At dawn, a long line had already formed outside the art studio. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Li Ming stared at the crowd and thought, Man, if only we had a ticket machine...
"Senior brother! We've got seventeen portrait orders today!" A Tao cheered, waving the ledger excitedly. Xiao An stood nearby counting sheets of paper, mumbling "Rule of Thirds, Rule of Thirds…" under his breath.
The master looked pleased, but frowned slightly. "Li Ming, business is good, but we can't get too flashy…"
Li Ming gave a wry smile. So being a painter in this era basically means getting dragged into an assembly line.
Inside, the studio was buzzing. Assistants moved tables, dried paper in the courtyard. Xiao An greeted clients while A Tao ground ink and mixed pigments. Li Ming sat at the main painting table like a "chief designer," delegating tasks like a seasoned team leader.
"A Tao, you handle the base colors. Xiao An, sketch the outlines. I'll do the detailing," Li Ming instructed, mentally noting, Yep. Ancient assembly line unlocked.
A Tao worked a little too fast and ended up turning an old lady's face into a "steamed bun." Xiao An quickly salvaged it, turning it into a "melon face," and Li Ming finished it off with a "beauty filter" twist—gentle and youthful.
Clients marveled at their portraits. "Master Li's technique is incredible!"
Word spread fast. Even the rival shop, Ink Fragrance Studio, started to get jealous. The old shopkeeper there grumbled at the teahouse, "Li Ming must be using sorcery or something shady!"
While the master was proud, he also grew uneasy. He pulled Li Ming into the back room and spoke seriously, "Our studio owes a lot to you, Ming'er. But your style draws too much attention. It might bring trouble. Keep a low profile, alright?"
Li Ming nodded obediently, but he knew deep down—Innovation always comes with risk.
That afternoon, Su Ran arrived at the studio with a distinguished guest. Dressed in elegant robes, the man carried an air of authority. His sharp gaze swept the room and landed on Li Ming.
"I've heard rumors about a unique new painter here. I came to see for myself," the man said. He turned out to be a visiting governor from another region.
Su Ran smiled lightly. "Master Li, the governor would like a custom 'Mountains and Clouds' painting—something truly special."
Li Ming felt the pressure immediately. He asked for specific details, and the governor explained he wanted a sense of "misty, layered clouds over serene mountains," with dynamic lighting and shadow.
An idea clicked in Li Ming's head—he would use modern layer techniques and light rendering. He had Xiao An lay a light ink wash as the base, A Tao blended the pigments, and Li Ming outlined the mountains with fine brushwork, applying gradient techniques to render the mist.
Su Ran watched closely, occasionally offering critiques. "Lighten the blue here... The fog needs more depth."
Li Ming and Su Ran bantered back and forth while working together. As the image came to life, the governor nodded in admiration and eventually gave them a generous reward.
The whole studio celebrated. The master beamed. "Li Ming, your technique is groundbreaking!"
But success brought problems too. The jealous old shopkeeper began spreading rumors—claiming Li Ming used witchcraft—and even posted defamatory notices outside the studio.
Li Ming initially laughed it off—until county officers actually showed up to investigate.
The master was a nervous wreck. Li Ming once again demonstrated his "magic"—explaining the Rule of Thirds and light-shadow theory, with A Tao and Xiao An performing a little "light and shadow illusion" act.
The officials were totally confused but eventually convinced—crisis averted.
As the studio thrived, Li Ming noticed another bar on his phone battery drop. He started tinkering with ancient materials to build a makeshift charger, which ended in a minor explosion that gave A Tao a cartoonish "afro." The studio burst out laughing.
Late that night, Li Ming received a strange letter. It hinted that someone suspected his true identity—and that greater powers might be watching.
Looking out at the moon, Li Ming felt proud of his progress… but also uneasy.
The days got livelier. Each morning, Li Ming was woken by the sounds of Xiao An and A Tao bickering in the courtyard. A Tao loved washing brushes by the water tank, always splashing Xiao An, who'd chase her around in protest. Laughter echoed through the studio.
Sometimes, Li Ming taught them how to use the Rule of Thirds. A Tao got distracted and ended up drawing a "nine-headed bird." Xiao An, ever serious, filled each grid carefully, creating a puzzle-like landscape. Li Ming chuckled. "You guys drawing picture Sudoku now?"
At lunch, the whole team ate together. A Tao's cooking was… passable, but heartfelt. When Li Ming picked up a suspicious-looking dish, Xiao An whispered, "Careful, that's A Tao's new invention—'Rainbow Egg.'" Li Ming took a bite and nearly choked. Everyone burst out laughing.
Some commissions were downright strange. One wealthy lady wanted a painting of a "smiling cat." A Tao added two curved lines near the mouth, and the client loved it—tipping extra. Xiao An sighed, "Senior brother, your technique really is magical."
Su Ran dropped by now and then with new pigments, always arguing with Li Ming. "Your style is way too modern. The ancient crowd may not get it." Li Ming would grin, "Then let's give ancient people a fashion update." Their bickering became a favorite show for everyone.
One day, a kid showed up holding a broken kite, begging Li Ming to draw a "flying dragon." Inspired, Li Ming painted a cartoonish "chibi dragon." The kid squealed with joy. A Tao tried to copy it but drew something that looked like a "snake-faced demon." More laughter.
At night, Li Ming often sat by the window, flipping through his phone photos. Sometimes he missed home. Sometimes he brainstormed new "ancient tech" inventions. Once, he tried building a generator with copper wire and magnets—A Tao ended up with another poofy hairdo.
Xiao An consoled her: "Failure is the mother of success!"
As business boomed, the master started considering new apprentices. Li Ming proposed starting a painting workshop, teaching people grid layouts and color layering. A Tao was the first to sign up, Xiao An took notes, and Li Ming taught composition like "photo framing," leaving everyone both confused and fascinated.
Once, they got an order for a giant family portrait—over ten people in one painting. Li Ming had them sit in groups and drew them in batches, layering them together later. The client was amazed. "Master Li, this is miraculous!"
Not everyone was thrilled, though. Some of the older painters murmured complaints. Li Ming didn't get angry—instead, he invited them for tea and hosted a "brainstorming meeting." Over time, the veterans warmed up and even started trying the new techniques.
Su Ran's attitude toward Li Ming also shifted. One day, she brought a special pigment and said softly, "This color's hard to work with. Only you can do it justice." Li Ming smiled, "Then I'll make sure not to waste your trust." Their eyes met, and the mood turned subtly romantic.
At night, the studio lights stayed on late. Li Ming worked alongside Xiao An and A Tao. Xiao An yawned endlessly while A Tao seemed more energetic the later it got. Li Ming felt a warm sense of belonging.
Then one day, the old shopkeeper from Ink Fragrance showed up again—this time with a few goons—trying to stir trouble at the front gate. Li Ming stayed cool, had A Tao demonstrate the Rule of Thirds, and dazzled the crowd with another light-shadow performance. The audience was stunned. The old man stomped off in frustration.
The studio's fame soared. Even the county magistrate sent a silk banner in praise. The master was over the moon, but Li Ming worried—Too much attention attracts danger.
That night, another mysterious letter arrived. Just one sentence:
"You don't belong in this world. Someone is watching you."
Li Ming's heart skipped. He began to stay alert.
He resolved to keep a lower profile, avoid drawing too much attention—but the studio's popularity kept growing.
Later, Su Ran invited him to Colorcloud Pavilion. Over tea in the garden, she asked, "Master Li, have you ever wondered why your art always feels... different?"
Li Ming smiled. "Maybe I just see the world differently."
Su Ran didn't reply—just looked thoughtful.
Back at the studio, Li Ming checked his phone—10% battery left. Panic started to creep in. He and the others tried rigging copper wires and magnets again—eventually building a windmill to generate power.
It worked for a moment—then blew up A Tao's hair again.
Late at night, Li Ming sat by the window, gazing at the moon. He knew one day, his secret would be exposed.
But as long as he gave it his all, he believed—he would carve out a future in this strange, ancient world.