Shen Qiqi's eyes rolled, and a sly smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. She carefully held her family's "artwork" as if it were a rare treasure.
This is no ordinary thing, it is the first step of her "Art to Promote Neighborhood" plan!
She walked briskly, and every step seemed to be treading on the notes of hope, but her pounding heart still revealed her nervousness at the moment.
"Let's go and show off!" Shen Qiqi's crisp voice rang out in the Lu family courtyard. She was so excited that she sounded like a rebellious girl who was about to go out and make a scene.
Lu Qing shook his head helplessly, but followed behind him, his eyes full of pampering and support.
When Shen Qiqi appeared among the neighbors with the "art troupe", the scene fell into a mysterious silence.
The villagers put down their hoes and gathered around curiously. What was going on?
Could it be that the Lu family is going to do something new?
"Auntie, look, this is the paper figure cut by my eldest uncle and his wife. It's so festive!" Shen Qiqi enthusiastically held up the "family portrait", wishing she could tell the villagers every detail on it.
"And this one is a rabbit carved by my husband Lu. It's so cute!" She showed Lu Qing's "rough" wood carving again, her tone full of pride.
The villagers looked at each other in confusion.
At this moment, a sharp voice broke the silence: "Hey, Qi girl, what are you doing? These fancy things, can they be eaten as food or spent as money? If you have the time, you'd better go to the fields and dig the soil, and you can harvest more corn!"
The one who spoke was Li Laosan. He put down his hoe, looked disdainful, and looked as if he was looking at a group of jumping clowns.
His words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing ripples and the air around him seemed to freeze.
"Uncle Li, don't be anxious," Shen Qiqi explained calmly with a smile, "This isn't some fancy thing, it's art! You see, it can make us feel good and make life more interesting! Besides, who says art can't make a living? It can stimulate our imagination, and maybe we can use it to make a fortune in the future?"
Shen Qiqi's words were well-reasoned, but the villagers still looked skeptical, obviously not completely convinced by her.
They are used to working from sunrise to sunset and find it difficult to understand this "illusory" art.
In the crowd, several aunties began to whisper, with a hint of disdain and ridicule in their eyes: "Hey, is the Lu family going to turn the tables? They are doing these useless things, who are they trying to show off to?"
Shen Qiqi looked at the scene in front of her, the smile on her face gradually froze, and the expectation in her heart seemed to be extinguished by a basin of cold water.
She knew that this road of "prospering the neighborhood through art" was not destined to be smooth sailing.
She took a deep breath and was about to say something when she saw a few aunties winking at each other with a hint of meaningful smile on their lips...
Shen Qiqi's smile froze on her face, as if it had been paused.
The whispers around her were like needles, pricking her heart and making it feel cold.
These aunties are so careless with their words that they enjoy watching the fun without thinking about causing trouble. They are just a bunch of keyboard warriors!
She felt like a clown. The carefully prepared "art feast" was nothing more than a farce in their eyes.
The air around her seemed to freeze, making it hard for her to breathe.
Lu Qing looked at the disappointment on Shen Qiqi's face, and felt heartbroken as if he had been scratched by a cat.
He walked silently to her side, stretched out his big hand, and held her hand steadily. A warm current instantly flowed into Shen Qiqi's heart.
"Don't be afraid, wife, I'm here!" Lu Qing's low voice was like a reassurance, making her feel instantly secure.
"Mom, look!" Suddenly, a childish voice broke the awkward atmosphere.
Lu Qing's son, that little boy, had run in front of everyone without anyone noticing.
He picked up a small wooden stick and began to draw on the ground in an orderly manner.
His wrist was very flexible, sometimes he tapped lightly, sometimes he drew again, and soon, a lifelike puppy appeared on the ground.
"Wow!" The aunties around exclaimed instantly, their eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.
They seemed to have forgotten their previous ridicule, and each of them stretched their necks and stared at the "masterpiece" on the ground, like a group of people watching a monkey show.
"This kid is really talented!" An auntie couldn't help but admire him, with a hint of disbelief in her tone.
The others also nodded and began to look at the Lu family with admiration.
Shen Qiqi looked at her son, her eyes filled with pride and relief.
This kid is a born actor!
She winked at her son and gave him a thumbs up, as if to say, "Well done, son!" The atmosphere at the scene instantly changed from cold to hot.
An atmosphere of curiosity began to spread among the crowd.
At this moment, Lu Qing suddenly gently held Shen Qiqi's hand tighter, his eyes as deep as the sea.
He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but hesitated. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a meaningful smile...
Lu Qing took a deep breath and said in a voice that only Shen Qiqi could hear: "Wife, don't be discouraged, let them see how powerful you are!" This magnetic voice was like a warm current, instantly dispelling the haze in Shen Qiqi's heart.
She felt Lu Qing holding her hand tighter, and a warmth came from her palm, as if injected with magical power.
She raised her head and met Lu Qing's deep eyes, which were full of trust and encouragement, like two shining stars, illuminating her way forward.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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