The growth system comes at the age of 30

Chapter 310 Cutting in line costs 15 yuan! (4K)

Perhaps it was influenced by Li Wenhui's college entrance examination results.

Chen Jingle felt that he had been somewhat lax lately, spending too much time on various work-related matters and neglecting his studies.

Therefore, after briefly dealing with matters at the company, he decided to calm down, read various academic papers, and continue his studies.

As a result, this study session lasted all day.

Chen Jingle held his tablet and flipped through various top journal articles, learning at a speed that seemed to be stuffing knowledge into his brain until he couldn't hold any more before pausing to rest.

I mainly look at Marxist philosophy and history-related content, reading articles published by top experts to see where the gap lies between myself and them.

The day was very fruitful.

The price to pay is a very swollen head.

He put down the tablet and sighed unconsciously.

"What's wrong?" Li Beixing noticed something and asked curiously.

Chen Jingle hesitated for a moment before replying: "What?"

Li Beixing asked, puzzled, "Why are you sighing all of a sudden? Is something bothering you?"

"No," Chen Jingle shook his head.

Teacher Li glared at him with her puffed-out cheeks: "You have something on your mind but you don't tell me, do you?"

Chen Jingle was taken aback, then grinned and quickly stretched out his hands: "Really, no. I was just acting subconsciously. I was just a little tired from studying and wanted to take a break."

Li Beixing gave a soft hum, refusing to let him hug her.

Chen Jingle hugged her tighter, buried his face in her hair, thought for a moment, and said, "These past few days I've suddenly felt a sense of urgency. I feel like I'm still lacking in knowledge and need to continue my studies. But the more I learn, the more I realize there's just so much to learn, it's almost overwhelming. The ocean of knowledge is so vast, containing the wisdom of countless geniuses. Trying to absorb all that effort into one's own knowledge is still too much for human beings to handle."

Li Beixing chuckled after hearing this: "You're such a fool. How could someone as smart as you be so stupid? No matter how capable a person is, it's impossible to convert all the academic achievements in the world into their own knowledge. Besides, don't you understand the saying 'haste makes waste'? It's okay if you can't learn it all in a short time. Just spend decades learning it. If you can maintain this learning efficiency, the level of knowledge you eventually acquire will definitely be among the top of humanity."

Chen Jingle was well aware of this, but his impatience made him lose his composure. He was afraid he wouldn't have enough time, so he thought he should learn as much as he could while he still could.

No one knows whether the world will be the same as it was yesterday when we wake up tomorrow.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Li Beixing said, "Why don't you stop studying and take a break and relax for a while? Play some computer games and clear your mind."

Rest and entertainment?

Chen Jingle was slightly taken aback.

He suddenly realized that he seemed to have been so busy with work that he had neglected to relax and have fun.

Since the end of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, he has hardly stopped. Apart from eating and sleeping, he has been busy most of the time, even on Saturdays and Sundays.

If it were any other worker, they would probably have been complaining and rebelling against their boss long ago.

When did I become so hardworking and selfless?

Oh no!

It seems that ever since this broken system appeared, I haven't had much rest. I'm always learning and learning. At most, I might occasionally change my learning or practice methods to be lazy, or take a leave of absence, but I've never stopped.

Looking back now, it was definitely exhausting.

"It's time to get some rest."

Chen Jingle breathed a sigh of relief.

Let's play some games then. I haven't played computer games for a long time, and I almost wondered if I had become an electronic sheep tail.

My parents have already finished watching TV and gone to bed.

Chen Jingle arrived at the e-sports room.

To everyone's surprise, Li Beixing followed them in.

Chen Jingle asked her, "Do you want to play?"

"I'm not playing. I'll just watch you play." Teacher Li gestured to her phone: "I'm chatting with a friend."

"alright."

The e-sports room has a small sofa for resting, and Li Beixing lay down on it.

Chen Jingle sat down in front of the computer, pressed the power button, and after the computer booted up in seconds, he thought for a moment and then double-clicked the mouse to open Steam.

He recalled buying Black Myth before but never playing it. It cost 328 yuan. He bought it just to support the game, and he wasn't a fan of AAA games.

The game's popularity has now faded, but the record set by Black Monkey can be considered a milestone for domestic AAA games.

His computer can handle 4K resolution with ease, much better than his old one. It's a perfect opportunity to experience what it's like to play top-tier AAA games at maximum graphics settings.

So I opened the game—

Half an hour later, Chen Jingle fell into deep thought.

The game is good, but the player is a bit bad and keeps getting stuck on the big head level.

"Honey, I have a question." Teacher Li leaned in at some point.

"Ok?"

"Is there only one monster in this game?"

Chen Jingle: "..."

I've talked a bit too much.

He couldn't understand why, even after the system modifications, his talent in gaming was still so poor.
It shouldn’t be!

While his overall reaction speed is decent, his finger reaction speed is noticeably slower than average, making him seem like an elderly player.

After being killed by Big Head again, Chen Jingle felt that he might not be in good form today, so he decided to switch to a different game.

Switch to Super Mario Odyssey for the Nintendo Switch.

This game, which is designed for players aged 6 and up, is obviously more suitable for children of my age than Black Monkey.

……

The next day.

After Teacher Li's guidance last night, Chen Jingle is much calmer today.

However, I still need to study, just at a slower pace, not as eager and utilitarian as I was yesterday.

While I was studying, I suddenly received a WeChat message.

Chen Jingle was surprised because the person who sent the message was Huang Xiaoming, a big star whom he had met once in Sanya.

Huang Xiaoming asked, "Mr. Chen, do you have any creative work available recently?"

Ok?
Is this another reason for them to buy my calligraphy and painting works?
Fortunately, he had served many celebrity buyers, so it wasn't too surprising.

Chen Jingle thought for a moment and replied, "It will be available after mid-July. Is there anything I can help you with, Brother Xiaoming?"

Huang Xiaoming said, "It's like this, a relative of mine got into university this year. He's a calligraphy student. A few days ago, when we were having dinner together, I mentioned that I happen to know a friend who's very good at calligraphy and painting. He thought I was bragging, assuming I was talking about those celebrities in the entertainment industry who get hyped up by the media. So I showed him your work, and he was very pleasantly surprised and liked it a lot. So I'd like to give him one of your calligraphy pieces as a gift. I wonder if it's possible to cut in line? I know the rules." Likes my calligraphy?

Chen Jingle raised an eyebrow slightly: "Sure. What style does he personally like?"

After a while, Huang Xiaoming replied, "He said it was Liang Shizheng."

Liang Shizheng?
Chen Jingle was surprised.

Liang Shizheng lived during the reigns of the Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors of the Qing Dynasty. He was the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination in the eighth year of Yongzheng's reign and served as Minister of the five ministries of Revenue, War, Justice, Personnel, and Works. He was eventually appointed Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion. He was also a calligrapher, initially studying the style of Liu Gongquan, then Zhao Mengfu, and in his later years, Yan Zhenqing. His running script was neat and beautiful, making him a trusted calligrapher for Emperor Qianlong, and he wrote inscriptions for many famous works.

His representative works include "Luo Binwang's Imperial Capital Poem", "Postscript to Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains", and "Ten Palaces Poems".

However, although Liang Shizheng's calligraphy is beautiful, it is not popular in contemporary calligraphy circles.

The reason for this is that his calligraphy is a typical "official script," which many people today consider too standardized and flat, lacking a flexible and graceful flow, and inconsistent with modern individualistic and ever-changing creative ideas. Moreover, his strokes are delicate and frivolous, lacking strength and vigor, and extremely vulgar.

However, Mr. Qi Gong called it "the pinnacle of running script in the last 200 years".

You should know that Mr. Qi Gong is a recognized master of calligraphy in modern times. He once served as the president of Xiling Society and won the first Lanting Award for Lifetime Achievement. Surely his aesthetic ability is not so bad that he cannot distinguish between good and bad?

Therefore, Chen Jingle's evaluation of Liang Shizheng is that he is a master of running script, and his works can meet the aesthetic needs of the public.

The merits and demerits of the official script style should be viewed dialectically; it has both good and bad aspects.

He could also write in the official script style, but he didn't really like it.

Unless you're answering questions in an exam room.

The official script style originated for examination purposes, emerged in the Song Dynasty, and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Well, Chen Jingle is the kind of person who doesn't like being constrained at heart. His official script is neat and beautiful, but looking at it from a distance, it's too neat and proper.

He prefers to be more spontaneous, simply expressing the beauty of calligraphy without being bound by specific forms.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the official script style became too prevalent, leading to a rigidity in calligraphy. It failed to trace back to the Qin, Han, and Northern Dynasties, and works in seal script, clerical script, official script, and Wei script almost disappeared. Meanwhile, regular script was considered beautiful for its delicate and elegant style.

Therefore, since the Ming Dynasty, there have been very few calligraphers who are truly outstanding.

Even among the so-called Four Masters of the Qing Dynasty, only Liu Yong's achievements are somewhat noteworthy. The others may have been quite good at the time, but they failed to break free from the constraints of Zhao Mengfu and Dong Qichang, and in the grand scheme of history, they are hardly worthy of being named.

In contrast, in the field of traditional Chinese painting, Zheng Xie and Jin Nong, two of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, took a different path.

Chen Jingle replied, "Okay, when do you need it?"

"Is it okay in the next couple of days?" Huang Xiaoming asked.

Two days?

This is a bit rushed.

I was about to politely decline when the other party immediately transferred 15 yuan to me.

Chen Jingle was stunned. Was it really that easy?

Moreover, the price was much higher than he had expected. 15 for just cutting in line seemed a bit excessive.

Of course, not all of the 15 yuan was for cutting in line.

Chen Jingle's personal fee, calculated based on the most common four-foot sheet, has now risen to 7, and orders are still pouring in.

After all, the price at the auction house has risen to 10 now, so buying it is a sure win.

Even so, it's still equivalent to spending 8 yuan to cut in line.

Wow, I have to say, big stars are really rich!

Chen Jingle replied decisively: "Is the problem serious? Are there any requirements regarding the content?"

Huang Xiaoming said, "No, as long as it looks good, that's fine. I don't know much about calligraphy, but he said your handwriting is very good, and I believe in your professional level."

Chen Jingle thought for a moment and replied, "Actually, you don't need that much. For normal specifications, just add 10,000."

To everyone's surprise, Huang Xiaoming said, "How could that be? I cut in line and got it expedited. If I charged the same price as everyone else, wouldn't you be at a disadvantage? No way, absolutely not. Please listen to me this once. I also want to ask you to give my relative some pointers on calligraphy later."

After a slight hesitation, Chen Jingle replied, "I'm sorry, I don't accept students."

It's not that I can't teach well, it's that I don't want to earn that hard-earned money.

You only make a little money by offering and selling courses, and it's all very time-consuming and laborious. It's far better to sell a couple of calligraphy or paintings when you're short of money.

If the other party isn't very talented, that would be disastrous; the money received wouldn't even cover the compensation for emotional distress.

Huang Xiaoming: "How about you treat it as a paid consultation and charge per session?"

After thinking for a long time, Chen Jingle replied, "Okay."

In the end, he still accepted the 15 yuan.

Since the money offered was sufficient, Chen Jingle could not be perfunctory. After much deliberation, he finally wrote an excerpt from the "Collection of the Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the King of Literature".

The "Collection of Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Sacred Teachings" is a work by Wang Xizhi, and of course, it is a collection of characters.

The Tang Dynasty monk Huai Ren spent a full 25 years collecting characters from Wang Xizhi's calligraphy and carving them into a stele inscription, known as "Tang Collection of Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Sacred Teachings and Records" or "Huai Ren's Collection of Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Sacred Teachings".

In a sense, given that no original works by Wang Xizhi have survived to this day, the "Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the King of Calligraphy" is his magnum opus and one of the best models for later generations to learn Wang's running script.

Calligraphy emphasizes tracing back to the past, and even today, the calligraphy world still reveres the Wang brothers.

Chen Jingle had naturally copied the "Preface to the Sacred Teachings," and each time he wrote it, he felt he had a different understanding.

In terms of imitation alone, it may not be inferior to the imitations of Tang Dynasty calligraphers who had seen Wang Xizhi's original works.

To put it bluntly, Chen Jingle's understanding of the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi should rank among the top three in contemporary times. When everyone else only has a slight grasp of the basics, his slight advantage over others already puts him ahead of the competition.

Huang Xiaoming's relative liked Liang Shizheng's running script. Liang Shizheng had studied Zhao Mengfu and Li Beihai. Zhao Mengfu was a revivalist and had learned a lot from the two Wangs. In his later years, he also studied Li Beihai, but he did not learn the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty like Li Beihai.

Li Beihai himself also studied the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, but later broke free from their constraints and developed his own style. His calligraphy is distinctive, with characters that are higher on the left and lower on the right, and the strokes are smooth and vigorous, giving people a sense of boldness and refreshingness.

In short, all calligraphic works in the world are inseparable from the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. Under such circumstances, Chen Jingle's choice of the "Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the King of Calligraphy" as the content of this order is by no means wrong.

Many people have experienced this, but so what?
As long as it's outstanding enough, that's fine!

The ability to create masterpieces from copies has been proven by countless renowned calligraphers and painters throughout history.

In addition, Huang Xiaoming asked Chen Jingle for his contact address, but before he could even start writing it down, he received a bunch of gifts by express delivery the next day.

Ice cream, chocolate and all kinds of snacks are available.

Oh, and there are two mackerel too.

This big star is really interesting.

No wonder people online say that Huang Xiaoming is from Shandong. When he asks someone for a favor, in addition to the due payment, he also gives them all sorts of gifts, making meticulous arrangements and being very polite.

Chen Jingle experienced this firsthand.

"He who takes a man's money is bound to him; he who eats another man's food is bound to him." Chen Jingle was both taking and eating.

Looks like I'll have to give it my all!

(End of this chapter)