Twenty-fourth, Striving for a Living - Practicing Street Performing in America

  Professor Luo heard the news from somewhere and proactively asked Fang Jixin if he needed any help.

  Fang Jixin said he was considering it. He is considering whether or not to move house.

  He calculated that his full scholarship could barely support his current life, and he didn't have any extra money to pay for additional expenses. He was hesitant.

  Professor Luo did not continue to ask questions, but indicated that if there was anything needed, he could speak up at any time.

  Kind old man.

  Fang Jixin had a kind of heartfelt affection for this professor. It's worth noting that Professor Ross was also an academic authority, and he still took care of his own small matters in the midst of his busy schedule. This moved Fang Jixin deeply.

  What can we do?

  Fang Jixin had to consider how to deal with the current predicament. He heard that many international students worked part-time jobs to supplement their expenses, could he do the same? Fang Jixin needed to make a decision.

  That night, Fang Jixin had just lain down after a busy day when he heard the sound of a basin being hit at the door. He went out to take a look and saw several African students performing their native primitive music and dance in the corridor. The wild music was particularly shocking to people's nerves on this quiet night.

  How they play is their freedom, Fang Ji Xin can't control it. But he knows that this is a deliberate provocation. For several consecutive nights, they have been making noise to disturb his rest, and today is just a bit more extreme.

  Fang Ji Xin sat for several hours, waiting until they calmed down before falling asleep.

  It's impossible to live here anymore, we have to move out.

  He made up his mind.

  After Professor He said his thoughts, the old man didn't say anything. A few hours later, he gave a response and found a room for Fang Jixin near the school. One bedroom and one living room, the room is not big, but fully functional, most importantly it's close to the school, convenient.

  However, the only drawback is that the rent is a bit high, taking up one-third of Fang Jixin's monthly living expenses.

  Alas, there's no other way, this is also a helpless move.

  When moving house, several black international students were a bit schadenfreude and also a bit lost, with very complex expressions.

  Think of them as just a group of children who never grew up.

  Fang Ji Xin also forgave them for the unhappiness they had caused him in the past.

  There is no Chinese restaurant near the residence.

  This made Fang Ji Xin's plan to rely on washing dishes to earn tuition fees fall through.

  Facing livelihood issues, it seems I still need to find another way out.

  That day, Fang Jixin passed through the central square of Stanford City and saw several students painting for pedestrians on the road. In front of them was a small box with a lot of colorful banknotes inside.

  This sparked his inspiration. If he wasn't interested in this aspect himself, why not take advantage of it?

  Moreover, several painters' levels are not necessarily higher than mine, to be blunt, some are even worse than me.

  Alright, let's do it then.

  He made up his mind. He had arranged everything at home and decided to start work.

  It looks easy but is actually difficult. On the first day, except for a small child, he didn't receive any business. He couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with himself.

  Throughout the entire square, vendors selling paintings are mostly focused on sketches and oil paintings. From a technical perspective, Chinese people tend to add their own personal consciousness due to differences in cultural background, whether consciously or unconsciously. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - painting is inherently an expression of the painter's subjective understanding of the objective world.

  However, for newcomers like Fang Jixin, due to the inadequacy of skills, it is often difficult to accurately express personal understanding or consciousness through painting language, resulting in a situation where "the tiger is not drawn and becomes a dog".

  After realizing his own shortcomings, Fang Jixin decided to change his strategy. He abandoned charcoal and oil painting, switching to brush, ink and watercolor, determined to create his own unique style, a Chinese style.

  The next day he set up his stall again.

  Without an easel, he laid out a piece of xuan paper nearly two square meters in size on the street and mixed ink. Then, like a dragonfly touching water, he poured the ink onto the xuan paper. His almost frantic movements immediately attracted passersby. In twos and threes, people stopped to watch.

  That's exactly what he wants.

  Having made sufficient preparations, Fang Ji Xin lifted his brush and began to create. The mountains and rivers of western Hubei were memories that lingered deep within him, having merged with his very being. He could almost paint them without opening his eyes. Now, this longing for his hometown was incredibly strong, stirring and inspiring him.

  Fang Ji Xin took action, without stopping or hesitating, his movements were smooth and almost done in one breath.

  Twenty minutes later, a majestic landscape painting emerged on the paper. The majesty of the mountains, the elegance of the water, the entire composition was reasonable and complete, with subtle ups and downs, as if one could feel the mountain breeze blowing in their face.

  The applause erupted, a confirmation of art and praise for the artist. Fang Jixin is not an artist, he just had this hobby when he was in junior high school, and after being guided by a master, he cultivated his own interest. Unexpectedly, it succeeded.

  Someone wanted to buy the painting on the spot, not just one person, but several people were scrambling. The bidding started with a base price of $510 and ended up being sold for $1,200 on the spot.

  Wow, this is really an astronomical price for a street stall product.

  Someone asked Fang Jixin to create another one on the spot, but Fang Jixin didn't move and instead picked up his brush and prepared to leave.

  There was a story about a Chinese painter and a Western painter competing to paint chicks. The Chinese painter finished in just a few minutes, amazing everyone who asked him to perform again. He obliged, producing painting after painting.

  Not long after, he found out that people asked for his paintings and then threw them on the ground after taking a look.

  It wasn't until later that I heard people say he was like a photocopy, not serious, without the dignity of an artist. Can a work without artistic temperament be a good work? Western logic.

  Chinese painters can only smile bitterly, ten years of work on the stage, one minute on the stage. How can they understand this principle?

  With this story as a reminder, Fang Jixin constantly reminded himself that he couldn't sell his own hard work cheaply.

  This is his business strategy!!!!!

  Fang Jixin set up a painting stall in the square, after which he rarely painted splashed ink landscapes. He was more willing to paint fine-brushwork portraits of people, as this better suited his personality.

  Unlike ordinary painting techniques, it has a similar effect of conveying spirit, attracting a group of curious onlookers.

  Fang Jixin is very eccentric. He only paints two pieces every day, and once he's done, he leaves, never making an exception no matter how high the price offered. This has instead piqued people's interest and whet their appetite.

  The fact that a Chinese overseas student set up an art stall in the city center square has become a topic of conversation for people after dinner. His eccentric style also sparked people's curiosity, and everyone wants to take a look.

  This invisibly guaranteed Fang Ji's new source of customers.

  As long as you have a special skill, it's actually quite easy to make a living in this place called America.

  He came to the square with his brush as usual. From a distance, he found something unusual. The place where he usually set up his stall was already surrounded by people.

  What's wrong? He walked over.

  A Chinese man sat in his usual place, helping others paint. The same meticulous brushwork, the same splashed ink landscape, a complete clone of his own style and technique.

  To be frank, the painter's brushwork is much more skilled and professional than Fang Jixin. He simultaneously sets up two canvases to paint for both of them. His skillful technique is almost showy, making Fang Jixin sigh in admiration.

  That Chinese guy Fang Jixin knows is that Taiwanese student named Sun Liang. How did he end up here, isn't it obvious that he's trying to steal my food?!

  After a while, Fang Jixin thought it was bad. This business is going to explode.

  Sun Liang's requirements for customers are almost indiscriminate, and his prices are also lower than Fang Jixin.

  Fang Jixin smiled wryly and shook his head, then turned around and left.

  Fang Ji's new expression did not escape Sun Liang's eyes. Looking at his helpless face, Sun Liang couldn't help but want to laugh. Hum, with your level of skill, you still dare to come out and show off, overestimating yourself. As for his own skills, Sun Liang was very confident, no matter what, he was better than that mainland person.

  But to be honest, I should thank Fang Jixin for my current good fortune. I also used to have a painting stall before, but somehow it didn't work out and there was no business. I didn't expect that this mainland person would find a way to make a name for himself, now I'm feeling a bit like a sparrow occupying a peacock's nest.

  But there's no way around it, this is competition, this is the law of survival. Who told you that your skills are inferior to others?

  If Fang Jixin has no business, considering the other party's contribution to the cause. Maybe when he is busy, he will give him a few customers. It's considered a return.

  "Huh? How did that kid leave? Won't be because he couldn't take it anymore, right? Indeed, with me around, what face does he have to show?"

  Sun Liang was overjoyed.

  This path of making a living is over. Looking at Sun Liang's approach, Fang Jixin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

  What Sun Liang did for the sake of profit at the expense of artistic value is no different from killing a chicken to get eggs.

  Why do Chinese people like infighting so much?

  Fang Jixin is not resentful that Sun Liang stole his business. He is unwilling to participate in this vicious competition. In the world of business competition, are there few examples of Chinese people killing each other? He does not want to become a negative example of "the enemy is happy when relatives hurt each other".

  Myopic Taiwanese, stop using your small cleverness to collide with the great wisdom of Chinese people! Don't forget your identity, you are also a compatriot of the mainlanders you often mention, and share the same roots as Chinese people. Can't you just unite with me in heart and virtue, and jointly respond to foreigners?!

  Fine, let Sun Liang enjoy himself secretly, I'll see how long he can be happy for.

  I can also make up for the classes I missed during this period of time.