Mr. Lin's helplessness and heartache were directed at his friend.
He had previously called three friends to invite them to exhibit his calligraphy and paintings together, and all three agreed.
But in the end, one person broke their promise.
They're all adults now. Since that friend chose not to show up, Mr. Lin thought that he must have been held up by something or had some inconvenience.
He didn't ask any further questions.
Today, he learned from his friend Duan Wenguo that the reason his friend broke the promise was because he had excitedly dug out his paintings to deliver them.
But he had a fight with his wife.
My wife said, "So many years have passed, and you're still dreaming of being a painter?"
"The grotesque things you drew are only good for burning as fuel."
"An exhibition? You'd be better off thinking about how to make money instead of wasting that time."
"Don't you know what's going on with our family right now? I'm so unlucky to have married someone like you."
He argued with his wife, saying it wouldn't take much time; it was just sending the painting over for exhibition, which would fulfill a dream he had since childhood.
He even invited his wife to go to Qingshui Village with him.
But his wife, with a stern face, tore up all his paintings and looked at him with disappointment, accusing him.
"Go shopping? If you go out shopping, who will do the chores at home?"
“Over the years, we’ve both gone to work in the fields at the same time, but as soon as we get home, you always say you’re tired and go straight to bed.”
"I sweep the floor, I cook the meals, and I wash the clothes."
“What have you ever done? All you ever say is, ‘I have something to do, I’m going out for a walk,’ or ‘I’m so tired, I’m going to lie down for a while.’”
"What, you've found another excuse to go to an art exhibition and want to go out today?"
"Heh, it's not that I look down on you, but who would like your paintings?"
"It's good that you tore it up, so you won't use that excuse to lie to me."
At that moment, a surge of inexplicable anger welled up in that friend's chest.
But after the anger, there is an indescribable sense of dejection and confusion.
In the end, he just squatted on the ground with his body hunched over, his eyes vacant.
His whole life...
His whole life!
The moment his wife tore up all his paintings, he felt a piece of his heart suddenly go empty.
It felt like something had slipped out of my body.
He suddenly began to doubt himself, wondering what he had been doing all these years.
In his career, he achieved nothing.
He was constantly disliked by his wife at home.
He wasn't good at providing guidance or instruction to the children either.
Even the only painting he liked was criticized as worthless.
What exactly did he accomplish in his life?
Mr. Lin could only sigh helplessly at his friend's plight.
Furthermore, he didn't know what to say for a moment.
Suddenly, he felt incredibly fortunate.
Although his wife, Ms. Deng, used to be a bit nagging, had a bad temper, and was a bit too controlling with money.
But in other respects, it's still very good.
At the very least, she respected him.
What sets him apart from his friends is that he knows how to cherish his wife.
He knows to come over and lend a hand when his wife is working.
He knows to come over and comfort his wife when she's in a bad mood.
The reason why that friend's wife became a bitter woman was not only due to some minor issues on her part, but also because his friend had his own problems.
Even so, he still felt heartbroken that his friend's painting had been torn up.
If he happily takes out his painting to enter a competition, only to be scolded by his wife and have it torn up, it would be a different story.
He'd probably go crazy.
Thankfully, his wife isn't that kind of person.
Thankfully, his three children are all very well-behaved and don't cause trouble.
"Dad, when you have some free time, go find Uncle Cang for a drink. I'll provide you with the alcohol."
"No, that won't do. I need to ask your mom first and see if she approves." Mr. Lin immediately turned his gaze to Mrs. Lin.
"I approve of this because you've been working exceptionally hard lately."
“Since An’an has prepared wine for you, tell me when you go for your drink, and I’ll fry some peanuts for you,” Lin’s mother said with a smile.
"Alright, the peanuts you fried are really delicious, much more fragrant than the ones outside!"
"Hmm," Lin's mother grunted.
Men can get quite tired sometimes.
They should be released.
What's the point of staying cooped up at home all the time?
Like her, if she has nothing to do, she also wants to go out for a stroll, chat with friends, or something.
The lantern festival in Qingshui Village was a great success.
The number of tourists who came to visit far exceeded their expectations.
Mr. Lin's calligraphy and painting exhibition hall alone has received no fewer than three thousand visitors.
Some people even take photos while visiting the site.
As for the people who participated in guessing the lantern riddles, there were even more.
The number of small gifts sent out by Party Secretary Zhang and the village chief was countless.
However, the handmade lantern that was the prize was ultimately won by Su Qing's older brother.
In the past two days, most of those who came to Qingshui Village to set up stalls and do business have made a small profit.
Those who make delicious food can earn a net income of nearly a thousand yuan per day on average.
This made those who didn't come because they thought it was too much trouble extremely jealous and regretful.
With more tourists, we have to worry about the environmental problems after they visit.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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