. Combined with my imagination, I think it should have some similarity with the real one.”

Dong Family father and daughter, except for the look of astonishment and admiration in their face, did not have any clue if the portrait was really similar or not. After all, only depending on the appearance of a 30-something-year-old woman to draw her 20-year-old daughter’s appearance was not something that a typical painter can do. So now, in their view, this Lin gongzi seemed to really be able to do anything.

Watching their demeanor, Lin Wanrong secretly chuckled; He deliberately drew the eldest Miss Xiao according to his imagination, making her more young and beautiful, just to let those talented scholars believe that this was really the picture of eldest Miss Xiao in their fantasy.

After practicing using a stick for a while, and thinking that most of his proficiency has returned, Lin Wanrong told Dong Qiaoqiao to look for a knife. He then carefully cut the wooden charcoal into a pencil shape; Though his hands were full of dust, he can conveniently hold it in his hand.

Dong Qiaoqiao’s curiosity came up again: “Gongzi, is this a writing brush? Why is it so strange? What is the name of this?”

Lin Wanrong said with a smile: “When I draw, I need something called a pencil. But because we don’t have it here, I had to use the wooden charcoal and cut it into that shape instead. Later, after I finished drawing, you have to help me keep it, maybe one day I’ll use it again.” Dong Qiaoqiao obediently nodded.

With the ‘pencil’ in hand, it was as if Lin Wanrong returned to that unnamed lake where he drew the scene with his girlfriend. Having this bright mood, he started to draw again. Less than a while later, a more delicate and natural image of a beautiful woman gloriously appeared on the paper. As a result of an improved tool combined with his ‘in the mood’ state, the portrait was virtually two grade higher than the previous one.

In that portrait, the beautiful woman’s gown seemed to flutter, like a fairy riding on the wave. Her fairly imperceptible smile, her magnificent and elegant aura made it seemed as if she was standing right in front of you. Her eyebrows were slightly puckered, seemingly having a hint of sorrow. These details were added by Lin Wanrong according to Xiao family’s recent situation that was told to him by Dong Rende. The goal was to make her even more realistic.

“Is this really eldest Miss Xiao? She is really good looking.” From Lin Wanrong’s side, Dong Qiaoqiao sighed softly and involuntarily exclaimed: “If I could have this kind of portrait, that would be really nice.”

Lin Wanrong said with a smile: “Okay, no problem, another day I will personally draw your portrait.”