Chapter 44
In the autumn of southern city, the sky was high and clear. University life had opened a whole new window for Su Rui. His chosen major, interior design, required keen observation, a command of space, and aesthetics, all of which resonated subtly with his deepest longing for home and warmth. He was no longer the silent, studious Su Rui of high school. He began to learn to express his inner vision through line, color, and light and shadow.
In addition to attending classes and completing homework as usual, he also signed up for the school's photography club.
The club's activity room was filled with photography equipment and the smell of developing chemicals, and the walls were covered with members' artwork. It was a place where a group of people truly passionate about the art of light and shadow gathered, and the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. The seniors, without any airs, enthusiastically shared equipment techniques and composition tips with him, even taking him to the school darkroom to teach him how to develop black-and-white film.
Su Rui took to the world like a fish in water. His prodigious talent was quickly unleashed by the atmosphere of like-minded individuals and systematic guidance. He excelled in portrait photography, capturing the most vivid, unpredictable, yet captivating moments of his subjects, including his seniors and fellow students. He didn't mechanically capture appearances; instead, he used his lens to gently touch their souls, uncovering subtle emotions and beauty that were often unnoticed by his subjects themselves.
"Su Rui, this shot of yours is absolutely stunning! How did you achieve that catchlight?" "Your composition is really thoughtful, junior. This angle is tricky, but the effect is surprisingly good!" "Wow, your post-production color correction looks so advanced. Can you teach me?"
The recognition and praise from his peers gradually built up Su Rui's unprecedented confidence. His world no longer revolved solely around "Ling Yao" but began to have its own solid and bright fulcrum.
Soon, his work spread within a small circle of campus. First, close classmates approached him privately to take some personal portraits. Gradually, people from other departments began to approach him, willing to pay him a fee. While the pay wasn't high, each recognition reinforced his belief in his own worth.
Opportunities favor those who are prepared. Once, he shot a graduation portrait for a senior student in his club, which she shared on social media with great satisfaction. The portrait happened to be seen by the owner of a small photo studio that values ​​creativity and individuality. The owner was impressed by Su Rui's unique sense of narrative and delicate emotional expression in his work and contacted him.
After a brief negotiation and portfolio review, Su Rui successfully became a part-time photographer at the studio. The hours were flexible, and the pay was much more generous and stable than the sporadic commissions he'd been taking before. He carefully saved the money, sending some to his grandmother and thinking that he could buy Ling Yao something when he returned.
He still sent Ling Yao messages every day, sharing interesting campus news, photos of club activities, and occasionally a few photos he took that he was satisfied with. The content of their long phone calls gradually became richer, and he would excitedly tell Ling Yao about the new photography techniques he tried that day and the kind of clients he met.
Ling Yao on the other end of the line usually just listened quietly, occasionally giving a brief, hoarse comment like "okay" or "not bad." Su Rui could hear the weariness in his voice, but he never questioned her. He simply tried harder to pass on these positive, bright moments in his life, as if that could, through the airwaves, cast a ray of warm sunshine on the person struggling in a foreign land.
The camera opened up a new world for Su Rui, allowing him to see his own brilliance. And his concern for Ling Yao became a gentle driving force that kept him moving forward, wanting to become better. He steadily moved forward on this path, waiting and preparing.
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