Dongfang Ming was very careful and attentive as he sketched ‘Liu Duo’ with his brush. He smiled at Ling. “With enough practice, everything comes naturally. You’re getting better at writing these days, right, Ling?”
“Yes, it’s like you said, Brother Ming.”
Ye Ling chuckled too. He could not deny what Dongfang Ming had said, because it was true that his writing had improved.
Time passed quickly, and at last, Liu Duo was completely ‘cloned’ on paper.
Dongfang Ming smiled at the woman. “Little Duo, the drawing’s done. Come take a look, see if you like it.”
Liu Duo quickly skipped over to him. She was both curious and excited to find out how she looked inked on paper.
Seeing how excited she was, the smiles on the two men’s faces refused to fade.
Wang Xiangyun noticed that and did not like it one bit. She despised the way Liu Duo acted, like someone who had never seen the world. It was only a simple portrait, why did she have to rush?
Liu Duo walked over to their side and stood between Ye Ling and Dongfang Ming, but a bit closer to the latter.
“Wow, this picture you have made of me is quite ‘flattering,’ Dongfang! It almost looks fake!” Liu Duo was so happy that her dimples showed. She was in a really good mood.
She felt that the ‘mini’ her on the piece of paper looked much better than her original self.
Fake?
No one understood what she meant by that, so all eyes fell on Liu Duo, who was smiling cheerfully.
“Madam Ye, you better mind your words! What do you mean by ‘fake’? My Brother Ming drew that for you on the spot, how dare you call it fake!” Wang Xiangyun stood up in Dongfang Ming’s defense and accused Liu Duo aggressively.
Liu Duo turned to look at her. She had the feeling that this woman might as well be possessed by Ye Mo.
Her words smell strongly of gunpowder!
For her sake, because she did not know the meaning of a ‘flattering photo,’ Liu Duo decided to overlook her attitude and explained, “I didn’t mean that. I was merely praising Dongfang’s masterpiece. I called it fake and flattering because the woman in the picture looks better than myself. If we look at her, then look at me, it’s as though we’ve been fooled by a drawing…got it?”
Dongfang Ming examined Liu Duo and then gave a serious reply, “It’s neither fake nor flattering, though. You look a hundred, maybe a thousand times more fabulous than a painting. You have a greater aura.”
No matter how profound his skills were, he could not possibly craft out the unique aura of a real person.
Ye Ling understood what she meant, and added, “Indeed, you look so many times better than a painting!”
Liu Duo grinned from ear to ear when he said that. Her husband’s compliments certainly worked on her.
“Why, of course! Haha…”
Ye Ling left his seat to get a stool for her. “Duo Er, come sit.”
After she did so, she said to Dongfang Ming, “Dongfang, I think these two portraits ought to be framed.”
“True. I’ll get them done tomorrow, and have them delivered to your house.”
Realizing she was being ignored again, Wang Xiangyun could resist no longer and voiced out, “Brother Ming, I think there’s some leftover paper in my carriage. Can you draw me a portrait then?”
She did not believe Dongfang Ming would totally dismiss her request, after she had demanded it again and again, and in front of outsiders too.
Dongfang Ming and Ming Yan frowned slightly at her request.
Obviously, they could not have only prepared two pieces of paper. They only said that because they did not want to draw one for her. And yet she failed to receive the message!
How thick could she get?
“Ask your brother. He can do it anytime, anywhere.” Dongfang Ming turned and gave Ming Yan one look, hinting for him to clear the ink slab.
Liu Duo and Ye Ling did not voice their opinions about this.