He unexpectedly becomes a father at the start of his life, and the mother of his child is a national

"Mr. Haolin, you are the one who truly understands painting and is knowledgeable in the field!" Yu Mobai's tone was full of piety and admiration.

"Others just flatter, but you're different. You see things clearly, speak precisely and to the point, and you even know how to save face for me. Your words are gentle and fair, without the slightest bit of harshness. That's truly rare!"

He took a deep breath to calm his agitated emotions and then made a somewhat cautious request:

"Mr. Haolin, could I send you a few more of my recent works for your critique? I absolutely will not inquire about your true identity."

I will never disturb your life. I remember every comment you make, and I practice them repeatedly, hoping to learn more from you and break through my own limitations.

Chen Hao held his phone in silence for a few seconds, quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Yu Mobai is pure of heart and only wants to study calligraphy and painting. He has no other ulterior motives, and his occasional exchanges and guidance are not inappropriate.

However, to avoid future troubles, the rules must be clearly explained in advance.

"We can communicate occasionally," Chen Hao replied calmly, "but there are a few conditions you must agree to."

"Tell me! Whatever the conditions, I'll agree to them all! I'll absolutely abide by them!" Yu Mobai said without hesitation, his tone extremely firm.

"First, never inquire about my real identity, and never deliberately seek out any information about me."

Second, you are not allowed to follow or disturb me or my relatives and friends in any way.

"That time you secretly tracked me down, that was a one-time thing. Don't let it happen again."

Chen Hao's tone was serious as he clearly established the rules.

Yu Mobai quickly agreed, his attitude sincere and solemn:

"I understand! There will absolutely be no next time! I solemnly promise you that from now on I will only focus on exchanging ideas about painting with you, and I will never pry into your life or disturb you. I will strictly maintain proper boundaries!"

"Okay," Chen Hao replied casually, then changed the subject, returning to the art of painting itself, and began to offer targeted critiques.

"Your landscape painting has a very good overall foundation, especially the mountain peaks in the distance. The ink is clear and thick, the layers are well separated, and the artistic conception is just right."

The only flaw in the painting is that the branches of the trees in the foreground are drawn stiffly and rigidly, lacking relaxation.

When you drew these trees, you were probably too careful and overly concerned with the placement of each stroke, weren't you?

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a long, helpless sigh from Yu Mobai, full of regret.

"Mr. Haolin, you're amazing! Your prediction was so accurate!" Yu Mobai exclaimed in complete admiration.

"I spent a whole afternoon polishing those trees, repeatedly comparing each stroke with the template to make revisions, for fear of even the slightest deviation."

By the end, my hands were trembling with tension. I became more and more restrained as I drew, afraid that any stroke might be uneven or not in place.

In the end, it completely destroyed the tree's vitality and expansiveness.

"Drawing is different from taking exams; you don't need to strive for absolute perfection in every stroke," Chen Hao patiently explained, his tone calm and easy to understand.

"The essence of calligraphy and painting lies in spontaneity and naturalness, not in rigid, standard answers."

Sometimes, seemingly flawed lines and irregular strokes can be transformed into unexpected and dynamic effects when subtly adjusted according to the flow of the brush. This is the element of chance and interest in brushwork.

Next time, try to relax. When drawing a tree, don't overthink or be too restrained. Just put your brush to the paper. Even if you make a mistake, don't panic. Just adjust the brushstroke as it goes, and you might just create something fresh and new.

"I've learned so much! I've learned so much!" Yu Mobai said repeatedly on the other end of the phone, his tone sincere and earnest, like a humble primary school student diligently taking notes of every word.

"I was too rigid and too bound by rules before. I always treated painting as a test, pursuing perfection, which made me lose the true spirit and inspiration of painting."

Thank you for your guidance, sir. I understand completely now!

The two exchanged a few more words about the details of painting techniques, and then Chen Hao, thinking that he still had some chores to do at home, took the initiative to end the conversation.

Although Yu Mobai was reluctant to leave, he didn't dare to bother him any longer. He thanked him respectfully before slowly hanging up the phone.

Chen Hao put down his phone, leaned back on the sofa, gently rubbed his temples, and let out a soft breath.

Communicating with Yu Mobai wasn't tiring, but it took a lot of mental effort. Helping someone break through years of artistic bottlenecks is a good deed, but it inevitably leaves one feeling mentally exhausted.

Just then, Lin Caiwei came out of the bedroom.

She had been resting in the bedroom and vaguely overheard his phone call. Seeing that he looked a little tired, she walked straight over and sat down next to him on the sofa.

"Was that Yu Mobai calling?" Lin Caiwei asked softly.

"Mm." Chen Hao nodded gently.

"What did he say? Did he agree with your comments? Does he want to continue the conversation?" Lin Caiwei continued to ask.

"He was extremely excited, saying that everything I said hit the nail on the head and resolved his long-standing confusion. He even expressed a desire to occasionally exchange ideas about painting with me in the future," Chen Hao said calmly, putting down his hand.

"I agreed to his request, allowing occasional communication, but I made a three-point agreement with him beforehand: he was not allowed to inquire about my identity, nor was he allowed to disturb me or the people around me, thus preventing all trouble."

Lin Caiwei leaned on his shoulder and remained silent for a while, still harboring some concerns in her heart.

"Chen Hao, do you really think this is a safe bet?" she asked softly, expressing her concerns.

"What if he accidentally discovers that the mysterious calligraphy and painting master Haolin is actually you? Won't he have other ideas? Won't it cause unnecessary trouble?"

"No, not at all." Chen Hao said firmly and calmly, "I've talked to him a few times and I can tell what kind of person he is."

Yu Mobai was an old craftsman who devoted his life to calligraphy and painting. He was pure of heart, with only the art of painting in his eyes. He had no ulterior motives and would never do anything like harassing or seeking revenge.

Lin Caiwei listened to his words and did not refute them, but her brows were still slightly furrowed, and the worry in her heart had not completely dissipated.

Chen Hao noticed her worries, raised his hand and gently smoothed away her furrowed brows, his fingertips carrying a warm touch:

"Don't overthink it. I know what I'm doing and I can handle things properly. I won't cause myself any trouble."

With nothing to do in the afternoon, Lin Caiwei took the initiative to go into the kitchen and decided to try cooking a home-style meal.

With nothing else to do, Chen Hao would lean against the kitchen door frame, watching her and keeping her company by talking to her to pass the time.

Lin Caiwei used to be someone who almost never lifted a finger in the kitchen and never cooked. But during this time of leisure at home, she has slowly learned to cook and can now independently make a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

Although the cooking time was occasionally not perfect, and the appearance was inconsistent and not very refined, the taste was quite good, with a pleasant balance of sweet and sour, and perfectly palatable.

While diligently chopping the side dishes, Lin Caiwei spoke softly, "Chen Hao."

"Yes, I'm here," Chen Hao replied, looking at her.

"My vacation is almost over." Her voice was soft, with a hint of barely perceptible disappointment.

Chen Hao watched her slightly dejected figure as she walked away and asked softly, "So you're going back to work in a couple of days?"

Lin Caiwei nodded gently, her movements as she chopped vegetables unconsciously slowing down.

She seemed to be staring intently at the dishes on the cutting board, but her mind was already wandering far away, and she appeared completely absent-minded.