The Versatile Master Artist

”The orphanage renovation is being held up by the Electric Bureau?”

Chen Shenglin barely had to think before understanding the complexities involved.

He chuckled, looking at the entourage around him, among them were municipal officials from the Leyada District.

Among this group, the subordinate leaders of the district government were nothing more than minor lackeys, without the prestige to linger around large entrepreneurs like Old Dad Koko. They could only stand at the outskirts of the crowd.

Even the municipal officials had no interest in a middle school student’s painting.

He was in the middle of directing his photographer to take promotional photos, deliberating painstakingly on how to frame the shots so as to highlight the significance of Chen Shenglin and the senior police officials, while also ensuring he appeared in a corner of the photo.

Unexpectedly, as he stood there, this immense black pot suddenly flew over and crashed onto his head. He was so frustrated that he nearly spewed a mouthful of old blood, and sweat instantly poured down his face.

”Is that so?” Chen Shenglin’s tone remained gentle, but there was no hint of a smile in his eyes.

”This I am not clear about... perhaps the urban cable system here is somewhat outdated, overloaded by industrial demands, it’s not an easy task.”

The minor bureaucrat strained to explain: ”I will go back and investigate what the situation is, and promptly give Mr. Chen a full account.”

”I’ll handle it. I’ll have some colleagues from the audit office follow up on this, and if there’s really corruption, it will be dealt with seriously.” Old Dad Koko shook his head in annoyance, giving the minor bureaucrat a glance.

The police system in Myanmar, by its nature, already had auditing responsibilities—it was incumbent upon him to speak up.

So ignorant!

This sort of trivial nonsense, the police commissioner couldn’t be bothered to care about.

Yet today’s task was to accompany Mr. Chen well. A wealthy magnate deciding to invest more or less in Yangon could mean a difference of several GDP points.

And then this happened.

Offending Mr. Chen—they wouldn’t face anything good.

The minor bureaucrat was genuinely about to cough up blood this time.

In such impoverished industrial areas, few grassroots municipal officials were squeaky clean. If it came down to a thorough investigation, it was merely about how many hats they were prepared to pull off.

”Alas.”

Chen Shenglin withdrew his gaze, speaking helplessly: ”I’m the new president of the Myanmar Charitable Commerce Association, and yet a small child brings this demand to my face... it’s really a slap to my face.”

”However, a promise is a promise. Young man, the orphanage renovation license?”

Chen Shenglin looked at Gu Weijing: ”I’m not boasting, but in Yangon, there are quite a few things I can accomplish. Think carefully—is this what you want?”

”Yes.” Gu Weijing nodded.

”No regrets?”

”Yes.”

Chen Shenglin felt somewhat conflicted.

He was used to many in the city tiptoeing around to flatter him meticulously.

They were sycophantic and accommodating, their faces always plastered with ingratiating smiles.

Simply for a small share of wealth or power from him.

But today, when Boss Chen was finally in a good mood and agreed to make a promise to a middle school student, the other party only casually asked for an orphanage renovation permit.

While amazed by the other’s virtue, Mr. Chen felt a bit hurt in his pride.

If that Devil in Faust, who wielded omnipotence over the transformative forces of the world, was summoned day in and day out with requests like saving cats stuck in trees.

One imagines even the Devil wouldn’t find much sense of achievement in that.

”Why? Young man, you could have asked for something of greater value. I could even make the city center of Yangon go dark for a night, or send you to Antarctica to see penguins.” Chen Shenglin wasn’t a man who liked flaunting his power; genuinely, he was just very curious about what was going through the young man’s mind.

”I can see penguins at the zoo. As for the former... why would I want the city center dark for a night?” Gu Weijing calmly retorted.

Dostoevsky believed that those without greed are more likely to attain happiness.

Strength lies in contentment without desire.

He truly had no area where he needed a collector’s help. Gu Weijing had just received an astronomical sum, in his view, from a publishing group.

Mr. Chen wasn’t a system that could enhance his artistic ability.

For him, an orphanage renovation approval document was precisely what he needed.

”Alright, I understand.”

Chen Shenglin gazed at Gu Weijing for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed: ”You are truly a pure person. If I had your disposition back then, perhaps I might have become the artist I dreamed of in my youth.”

Mr. Chen actually used a respectful form of address.

He grew more fond of this young man. Chen Shenglin no longer regarded him as a child good at painting, but a peer for an equal conversation.

”An electrical renovation approval document. Very good.”

”Such matters should be the duty of the president of the Myanmar Charitable Commerce Association like myself and should not concern a young person like you. Out of respect for you, I will elaborate a bit more.”

Chen Shenglin glanced around the area.

”There are over a hundred types of orphanages just in Yangon. Yangon is already Myanmar’s most developed city. Due to the impacts of war, basic infrastructures in many places remain in the pre-colonial era. As the president of the Charitable Commerce Association, I must try to distribute resources and efforts evenly. Renovating an orphanage that requires tens of millions or billions in Myanmar Kyat isn’t much, but spread across such a wide scope, there’s not much left.”