The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 67: Chapter 51: Video Released Online

”Aesthetics detached from reality are either absurd or doomed.” — O. Chernyshevsky.

...

”Sir, on behalf of the Good Fortune Welfare Institute, I thank you for your help. Is it convenient for me to discuss something?”

The female director of the orphanage held a candle and led Gu Weijing into the depths of the courtyard.

”Is what I bought unsuitable?”

Gu Weijing noticed that the orphanage director seemed a bit hesitant.

”It’s like this, if you can come again next time, there’s actually no need to buy clothes. The orphanage receives many donations of clothes from various sectors every year. Moreover, Myanmar’s climate is not cold, clothing is not what we urgently need. We need cleaning tablets for potable water, some common medicines. Toilet paper, diapers...

The girls need sanitary pads or a large number of tampons. Also, there is no need for a game console, as we don’t have power outlets here. Plus, after the battery runs out, we find it difficult to spare money for dry batteries. Comparatively, a kids’ basketball hoop or a soccer ball is a better choice...”

Gu Weijing quietly listened to the somewhat rambling voice of the middle-aged female director of the orphanage and stared in a daze at the surrounding environment.

Yangon is a city where even time seems to stand still.

Standing at the gates of the orphanage, Gu Weijing’s mind suddenly recalled a sentence he read in some book.

An old church with mottled walls, flickering candlelight, a broken swing, and a moss-covered well...

No electricity, no running water, no elements of modern living anywhere in sight, as if remaining in the colonial times from two hundred years ago.

Before coming here, Gu Weijing could hardly imagine that within the same city, which is so close by, people would lead such unimaginably different lives.

The hustle and bustle of the Lower District and the glittering tourist attractions face each other across a few streets, separated by only a couple of asphalt roads, yet divided into two completely different lives.

Gu Weijing’s shoulder bumped into the embossed statue of the Virgin, producing a scraping metal sound that dragged out.

He stopped in his tracks.

Realizing he had knocked down a rusty plaque under the statue.

The air here is very humid, so the plaque is corroded and ragged, covered in green rust.

The nails in the four corners of the plaque were mostly corroded to the point of breaking off, and it fell off with just a gentle bump from him.

Gu Weijing picked up the plaque, took a tissue out of his pocket.

He gently wiped away the rust on the plaque, revealing indistinct inscriptions underneath.

”Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Gu Weijing recognized the scripture from the church era, representing humanity’s universal desire for beautiful values.

Many years ago, this used to be a church relief center.

The British and Japanese came and went, chaos, civil war ensued endlessly, even those nuns in black robes had left this land.

Only the orphans,

One generation of orphans died, and another generation became new orphans. Drug addiction was rampant, suffering was universal, like an endless cycle of cause and effect.

When will true peace and stability arrive? Even if affluence is too far off, when can every child have a stable place to study?

Gu Weijing’s heart thumped fiercely.

He subconsciously opened the panel, seeing the emotion gauge wavering at the ”Heartfelt” column, this time lingering longer instead of just a brief stop and immediate drop.

”With a paintbrush in hand now, I would surely create great artwork.”

Gu Weijing thought.

Sitting idly before the canvas, even a genius’s inspiration would dry up.

A painter witnesses the world’s diverse conditions to produce passionately emotional works, which is what Elder Cao told him, one must harbor a breath of spirit within.

”Sorry, sir. Please do not be offended, I wasn’t quite right in making requests. We are already very grateful for your kindness.”

The orphanage’s female director talked continuously for a while, only to find this benevolent young man had paused for unknown reasons, staring at a plaque in a daze.

She thought her pickiness had annoyed him.

The director’s face showed some guilt, she sheepishly lowered her head, the pale strands of her hair looking a bit disheveled in the evening breeze.

”It’s okay, what you said is right, I didn’t consider well enough.”

Gu Weijing warmly said.

He had heard of orphanages engaging in the transaction of goods, but making calculations based on five million Mian Coins and 206 points of Experience Points credited to his account.

This conversion rate had exceeded 90%.

The address given by that officer brother was indeed reliable.

Facing such a selfless director, even if her tone was somewhat rambling, Gu Weijing offered absolute respect to her.

”By the way, would you like to see the children?”

The director suddenly remembered something and said: ”They are all very good and likable.”

...

In fact, either she was lying or the director was fond of their surroundings.

From a normal perspective, these children are neither obedient nor cute.

Due to their parents’ drug abuse, many of these poor little ones have congenital disabilities like cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, or they are missing a bit from arms or legs.

There’s no shortage of books or game consoles here, but there is a shortage of milk powder and diapers, and also a lack of enough volunteers.

Many children have an unpleasant smell.

In the candlelight, being watched by those black eyes gives an unsettling feeling.

Gu Weijing remained here for quite some time.

At first, he played some simple games with these children, later, he took out his phone and used a tutorial from YouTube, teaching the children to draw simple crayon pictures under the candlelight.

He wasn’t sure if these children with congenital intellectual disabilities could understand his words and gestures, but everyone seemed very attentive.

Time passed silently.

Gu Weijing stayed here until eight o’clock, with the brother from Mumbai in the van unable to wait any longer, calling him repeatedly, so he decided to leave.

Before he left.

Gu Weijing agreed with the director to come here weekly to volunteer and give free art lessons to the children.

He didn’t notice that when he closed the phone page and exited the crayon tutorial.

The first recommendation on YouTube read, ”Mr. Hibernian has uploaded a new video!”

...

”Sister, Mr. Hibernian said on Twitter that he will upload a new video soon! This time it’s in the field of art.”

Eight o’clock in the evening, Yangon painting and art supplies market.

Yakai Gangchang waved his iPhone and ran to Koizumi Katsuko.

On his phone screen — ”Mr. Hibernian has posted a new video!” and ”#NewVideo” were already ranked among the top three regional searches in the trending art category on Twitter.

”Mr. Hibernian?”

Koizumi Katsuko found the name somewhat familiar.

”He’s the world’s largest YouTuber, haven’t you followed him, sister? His videos are super interesting.”

He casually clicked in, a light red-haired young man’s tweet page was presented, with a personal introduction that read —

”The world’s largest YouTuber, sharing the interesting world with everyone through my videos, thank you for subscribing.”

”World’s largest YouTuber, sharing an interesting world through my videos, welcome to subscribe.”

Koizumi Katsuko took the phone from her brother and clicked on Mr. Hibernian’s recently updated message on his page.

”From one dollar to one million dollars!”

”This time I will invite seven artists worldwide to create new illustrations for my store, the new video will go live at 9:30 AM New York time. Which one do you like more? Please leave a message under the video — Mr. Hibernian”

Below were the addresses of seven artists or stores for the commissioned artwork, used to verify to fans that the million-dollar illustration was no joke.

”One million dollars — Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, Andersen Award winner, Jean Arnou, @Twitter account Arnold”

”One hundred thousand dollars — Internationally renowned illustrator Derong Fan Doorn, @Twitter account Dejon Van Dorne”

”Ten thousand dollars — Rei Louise, emerging fine art writer, British Royal Academy of Arts young professor, @Twitter account Ray Louise”

”One thousand dollars — Bruno Painter’s Studio, Nutshell Shop Owner link”

”One hundred dollars — クレヨンしんちゃん, Nutshell Shop Owner link”

”Ten dollars — Detective Cat, Nutshell Shop Owner link”

”One dollar — anonymous, street artist, no link available”