Chapter 492 Shaojie's wife was once a beautiful woman
The next morning, I got up early because I was worried that no one would greet Shaojie after he got up.
When we got downstairs, my mother said, "Your friend went to the lake to play."
I walked out of the house and saw Shaojie walking back and forth by the lake. I walked over and saw him holding up a camera and taking pictures.
When he saw me, he said, “This environment is so beautiful.
"When I first came here, I thought it was beautiful, but after living here for a long time, my feelings started to dull."
"Come over and look at the pictures I took early this morning."
After that, he pulled out the photos he had taken and showed them to me.
He took a series of photos of cleaners at work. In one photo, a female cleaner was holding a long iron clamp and picking up plastic bottles floating on the lake.
This shot is a close-up. The plastic bottle is not easy to clamp and the distance is a bit far. The cleaner leans his body as much as possible, standing on one foot and raising the other foot, puffing out his cheeks, concentrating.
I was deeply shocked by the shot he captured.
“Is it a good shot?” he asked.
"It's a great shot. The cleaner's expression as he tried to pick up the plastic bottle was captured so vividly. It gives the viewer a huge shock."
"Really? You think so highly of me?"
"This photo, firstly, makes people feel disgusted with people who litter bottles. Secondly, it makes people admire the cleaners' conscientious and responsible attitude.
The third point is the most important. I was worried that she would fall into the water. It was just dawn. What if she couldn’t swim and fell into the water?
Shaojie gave a thumbs up and said, "You really know a lot about photography. I want to enter the National Spring Photography Competition. What do you think is a good name for this photo?"
I blurted out: "Picking up gold."
He was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, clenched his fists, and shouted to the sky: "I'm going to win the prize, I'm going to win the prize."
After saying that, he hugged me, patted my back and said, "That's great, that's great." Then he pushed me away and asked, "How did you come up with such a wonderful title so quickly?"
I said, "To a cleaner, that plastic bag is just a spot on the lake. Calling it 'spot removal' would be unattractive.
Doing the opposite is like finding a piece of gold, and she must pick it up."
"Teacher Wan, if this photo of mine doesn't win an award, I will stop doing photography."
I laughed out loud: "Are you so confident?"
"I'm absolutely confident. I only have one regret: a photograph can only be signed by one person. It's impossible for two people to take the same photo. I'm taking advantage of you."
I laughed and said, "I just picked a name. If you hadn't photographed it so vividly, I wouldn't have been able to generate such good inspiration."
Shaojie said, "I have benefited from your help in every way. Now that I have won the award, I will record this history online and make the process of our cooperation public."
I joked, "Don't write it. Photographers will be asking me for titles, and I'll have little time to make tea."
He laughed heartily. Then he said, "I've gained so much this time. If I really win a prize, I won't be out again. I've been running around so much just to win a prize. I feel bad for my wife and kids."
I said, "Let's go sit in the study."
They returned to the study, and I made him a cup of tea and said, "By the way, the last time I came to your place, I wanted to see your good wife, but I went to your cousin's house and didn't come to your house."
He said, "That time, someone in her family was getting married, and she went to the wedding banquet. But if you say she is virtuous, she is really virtuous."
I laughed and said, "You love photography so much, but photography not only doesn't bring in any income, but it costs money. Your wife is very kind not to smash your camera."
Shaojie said: "Actually, I am half a liar."
I interrupted with laughter and asked, "Tell me how you tricked her?"
Shaojie slowly recalled, "Back then, we were colleagues. She was as beautiful as a flower. All the men who pursued her were better than me. However, I had one advantage: I could take photos."
I interrupted him and said, "Just ask her to be your model every day."
"Yes, cameras were rare in those days. You had to pay for film and develop it. Most people couldn't afford it, but I took pictures of her roll after roll. I also learned how to develop the film myself. She loved the developed films.
So, she follows me whenever she has time. In a relationship, the key is whether the woman can give you time. If she gives you time, you will have the opportunity to show your talents.
To get a good photo, I squatted, knelt, and even lay prostrate on the ground. I wasn't afraid of getting dirty, mud or water. Do you think this touched her?"
I smiled and said, "She was so moved that she finally gave herself to me."
"Not yet. One time, I took a picture of her standing among rapeseed flowers and titled it 'She Smiles in the Bushes.' I submitted it to a provincial competition and won second prize. People around me started calling me a photographer.
I told her that I would definitely win the first prize in the country and become a nationally renowned photographer. She actually believed me.
"Let me recreate the scene for you. After you vowed to become a famous photographer, she gently fell into your arms, closed her eyes, and said happily, 'You will do it. I believe in you.'"
Shaojie blushed. He took a sip of tea and continued, "That's how we got together. After decades of ups and downs, I became more and more fond of photography, and she became more and more disgusted with my photography."
We have loved, hated, and argued. She has cried, made a scene, and smashed things, but she never smashed my camera.
The last time I went to Dali, I suddenly couldn’t find my lens cap, so she rummaged through all the drawers to help me find it.
Finally we found her. She said to me with tears in her eyes, "I'm not looking for any big award. You're old now. Don't go to western Sichuan anymore. That road is dangerous."
I only pray for your safety. I kneel down for you. After this trip, please don’t go on a long journey again, okay? My son is getting married soon, and we can’t even afford to buy a house…”
At this point, Shaojie covered his face with his hands and his shoulders trembled continuously.
I felt heartbroken listening to this. I knew he loved photography, and was obsessed with it like opium. I also understood his wife's painful struggle between reality and her ideals.
On the one hand, she hopes her husband can make a blockbuster movie and fulfill his lifelong dream. On the other hand, she is worried that her husband is getting older and she is afraid that something might go wrong.
Also, her husband is devoted to finances and is able to buy a house and a car for his son, but my family can't even afford to buy a house for my son's wedding...
In a sense, I despise Shaojie because he only cares about himself. On the other hand, I understand him, an artist's fanatical persistence.
I stood up, closed the study door, and handed him a tissue.
He wiped his tears, looked up at me and gave me a wry smile, "I'm sorry, I lost my composure. I feel guilty when I mention her."
I asked, "Does your son also work in the county?"
He nodded and said, "Yes. It's not that we can't even afford a house. It's mainly because my father-in-law fell seriously ill two years ago. He doesn't have a son. We spent over 500,000 yuan, but he couldn't be saved.
My wife was deliberately provoking me by saying that we couldn’t even afford to buy a house, but in reality she was trying to persuade me not to go out anymore…”
I comforted him: "Things will get better slowly. Don't go too far from home. Spend more time with your family."
Shaojie nodded.
At this time, my mother pushed the door open and said, "Have some noodles for breakfast. They are already soaked."
I said to Shaojie, "Let's go and have breakfast first."
After breakfast, I sent Shaojie off. Before leaving, I reminded him, "When you get home, be sure to send me a WeChat message to let me know you're safe."
Back in the study, I was restless and walked from one end of the room to the other.
Working in the county town, although a family of three earns a lot of money, if they are just ordinary employees, the total annual income is only more than 100,000 or 200,000 yuan, not to mention various expenses. It is really not easy to save some money.
Although I've never met Shaojie's wife, I imagine she must be one of the rarest and most virtuous women in the world. Shaojie is a photography enthusiast, but he treats his father-in-law like a father, and spending over half a million dollars to save the body shows he's a kindhearted man.
Thinking of this, I sat down, picked up my phone, and wrote this:
"Brother Shaojie, there is no absolute right or wrong in this world. For example, your photo may not win the award this time.
But life always goes on. You and your wife will grow old, and your son will get married and give you grandchildren. This is an imminent matter.
I'll give you 100,000 yuan. Given your personality, you're definitely a tough guy who doesn't want to accept favors, but this time, you have to accept it. It's not that I sympathize with you, but I'm moved by your wife.
You said it was a down payment for the stone sale. My greatest wish is to make her happy, to make her cheerful, to give her hope, to let her see that life will get better, to make her smile, and to restore her former beauty.
Don't reject me. Rejection means we will never be friends again."
After I finished writing it, I didn’t send it to him immediately because I was afraid that he would see it and it would affect his mood and driving.
Two hours later, I saw his WeChat message: "Teacher Wan, I'm home. Thank you for hosting me, and especially thank you for naming my film."
I tapped WeChat and sent the message. I transferred the money in two installments. Then I turned off my phone.
I was afraid to look at my phone, afraid that he would give all kinds of reasons to refuse, afraid that he would not accept it.
Just take a stroll out and go for a walk by the lake.
At this time, the morning sun shines warmly on Huaxi Lake, casting thousands of golden rays of light on the lake surface. A gentle breeze blows, rippling the lake, bringing with it the breath of spring.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
