Chapter 32
After dinner, Jin Qiaochu took them to see the paintings in her home. There were two large rooms in the house, one for her father's collection of oil paintings, and the other for her own paintings, as if it were her personal exhibition.
Everyone admired it, and Wang Jiazhi smiled and said, "Does your father like Western paintings very much?"
Jin Qiaochu smiled and said, "Yes, he likes it more than us young people. My father, on the other hand, doesn't like traditional Chinese paintings."
Wang Jiazhi thought of her father, who had no interest in either painting or Chinese literature, and she didn't know what her mother liked about him.
Mr. Jin spoke eloquently about his collection, and was very pleased with a pair of replica high heels. He said, "This kind of excitement and richness of color can only be found in oil paintings. Chinese paintings are too bland."
Wang Jiazhi disagreed with this and smiled, saying, "The colors in Zhan Ziqian's 'Spring Outing,' Li Sixun's 'River Boats and Pavilions,' and 'Emperor Minghuang's Journey to Shu' are also very stimulating and rich, especially Wang Ximeng's 'A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains.' In fact, traditional Chinese painting can also achieve the effect of oil painting."
Father Jin smiled and said, "I have little knowledge of Chinese painting, but I'll take a look if I get a chance."
At night, only a single bedside lamp was on. Although dim, it seemed to her like a warm, golden glow. That warmth was like the steaming, golden roasted sweet potatoes and the sweet, roasted chestnuts with the aroma of charcoal during the cold, damp winters of her childhood.
She leaned on his shoulder and saw an oil painting on the wall in the light. It was an empty wasteland in the dark night. In the distance, a small house emitted warm light, shining on the dry grass and purple and white wildflowers.
She recalled an illustration from a fairy tale book she had read as a child: a faint, warm yellow light blazed in a tree hole, piled high with nuts for the winter. Two furry squirrels cuddled a baby squirrel, fast asleep. Outside, snow fell, and that little world amidst the icy snow seemed so warm.
She cried for a while, her tears dripping onto his shoulder. Gradually, the tears dried on her face, and she calmed down and felt very relieved.
Xiao Shuang took her arm and said with a smile, "I like Mona Lisa's Smile."
Jin Qiaochu smiled and said: "My father likes Van Gogh and Gauguin the most"
Xiao Shuang said, "I don't really understand it. I only know some famous paintings from art books. I also like Van Gogh's "Irises."
Jin Qiaochu said, "It's great to be able to appreciate the beauty of famous paintings. Unlike me, people say that paintings of high heels are beautiful, but I can't see that at all. My father said that I don't resemble him at all in terms of appreciation."
Then he asked, "Wang Jiazhi, do you have a favorite painter?"
Wang Jiazhi was lost in thought. When she heard him calling her, she came to her senses and smiled. "I like Monet. His water lilies are so pure, beautiful and mysterious, like fairies floating on the water. And Grimshaw. His moonlit nights are as ethereal as ancient poetry. And then there's Millet. His rural life has a very simple and peaceful feeling."
Father Jin said, "You like a quiet and peaceful style."
Jin Qiaochu said: "My father likes Van Gogh and Gauguin."
Wang Jiazhi smiled and said, "I like Van Gogh's Apricot Blossoms the most. Which ones does your uncle like?"
Jin Qiaochu said, "My dad's favorites are 'Sunflowers' and 'Starry Night,' and he also likes Edward's 'The Scream.' He likes this kind of passionate and unrestrained stuff even more than us young people. Young people tend to be more steady, while old people tend to be more wild."
Zhou Minlin smiled and said, "Uncle is not old yet."
Jin Qiaochu smiled and said, "That's true. My father is 45 years old this year. I can't say he's old."
Wang Jiazhi then realized that Jin's father was about the same age as him. Looking at Jin Qiaochu, if he had children, they would probably be around the same age.
The Jin family’s garden is very large and is full of precious red roses. The garden is filled with precious fragrance.
A few classmates went to the garden to drink tea and chat. The Jin family had several large Dalmatian dogs. Jin Qiaochu threw an iron hoop over, and one of them jumped up and stuck its head in like a sea lion.
A group of girls were playing with a few big dogs. One of them came up to her and scratched her skirt with its two paws.
Wang Jiazhi touched its head and thought of the huge white bear.
When she has nothing to do, she goes to the yard to touch its fur. Every day when she draws back the curtains, she can see it sitting at the door of its nest.
It is a furry little girl, with a big tongue sticking out and a silly smile, and a gentle personality.
"You're a lot like it," he said once, laughing.
"I'm not your pet."
When Xiao Shuang returned, she said, "If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't have had the chance to see this wealth and prosperity."
Zhou Minlin said: "How could that be true? She said she was inviting classmates to have some fun."
After returning to the dormitory, Xiaoshuang put the bunch of yellow roses she had been given into a vase and placed it on the desk.
It was still early and not yet dark, but they were too lazy to move, so they packed up and went to bed.
In her dream, Wang Jiazhi recalled the memories of the day.
She cried so hard, but he didn't ask any questions. He put his face against hers and kissed her eyes and lips gently. She sobbed and hugged his head and kissed him. There was no trace of lust in their words.
It was like a school of fish licking each other, like a school of fish feeding on each other. She felt extremely ashamed, yet she felt at ease.
He held her in his arms and said, "Can we live here from now on?"
She nodded gently.
When I woke up again, it was dark and quiet. A desk lamp was on in the tent opposite, and Xiaoshuang was knitting a sweater.
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