Filling Blanks

  [I saw a girl painting in the plaza today. She’s insanely talented—finished a whole painting in just a few minutes and even gave it to me. Compared to her, I’m really nothing…] Meng Ling was a well-known Weibo influencer. She had graduated with a degree in fine arts and started drawing manhua during her university years. By the time she graduated, she had already become a professional manhua artist. With several bestselling manhua under her belt, she had gained some recognition in the industry. Her Weibo account had over 3,00,000 followers and any post she made would easily rack up thousands of comments in minutes. She uploaded a photo of the gouache painting along with a short video to Weibo and it quickly caught the attention of her followers. The video started midway through Jiang Yu’s painting process, but even with just a phone camera, the quality was surprisingly decent. The first thing viewers saw was the girl holding the paintbrush. She had fair skin and dark hair. The mo...

  Jiang Yu carried her art supplies downstairs, but her art teacher, Teacher Shen, still tried to persuade her. "…Are you really sure about this? You have an incredible talent for painting. If you continue learning, you have a high chance of achieving great success in the future. Isn't it a shame to give up now?" Teacher Shen spoke earnestly, doing her best to change Jiang Yu’s mind. She cherished talented students and Jiang Yu was by far the most gifted artist she had ever encountered. Whether it was sketching or watercolour, Jiang Yu could master the basics effortlessly. But what set her apart wasn’t just skill—it was the striking vitality in her paintings. A great painting isn’t just about technical perfection. True masters create works that resonate, evoking emotions and connections in those who view them. Jiang Yu had that rare talent. Despite her reserved nature and quiet demeanor, her paintings, though still raw and unrefined, carried an undeniable spirit. And that...