"Madam, all the necessary supplies are here. Let's go now. I wish you a happy New Year."
"Happy New Year."
In the fair-faced concrete gallery, workers successively placed decoration materials in the atrium, covered them with a layer of felt cloth, and then left.
These workers will not come to work during the New Year, and today they will only work for half a day, so the interior decoration work of the gallery will not be carried out until after the new year.
"Ai Qing, it's hard for you to stay in London during the Chinese New Year."
"I'm seeing you outside, Sister Bai."
Bai Wenyu expressed an apology. She provided the concept for this gallery, but Cao Aiqing completed all the interior design alone. This is the girl's busiest thing recently, and Bai Wenyu's work habits are all matters that can be discussed in person. We won’t chat on the phone or online, which is one of the reasons why Cao Aiqing will stay in London for the New Year this year.
As for other reasons...
"Have you received the email from BDP Office?"
The older woman took out a box of women's cigarettes from her handbag, took out a slender one and put it between her red lips. She raised her hand to light the flame, exuding a casual elegance in her behavior.
"I received it last night. I was so excited that I couldn't sleep all night~ Thank you so much, Sister Bai, for your recommendation!"
When talking about this, Cao Aiqing looked happy.
BDP, the full name of Building Design Partnership, is one of the top architectural design firms in the world. Through Bai Wenyu's introduction, Cao Aiqing got an interview opportunity. Now she has received an admission offer from the other party. After the year She will have a three-month internship. If she performs well during the period, she can officially start her career as a designer after graduating with her doctorate in June.
Such a starting point is undoubtedly very high.
"You don't need to thank me. I just happened to know a few friends who like to collect art. I mentioned it. Favors don't count. Your ability to get in is purely due to Ai Qing's own strength."
Bai Wenyu looked at Cao Aiqing with admiration in her eyes. She blew out a wisp of smoke. The smell of this ladies' cigarette had been diluted. Even Cao Aiqing, who was sensitive to second-hand cigarettes, had no smell, and these days After years of contact, she was used to the other person's smoking behavior, but when she saw this, she still advised:
"Sister Bai, smoking is bad for your health. If you can, smoke less."
Bai Wenyu smiled slightly at this always kind-hearted little girl, raised her chin in front of the two of them, in the center of the second-floor gallery, and asked:
"Can you tell whether it's sunrise or sunset?"
Cao Aiqing looked sideways and saw the only oil painting in the entire gallery.
The sun and the sea blend together in the picture, and the color adopts a large area of dim yellow supplemented by sporadic blue. From a visual perspective, this image is more like depicting a sunset.
"Is this... Bai Jie's work?"
"yes."
Cao Aiqing did not give a direct answer. She knew that Bai Wenyu graduated from the Oil Painting Department of the Hong Kong Academy of Fine Arts when she was young. After marrying into the He family, she devoted herself to helping He Panshan establish and develop the Shanhai Group. After her divorce, she came to Europe. During her career as an auctioneer, she spent most of her career dealing with paintings and artworks, and even the fact that she is now opening a gallery was largely influenced by her student days.
However, compared to her vision and level of appreciating art, few people know about Bai Wenyu's own works. This is mainly because she has not focused on it in recent years, and has produced very few works that have been published.
"Let the sun rise."
"how to say?"
The girl gave the answer, and the lady asked about the judgment process with interest.
Cao Aiqing turned to look at her. Instead of analyzing it from the perspective of artistic techniques, she smiled and said a very practical reasoning:
"Because most of the open coastline of the port city can only see the sun rising from the sea instead of setting, so you can only see this scene at sunrise."
Bai Wenyu was stunned when he heard this, then couldn't help but chuckle twice and asserted:
"It seems that when you were a kid in Hong Kong City, you must have been to the beach on Zhaoxia Road on New Year's Eve and watched the New Year's sunrise."
Cao Aiqing, who is far away across the ocean, has a lot of thoughts about this kind of hometown custom that can only be experienced by locals in the port city.
"Sister Bai, you must have gone to see it, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to paint so well."
Bai Wenyu suppressed his laughter, but still had a smile on his lips as if remembering, and focused his eyes on the painting he had made many years ago.
"When I was young... I went with Tianran's father. What about you? Did Tianran take you there?"
"...Well, my senior year of high school."
"Oh, these two father and son are really of the same character..."
After saying this, the two women paused for a while, each thinking about their thoughts. After a while, Bai Wenyu slowly said:
"Ai Qing, you can see the sunset by the sea from the harbor city."
"where?"
"In a place called... Nanzhi Island, when I was young, I often went there to collect scenery. Whether it was the sunrise or sunset, I could see it very clearly. I often set up my easel there and sat there for the whole day. , so when I was painting this painting, I didn’t know whether I was painting a sunrise or a sunset. If you have the chance, you can also go to that island and have a look..."
Bai Wenyu said, walking slowly under the frame and taking off his painting.
"It's for you, kid."
"Sister Bai...this..."
"Take it, the paintings hanging in this position should be by Zao Wou-ki, Lin Fengmian, Cui Ruzhuo, or even San Yu, not Bai Wenyu, but they are all lying in the gallery designed by Cao Aiqing. This is what you deserve of."
This was a great affirmation for Cao Aiqing. Bai Wenyu handed the painting to him with both hands, and the young girl took it with fear and gratitude.
Cao Aiqing thought in her heart that Sister Bai's paintings could only be brought quietly to the most conspicuous place to watch alone in the gallery when the gallery was not decorated. What was hidden under this behavior should be the regret after giving up the brush. It's a pity...
"Ai Qing, I have something to ask you. Of course, considering your own time, you can think about it and give me an answer after a while. There is no rush."
"Sister Bai, tell me."
"After the New Year, when the gallery officially opens, I will return to Hong Kong for a period of time, about two years or three years, it should be a long time. If anything happens to the London gallery, I would like to ask you to handle it on my behalf. one time."
Bai Wenyu said it lightly, but Cao Aiqing was shocked.
"Sister Bai, you..."
Seeing the doubts and hesitation on the girl's face, Bai Wenyu immediately understood and said with a smile:
"did you eat lunch?"
Thanks to Brother "Fairy Little Pocket" for joining us, I'm very grateful! !
(End of chapter)
