Chapter 18
Chapter 18 The Master of Clouds
Queenie was not interested in paintings and calligraphy at all, so she went back first.
On the way to Mr. Johnson house.
Alice was very excited, because Mr. Johnson said that he had just bid a genuine work of the Master of the Clouds, and he would
display it tonight.
“Is the Master of the Clouds very powerful?” asked John curiously
“Of course he is!” Alice said.
“He’s a real master. His paintings can express a very wonderful artistic conception with only a few
strokes.”
“What’s more, he’s very mysterious. It is said that no one has seen his real face so far!”
When talking about the Master of Clouds, Alice wouldn’t stop crowing about his achievements.
The Master of Clouds was her idol.
However, John was a little jealous. He pouted his lips and said, “Well, I’d like to see how powerful
he is.”
Hearing what he said, Alice’s smile faded. “John, are you jealous?”
John turned his head and didn’t answer.
Alice comforted him, “Be good, John. I like his work only, not himself. Maybe he is an old man of
seventy or eighty years old.”
“That’s more like it.”
John’s face softened, but a strange feeling arose in his heart.
His feelings for his sisters were very complicated. It was certain that he liked them, but he didn’t
know what kind of love it was.
If he treated them as sisters only, why did he feel kind of sad when Alice said she liked others just
now?
But if it weren’t for the feelings between siblings, how could he deal with the relationship with his seven sisters? Was he going to
marry them all?
This was too domineering. Even John would look down upon himself in this way.
After a while, they arrived at Mr. Johnson’s house.
The Butler stood at the door to greet them.
“Miss Moon, sir specially told me to wait for you here. Please follow me!”
“Okay, thank you!” Alice said.
She and John followed the butler to an antique attic, which was specially built to collect books and
paintings for Mr. Johnson.
When they entered the attic, there were already many people inside.
“Ha ha, Miss Moon, please come in.”
An old man with white beard greeted them with a bright smile.
He was Philip Johnson
Alice introduced John to him, “Mr. Johnson, this is my younger brother, John Lopez.”
“Welcome, Mr. Lopez.” Philip said.
He smiled kindly at John.
John replied politely.
“Miss Moon, I know you like the Master of the Clouds, so I didn’t display it until you’re here.”
Philip said as he led the two of them to the display hall.
Alice was flattered and said, “Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson.”
Soon, they made it to the exhibition hall.
Several people stared at Alice with displeasure as soon as she came in.
A greasy- -headed man snorted, “I’m wondering who was so arrogant. It turns out that it’s Miss Moon from the Night Rose. But
this is an elegant place, you can’t sway your butt here.”
His words were heavy with sarcasm, he even emphasized’ sway your butt’.
Someone burst into laughter in the crowd.
They were all waiting here to admire the work of the Master of the Clouds. But Mr. Johnson insisted
on displaying them till Alice were here. Naturally they were discontent with her late.
So, they just stood aside when the greasy-headed man was mocking her,
Mr. Johnson frowned and said, “Roe, what are you talking about? We all love painting and calligraphy. We should get along well
with each other regardless of the professional factors.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson. I don’t mean to embarrass you. It’s just that I’m not used to staying in a room with sharp mouthed
aniinals.”
Roe grew more and more impudent.
The so-called sharp mouthed animal meant chicken: he hinted that Alice was a hooker.
Alice’s face darkened at once, but before she flew into a fit of rage, John stepped forward and
knocked Roe down with one blow.
He wasn’t going to allow anyone to insult his sister.
Even if Jesus was there.
Moreover, with his extraordinary medical skills, he could clearly see that Alice was still a virgin.
She was just pretending to be flirty.
Therefore, John was annoyed at their prejudice toward her.
“How dare you hit me...”
Roe stood up, rolled up his sleeves and was about to fight with John, but someone called out to him, “Apologize to Miss Moon
and Mr. Johnson!”
The speaker was Wade Wilson, Roe’s father.
The father and son were both keen on painting and calligraphy. They were both invited to visit Mr. John’s collections today.
“Dad...”
“Apologize right now! Or get out of here!”
Wade ordered in an unquestionable tone.
Roe didn’t dare to defy his father. He gritted his teeth and apologized, “Miss Moon, Mr. Johnson, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have
stirred up trouble!”
The people next to him immediately mediated,
“Come on! Don’t be angry, it’s just a joke. We are here for the Master of Clouds, no personal enmity,”
“That’s right. Harmony produces wealth!”
“Mr. Johnson, please show us the painting of the Master of the Clouds. We have been looking forward to it for a long time.”
An expectant hush fell on the guests, Philip stopped keeping tantalizing them and turned to pull a scroll from his collections.
Then he unfolded it.
All of a sudden, everyone’s eyes lit up and exclaimed, “It’s really the genuine of Master of Clouds!”
The work of Master of Clouds had distinct features of its own. With the most simplified lines, his work displayed the most
profound artistic conception.
With just one glance, all guests were sure that it was the genuine work of the Master of the
Clouds. No one had the ability to copy it.
Alice eyes lit up too, but she didn’t notice that John, who was standing next to her, had a confused expression on his face.
Wasn’t it a painting he had drawn when he was 13-year-old?
He clearly remembered that when he was thirteen years old, one day, he finished practicing his skills and had nothing to do.
Then he saw an eagle perching above his head, so he drew it with simple line.
What impressed him most was that he accidentally dripped a few drops of red juice on the eagle’s
head.
Now, he indeed recognized the red mark in the painting displayed by Mr. Johnson.
This painting was drawn by him, that was for sure.
But how could he be the Master of Clouds?
Suddenly he understood.
When he was young, he painted just for fun. And every time he finished one, he just put it aside casually without taking them
seriously.
It must be the old Taoist priest who took these paintings down the mountain to sell secretly and made up a figure: the Master of
the Clouds.
He didn’t expect him to be a legend!
“Old Taoist priest, you were really a marketing genius!” John signed.