Chapter 124: The Lonely Illustrator
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Lu Yiyun’s recent days were no different from what they used to be. Day after day, she picked up new orders, drew illustrations, handed in manuscripts, reworked, handed in drafts, collected money, and so on.
In the mountain, there was no sun nor moon, no winter nor summer.
Because of almost no other human interaction, even Lu Yiyun herself was not aware of her paintings becoming more sophisticated each day. The price for her single leaf illustration increased from 800 to up to 1200. She no longer needed to advertise, as more and more customers had been actively coming to her, and she needed less and less time to rework.
In order to save money and maintain her lifestyle, she had to take at least five orders for illustrations every month. She had a little more leisure time because of her increased speed of painting and the reduction of rework.
In her spare time, she still updated her comics on Weibo, but the amount of people that viewed them was very few — Painting could depend on one’s efforts, but creating stories requires a certain talent, and not all her stories were suitable to be used in comic form.
Lu Yiyun was not discouraged, and did not even think to give up. She had gotten through more difficult days, so what could she not overcome now?
She first used the money she saved to upgrade her computer and drawing board for a higher grade professional color monitor. To do a good work, she must first sharpen her tools. Before, she was always asked to redo her work. One of the reasons was that her original display had too poor of color quality — she thought it was green but the customer said it was blue. Because of this, she secretly shed tears, thinking that she was deliberately bullied by new buyers, until after the change of display, she found that it really was blue…
The professional monitor was very expensive, but if she was going to stay in this industry, a professional display was required.
Then she bought a fridge online, so she didn’t have to go out and buy food every day, just to save time. Then she bought an electric oil heater – most residents didn’t have a heating system in Binhai, and the weather was getting cold; winter was not too far away.
The empty rental house was becoming more and more like home now.
She was still watching Miss Snowy’s live broadcasts, never missing an episode, which became a part of her life.
From the show, she came to know that Amazing Fat Pet Shop opened up a membership system. Members would be given a discount if receiving services of cat bathing or buying cat food.
Jasmine was her long-haired cat. The first time she got a bath, Zhang Zian said that it was from the chinchilla family, so she needed to give her more frequent baths than a short-haired cat. When she got enough money, she immediately went to the pet shop to start a membership card, without any hesitation.
Zhang Zian did not know her journey, but she was happy anyone could get a membership from him.
“The shop is going to launch a membership system, but is still in the preparatory stage. Currently we are taking reservations — if I’m not wrong, you can get one of the first ten membership cards,” Zhang Zian gallantly recommended.
“Great, I want to make a reservation.” Lu Yiyun immediately nodded.
“…”
She agreed too quickly, which gave Zhang Zian no need say all of his prepared selling words. How was this girl totally different from Zhao Qi?
It took him a long time to get over it. “Because the membership system has just been launched, there is a discount, and you can book a membership for 1000 Yuan.”
“Ah?” Lu Yiyun was stupefied. “1000? I thought I would need pay more, or I would have come a few days earlier.”
Zhang Zian felt confused. How come the girl did not follow the routine? 1000 Yuan was too little? Her dress was so ordinary. Was she a hidden new-rich?
He took out the registration book and pen and said, “OK, please register your name, and leave your cell phone number or your Wechat ID. When the member system is officially on, I’ll let you know.”
Lu Yiyun wrote her name and telephone number.
Zhang Zian looked from side and exclaimed, “Are you Lu Yiyun? Your handwriting is so good!” And his compliment was pretty sincere.
When Lu Yiyun heard the surprising compliment, her hands started shaking. The number “6” at the end of her phone number was written in a grotesque squiggle.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I will rewrite it,” she apologized hurriedly.
How long had it been since she was praised?
Her parents had broken off their relationship, and had not praised her for so long before. She forgot when the last time they praised her was. Was it the first time in elementary school that she got a prize for a painting contest?
Customers did not usually praise her as they were purely a business relationship — one paid the money, one gave the work. Besides that, she never received praise. Maliciously pushing deadlines, customers unkindly required rework very often, and even when some orders were completed, the customers did not pay her until she reminded them repeatedly…
The salesmen at her local supermarket did not praise her.
The delivery guys from the online stores did not praise her.
Even if she paid her rent in advance, the landlord did not praise her.
Her usual contacts were just limited to these people. She had never dreamed of praise actually appearing after such a long time, especially in this pet store, of which she had only been in once.
As a Chinese saying goes, kind words make people warm like a fire in a cold winter, while bad ones hurt people seriously, just like snow in the summer.
Zhang Zian felt that he had said a very usual sentence, and it was a great truth, but Lu Yiyun suddenly cried, tears dripping onto the registration book.
“OMG, what happened?!”He was panicked at once.
“Oh, what happened? Why did you suddenly cry? Are you feeling ok? Do you need to go to the hospital?” Zhang Zian was sweating and asked helplessly.
However, the more he asked, the harder Lu Yiyun cried.
“Yes… Are you feeling 1000 is too expensive? 500 is ok! No, today. Today is your lucky day, free! I will give you a free membership?! Please don’t cry!”
No matter how Zhang Zian persuaded, it did not work. He looked around seeking help, but just met Fina’s eyes. The eyes were no longer despising, and clearly said, “Why don’t you go to hell?”
“It’s not me who made her cry!” Zhang Zian thumped his chest and stamped his feet, feeling there was nowhere to get fair justice.
Clearly, there was only Lu Yiyun and him in the shop. He was obviously the scapegoat!
Zhang Zian felt like he was getting into big trouble, and the end of the world was coming!
At this time, he must ask the elder for its life experience on how to make the girl not cry!
He hastened to look at Old Time Tea, hoping that it could put the country and the nation aside for now, first to save him from the abyss of misery.
But Old Time Tea simply yawned and said to itself, “I didn’t sleep the whole night, now let me make up for that.” Then it took off its hat, lay on the blanket, stretched slightly and began to snore.
No one could be relied on at this critical moment! He picked up his phone quickly, entered Wang Haige Forum, and posted a message:
[Handsome Manager]: Help! What do you do when you made a girl cry? I am waiting, urgent!
