Chapter 15: Plum Fragrance Study
The car soon stopped in front of Ruth's dormitory. It was a row of old brick houses that had been around for many years, and they looked somewhat dilapidated due to their age. In order to reflect the policy of "respecting knowledge and respecting talent", the county government, despite being short on funds, still managed to scrape together some money to build several new buildings as talent apartments, where some teachers, doctors, and engineers lived. Given Ruth's seniority and rank, he could have chosen the best building, but instead he chose to be humble and said that since he was alone, his current residence was sufficient, and the new house should be given to a teacher with a larger family. All the teachers in the dormitory had moved into their new homes, and no new teachers had been assigned yet, so Ruth was basically living alone.
It was during the winter break, and except for the graduating class, most students had not yet officially started school, so the campus seemed empty and quiet. When Oshima Michiko got out of the car, Yu Xin Yuan only then noticed that she was wearing a pair of embroidered flower-patterned lotus-colored Chinese-style cloth shoes on her feet. It seemed that she had put in a lot of thought before coming to see Lu Si Xiao.
As soon as the car stopped, a refreshing floral scent wafted in. Around Ruth's house, many plum blossoms were planted, now competing to bloom, red like fire, white like snow, and pink like mist. The trees were full of flowers, with a faint cold fragrance, adding a touch of serenity and elegance to this simple little house.
Most of the door couplets on the doors are still tattered and old, proving that the owner of the house has moved away. Only one dormitory entrance is pasted with a spring couplet: "Plum blossoms have already shown their snow-white beauty, bamboo melodies are just in time for the wind." The font is balanced, slender and powerful, refreshing and elegant, it's the familiar Liu-style calligraphy of Yu Xin Yuan, at first glance you can tell it was written by Lu Si Xiao himself. Unlike the common spring couplets on the streets like "Open the door to welcome spring, good things are plentiful" or "Good days bring comfort and joy, beautiful life brings happiness and peace", the meaning of Lu Si Xiao's spring couplet is not very clear to Yu Xin Yuan, what's even stranger is that Lu Si Xiao's spring couplet is not on red paper, but on blue paper with gold sprinkles, according to local customs, such spring couplets are only pasted during the three-year mourning period after one's parents have passed away.
Ruth is just such a different person! Yu Xin had long been accustomed to the strange, he led Oshima Michiko and knocked on Ruth's door.
Lü Sī Xiā opened the door. He didn't go to the county office today and was preparing lessons for the graduating class. Seeing Yú Xīn Yuǎn, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, "Huh, Xīn Yuǎn, how do you have time..." Just as he said that, he suddenly saw the beautiful and elegant Dà Jiǎo Měi Zhì behind Yú Xīn Yuǎn, Lü Sī Xiā was taken aback, his face full of astonishment.
Yu Xin Yu suddenly appeared in front of the teacher like a child who had done something wrong: "Si Xia, Da Dao's secretary is going home, she wants to see you before leaving, so I brought her here."
He originally wanted to explain properly, but seeing Ruth's displeased gaze, he found himself at a loss for words. He turned around and directly told Oshima Michiko: "I still have something to take care of, I'll be back in an hour to pick you up." After saying that, he hastily got into the car, started the engine, and sped away.
Two people locked eyes. Facing Oshima Yoshiko's passionate and ardent gaze, Ruth suddenly felt at a loss for what to do with her hands and feet.
After all, in front of us is a beautiful woman, a foreign friend who has come to our doorstep. Whether publicly or privately, for ourselves and for the country, we should warmly welcome her. China is a country of etiquette, "When friends come from afar, isn't it a pleasure?" Confucius said long ago.
"Miss Oshima, please come in and sit down. I'll go make some tea for you!" Ruth greeted Oshima Michiko warmly.
As Ruth was brewing tea, Oshima Michiko glanced around his room, which served as both a study and living room. The bookshelves were filled with row upon row of books, including the obligatory "Selected Works of Mao Zedong" and "Selected Works of Marx and Engels" found in every Chinese household at the time, as well as classic Chinese texts such as "Records of the Grand Historian", "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government", and "Outline of History". What surprised Oshima Michiko most was that there was even a Japanese original edition of "The Tale of Genji" on the bookshelf! This book was a must-read classic for every Japanese girl before adulthood, making Oshima Michiko feel particularly close to Ruth, and unconsciously, their psychological distance narrowed. The desk was tidy, with the "Four Treasures of the Study" arranged in an orderly fashion, and various brushes placed neatly on the brush holder according to size. The floor and furniture were spotless, giving a feeling of comfort and cleanliness that didn't seem like the life of a single man!
The room was filled with a faint, sweet scent that was reminiscent of milk chocolate and the cool fragrance of plum blossoms. The aroma was rich and heavy, making the "Shiseido" high-end jasmine perfume that Otogiri wore seem dull and monotonous in comparison.
On both sides of the wall hang many plum blossom paintings. In the long history, although there have been many twists and turns between China and Japan, cultural exchanges have continued unabated, and they are one of the only two countries in the world that use Chinese characters. Otoshima Yoshiko herself is also a lover of calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting, and the collection of Oriental art is also an important investment of Nihonbashi Spinning Co., Ltd. In the museum of Nihonbashi Spinning Co., Ltd., there are many ancient and modern Chinese paintings and calligraphies collected, and Otoshima Yoshiko's long-term appreciation has made her connoisseurship in painting and calligraphy not common.
The plum blossoms in the painting are old, withered and frosty, without leaves, full of scars, like withered branches. However, the composition is clever, the spirit is connected, and the use of dense and light ink to display the majestic charm of the plum blossoms blooming in the snow is vivid and vivid. The layout is simple and concise, the ink method is suitable for the density and lightness, the branches are sparse and elegant, and the vitality is overflowing. It seems to be a copy of Peng Yu-lin's "Wan Mei Tu" from the Qing Dynasty, but it also has its own unique charm, the plum blossoms' noble and proud bones, all revealed in the strokes of the brush.
In the middle hall, there is also a hanging scroll of plum blossoms. The painting depicts three branches of plum blossoms, one large and two small. On the main trunk in the middle, there are clusters of pink plum blossoms that fill the branches, like misty clouds; on the smaller branch above, there are white plum blossoms, as pure as jade or ice; below, there is a red plum blossom, vibrant and dripping with dew, with a few scattered petals on the ground, like blood or fire, striking fear into one's heart. The two characters "Plum Spirit" written in Liu's calligraphy style are bold and powerful, complementing the withered plum blossoms perfectly, as if they were born from heaven. The entire painting has a desolate and mournful tone, like an echo in an empty valley.
"Is Ms. Oshima also a fan of danqing?" Ruth's question interrupted Oshima Michiko's appreciation of the plum blossom painting.
ōshima Michiko turned around to see that Ruth had brought out tea, and since it was still during the Chinese New Year period, she also prepared some local snacks such as tangyuan, kumquats, niangao, and sugar cookies.
Oshima Michiko smiled: "I have always admired Chinese culture, and I took relevant courses in college, so I know a thing or two about Chinese ink flower and bird painting."
"Oh? What guidance does Miss Da Dao have for these few poor works of mine?"
"I dare not instruct! Just discussing some superficial impressions: The plum blossom paintings on both sides of the walls in Lu Xun's study are elegant, simple and refined, with a sense of clarity and purity, somewhat reminiscent of Xiao San's style; the middle hall hanging scroll, with its sturdy tree trunks, lively and natural branches, and scattered leaves, seems to be in the style of Da Qian."
Ruth's eyes lit up: "Miss Oshima, you have a great eye! From what you just said, it's not just that you know a thing or two, you must be an expert in Chinese ink flower and bird painting!"
