Chapter 104

With Lu Weiguo’s intervention, Captain Han finally put away the belt in his hand.

It wasn’t about losing face in front of friends; he simply couldn’t win in a fight against Lu Weiguo.

When Shi Tingyu heard the noise stop, she thought for a moment and decided to go inside.

She placed the things she brought on the table in the main room and walked to the room’s door to take a look inside.

At that moment, Han Wei was picking up the fallen drawings and the misshapen clay sculptures on the floor.

Seeing this, Mrs. Han hurried to help clean up.

When Captain Han saw Shi Tingyu entering, he guessed her identity.

He calmed down a bit and said, “Sorry, the child is disobedient, causing embarrassment in front of my sister-in-law.”

Shi Tingyu shook her head, exchanged a few polite words with him, and then approached Han Wei and Mrs. Han. She bent down to pick up one of the drawings.

The drawing depicted a group portrait of the camp training.

It was evident that a lot of effort had been put into the drawing, and there was a lively spirit in it.

Han Wei looked up at Shi Tingyu, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.

This was the Teacher Shi who painted the mural, and she saw him in such a sorry state.

Sensitive to the boy’s wounded pride, she handed him the drawing and said, “I can see that you love drawing. Your drawings have a lively spirit. With proper training, you will surely improve in the future.”

Mrs. Han glanced gratefully at Shi Tingyu.

She felt that Captain Han had gone a bit too far today.

Regardless of the education aspect, destroying the child’s efforts was not right.

She could tell that her son was genuinely upset this time, more so than any previous scolding from Captain Han.

Shi Tingyu’s words were a form of affirmation for her son, hoping that others’ positive feedback could make him feel better.

Taking the drawing handed to him by Shi Tingyu, Han Wei asked in a muffled voice, “Really, Teacher Shi? Do you really think I draw well?”

Shi Tingyu smiled and replied confidently, “Of course, I am an art teacher at the school. You can trust my expertise.”

“Of course, I trust you. You paint murals exceptionally well,” Han Wei couldn’t help but comment.

Captain Han looked at his son, then at Shi Tingyu, and whispered to Lu Weiguo, “Is your wife really a teacher?”

Lu Weiguo nodded, “She is the art teacher at the Institution Elementary School.”

“Is what she said true? Does the brat really have talent?” Captain Han asked uncertainly.

“I believe she wouldn’t lie,” Lu Weiguo had some understanding of his wife.

After hearing this, Captain Han murmured, “I’ve seen the drawing he made for me, making me look like a bear. His skills aren’t that good. If he doesn’t learn something else properly and keeps messing around with these, how will he make a living in the future?”

Lu Weiguo glanced at him and joked, “Well, you do look like a bear.”

Captain Han widened his eyes, looking incredulous, “Nonsense! I’m wise and valiant.”

Shi Tingyu overheard their conversation, chuckled, and said, “Sometimes when drawing, artists tend to overly emphasize each bone and muscle, so the figures may not look as good as real people. But focusing on skeletal and muscular structure is essential. As your drawing skills improve, it will look much better.”

Han Wei was surprised; he did tend to do that when drawing.

He started drawing in middle school when he found an art textbook at a junkyard. Later, he self-taught himself art from that book.

Due to the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, the school environment was chaotic, and the emphasis on grades was lessened.

If a teacher said something harsh, those half-grown kids could easily bring them down.

As long as the child did not go astray or get involved with the radical Red Guards, Han Wei’s parents, Captain Han and Mrs. Han, didn’t stop him from pursuing his interest in drawing.

Initially, they thought it was just a passing hobby, but later, he became more and more engrossed in drawing and even started enjoying sculpting clay.

According to Han Wei, it was sculpting, not just playing with clay.

Han Wei was already sixteen this year, finished high school, but now he did nothing but draw and sculpt clay at home every day.

Any parent wouldn’t be frustrated by this situation.

Especially Captain Han hopes his son can join the army.

According to him, with such a physique, it would be a waste not to join the military.

A few days ago, Han Wei saw the wall painting by Shi Tingyu and, perhaps inspired by it, locked himself in his room to paint. He ignored everything else, even needing to be reminded thrice to come to meals.

After enduring for two days, Captain Han couldn’t hold back any longer, leading to the recent incident.

Shi Tingyu knew that someone completely engrossed in art would be oblivious to external matters.

But in this environment, it was clearly a bit unrealistic.

Just like Han Wei’s father, as a father he couldn’t see his son’s future path, causing him to worry.

But now with guests around, it wasn’t the time to lecture the child, so Captain Han followed Shi Tingyu’s words and stepped down.

With Lu Weiguo and Shi Tingyu mediating, the atmosphere at dinner tonight was quite pleasant.

There was no longer that tense atmosphere.

Seeing Captain Han so opposed to his son’s obsession with painting, Shi Tingyu didn’t say much either, fearing that any improper words might escalate the conflict between father and son in the Han family.

After dinner, Lu Weiguo and Shi Tingyu bid farewell and left.

Leaving the three members of the Han family sitting face to face.

Captain Han thought that their family couldn’t go on like this anymore, so he asked the question he had been wanting to ask for a long time.

“Xiaowei, tell Dad what you really think. You’re already sixteen now, not a child anymore. Have you thought about your future path?”

Mrs. Han couldn’t help but speak, “Yes Xiaowei, we can’t support you forever. When you grow up, you have to settle down and make a living. If you keep painting without a plan, how will you live?”

Han Wei remained silent for a while and said, “I, I don’t know…”

After all, he hadn’t specialized in painting, and he didn’t know what jobs he could do with painting.

Actually, his high school graduation qualifications weren’t low. High school students from rural areas come and go, and they go back to the countryside to receive re-education.

Because they learn labor knowledge.

If they can be recommended to university, that is another way out.

The only children in the city, in general, are recommended by the neighborhood committee where their household registration is located, but now they all have their own place to go. Before, maybe there was a graduate in line, and when they could get in, it’s hard to say.

Han Wei had just graduated from high school this summer, and at that time had heard that Han’s group of leaders would be transferred, so the thing about giving Han Wei a job was put on hold.

Han Wei didn’t want to go himself, so he stayed at home every day painting and kneading clay sculptures.

Now that they are here in Jinling, they want Han Wei to find a stable job, but Han Wei is still focused on painting. He refuses to, and this has made the family’s contradictions deeper.

Mrs. Han also thought of Shi Tingyu, she said: “I’m not going to go to the gym, she’s an art teacher, right? Ask her to help me ask if the school doesn’t recruit art teachers.”

Captain Han is convinced that this is feasible, but Han Wei is a little hesitant, he likes painting is one thing, but he’s not sure if he’s up to the job of an art teacher.

And he’s only sixteen, and he doesn’t have much confidence in himself.