paddock

Capital Calligraphy Association.

Sitting in the reception room was a blond foreign guest, his face was covered with wrinkles, but he was in good spirits.Sitting opposite him was the president of the Calligraphy Association, who was more than a few years old, and he was like a master in the calligraphy world.

The old president has long wanted to step down and give way to future generations, but everyone refused, because the old president is a benchmark and a symbol here, and he can attract many people to pay attention to calligraphy and insist on calligraphy.Most of the current generation of children who receive universal compulsory education grew up on the copybooks written by President Lianlao.

Meeting with foreign guests shouldn't be done to the old president, but this time it's an old friend, so it's an exception.When the old president stayed abroad for a period of time, this foreign guest warmly received him, so that he would not be unaccompanied and struggling in a foreign country.

The old president said with emotion: "I didn't expect you to come to Huaguo."

The foreign guest smiled heartily: "In fact, since you lived in our house for a while, my mother and wife have fallen in love with Huaguo culture, and they will buy a Tang suit to wear when you come across Huaguo Chinese New Year. Also, the ones at home The bowls and dishes were all replaced with Huaguo porcelain. They didn't say anything, but they liked it very much. Besides, the situation is different now. The Congress is eager for us to come and see if there is any new opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two countries. .”

The old president didn't want to get involved in these things at all: "I don't have the opportunity you are looking for here."

The foreign guest raised his hand and rubbed his temples, his body slumped slightly, his back sank into the back of the chair, and he lowered his shoulders and sighed: "I am too tired, and I want to come to your place to be quiet and quiet. How do you say it in your words? Accept the gorgeous and beautiful Huaguo Influenced by culture, find a peaceful place where the soul can rest.”

The old chairman glanced at the foreign guests: "We don't say such sour words." He rarely admits that he is a cultural person, because his generation has experienced the most turbulent everything, going to the ground, entering the city, Escaping from famine, carrying a gun, doing all kinds of jobs, experiencing a little bit of everything, all these have made him who he is today, and at the same time, they have been integrated into the depths of his blood with the passage of time, and he is unwilling to abandon them. any part.The past is easy to forget, so someone has to remember it.

The foreign guests knew that the old president was stubborn, so they didn't say much.He stood up, straightened his back, walked to the painting and calligraphy hanging in the living room and stood still, and said, "Is this your painting? Even a layman like me thinks the mountains and rivers above are extraordinary. Your handwriting is really unique, no wonder your juniors are reluctant to let you go."

The old president shook his head: "I still hope that there are juniors who can surpass me and go to a higher place. My current position is far from the top." peak, only to realize later that what I had glimpsed was just a small corner."

The foreign guests came to be interested: "Is there anyone in Huaguo who is more powerful than you? Why haven't I heard of it?"

The old president said: "He hasn't painted for a long time, let alone left any calligraphy and painting works." He also stood up, "The exhibition hall of the cultural center has some of his later works, but they are not calligraphy and painting, but kites. .”

"Kites?" Foreign guests were surprised, "Why kites?" Huaguo is the birthplace of kites, and in many cultural works, it symbolizes the contradictory freedom and bondage.Could it be that what happened to this person made him pour his heart and soul into that little kite?

"Because he likes children." The old president said with a wry smile.That guy's temper is like this. If he says he will stop painting, he will stop painting, and if he says he will stop writing, he will stop writing. No matter how many people ask for money, he will not be moved.But after returning to the countryside, no one knew him. Seeing that the children in the village were not accompanied by adults, and could only run around in the mountains and rivers every day, he picked up the paintbrush again and drew many kites for the children.The children knew that the guy had a good temper, and they laughed all day long. Every time they saw that guy, they would talk to him around him.

It's a pity that time is not forgiving, and that guy passed away in the blink of an eye with unresolved regrets and knots in his heart.

The old president picked up the crutches on one side: "I'll take you there to have a look. You'll know after seeing it. Even an ordinary kite will become completely different after he draws it."

The foreign guests happily followed the old president to the exhibition hall.They arrived in a short while. The old president pushed the door of the exhibition hall and walked in. His mood was sour and astringent in an instant. He didn't care about introducing anything to the foreign guests. He walked forward and touched the booth through the protective glass. There are some worn-out kites.

In fact, from the very beginning, that person never thought of being a painter or calligrapher. His calligraphy is powerful and reveals a thriving business; his paintings are not works of art, but can be integrated into everything in life, giving The baby that gives life to everything.Just like the inkstone carved by Ye Wenqing, his paintings come alive.

It is also because of this that the old president feels that he is far from reaching the top.

Art should not be separated from life.

The old president led the foreign guests around, and walked out of the exhibition hall leaning on a stick, with a rare melancholy on his face.At this time, the person in charge of the National Youth Calligraphy Competition came over, his face full of eagerness: "President!"

The old president calmed down and looked up at the person in charge: "What's wrong? How old is he, and he's still frizzy."

The person in charge smiled shyly, but what he said sounded like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water: "This is my virtue, and I can't change it." He took a step forward, greeted the foreign guests, and then said, "Yes. Long, I just took a closer look at the entries of the children today, and found that one of the works has the taste of Mr. Xue, who you admire the most. Would you like to go and have a look?"

The old president raised his face and wanted to refuse, but he thought that the person in charge was his student, his eyesight would not be too bad, and what the person in charge said was definitely not just a fake.Just as he was hesitating, the foreign guest next to him had already made a decision for him: "The entry? Was it written by your children in Huaguo? Then I came here by coincidence, so we can go and have a look together."

The foreign guests have said so, the old president can only let the person in charge lead the way.The person in charge led the two old presidents to the place where the entries were placed. They were all calligraphy works written that day, and there was a faint smell of ink in the air.Before the person in charge led them over, the old president's gaze had already landed on the entries.

The contestants are not very old, and they haven't practiced calligraphy for a long time, so there are not many works that are eye-catching.The old president scanned it for half a circle, and he thought one of them was very good. When he saw the signature, it turned out that it was a disciple of an old friend who had practiced seriously for several years.The old president looked at the remaining half, and his eyes were suddenly attracted by one of the words.Seeing the second half of the sentence, he couldn't help but read it out: "At that time, people didn't know Ling Yunmu, and waited until Ling Yun started to achieve greatness!"

Obviously these are just words, not paintings, but each word seems to have turned into small pine trees that are struggling to get out of the basil ---

The strong sense of familiarity made the old president's heart beat violently.That's it!That's it!It is clearly a word, but it seems to be alive, as if it can make people see what is hidden behind the words.If you judge it purely from the level, it is far inferior to his old friend's beloved disciple just now. He is not strong enough and his skills are not perfect, but at a glance, he feels good from the bottom of his heart--the flaws do not conceal the advantages!

"I think this child should be number one." The person in charge said sincerely.Anyway, the more he looked at this picture, the more he liked it.

"The picture of apprentice Zhang is also good." The old president commented objectively.The work just now has achieved some success in terms of technique and artistic conception, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it stands out from the crowd among its peers.

"It's not bad, it looks like it was printed in the same mold as Mr. Zhang." The person in charge pouted, obviously not liking it, "I didn't order my own things."

"You, don't set such high standards on children. Even if they are adults, how many of them can have their own things in the works?" The old president said earnestly.

The person in charge suddenly got excited: "Do you know how old the kid who wrote this song "Xiao Song" is?"

The old president was slightly surprised: "Even if it is the first year of junior high school, it should be twelve or thirteen years old, can it be younger?"

"Smaller!" The person in charge's voice was resounding, "Nine years old, third grade!" He told the old president about what happened during the competition, "It was quite controversial in the preliminary competition, but at that time the child's work was still lacking. Something happened, and I just stepped on the finalist line. To be honest, when I first saw this kid, I wondered if he was stuffed in to get a gold-plated prize. Unexpectedly, I just looked at this kid a few more times, The kid started to write seriously with a sullen face, and walked over to see that it was the song "Xiao Song". Hey, this is stabbing me!"

"You are quite happy to stab you?" The old president gave the person in charge a sideways look.

"It's not that you don't know my temper. Anyway, I think this child is very fond of me!" The person in charge said, "Whether you agree or not, anyway, my vote is for this child!"

The old president was amused by him: "It seems that you really like this child." He looked at the painting "Xiao Song", his brows were slightly loosened, as if he had been lightly ironed, or dyed. Shang Youyuan sighed, "It's good, it's very good. I don't know who the teacher is and if it has something to do with Lao Xue. But I can write such characters at such a young age. I will definitely see you in the future. Don't worry."

The person in charge nodded.

Yuan Ning didn't know that he had already caught the eyes of many people, and he didn't know that the person in charge was fighting for him to win the first prize.He and Zhang Xiuyan went back to the hotel and stayed overnight, and went to Capital University to check the accommodation the next day.Zhang Xiuyan is not a picky person, but he has a lot of things to do, and he also has a lot of information and documents that cannot be tampered with by others. After looking at the dormitory, he decided to buy a house first according to the original plan.The housing prices near Capital University are rising steadily, and the single-family houses are basically gone, replaced by high-rise commercial buildings.

Zhang Xiuyan led Yuan Ning to walk around several real estates with existing buildings, and asked Yuan Ning where it was good.Yuan Ning seriously recalled the sample houses he had seen just now, and chose one with plenty of sunlight, a good view, and good greenery.Zhang Xiuyan nodded and went to the sales department to finalize the house.He didn't arrive yet, so he couldn't get a loan, but Zhang Xiuyan didn't care about it, and directly asked for a furnished house, which made the sales girl smile so big that she couldn't hold her face.

Zhang Xiuyan and Yuan Ning went to check and accept the existing house again, paid the money, took away the keys, and planned to go home with Yuan Ning.Yuan Ning was a little dazed.It takes a long time to go back and forth to buy a house in other people's houses, how come Zhang Xiuyan's place is so simple, it can be done in the blink of an eye?

Yuan Ning blinked, seeing Zhang Xiuyan put the key in his pocket indifferently, and knew that Zhang Xiuyan was going to check in directly when he thought about it.Zhang Xiuyan is very considerate in everything he does and takes good care of the whole family, but he doesn't care much about himself.As long as basic necessities of life are not too affected, Zhang Xiuyan has always been indifferent.Yuan Ning pulled Zhang Xiuyan back: "Although the house has been renovated, you can't just live in it!"

Zhang Xiuyan looked at Yuan Ning's serious face.

Yuan Ning took out his notebook and pen: "Let's go look again, and then make a list to see what needs to be changed and what needs to be bought. Brother, you will live here for at least four years, and you must change it comfortably. You need to be comfortable!" Seeing that Zhang Xiuyan was unmoved, Yuan Ning reached out and grabbed Zhang Xiuyan's broad palm, his eyes full of persistence.

Zhang Xiuyan could only lead Yuan Ning to look at the house.

Yuan Ning took a small notebook to record from inside to outside, and asked Zhang Xiuyan for his opinion from time to time.Originally, Zhang Xiuyan didn't want to spend too much time on it, but seeing Yuan Ning being so caring, he slowly put forward some opinions of his own, but his opinions were nothing more than "it's convenient" and "don't bother".Yuan Ning ignored all Zhang Xiuyan's opinions, and carefully studied various defects: what kind of carpet and sofa should be selected; If you don’t change the table, you should choose some tablecloths; you should also buy some household appliances; the lights in the room are fancy, but the light is not enough, reading books and reading materials will damage your eyes; Pick one that can be closed with the back of your hand...

Zhang Xiuyan: "..."

With a sullen face, Yuan Ning severely criticized Zhang Xiuyan: "If I had my own house, I would not be sloppy at all."

Zhang Xiuyan raised his hand and ruffled Yuan Ning's hair: "You are so young, but you have so many ideas."

Yuan Ning said: "There are not many!" He looked up at Zhang Xiuyan, and tried to persuade Zhang Xiuyan, "The place to live in should be comfortable and feel like home! Every day after school, when you come home, you can have a comfortable meal , get a good night's sleep, and you will feel better the next day!"

Facing Yuan Ning's persistent eyes, Zhang Xiuyan could only say: "Well, let's stay for a few more days and install the phone by the way, so we can contact you when the time comes."

Yuan Ning was overjoyed and enthusiastically sorted out the list.

Yuan Ning heard from his mother before that when he grows up and all the children in the village pass the exam, they will be transferred to the urban area, and they will have a spacious house by then.The house has a large balcony where flowers and plants can be planted.In the house, we need to raise a kitten and a puppy. When the parents are not at home, the kitten and puppy can keep him company. When he is not at home, the kitten and puppy will not be alone.When his mother said these words, her expression was gentle and soft, and her voice was like the wind blowing slowly on a spring night. He was so happy that he obediently fell asleep in his mother's arms.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he seemed to be able to see the big balcony.The flowers and plants are growing well, and the delicate flowers are swaying in the wind.A kitten poked its head out of the leaves, meowed, and stretched lazily.Unexpectedly, when it moved like this, the raindrops on the leaves suddenly fell down, wet its soft hairs.It didn't dare to move anymore, so it could only lift its furry paws to sweep its back, turning its head from time to time and licking it twice with its tongue.

The bright sunlight shone on his face, making it warm and comfortable.

Yuan Ning's hand holding the pen paused.He turned to look at Zhang Xiuyan.Zhang Xiuyan also happened to be standing in the sun. Although his face was so similar to Mr. Zhang's, there was a tenderness between his brows that made him want to get close and occupy him.This kind of tenderness is hidden very deep, just like the spring water buried deep in the bottom, only those who never give up can dig it out and enjoy the most beautiful sweetness in the world it bestows.

Yuan Ning whispered, "Brother."

Zhang Xiuyan turned to look at him.

"Can I come?" Yuan Ning looked straight at Zhang Xiuyan, "If I miss you, can I come and see you? Can I have a room here for me? I've counted, take the train from home Come here, it only takes more than an hour, and you will be here soon, and you can come here for a very short vacation!"

Zhang Xiuyan suddenly remembered the sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy in his dream.

It's all the same, the idea of ​​wanting to be together all the time and not wanting to be apart for too long - it's all the same.They haven't been separated since the day Yuan Ning arrived at Zhang's house, and the first person they see when they wake up every day is each other.

So, it's normal for him to have such a dream, right?Looking into Yuan Ning's expectant eyes, Zhang Xiuyan ruthlessly refused: "No, I can't come."

Yuan Ning lowered his head in frustration.

"You are only nine years old, so you can't run around by yourself." Zhang Xiuyan looked at Yuan Ning's low head, "You can choose the room, and you can come here only if someone brings it with you."

Yuan Ning raised his head in surprise and joy.

Zhang Xiuyan looked serious.

Yuan Ning stood on tiptoe and hugged Zhang Xiuyan's neck, and kissed Zhang Xiuyan on the cheek with a squeak.He knew that big brother would not reject him!The eldest brother is always so hard-spoken and soft-hearted, and will never let him down or let him down!Yuan Ning hugged Zhang Xiuyan tightly and boasted sincerely: "Brother is the best!"

Yuan Ning is no longer a five or six-year-old child, and his height has reached Zhang Xiuyan's chest, but his body is always clean and refreshed, and he does not have the sweaty smell of excessive exercise and excess energy like other boys.His soft hair swept across Zhang Xiuyan's neck, making Zhang Xiuyan slightly stiff, and the roots of his ears turned red unconsciously.He put on a straight face: "How old are you, don't imitate your fourth brother's practice of hugging and hugging - you have never stayed abroad!"

Yuan Ning knew that Zhang Xiuyan was not used to being close to people, so he was definitely shy with such a fierce tone!He let go of Zhang Xiuyan happily, and continued to write the purchase list energetically, giving Zhang Xiuyan different choices from time to time.Yuan Ning has already figured out the rules. Whenever he asks Zhang Xiuyan "whether or not", Zhang Xiuyan will definitely say "no". Will answer "black" or "blue".

It took half a day to finalize the place to be remodeled, Zhang Xiuyan led Yuan Ning to find a home improvement company, and asked Yuan Ning to communicate with the other party.Seeing that Zhang Xiuyan and Yuan Ning were so small, the person in charge didn't pay much attention to it at first, but after seeing the floor plan that Yuan Ning brought, he immediately changed his attitude - to buy such a big house in such an expensive place, Even a three-year-old child will serve him like a god!After carefully listening to Yuan Ning's request, the person in charge completely lost the idea of ​​fooling them casually, and honestly took Yuan Ning's drawings with modification requirements and prepared to start work.

Yuan Ning dragged Zhang Xiuyan to supermarkets, furniture stores, and various small shops in the shopping mall, carefully picking out everything on the list.They bought a lot of things, and in the end they could only have them delivered to their doorsteps, while the bedding and other things that needed to be cleaned were sent to the laundromat to be washed and sent over.

Because there is no need to make major changes, the people sent by the home improvement company have already refitted the places that should be refitted as required, and cleaned them inside and out.After Zhang Xiuyan settled the money, he called someone to change the door lock, and waited for the merchants to deliver furniture and other things to the door one after another.The flower shop is the closest to here, and soon sent all the green plants ordered by Yuan Ning. The green plants in the pots are placed in the designated positions, and the plants in small pots are placed in every corner of the house.

By the end of the day, the whole house has been completely refreshed.The sofa became soft, but Zhang Xiuyan's preferences were taken care of, and he didn't choose too fancy colors and styles.The floor is covered with a light brown carpet, which is thin and soft. If you step on it with bare feet, the soles of your feet will immediately be conquered by the soft touch.The table is covered with a tablecloth that matches the sofa, and the glass fruit bowl is placed in the center, shining brightly in the afterglow of the setting sun.

On the large balcony outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, there is an iron green plant shelf with easy-to-care plants on it. As long as you give them sunlight, even if you leave them alone for a month, they will still stretch their branches and leaves vigorously.Next to it is a tea table and two very comfortable chairs, where you can nestle in the sun and read a book - or drink tea with friends.

Not to mention the room, from the pillows on the bed to the blankets on the floor are all selected by Yuan Ning, making people want to lie on them just by looking at them.

Yuan Ning was very excited all day long and didn't feel tired at all.When it was time for dinner, he felt sore all over and didn't want to move at all.

Zhang Xiuyan raised his eyebrows: "Tired?"

Yuan Ning lay down on the sofa.

Zhang Xiuyan said: "It's normal to be tired. Others take months to finish it, but you want to finish it in one day. Can you not be tired?"

Yuan Ning raised his head and pointed out the facts with great concern: "But if you don't finish it, you, brother, will definitely not do it yourself!" No damage was found.Big brother always doesn't pay attention to his own affairs!

Zhang Xiuyan was silent.

He asked Yuan Ning to take a bath and took Yuan Ning out for dinner.

The next day Yuan Ning continued to work, Zhang Xiuyan left him at home and went to get the certificate of property right by himself.He was not yet eighteen, so logically a guardian had to come over, but he called Mr. Zhang to explain the situation, and Mr. Zhang talked to the person in charge again, and the property right certificate was in his hands without much trouble.

It is a thin, small book with a bright red cover.

Zhang Xiuyan opened the little red book, only to see two connected names written on it——

Zhang Xiuyan, Yuan Ning.