Chapter 92: Encounter at the Exhibition

Chapter 92: Encounter at the Exhibition

On Monday, February 17th, at the Hnan Contemporary Art Museum, in the Xiang embroidery section.

Tang Fei casually tied her hair into a small ponytail and donned a white woolen cap with a fluffy ball on top. She wrapped herself in a thick scarf that concealed most of her face, blending inconspicuously among the exhibition visitors.

The exhibits also included various introductions to the history of Xiang embroidery, giving her a basic understanding of the development of embroidery and its regional style.

So far, Tang Fei had yet to devise a solid plan for completing her mission. All she could do was be present at the key location during the critical time mentioned in the intelligence and react accordingly.

Yesterday, she had discussed Chen Ming's situation with Zhou Weichuan. After using the Character Encyclopedia to draw his attention to Chen Ming's wife, Lu Yan, he scheduled a visit today with the president of the Xiang Embroidery Association, Tian Ningfang.

Underneath her cotton coat, Tang Fei still wore her hospital gown. She had sneaked out of the hospital. Yesterday, she demanded to be discharged immediately, but the usually compliant Zhou Weichuan and the obedient He Zhou unexpectedly formed an alliance against her.

However, He Zhou was easy to manipulate. Seeing an opportunity, Tang Fei smiled. Instead of asking to leave the hospital, she changed her approach, suggesting that she wanted to immerse herself in art to cleanse her soul.

She even resorted to coercion and temptation, making her fists crackle audibly as she pretended to practice boxing moves.

Naive Ah Zhou then conspired with her to sneak out of the hospital and head to the exhibition hall.

"Sis, how come you're suddenly interested in embroidery?" He Zhou found himself amidst an abundance of embroidered pieces, surrounded by girls making up eighty percent of the crowd. He felt out of place and exceedingly uncomfortable.

"Shh!" Tang Fei suddenly spotted someone she knew, and she pulled He Zhou aside to stand out of the person's line of sight. "Look there, isn't that Ning Xiaodou?"

He Zhou leaned in the direction Tang Fei pointed and spotted a young man wearing a large baseball cap accompanied by two women. The women were holding their phones to take pictures of an embroidery piece while constantly jotting down notes in small notebooks they held.

The young man yawned from time to time, looking down at his toes, clearly impatient with the two women's urging him to examine the embroidery more closely.

"His staff is into embroidery too?" He Zhou frowned.

"He Zhou, your information seems a bit outdated," Tang Fei shook her head. "He's here to impart embroidery knowledge; even if he doesn't really know it, it's good to at least have a superficial understanding. The drama department chief of Xiangnan TV is fond of Xiang embroidery – it would be beneficial for him to learn a bit to engage in conversation."

"I don't think he's the one learning. It seems like others are studying on his behalf."

"Boys these days, who would genuinely be interested in embroidery? He probably thinks it's unmanly. I'm sure he's doing this out of obligation," Tang Fei chuckled, shaking her head. With children, their preferences were always evident on their faces. It was already impressive that this mischievous child could be coerced into attending.

He Zhou's face flushed red. Tang Fei seemed to have hit the nail on the head; he nodded vigorously. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"Ah, so you came here to ensure you wouldn't run out of topics when visiting Director Chen." It seemed He Zhou had caught on.

"Come, let's go take a look at Lu Yan's embroidery piece." Tang Fei had nearly finished browsing through everyone else's work.

By now, she planned to station herself by Lu Yan's exhibit, knowing that Chen Ming and his wife would surely visit her own piece when they arrived at the gallery.

Lu Yan's artwork was placed at the center of the exhibition area, enclosed by a circle of barriers. The double-sided screen was designed to rotate gently, allowing viewers to appreciate the entire embroidery from a fixed position.

It was an enormous embroidery, three meters wide and two meters tall. One side depicted a fierce tiger roaring at the sky atop craggy rocks, while the other showed three playful cubs frolicking before their mother.

This monumental embroidery is so intricate that the stitches are invisible even from up close. The tiger's fur appears lustrous and smooth, shimmering under the light as if it were the genuine pelt of a living beast.

A fresh, small scar adorns the tiger's forehead, suggesting a recent victory over an opponent, a proclamation of triumph to the forest, instilling awe in all creatures that witness it.

The tiger's eyes gleam with a vivid spirit, their color blending seamlessly. This masterful touch brings the lifelike essence to the animal, making its gaze appear truly captivating.

On the other side, the three cubs engage in playful tussles, their actions endearingly clumsy. With mouths wide open, they roar at their siblings in a comically adorable manner. The mother tiger lies nearby, watching her cubs with a tender expression.

This is a heartwarming scene, distinct from most conventional tiger depictions. Typically, artists emphasize the tiger's majestic and formidable nature, the aura of the king of beasts. Few capture the gentle, affectionate side of these creatures as this artwork does.

This bicolor, biform embroidery with its contrasting designs intensifies the visual impact and sensory stimulation under stark contrast.

The fusion of the majestic adult tiger, the adorable cub, and the tender mother tiger together brings the image of a tiger to life in the viewer's mind more vividly.

Some see it as a family, symbolizing parents and children.

Others interpret it as the growth of the cub, depicting its childhood and maturity.

A few read into it a defeated tiger's family on the brink of losing their happiness and warmth.

Children adore the cub's cuteness, young adults admire the adult tiger's might, while adults see a reflection of themselves.

Beside the embroidery hangs a plaque explaining that from Tang Song's era to modern times, the art of embroidery has flourished even more, culminating in the creation of this bicolor, biform, tri-variant double-sided technique. It stands as the pinnacle of craftsmanship today.

Lu Yan is a leading figure in Xiang embroidery, and among the talents of China's four major embroidery schools, fewer than ten masters possess such skill.

This is still a piece from a decade ago. If not for her hand condition, one can only wonder what heights her techniques would have reached in these past ten years.

What a pity.

Faced with the intelligence, Tang Fei didn't feel much. Witnessing such miraculous techniques, stunning paintings, and ingenious designs, she felt deeply regretful about Lu Yan's condition – it was a loss of talent.

System, can you cure Teacher Lu's hands?

After waiting for a long time, the system didn't respond. Tang Fei sighed; it seemed there was no solution.

Outside the art gallery, Chen Ming and his wife were walking hand in hand down the steps outside the entrance.

"Lu Yan, I've invited Big Mao over. Let me try to talk some sense into her," said Chen Ming. 'Big Mao' was Wu Xia, Lu Yan's disciple's nickname.

"She has her aspirations. If she wants to switch to fashion design, I support her. Sometimes, people say our embroidery work is outdated compared to foreign styles. She's grown up and can make her own decisions now," Lu Yan spoke, though sadness was evident in her voice.

After investing all her effort in teaching her disciple for over a decade, only to have her reject the craft she loved the most, no one could be truly happy.

It even made Lu Yan reflect on whether she had taught her incorrectly.

"You've passed on almost 80% of your skills to her. It would be a pity for her to change careers. Big Mao is so talented – among the young generation, she's the best. Even President Tian was worried sick when he heard. Let's persuade her more. If she excels in embroidery, people will pay millions or even tens of millions for her pieces. Don't underestimate traditional arts." Chen Ming looked at Lu Yan, filled with concern for his wife. "If you could still embroider, perhaps this child would see a promising future and stay."

"Old Chen, I've come to terms with it. You shouldn't dwell on it anymore." Lu Yan glanced at her swollen, deformed hands. "There's nothing we can do about it."

"How much effort did you pour into her, and this ungrateful brat just up and quits like that!"

"You're still stuck in old ways. I understand her too. She was forced to learn as a child, and now that she's grown, she wants to fly away. Are you really willing to clip her wings?"

"We all went through that phase when we were young."

"But times have changed, and circumstances are different. Your mindset needs to evolve with the times." Lu Yan comforted her husband, sadness in her eyes fading behind a gentle smile. "Actually, it's not a big deal if my line comes to an end. Embroidery will continue to progress, and there will be more talented individuals to carry on. My individual contribution shouldn't be overestimated."

The couple ascended the steps and entered the exhibition hall. Wu Xia had yet to arrive, so they began admiring the exhibits. Eventually, they found themselves standing before Lu Yan's work.

Both felt a mix of pride and sorrow as they gazed at the piece created before her illness.

Tang Fei pulled He Zhou to shield her face and quietly followed behind Chen Ming and his wife.

He Zhou immediately messaged Zhou Weichuan.

"Boss! Xiangnan Contemporary Art Museum! The Chen couple has arrived! Hurry up!"

Not only did they spot Chen Ming, but Ning Xiaodou's group did as well. Ning Xiaodou, elated as if he had just won a million-dollar lottery, hurriedly approached them. "Director Chen! What a coincidence! I'm Ning Xiaodou, and I can't believe I ran into you here!"

Chen Ming furrowed his brow, glanced at his wife, and gently touched Ning Xiaodou's outstretched hands before retracting them. "I have some personal matters to attend to today, so it's not very convenient. My apologies."

With a clear rejection, Ning Xiaodou, with her face filled with surprise and excitement, barely managed to maintain her composure under his convincing act. "You're busy, don't worry about me."

The Chen couple quickly left, followed by Tang Fei and He Zhou. Ning Xiaodou's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. He had seen Tang Fei, and the thought that someone had witnessed his awkward situation made his heart bleed.

"I'll follow them and see if they make a fool of themselves," Ning Xiaodou decided, becoming an uninvited follower.