TLLKTBD CH 21

Chapter 21: Searching for Jin Lang

Inside the small label frame displaying the title and description of the artwork, only four large characters were written:

《Searching for Jin Lang》

That was it—just these four inexplicable words.

“Huh?” Jin Lang murmured in confusion. He wasn’t sure if his reaction was due to Ding Qiao’s question or because he, too, had just seen those words.

Ji Shengsheng stepped over the red rope barrier and lifted the silk cloth, revealing the painting beneath it—a pair of lovers standing side by side on a mountaintop, smiling warmly and waving at the viewer. In the lower-left corner, there was a small, stylized monogram: J.L.

The strokes of the letters resembled two black mourning ribbons.

Lu Qian stared at the painting for a while before suddenly understanding why Ding Qiao had asked that question. Although the figures in the painting were smiling brightly, he could vaguely sense a trace of sorrow.

“This painting… is it yours?” Ding Qiao was already certain that the boy in front of him was the person he had been searching for the past two or three years. But still, he wanted to hear it confirmed from Jin Lang himself.

Jin Lang took a deep breath as he gazed at the painting, then finally spoke. “Yes, I painted this.” His voice was calm, but his expression grew puzzled. “I called the school before to ask about retrieving this painting, but the assistant told me it had gone missing. So why is it here now…?”

“I took it,” Ding Qiao admitted frankly. “Back then, this painting sparked quite a discussion in the department. To be honest, in terms of sketching techniques, your skills weren’t the best. Your strokes are a bit wild, like someone figuring things out on their own without formal training.”

“Then… how did I get accepted?” Jin Lang was taken aback, his face flushing in embarrassment. Having a master personally critique his work—only to be told it lacked structure and was amateurish—was mortifying.

“It was because of the emotion,” Ding Qiao said, staring intently at the painting. “At first glance, the people in the picture look happy—their eyes and lips are all smiles. But the longer you look at it, the more suffocating and sorrowful it feels. That kind of emotional contrast is unsettling, completely contradicting the expressions in the painting. We debated whether this effect was intentional or just a result of your lack of control over the artwork’s emotions. After all, you were still young. It would be understandable if you couldn’t fully grasp how to convey emotions in your work.”

Ding Qiao smiled slightly. “You have to understand, the students we accept usually come from years of rigorous art training. Many have been in fine arts programs since childhood. But your artwork… lacks that polished, mechanical precision. Your personal statement also mentioned that you didn’t attend a specialized art school. So we, the professors evaluating your application, were very curious about you.”

“Hm?” Jin Lang was equally curious.

“We all wanted to meet the person who painted this and ask why it feels so… unusual.” Ding Qiao’s tone suddenly shifted, carrying a hint of frustration. “And yet, you never showed up! I had my assistant try contacting you, but we could never reach you. I was so frustrated, thinking you had chosen another school. Later, I even checked a few other art departments to see if a ‘Jin Lang’ had enrolled, but there was no record of you anywhere. I never expected that it was because of tuition fees—you didn’t go to college at all.” There was a trace of distress in Ding Qiao’s voice.

“In the end, we decided to use this method to find you. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack… But who knew, by sheer coincidence, Xiao Lu ended up bringing you here.” Ji Shengsheng added.

“You were looking for me? Why?” Jin Lang was even more shocked to hear how much effort they had put into finding him.

“We just wanted to know where you went… and also, what’s the story behind this painting?” Ding Qiao suddenly felt a little embarrassed about his near-obsessive questioning.

Jin Lang turned back to look at his painting. In a quiet voice, he said, “Before, my dad used to take us on trips all the time. Mom was always cheerful every day. But later… my dad passed away in a car accident. My mom…” His gaze darkened, and he didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he stiffly changed the subject. “That hiking trip became our last family outing. And this photo—”

Jin Lang pulled out his wallet and took out a laminated photograph. “This was the last picture taken of him. I missed him so much back then, so…”

Lu Qian looked at the J.L. in the corner of the painting, shaped like mourning ribbons, then at the photo in Jin Lang’s hand. He recalled how Jin Xiaomi had once spoken about Jin Lang with regret, saying, “That poor kid… burdened with an irresponsible mother. Such a shame.”

A single car accident had taken away a father who had always cared for his wife and child, taken away a mother who was once full of joy, taken away Jin Lang’s childhood, and shattered what was once a happy and complete family.

This painting wasn’t just of a smiling man and woman—it was a desperate, impossible yearning for a family reunion that would never come true.

Lu Qian reached out and gripped Jin Lang’s arm tightly.

“…” Ding Qiao and Ji Shengsheng hadn’t expected such an answer, and for a moment, neither of them knew what to say. After a long silence, Ji Shengsheng was the first to speak. “We’re sorry. We didn’t realize…”

Ding Qiao followed with a quiet, “I’m sorry.”

Jin Lang put the photo back in his wallet. When he looked up again, his expression had returned to normal. There was even a hint of joy in his eyes. “When I heard this painting had gone missing, I was heartbroken for a long time. I tried recreating it a few times afterward, but I could never capture the same feeling again. Now that I’ve found it… can I have it back?” He looked at Ding Qiao expectantly.

Ding Qiao frowned. “Of course, you can have it back. But your technique… it’s terrible! Is this really a painting you can’t bear to part with?”

Jin Lang lowered his head, too embarrassed to respond.

Lu Qian, however, saw an opportunity. “Well, of course, his skills aren’t great in front of a master. But I wonder if the master would be willing to take in a student and guide him properly…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Jin Lang tugged at Lu Qian’s sleeve and whispered, “Professor Ding Qiao has said before that he never takes in personal disciples.”

Although Ding Qiao had been a visiting professor at F University, he never officially took on apprentices. He found it troublesome and had publicly stated more than once in interviews that he wouldn’t accept students under his direct mentorship.

Afraid of making things difficult for Ding Qiao, Jin Lang hurriedly stopped Lu Qian from pushing the matter further.

Before Ding Qiao could respond, Ji Shengsheng suddenly spoke up. “Ding Qiao did indeed say he doesn’t take in students. But Jin Lang… would you accept a master?”

“Huh?” Jin Lang blinked in confusion.

“I know someone who’s been looking for the owner of this painting like a madman. He said that once he found the person, he would get on his knees and kowtow three times. Now, the only question is—would the owner of this painting be willing to serve him tea and return the gesture?”

“…”

Jin Lang turned his gaze toward Ding Qiao, who was stubbornly staring at a painting on the wall, clearly feeling awkward.

His heart burned with excitement for a moment, but then his enthusiasm dimmed. “I… I don’t have the money. I probably can’t afford the tuition…”

The three adults present almost dropped to their knees in exasperation.

“If it’s tuition you’re worried about, I’ll cover it,” Lu Qian sighed in exhaustion.

“Who asked for your money?” Ding Qiao snapped irritably before turning around and storming into the private lounge next to the exhibition hall.

Ji Shengsheng followed but didn’t forget to glance back and wink at Jin Lang. “You fool, hurry up and go kowtow already.”

Jin Lang stood frozen for a moment until Lu Qian patted him on the shoulder twice, snapping him out of his daze. He quickly followed them into the lounge.

(To be continued…)

T/L: Jin Lang’s ‘J.L‘ Black Ribbon Signature
Source: Posted by Author in the raw chapter