From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

The fact that Chen Qianfan is interested indicates this is no ordinary distillery. What those people said earlier were coded words from the underworld. Clearly, this is an organized and strategic group, and their leader, Chen Qianfan, is definitely not simple. His outward honesty and boldness are just a disguise. This guy is probably a cunning figure pretending to be harmless.

Xu Chunliang detests being used by others. Although Chen Qianfan has always been fairly nice to him, his actions regarding the distillery were quite insincere, coming to Weishan Island under the guise of investment while actually having ulterior motives.

Xu Chunliang strolled around the empty factory briefly and then retraced his way back.

He Tiantian Restaurant still looked the same. The vigorous development of the resort area had not yet reached Crescent Bay, but the tranquility here wouldn’t last long.

The Hu Shan Town Comprehensive Law Enforcement Office had already issued a notice that the few cement ships anchored long-term at Crescent Bay needed to be relocated due to environmental impact and pollution, or else they would face forced removal.

The deadline was this coming Spring Festival, and if ignored, they would be forcibly removed after the holiday.

After receiving the notice, not a single boat had left till today. Some hoped for a reprieve, while others were actively seeking connections, and some planned to make a last-minute decision.

He Tiantian belonged to the latter group. She and her daughter relied on this restaurant for their livelihood, and moving the boat meant losing their income. She invited Meiru Xue for a meal today, hoping to get some insight into whether there might be a change in circumstances.

Before coming here, Meiru Xue was unaware of the town’s plan to overhaul Crescent Bay, having been away for so long and only returning now for work handover.

Xiaosinan had grown taller and more cheerful than before. Although still a bit shy, she didn’t run away when she saw Meiru Xue and even timidly called her "sister."

Meiru Xue handed her some stationery she brought: "A gift for you."

Xiaosinan stared at the beautiful stationery with shining eyes but kept her little hands behind her back, looking a bit reserved.

He Tiantian said, "Mayor Mei, you didn’t need to bring anything just by coming."

Meiru Xue said, "It wasn’t expensive. I saw it in Capital City and thought kids would like it, so I brought it back. Let the child have it!"

He Tiantian finally let the child take the gift. Xiaosinan accepted the stationery, held it tightly, and bowed deeply towards Meiru Xue: "Thank you, sister."

He Tiantian said, "Didn’t Dean Xu also say he would come?"

Meiru Xue said, "He’s busy at the hospital and will come over later."

He Tiantian invited her over for tea. After chatting for a while, He Tiantian mustered up the courage to say, "Mayor Mei, I want to ask about the management and restructuring of Crescent Bay."

From the moment she arrived, Meiru Xue saw the restructuring notice for Crescent Bay. With her intelligence, she naturally guessed the reason for He Tiantian’s invitation for dinner.

Meiru Xue said frankly, "Sister He, my position has changed, and this time I’m back for the work transition. Going forward, Secretary Qin will be in charge of Hu Shan Town."

Hearing this, He Tiantian felt quite disappointed, nodded, and said, "I see..."

Meiru Xue said, "However, if you have any requests, I can pass them on for you."

"There’s no need to trouble you," He Tiantian thought silently that since she was leaving, it didn’t seem appropriate to ask for help.

Just then, Xu Chunliang arrived, apologizing as he entered, "Sorry, I got delayed with preparations for the work starting the day after tomorrow."

Meiru Xue smiled and said, "Having such an important person like you here is an honor for us."

He Tiantian invited him to sit down with a smile and then got up to arrange the meal service.

Once she left, Meiru Xue relayed what He Tiantian had just said to Xu Chunliang. Xu Chunliang had heard about the cleanup and restructuring of Crescent Bay but felt that even with the restructuring, they shouldn’t just shut it all down, as the boat restaurants were a feature of Weishan Island.

Meiru Xue agreed with him, suggesting unified management of the boat dining services. Since they needed to be relocated for planning, they could consider finding another place on Weishan Island to assist these merchants to open up and establish discharge standards, ensuring that Weishan Island’s traditional features wouldn’t disappear.

However, Meiru Xue also pointed out a problem. In the past, Hu Shan Town could make final decisions on such matters, but now, with the Resort Command Center established, they would likely handle it.

Xu Chunliang noted this down, feeling sympathetic towards He Tiantian and her daughter, and planned to help them.

He Shouren arrived late. He Tiantian specifically invited him to drink with Xu Chunliang. Usually, He Shouren wouldn’t have come for anyone else, but Xu Chunliang had saved his precious granddaughter’s life, and He Shouren greatly admired Xu Chunliang’s calligraphy skills, so he made the effort to travel from Shiliang Mountain.

Due to snow making the roads slippery, he arrived a little late, but not too late for the meal.

Seeing He Shouren appear, Xu Chunliang was quite pleased and rose quickly to greet him, "Teacher He, it’s so great that you could come."

He Shouren smiled and said, "I’ve had some new insights into calligraphy lately that I’d like to discuss with Mr. Xu."

"I wouldn’t dare presume. I’m just here to learn from Teacher He."

He Tiantian suggested they eat first and discuss calligraphy afterward.

During the meal, Xu Chunliang brought up Pan Chengfeng.

He Shouren said, "You’re talking about Chengfeng, right? He’s my student. I used to substitute teach at Weishan County High School. It’s been over a decade since I last had contact with him."

Xu Chunliang said, "He’s currently in Nanjiang and is now a professor in the Calligraphy and Painting Department at Nanjiang Art College. He’s also established his own studio."

He Shouren sighed, "He’s accomplished something." Hearing about his student’s achievements, he felt genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart. He asked Xu Chunliang how he knew about their teacher-student relationship.

Xu Chunliang explained the whole story, and He Shouren recalled, "That’s right. He came to see me shortly after graduating high school. At the time, Lu Xiangnan was also there..."

Clatter!

The sound of a plate falling to the ground came from outside the door. It was He Tiantian, who was carrying a plate of braised arched perch and accidentally dropped it.

He Tiantian apologetically said, "I’m sorry, I’ll have the kitchen make another one."

He Shouren shook his head, "You’re a grown-up, yet you still do things so carelessly."

Mei Ru Xue stood up to help clean up, but He Tiantian quickly said it wasn’t necessary. Mei Ru Xue observed closely and noticed that He Tiantian’s expression showed obvious panic. She recalled the scene just now and wondered if it was because He Tiantian heard that name. Thinking about her daughter’s name, Xiaosinan, she found the situation even stranger.

He Tiantian cleaned up and went back to the kitchen.

Xu Chunliang continued the previous topic, "I still remember the poem you wrote: ’A garment, a river, a pot afar; People say this thing in Fusang is exquisite. A broken bowl never solved the mystery; In dreams I ask the cherry blossoms.’"

He Shouren laughed heartily, "Mr. Xu, you really have a great memory. If you hadn’t recited it, I would have almost forgotten it."

Xu Chunliang said, "That piece of calligraphy was really well done."

He Shouren said, "Since you like it, I’ll write a piece for you later."

Mei Ru Xue said, "Teacher He, with your expertise in calligraphy, you should hold an exhibition. As the saying goes, ’Good wine needs no bush.’ If we hadn’t seen it with our own eyes, we wouldn’t know Weishan Island hides a great calligrapher like you."

He Shouren said, "I don’t dare to call myself a calligrapher. I just have a passion for calligraphy. With a dull talent, I can only put in more hard work than others. I’ve achieved small progress in calligraphy, but I’m still miles away from being a calligrapher. Not to mention, no matter how hard I try, I could never write with the boldness and grandeur of Mr. Xu."

Xu Chunliang acknowledged that his calligraphy was good, but he didn’t dare assert that he was definitely better than He Shouren. He humbly said, "Teacher He, you’re too modest. Everything in this world returns to simplicity, and so does calligraphy. Great skill may appear clumsy. The more skilled someone is, the more they know to restrain their edge. My calligraphy is overly flamboyant and lacks restraint. It looks lively at first glance but the more you look at it, the more you find it flashy with no depth."

He Shouren thought to himself, this young man is really something. At such a young age, he possesses such skill, and most impressively, remains so humble.

After lunch, He Shouren asked his daughter to bring over some writing materials and began to write with great enthusiasm. Xu Chunliang, seeing his good mood, asked for a piece on behalf of Mei Ru Xue.

He Shouren thought for a moment and said, "As we’re about to part, I’ll gift Town Mayor Mei a painting of ink plum blossoms."

Although Xu Chunliang had seen He Shouren’s calligraphy before, he had never known that he could also paint.

With a flying stroke technique, as the wool brush danced, an ancient and gnarled plum tree appeared vividly on the paper. Several branches extended upward from the lower right, with slender and resilient twigs shooting like a thousand arrows, adorned with clusters of flowers, full of life, almost filling the page.

The petals, composed of ink lines, were set against the light ink wash, with the small white flowers resembling snow pressing down the branches, exuding a serene elegance and otherworldly charm.

The ink plum painting was completed in one go. After pondering for a moment, He Shouren inscribed a poem in the blank space:

At the head of the pond my family washes their inkstones,

Every flower bears the gentle mark of ink.

No need for praise of colorful hues,

Only leave a pure fragrance that fills the world.

Although Xu Chunliang’s painting skills were average, his discerning eye was keen. Mei Ru Xue, with a rich family tradition, had exceptional appreciation skills as well. He Shouren’s painting of the ink plum, though with a poem from Wang Mian’s "Ink Plum," was not a copy of Wang Mian’s work. His painting captured Wang Mian’s spirit while innovating beyond Wang Mian’s style.

Mei Ru Xue thought to herself, if her sister-in-law saw this painting, she would surely be astounded by its brilliance.

Xu Chunliang silently sighed; it was puzzling why He Tiantian worried so much about the restaurant’s survival. With He Shouren’s level of skill, a few pieces of calligraphy or paintings would be enough for the mother and daughter to live comfortably.

Thinking of the likes of Vice President Yue Kaishan of the Calligraphy Association seen in the Capital City, those people only knew how to exploit their positions for fame, all of them were petty and vile. It’s no wonder they say the real masters are among the people. The existence of these parasites might be the reason true masters don’t receive the recognition they deserve.

After finishing, He Shouren stamped his seal on the painting and gifted this "Ink Plum Painting" to Mei Ru Xue.

Mei Ru Xue thought to herself, she must find an opportunity to properly promote He Shouren’s works. A master like him should not be hidden away.