The Versatile Master Artist

Their grades were always either first or second, and neither of their families was well-off at Fitz.

The income from Gu’s Painting and Calligraphy Gallery of Gu Weijing’s family was at the bottom among the wealthy international students, not much better than a working-class family. It was only because Dongxia’s traditional families valued education that the elder gritted his teeth to send him and his cousin Gu Lin to international school.

Miao Angwen’s family was similar.

Each year, to not make it seem like the international school only accommodated a group of young masters and misses and looked too much like class enemies while at least pretending to support Myanmar’s local education business, it takes some government subsidies.

Similar private international schools always have a few scholarship spots specifically for recruiting ordinary students with good grades but average family conditions.

This can reduce more than half of the tuition fee.

Both Miao Angwen and Gu Weijing were students on scholarship assistance at the school.

Although their situations were similar, their relationship wasn’t good. At least, Miao had some sour feelings towards Gu Weijing.

It wasn’t just because Gu Weijing ranked first more often than he did. He always felt that Gu Weijing acted a bit ”pretentious” on a daily basis.

Obviously, their family conditions were half a dozen of one, six of the other; both were poor students on scholarships. Who didn’t know about whom? Yet, Gu Weijing insisted on acting as if he was above money.

Pretentious.

What annoyed him more was that, clearly, they all should be inconspicuous poor students who were good at studying but mediocre at everything else.

He never had much luck with girls, being poor and average-looking, and ordinary girls wouldn’t even glance at Miao Angwen.

Yet the most beautiful girl in school, Mona, always had eyes only for Gu Weijing.

Why!

After the start of the semester, seeing Mona suddenly treating Gu Weijing coldly, there were many like Miao Angwen who secretly rejoiced.

The female student council president nearby turned a deaf ear to Miao Angwen’s mockery of Gu Weijing.

Mona just nervously stared at the sign in the janitor’s hands, anxiously calculating in her heart.

Not counting Miss Sakai, there were only five spots in total.

After eliminating several students whose paintings were obviously better than others, there were only one or two spots left for ordinary students.

”Can I get one?”

Mona thought of her previous unsuccessful private visit, feeling a bit stifled.

The second name on the list was a girl called Maire in class, and the third and fourth were students often seen working hard in the studio.

One reaps what they sow, and the works of the usual good students were more likely to be chosen by Mrs. Sakai; there was no surprise in it.

However, although her name didn’t appear on the list.

Even Gu Weijing wasn’t prioritized by Professor Cruz.

Not only did he fail to get first like before.

He wasn’t even third or fourth, which left Mona feeling some indescribable sensation.

Rowing against the current, one either advances or falls behind. Those who waste time without self-awareness, as she said, reality will slap them in the face naturally.

Mona sneered in her heart.

She had just secretly scanned around, and in the crowd gathered to wait for the list, there was not even a shadow of Gu Weijing.

It seemed he didn’t care about himself at all.

”Who is the last spot for?”

”It’s Gu Weijing, isn’t it? He used to be the best in painting among us. Even if his holiday homework went wrong, getting into the genius class shouldn’t be a big problem.”

”Tch, that’s not for sure. An artist’s criteria for selecting students aren’t something our school teachers can compare to. Maybe they think Gu Weijing’s technique is too mechanical.”

Miao Angwen analyzed proudly: ”I just think that besides a good sense of space, Gu Weijing doesn’t have anything particularly outstanding; all his previous good grades are, to put it bluntly, just relying on talent to cheat.”

Mona had no mind to listen to others’ discussions.

She pinched her fingertips, nervously watching the last empty spot.

The janitor pulled out another board from the cloth bag, and before the uncle could nail the board to the frame, some sharp-eyed students saw the name on the sign.

It was neither everyone’s guess of Gu Weijing nor Mona.

It was...

”Jerry Conrad, it’s Jerry!”

The team member excitedly patted the tall, blonde boy on the shoulder, ”Boss, you’re amazing... Don’t forget us brothers when you become a big artist.”

”Fuck, no wonder you had the courage to confess to Miss Sande Nu at the opening ceremony; truly, people don’t show their real capabilities.”

”No, no, it’s just that my dad took me back to our hometown in Germany and had special training in a studio during the winter break. A teacher from the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts gave me some pointers.

Jerry also rubbed his hands, quite excited.

His gaze naturally drifted to the student council president with a desolate expression, feeling his luck was just too good.

This semester is when we prepare portfolios for university applications.

Parents from all walks of life went all out, showing their divine powers. Not only could Mona’s family afford to hire excellent alumni from former schools to guide her in painting.

Jerry, with even better family conditions, was sent by his high-level executive father from a foreign corporation directly to their ”hometown” in Germany, and stayed in a private studio for a whole month.

Though the studio in art-rich Germany was small, its owner was a lecturer at the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts.

That is one of the best art academies in the world.

Although the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts is not a traditional top international four art academies.

However, in recent years, more top artists have been accepting invitations to become permanent professors at the school.

Departments like Visual Arts and Eastern Art are showing a tendency to surpass others, even occasionally topping some European art academy rankings.

After being trained by a lecturer from the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts for over a month, Jerry felt his painting ability and understanding of art underwent a transformative change.

This gave him the confidence to use campus tradition to pursue Mona at the opening ceremony.

Unexpectedly, what started as an unintended act bore unexpected results.

This semester, returning to Myanmar, he encountered the good fortune of having Mrs. Sakai become an external professor at Fitz School.

His grades, previously only considered middle tier, surprisingly made the cut into Mrs. Sakai’s advanced class.

This made Jerry very happy.

”When the boss makes a move, all those nobodies are insignificant,”

someone flattered: ”The boss’s micro-film released a few days ago on YouTube already surpassed fifty thousand views. To be a student of Mrs. Sakai and do social philanthropy so well, it’s giving others no chance.”

”Exactly, exactly. Now Mona can’t escape from the boss’s grasp. Gu Weijing didn’t even make it on the advanced class list, so how can he compare with our Jerry the boss?”

”Why call her Mona, call her sis-in-law.”

”Boss, treat us today! Let’s have Japanese food!”

The team members started to stir up excitement.

Many girls cast envious glances at Mona. Such a handsome, rich, and talented gentleman pursuing her made them envious enough to wish they could take her place.

Another focal point in the lackey’s mouth, Mona, was now being enveloped by great disappointment.

Actually, that day, when Mrs. Sakai commented her work as ”featureless,” so ordinary that only if others did worse could she enter the advanced class, the girl had mentally prepared herself.

However, faced with the harsh reality, Mona was still engulfed by tremendous disappointment.

”In the end, still couldn’t grasp the opportunity...”

She lowered her head, feeling like a boulder was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

”Wait, what’s that?”

A classmate suddenly noticed that the uncle hadn’t left yet.

He surprisingly took out another cardboard card from the bag, which was visibly different from the other wooden plaques.

It looked like a makeshift cardboard, made separately.

Someone had written a line in letters on it in sloppy marker pen handwriting.

”Miss Mona Sandunu, you have also been admitted — Adriana Cruz.”