Five years ago, Li Xiangrong was already a well-known paper-cutting artist and a well-known figure in the world. Although there were four apprentices under her command, none of them inherited her mantle. So Li Xiangrong thought about accepting another apprentice from time to time.

Tang Cai was led into Li Xiangrong's sight by Chen Yingying, and Tang Cai's appearance just happened to be right for her.

"I still remember that she was wearing a white dress at that time, a shy little girl, weak and impassive, very cute." Li Xiangrong recalled, with a smile on her face.

Tang Cai is a hard-working child who is eager to help others. Because he studied at the same university as Chen Yingying, he followed Chen Yingying to Li's house from time to time, and naturally became familiar with Yang Jing and the others.

"Sometimes I would leave Tang Cai to eat at Li's house, and at that time she would go to the kitchen to help Sister-in-law Qing prepare meals. At the dinner table, she will also help everyone set chopsticks and cover them, and after the table, she will help everyone make good drinks, and she can remember clearly what several people like to drink. It's a thoughtful person. In the process of dealing with her, she unconsciously made people like her. ”

Mu Mengling listened quietly, and could hear Li Xiangrong at this time, with a kind of love for Tang Cai in his words.

A year later, Yingying also graduated. As soon as she graduated, her family sent her to France for further study, and at that time, Yang Jing and several others also had their own careers. My son also has his own family and can't be with me all the time. So there was a sudden silence around me, and I had a lot of more time. When Li Xiangrong said this, there was a hint of bitterness in his smile.

Mu Mengling reached forward and grabbed Li Xiangrong's hand, Li Xiangrong patted her back, and spoke again.

"In those months, in addition to cutting paper and reading books, I spent most of my time by Tang Cai's side and spent that leisure time. After a long period of contact, I noticed that this child seemed to be particularly interested in paper-cutting. At that time, I also had a thought that it was time to bring another apprentice and let her inherit my mantle. So when Tang Cai begged me to accept her as an apprentice, I pushed the boat down the river. At that time, Yang Jing and the others were also very happy to hear the news, and several people specially asked for leave and flew back to congratulate. Li Xiangrong had a hint of joy in her eyes, as if she was immersed in the past.

Mu Mengling didn't make a sound to interrupt Li Xiangrong's memories, she knew that something unpleasant must have happened behind her, otherwise why did she worship her master for so long, Yang Jing's senior brothers and sisters flew back, but the one named Tang Cai didn't even see a shadow?

Li Xiangrong let go of Mu Mengling's hand, sighed, picked up the tea on the table, drank two sips, and moistened his throat. Mu Mengling didn't ask anything, just silently waited for the follow-up development of the story.

Soon, Li Xiangrong continued: "Tang Cai can be regarded as the hardest working one among several people. She gave up the job that everyone envied at the time and learned to cut paper from scratch. I taught her during the day, she pondered by herself at noon, and in the afternoon she would bring me what she didn't understand. Almost all the books in the study have been turned over by her, and her own ideas are also unique, often unexpected, and may have a little relationship with her original study of design. At that time, Li's house almost became her second home. Cheng Xing sometimes came over and joked to me, 'Mom, you have an extra daughter, I have an extra sister.' At that time, I really saw her as a daughter. ”

Li Xiangrong stopped, rubbed his hands together a few times, and seemed to be a little cold.

"Master, are you cold? Why don't I get you a piece of clothing to drape on? Mu Mengling saw Li Xiangrong's movements and asked out loud.

"No, it's just a little icy on your hands. Rubbing twice is much better. Li Xiangrong replied with a smile.

Mu Mengling saw that she didn't make any other movements, thinking that it was really just hand ice.

Li Xiangrong continued: "A year later, I brought her to the M country competition. One is to let her see the world and exercise her; the second is to let her try her level; The third is to let everyone know her. If you just study behind closed doors, with no experience and no experience, then the future will only be dull. ”

Mu Mengling knew that Li Xiangrong was really good to Tang Cai, and she was thoughtful about everything, which was half a point. Tang Cai is so lucky! Mu Mengling couldn't help but be envious.

"Don't envy Tang Cai, in fact, I will let you participate in the competition in country M next year, with the same intention as letting Tang Cai participate back then. Do you understand? Li Xiangrong noticed the envy in Mu Mengling's eyes, and hurriedly said her intentions, for fear that she would be uneasy and unwilling.

"That year's competition was really exciting, players from so many countries won the championship by Tang Cai, and I was also honored. It's just that I didn't expect it, I didn't expect it......" Li Xiangrong's voice was a little choked.

"Master." Mu Mengling called Li Xiangrong lightly, and at this time, Li Xiangrong was surrounded by a cloud of sadness, which made her feel very strange.

"When she came to the stage to accept the award, she actually said something like that, which pierced my heart." Li Xiangrong suddenly became excited, grabbed Mu Mengling's hand and pointed it directly at his heart.

"Master, don't do this." Mu Mengling looked so uncomfortable, what did that damn Tang Cai say, which made the master so excited.

She was still secretly guessing, but Li Xiangrong had already let go of her hand, and two lines of tears fell on her kind face. At this time, Li Xiangrong's mind flashed all the pictures of that day.

"In fact, paper-cutting is simple but not simple, although I have Li Xiangrong's teaching, but in the final analysis, it can be regarded as self-taught. I think those who have a balanced mind, as long as they work hard, will definitely shine as brightly as I do. Tang Cai on the stage answered reporters' questions in English.

"Then Li Xiangrong is not your master?" A reporter at the bottom expressed doubts.

"Actually, it's not like it, we're more just exchanging paper-cutting skills, and it's a competition between peers." Tang Cai cleared up the relationship.

"It's not a master, so how did you compete? I remember that the invitations to this contest were all targeted, and only some of the famous masters would receive them, and only those people were qualified to bring people in. I don't know how Miss Tang explained this? Another reporter followed.

"I really should thank Master Li, without her, I am not qualified to come in, I admit that. The reason why I begged her to bring me to this competition was actually for my Tang family's cutting and painting company, and I wanted more people to know about this industry and join this industry. If you're interested, you can talk to me at the reception. Tang Cai said calmly.

The people in the audience were talking, and Li Xiangrong was already dumbfounded when she heard Tang Cai's words. Some reporters even went to her and asked her if Tang Cai's words were true. Li Xiangrong's eyes were a little dull, and her mood was chaotic, but years of experience made her quickly stabilize and come back to her senses.

Li Xiangrong remembered that she smiled like that at that time, and replied very decently: "I congratulate Miss Tang on her victory." But she never said anything else, which can be regarded as her maintenance of Tang Cai's last point.

Tang Cai, who was standing on the stage, secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, thinking that it was fortunate that he did not accompany this old woman in vain this year.

"The result of the matter is that I didn't even attend the cocktail party and directly booked the nearest flight back to China, but Tang Cai was left and right at the cocktail party, which greatly promoted her self-created cutting and painting company, and also got a lot of foreign capital sources, creating the current heyday." Li Xiangrong finished the last sentence and wiped away the tears on her face.