The Versatile Master Artist

”Uh... what?”

Boss Wu felt a bit confused about today’s events,

as he turned his gaze back to the display table filled with scrap metal.

Having one person willing to pay a high price might mean they’re foolish, but if there are two...

What’s going on?

He’s been dealing with art for so long, could it be that he misjudged?

He jumped off the iron box and walked over to inspect the items on the display table, but someone stopped him.

”Boss Wu, since the sale is final, what’s in there has nothing to do with you anymore.” Gu Weijing walked over and took the painting tube.

”Let me take a look.”

Boss Wu laughed awkwardly.

”Uncle, I’m heading home now.”

Gu Weijing greeted his stunned uncle and hoisted the painting tube onto his back.

”I just want this painting tube. If you like the other items, everything on the display table is yours.” He said to the career woman and was about to leave.

”I’ll offer 3000 US dollars, sell the painting to me.”

The translator stopped Gu Weijing.

”Sorry, I don’t want to sell this painting.”

Gu Weijing shook his head.

”3200 US dollars, 3500 US dollars... no, I’ll offer you four thousand US dollars.”

The translator’s tone carried a hint of resentment.

She was partly regretting being cheap for one hundred dollars in the past and partly resenting this kid who came out of nowhere and ruined her deal.

Gu Weijing stopped talking, bypassing the career woman, intending to leave through the main door.

”No, you must sell me the painting.”

The woman grabbed Gu Weijing’s sleeve. ”Or else...”

”Or else what?”

Gu Weijing was getting a bit annoyed by the entanglement.

”This is a work that a foreign master specifically wants, I am his translator.” The woman’s tone was haughty.

”Are foreigners inherently superior?”

Gu Weijing retorted.

Actually, in Myanmar, foreigners really are considered superior.

And it’s literally true.

Tourism is a pillar industry in Yangon, the costs here are low, there are many backpackers from Europe, the US, and Canada.

Many Western European tourists, just by working a month in their high-welfare society, can comfortably live a year being served in Yangon.

You often see an old white man in a nightclub surrounded by a bunch of local girls.

Gu Weijing, to practice his French, once chatted with a French tourist visiting the Yangon River in a local shop, the tourist told him.

From his hotel in Yangon to the Yangon River cruise ship, it was just 2.3 km away on Google Maps. The French tourist only walked 19 steps, and the rest of the way he was carried like an emperor by local laborers.

Gu Weijing always disliked such an atmosphere.

Revering foreigners, in such cases, if you see yourself as very inferior, others will look down on you even more.

”The master has significant international influence, he’s here for a government project and has even met the Yangon Mayor.” The translator’s tone subtly carried a threat.

”First, you are just a translator. Second, even if the master himself came to see me, my answer would be no sale.”

The translator’s face flushed red in embarrassment.

Gu Weijing shook off his sleeves and turned to leave.

”What’s all the fuss, let everyone see the painting!”

Finally, some onlookers couldn’t hold back their curiosity about what kind of painting would make Gu Weijing refuse 4000 US dollars, not to mention attracting a master’s attention.

”Mr. Xiao Gu, let us have a look, please?”

Boss Wu also chimed in, rubbing his hands. He now had a 60% hunch that he might have mistaken a fine piece for junk.

At such times, if he doesn’t figure out the exact situation, he won’t be able to sleep well tonight.

These people had just laughed at him earlier, so Gu Weijing originally wasn’t interested in satisfying their curiosity.

Moreover, the painting had just been on display, and they hadn’t had the aesthetic sense to notice.

But he noticed that the request to see the painting initially came from the old man with the thermos.

He sidled up to Gu Weijing with a look of itchiness to see it.

The tissue to block his nose was even given by this old man.

”Be careful, it might be a setup.”

A companion patted the thermos old man’s shoulder, as the scene in front with Gu Weijing and the translator indeed looked a bit like a street performance swapping family heirlooms for sale.

”It won’t be, I have a feeling. I did see the lad in the afternoon with a dirty painting checking it out.”

The old man had an expression full of insatiable curiosity.

”Young man, I like you, you’re bold! But can you show me the painting you’re talking about? I’m just a collector. I’m curious about what kind of painting caught the master’s attention. To enter a treasure mountain without recognizing it, I also want to learn a lesson, right?”

Gu Weijing hesitated for a moment but then took down the painting tube from his back.

”You can look at the painting, but I need a small brush, some maintenance lacquer, and you’ll have to get me a frame.”

Carrying it in the tube like this for transport was making Gu Weijing a bit concerned for the painting, he planned to do some maintenance on it on the spot.

”Of course, that’s necessary.” Little Moustache nodded.

An ordinary frame doesn’t cost much, and he had plenty.

Gu Weijing pulled the paper out from the painting tube.

”It’s dirty and you can’t make anything out of it.”

”Just this painting worth thousands of US dollars? And still not for sale?”

The crowd murmured like a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes. Gu Weijing ignored their chatter and quickly took out a small brush to clean the dust off the painting paper.