Lin Erxi hurriedly blocked them away: "One person does the deed, one person takes the blame. Feng Yao, Dongzi, get out of the way. I'm tough and can take a beating."
"No, Sister Erxi, I'm a real man, I'll take responsibility for my mistake..."
Lin Fengyao is very responsible.
"I'll do it. I'm small, and I'll heal faster if I get hurt..."
Lin Dongzi, with his small frame, squeezed forward.
Several people pushed and shoved each other, each wanting to be hit.
Seeing how united they were, Sister-in-law Lin's anger dissipated; she was almost amused by their irritation.
"Oh dear, sister-in-law, say something! I really don't know what to do with these people," said Sister-in-law Lin with a helpless expression.
Song Anxin was both amused and exasperated. She knew her sister-in-law wouldn't really hit Erxi, but this matter still needed to be taken seriously. She put on a stern face and said, "You guys, stop fooling around."
Lin Erxi and Feng Yaodong immediately stood up straight with their heads down. Seeing their mother and aunt's cold faces, they were more panicked than if they had been beaten.
"I'm sorry, Auntie, we know we were wrong, we'll never do it again." Lin Erxi obediently admitted her mistake.
Song Anxin looked up: "Oh, where did you go wrong?"
“We shouldn’t be making a living by setting up a stall,” Lin Erxi said in a low voice.
“No, there’s nothing wrong with setting up a stall to make a living.” Song Anxin shook her head, letting them continue thinking.
Lin Fengyao thought for a moment and said, "We shouldn't set up stalls in the scenic area to make a living without permission."
“We shouldn’t have slaughtered the pig. We’re selling a tattered painting for a hundred coins a piece,” Lin Dongzi said.
Lin Erxi and Lin Fengyao immediately objected upon hearing this.
“Hey, why are our paintings considered lousy? Our paintings are great, okay?” Lin Erxi said.
"That's right, I put my heart into it, and I drew it very well."
Lin Fengyao is very confident in his paintings.
Seeing that they had gone off-topic again, Song Anxin quickly interrupted them: "I'm asking you, since you're setting up a stall, why don't you go to the market? Aren't there designated areas for stalls there?"
"My second sister said that there are many wealthy people in the scenic area, and only these rich and idle people would buy paintings as a pastime. There is no better place to make a living than the market," Lin Dongzi said honestly.
Lin Erxi nudged his arm and whispered, "You don't have to be so honest and tell me everything."
Sister-in-law Lin glared at her immediately, and Erxi immediately lowered her head and stood up obediently.
Song Anxin couldn't help but laugh, then immediately regained her serious expression: "You guys do have some brains, but scenic spots are places for people to visit. Your unauthorized stalls are very likely to disrupt the order of the scenic area. If others follow your example, how will we manage this scenic area?"
“Exactly, they just cause trouble for others,” Sister-in-law Lin chimed in.
Lin Erxi, Feng Yaodongzi, and the others immediately lowered their heads even further.
“Mother, I’m sorry, we know we were wrong. We didn’t think that much about it at the time,” Lin Fengyao said.
Lin Erxi also said, "I'm sorry, Auntie, we won't be setting up a stall here anymore."
"We're sorry, Auntie, we know we were wrong," Lin Dongzi said.
Seeing that the guys realized their mistakes and stopped keeping a straight face, Song Anxin had an idea.
"Actually, it's not that you can't set up a stall in this scenic area."
Their eyes lit up instantly, and they exclaimed in unison, "We can set up a stall here?"
Song Anxin smiled and said, "Of course, but it must be done in accordance with the rules."
So the scenic area started to set up a portrait station, and Lin Erxi and Lin Fengyao's stalls were set up there. However, they were subject to the management of the scenic area and had to pay rent to the scenic area.
At first, their business was quite good. The people who came to the scenic area were all rich and powerful, and no one cared about the 100 coins. They were all happy to try something new.
However, many painters who make a living by painting have also sensed this business opportunity and have come to Linjia Village Scenic Area to rent stalls.
The artists are highly skilled, able to paint landscapes and depict people, and blend people and scenery together. As for exaggerated, cartoon-like depictions, that's no challenge for them either. After observing for a while, they mastered the techniques and can make them even more striking.
Customers naturally choose those with better painting skills, so Lin Erxi, Feng Yaodongzi's business stall soon went out of business. However, the three of them still made a small profit and paid the two helpers, Da Xiaocao and Xiao Cao, their wages.
"Has Feng Yao been staying in his study these past few days without going out?"
Granny Wei replied, "Yes, Madam, I heard from Anji that Fourth Master spends all his time practicing painting in his study except when he's eating or sleeping."
Song Anxin sighed and walked towards Lin Fengyao's courtyard.
Lin Fengyao is usually carefree, so I wonder if he's heartbroken to have been outshone by those artists this time.
Song Anxin pushed open the door, and Lin Fengyao was sitting at his desk, focused intently on his painting without even looking up.
After he finished the last stroke, he looked up and saw his mother, and exclaimed in surprise:
"Mother, when did you arrive? I didn't know."
Seeing the black and red ink marks on his face and the red stain on his nose, making him look like a little kitten, Song Anxin smiled and nodded at him, saying, "You're about to enter the painting, how could you possibly notice your mother's arrival?"
Lin Fengyao scratched his head sheepishly: "Mom, it's just that my skills aren't good enough, so I'm practicing hard."
Seeing him like this, Song Anxin felt relieved. It seemed that Feng Yao had not been discouraged, but had fully recognized his shortcomings and was working hard silently. This kid has a good temperament.
"Mother, since you're here, I have something I want to tell you." Lin Fengyao's face suddenly turned serious, and he said earnestly, "Mother, I want to learn to paint. I want to be a painter in the future. Could you find me a teacher?"
Song Anxin was surprised. She thought Feng Yao was just unconvinced, but she didn't expect him to be so interested in painting.
She said, "Feng Yao, are you telling the truth? The path of a painter is not easy. You have to be patient and hone your skills year after year. Moreover, it is difficult to make a name for yourself in your lifetime. You are still young, so don't act on a whim."
Throughout history, most great painters only became famous in their old age or after their death; the road to fame is arduous.
Lin Fengyao's face was unusually serious: "Mother, this isn't just a passing fancy. I love the feeling of depicting every detail with a paintbrush. Mother, I love painting."
Seeing the resolute look in his eyes, Song Anxin knew that Feng Yao was serious.
She said, "Good, Fengyao, I'm so happy that you've found something you like to do. I support you and will definitely find you a good mentor."
Lin Fengyao's eyes immediately lit up with joy: "Thank you, Mother. You're so kind."
After agreeing to Feng Yao's request, Song Anxin has been inquiring everywhere about renowned painters in the area, trying to find a good teacher for Feng Yao, which is exhausting for her.
Finding a master is different from finding a teacher, especially in this era. Once you recognize a master, it's a relationship of "one day as a teacher, lifelong as a father," so choosing a master cannot be taken lightly.
However, a master doesn't just accept disciples randomly. He has to examine their character, virtue, and conduct, because in this era, if a disciple makes a mistake, the master will also bear the blame.
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