“So what? Are we supposed to buy it ourselves? Whoever did it should take responsibility.”
As the words fell, Cheng Fangqiu felt that the use of the word “did” was quite ambiguous. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she defensively raised her voice, trying to cover up the sentence. “Men shouldn’t be spoiled. Some things should be done by them. The ointment was proactively bought by Zhou Yinghuai, and it was also he…”
At this point, Cheng Fangqiu’s pretty face turned red, and she didn’t continue. However, Xu Qiqi had already grasped the meaning. She teased Cheng Fangqiu with a playful wink. “Technician Zhou is really something, handling everything personally.”
The phrase “handling everything personally” was emphasized heavily. Cheng Fangqiu, feeling embarrassed, reached out to cover Xu Qiqi’s mouth, but the latter dodged with a laugh. “I should have Chang Yan’an learn a thing or two from your Zhou.”
“Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Qiqi, are you using the bicycle today? If not, I’d like to borrow it.” The last time she visited, she noticed two bicycles parked in the Chang family’s courtyard. If Xu Qiqi wasn’t using it, she wanted to ride it to pick up the photos.
“Not using it, it’s yours to borrow,” Xu Qiqi agreed readily, then asked curiously, “What do you need the bicycle for?”
“I’m going to the photo studio to pick up some photos.”
“Then wait for me, I’ll go with you. Let’s not ride the bicycle; we can take the bus. It’s only two stops away.” During their last conversation, Cheng Fangqiu had mentioned to Xu Qiqi that they had taken photos at the Hongmeng Photo Studio, so she was aware.
“Okay.” Having company is always better than going alone, Cheng Fangqiu nodded with a smile.
Xu Qiqi quickly finished her breakfast, but after a few bites, she remembered something. “Huh? Didn’t you just take the photos a few days ago? How come they’re ready so soon?”
Cheng Fangqiu was also puzzled by this and shook her head. “I don’t know. They called me this morning to notify me to come pick them up.”
“Since when does Hongmeng Photo Studio have a service to call customers?” Xu Qiqi was even more confused. Since Hongmeng Photo Studio was quite famous before, she had been there twice to take photos, but the results were mediocre, so she never went back.
But both times, she had estimated the time and gone to pick them up herself. She had never left a phone number or been notified by phone.
Could it be a new service?
If Xu Qiqi didn’t know, Cheng Fangqiu, who had only been in the provincial city for a few days, certainly wouldn’t know either.
This wasn’t a big deal, so the two didn’t dwell on it. After Xu Qiqi finished breakfast, they went out together.
Meanwhile, at Hongmeng Photo Studio, Li Taoyuan was pacing back and forth in the shooting area. Every time a customer entered, he would stick his head out to take a look, only to retract it in disappointment when he realized it wasn’t the person he was waiting for.
“Master, Yanzi has already made the call. Don’t worry,” Li Zhiliang, seeing Li Taoyuan’s distracted state, couldn’t help but advise.
In fact, it wasn’t just today. Ever since those photos were developed in the darkroom, Li Taoyuan had been in this absent-minded state. Fortunately, there weren’t many customers coming in for photos today, or it could have led to a big mistake.
“Hmm.”
Hearing Li Zhiliang’s words, Li Taoyuan realized he wasn’t in the right state, but he couldn’t help himself.
During this time, he had been repeatedly looking at those photos. He knew full well that although he had pressed the shutter to take the photos, without the guidance of that young lady, he would never have been able to capture such spirited photos in his lifetime.
After a moment of silence, Li Taoyuan suddenly asked, “Do you think talent is more important than hard work?”
He had been learning the craft under the guidance of his master for so many years, yet he couldn’t compare to a young girl. Although he didn’t want to admit it, the facts were right in front of him.
“Master…”
Li Zhiliang didn’t know how to answer this question. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing. Fortunately, Li Taoyuan wasn’t really expecting an answer from him.
The atmosphere was eerily silent until the next customer entered the shooting area. Only then did the two adjust their state and continue working as if nothing had happened.
As time passed, the person they were waiting for still hadn’t arrived. Li Taoyuan felt somewhat discouraged, thinking that today might be a wasted wait.
Just then, a young woman’s voice came from the entrance.
“Hello, I’m here to pick up photos.”
Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang almost simultaneously looked up toward the entrance and saw two beautiful young women gracefully walking from the door toward the counter. One of them, wearing a white and blue checkered long dress, was the person they had been eagerly waiting for.
“Please wait a moment,” Li Taoyuan decisively called out to the customer seated in front of the camera, then strode around the antique shelf, even breaking into a run, finally reaching the counter at almost the same time as the two women.
Sun Hongyan was about to call Li Taoyuan over, but seeing that he had already arrived, she couldn’t help but excitedly say, “Master Li, they’re here.”
“I know,” Li Taoyuan replied, his usually serious face now wearing a broad smile. He cautiously addressed the young woman in the white and blue checkered dress, “Hello, we met last time. Do you remember?”
“I remember.” It had only been a few days, and Cheng Fangqiu had a good memory. Moreover, she had had a dispute with this photographer from the studio at the time, so not only did she remember him, but her impression of him was also quite vivid.
Hearing Cheng Fangqiu’s response, Li Taoyuan was so happy that his smile nearly reached his ears.
Seeing Li Taoyuan so elated, Cheng Fangqiu subtly took half a step back, eyeing the man suspiciously. Was her remembering him really something to get so excited about?
Li Taoyuan, who was paying close attention to Cheng Fangqiu, naturally noticed her slight movement. He quickly suppressed his excitement, cleared his throat, adjusted his expression, and tried to appear as friendly as possible.
“Comrade Cheng, the photos you and your husband took last time are ready for pickup. But could you please wait for me for a moment? After I finish taking this customer’s photos, I’ll go upstairs and bring them down for you.”
Hearing this, Cheng Fangqiu had no reason to doubt him and nodded in agreement. She was then led by Sun Hongyan to the waiting area to sit.
“I remember when I came here before, this master wasn’t like this,” Xu Qiqi remarked, puzzled, as she glanced at Li Taoyuan’s hurriedly departing figure.
Cheng Fangqiu also followed Xu Qiqi’s gaze but quickly looked away, indifferent. “Maybe because business isn’t good?”
Last time when she came with Zhou Yinghuai, there were at least a few people waiting in line, but today the shop was noticeably quieter, with only one customer having their photo taken.
“Maybe,” Xu Qiqi nodded in agreement, then looked around and couldn’t help but sigh. “I remember when I was a kid, Hongmeng Photo Studio was so popular. Back then, if you wanted to take a photo here, you’d have to queue from morning till noon.”
“That exaggerated?” Cheng Fangqiu widened her eyes slightly in surprise.
“I’m not exaggerating at all. The master’s photography skills were really good back then, but now…” Xu Qiqi didn’t finish her sentence, but the implication was clear.
Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t help but recall the photographer’s lackluster skills during their last visit and remarked, “Customers know best whether it’s good or bad. No wonder the business here is getting worse.”
“That’s why after coming here twice, I didn’t want to come back. The reputation of this old brand has been ruined in their hands,” Xu Qiqi sighed, but the reality was harsh. No matter how famous the name, if the photos weren’t good, customers naturally wouldn’t be willing to pay, opting instead for better studios.
After all, no one’s money comes easily.
The two chatted for a few more moments before noticing that the shooting area seemed to have wrapped up. Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang saw the customer off and then headed upstairs. Not long after, they came back down quickly.
“Comrade Cheng, here are your photos.”
Li Taoyuan handed a yellow paper envelope to Cheng Fangqiu, who reached out to take it. She first thanked him, then opened the seal and poured the photos onto the table to check if they were indeed theirs and to see if the images were clear and well-taken.
“Oh my, these are really well taken,” Xu Qiqi, sitting next to Cheng Fangqiu, exclaimed as soon as she saw the prints, her eyes instantly lighting up. She eagerly picked up one of the photos, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
After a quick glance, Cheng Fangqiu was also satisfied, a slight smile appearing on her lips.
“Thank you, I really like them.”
Li Taoyuan, who had been somewhat anxious, felt a weight lift off his chest upon hearing this. However, he was too modest to take credit and was about to speak when Xu Qiqi’s playful remark interrupted him.
“Master, why wasn’t it this effect when I came to take photos before? Has your studio hired a new photographer?”
These words were a bit hurtful, but seeing the sincere and questioning look in Xu Qiqi’s eyes, Li Taoyuan knew she didn’t mean any harm. Still, a trace of bitterness welled up deep inside him.
He shook his head and answered truthfully, “No, our studio has always had only me as the photographer. It was thanks to this young lady’s guidance at the time, otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve such good results.”
“What?” Xu Qiqi abruptly turned her head to look at Cheng Fangqiu, her face filled with shock. After regaining her composure, she exclaimed in delight, “Qiuqiu, you know how to take photos too?”
Cheng Fangqiu hadn’t expected Li Taoyuan to attribute all the credit to her, even using the word “guidance.” She was momentarily stunned, then waved her hand dismissively. “It wasn’t really guidance, just a few small suggestions.”
If this were in her past life, she definitely wouldn’t have been modest about her expertise in photography. After all, even if she were modest, no one would believe her, and they might even think she, a big name in the industry, was being deliberately pretentious. It would be better to just accept the praise openly.
But the situation now was different. As a nobody, if she accepted the praise, it would come off as blatant arrogance.
“When I was studying before…” Seeing Xu Qiqi’s curiosity, she repeated the same explanation she had given Zhou Yinghuai, briefly summarizing it.
“So that’s how it is.” Li Taoyuan’s gaze at Cheng Fangqiu grew even more intense. He hadn’t expected her to not only have talent but also some foundational knowledge in this area.
Lying in front of so many people made Cheng Fangqiu feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles. She smiled awkwardly and said, “Qiqi, let’s go.”
“Alright.” Since the photos had been picked up and there was nothing else to do, Xu Qiqi stood up with Cheng Fangqiu and suggested, “How about we go to the department store and buy some pretty photo frames? These photos would look great displayed at home.”
Cheng Fangqiu thought about it and agreed, nodding, “Let’s go then.”
Seeing that they were about to leave, Li Taoyuan grew anxious and quickly gave Li Zhiliang a meaningful look. The latter stepped forward and stopped the two. “Comrade Cheng, we have a favor to ask.”
Cheng Fangqiu stopped and looked at Li Zhiliang, somewhat puzzled. “What is it?”
“Could you sell us one of these photos? We’d like to display it in our shop window.” Once the first word was out, the rest followed naturally. After finishing, Li Zhiliang let out a sigh of relief.
“Ah?” Cheng Fangqiu hadn’t expected this request and was momentarily stunned. She then shook her head and refused, “No, I’m quite satisfied with these photos and can’t bear to part with them.”
She wasn’t short on money at the moment, and while the studio might want to buy the photo, they probably couldn’t afford her price. There was no need for her to sell it.
“We understand. If the photos were this good, I wouldn’t want to part with them either,” Li Zhiliang said, though a hint of disappointment still showed on his face.
Seeing this, Cheng Fangqiu felt a bit softhearted. They wanted to buy the photo because they thought it was well taken, and displaying it in the window might attract some customers and help salvage the business of Hongmeng Photo Studio.
Just as she was about to relent, Li Taoyuan stepped forward. “Then could you help us take a couple of photos?”
This request not only caused a flicker of surprise in Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes but also made Xu Qiqi blurt out, “Aren’t you the photographers at the studio? Are you short on people to take photos?”
Hearing this, Li Taoyuan couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “We’re not short on people to take photos, but we are short on people who can take good ones.”
After saying this, he looked intently at Cheng Fangqiu, deciding to cut to the chase. “Comrade Cheng, I actually noticed your talent during the last photo session, which is why I rushed to develop the photos you guided us to take.”
“As soon as the prints came out, I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. I sincerely want to learn some photography techniques from you. Would that be possible?”
At this point, Li Taoyuan suddenly sighed, his straight back slumping slightly. “You probably already know that Hongmeng Photo Studio has been declining day by day, and it’s all because of mistakes in our photography.”
“When my master passed away unexpectedly, I was thrust into the role of successor. I hadn’t fully mastered many of the skills…”
“If the studio is ruined under my watch, I wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even after death.”
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and oppressive. Seeing a man past his fifties confessing in front of her, everyone felt a pang of discomfort, especially Li Zhiliang. As Li Taoyuan’s apprentice, he had walked every step of the way with him and knew the responsibilities and pressures his master carried.
“Master,” Li Zhiliang said, his voice choked with emotion, his eyes reddening.
Sun Hongyan also stepped out from behind the counter, her eyes red as she comfortingly patted Li Zhiliang’s arm.
Cheng Fangqiu felt a mix of emotions and was momentarily at a loss for words. As a fellow photographer, she knew how cruel the industry could be. She had witnessed many seasoned masters “lose” to newcomers fresh out of the gate. Some could come to terms with it, but others couldn’t, and quite a few ended up leaving the field altogether.
It seemed that Li Taoyuan was now facing a similar situation.
“Losing” to an ordinary young person like her must have been hard for him to accept. Yet, for the sake of Hongmeng Photo Studio, he was willing to speak from the heart, just to seek some advice from her. Such dedication was truly admirable.
Cheng Fangqiu took a deep breath, her lips curling into a gentle smile. “I wouldn’t dare call it ‘learning.’ But if you don’t mind, we can discuss photography techniques while we take some photos together.”
Seeing her agree, Li Taoyuan’s lips parted, and it took him a while to find his voice. “Yes, yes, of course. This way, please.”
“Qiqi, let’s go.”
Cheng Fangqiu took a couple of steps forward, then noticed that Xu Qiqi was still standing frozen in place. She couldn’t help but laugh and urge her on. Xu Qiqi stared blankly at Cheng Fangqiu’s stunning profile, feeling that the world was truly unfair. How could one person have so many shining qualities? Not only was she beautiful, but she also had so many skills. It was enough to make anyone envious.
But Xu Qiqi only felt proud. Her best friend was so talented! What a treasure of a girl she had befriended! As the saying goes, “You become who you associate with.” She was sure she would become more and more outstanding by being around Cheng Fangqiu!
Xu Qiqi quickly caught up, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she looked at Cheng Fangqiu, as if she could set her on fire at any moment. “Can I come in and watch too?”
“Of course,” Cheng Fangqiu hadn’t even answered yet, but Li Taoyuan jumped in first.
“Can you take my photo too?” Xu Qiqi clung to Cheng Fangqiu’s arm, her voice sweet and pleading. After a pause, she added, “I want Qiuqiu to take it. I can pay.”
“Well…” The equipment belonged to the studio, so Cheng Fangqiu wasn’t in a position to decide.
“Yes, we’ll give you five photos for free,” Li Taoyuan said, his gaze lingering on Xu Qiqi’s pretty face. His eyes flickered with thought. It was a pity they couldn’t get a photo from Cheng Fangqiu, but getting one from this young lady wasn’t a bad alternative!
“We’ll just need one photo to display in the window. How does that sound?”
Having her photo displayed in the window meant that anyone passing by would see her beautiful picture. If any acquaintances saw it, it would be such a boost to her reputation.
Xu Qiqi nodded eagerly.
The camera in the shooting area was the same one from last time. Cheng Fangqiu hadn’t had the chance to try it out herself before, but now she finally had the opportunity. Excited, she placed the yellow paper bag she was holding on the nearby antique shelf, then quickly stepped forward and lifted the camera off its stand.
“Hey!”
Li Zhiliang, seeing Cheng Fangqiu’s actions, instinctively moved to stop her. He and his master usually treated the camera with the utmost care, almost as if it were a sacred relic. But here she was, casually picking it up and handling it as if it were nothing.
What if she dropped it? They wouldn’t be able to afford the damage even if they sold everything they had!
“Stop making a fuss. What kind of behavior is this?” Li Taoyuan had also been startled, but seeing how skillfully Cheng Fangqiu handled the camera, he felt reassured.
Most people would probably struggle to figure out how to remove the camera from the stand, but she had done it effortlessly, without even looking. It was clear she knew what she was doing.
Moreover, Comrade Cheng didn’t seem like a reckless person. She likely wouldn’t damage the camera.
Besides, they were the ones who had invited her here. Even if something did happen to the camera, they couldn’t possibly make a young girl bear the responsibility.
Li Zhiliang, chastised by Li Taoyuan, quickly realized his mistake and shut his mouth. Inviting someone to guide them and then being overly cautious would only make them seem petty.
“Then let’s get started? Qiqi, go sit down over there.”
Cheng Fangqiu pretended not to notice the earlier incident. She understood Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang’s attachment to the camera. After all, this camera was indeed expensive, and in this era, it could even be considered a luxury item.
She had been carried away by excitement earlier, but after Li Zhiliang’s reminder, she realized that nothing could happen to this camera. So, she carefully reattached it to the stand, her movements now much gentler.
“Just sitting here is enough?” Xu Qiqi sat stiffly on the chair, suddenly feeling nervous.
“I’ll adjust the camera first, and then I’ll guide you on your pose and expression,” Cheng Fangqiu said, noticing her tension. She smiled and first called Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang over, giving Xu Qiqi some time to relax.
“Since the natural light is coming from this direction, the reflector should be placed here,” Cheng Fangqiu explained, letting Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang observe through the lens. She then picked up the reflector and moved it to the optimal position, demonstrating the difference it made.
Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang stared intently at the image in the lens, not daring to blink. When Cheng Fangqiu moved the reflector, the image instantly became clearer and brighter, causing their eyes to widen in amazement.
“Of course, the position of the reflector needs to change depending on the style of the photo you’re shooting,” Cheng Fangqiu demonstrated a few more adjustments. As she spoke, Li Taoyuan and Li Zhiliang took notes in their notebooks, which they had seemingly pulled out of nowhere.
They were like two diligent students.
“When photographing people, you need to be adaptable. Using light, shadow, and composition can greatly enhance a person’s best features,” Cheng Fangqiu returned to the lens and stopped Xu Qiqi from instinctively smiling. “Qiqi’s features are more cool and sophisticated, so overly lively expressions don’t suit her in front of the camera.”
Xu Qiqi immediately stopped smiling and looked expressionlessly at the lens.
Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t help but laugh at her serious expression, though she quickly composed herself, remembering she was in the middle of a lesson. “When photographing someone wearing a high-collar outfit, shooting from this angle can easily make them look like they have no neck. I’ve noticed many photos on your wall have this issue.”
Li Taoyuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and humbly asked, “How can we avoid this problem?”
“Adjust the focal length and angle. See how much better it looks now?”
“Yes,” Li Taoyuan’s eyes lit up, feeling a sudden clarity.
There were many techniques involved in photography, and Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t possibly cover them all in a short time. Most techniques required subtle adjustments based on the subject, which needed to be explored through practice and experience.
After finishing Xu Qiqi’s photos, Cheng Fangqiu took a couple of shots of the other three before announcing her departure.
Li Taoyuan, still eager for more, wanted to ask her to stay but knew Cheng Fangqiu had already gone above and beyond. She couldn’t stay at the studio forever, and pressing further would be overstepping.
At this thought, Li Taoyuan’s disappointment vanished. He slapped his forehead,懊惱 (regretting) that he hadn’t thought of this sooner!
“Comrade Cheng, would you be willing to come work at our Hongmeng Photo Studio?”
Li Taoyuan was the type to act immediately on his thoughts. He didn’t care if his sudden proposal seemed abrupt. He looked at Cheng Fangqiu with hopeful eyes and asked directly.
At this point, he didn’t care about face or politeness.
He had to settle this before Cheng Fangqiu left. Otherwise, who knew when they’d have another chance to meet?