Chapter 94: What Everyone Loves.
After exchanging ideas with the various artists, Kwon Ji-yong had a general idea of how to arrange the exhibition hall.
Unfortunately, it was getting late and he had a meeting to attend, so he could only write down his idea and put it into practice when he had more time.
"Ru Feng, when can I see the painting you drew for me?" Sitting in the car on the way to the next stop, Quan Zhilong looked at An Ru Feng with bright eyes. At this moment, he had recovered his spirits.
Kwon Ji-yong invited many interested artists to create works, and An Joo-feng, who was the person he was most interested in, happened to be an artist as well, so he naturally invited An Joo-feng to create a work for his solo exhibition.
An Ru Feng had painted Kwon Ji Yong before, but at that time their relationship wasn't very good. Kwon Ji Yong asked for her artwork, but she refused, saying that her private paintings weren't given to outsiders.
After the two became a couple, Kwon Ji-yong wanted the painting, so An Yeo-pung gave it to him.
Kwon Ji-yong would definitely keep such private paintings, which he doesn't give away to outsiders, to his own collection and wouldn't display them in a solo exhibition for outsiders to see.
He invited Anjou Feng to repaint a picture for the general public.
Anru Feng, of course, did not refuse to have her portrait drawn for him.
The painting is finished, but it hasn't been sent to the art museum yet.
Knowing that he was going to design the exhibition's visitor flow, Anru Feng took photos.
She showed Kwon Ji-yong the drawing she had made on her phone.
Upon first glance, Kwon Ji-yong was captivated by the painting's rich, contrasting, and magnificent colors.
Before even seeing the contents, the moment Kwon Ji-yong saw this painting, he thought that with such a strong visual impact, he should put it at the beginning of the exhibition.
The painting is mostly of a forest, with tall trees twisted and formed by amethyst, gold bars, and various gemstones under the dim moonlight.
Crimson, purplish-red, emerald green, dazzling gold, chaotic mist, flowing, viscous light and shadow, black snakes entwined on crystal.
Glamorous and alluring, yet fraught with desire and danger.
The colors at the center of the image are completely opposite: pure, transparent, and clear. They contrast sharply with the chaotic, restless, highly saturated, warm and cool colors of the forest, creating a strong visual impact.
In the very center is a human figure, formed by pure, cold blue water.
It was just a human silhouette, without any specific facial features, with daisies dotting the water and musical notes flowing on it.
A clear, pure white beam of light enveloped the figure from above, the light and shadow distinct and clearly defined, cutting through the surrounding chaos like a sharp sword and illuminating the path out of the forest.
The road stretches on, and at its end, a patch of vibrant red roses blooms quietly.
Kwon Ji-yong looked down and saw the four large characters "Lang Zhao Du Xing" (meaning "Walking Alone Under the Bright Light") written in gold lettering on the beautifully framed painting.
"What do these words mean?" Lang Zhao Duxing wrote them in Chinese, which Quan Zhilong did not recognize.
An Rufeng smiled, not directly answering his question: "If you can understand paintings, you'll understand what it means."
The skill in her painting lies mainly in the use of color, while the content is easy to understand.
The imagery she chose was not profound and was easy to understand.
The enchanting forest represents the allure and traps of the entertainment industry where Kwon Ji-yong operates;
A bright and clear center represents that Kwon Ji-yong has the ability, firm belief and undisturbed focus to achieve his goals in this environment;
Flowers at the end of the road, of course, represent success.
"Walking Alone Under the Bright Light," much like the meaning expressed in the painting, signifies "moving forward on the path of life with a clear and transparent mind, and an independent and unyielding will."
Kwon Ji-yong's public image is arguably the most frivolous and rebellious in the Korean entertainment industry. He smokes, drinks, frequents nightclubs, is embroiled in scandals, and is full of youthful vigor and unrestrained behavior.
But in reality, in the glamorous and tempting world of entertainment, Kwon Ji-yong is more clear-headed than anyone else.
He knows what he wants, knows how to get it, and has the ability to get it.
For such a person, success is inevitable; the end of the road should be filled with flowers, and it certainly will be.
"I don't know if I really understood it?"
Kwon Ji-yong smiled broadly; of course he understood.
An Rufeng knew he understood when she saw him smile; he just wanted her to say it herself. She chuckled and said, "It's exactly what you think."
"Ah, am I being too narcissistic if I think like that?" Kwon Ji-yong feigned distress.
"If you invite others to create works based on you, are you still worried about being narcissistic?" An Rufeng laughed, exposing his pretense.
It was predictable that his solo exhibitions would generate controversy, such as "commercialization of art," "meaningless," "for marketing purposes," "attention-seeking," and "products to attract fans," but he still did it.
To reiterate, he knows what he's doing and what he wants.
So naturally, they don't care if people call them narcissistic.
"Hey, Anru Feng!" Kwon Ji-yong exclaimed, "Quickly praise me!"
An Rufeng laughed out loud: "I see, why didn't you say so earlier?"
Seeing this, Quan Zhilong snorted, put his arm around An Rufeng's shoulder, and leaned in to kiss her lips, silencing her.
Soon after, Anru was panting heavily.
Kwon Ji-yong smiled happily.
Looking at An Rufeng, his lips pressed against hers again.
However, unlike the previous tenderness, it was a light touch, fleeting like a butterfly flitting across a petal.
Kwon Ji-yong's lips curved into a smile as he gently brushed against her lips again and again.
An Rufeng felt a tickle. Seeing him laugh, she unconsciously laughed along. She leaned closer and gently kissed his lips: "Do you still want to know what it means?"
"What?" Kwon Ji-yong lightly kissed her lips, feigning ignorance.
“Those Chinese characters,” Anru Feng said, smiling at him.
Kwon Ji-yong suppressed the slight smugness at the corners of his mouth: "Speak."
An Rufeng explained the meaning to him, talked about it in conjunction with the painting, and then praised him earnestly.
At this point, he became embarrassed, his ears turned red, and he changed the subject: "Why did you use a shadowy figure to represent me?"
"Because you are unique and cannot be defined, no specific image has been drawn for you."
Kwon Ji-yong couldn't help but laugh, covering his face with his hands. His face turned red, and he quickly changed the subject: "Why is it made of water?"
"Water benefits all things without striving." Water possesses the humble characteristic of nourishing life without taking credit, and Anru Feng feels that the image of water is very suitable to describe Kwon Ji-ryong.
"Water benefits all things without striving?" An Rufeng didn't know how to say this in Korean, since she had just said it in Chinese. Quan Zhilong repeated it in confusion.
He spoke with little accent.
Kwon Ji-yong has recently been learning Chinese with An Ru-feng. He feels like he's finally getting the hang of it. Chinese words that he used to find difficult to pronounce many times are now easy for him to say fluently.
"Do you know the Tao Te Ching? The image of water in it resonates with you." An Rufeng thought to herself, "People from all over the world in the Chinese cultural sphere should know about it."
"The water described in the Tao Te Ching?" Indeed, as An Rufeng thought, the Tao Te Ching has a great influence in South Korea, and Kwon Ji-yong is also interested in philosophy, so he knows the general ideas in it.
Quan Zhilong raised an eyebrow slightly.
He was initially filled with novelty and the pleasure of being affirmed. After all, this was the realm of water described in the Tao Te Ching! Moreover, such high praise came from his lover.
Then, with a hint of surprise and curiosity, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "Such gentle water?"
Are you sure you didn't describe the wrong type?
The image of water described in the Tao Te Ching is definitely not how others perceive him. He jokingly said, "I'm more like a flood or a tsunami, aren't I?"
The water described in the Tao Te Ching is natural, humble, and non-competitive, while he likes to challenge, take the lead, and show himself, rather than be low-key.
An Rufeng thought about it after hearing this and felt that he perfectly fit the idea of being low-key in life but high-profile in work. She adjusted her words and said, "Well, you are talking about how to act. I am talking more about a humble and selfless attitude, and making achievements without being arrogant."
Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow at An Ru-feng and retorted, "Ru-feng, aren't you being a bit careless? In the Tao Te Ching, water 'dwells in places that others dislike,' so wouldn't I be considered to 'dwell in places that others love'?"
"It's unreasonable to be in a low position after giving so much," An Rufeng laughed. "Because 'being loved by everyone' is the reward you deserve after giving."
“So, I have already received the corresponding reward, ‘doing what everyone loves.’” Kwon Ji-yong smiled slightly at An Yeo-poong. “What I did was what I was supposed to do, and I have been rewarded. I can’t say I’m being humble or taking credit.”
An Rufeng tilted her head and looked at him. Isn't this a perfect example of the humble quality of acting without competing?
Kwon Ji-yong seemed to understand An Ru-feng's expression and said with a light laugh, "If I want to do something, all my efforts are for the sake of advancing it. As long as it succeeds and achieves its goal, I will have already fulfilled my wish."
As for what to give, how much to give, and how to give, those are all irrelevant.
Anru Feng's eyes were full of smiles.
She discovered that he possessed a kind of self-awareness, like a solitary light shining on itself, yet he was unaware of it.
An Rufeng couldn't help but shake her head with a smile: "Focusing on the goal, not caring about the details of the effort, and not worrying about personal gains or losses, isn't this exactly the embodiment of doing without competing? This selflessness of only focusing on the matter itself is precisely the highest level of humility."
Kwon Ji-yong whispered, "Aigu... Am I really that good? You've become a saint."
"certainly."
"My dear Rufeng, you're describing me too well. Is your girlfriend filter too strong?"
"You've always been this good."
Kwon Ji-yong subconsciously covered his burning cheeks with his hands, and a faint blush spread across his neck.
He coughed softly, trying to find his voice: "Since our Ru Feng treats me like a saint."
He raised his chin slightly and looked at Anru Feng, saying, "Offer your faith and sincerity."
"Sure, what do you want me to offer? Time, money, or something else?" Anru Feng smiled gently. "However, a saint wouldn't actively ask his followers for their sincerity."
Kwon Ji-yong glanced at Lee in the driver's seat, a smile playing on his lips. He leaned down close to An Ru-feng's ear and whispered something quickly before laughing and stepping back: "Even a saint wouldn't want this..."
An Rufeng glanced at him, raised her hand and reached towards his waist, but Quan Zhilong laughed and ran away.
Just then, they arrived at their destination. The car stopped, and Kwon Ji-yong opened the door and got out with incredible speed, taking three steps at a time to get away from the door and avoid An Ru-feng's hand that was about to touch his waist.
An Rufeng watched as Kwon Ji-yong greeted his fans enthusiastically as soon as he got out of the car, then grabbed the empty car door and closed it.
Hearing a "thud" behind him, Kwon Ji-yong stiffened for a moment, then smiled even more brightly at his fans.
Amidst the increasingly loud cheers of the fans, Kwon Ji-yong reunited with his teammates and headed into the television station together.
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Author's Note: I'm here! [heart emoji]
I saw a quote from Brother Long's Instagram, translated as follows: "Give yourself a test. No one knows, only witnesses, only your own test, such as living honestly where no one can see. Even alone, act with courtesy, and don't lie to yourself."
Only when people have overcome countless hardships, re-evaluated themselves, and realized that they are noble beings, can they possess true self-respect…
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