"Gloomy, you say? My guesthouse has never been called gloomy before!" The old man poked the floor with his cane, visibly perturbed.
Chiang Xiao had never encountered such a situation and was somewhat baffled by it.
Apart from that painting, the guesthouse really could be described as bright and clean, well-maintained, and should have been a comfortable place to stay.
"Dad, why don’t we take down the painting and see what happens?"
"Take it down then!" the old man said sternly. "Go call Ah Qiang over."
The woman dashed upstairs and soon came down with a tall, middle-aged man. The man glanced at Chiang Xiao and began to remove the painting.
With nothing else to do, Chiang Xiao watched the proceedings from the sidelines.
Once the painting was down, the wall behind it revealed a large, unsightly patch where it had been repaired. However, to Chiang Xiao’s surprise, it indeed looked more pleasing to the eye without the painting.
Moreover, with the removal of the dark-themed painting, the room suddenly felt brighter, and the whole atmosphere of the guesthouse changed.
"We really shouldn’t hang that painting back up," Chiang Xiao couldn’t help commenting.
"But now it just looks ugly," the old man grumbled dejectedly. "I’ll go see if Hansheng has any nice paintings!"
A thought suddenly struck Chiang Xiao.
"’Big Master’, are you going to buy another painting?"
"Buy one? Of course, I’ll buy one. I can’t stand the sight of that damaged wall."
"Actually, hanging a ’Rising Sun’ or ’Welcoming Pine’ would be quite nice," suggested Chiang Xiao.
The old man’s eyes sparkled as he replied, "You’re right about that!"
His daughter poured cold water on his enthusiasm, "Would you give it up already? Didn’t you say last time you couldn’t find a painting that size?"
Hence, they had resorted to buying that oppressive painting that even scared away guests.
It was indeed rather bizarre.
The old man immediately wilted, "Finding one in that size is indeed a challenge. They said otherwise we’d have to commission a Painter, but whom would we commission? I certainly wouldn’t dare contact the one who painted that auspicious prosperity again."
Not only would he not dare, but hmph, he would definitely trample on any of his work he came across!
Chiang Xiao couldn’t resist asking, "’Big Master’, where do you buy your paintings?"
"From Mingchen Studio, of course," the old man replied. "The place has some reputation. Scholars gather there every day to exchange ideas, some paint or write calligraphy on the spot, and then their works are displayed for sale in Mingchen Studio."
"Is Mingchen Studio open to the public? Can I go there too?" Chiang Xiao’s interest piqued. She really wanted to visit. After all, she had many paintings she had done for practice in her Space; it would be a way to engage with other Painters.
"Of course, you can go." The old man glanced at her and asked, "You’re staying with us?"
"Anything you should be doing now? I am going to Mingchen Studio right now; want me to take you with me?"
"Yes! Thank you, ’Big Master,’" Chiang Xiao replied eagerly, nodding her head.
The old man’s son-in-law and daughter exchanged helpless looks as they watched him whisk away the only guest they had had in three days.
The old man, surnamed Li, was quite a talker, and as a local from the county town, he was very familiar with the place. He took Chiang Xiao on the bus to Mingchen Studio, sharing many stories about it along the way.
Upon arriving, Chiang Xiao’s eyes lit up at the sight of the ancient-looking compound; it really was an antiquely charming place.
The characters for Mingchen Studio were graceful, almost as if touched by a celestial vibe.