Chapter 431 Q&A
The literature and art theory class that afternoon ended a little late.
As soon as Nan Zhiyi closed her lecture notes, several students surrounded her with their notebooks.
After these two classes every Monday, students would always come to her, the teaching assistant, for answers to their questions.
“Professor Nan,” a girl with a ponytail spoke up first, “Regarding the topic of the final paper, you mentioned last time that we could choose an analysis of contemporary literary schools, but I’m not quite sure about the concept of ‘root-seeking literature’…”
Another boy wearing glasses then asked, "If I want to analyze the alienation phenomenon in Zhang Xianliang's 'Spirit and Flesh,' wouldn't this be too broad a starting point?"
“Root-seeking literature is not simply about nostalgia for one’s hometown,” Nan Zhiyi patiently replied. “It should focus on the process of constructing cultural identity. As for ‘Spirit and Flesh’… I suggest focusing on the alienation in a specific scene, such as the description of the protagonist’s alienation from himself during labor reform.”
Seeing that another student was about to ask a question, she glanced at her watch and said, "How about this, next Monday we'll set aside half a class period to discuss paper topics. Everyone, please write down your initial ideas in outline form and submit them."
She waved to the class representative: "Could you please collect them and give them to me by Friday?"
The class representative was a girl with a sweet smile, Wang Duoduo. She nodded and said, "Okay, I'll come to the literature building to find you on Friday."
"Um."
After the students left, she hurriedly packed up her lecture notes and rushed to Professor Wang's office.
Professor Wang was making tea when he saw her come in and pushed a plate of osmanthus cake over to her: "You've come at the perfect time, I just bought it."
Nan Zhiyi sat down, ate two pieces of pastry without ceremony, and then drank half a cup of tea with her teacher.
"Teacher, this tea is very smooth and has a sweet orchid fragrance. It's delicious!"
Professor Wang chuckled, "You certainly know your stuff. Shall I share a pack with you?"
Nan Zhiyi politely declined, saying, "You don't know me. A little tea makes me feel refreshed for half a day. Giving it to me would be a waste. Please don't give it to me. Whenever I want some, I'll come to you and have a cup with you."
Professor Wang smiled and shook his head.
Nan Zhiyi took out the paper from her canvas bag and handed it over with both hands: "Teacher, this is the first draft of the paper for the conference. I would like to ask you to review it."
Professor Wang put on his reading glasses and began to carefully peruse the book.
He picked up a red pen and drew lines in several places, then wrote a few small words...
"The analysis of the imagery here could be explored further. And the ending..."
“I’ve compared it with the English translation…” Nan Zhiyi leaned forward and pointed to the footnotes.
......
Professor Wang pointed out a few more oversights in the literature, then finally took off his glasses and closed the paper with satisfaction: "The overall framework is very good. Leaders from the Writers' Association will be present, so you should focus on preparing your presentation for Chapter Five."
"Okay, I'll go back and change it as soon as I get back."
Nan Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief and put the paper into her bag when she heard Professor Wang casually say, "Old Xu, the editor-in-chief of 'Literary Review,' is also attending the conference. Prepare a concise version."
She immediately understood; this was a recommendation for her to publish. Just as she was about to thank him, Professor Wang waved his hand, saying, "Go back quickly; it gets dark early."
"Okay, goodbye teacher."
As darkness fell, Nan Zhiyi walked towards the school gate, her mind filled with ideas for revising her thesis.
Suddenly remembering that Gu Zhao had to hand in a parent-child art assignment tomorrow, she quickly quickened her pace.
When he got home, Gu Zhao was sitting upright in his small study, practicing calligraphy, his pencil moving carefully across the grid. Hearing the door open, he looked up and called out "Mom," before continuing to write.
"Son, you've worked hard." Nan Zhiyi put down the cloth bag and gently patted his head. This little guy already has to do his homework. Sigh.
Feeling sorry for her eldest son, she sat down on the wicker chair next to him, unfolded her thesis paper... Just as she was pondering how to revise a certain theoretical statement, Gu Zhao had already closed his notebook.
"Mom, I'm done." The little guy neatly put his notebook into his schoolbag. "The vocabulary assignments were too easy. But the art homework..."
He pulled out a notice that read, "We have to draw our own dreams. The teacher said we can do it with our parents."
Nan Zhiyi took the notification and looked at it: "Shall we start drawing now?"
"Okay, I'll go get my art supplies."
He chose a suitable sheet of drawing paper, colored crayons, and paints, and arranged them all neatly on his desk.
Nan Zhiyi looked into her son's bright eyes and asked, "Son, what is your dream?"
"To be an astronaut!" Gu Zhao said without hesitation. "I want to ride a rocket to the moon!"
Nan Zhiyi pulled out a pencil and colored pencils from the pencil holder: "How about this? Mom will draw the outline, and you can color it in."
"good!"
Nan Zhiyi first sketched the curved walls of the spacecraft, and then added a few round portholes.
Outside the main structure, she lightly drew the floating satellite and the outline of the Earth in the distance.
After finishing the background, Nan Zhiyi examined it and realized that she did have some artistic skills; it was not bad.
Next, she drew the outline of a little boy wearing a space helmet in the middle...
Gu Zhao excitedly grabbed an orange crayon to paint flames, his little face almost touching the paper. Nan Zhiyi drew a starry sky in blue beside him, occasionally giving him pointers: "You have to paint the flames from top to bottom, that way you won't paint out the lines."
As Gu Zhao applied the paint to the spacesuit, Nan Zhiyi held his small hand and together they outlined the reflective surface: "Leave a little white space here, so it will have a three-dimensional feel."
The mother and son sat head to head, their shadows cast on the wall by the warm light of the desk lamp.
The colored pencils scratched on the paper, and Gu Zhao would occasionally pout because he had drawn lines out of line, and Nan Zhiyi would smile and help him fix them.
Sister Zhang gently knocked on the study door: "Sister-in-law, Xiaoman, dinner is ready."
Nan Zhiyi put down her pen, turned to her son and asked, "Dad will be home late tonight. Shall we finish drawing before we eat, or should we eat first?"
Gu Zhao frowned, staring at the unfinished drawing for a moment before hesitating: "Mom, finish it." He looked longingly at the unfinished painting; the astronaut's helmet hadn't been coated with reflective paint yet.
"good."
Nan Zhiyi turned to Sister Zhang and said gently, "Please keep the food warm on the stove. Go back first. We'll heat it up ourselves after we finish painting."
After Sister Zhang left, the mother and son buried themselves in drawing for a long time.
Gu Zhao carefully painted the starry sky dark blue, occasionally looking up to see her mother add a few silver stars.
When writing "My Space Dream" at the bottom of the drawing paper, Gu Zhao insisted on signing it himself.
He held the pencil and carefully wrote the two characters "Gu Zhao" in the corner before putting down the pen and gently laying the drawing paper flat on the desk to dry.
"We'll hand it in to the teacher tomorrow! Ours is sure to be the best!"
Nan Zhiyi gently patted his soft hair: "Son, there's always someone better."
Gu Zhao chuckled and threw herself into her arms: "Whether it is or not, Mom is the best."
Nan Zhiyi held her son's small hand, which was covered in paint. The colorful marks spread from his fingertips to his wrist, like he was wearing an abstract painting glove.
“Let’s go,” she said, leading him out of the study. “Let’s wash our hands and have dinner first.”
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