Chapter 52: Average Drawing Skills
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Look Look, he’s amazing, it sounds like Meng boss and the pretty lady have some history!”
“Is the miss blaming Meng Boss for not having good intentions, she obviously came to support him.”
“What do you mean support, she’s obviously here for a good time hahaha!”
“Phew, finally we don’t have to listen to Meng fatty and tell those stupid jokes. Now that was awkward!”
“Yeah! It’s more comfortable to watch him draw!”
“There are so many awkward streamers, but Meng Fan is the only one with G.o.d-like hand speed. Meng host, you just obediently be an honest and quiet host!”
“It’s good if you don’t talk because I came across all those jokes when I was browsing the promotional ads for Weibo, they almost made me barf! Who knew I’d hear them again?!”
“Finally, we can see Meng boss’s hand speed again, now that’s comfortable!”
“Look, another pretty girl!”
“Does this one know Meng Fan too?”
“She’s asking Meng boss if it’s really free, so probably not.”
After Ma Xiao Chun sat down on the stool in front of Meng Fan, the pedestrians nearby became more interested, slowly filling up the area surrounding him.
Meng Fan’s validation and hefty load were there. He had always been an attention grabber, since he’d been sitting here in the last fifteen or so minutes, so it was evident from the amount of viewers he’d ‘gained’. He couldn’t say 100% of the pedestrians would look over, but at least half was definitely plausible.
Only, most of the people in Hua Xia were introverted, and many deployed the virtue from Lu Xun’s ‘Han Fei Zi.’ It preached to “not be the first”, and not only to “not be the instigator” but also “not to be present at the beginning of a disaster” or the “first to receive a blessing”.
Everyone had seen Meng Fan’s ‘free’ sign, and several were eager to try it as well. Only, n.o.body wanted to be the first person to eat the crab; they wanted crab and knew it was safe to eat, but they didn’t want to break the sh.e.l.l.
Presently, Ma Xiao Chun was already sitting in front of Meng Fan, patiently having her portrait done. The people deemed her to be the one who peeled the hard sh.e.l.l, so naturally, seeing the ‘sh.e.l.l’ open, even just a little bit had shown them the fresh tender crab meat hiding inside.
“What a great drawing!”
Everyone could see Meng Fan’s ‘poster’ of the characters from that hit drama. But n.o.body believed that Meng Fan could actually draw like that, and wouldn’t until they saw with their own eyes.
Now that they’d seen it for themselves, they realized that not only was he good, but he was fast too.
Most of the Hua Xia people followed the ‘not-first’ mentality, but as soon as someone started it, then everyone deployed the second most common mentality of Hua Xia people; that is to join crowds and watch the crowds.
A girl who’s appearances rivaled that of Ma Xiao Chun asked Meng Fan if his portraitures were actually free and then lined up behind Ma Xiao Chun, waiting for her turn.
Not long after, there was a line of people behind Ma Xiao Chun.
Some of them loved to watch the bustle but were too embarra.s.sed to join the crowd all circled around Meng Fan to watch him draw.
“Uhm, sorry. I’m streaming here, could you guys step back again, you’re covering the camera.”
He had placed the phone in front of the easel to see more easily the live comments—also for easier operation—occasionally interacting with the netizens. Seeing that the stream had been covered, he politely asked the auntie that had been standing in front of it.
The lady was a bit displeased by his comment and s.h.i.+fted over a bit, but didn’t show it. It would seem too uncivilized, so she turned to the spectators next to her and said: “Don’t push.”
Who’s pus.h.i.+ng?!
The people next to here were baffled.
The aunty didn’t care, and inched a bit closer, making sure to stay clear of the camera frame. Then curiously, she asked Meng Fan. “Hey young man, what school are you from? My daughter is also studying art, so I understand a little about art. I secretly hide behind her and watch her draw, but she’s really slow, how are you so fast? And you seem to be better than her too, just a bit, not too much.”
“I’m from the Art Academy.” Meng Fan couldn’t keep quiet. “This is a simplified animation, so it’s faster. Your daughter is probably in another stream, so it will naturally be slower.”
“That’s true.” The auntie nodded in understanding, then continued. “From the academy? Oh, no wonder you’re so good. My daughter’s goal is to get into the academy. Oh right.”
The auntie pulled out her phone and browsed to a photo, handing it to Meng Fan. “This is my daughter. She’s pretty right?”
Meng Fan forced a smile, asking her: “How old is your daughter ma’am?”
“She just started ninth grade, and applying to attend high school overseas, but she’s confident in her abilities.” Said the aunty, full of pride.
“Of course.”
Meng Fan initially wanted to denounce her audacity to compare his skill to a junior high student. American high school? That’s nothing. He thought about it though and held it in.
The aunty didn’t stop and continued, “Can you draw one based on this picture?”
“Of course, why don’t you line up over there?”
Meng Fan was ecstatically hoping the aunty would go line up with the others.
“Aiyoo, we’re already so acquainted, do I have to line up?” The auntie saw the long line and looked back at Meng Fan, smiling shrewdly, then said to Meng Fan heavily, “Humans… sometimes have to learn how to work around things.”
What could Meng Fan say? He pretended he hadn’t heard and turned his mood into his hand speed. Scratch, scratch, scratch. He finished the first drawing, colors and all.
Of course, he couldn’t use his universal pen for this, and compliantly used his set of regular pencil crayons.
When he streamed at the studio, n.o.body was there to see him. He could pull the universal pen out of the stream frame and change it to the color he needed before re-entering the frame. With this, many people were watching and this was out of the question.
“You’re done? That was fast!”
Ma Xiao Chun stood up and walked up to Meng Fan. As she got up, the pretty girl behind her had slipped her b.u.m in one elegant motion onto the stool, not giving anyone a chance to steal her spot. The pretty girl looked around and her eyes were filled with invincible loneliness. Since childhood she’d been playing musical chairs, never losing a game. It was the same when she grew up.
“So pretty!” Ma Xiao Chun said as she saw the portrait. The previous drawing had been a dignified portrait of Miss. w.a.n.g, but this one was a fresh-looking portrait with a hint of playfulness. Most importantly, it had captured all her characteristics. “Uhm, I mean your drawing is really pretty.”
Meng Fan very seldom faced girls he wasn’t pursuing who had an emotional intelligence as low as his. “It’s alright, I didn’t bring out all of your beauty.”
“Thanks.”
Ma Xiao Chun brushed her hair and took a photo with Meng Fan holding her portrait. Seeing Meng Fan had already begun the second portrait, she stood to the side to watch and was unable to leave.
Without the aunty next to him to chat, and growing more accustomed to the live audience, Meng Fan began to increase his drawing speed.
Ten minutes later, he was done.
The caricatures were simpler than the ill.u.s.trations he had done for his live stream and as such, required less color as well.
If he could use the universal pen, he would be even faster.
The pretty girl that was even prettier than Ma Xiao Chun was particularly excited after receiving her caricature drawing. Despite also using a caricature making APP, the feeling was not the same as holding it in her hands. After thanking him, she also took out her phone and asked to take a photo with Meng Fan.
Meng Fan’s speed continued increasing, and at the same time the stream livened up. By the time he reached the 8th portrait, his viewers had broke 10,000.
A large portion of the netizens here were watching Meng Fan for the first time. They were amazed at the speed of Meng Fan’s drawing, but more impressed by the fact that all the people he’s drawn for were all pretty girls!