Yunding Ranch

Chapter 284 A Painting

Like French cafes and Chinese teahouses, bars are an integral part of people's daily life in the UK. This kind of leisure and entertainment place originated in the Roman era, and has accumulated the ancient and elegant British culture for centuries. , Rough and pure history and culture, creaking wooden floors and flickering ceiling lights can vaguely glimpse the glory and brilliance of this country's history.

The bar (Pub) mentioned here is not the kind of bar (Bar) where modern young people gather, but a public place where ordinary people gather, and it is even considered as one of the social institutions. Wine places, like churches, are often the center of a community, even landmarks.

The prosperity of bars reached its peak in the nineteenth century. With the rise of railways, various railway bars came into being. Many Victorian railway bars with luxurious decoration can still be seen on the main roads of contemporary British large cities. , as if you can walk through the tunnel of time and get a glimpse of the past.

This is an old bar, and the dangling bar shelf in front of it is easily reminiscent of steam trains, double carriages, and the dusty past.

Lu Li strongly suspected that this bar was even older than the nearby King's Cross station.

"What happened?" The bartender standing at the bar asked in a deep voice while wiping the beer glass. The vague British English was really a challenge for Lu Li.He thought that the Texas accent would be difficult enough, but he didn't expect that there would be even greater challenges when he came to the British mainland.

Lu Li picked up the whiskey in front of him, took a sip, and tasted it carefully with the tip of his tongue. It was spicy and full-bodied, and one couldn't help but want to enjoy it slowly.Sure enough, a good glass of wine and a good whiskey can always light up the whole day with ease.

"A little accident happened." Lu Li's eyes fell on the girl at the end of the bar, the girl named Anna, she kicked the wall indignantly, making muffled sounds, venting her dissatisfaction.

The bartender glanced back at Anna, then suddenly realized, and nodded, "Did she steal your wallet? Or other valuables?"

Lu Li was a little surprised. He originally didn't intend to expose Anna directly and save a little face for the other party, but he didn't expect it to be unnecessary. Instead, Lu Li smiled awkwardly, "Isn't this her first time?"

The bartender shrugged, "But this is the first time she's been caught."

Lu Li laughed dumbfounded, "Then her behavior is not difficult to understand." While speaking, Anna raised the bar again, and the wooden boards made a dull sound, and then the bartender yelled, "Anna, this is a very old building. I don't want it to be torn apart."

"Don't worry, it won't come loose that easily." Anna said angrily.

Lu Li frowned slightly, and said doubtfully, "She doesn't look like..." She didn't look like a typical thief at all, and she didn't even look like a down-and-out kid.On the contrary, she had an air of elegance about her.

"It's not like a thief?" The bartender chuckled twice, "It's not. It's just for excitement and to vent pressure."

Lu Li pursed his lips and nodded without commenting, "Then maybe I should return the cash." Such an answer made the bartender raise his head, looked at him twice, then lowered his eyes and continued to work, "You It should."

"Hey! You!" Lu Li heard a sexy cry, raised his head, and then saw a black shadow flying towards him, he caught it reflexively, and then saw Anna's angry His eyes widened, and he said angrily, "Can you leave now?"

Lu Li looked down and saw that it was indeed his wallet. He put the wallet on the bar counter and replied to Anna with a smile, "This is a bar, isn't it? I'm enjoying my first glass of whiskey."

"Norman!" Anna complained loudly to the bartender.

The bartender didn't look back at all, but just replied, "He's a guest." Then Anna turned around depressedly, pushed open a door at the back heavily, and stepped on the steps with all her body. An action to express one's anger.

"You should check and check." Norman raised his chin to Lu Li, and gestured to the wallet on the table.

Lu Li opened it and looked. The credit card, green card and driver's license were all there, but the cash had indeed disappeared. He looked up at Norman, "Can credit cards be accepted here?"

"This cup is my treat." Norman said bluntly.

Lu Li closed his wallet again, "Thank you." Then he raised his glass, saluted Norman, and took a big sip. "I have a question why the bartender is always wiping the beer glasses, for god's sake there aren't many customers and the glasses don't look dirty at all."

"Pretending to be busy is better than standing here in a daze. At least, the guests look more decent." Norman's answer was very straightforward, without any fancy, Lu Li was taken aback, then laughed, nodded, expressing affim.

Raising his head, Lu Li began to slowly look around the whole bar. It has to be said that the traces of time precipitation can be seen everywhere. People can't help but explore carefully, wondering how many historical changes have been witnessed here, and how much time has passed. of wind and frost.

Inadvertently, Lu Li saw the painting on the wall. It was molded in a dark brown photo frame. Under the dim light, the outline of the watercolor lines was somewhat blurred, but it could still be seen that it was the Chrysler Building—— One of the two framed paintings in the ring space is the Chrysler Building.

Lu Li couldn't bear it and walked over to it, and began to pick up a lot of the painting carefully.

From the appearance alone, it is indeed the Chrysler Building, its strokes and lines are somewhat familiar, and the rows of floors look exactly like the painting in the ring space!
This made Lu Li get closer, and when he looked at it carefully, the more he looked at it, the more it looked like it.He doesn't know much about painting, especially his understanding of lines and brushstrokes, which is almost zero, but he has enough understanding of composition and light and shadow - photography is not his forte, but he is a reporter One of the skills that must be touched.

After careful inspection, the style of the whole painting is indeed very similar.However, the color of the painting in front of me does not seem to be so bold. The painting in the ring space has an impressive use of peacock blue, which is vivid and bright, and instantly catches the eye; but this painting uses a lighter color , the color between bright blue and mint blue is too lively, lacking the coquettishness and depth of peacock blue, which also reduces the layering of the color.

More importantly, the painting in the ring space has been completed, and every detail has not been missed; but the painting in front of me is only two-thirds completed, the coloring of the lower half of the building has not been completed, and the shadows on the ground It has not been processed yet, and it can be seen that there are still some missing details.It's like... like it's rougher.

Of course, Lu Li is just a layman, his vision may not be accurate, these are just subjective judgments.But Lu Li had an intuition that there must be some connection between this painting and the painting in the ring space.

"You'd better be careful, don't put your whole body on it, otherwise, if you destroy this painting, even if you press down your entire wallet, you won't be able to afford it." There was an angry sarcasm from behind. Lu Li turned his head suddenly, and then saw Anna reappearing. She rolled her eyes and looked at Lu Li critically, exuding a repulsive aura all over her body.

Lu Li laughed, and pointed to the painting, "Do you know who created this painting? I mean, which artist?"

It took it for granted that Lu Li thought he was a famous artist, otherwise the bar wouldn't have hung the paintings here.

"Why, what's your opinion?" Anna bumped back straight.

Lu Li turned around and faced Anna, "Ma'am, did you make a mistake? The one who should complain now is me, right?"

These words made Anna put her hands on her hips and stare angrily, "A big man is so stingy and caressing!"

Lu Li raised his hands and closed his mouth tightly. He didn't say anything, but made a gesture of surrender, as if to say: I'm not complaining, and I'm not angry.The problem is not with me.

Seeing Lu Li's action, Anna was stunned. She stood there, not knowing what to say, when the voices of the guests came from behind, "Anna, don't lose. This gentleman didn't drag you to the police. / Police Bureau, there is no complaint, you should be glad!"

"Shut up!" Anna turned her head and yelled fiercely at the guests, causing everyone to burst into laughter. They seemed to be old acquaintances.

When she turned her head again, Anna's temper finally calmed down a little, and she looked at the painting, "You actually like this painting, which means you have a good eye, at least you have good taste in art."

"I guess, my eyesight is really good." Lu Li's teasing made Anna stare and almost got angry again. Seeing this, Lu Li quickly changed the subject, "Do you know its creator?"

"Why should I tell you?" Anna wrinkled her nose and refused to answer.

"That painting is from an old friend." Norman's voice came from the bar, and Anna immediately shouted in protest, "Norman!"

Norman didn't care at all, and then explained, "It's not a famous painter, it's just a collection from an old friend's house, and it's placed here to add a little color. In fact, the paintings on the wall are all from old friends."

"Old friend?" Lu Li expressed his curiosity.Although he is not sure whether his judgment is correct, but if he can investigate it, maybe he will gain something.

"Yes, my friend." Anna said emphatically, as if implying that she would never introduce Lu Li, and would even stop him from doing so!

During the conversation, there was a creaking sound from the direction of the stairs, and then the guests were heard shouting, "Evelyn!"

Norman's voice followed, "The old friend is here."

(End of this chapter)