The night was as dark as ink, and the faint light inside the studio flickered weakly. Li Ming sat by the window, clutching a mysterious letter he had just received, a chill creeping through his chest. The letter contained only a few haunting words: "You don't belong in this world. Be careful—someone is watching you."
Instinctively, he reached into his pocket to check his phone. The battery icon blinked—just one tiny bar of power left, like it could die at any moment.
**\[Inner monologue: If only I could look up 'How to survive after time travel,' I wouldn't be this panicked right now.]**
"Senior brother, why aren't you sleeping yet?" Xiao An's voice came from outside the door, laced with concern. Li Ming quickly stuffed the letter into his sleeve and forced a smile. "Nothing, just thinking about painting techniques."
Though the night air was cool, Li Ming felt like his mind was burning. He knew that once his phone battery died, all ties to the modern world would be cut. He had to act fast. If he could replicate the principle of a "camera obscura" using ancient materials—even a crude pinhole camera—it might give him a lifeline.
The next morning, the studio buzzed with activity. Master frowned and warned, "Li Ming, we've gotten too much attention lately. Best to keep a low profile." Li Ming nodded, but his mind was already spinning with ideas for building the dark box.
"Ah Tao, Xiao An, help me gather some wooden boxes, copper sheets, and animal hides," he instructed, sketching out a simple blueprint of the device. Xiao An took notes diligently while Ah Tao stared blankly. "Senior brother, are you making something weird again?"
"This is the secret weapon of light and shadow!" Li Ming said, grinning mysteriously.
"Can you eat it?" Ah Tao blinked, wide-eyed.
Li Ming laughed. "No, but it'll show you a whole new world."
That day, Su Ran stopped by with a box of new pigments. Seeing Li Ming running around like mad, she couldn't help but tease, "Master Li, what strange project are you working on now?"
"Top secret," Li Ming replied with a wink. Su Ran rolled her eyes but leaned over to peek at his drawing.
"This looks like a mechanical puzzle box. Can you really paint with it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't get it—this is 'pinhole photography.' It's celestial-level tech," Li Ming replied solemnly, completely making it up.
**\[Inner monologue: If I had a DSLR, I wouldn't have to jump through all these hoops.]**
Life at the studio continued to bustle. Xiao An and Ah Tao chased each other around the courtyard. "Senior brother is inventing something new again!" Ah Tao shouted while running. Li Ming stayed in a corner, absorbed in building the camera. The first attempt failed—the box leaked light and the image came out blurry.
"Senior brother, this isn't a camera, it's a wind tunnel!" Ah Tao laughed, nearly falling over.
"Hey, all great inventions go through trials and tribulations," Li Ming said seriously.
**\[Inner monologue: Man, a roll of duct tape would solve so many problems. Ancient folks really had it tough.]**
Undeterred, Li Ming kept experimenting with Xiao An. He polished the copper into a pinhole, used animal hide as a light shield—and on the third try, a blurry inverted image finally appeared in the box.
Xiao An gasped, "Senior brother! The picture is upside down!"
"That's the magic of light and shadow," Li Ming explained proudly.
"But… how do you paint it?" Ah Tao asked, puzzled.
A spark lit in Li Ming's eyes. He had Xiao An trace the projected image onto paper using light ink. The result, though blurry, was far more realistic than traditional methods.
Su Ran watched closely and offered tips. "This shadow could be a bit lighter. And this area needs more depth." The two bantered back and forth, refining the image.
"This technique… it's like a divine brushstroke," Su Ran muttered, eyes filled with wonder despite herself.
"Of course—it's called 'layered rendering.' Ever heard of Photoshop?" Li Ming smirked.
The studio's reputation soared. The old shopkeeper from Mo Xiang Studio couldn't stand it. He showed up at the door with several assistants, shouting, "Witchcraft! You're corrupting honest painting!"
Master panicked, but Li Ming remained calm. He had an idea—he asked Xiao An and Ah Tao to pose for "shadow charades," capturing their silhouettes with the camera, then tracing them on paper like cosplay art.
"Senior brother, is this what you meant by a 'group photo' before?" Xiao An asked curiously.
"Yep. It's the deluxe version of a family portrait!" Li Ming chuckled.
**\[Inner monologue: If I could just Photoshop in some bunny ears, it'd be perfect.]**
The crowd was amazed. The old shopkeeper fumed and stomped away.
Just then, the county magistrate arrived with his guards. "I've heard rumors of strange arts in this studio. I've come to see for myself," he announced.
Li Ming invited him in, mind racing through every "how to impress your boss" tip he knew. He used the dark box to sketch a portrait of the magistrate while explaining, "This is called 'light capture'—we're using natural filters, sir."
As the image emerged on paper, the magistrate's look of suspicion turned to awe.
Ah Tao whispered, "Is this what they call celestial photography?"
"Shh, keep it lowkey," Li Ming whispered back.
**\[Inner monologue: If I could just airbrush a beauty filter on him, I'd probably get a promotion.]**
That night, the dark box was stolen. Li Ming didn't panic—he called Xiao An and Ah Tao for a detective brainstorming session.
"Should we make a wanted poster?" Ah Tao suggested excitedly.
"Better—how about a suspect sketch?" Li Ming joked, doodling a chibi thief caricature.
Xiao An got serious. "Only Mo Xiang Studio folks were nearby last night. And they left footprints."
Using modern crime scene logic, Li Ming analyzed footprints, mud trails, and door marks. The team followed clues to an abandoned temple outside the city.
Su Ran joined them, using her sharp sense of smell to sniff out the unique scent of paint. She found the box hidden behind a woodpile.
"Su Shopkeeper, your nose could rival a police dog's!" Li Ming teased.
Together, they recovered the dark box and revealed the thief was a Mo Xiang Studio worker.
Master was overwhelmed. "Li Ming, your talents are truly heaven-sent!" The studio's fame soared higher than ever.
Late one night, Li Ming and Su Ran sipped tea under the stars. Su Ran asked quietly, "Are you really just a painter?"
Li Ming only smiled. They shared a long look—the air between them suddenly delicate and charged.
Xiao An and Ah Tao now looked up to Li Ming like a hero. He started a "Painter's Lab," letting everyone try light experiments—making filters, color palettes, and projections. Ah Tao was the first to sign up.
One day, a special order came in—from a noble family wanting a family portrait. Li Ming used the dark box to create separate exposures and combine them. The client was amazed and tipped generously.
Not everything was smooth. The senior painters were wary of the new methods. Li Ming invited them for tea and hosted a "Painter's Roast," encouraging everyone to write their criticisms as "barrage comments." He even gave out a "Best Roast" award.
Su Ran's attitude toward him softened. She gifted a rare pigment set, saying, "This color's tough to handle. Only you can make it work."
"I'd better live up to your trust then," Li Ming said with a smile. Their eyes met. The atmosphere was unmistakable.
At night, the studio was filled with light and laughter. Xiao An yawned, Ah Tao kept painting with wide-eyed excitement, and Li Ming felt a warmth in his chest.
Then one day, the old shopkeeper came back—this time with thugs—demanding "justice." Li Ming stayed cool, had Ah Tao perform "shadow doodles" while he wowed the crowd with light tricks. The townsfolk were amazed. The shopkeeper, once again, left defeated.
Their fame spread. Even the magistrate sent a silk banner in appreciation. Master was overjoyed, but Li Ming felt uneasy—the more attention they got, the more risk he saw.
Then one night, a third letter arrived—more chilling than the first:
"You think you can hide forever? They're watching your 'painted light.' Watch out—midnight is silent."
Li Ming's heart pounded. Suspenseful dramas flashed through his mind. It was time to be more careful.
From then on, he kept a lower profile. But the studio's business only grew busier.
One day, Su Ran invited Li Ming to her place, Colorcloud Residence. In the garden over tea, she asked, "Master Li, have you ever wondered why your paintings feel so different?"
Li Ming smiled. "Maybe it's because I see the world from a different angle." Su Ran nodded thoughtfully.
Back at the studio, Li Ming realized his phone battery was down to its final bar. He grew anxious and tried various charging methods. Xiao An and Ah Tao collected copper wires and magnets, even built a windmill generator—which only succeeded in giving Ah Tao frizzy hair.
Late at night, Li Ming sat at the window, staring at the moon. He knew his secret wouldn't stay hidden forever. But he also believed—if he lived with heart—he could carve out a place for himself in this world.