"Have you seen these photos many times, brother?" Chu Yigui was able to calm Wan Qiu down and listen to his voice.
Wan Qiu nodded.
"You had a lot of fun during this time, didn't you, brother?"
Wan Qiu nodded.
"Now, brother, forget these photos, close your eyes, and try to recall the memories of going out with your older brother."
Wanqiu obediently closed his eyes.
Chu Yigui didn't rush to say anything, and waited.
Wanqiu reached out from the scattered fragments of memory and picked them up.
Chaotic memories rushed back into Wanqiu's mind, and the photos he remembered became the best threads connecting these memories.
Colorful, full of happy memories.
They were not particularly noticeable, but to Wanqiu, his elder brother always had a strong presence, making all of Wanqiu's attention fixed on his elder brother.
The figure of my elder brother appears in every frame of Wanqiu's memory.
"Of all these memories, brother, what do you remember most clearly?" Chu Yigui asked.
The one I remember most clearly.
However, what appeared before Wanqiu's eyes was not those novel worlds.
Instead...
Chu Zhang.
Chu Zhang was fully armed, his face completely hidden.
The way the eldest brother spoke without any restraint.
The older brother pulled him along as they quickly weaved through the crowd.
Of all these beautiful memories, the clearest and most memorable for Wanqiu is this one.
All of them are Chu Zhang.
"Brother, open your eyes." Chu Yigui's words brought Wan Qiu back to reality.
"Now, let's find the one among these photos that best captures the clearest memory of my brother."
Chu Yigui handed the phone back to Wan Qiu.
Wan Qiu took the phone, somewhat bewildered, seemingly still lost in her memories.
Chu Yigui said, "Brother, my favorite thing is the clearest scene in your happy memories."
Wan Qiu nodded.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess, all mixed up together.
But it didn't seem to confuse Wanqiu as much.
"I hope this can help my brother," Chu Yigui said.
Gentle, with a smile, she made Wanqiu feel incredibly at ease.
"Thank you, little brother," Wan Qiu said, but for some reason, he suddenly felt a little curious.
What is the clearest scene in Chu Yigui's memory?
"It's too late, brother." But Wanqiu didn't have a chance to ask. Chu Yigui just smiled and said, "I hope you have sweet dreams, brother."
Wan Qiu hesitated for a moment, but still left.
Chu Yigui closed the door and stood at the entrance.
Within a minute, Wan Qiu's presence had completely vanished from the vast room.
Chu Yigui sat opposite Wan Qiu's original seat, and seemed to still see Wan Qiu's figure sitting in the chair.
The clearest scene in my memory...
He was guiding Wanqiu, but unconsciously he was guiding himself.
The clearest memory?
Before Chu Yigui's eyes, only the memories that she had never forgotten kept resurfacing.
—Those eyes.
Wanqiu slept restlessly.
In his dream, Wan Qiu dreamed that he had successfully submitted Chu Zhang's homework, and Chu Zhang was very happy, he kept smiling.
Wan Qiu was also very happy because Chu Zhang kept smiling.
The dream was filled with vibrant colors, and all around me were vivid memories of places I had visited with my older brother: a bright red dance costume, a violin case, roller skates, a great white shark…
Countless things floated around him and his older brother, who hugged him from behind and sang beautiful songs.
Wanqiu always woke up smiling.
However, after waking up, it took Wanqiu a long time to realize that she had not handed in her homework.
After discussing it with Chu Jianshu, Jiang Chengfeng decided to give Wan Qiu a day off on the last day so that he could think about the topic properly.
Wan Qiu, who was not in class, held her phone but did not look at the photos inside.
If asked to choose his favorite photo from the pictures, Wan Qiu couldn't.
so……
Then let's just turn all the photos into one photo.
Just as Chu Yigui said, the most profound and clearest scene in his memory was turned into a photograph.
Wan Qiu found a piece of drawing paper in the room and spread it on the study desk.
He brought out the watercolor pens and looked at the snow-white drawing paper.
How can I turn his favorite photo into a single image?
Wanqiu thought about it for a long time, and then the dream he had last night suddenly came to mind.
Wan Qiu painted a picture.
Use colored pens and white paper.
The content of the painting is very chaotic, filled with all kinds of colors, without any fixed shape or specific image, but the bright colors cover almost the entire paper.
Some of the brushstrokes even extend beyond the paper's surface.
Wan Qiu took this photo with his phone and sent it to Chu Zhang.
The caption reads: This is my favorite photo; it's of me and my brother.
——
Chu Zhang has been constantly looking at his phone lately.
Every spare moment after work, he would pick up his phone and look at it.
Zhao Xinghua was very worried about Chu Zhang's condition.
Even Chu Zhang's assistant began to worry and secretly inquire with Zhao Xinghua whether Chu Zhang was in a relationship.
In the past, Zhao Xinghua would probably be sweating bullets by now, fearing that Chu Zhang, that unreliable guy, was in a relationship.
However, Zhao Xinghua calmly sneered, "Impossible."
There was only one person who could make Chu Zhang so anxious to receive information.
That difficult-to-get-along-with, adorable-looking child, Chu Wanqiu, whom the Chu family had just found.
Chu Zhang, who was getting her makeup touched up midway through filming, stared despairingly at the dark ceiling, her eyes devoid of any light.
The makeup artist asked, bewildered, "Are you alright?"
The assistant immediately sat up: "What's wrong? What happened?"
The makeup artist was also somewhat confused and asked her assistant to go check on Chu Zhang.
Chu Zhang's lifeless, absent-minded look made him resemble a pitiful man heartbroken after a recent breakup.
"Brother Chu, are you alright?" The assistant was also startled by this expression.
"Seven days..." Chu Zhang felt as if his soul could fly out of his body if he opened his mouth even slightly. "Seven days, why hasn't he sent me a message yet? Are my expectations too high?"
The assistant and makeup artist felt a chill run down their spines and immediately looked around to see if anyone had overheard Chu Zhang's mutterings. If they had, it would be troublesome.
They could practically see the scandals flying everywhere.
Suddenly, Chu Zhang's phone, which had been lying next to him, beeped. His assistant and makeup artist immediately realized that it was a notification sound indicating special concern.
Chu Zhang, who had just been lost in thought, suddenly sprang to his feet, turned on his phone, and eagerly opened the messages.
The assistant and makeup artist watched with bated breath, witnessing firsthand the razor-thin difference between Chu Zhang's rise from hell to heaven.
Chu Zhang waited for seven whole days for the message, but after examining it for a long time, he still couldn't understand it.
Is this... a photograph?
Chu Zhang disregarded the fact that there were two other people with him and made a phone call to Wan Qiu.
"Hello?" The voice was so androgynous that the two people standing nearby couldn't help but prick up their ears.
"Wanqiu, what did you draw?" Chu Zhang really couldn't recall any similar scenery when they went out together.
Holding his phone, Wan Qiu murmured, "It's my older brother."
Chu Zhang's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Big brother... doesn't big brother have any hair?"
It wasn't hair anymore, it didn't even have the shape of a person.
Wan Qiu then slowly said, "This is how happy my elder brother looks."
Although that's what Wan Qiu said, Chu Zhang was still confused.
Chu Zhang looked at the brightly colored watercolor painting, which was mostly golden yellow. It seemed messy, but upon closer inspection, one could make sense of it.
"So, is this the eldest brother in Wanqiu's eyes?" Chu Zhang asked hesitantly.
"Mm," Wan Qiu replied.
Chu Zhang tentatively asked, "Is it pretty?"
"nice."
Wan Qiu's resolute words immediately revived Chu Zhang: "Why does Wan Qiu want to paint? Don't you like any of the photos?"
"I like them all, I can't choose," Wan Qiu said very seriously.
"Okay, okay, it's alright, I don't necessarily want you to choose one."
Moreover, Chu Zhang also realized that after assigning the task, he had taken too many photos because he had had so much fun with Wan Qiu.
It's okay if Wanqiu can't finish her homework.
"Brother, can you show this photo to other people?" Chu Zhang would send it to Yan Hua, but of course he would send it to the family group chat instead.
"Hmm," Wan Qiu replied, but hesitated for a moment before asking, "Big brother... are you happy?"
"Happy, of course I'm happy, our Wanqiu is just too adorable!" Chu Zhang said excitedly.
"Hmm..." Although Wan Qiu only answered with one word, very softly, it was enough to show his happiness.
Chu Zhang was genuinely happy.
This is probably the first painting Wan Qiu created for them!
This is more precious than anything else!
And how did Wanqiu come up with the idea of simply drawing instead of finding the best photos?
Is Wanqiu from their family really that smart?
Chu Zhang took a screenshot of the photo and shared it in the family group chat, along with a high-resolution version.
The family group quickly responded.
Yang Ze: Is this a painting by Wan Qiu? Did he paint it himself?
Yang Xiaoyu: Can Wanqiu paint now?
Yang Ze: What does this picture mean?
Chu Jianshu: Not bad, very imaginative.
As Chu Zhang watched the messages pop up one after another, his vanity was practically written all over his face.
See, this is what a breakthrough looks like. Sure enough, Wan Qiu will learn a lot more good things from him, a normal human being.
As Chu Zhang's smile grew increasingly unrestrained, the assistant and makeup artist secretly huddled together and whispered in each other's ears.
Makeup artist: "What's going on? Who is Wan Qiu? This voice sounds a bit like a boy's."
The assistant, with a blank expression, said, "Wan Qiu is Brother Chu's younger brother."
The makeup artist's eyes widened in shock: "No way? I've never heard that Brother Chu has a brother complex?"
The assistant covered his face in embarrassment: "Just consider him a new addition."
Yan Hua obtained this drawing.
She stared at it for a long time.
According to Chu Zhang, Wan Qiu painted Chu Zhang looking happy.
Yan Hua can see that many areas are almost black because Wan Qiu has applied the paint repeatedly, covering so much color.
This painting expresses far too much, yet because it lacks a fixed form, it appears to express nothing at all.
When Yan Hua saw Wan Qiu again, she asked him to paint in front of her, but he failed.
But this time Yan Hua specified the theme.
Wanqiu was asked to draw pictures of all the family members, including Yanhua, Butler Bai, and the servants in the house.
Yan Hua obtained many complex paintings that had no fixed form.
However, after Yan Hua put these paintings away, she asked Wan Qiu to paint them again, still on the same theme.
Yan Hua painted three times in a row, marking each painting.
Afterwards, Yan Hua asked Wan Qiu to draw some inanimate objects. Although Wan Qiu's drawing skills were very poor, he tried his best to draw the original appearance of the objects.
Afterwards, Yan Hua tried to get Wan Qiu to draw out the things in his memory, and these memories once again appeared in a very chaotic and disorganized manner.
Yan Hua compared them for a long time.
Finally, it was placed in front of Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu.
“The world in Wanqiu’s eyes is different from the world in the eyes of ordinary people like us. We have always believed that Wanqiu’s sensitivity to our expressions is probably because in his eyes, all our emotional expressions are visualized.”
Although Wan Qiu's paintings are generally messy, when he paints the same person, such as his father or mother, the three paintings from different periods present the same expressive technique.
"What a remarkable discovery." Yan Hua's words made Yang Xiaoyu frown. "Isn't this a disease?"
"If you really want to say something, this should be considered a normal phenomenon, but it's a normal phenomenon for young children."
Yan Hua explained under the gazes of Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Jianshu.
"Young children have limited knowledge but extremely rich imaginations. When they cannot distinguish between many things, they may confuse fantasy with reality."
Yang Xiaoyu narrowed her eyes: "Then isn't this a psychological problem?"
"Wanqiu's psychological age and understanding of the world do not match his age of fourteen, which is why he has psychological problems. It is also very rare for Wanqiu to amplify such normal behavior to this extent."
Yan Hua's calm tone carried no hint of reassurance, only explanation.
Yang Xiaoyu's expression was not good; no mother could have a good look when she heard her child's question.
"But so far, it doesn't seem to have reached a bad point."
Yan Hua's words suddenly made Yang Xiaoyu feel irritated: "Do you mean my baby is sick, or is that a good thing?"
Ignoring Yang Xiaoyu's anger, Yan Hua explained, "Wan Qiu's condition hasn't really affected his real life. He just sees things differently and has a more unique way of perceiving things. But with adjustment and learning, these things can be improved, and the current improvement is the best proof of that."
Yang Xiaoyu's expression softened; at least that's how it was—Wan Qiu was indeed getting better.
It seems that Wanqiu's real problem is simply that he has not received a normal education and has not had a normal family.
Chu Jianshu wasn't inclined to understand anything too emotional, and asked directly, "And in terms of the outcome?"
"Now it seems that painting is a way for Wanqiu to express his psychology. If we have a large enough sample and find the patterns in the paintings, we can even have a more accurate dialogue with Wanqiu through painting."
Yan Hua's words caught the attention of Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu.
"But it's very likely that as Wanqiu grows older and learns more, these uncertainties will disappear. In the future, when he looks back at these paintings, he won't even know what he was thinking back then."
Yang Xiaoyu rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on: "So all you've said is that you've only discovered one phenomenon?"
These messy paintings are entirely within Wanqiu's rules, and Yanhua can't decipher much of them.
However, these seemingly chaotic paintings, upon careful examination, contemplation, and reflection, gradually reveal their emotional expression.
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Yan Hua’s expression turned serious. “Teacher Jiang said before that Wan Qiu’s understanding of pain is a bit strange.”
It wasn't just Wan Qiu who reacted to the word "pain"; Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu also reacted immediately.
Yan Hua was naturally aware that this was because of Wan Qiu's long past, before he returned to the Chu family, which shaped his character.
“I tried to get Wanqiu to draw his impressions of pain.”
Wanqiu has a very comprehensive understanding of everything. For example, no matter how many times he paints Chu Zhang, the final effect of the painting is always very similar.
But Wan Qiu painted countless different scenes about pain.
When a number of very different drawings were presented to Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu, they were completely shocked.
Wan Qiu's figure paintings always reveal a unique emotion that arises upon close examination.
Just as people associate red with passion and blue with coldness.
However, Wanqiu's portrayal of pain is far too rich.
“Wan Qiu probably truly felt happy about the pain that Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai brought her.” Yan Hua pointed to the chaotic yet surprisingly beautiful paintings, as well as a part of the previous ones, “This seems to be the feeling she had when she was with Wan Xiaohua.”
Yang Xiaoyu's expression turned sour whenever Wan Qiu's past was mentioned.
But that's not what Yan Hua wanted to say this time.
Finally, Yan Hua pointed to the last few paintings that had deeply impressed Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu.
"What are these? Do you have any clues?"
The most striking feature of these paintings is that they are entirely black.
Black, interspersed with red, yellow, and other colors, is a painting that can make one feel rationally uncomfortable.
It's as if a life has passed away in the darkness, blood continuously seeping from the paper, with only a faint yellow light visible, defying this desolate space and reality.
“I watched the whole process of painting these pictures and recorded it,” Yan Hua said. “There are many figurative elements, which are rare in Wan Qiu’s paintings.”
"Didn't Wan Qiu tell you directly what it was?" Chu Jianshu unconsciously covered his mouth, realizing that the painting could indeed give people such a disgusting feeling.
"His memories are fragmented, chaotic, and unclear."
"I don't understand?" Despite her disgust, Yang Xiaoyu kept staring intently at the paintings, trying to figure something out.
“Yes, I don’t know, so I think it’s very likely that Wanqiu’s current situation is ultimately related to these paintings.” Yan Hua’s expression was full of solemnity. “It could be a fantasy, it could be a memory that was never there before due to fear, or it could be something that was actually experienced.”
Yang Xiaoyu lay on the sofa, holding the paintings covered in black in one hand, examining them carefully.
These messy, chaotic memories are ones that Wanqiu can't quite explain.
Yang Xiaoyu recalled Yan Hua's words before he left.
“Although this situation does occur, there is no need to force Wanqiu to recall. Sometimes forgetting is also a form of therapy. However, if Wanqiu can express his thoughts through painting, perhaps we could try to let him learn to paint? Chu Zhang has been asking me what kind of hobby we should cultivate in Wanqiu.”
Yang Xiaoyu put the dark painting in her hand aside.
He covered his face with his arm.
What exactly do these paintings, which make people feel uneasy just by looking at them, depict?
Should Wanqiu learn to paint?
Yang Xiaoyu had not thought about cultivating Wanqiu's extracurricular interests in any particular way.
Wanqiu may never achieve the same level of success as his brothers, but at least he hopes to be happier.
Yang Xiaoyu picked up the painting of herself that Wan Qiu had been keeping aside.
The color is fiery red, like a constantly burning flame. The brushstrokes also resemble fireworks bursting open. Just looking at it, you can almost feel the intensity.
She can paint paintings that send chills down your spine, yet she can also paint paintings that convey joy.
That's really strange.
Is it because she has a biased view of her child?
It seems that in Wanqiu's world, one can actually see some truly beautiful things.
It is a world more wonderful than any ordinary person's.
only……
According to Chu Zhang, Wan Qiu did not have a particularly strong interest in painting.
Let's put aside our hobbies for now.
——
Yang turned off his computer, closed his eyes to relieve his fatigue, and heard a colleague's question beside him.
Are you leaving get off work early to go home today too?
"Mm," Yang replied.
"Aren't you thinking about what gift to bring your younger brother today?" A colleague asked this question with a teasing smile.
Although Yang didn't reciprocate his colleagues' smiles, the complex expression that would appear on his usually cold and hard face every time his younger brother was mentioned amused his colleagues.
"You don't need to bring him gifts every day." Yang touched his nose, stood up, and said, "I'm off work."
"Alright, goodbye brother!"
The laughter from his colleagues in the office could still be heard before Yang Ze put on his coat and left. Yang Ze also showed a bit of amusement when he was alone.
Yang plans to inherit Chu Jianshu's business in the future, so he naturally needs to understand what Chu Jianshu does. Currently, he is basically rotating through grassroots positions.
Because of Yang Ze's personality and his perpetually tense expression, he has never been able to joke around with his colleagues.
Furthermore, since he hadn't specifically concealed his identity, it was even more difficult for Yang to get along with his colleagues.
Chu Jianshu is a serious and strict person. Because he is not close to his mother, Yang will yearn for his father even more.
He bore a resemblance to his father, which made him seem even more unapproachable.
But that's not what he really wanted.
Just like Chu Jianshu and Song Wenqiu, he also established a deep friendship, but unfortunately, he was not lucky enough to have such good friends.
But everything changed when Wanqiu returned.
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