Chapter 16 True Feelings Revealed

  Oshima Michiko slightly bowed: "Mr. Lu overpraised, I just know a little about the skin, in front of you, I'm showing off my skills, it's embarrassing!"

  "Miss Okinawa has such insight, she must have received guidance from a superior person and long-term influence. This is not something that can be taught in a university elective course with just a few words!" Ruth absolutely did not believe it.

  Oshima Michiko said, "Don't tell lies in front of a superior. To be honest, my father loved Chinese ink painting and was involved in collecting Chinese and Japanese ink paintings. He had works by Peng Yu-lin's plum blossoms, Zheng Banqiao's bamboo, and Zhang Daqian's plum blossoms. So I was influenced from an early age. Moreover, after entering the Yamada Corporation, I also worked on art investment."

  So that's it! "I didn't expect Miss Oshima to have such a deep understanding of traditional Chinese painting," Rei River is after all a small place, and basically no one has such a high appreciation for traditional Chinese art, Lu Sihao couldn't help but feel a sense of kindred spirit with Oshima Yoshiko, a spiritual connection, "Does Miss Oshima have any other insights?"

  "Plum blossoms have four noble qualities: valuing rarity over abundance, old age over youth, slender over plump, and subtlety over showiness. Each of Lu Sang's paintings fully embodies these four characteristics of plum blossoms. I imagine Lu Sang has at least 10 years of experience in ink plum blossom painting." Oshima Michiko continued to appreciate the artwork.

  Ruth nodded frequently, and her eyes shone with approval. The woman in front of her was not only beautiful and elegant but also full of wisdom, just like her name - Meichiko, a perfect match!

  "But there's just one thing I don't understand?" Oshima Michiko asked suddenly.

  "Miss Oshima, just say it!"

  "Lu Sang! Your painting style is more similar to Peng Yu-lin, why do you want to copy Da Qian Ju Shi's work? Moreover, the traces of copying are very obvious, and on one painting, simultaneously drawing white plum blossoms, pink plum blossoms, and red plum blossoms, it looks a bit messy." Oshima Michiko's words were sharp and hit Lu Si-xia's weak point.

  "Miss Oshima, please sit down and have some tea!" Ruth obviously didn't want to answer directly, so she used the tactic of beating around the bush.

  "Thank you! You don't have to be so polite! According to Chinese custom, just call me Meizhi from now on. Can I call you Sixu?" said Oshima Meizhi eagerly.

  "This..." Ruth had been a teacher for his whole life, his life had already been stamped with a rigorous seal, but facing Meichizuko's scorching gaze, his eyes wandered, not daring to meet hers. He just nodded vaguely.

  Ruth brought out a set of bone china tea sets, "white as jade, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and sounding like a flute". He picked up the teapot, just about to pour tea for Oshima Michiko, but was gently pressed down by Oshima Michiko.

  "In Japan, it's always the women who serve tea to men!" She smiled and took the teapot from Ruth's hand, picked up two crystal clear cups, first rinsed them with hot water, then skillfully rotated them in the hot water with a stainless steel ladle, before placing them on either side. She lifted the teapot, and a pale yellow stream of tea flowed into the cup like a flying rainbow, filling the air with fragrance.

  ōshima Michiko held up the teacup with both hands, raised it above her head, and respectfully handed it to Ruth.

  Then Oshima Michiko poured herself another cup, holding it in her hand, the beauty's jade-like hands were smooth and soft, the bone china teacup was warm and jade-like, complementing each other perfectly.

  "Lion Rolling Ball, Equalizing Autumn Color, Flying Dragon Enters the Sea, Child Worships Buddha ~ You Japanese have inherited China's ancient tea art very well!" Lu Sihao's comment was both sincere and seemingly casual, evaluating Mochizuki's tea performance just now.

  "Thank you for the compliment! Suke is indeed very knowledgeable, even our Japanese tea ceremony is proficient!" Michiko was delighted, "In the future, I will often serve you tea~"

  Ruth held her teacup, wanting to say something, but only coughed and couldn't get anything out.

  Looking at Ruth's distracted and absent-minded appearance, Oshima Michiko burst out laughing. She took the initiative to break the deadlock:

  "Si Xia Jun, I'm leaving China. Before I go, I wanted to come see you. Here, I don't even have one person to talk to, you are my only friend in China!"

  This is the truth. In this small place of Leijiang, people who understand Japanese are rare, and it hasn't been long since the "incident", the crime of "colluding with foreigners" still makes people shudder, no one dares to take the initiative to chat up a foreign woman.

  Perhaps I was thinking too much. Upon hearing Meizi's words, Ruth's heart felt a little wider, maybe she was just lonely and bored by herself, wanting to find someone to chat with and talk to.

  Like Yu Xin Yuan, Lu Si Xiao didn't have a good impression of the Japanese, but towards this Japanese woman in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pity and affection.

  "Can't Meizhi stay in Lejiang for a few more days?" Ruzi asked politely.

  "Sir Si-hao, are you asking me to stay?" Meizhi, if she wasn't too unfamiliar with the subtlety of Chinese people, would have been too eager to express herself.

  "Oh, well... it's not that, I mean..." Ruth hesitated and stuttered, suddenly unsure of what to say.

  "Ruth, I want to stay with you. I know you've always been single..." Since the Meiji Restoration, Japan had undergone nearly a century of Westernization, and women's minds had long abandoned their Eastern reserve and shyness, becoming open and generous. Daring to pursue marriage autonomy and freedom of love, this left Ruth, who had been strictly educated in traditional Chinese culture since childhood, at a loss.

  "Come on, Ms. Yoshiko, don't joke around, actually, you don't know my age, I could be your father..." Ruth thought about it for a moment and felt that was a pretty good reason.

  "Ruth, actually, I was deeply attracted to you at first sight. I like your mature and steady, elegant and warm temperament, just like a beautiful jade. If I can be your Chinese wife and serve you, it will be my lifelong happiness!" The sincere confession left Ruth at a loss for words.

  "But after all, you and I are from two different countries..." Ruth thought hard, trying to come up with an excuse.

  "It's okay, it's okay. Now Sino-Japanese economic trade is growing rapidly, with talents like you who are proficient in both Japanese and Chinese, you can definitely find a good job in Japan; You also have extremely deep attainments in calligraphy and painting, inheriting the legacy of great masters, just like the 'Plum Blossom Painting' hanging in your room, each one meets the standard for investment collection by Yamada Corporation, if auctioned, they can be sold at a considerable price. Just based on your achievements in ink wash painting, you are already a top-notch artist in Japan, I believe your works will be very popular!"

  In the early days of reform and opening up, transnational marriage was a dream for many people, let alone facing such a gentle, beautiful and talented young woman.

  "Meizhi, thank you for your kindness. Chinese people value the idea of 'falling leaves returning to their roots.' I'm old now and can't leave China." Lusixia tried every excuse.

  "Then I can come, I can give up my Japanese nationality, I am willing to come here, I am a master of economics at Osaka University, I can come and do accounting, come..." Oshima Michiko pursued.

  "Meizhi, as the Chinese saying goes: 'A small temple cannot accommodate a great Buddha.' A place like Leijiang is too small for someone of your caliber!" Ruzi Xia knew the reputation of Osaka University's economics department worldwide and smiled wryly.

  "Then I can be a Japanese teacher, and also stay at home as a housewife. I'm good at household chores, I'll make a good wife and serve you well." Michiko was still bold and straightforward.

  Ruth was momentarily speechless. She just sat there, listening to Moe's confession.