When Gu Weijing put down his brush, Uncle Alai was still staring at the sketch paper in trance.
Art works are a bridge to connect the hearts of lonely people.
Art and music classes have always been an integral part of rehabilitation therapy for children with autism.
Some psychiatrists also recommend that patients suffering from depression or bipolar disorder attend more art exhibitions and art exhibitions accompanied by their family members.
"Do you like this painting? Uncle."
Gu Weijing noticed the look in the gatekeeper's eyes.
"I like it very much. Now I begin to understand why some rich people are willing to spend huge sums of money on certain paintings. The emotional comfort brought by this kind of art cannot be bought with any amount of money."
Uncle Alai leaned forward slightly, twisted his eyebrows, and nodded his chin gently, as if he was looking for something in this painting.
"That's what it feels like, yes, that's what it feels like..."
"I really like it."
He thought for a moment, opened the drawer under the table, and took out a large handful of colorful Burmese coins from a metal biscuit box with some paint peeling off.
The janitor counted the banknotes over and over with his missing little finger, counted out a handful of money, and handed it to Gu Weijing.
"Huh?" Gu Weijing was confused.
"No, don't I follow the rules of taking care of you, my little brother? 30,000 kyats, which is about fifteen dollars to buy a painting, or do you want me to give the money directly to the director of the orphanage?"
Uncle Alai asked back.
Gu Weijing smiled bitterly.
"Why, that's too little? If I were worth hundreds of millions like that boss Chen, I would be willing to sell a mountain of gold without blinking an eyelid for this painting. Unfortunately, I'm just a janitor at an orphanage, earning only Qingqing. Free money. I'm very poor, and fifteen dollars has taken me a long time to save."
The uncle smiled, his face even a little cunning.
"If you want more, you can take the money in the cookie box. But apart from these worthless kyats, I can't offer any other conditions in exchange for this painting, nor will I offer any other conditions in exchange for this painting. .”
Uncle Alai's face has returned to calm.
He stared into Gu Weijing's eyes and said in a playful tone: "Why, Brother Gu, you don't really intend to make me work for you just to paint a picture, do you? Isn't this price too evil? some?"
Gu Weijing continued to smile bitterly.
Uncle Alai was indeed touched and moved by this sketch of his, but it was only touched and moved.
This painting is truly a masterpiece.
That a middle school student can draw such a work is not only a masterpiece, it is simply a miracle.
However,
If you hold the thought in mind and draw three views from one painting,
With just one pen drawing, Uncle Alai, who has experienced all kinds of things in the world and has been tempered like a retired monk, has new ideas.
Thinking that people will bow to you as soon as the tiger's body shakes,
It's too whimsical and naive to make people laugh.
Gu Weijing didn't know if there were any paintings that could achieve such an effect.
But a pen-and-ink painting that is a first-time professional painter's "feeling from the heart" is definitely not enough. Even if it is a perfect feeling from the heart, it does not have such magic power.
He was not so arrogant and had no intention of doing so from the beginning.
Gu Weijing has other trump cards.
He shook his head and handed the sketch paper to the gatekeeper: "Uncle Alai was joking. He didn't want you to pay from the beginning. This painting was originally intended to be given to you."
"Send it to me? Actually, I think it's better to collect money...that's all, if Brother Gu insists on not wanting money."
Uncle Alai thought for a moment and took the sketch paper respectfully with both hands.
Then he actually stood up, took a small step back, and bowed to Gu Weijing seriously.
The concierge is small, and the concierge is extremely tall. When he bows respectfully, he feels like a hill is pouring down on you, which is very oppressive.
"Thank you, Mr. Gu Weijing, I am very honored to have this work of yours, thank you."
Gu Weijing hesitated for a moment but did not avoid it.
He knew that if he didn't let Alai bow, they would not accept the painting anyway.
Gu Weijing understood what kind of mentality this was. He had been so wary before.
This is how I deal with my bald subordinates when they come to visit after the Spring Festival.
After collecting the fruit plate, you must scatter a cigarette of equal value.
If you can give money, give money. If you can't give money, you should express your gratitude respectfully and sincerely.
Then the two will not owe each other, and the two will not be involved.
Don't give anyone a chance to get involved.
Perhaps except for the little girl Jasmine, Uncle Alai had such a very distant attitude towards everyone including Gu Weijing, including this world that disappointed him.
think about it.
Even if he didn't say it explicitly, the reason why the uncle took the trouble to find the missionary's "Preaching Diary" for him in the first place was clearly to reward Gu Weijing for being willing to play with little girl Jasmine.
Clearly distinguish, any friendship will be returned immediately,
I don’t want to owe anyone any favors, and I don’t want to be coerced by favors to do anything. I just want to live as a gatekeeper.
Gu Weijing looked at Uncle Alai's pitted face and sighed again and again.
How desperate would such a strong man be for this world? Only then can we construct such a hard shell in interpersonal interactions and protect ourselves tightly.
"I've finished my story. Brother Gu, you are always welcome to come here to drink tea or play with Jasmine. As for other things... I won't say too much to avoid making both of you look bad. I don't want to refuse coldly. You, because Jasmine really likes you.”
Uncle Alai waved his hand and wanted to see the guest off.
"Why don't you listen first, uncle? As my assistant, what can I give you?"
"Haha, Brother Gu, don't blame me for looking down on you. I once had a deal worth 390 million U.S. dollars, but it didn't make me tempted. I'm afraid you can't offer a higher salary."
Alai's tone was a bit mocking.
Gu Weijing seemed not to notice the indifference on Uncle Alai's face.
He said to himself: "Money, I actually don't have much money. I may only give you a monthly salary of about five hundred US dollars during this period, which does not include food and accommodation. You can buy or rent a second-hand car and ask me for reimbursement." Pick me up from Dulwich College and bring me to the orphanage after school..."
The gatekeeper originally had a cold face and refused to let anyone stay away.
Hearing this guy's conditions actually made him happy.
"Master, at this price, instead of looking for an assistant, you might as well go to the job market to hire a driver or a maid." The gatekeeper curled his lips and complained.
$500,
Is this sending beggars away?
Although this salary is five times the per capita income of Myanmar, it also depends on the work.
Being a driver is a skilled job and is considered a better way out for local young people with low academic qualifications. At least they can earn more than lifting poles for foreign tourists.
It is not difficult for motorcycle drivers in tourist areas to earn two to three hundred US dollars a month if they work hard. Five hundred US dollars a month, including food and lodging, and having to find and rent a car by themselves, may not be something even experienced drivers are willing to do.
Uncle Alai doesn't care about money, and he doesn't care at all how much money the other party can pay.
But at a price of $500...who are you looking down on?
"Uncle, we all know that if we want to impress you, money is never the key issue. It's just the money that allows you to maintain your daily life."
Gu Weijing was not disappointed either, he just smiled.
Everyone has their own desires,
No matter what you seek is fame, fortune, or self-realization, just like the classic line from "The Godfather," everyone has a price they can't refuse.
The issue is,
What's Uncle Alai's price?
Ever since Gu Weijing heard about Uncle Alai's former identity, he understood that it was impossible for such a talented person who lived in seclusion in an orphanage to hire someone as an assistant with a high salary.
Even if money can really make all the difference, the wealth that is enough to tip the scales in Uncle Alai's heart is far beyond what Gu Weijing can afford.
"Why don't you please take a look at what's inside and then make a decision."
Gu Weijing took out a large folder from his schoolbag and handed it to Uncle Alai.
He originally just had a guess, but after hearing Uncle Alai's story, he was already 70% or 80% sure.
"It's not just painting, is it? Actually, I'm not that artistic."
The janitor was clearly not in high spirits.
He patiently took the folder and glanced at it, ready to reject this young man who was licking his face and rubbing it hard.
Just look at it like this,
Uncle Alai was really stunned.
"The student status was actually transferred the day before yesterday. The dean asked me to tell you personally that Jasmine can go to Baixiang Primary School next week."
Gu Weijing smiled and tapped the table with his fingertips.
There was a thick stack of documents in the folder, but the first page was a transfer notice from Baixiang Primary School in Burmese.
The white elephant and the lion are the national totems of Myanmar, similar to the iron-eating beast to Eastern Xia and the bald eagle to North America.
It is not difficult to guess what kind of elementary school it is named after White Elephant.
It is not a private school, and it is more difficult to get into than private schools that you can attend if you have money.
White Elephant Primary School is the best municipal public primary school in Yangon. Its reputation is about the same as that of Dulwich College, but it has a stronger political meaning. The tuition fee is only a fraction of that of a private school. It has excellent teacher resources and the funding expenses are almost entirely funded by The government is responsible.
Kou Kou's alma mater is Baixiang Primary School. When she was in middle school, she wanted to learn painting, so she went to Dulwich College, which had professional art classes.
"You arranged for Jasmine to enter school!" Uncle Alai sounded surprised.
What kind of good school can the children of a poor orphanage go to?
Not to mention the drug orphans here, many of them have congenital diseases. Even for normal children, the cost of books and tuition is a huge burden.
On the surface, Yang has a ten-year compulsory education, but there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor. People generally have low incomes and high pressure to study.
On the one hand, in Yangon alone, there are eight aristocratic schools such as Dewey, with tuition fees of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars per semester, opened by European and American international private education groups.
On the other hand, for ordinary families to go to a relatively good public school, they have to rely on connections.
Children from normal families who drop out of school every year due to family reasons or because they cannot afford to pay the textbook fee, which is only about ten dollars, are like those who have crossed the river.
Jasmine was taught more by Uncle Alai himself.
He has a very high level of education, but he is not professional in teaching children.
Moreover, being able to go to an excellent primary school with peers can have more beneficial effects on children's character and psychology than studying with an uncle in an orphanage.
When Uncle Alai was in a high position more than ten years ago, it was just a phone call away.
Nowadays, people take tea to cool off, but there is nothing they can do about it.
If it were other schools, Alai might not care so much, but he wanted the little girl with AIDS in the orphanage to go to the best public primary school in Myanmar.
He also knew how much connections he needed to make and how many connections he needed to spend.
The janitor looked at the page and wanted to say no, but he was stuck in his throat and couldn't say a word.
"Brother Gu, Jasmine will be very happy for your trouble." Alai read the admission notice page for more than ten seconds before saying slowly.
It was just a pen drawing,
Alaidu was asked to bow respectfully and thank Gu Weijing. At this time, facing this notice, he could not say any words of gratitude.
He was too embarrassed to even say thank you.
The word "thank you" is too pale and too cheap.
This kind of favor can no longer be repaid with a sincere thank you.
"Actually, I didn't bother much, and the government officials didn't give me face." Gu Weijing shook his head.
Gu Weijing told the truth.
This student status was conveniently given to him after he applied for the reform approval document.
In order to show its importance, when going through the formalities, the Yangon City Government sent a government representative to accompany Gu Weijing throughout the process and asked him if he had any other needs.
Gu Weijing just mentioned it in passing. He didn't have high hopes and was planning to send Jasmine to a nearby private primary school. Who knew it would actually happen.
All officials have a delicate heart.
They probably wanted to please Chen Shenglin, but they were also afraid that Gu Weijing, a little Bodhisattva with the big boss's phone number, might report another blackmail to Boss Chen.
"It's just that Jasmine needs to submit a medical certificate to the school doctor every month that the amount of viral vector replication in her body is within the safe limit and that she is not contagious. And if she wants to stay, she has to live in a special single dormitory. There is nothing else."
"understand."
Uncle Alai nodded.
After all, Jasmine has AIDS. Although under modern cocktail therapy, the probability of infection is actually very low, there are many powerful children in the school, so the school should be concerned.
He looked at Gu Weijing again, and said solemnly with great gratitude, "Thank you for your trouble."
"Don't feel like you owe me anything. This is my gift to little Jasmine. She has always been a good and well-behaved model."
"No, a favor is a favor."
Uncle Alai looked struggling, looking at the piece of paper, gritting his teeth, as if he wanted to say something.
"Why don't you take a look at the documents at the back? This is the gift I really want to impress you with," Gu Weijing prompted.
later?
Uncle Alai turned over the page of the admission notice and found that underneath it was an agreement in English.
[About the relevant application form, registration certificate and draft articles of association for the registration of the "Jasmine" Charitable Foundation], the title of the article in the English agreement reads like this.
Uncle Alai was stunned again.
(End of chapter)
