Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Grandma Tao smiled and praised, âIâve long heard that the current head of the Zhuang family is a very handsome young man. Now that Iâve seen him today, Iâm really impressed.â
Zhuang Liu followed Tan Rou and said, âThank you for the compliment, Grandma.â
Grandpa Tao didnât say anything. He kept writing. He had just finished writing this piece of paper, so he took it away and replaced it with a new piece of paper.
However, perhaps because his hands were tired from writing for a long time, he dripped a few drops of ink on the paper as soon as it was laid out.
Zhuang Liu stood there uneasily. He looked at Tan Rou, but Tan Rou shook her head. She didnât know what her grandfather meant.
âXiao Zhuang, what do you think of my painting?â Grandpa Tao asked.
Zhuang Liu looked at the ink balls on the paper and replied, âIt has a free and unrestrained beauty. However, 1 donât have a good eye for such aesthetics. 1 donât think 1 can appreciate Grandpaâs masterpiece.â
Grandpa Tao laughed out loud. âI havenât drawn it yet. What can you tell?â
âOh, 1 misunderstood.â Zhuang Liu smiled.
Grandpa Tao handed the brush to Zhuang Liu. âIâm tired of drawing. You do it instead.â
âDo would you like me to add?â Zhuang Liu asked, puzzled.
Grandpa Tao said, âIâve already finished writing. Iâm still missing a painting. Draw a painting based on the words Iâve written.â
Zhuang Liu glanced at Grandpa Taoâs writing. To be honest, the writings were not the best but the meaning behind it was meaningful. It was a poem written by a very powerful politician in ancient times as the elderly stood on a mountain and looked at the sea to express his ideals.
âSure!â Zhuang Liu took off his suit jacket, rolled up the sleeves inside, and began to draw. When he was painting, Grandpa Tao stood by the side and watched, nodding at Tan Rou.
When Zhuang Liu finished drawing, Grandpa Tao clapped three times and kept praising, âGood! Good job! You really know a thing or two!â
âThank you for your praise, Grandpa.â Zhuang Liu said.
When they were drawing, Grandma Tao brought Tan Rou to sit beside them. After they finished drawing, she brought Tan Rou over to look at the flowers.
Although Grandpa Taoâs handwriting was the best, he was very good at appreciating calligraphy and painting. He could tell that Zhuang Liu knew how to paint. It could not be done without more than ten years of foundation.
âHave you learnt calligraphy and painting when you were younger?â Grandpa Tao asked.
âMy grandfather likes calligraphy and painting,â Zhuang Liu answered honestly. âHe taught me how to draw when I was very young.â
Grandpa Tao nodded slightly. âNo wonder. He did like drawing. When he was young, he even drew your grandmother and Xiao Ronâs grandmother. Itâs just that after your grandmother passed away, he stopped drawing.â
âWhy are you bringing up this sad matter again? Why did you bring it up again?â Grandma Tao scolded.
Grandpa Tao only realized it after a while. âItâs my fault. I shouldnât have said it.â
Zhuang Liu wasnât angry. âItâs all in the past, and they must be reunited in heaven now.â
âHave a seat.â Grandma Tao said, âXiao Rou, donât blame Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa and Grandma just heard that your brother and the others were testing Zhuang Liu. Thatâs why we suddenly thought of testing Zhuang Liuâs standards.â
âRourou is such a young, capable woman. Her future husband has to be as great as her.â Grandpa Tao said.
âGrandpa, Grandma, donât worry. Iâll work harder in the future.â Zhuang Liu nodded.
âYes. Do you know why 1 asked you to come here today?â Grandpa Tao asked again.
Zhuang Liu did not understand. âGrandfather, Iâm not sure.â
Grandpa Tao explained, âPeople say that we businessmen only know about money. They think that we are uneducated with no artistic cells in us. Iâm indeed like that. I only know how to make money by doing business. I donât know what art is or what beauty is. Itâs said that people who understand art are more romantic and will make life better. So 1 want to see if you have any artistic cells and test if you can make Rourouâs life better.â
Zhuang Liu roughly understood what Grandpa Tao meant, but he didnât quite understand why Grandpa Tao said that. It was as if this sentence was written by someone else for him. He only memorized the script when he went on stage. âWhy are you saying so much?â Grandma Tao couldnât stand it anymore. âWe just want to find a grandson-in-law who is good at both martial arts and literature. Our Rourou knows so much, so her future husband has to know equally as much too..â