Huayu 2015, the Artist of Light and Shadow

Chapter 84 This guy is awesome! He created a miracle! 2 million people cheered for him!

Their gaze returned from the distant lights.

Lu Yunzhou's gaze gradually sharpened, then he turned to the restorers at BCP Studio and asked, "What do you think about using artificial light?"

Before the other party could react, Lu Yunzhou closed his eyes, and inspiration poured out of his mind like flowing water.

Then, inside the flagship store, he kept searching for the right angle of light.

"The main door opens from the right side."

"All the light sources are coming from the right side."

"This is completely different from the light source in the upper left corner of the church."

"In this way, the focus of perspective cannot appear on Jesus' right eye—it seems that the painting in our shop will look better when viewed from right to left."

Because of the natural light in the church, Leonardo da Vinci chose to focus the perspective on Jesus' right eye in his version of "The Last Supper."

When tourists see this scene, it's as if they can look Jesus in the eye, and then feel that Jesus' right eye is in a blurry state.

It gives people a mysterious and timeless feeling.

As if being watched by a god, they felt a chill run down their spines and involuntarily lowered their heads, as if their secrets had been seen through.

Especially in the atmosphere of a church.

Due to the change in environment, Lu Yunzhou could not completely replicate "The Last Supper" exactly, but he could use symmetrical light and shadow composition.

Focus the perspective on Jesus' left eye.

At the same time, all changes in light will also change accordingly.

But one thing will never change: Judas must remain in the shadows!

From that moment on, although he was still imitating, he was completely different.

Thanks to Leonardo da Vinci's left hand.

This left hand allowed Lu Yunzhou to briefly experience what kind of thinking Leonardo da Vinci had when creating art.

-

That's too perceptive.

Like a machine, precise and fast.

At this moment, as he thought, he could naturally simulate the changes in light and shadow in his mind.

"Excuse me, let me in. I have something to say to him."

Just then, an old man wearing a Fedora hat and carrying a handbag tried to squeeze into the store.

This person was Professor Pietro, a Leonardo da Vinci research expert, who had just watched the television program and rushed over to witness this miracle.

He loved wearing Fedora hats, just like Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones.

"Sir, please stop here. You are not allowed to go inside."

But when Professor Pietro reached the door, he was stopped by several bodyguards arranged by Audi.

"Sir, this store is not open yet. If you want to shop, please go to another area."

The police also came over, but their tone was much gentler.

After all, the Galleria Vittorio Estádio in Milan contributes an immeasurable amount of rent and taxes to the city hall every year; it is their bread and butter.

"Could you please inform Mr. Lu Yunzhou inside? I have something to say to him. He might need some of my help."

Professor Pietro sensed that Lu Yunzhou hadn't moved all day; he had been observing the changes in sunlight throughout the day.

He thought of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, which, with modern technology, no longer needs to be so complicated.

He can help introduce a museum-grade artificial light source to customize all the lighting that Lu Yunzhou needs.

Although he was a Leonardo da Vinci scholar, he was not an artist or a painter.

He probably knows how to replicate Leonardo da Vinci.

However, his skill level was insufficient.

Besides having extraordinary ideas, painters also possess unparalleled technical skills.

This is a true craft, and it requires a lot of talent.

Today, Lu Yunzhou dared to conduct a global live broadcast, which shows that he is very confident in his skills.

Professor Pietro is willing to help this young man, Lu Yunzhou, accomplish an epic feat.

After all, Leonardo da Vinci's return to global trending topics is a huge boon for him, a da Vinci research expert.

His research project will receive strong support from all sectors of society.

Fame and fortune.

"Sir, please don't linger here. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to invite you to the police station for a cup of coffee."

The police could also sense that Mr. Pietro was a successful person of high status, so they spoke to him politely.

If it were a petty thug, he would have handcuffed the other person and thrown them into the police car long ago.

"Professor Pietro?"

Just as the two sides were at an impasse, city officials appeared.

He happened to know this Professor Pietro.

"Luca? It's so good to see you here."

Professor Pietro called out the name of the city official, and then, under the questioning gazes of the police, squeezed through.

"Luca, perhaps I can be of some help. Could you talk to Mr. Lu Yunzhou inside? It won't be that complicated."

"The Louvre has a complete set of lighting and shadow technology, and even embedded glass systems, AR glass—a whole bunch of random technologies."

"They conducted a lot of research so that tourists could clearly feel the charm of Leonardo da Vinci."

"Please pass on a message for me: tell Mr. Lu Yunzhou that he doesn't need to do the research himself, as they have a complete set of techniques that can help him find the best lighting effects."

"I can help make contact and borrow this equipment. Perhaps we can order a set directly from the Germans."

"In short, I came with good intentions, and I hope I can help."

When Lu Yunzhou sat there observing the light and shadow, Professor Pietro knew that this guy was a professional, and a very professional one at that.

He had a vague feeling that even without his help, Lu Yunzhou would definitely be able to create a miracle.

He was certainly willing to do something that added to the already wonderful situation.

In this way, his story will also be recorded in history as a legendary tale.

"I'll pass on your message."

City Hall official Luca gave Professor Pietro a deep look, a slight ripple stirring in his heart.

Could it be that Lu Yunzhou isn't just putting on a show?

Is he serious?

Otherwise, why would Professor Pietro rush over here? He wouldn't be putting on a show with Lu Yunzhou.

"Mr. Lu————"

Luca went into the shop and whispered a few words to Lu Yunzhou.

Lu Yunzhou's gaze immediately turned to Professor Pietro, who was being blocked outside the door, and he nodded slightly to him.

"I do need an assistant."

Professor Pietro's arrival was perfectly timed. Having such a highly respected and authoritative expert in the field of Leonardo da Vinci studies is of great significance to Lu Yunzhou's reproduction of "The Last Supper".

At the very least, the 15 judges prepared by the city hall cannot easily dismiss him.

Upon hearing this, Luca ran out, smiling, and said, "Professor Pietro, please come in. Let's complete this legendary story together."

When Professor Pietro joined them, Luca's attitude changed immediately.

Because he also began to realize that he was not just putting on a show for Lu Yunzhou, but was creating a miracle.

As long as this shop in Borsalino remains open, every visitor will hear the story of Lu Yunzhou and the story of Professor Pietro.

There are also stories about him, Luca.

"Wait a minute. I think I understand now. That cunning fellow!"

At that moment, Luca suddenly realized that even if Lu Yunzhou didn't pay a single penny of rent, the city hall would have no choice but to protect the Borsalino shop as a tourist attraction.

If this shop closes down, Lu Yunzhou will probably take the replica of "The Last Supper" with him, and the legendary story will be lost.

"As long as this kid can finish this painting, I can help him apply for some financial subsidies."

Rent cannot be reduced or waived.

If Lu Yunzhou reduces or waives fees, other luxury stores will probably follow suit.

However, he can help apply for financial subsidies, such as special cultural contribution subsidies.

In conclusion, Lu Yunzhou most likely won't need to spend money on these two stores.

If the other brands were to do something like Lu Yunzhou, risking their brand reputation with a global live stream—their city hall would welcome it wholeheartedly and they could even apply for subsidies!

I'm afraid the other companies won't dare to do that.

"Mr. Lu————"

After Professor Pietro came in, he shook hands briefly with Lu Yunzhou and then briefly explained the lighting and glass cover system of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre to Lu Yunzhou.

"This is what I want."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunzhou smiled and said, "Professor, you've come at the perfect time. I need this system. No matter the cost."

Professor Pietro laughed: "No problem, I'll make the contact for you. This is an industrial product; as long as we place an order with the Germans, they'll be happy to do business with us."

Before heading to contact the light source and glass dome system, Professor Pietro remembered something and added, "Mr. Lu, please don't hesitate to ask if you need any help."

"certainly."

Lu Yunzhou laughed confidently.

He knew it.

Once he set up the stage, it attracted the attention of countless people around the world, and once he demonstrated a degree of professionalism, countless people naturally came forward to help him.

This is the legendary "building a nest to attract the phoenix"!

"You all need to get some rest. You'll be very busy in the latter half of the night."

Lu Yunzhou smiled slightly at the assistants at BCP Studio, and then spread out the drawing paper he had prepared.

Before arriving in Italy, Lu Yunzhou drew at least 10 sketches of "The Last Supper" in his office in Shanghai.

All the relationships between the characters and the details were already imprinted in his mind.

At that moment, he took out a projector from his bag and scanned his most perfect painting and projected it onto the wall.

This is 21st-century digital technology.

This didn't exist 500 years ago.

-

Leonardo da Vinci used the "pinhole rubbing method" back then. The specific method was to first draw a sketch.

Then, based on the lines in the sketch, punch a pinhole every millimeter.

Finally, place the sketch on the wall and gently sweep it with a charcoal bag. The charcoal powder will pass through the pinhole and leave a mark on the wall.

It takes more than half a month just to use this "pinhole rubbing method".

With the development of technology, Lu Yunzhou can now project outlines directly onto the wall using a high-precision projector.

He could clearly see the heads, shoulders, hands, and other key points of the 13 figures in the painting.

That's right.

The entire outline is not required.

Only a few positioning points are needed.

He didn't even need to use guide lines on the wall to define the outer frame and center line like Leonardo da Vinci did, nor did he need to use outlines to define the composition.

It saves a lot of time and effort.

"That's about it, it's time to begin."

Lu Yunzhou stood away from the wall and watched quietly for half an hour. After closing his eyes, he could almost feel the positions of all the figures.

"Paint, paintbrush."

Lu Yunzhou turned to look at the BCP studio assistants who were almost asleep.

"Excuse me, sir. We'll get right on it."

The group of people seemed to wake up from a dream. After rubbing their cheeks, they began to work in an orderly manner.

Following Leonardo da Vinci's style, Lu Yunzhou chose to start with Jesus in the very center and draw the skeletal and muscular structures of each figure in turn.

This is a basic skill for art students: sketching a nude figure!

After drawing the skeleton and muscles, then draw the clothes on the character's body—this way, you can create a character from the inside out, making it look very realistic, with a skeleton and muscles to support it.

This technique is great in every way, except for one weakness.

That is, it takes a long time to draw, and it is extremely detailed.

-

Lu Yunzhou spent nearly an hour on just the most important "nude portrait" of Jesus.

"Sir, would you like to take a rest?"

Upon seeing Lu Yunzhou rubbing his arm, the people from BCP Studio quickly helped him down from the aluminum scaffolding.

The biggest fear when painting such a large-scale painting is that the positioning is not done well, and the figure is painted off-center.

After finishing a figure, Lu Yunzhou would retreat far away to observe whether the figure was drawn incorrectly while recovering his strength.

Thanks to technology.

21st-century projectors are far more accurate than Leonardo da Vinci's "pinhole rubbing" method.

"Sir, would you like something to eat? It's already 8 p.m."

Everyone was so focused that they forgot about their hunger, and it wasn't until Lu Yunzhou came down to rest that they realized it was already completely dark.

It was 8 p.m.

The crowd of onlookers outside had long since changed.

"Let's go out and get something to eat then."

Dinner definitely cannot be eaten inside; Lu Yunzhou must ensure that the entire shop is kept extremely clean.

He would go completely insane if the food got paint on it or touched the wall.

"Then we'll seal off the area."

"Come back in an hour."

These restorers from BCP Studio were originally quite arrogant. Although they had accepted Lu Yunzhou's money, their eyes were filled with mockery, ready to watch Lu Yunzhou make a fool of himself.

But at some point, they put away their arrogance and looked at Lu Yunzhou with awe.

Whether someone is an expert or not can be known the moment they make a move.

When Lu Yunzhou began to paint on the wall, they sensed a special power emanating from him.

The moment he made the move, he was incredibly steady.

It's clear that he must have put in a lot of hard work in the painting industry, with at least 20 years of experience.

In various live streaming rooms.

When Lu Yunzhou chose to start a global live stream this morning, the peak number of online viewers exceeded 100 million.

However, Lu Yunzhou did not take any action for a long time, and the live broadcast room was filled with curses, resulting in the loss of 5000 million viewers.

By the afternoon, Lu Yunzhou was sunbathing like a tortoise, and the live stream had turned into a massive mockery session.

Lu Yunzhou has almost certainly been confirmed as the number one comedian in the world in 2016, and may even be forever nailed to the pillar of shame.

Netizens are having a huge discussion about whether he has any shame at all.

Is it completely shameless to try and become famous?

Even many of Lu Yunzhou's fans have started to turn against him, preparing to return all the "Swan Tears" sets and other related products they bought, or sell them at a low price on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace platform).

The turning point came at 5 p.m.

A local Milan television station contacted Professor Pietro, who initially seemed indifferent, but then discovered something.

As an expert, he was the first to conclude that Lu Yunzhou was not putting on a show, but had spent a whole day studying the effects of light and shadow.

However, at that time, only Italian television viewers and netizens seemed to think that Lu Yunzhou was a bit different.

Meanwhile, netizens in other regions are still treating Lu Yunzhou as a show-off braggart, relentlessly belittling and mocking him.

However, around 6:30, the online mockery suddenly disappeared without a trace, as if someone had pressed the "mute button".

Immediately afterwards, a deafening roar of cheers erupted in Lu Yunzhou's fan group.

"Holy crap! You're awesome, bro!"

"He really knows it —"

"I asked my art classmates, and my brother was just using a projector to position the figure—and he chose to draw a nude first because of Leonardo da Vinci's habit of drawing the skeleton and muscles first. Then he would create the clothing, outline the skin texture, and develop the expression and details—"

In short, it all boils down to one word: professional!

After sending the message for a while, the person was taken aback when they realized that no one in the group was responding.

Then, she suddenly realized: "You bunch of little bitches! Everyone who said they wanted a refund, step forward!"

"I'll take all your goods, no matter how many you have!"

No one responded.

She immediately switched her phone to Taobao's live stream and placed a flurry of orders.

"Grass!"

Sold out again!

"At this time, instead of picking at the beans, why are you guys competing with me in the live stream?"

at the same time.

At Lu Yunzhou's home.

Today, besides Zhang Ruonan and Wang Ran, Ji Rujing and Huang Yida also came to our house, and Tian Xiwei and Liu Haocun were also brought along.

They had a simple meal.

Then, everyone looked at the live stream on their phones—at this point, the live stream was empty; Lu Yunzhou and his group had gone out to eat.

However, there are still security guards at the entrance and police patrolling.

The live stream is not over.

"Xiao Nan, Xiao Meng, guess how much we earned today?"

Lu Yunzhou's mother called the two girls into the room, excitedly stroked their hair, and hugged them tightly.

The next moment, under the expectant gazes of the two, the mother excitedly exclaimed, "10 billion!"

"The Tmall flagship store in China alone has sold 10 billion yuan worth of goods."

"I specifically asked the operations team to set a pre-sale limit to prevent us from not being able to ship orders in time and ruining the reputation of our Swan Tears."

Even with a pre-sale cap set, 10 billion yuan was still sold.

You can imagine how incredible the number of people watching the live stream today was.

"Mom, everyone's guessing our brand is going to raise prices soon. Buying now is a steal, so of course everyone's going crazy buying it."

"This is an investment product. With at least a 30% profit, who wouldn't want to buy it?"

Not to mention those crazy little fans who wanted to snatch this product, even Zhang Ruonan was getting restless and wanted to place an order to buy the necklace that Lu Yunzhou was wearing today.

"Um""

Xinlu Yunzhou's mother nodded: "That's true. But we can't exhaust our resources. One of the definitions of luxury goods is that they are limited. We need to maintain a sense of mystery and distance, so that not everyone can easily obtain them."

Things that are easily obtained are not cherished.

Hearing this, Zhang Ruonan nodded slightly.

Wang Ran nodded slightly, then suddenly realized something. Was her mother implying something? Because she hadn't gotten Lu Yunzhou yet!

"It's a pity that our online shopping platforms in Europe and America are not yet fully developed, which wastes a lot of traffic."

"But it doesn't matter. After this battle, our brand will become a sensation around the world. The swan tear necklace around Yunzhou's neck will probably become the best-selling single gold jewelry item in the world next year."

At this point, Mom rubbed Zhang Ruonan's cute little cheeks: "Xiaonan, you can stay home and count your money. I can't wait to hold my grandson."

Hey!

Zhang Ruonan couldn't help but smile happily.

Although her mother knew Wang Churan's true identity, in her heart, Wang Churan was the only daughter-in-law in the family.

After all, she had offered sacrifices to her ancestors.

Wang Churan hasn't reached that stage yet; at most, she's just an unofficial member of the family. Poor performance could lead to her being fired at any time.

"Xiao Nan, who are those two girls outside? They're quite cute."

For some reason, Lu Yunzhou's mother casually asked a question.

Zhang Ruonan didn't take it seriously and casually said, "One of them is named Tian Xiwei, and she seems like a nice person. The other one is named Liu Haocun, but I haven't had much contact with him."

Mom nodded gently: "I think that girl named Tian Xiwei is very lively, and her smile is especially sweet. I quite like her. The other girl named Liu Haocun, though, doesn't seem quite right."

What does this mean?

Are you trying to find Lu Yunzhou a concubine?

Absolutely not.

Wang Ran, who had been silent, decided to sow discord between Tian Xiwei and said casually, "Auntie, Xiao Tian is incredibly strong, and her hits really hard. My brother has a friend named Cai Xukun, you know? He runs away as fast as a mouse seeing a cat whenever he sees Xiao Tian."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunzhou's mother paused for a moment, muttering, "Looks so cute, but so fierce? — Is she from Sichuan or Chongqing?"

It seems that Mom has a story to tell.

"Mom, how did you know?"

Zhang Ruonan was somewhat puzzled.

My mother chuckled and recounted the past: "Years ago, when I had a stall at the market, I knew a couple from Chongqing. The woman spoke like a machine gun, and she was even worse at arguing with her husband. I still remember one time, her husband was apparently getting his feet washed outside, and when she found out, she grabbed a kitchen knife and chased him for two blocks. Just watching the commotion made me tremble with fear. I really don't know how her husband lived."

Is it that fierce?

Zhang Ruonan couldn't understand how a woman could chase her husband for two blocks with a kitchen knife.

Wang Cheran, standing nearby, agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "Auntie, have you ever heard the internet saying? The Siberian tiger, the Northwest wolf, the Sichuan-Chongqing tyrannosaurus, the Hunan five-step snake, and the Jiangxi gold-devouring beast—they are all creatures you shouldn't mess with."

Xiaotian, I'm sorry.

I can be your "sister", but I can't be your "sister".

The Chinese language is so profound and complex; I believe you can understand.

Zhang Ruonan watched Wang Ran from the side, never expecting Wang Churan to be so cunning.

At this moment, she couldn't help but ask, "Siberian tigers, Northwest wolves, and Sichuan-Chongqing tyrannosaurus are indeed not to be trifled with, but what about the Shandong female Chiyou?"

Wang Ran definitely exaggerated his height.

She's definitely 1.75 meters tall, almost a head taller than me.

"Mom, I want to go see my brother."

After chatting at home for a while, Zhang Ruonan couldn't help but want to go find Lu Yunzhou.

Although she knew that Lu Yunzhou was going through a world-class test at this moment, she shouldn't go there and distract him.

However, she simply couldn't resist.

"Bear with it."

For the first time, her mother refused Zhang Ruonan's request, and even said in a serious tone, "If you go, you won't be able to help him at all. Just stay home with me."

-

"If you're really sincere, go and burn some incense."

In her mother's opinion, Zhang Ruonan's presence at the shop entrance was distracting Lu Yunzhou, so it would be better for her to burn incense and pray for the ancestors' blessings.

"oh."

Zhang Ruonan had no objection to this custom.

Burning incense and worshipping gods endlessly are also part of the main family's duties.

"Sister Nan, I'll go with you."

Wang Churan had never been interested in burning incense since she was a child, but she gradually realized that it seemed to be a form of recognition of status and position.

Not just anyone is qualified to worship there.

Sure enough, Zhang Ruonan disagreed with Wang Ran's offer to burn incense with her, saying kindly, "Even our ancestors don't know you. They won't listen to you if you burn incense for them."

"Let me do it."

After saying that, Zhang Ruonan ignored Wang Ran and went to burn incense, muttering incantations in Wenzhou dialect.

Absolutely.

Wang Churan couldn't understand what Zhang Ruonan was saying at all, and could only smile awkwardly from the side.

This incense isn't something just anyone can burn.

She doesn't really need to learn Italian, but she'll probably need to learn Wenzhou dialect, otherwise she'll need a translator when she goes to burn incense.

As Lu Yunzhou began to paint seriously, and everyone could clearly see that he was using his left hand to paint.

At the same time, countless people dug up and analyzed Lu Yunzhou's behavior and actions when he attended public events before.

Especially those online self-media bloggers, they're absolutely raking in this traffic.

"Look closely, everyone. These are Lu Yunzhou's movements at award ceremonies and various celebrations—it's clear he's right-handed!"

"He would subconsciously use his right hand to hold a wine glass, and to hug people—especially in this video, where he used his right hand to sign a contract with Audi."

A person's handwriting habits don't change easily. No one who normally signs with their right hand will suddenly switch to their left.

Hand-drawn. That's absolutely impossible.

"Now, I begin to believe that God endowed him with special abilities."

"Right after the New York shooting—look at my next video, he's in a sling and he's started eating with his left hand."

"At first, he seemed a little uncomfortable and ate with a spoon."

"But look at this photo. About a month later, he went to the set of 'Wolf Warrior 2' and ate a boxed lunch with Wu Jing. You can see from his lunchbox that he was clearly using chopsticks with his left hand."

"I can't find any more evidence—but we can clearly see that he used to be right-handed, but after the New York shooting, he gradually became left-handed."

"And today, we see him start to draw with his left hand, and so steadily, as if he has been drawing with his left hand for 20 years."

"It has to be said, this is a miracle!"

"It is completely inexplicable by science."

"I can only attribute it to God's favor!"

Analysis of Lu Yunzhou's left hand is everywhere online, and Chinese and foreign self-media have begun to frantically study what Lu Yunzhou experienced during the New York shooting.

As the discussion spread beyond its original circle, the name Lu Yunzhou almost swept the entire world.

That evening.

When Lu Yunzhou and the restorers from BCP Studio returned from dinner, the number of viewers in the global live stream once again surpassed 1 million.

The discussions in the live stream were no longer as sharp and sarcastic as during the day, but were filled with anticipation.

After Lu Yunzhou finished drawing the first character, all the doubts disappeared.

Because professionals can see that Lu Yunzhou's brushstrokes are extremely exquisite and delicate, and to achieve this level of brushstrokes requires years of practice.

This will not be achieved overnight.

In Lu Yunzhou's twenty-odd years of life, he did not experience a long period of artistic training.

This caused a huge uproar online.

Theists and atheists began a heated debate.

The number of viewers for the live stream has never decreased since it surpassed 1 million.

In fact, Lu Yunzhou's painting process was extremely boring.

He spent 13 hours sketching 13 nude figures.

On the third day, he spent the entire day drawing the folds of clothing on these nude structures.

To the average person, this process is extremely boring.

But for professionals, this is a truly remarkable performance.

A local television station in Milan.

After Professor Pietro helped Lu Yunzhou connect with the lighting and glass assembly engineers at the Louvre Museum in France, he was invited by the television station as a special guest to explain Lu Yunzhou's painting process.

"Dear viewers, we have specially invited Professor Pietro as our guest today. Professor Pietro is one of the leading experts in Leonardo da Vinci's research."

"He was also one of the most powerful helpers when Mr. Lu Yunzhou was replicating the work 'The Last Supper'."

""

"Professor Pietro, yesterday we analyzed Mr. Lu Yunzhou's nude painting techniques. Today, we'd like to introduce to you what's special about his method of painting clothing on these nude structures?"

After the host finished speaking, the studio immediately focused the camera on Professor Pietro.

Professor Pietro took a sip of water and wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief.

"I just came back from the scene, and Mr. Lu Yunzhou really impressed me."

Professor Pietro's face was full of excitement.

He almost forgot he was still on live television. After he came to his senses, he chuckled and greeted the audience again.

"Hello everyone."

"Today, I will introduce to you the artistic characteristics of Leonardo da Vinci's paintings."

"Look at Mr. Lu Yunzhou's brushstrokes, the folds of these clothes—they perfectly match the movement of the human body and gravity."

"Does this sound incredible to everyone? How can painting depict the movement of the human body and gravity?"

"It's actually very simple. Just use lines of different densities."

"But how to use these lines is a very delicate technical skill. It's not just science, it even involves some psychological suggestion."

"In my view, Mr. Lu Yunzhou's painting process is a very vivid online lesson in Leonardo da Vinci—yes, I am quite certain that he has studied Leonardo da Vinci for at least 20 years."

"He's probably been imitating Leonardo da Vinci's technical painting style since he was five years old. He's the person I've ever met who most resembles Leonardo da Vinci!"

"No wonder he dared to make such a boast."

"Honestly, at first I thought he was crazy, but at this moment, I'm starting to believe that he can create miracles."

Lu Yunzhou spent a whole day on it.

They added clothes to the 13 figures in the painting.

Each character's clothes are completely different, matching their identity and personality traits.

In addition, the thickness of the fabric varies from person to person.

-

Everything seemed so lifelike.

This is one of the most distinctive features of Leonardo da Vinci's paintings.

He never made things up. He spent months wandering the streets of Milan to find suitable models and document their appearances.

After the figure painting is completed.

The painting is now only half complete.

About a third of the time has passed.

The following day, Lu Yunzhou added food to the table, recreating this "Last Supper".

The initial coloring and composition are complete.

That very evening, thanks to Professor Pietro's introduction, a top-of-the-line, museum-grade adjustable artificial light source system was airlifted from Germany.

Many German engineers also came with them.

"Sir, what parameters, angle, and color temperature do you need? You can tell us and we'll adjust them for you."

The German engineer took out paper and pen, along with the instruction manual, and methodically inquired about Lu Yunzhou's requirements, while also taking notes.

"it is good."

"Let's try a different light source first. Let's simulate the atmosphere of dusk."

In Leonardo da Vinci's time, only natural light could be used.

However, Lu Yunzhou felt that the natural light inside the cathedral was not particularly good, which prevented the painting "The Last Supper" from fully showcasing its delicacy and exquisite detail.

After all, natural light can never be perfect.

It can only create a sense of atmosphere.

Even so, it was already quite amazing for that era.

With the power of technology, Lu Yunzhou could easily simulate the kind of twilight atmosphere he needed.

During the live television broadcast.

Upon hearing Lu Yunzhou's words, the host asked in confusion, "Professor Pietro, why is it dusk? No—"

Could it be 2 PM? I heard that the lighting inside Milan Cathedral is best around 2 PM.

In response to the host's question, Professor Pietro laughed and said, "Please try to recall, what is the name of this painting?"

"The Last Supper" is a play on words, and since it's about dinner, it must be set at dusk.

"Haha, how embarrassing."

Upon hearing this, the host couldn't help but look embarrassed, and then laughed self-deprecatingly: "Please, director, give me the honor of cutting off the subtitles, so that no one knows what I said."

The director certainly wouldn't do that.

Firstly, it's unnecessary.

Secondly, because it's a live broadcast, the subtitles are already being shown simultaneously, so you can't cut them off even if you want to.

Moreover, the TV station is hoping that this program will have its own exciting moments.

The awkward moment the host just made will obviously become a highlight of the show.

At that moment, countless netizens took screenshots of the scene on TV and created a GIF, which went viral across the internet within two hours.

In fact, the host's question is also the question many netizens have.

Many people didn't know why Lu Yunzhou set the lighting effect to dusk—they only realized it after Professor Pietro finished explaining.

It's purely habitual thinking.

At this moment, Professor Pietro continued, "Mr. Lu Yunzhou's painting skills are extremely realistic; he is the closest to Leonardo da Vinci among all the people I have ever seen."

"However, I still have some concerns."

"Because 'The Last Supper' blends perfectly with the atmosphere of the restaurant inside the cathedral."

"No matter how exquisite his paintings are, they cannot blend in with the environment."

"If I'm not mistaken—the renovation companies in Milan are probably going to have a headache next."

"They have to replicate a church restaurant inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan."

"However, this has nothing to do with Mr. Lu Yunzhou."

"Because any reasonably skilled renovation company could easily replicate the interior decoration of the cathedral restaurant."

Professor Pietro now only wants to know what the painting will look like after Lu Yunzhou has adjusted the lighting and shadow effects.

on site.

Lu Yunzhou spent two hours communicating with the German team and adjusting the light source.

"Sir, are you sure you want this effect?"

The German team repeatedly asked Lu Yunzhou if any changes were needed.

Once Lu Yunzhou makes his decision, they will then fix the color temperature, angle, and brightness.

Because if you mess up the adjustments later, the effect will be much worse.

They didn't want others to mistakenly think their company's technology was inadequate.

"I'm sure."

"Let's see the real results in 10 days."

Although Lu Yunzhou was certain that he had found the necessary light source and angle, he would still need to readjust them after the event.

Strive for perfection.

Make sure you don't have any regrets.

At the very least, his "Eagle King Vision" must be unable to detect any flaws.

"No problem, sir. Our company also has after-sales service in Milan, and we can come to your location anytime to resolve your issue."

After completing their debugging work, the German team packed up and left.

Over the next few days, Lu Yunzhou began to carefully sketch out the details.

Leonardo da Vinci had a very famous technique.

That's the blending technique.

The figures in his paintings rarely have very harsh outlines because Leonardo da Vinci used the shading technique to gradually eliminate outlines through the gradation of tones.

This technique requires extreme finesse.

The results are obvious.

It makes the objects in the painting appear to float out of the air, making them look incredibly realistic.

At the same time, subtle light and shadow are used to express the volume of the figures, allowing light and shadow to blend seamlessly with the structure.

-

Instead of waiting until the last minute to deal with it.

"major!"

"Exquisitely detailed!"

"Looking at the whole world, there are very few people who can apply the blending technique to this level."

After seven or eight days, Professor Pietro went from initially questioning whether Lu Yunzhou was just putting on a show to becoming Lu Yunzhou's number one fan worldwide.

During this process, the viewership of local Milan television stations steadily increased.

As "The Last Supper" became increasingly clear in the flagship store in Borsalino, the television set usage rate across Italy reached more than 50%.

Even the city derby between Inter Milan and AC Milan receives less attention at this point in time.

All eyes in Italy are on this flagship store in Borsalino!

There are only 5 days left.

For Lu Yunzhou, this was the most crucial moment.

This is the most labor-intensive part of the entire painting process.

He will begin to depict the facial expressions and hand gestures of each disciple.

This is the most difficult part.

However, having obtained 100% of Leonardo da Vinci's left-hand ability was nothing to Lu Yunzhou.

"It's here!"

"The technique of blending in the eyes—extremely fine lines, layered upon layered, create the texture of the skin and the interplay of light and shadow."

"Everyone, please look closely. Mr. Lu Yunzhou's depiction of the eyes, whether it's the size of the pupil, the position of the highlight, or the curvature of the eyelid, every detail is unified and harmonious."

"Besides that, depicting the hands is the most difficult."

"Just like in a movie, action is emotion. And as a static painting, the sense of power expressed by the fingers in that instant is the most accurate way to express the emotional fluctuations of the character."

"Did you know that it takes an average professional painter 3 to 4 hours to paint a very realistic hand?"

"Look at our Mr. Lu Yunzhou—he only used one hour! And it's even more precise and more vivid. He used an extremely difficult blending technique!"

"The Florence Academy of Fine Arts should immediately offer Mr. Lu Yunzhou a tenured professorship. Otherwise, the Berlin University of the Arts will come and poach him right away."

"Why do young Italians always prefer to go to Britain and Germany? It's because of you old folks who occupy positions but can't contribute anything to society!"

"In Italy, the pension replacement rate is over 70%, compared to only 48% in Germany. You elderly people are placing a huge burden on the young! No wonder the young people are leaving!"

The TV station initially discussed Lu Yunzhou's painting skills.

The host then offered suggestions, hoping that the Florence Academy of Fine Arts could invite Lu Yunzhou to serve as a professor, bringing fresh blood to the painting department.

But as the conversation went on, they couldn't help but start talking about politics.

Italy also struggles to retain young people because the social security benefits for the elderly are too expensive—directly dragging down government spending.

How high are pensions in Italy?

The average pension for senior citizens is €1800. The average wage across Italy is €1900, and after tax, it's less than €1500.

Europe.

Young people work themselves to the bone to earn money, but it's not as much as the pensions of the elderly.

Italian youths also have backbone; they don't want to work for the elderly.

So, after graduating from university, young Italians made a decision that went against their ancestors' wishes: they collectively ran away to Germany and England.

We voted!

The elderly can take as much as they want.

The social suffering of Italians has nothing to do with Lu Yunzhou.

All he knew was that because young people were leaving for other countries, Italy's population was decreasing instead of increasing, which made Italian housing prices among the lowest in almost all of Europe's developed countries.

In the heart of Milan, near the Galleria Vittorio Estádio, the most expensive art district, property prices are around 2 euros per square meter.

-

This price is similar to, or even slightly cheaper than, that in Xujiahui, Shanghai.

In more suburban areas, 5000 euros per square meter is enough.

The price seems to be the same near Songjiang subway station where Lu Yunzhou's studio is located.

However, life is clearly more convenient in the suburbs of Milan. This is because Milan's city center is quite small, and the suburbs are much closer to the city center as the crow flies.

In addition, Italy generally does not have a property tax for first-time homebuyers.

Only commercial real estate is required to pay property tax.

In areas like Naples, house prices can be as low as around 1500 euros, which is similar to that of a third-tier city in China.

For Wenzhou people —

Working in Shanghai is far less cost-effective than working in Italy.

Aside from going home to eat and sleep every day.

Lu Yunzhou devoted all his energy to the painting "The Last Supper," never slacking off for a moment.

Finally, he finished the painting on Christmas evening.

At this moment, at least 2 million viewers around the world are waiting for Lu Yunzhou to press the switch and turn on the light source he has adjusted.

"He finally finished drawing!"

"I watched his live streams for 15 days straight—his outfit and style were different every day. But he looked incredibly stylish every single day! I was totally smitten."

"My boyfriend sees me watching his livestreams every day and thinks he's some kind of fashion model—he's really hoping I'll give him a new outfit or a Borsalino hat for Christmas?"

"I can only disappoint him."

Countless people online have expressed similar sentiments.

Through these 15 days of live streaming, Lu Yunzhou has effectively made both the Borsalino and Swan Tears brands popular.

In addition, orders for Tom Ford, a subsidiary of Estée Lauder, also saw a surge.

Of course, these orders all came from North America.

Europeans simply don't look at North American fashion brands because Europe has too many luxury goods.

-

On the other hand, it was an additional breakthrough for China.

Although the number of offline stores is not large, so orders did not surge, at least it made everyone aware that Estée Lauder has such a fashion brand.

Inside the Borsalino store.

After finishing the last stroke, Lu Yunzhou took three steps back, turned his back to everyone, and exhaled a deep breath.

When no one was looking, he couldn't help but squeeze his left hand.

Fifteen consecutive days of high-intensity work caused his left hand to almost cramp.

Thankfully, it's finally over.

"Sir, are there any other details that need to be repaired?"

The restorers at BCP Studio saw Lu Yunzhou put down his paintbrush and stand in front of the huge mural for about half an hour, but still did not take any further action.

After waiting for a long time, they couldn't help but step forward and cautiously ask a question.

"I'm waiting for it to get completely dark."

Lu Yunzhou offered an explanation.

At this very moment, the Milan arcade outside the store is packed with people.

The store in Borsalino was packed with people.

Lu Yunzhou turned his head to look out and saw a dense crowd of people, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Police were trying their best to maintain order outside, but they could not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd.

"It's about time."

"7

Half an hour later, it was completely dark.

Watched by nearly 2 million people worldwide, Lu Yunzhou took out the "Swan Tears" necklace from around his neck.

He gave the necklace a light kiss on the letter L.

Immediately afterwards, he walked to the door, ready to press the switch that would determine his fate.

"6:30, that's my lucky time!"

After checking the time, Lu Yunzhou took a deep breath and gently placed his finger on the switch that had undergone countless calculations and adjustments and was now under the watchful eyes of hundreds of millions of people around the world.

His fingertips paused slightly, as if touching the keys of an era, or perhaps initiating a mysterious ritual connecting to the Renaissance era 500 years ago.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, he pressed the button steadily.

"Click."

A very faint mechanical sound, almost drowned out by the clamor of the crowd.

For a moment, the whole world seemed to be quiet for a second.

The next second—

brush!

A warm golden light, much like the hues of an autumn sunset, flowed from the right side of the mural, from a top-of-the-line optical system identical to that in front of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.

The beam of light fell precisely on Jesus' left eye, dancing on the subtle indentation and highlight of the pupil.

At the same time, an indescribable, penetrating gaze pierced through the glass and the space, quietly settling in the hearts of everyone who looked at it.

In that instant, the pupil seemed to come alive, filled with a profound and compassionate quality.

Immediately afterwards, the beam of light rippled outwards like waves on water.

It illuminated the slightly rough linen tablecloth on the table, the texture of the bread, the cold gleam of the silverware, and the dark red of the wine in the earthenware jar.

Every detail is so realistic.

On the canvas, the astonishment, anger, sorrow, and hesitation on the disciples' faces—all seemed to come alive under the light and shadow.

Combined with their hand gestures, there's a trembling quality that reveals their inner secrets, creating a dramatic tension under the carefully designed lighting.

A moment is eternity!

"That's right!"

"That's the feeling!"

"He copied Leonardo da Vinci—but with a slight difference."

The lights came on.

Everyone saw that Lu Yunzhou's "The Last Supper" was so fresh it seemed to smell like bread.

"I'm there! I'm there!"

Professor Pietro, accompanied by a reporter from Milan TV, arrived at the scene and witnessed the spectacle. He burst into tears, expressing his immense amazement.

"Holy Mary, I have seen a miracle."

A gasp of surprise rippled through the crowd.

As Italians, many of us have visited the cathedral and seen the painting "The Last Supper," which left a deep impression on us.

Many of them witnessed Lu Yunzhou's complete process of replicating the painting.

All I can say is that Lu Yunzhou's painting skills are professional to the extreme!

At this moment, as Lu Yunzhou turned on the adjusted twilight lights, a special atmosphere, guided by the architectural lines, rushed towards us.

These spectators, separated by glass, watched from a distance—

Thanks to German glassmaking technology, this glass cover has a light transmittance of over 95% and a reflectivity of less than 0.5%.

They could hardly feel the barrier created by the glass.

The special effects of the AR glass even gave them the feeling of traveling through time and seeing Leonardo da Vinci when he painted the picture.

"Let me through."

"Let me see clearly!"

Just then, Professor Pietro seemed to sense something and desperately pushed his way through the crowd, even over the security guards—

Unfortunately, they were stopped by the police at the last moment.

"Professor, please calm down!"

The police thought Professor Pietro had gone mad, so they could only pull him back and tell him not to get so agitated, as he was getting old and getting too excited could easily cause a heart attack!

"I can't calm down!"

"How am I supposed to stay calm? Did you even understand this painting?"

Professor Pietro, sensing he had discovered something, said to the policeman in a trembling voice, "Could you please turn around and take a look—if I'm not mistaken, the perspective focus of this painting is the left eye, not the right eye in the traditional sense!"

"He's not copying 'The Last Supper'!"

"My God, he used symmetrical lighting techniques—he drew all the visual focus to Jesus' left eye! He repainted The Last Supper."

"Aside from the different visual focus, he reconstructed all the light and shadow symmetrically."

"This painting, like the 'Last Supper' inside the cathedral, is symmetrical—like looking in a mirror!"

"This guy, until the final lights came on, I had absolutely no idea he was going to give us such a big surprise!"

"He's a genius!"

boom!

Upon hearing this, a buzz of noise filled the room.

Immediately afterwards, many people took out their phones and found the painting "The Last Supper" that they had photographed before.

Then, they looked up at the painting in the Borsalino shop.

"It's symmetrical after all!"

"That bastard—how did he do that?"

"That's fucking awesome!"

At this moment, the entire venue erupted in cheers.

Countless journalists finally realized that the creation of this painting might become world headline news.

In an instant, countless reporters, microphones in hand and cameras in hand, frantically pushed their way in, eager to interview Lu Yunzhou.

Audi, on the other hand, seemed to have been prepared all along.

Seven or eight bodyguards held the crowd firmly in place.

Inside the shop, under the watchful eyes of 2 million people worldwide, Lu Yunzhou calmly put on his coat and his classic khaki Borsalino hat.

Inside the shop, under the twilight lights, in the painting "The Last Supper," Jesus' left eye gazes out.

Lu Yunzhou reached out and pressed down the brim of his hat.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

He left through another door, escorted by a group of bodyguards.

He left the world with only a dashing silhouette.

Being handsome is a feeling.

At this moment, Lu Yunzhou gave the whole world the feeling that this guy was incredibly cool!

He created a miracle!

On Christmas Day 2016, he was the most handsome guy in the world!

He recreated "The Last Supper"!

It's not a simple copy!

He showcased all of Leonardo da Vinci's skills to the fullest extent in front of the whole world—and at the end, he played a little trick.

He focused his perspective on Jesus' left eye.

All the figures are perfectly symmetrical to the Last Supper in Milan Cathedral.

From that time onward, a copy of "The Last Supper" was also displayed in the Galleria della Signoria in Milan.

The painting is not signed by Leonardo da Vinci, but by an "L," the initial of Lu Yunzhou's name!

It's also the first letter of the brand name "Swan Tears"!

"Ahhhhh!"

"Cremio—I love you! I'm crazy about you! Please, just turn around and look at me!"

"Don't walk down the road! Just say something."

The Italian girls gathered outside were screaming wildly; they really liked the movie "Crazy Racing" starring Lu Yunzhou.

At this moment, Lu Yunzhou is the most handsome boy in the world in their hearts.

That felt so good!

Besides Lu Yunzhou himself gaining popularity among countless girls worldwide, the search volume for the brands 【Borsalino】 and 【Swan Tears】 on the global internet increased tens of thousands of times during the 15-day global live stream!

The number of searches exceeded 100 million.

Before this, Borsalino was just a niche hat brand that few people knew about.

But from today onwards, at least hundreds of millions of people around the world will know about Borsalino, making this brand directly comparable to LV and Dior!

There's no other reason.

Because the new owner of this hat brand is one of the world's top light and shadow artists.

The hat an artist wears every day is undoubtedly one of the most stylish products in the world.

This is what luxury goods should look like!

During these 15 days, countless people from all over the world came to watch the spectacle.

They discussed it animatedly, some thinking Lu Yunzhou was putting on a show, some thinking he was truly talented, and some thinking that although Lu Yunzhou was talented, he was just putting on a show.

However, in that instant just now...

Lu Yunzhou pressed the switch.

When, after countless adjustments, he selected that atmospheric twilight light, and it fell upon Jesus' left eye.

For hundreds of millions of people around the world, it was as if, in that instant, they saw how Leonardo da Vinci painted "The Last Supper" 500 years ago.

Lu Yunzhou's actions allowed hundreds of millions of people around the world to immediately understand what kind of expression Leonardo da Vinci would have had on his face when that beam of light fell on "The Last Supper" on a certain evening 500 years ago.

Like Lu Yunzhou, he confidently and calmly put on his hat and coat, and gracefully left under the astonished gazes of countless people.

It was like doing something insignificant.

In a word.

This guy is fucking awesome!

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