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3. A Thrifty Artis

(1) A Luxury Photo Shop

On the east side of Garden Lane entrance, there was a photo shop run by Mr. Shu who was an artist in our community. He became an extraordinary figure not only for his booming photographic business but also for his wonderful skill of color painting.
Every space, such as receipt hall, studio even the ladder corridors were colorfully decorated by his spectacular landscapes.
Plenty of his masterpieces are still presented on the pavilions in Dongshan. Some of them may immortally remain.
His artist gift plus occupational ingenuity derived from his artful inspiration made his business vigorous and flourishing. With a series of 3 storey buildings, his property might be able to rank as No.1 among our community even in while Gan Yue County.

(2) An Eccentric � landlord�

It has been said his success was not only resulted from his workmanship talent, but also from his extreme thrift.
He had a good habit of no smoking, no drinking, no gamboling no whoring either. Even in that brilliant period, he still brought food from home, when he had business trips for material purchasing or equipment innovation outside.
Sometimes things went into an exaggerated extent, as someone put it: �Once on his business trip, he brought a preserved egg* as meal dish. After several days, when he returned home, there was still half egg left. Because, when he ate plain rice every meal, he simply lapped up the egg for a salty taste, instead of having it.�� No matter there was still half egg remained after his journey!� people could not help exclaiming after heard this prevailing story.
Dislike some rich persons, who were always lifting up their horn, Mr. Shu was a very quiet and modest person. Walking in hurry, he never raised his head and looked someone in eye. His low profile may probably be attributed to his �dishonorable history� and the current title of �landlord�, the most disgusted political status in 1950�s.

(3) A Big Surprise!

It had been said, he was an underground member of CP (Communist Party) when he was young. After his arrest by KMT, he was too scaring to keep his loyalty and betrayed some of his comrades. Immediately after the Liberation, he was arrested again and committed as an �indecent betrayer�. With his death penalty, he was in a dreadful anxiety and waiting to his end in prison. However, his artist talent gave him a valuable opportunity to survive.
At that time, there were great many celebration events conducted by newly settled military regime every day. However, in local market there was no huge leader�s portrait available for them to hang on the up wall above the chairman seat yet. This awkward situation made Mr. Jin, the new governor of Gan Yue Military Committee headache severely. To relieve his vexation, someone bravely suggested that let Shu to have a try for portrait painting. Governor Jin had no choice but to agree.
Sure enough, the prisoner had his day and gave a full play to his remarkable skill. A lifelike portrait hung on the celebration stadium in time, which gave Mr. Jin a breathtaking surprise and gained great admiration from the audiences presented. He rose his fame swiftly and got Mr. Jin�s amnesty for �lacking of substantial criminal evidence� and for �his genius contributions�.

(4) A New Life

He had returned home and come back to his camera again. Among his colorful paintings and covered by a light-proof cloth, he had composed more and more artful photos with full self-absorption.
Had survived in such a catastrophe, Mr. Shu had more valued his life and career ever since.

*preserved egg: It is a sort of Asian food. People cover the egg (especially duck egg) with salty mud to keep it longer. Then, wash the mud away and cook it up before eating.

( To be continued by P4 《Unmovable Painting Marks》)

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