Chapter 40

After quickly tidying up the dishes and utensils, Lu Weiguo headed to the camp for training, while Shi Tingyu grabbed her bag and went to the school.

She first checked the blackboards behind several classes. Noticing some areas where the lines weren’t smooth, she took a piece of chalk and made some revisions. She also noticed some empty corners and added small designs, making the bulletin boards look much richer.

Students from the classes began to arrive, marveling at the updated bulletin boards. Seeing their classmates’ appreciation, those who helped Shi Tingyu with the boards stood proudly.

In the morning, Shi Tingyu had a class, and after it ended, she returned to her office, where Principal Ren found her.

“Teacher Shi, I’m glad you’re here. I have something to ask for your help with,” Principal Ren said, pulling up a chair.

“What is it?” Shi Tingyu asked curiously.

“We are organizing a ‘Most Beautiful School’ competition among the elementary schools in our city. I noticed the walls outside our school are a bit worn out. I was thinking, could you help by painting some murals or something?” Principal Ren explained.

Shi Tingyu didn’t refuse. As an art teacher, helping out was only natural.

Principal Ren felt a bit embarrassed, “Teacher Shi, I know your artwork is valuable. Our school can’t let you work for free. I’ll propose a budget for compensation.”

“No need, Principal,” Shi Tingyu hurriedly declined.

Principal Ren wouldn’t accept any arguments.

Shi Tingyu was different from other art teachers. While their artwork couldn’t be sold, Shi Tingyu’s renowned paintings could be. Naturally, this made a difference.

Ultimately, Shi Tingyu agreed. The school provided paintbrushes and paints, and Shi Tingyu added a few more varieties from her own collection.

Principal Ren approved everything.

During breaks, Shi Tingyu sat in her office, sketching designs in her sketchbook. To impress, the designs couldn’t be ordinary. She even considered some 3D wall art, something not seen before.

The pencil seemed like an extension of Shi Tingyu’s hand as she sketched, giving shape to vague outlines.

She put down her pencil, her gaze distant as she refined the patterns in her mind until she was satisfied.

The ‘Most Beautiful School’ competition results were due before summer vacation, around early July. Once announced, they would prepare honor plaques to hang on the school gate, welcoming new students for the next semester.

In other words, she had about a month left.

However, Shi Tingyu’s teaching duties were tight, so Principal Ren reduced her classes.

After a few days of good weather, Jiang Yu was pulled back by Principal Ren to substitute classes.

When students saw that the person teaching them had switched back to Teacher Jiang, disappointment was clear on their faces.

One mischievous student couldn’t help but ask, “Teacher Jiang, where did Teacher Shi go?”

Jiang Yu couldn’t help but twitch his mouth. Was the gap between him and Teacher Shi really that big?

He had worked hard to teach them drawing for so long, and now that Teacher Shi was here for a few days, the students were turning away?

But explanations were still necessary.

“Teacher Shi has been helping the school with wall paintings recently. This is very important now. Whether we can win the ‘Most Beautiful School’ title will depend on Teacher Shi,” Jiang Yu explained.

The students quietly discussed this among themselves.

Nowadays, there were many propaganda posters outside, promoting production, encouraging labor, praising great men, and so on.

They were curious about what kind of paintings Teacher Shi would create.

Soon, due to the students’ excitement, the residents of the residential compound also learned that their local primary school was participating in the ‘Most Beautiful School’ competition.

Especially upon hearing that Shi Tingyu would be responsible for painting on the school’s outer walls, they became very curious.

Lu Weiguo also heard about this and decided to ask Shi Tingyu about it.

He was worried that his wife might not fully understand the current environment, fearing that her paintings might contain elements that could be easily criticized.

Shi Tingyu showed him the rough composition of her own painting.

When she mentioned things like 3D effects, Lu Weiguo had no concept at all.

Shi Tingyu demonstrated one on the spot. She drew a black fish with a pencil.

Initially, Lu Weiguo could follow, but at a certain moment, he suddenly couldn’t understand it anymore. How could a simple sketch suddenly seem so lifelike?

Especially when Shi Tingyu cut off a part of the paper with scissors, it clearly looked like a live fish placed on the paper.

Lu Weiguo stood there frowning, observing, and then reached out to touch it. Only when he actually felt the paper did he have the feeling that this was really a drawn picture.

He looked up at Shi Tingyu and then took her hand to examine it carefully, saying, “It’s truly amazing…”

Her hand was like that of a legendary painter.

If he hadn’t seen her draw it with his own eyes, he would have thought it was a real fish.

Seeing that he now understood what a 3D drawing was, Shi Tingyu asked, “What do you think of this style? Wouldn’t it be impressive for large-scale murals, looking impactful from a distance?”

Lu Weiguo nodded; it was more than just impressive—it would drop jaws.

Seeing her idea being acknowledged, Shi Tingyu suddenly felt confident.

She reached for the drawing of the black fish, intending to crumple and discard it, but Lu Weiguo quickly rescued it. “It’s so well done, let’s keep it.”

Shi Tingyu blinked. “But this was just a practice sketch, it has no value.”

“I think it’s great,” Lu Weiguo insisted. “Let me keep it for you.”

Seeing his genuine appreciation, Shi Tingyu agreed to let him keep it.

Feng Wei also heard about Shi Tingyu painting murals for the school and asked Lu Weiguo if he needed any help.

“Anything you need, just let me know. Our military school absolutely cannot lose,” Feng Wei said enthusiastically.

Lu Weiguo nearly kicked him, saying, “Do you really have to say that? With my wife’s skills, losing would be impossible.”

Feng Wei didn’t know much about Shi Tingyu’s painting abilities, so he asked Lu Weiguo about it.

With a mysteriously intense look on his face, Lu Weiguo replied, “You haven’t seen her paintings. Once you do, you’ll understand.”

This piqued Feng Wei’s curiosity completely.

After some persuasion, Lu Weiguo agreed to bring Feng Wei to see the fish painting that Shi Tingyu had created.

To astonish Feng Wei.

Lu Weiguo placed the painting on Feng Wei’s desk before he arrived.

Upon entering and seeing the painting on the desk, Feng Wei unconsciously remarked, “When did you become so polite, Old Lu? Bringing me a fish.”

As he spoke, he reached out to take it, but his hand grasped nothing.

Lu Weiguo stood there with folded arms, a smile playing at his lips.

“This is a painting by my wife.”

Initially surprised that Lu Weiguo had put a fish on paper, it turned out to be a painting.

Feng Wei couldn’t believe it and touched it again, finally gaping in astonishment, “This…this is unbelievably lifelike!”

Lu Weiguo retrieved the painting and gave him a stern look. “Stop kidding around. This is extraordinary. You, an ideological instructor, aren’t as cultured as I am.”