After returning to the hotel, Wei Chuan gave Meng Jingfan a bath, put it on him and started to put him to sleep.
The little guy didn't sleep at noon. Wei Chuan coaxed him for a while and squinted his eyes.
Meng Tang leaned on the bedside, took the small wooden carving he bought, put it in the palm of his hand and looked at it carefully.
Before leaving, she bought a few more items, almost covering the children's stall.
Wei Chuan came out of the shower and asked: "Are you still not sleeping?"
Meng Tang pursed his lips: "You have talent."
"What is the talent?" Wei Chuan pointed at the wooden cat in her palm, "I think it's very ordinary, not as good as your carving when you were a kid."
Meng Tang shook his head: "It's better than my carving when I was a kid. This kid should have a master."
You cannot enter without someone taking it with you.
Seeing that she was still lost in thought, Wei Chuan snatched the cat from her palm, looked at it several times, and clicked his tongue:
"I don't think there's anything special about it? Why can't you stare at it loosely?"
"What do you know?" Meng Tang motioned to Wei Chuan to give her the thing, "Look at the arched back of this cat, every joint is cut very precisely. , the force exerted by this movement was accurately and flexibly carved by him. Technically speaking, it is called "Shi". This child must have a strong sense of observation. The living things he sees in his eyes can be engraved on the wood carvings one by one. According to his age, his memory should be good. If he cultivates it well, he must have great abilities. "
Wei Chuan heard her voice-over, put his arms around Meng Tang's shoulders, and asked, "Are you tempted?"
Meng Tang sighed: "It's a pity, he should have a master."
"The first day of Tan Xi's solo exhibition tomorrow is not to introduce you to a child, maybe it will be better than this."
Tan Xi and Meng Tang are peers and are well-known in the industry. She said yes, there shouldn't be much difference.
Meng Tang didn't have much hope, he was afraid that she would be disappointed tomorrow.
Tan Xi’s solo exhibition will last for almost two weeks with a basic period plus a flexible extension.
Because it is New Year's Day, the exhibition hall decoration is also combined with the day to create a New Year atmosphere.
The warm light made the texture and shadow of the wood carving more three-dimensional. After Meng Tang stopped for a while, Tan Xi came over.
"Long time no see." Tan Xi hugged Meng Tang.
Meng Tang smiled and let go of her, said "Congratulations", then stepped aside and introduced to Meng Jingfan:
"Fanfan, call me Auntie Xiao Tan."
Meng Jingfan called someone obediently, and Tan Xi smiled She pinched his face and asked: "Why are you so cute?"
Meng Jingfan smiled and said, "Everyone says so."
"Yo, you are cute and self-aware." Tan Xi joked at him.
"Very narcissistic." Meng Tang said, "He talks a lot. The more you tease him, the more energetic he gets."
"Then let's go to the exhibition, I can't deal with a small talker."
Meng Tang looked at Wei Chuan: "Take Fanfan, I'll go with Tan Xi."
Wei Chuan nodded.
There is a large wooden sculpture "Eight Immortals Happy New Year" in the center of the main hall area. The sculpture is in the round, the characters have lifelike expressions, the folds of clothes are layered, and the dust is floating under the light and shadow, which is very stunning.
Meng Tang and Tan Xi chatted while walking, saying hello to anyone they met. Meng Tang was well-known in the industry, and many people came up to chat without Tan Xi's introduction.
At about 11 o'clock, a few people came out of the exhibition hall.
Tan Xi booked a restaurant nearby and planned to chat with Meng Tang about his young apprentice.
Meng Tang had the same plan. While waiting for the food, he said to Tan Xi: "The person you introduced to me didn't come today?"
"Maybe I have to go to her house in the afternoon." Tan Xi said, "The child is very busy."
Meng Tang laughed: "What is a child busy with?"
"His family has a special situation." Tan Xi sighed, "My parents died very early, and my grandma raised me. His grandpa was a master craftsman, and his skills were not good enough. He always relied on wood carving to earn some money to support the family. But the old man died last year, and the old lady got sick again. She may not survive this winter." >
Tan Xi said: "The neighbors are providing relief, but the child is very enthusiastic. He carves his own baubles and sells them at the market. But he has to go to school, so he can only earn some living expenses during the holidays."
Wei Chuan frowned: "How old is he?"
"Eight years old." Tan Xi said, "A very beautiful child, but I don't know if it suits your taste."
"Then why don't you accept it yourself?" Meng Tang asked, "And you want me to come over?"
"I haven't made a big name myself, how can I recruit a disciple?" Tan Xi said, "I only mentioned it to you because I heard my mother say it and have some relationship with my family. I have read his works and they are very effective."
But it’s not a good idea to arrive empty-handed, so it’s most practical to bring something to eat.
After lunch, Tan Xi drove to a central village in the north.
This place is densely populated with three religions and nine streams. Wei Chuan picked up Meng Jingfan and followed behind Meng Tang and Tan Xi.
"Don't be nervous, it's a bit chaotic, but most of them have ordinary white surnames."
Tan Xi took Meng Tang to the east end of the second row in front and said, "They live on the first floor. I'll knock on the door first."
As soon as he raised his hand, the door was opened from the inside.
Meng Tang was stunned, and he and the child said at the same time: "Why are you?"
Tan Xi looked at Meng Tang: "You two know each other?"
"I don't know you." The child held the door tightly, "I just sold you a few toys. I agreed at that time that I would not give up for any reason."
Meng Tang laughed and said, "I'm not asking you for a refund. Why don't you let us in first?"
Meng Tang's tone was too gentle, and he didn't reach out to hit the smiling person. The child scratched his face and stepped aside.
Tan Xi entered the door and took the lead in greeting the old lady. The old lady lay on the sofa and opened her eyes, with only skin and bones left all over her body.
Meng Tang put the things he bought on the coffee table and listened to Tan Xi chatting with the old lady.
The old lady looked at Meng Tang and held Tan Xi's hand: "Is this the master I'm looking for for Xiaoyu?"
The child looked at Meng Tang with wide eyes: "You know how to carve wood?"
Tan Xi slapped her on the back of the head: "Why should I bring someone here if I don't know? Do you know who she is?"
Meng Tang smiled and asked: "Your name is Xiaoyu?"
< br/> "My surname is Cheng." The child raised his chin, "The single name is Yu, the overpass, the mountain and the sea, and the meaning of transcending everything."
"Good name." Meng Tang's eyes lit up, "Who named it for you?"
Cheng Yu hummed proudly: "My grandfather."
"The old man is educated." Meng Tang said, "Where do you usually carve?"
Tan Xi pushed Cheng Yu: "Take me there."
Cheng Yu glanced at Meng Tang: "Follow me."
Her bedroom was her "workshop". Meng Tang pushed the door open and was attracted by the table full of wood.
The indoor space is not large, the bed and wardrobe are very small, and the rest of the space is used to pile wood.
There are pencil sketches on the scattered white paper, and the lines are quite smooth.
"Your grandfather taught you a lot." Meng Tang looked at Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu felt lost for a moment and said, "That's right, I have the true legacy of the old man."
“You are quite talented, are you willing to go to Yanqing for me?” Meng Tang looked at her Yanqing article.
Cheng Yu met her gaze: "I'll go if you ask me to go. What are your abilities?"
Having personality, he needs to test his master first.
Meng Tang did not pursue her offense and picked up the exercise work on her desk, which was still a cat.
She said: "You have talents. First, the shape. You can grasp the bones of the work well. You have the awareness of "the intention comes first with the knife." You often observe the various forms of animals, right? Second, although the knife technique is clumsy, it is better than the dynamic and vitality."
"You are carving wood now for your livelihood. Over time, life will wear down your resilience. I want you to carve innocence, childishness, history, and inheritance... What is the premise for this?"
This is a test of yourself, Cheng Yu knows.
She stared at Meng Tang for a while and said, "I need to study."
Meng Tang smiled: "You are at the age to study, think about it. Come to Yanqing, and I will accept you as my disciple."
"What is your name?" Cheng Yu asked.
"Mengtang, Meng of Mencius, Tang of Haitang."
"I know you, the orthodox inheritor of boxwood carving, but I studied Donglu wood carving."
Mengtang said: "Then are you coming?"
Cheng Yu could only think for a moment and said: "My grandfather said that these two kinds of wood carvings are branches of traditional Chinese wood carving art. They are just arts with wood as the carrier. They have the same cultural roots. The forms of carving are different, but the essence is the same."
Meng Tang really likes Cheng Yu and said: "You still have an old lady at home, give me a call after you have thought about it and I will leave you a number later."
"But there are many things, I As mentioned above, follow me to Yanqing. You will have food and accommodation at my house. You will go home once a month and you will have to transfer to Yanqing... There are many details. Tan Xi will tell you, please think about it carefully."
Cheng Yu nodded.
She knew that Meng Tang said it nicely, but she thought it was just a euphemism because the old lady outside was not good anymore.
Let her think about it and perform her last act of filial piety.