I am a Big Player
Chapter 351 - 349, Soulful Oil Painting (Second Update)_1

Chapter 351: 349, Soulful Oil Painting (Second Update)_1

George took complete photos of the two paintings and upon returning home, uploaded them to an online forum commonly used for communication among young artists. The title read, "Two Amazing Paintings, Don’t Look at the Clean Style One First," and with that, he sent them out, just wanting his friends to see the sketches he shared.

Comments appeared almost immediately: "Damn, my rebellious side is kicking in, I looked at the clean one first!"

Following the comment was an emoji of someone vomiting...

Someone else commented: "Is it really that mystical? I haven’t looked yet; what’s the deal?" Then they went to look at the two paintings—and they looked at the clean one first too!

Five minutes later, they returned to comment: "I’ve just thrown up... I just want to ask, which master created this to disgust people?"

George was in stitches in front of his computer; he hadn’t planned to mess with everyone the way old Richard messed with him—and he even kindly warned them. Yet, these people simply had to do the opposite of what he said!

Basically, everyone has a rebellious streak, or at least most do. Signs by the crocodile enclosure reading "Do not throw coins" result in a mound of coins, scaring the staff from even considering putting crocodiles in there and treating it as if it were a newly invented wishing well...

So, the more George said not to look at the first painting first, the more they insisted on doing just that... Well, look then. If you puke, it’s your own fault.

Of course, not everyone would actually throw up, but feeling disgusted was almost a given.

George explained, "It’s not any master’s work, it’s by a 16-year-old new student of my teacher, Richard. I’m full of curiosity about this junior!"

"Curiosity +1! At 16, this sketching level is definitely up to par, especially being able to make people puke with just two drawings—it’s sheer genius..."

"This isn’t just simple drawing technique, this is visual art, your junior is awesome!"

However, at this moment, something unexpected happened to George—the two drawings quickly went viral online. Many forums were sharing the two images; at first, everyone simply shared them in a serious manner, but gradually it turned into a tool for pranking.

On messaging apps, people would first send the clean one and after the recipient had seen it, they’d send the messy one...

The disgust was indescribable, almost akin to the horror of fermented herring cans. Overnight, countless people were caught off guard and threw up, causing those in the know to realize that two remarkable sketches had been born; those out of the loop thought an epidemic was breaking out, really.

Numerous accounts posting these two pictures on websites were reported, leading to posts being deleted and users being muted. However, this incident did not lead to any serious consequences—after all, the sale of fermented herring cans has not been banned...

The reach of these two sketches did not expand further, and was contained within the current scope; most of it had already been deleted, and when websites reported the incident, they only posted the clean picture.

Many people knew that these were the works of Richard’s new student.

Whether as Knight or as the ’Little Professor’, Ren He had received nothing but praise online—until now, where he had gained an infamous reputation!

So when many online referred to the old artist Richard’s new student, even though they didn’t even know the name, it did not stop them from discussing him—on one hand marveling at the incredible style, and on the other vowing never to see this guy’s new works again for fear of being haunted.

Probably for the first time ever, an artist was being evaluated like this, with everyone unanimously declaring they did not want to see his new works—what an experience that must be...

Yet, someone posted, promising that if they fell for it again, they’d assuredly share it to suffer with everyone else...

The two paintings also spread to China, and they went as viral as those "magical images that move if you stare" posts. However, Chinese netizens had their unique take.

"The poster would’ve been dunked in a pig cage in my hometown."

"Dunk in a pig cage +1."

"The author of these two paintings should also be dunked in a pig cage."

"He must be dunked in a pig cage!"

If they knew that these two paintings were the proud works of their beloved Knight and Little Professor, I wonder what they would think...

That evening, Yang Xi asked with a pale face, "Did you paint that?"

Ren He noticed something was amiss, Yang Xi seemed to be affected too, although she hadn’t thrown up, she seemed to be disgusted. He quickly shook his head: "No, that wasn’t my work, definitely not. It was painted by another student of Richard."

Yang Xi grabbed a pillow and started hitting him: "Can’t I tell when you are lying? Still saying it wasn’t you! Still saying it wasn’t you!"

Ren He hadn’t expected the two sketches to spread so widely! He clearly understood that the magical level of these sketches was comparable to those "moving if you stare at them" pictures, even more magical, but he didn’t know that Richard’s other student would take pictures of the sketches, and Old Richard didn’t use the internet!

Otherwise, he would never have done such a damaging thing.

The next day, when Ren He was teaching at the Juilliard School of Music, his students chatted with him: "Little Professor, did you hear about those two paintings yesterday?"

Ren He’s first reaction was, "I didn’t paint them... cough, no, I saw them, and I threw up too!"

"Haha, I didn’t throw up, just felt a bit sick, and I don’t know who painted them," Although Ren He’s reaction was a bit strange, nobody would associate him with that artist. After all, one was a professor at the School of Music, and the other a new apprentice of an old artist; there was no correlation.

When the truth came out much later, people would remember the shameless reaction of the Little Professor and not know whether to cry or laugh. He even said he saw them and threw up too!

After class, Ren He went back to his apartment and then to Columbia University, transitioning smoothly between his dual identities. He enjoyed the feeling of being a mentor, passing on the skills he got from the Divine Punishment System and his experience from previous lives. He also relished being a regular student, seeking serenity to settle his heart.

As soon as he walked into Old Richard’s office, Richard considered for a moment then said, "Let’s paint something normal today!"

"Sure," Ren He cheerfully agreed. He hadn’t intended to gross anyone out to begin with. It was just that Old Richard’s initial office was so cluttered he couldn’t even find a place to stand, and Richard further provoked him with his words, so Ren He just casually drew something.

Today, Ren He painted an oil painting, not any famous work from his past life, after all, reproducing that would mean receiving a mission. He didn’t need to attract trouble from the Divine Punishment System that finally gave him a break.

He painted not of others, but a scene of a classroom inside a poor Chinese mountain village, realistic oil painting!

The children in the painting had hands cracked from the cold, yet they still held onto pens. Their faces smudged and dressed in tacky cotton-padded jackets, holes dotting the fabric.

Light shone through holes in the roof, and Richard could even imagine how cold the children were as he looked at the painting.

In the corner of the oil painting, a little girl was raising her head as if she was making eye contact with Richard. In her eyes was something indescribable, numbness mixed with hope.

This was Ren He’s first truly personal oil painting. He didn’t have the chaotic inner world of Picasso or Van Gogh, nor could he appreciate impressionist art, so Ren He chose realistic oil painting.

With every stroke, he didn’t know why, but he was moved to depict this scene, finding it bitter even as he painted.

Richard was stunned for a long time: "Is China still so impoverished and backward? They need help!"

After a half-minute of silence, Ren He seriously said, "Teacher, you are mistaken. China is no longer backward; it has long ceased to be the country with streets full of old bicycles as perceived in the West from 20 years ago. She is prosperous and rich. When overseas Chinese are in trouble, she sends warships to protect them. She is the world’s third-largest economy, and she is slowly rising not only in power but also begun to export her culture to the world. Even now, with all her imperfections, I still hope for her wealth and beauty, for her to stand tall and proud. I never regret being born on that land in this life."

Old Richard listened to Ren He’s words in silence, looking at the realistic oil painting, gazing at the little girl making eye contact with him.

Now, Old Richard finally understood the level of Ren He’s oil painting because Ren He’s paintings had a soul.