The traffic and attention he received is not something the student group’s champion can match.

Koizumi Katsuko could indeed participate in the Lion City Art Exhibition this year, and then the Yokohama Triennale next year.

But the significance is completely different.

The achievement in the first formal debut of your career represents the first anchor point and positioning that you establish in the hearts of galleries and collectors.

The higher the starting point, the smoother the entire career tends to be.

Koizumi Katsuko has been winning various young artist awards since she was small, gaining them so effortlessly that her future is already promising, and she doesn’t need a student group’s competition record to prove herself.

She knows,

what she truly needs is to prove to the gallery that she is a mature artist rather than an outstanding child.

"Shengzi, whether you can compete or not, the decision should be in your hands, not mine."

Mrs. Sakai shrugged: "There is less than half a year until the Lion City Art Exhibition. You can register first. If you can produce a compelling enough work that makes both your father and I feel you’re ready, then of course, you can exhibit."

She tapped her daughter’s forehead.

"I don’t oppose your idea of participating in the Lion City Art Exhibition. I dream of seeing my daughter shine like a queen on Singapore’s stage this year. What I oppose is competing without being prepared."

Koizumi Katsuko had to admit that what her mother said was indeed very reasonable.

"To be prepared... if I create a work that you feel can certainly get through the selection of the professional group category by the jury, you’ll let me compete, right?"

The girl pondered a moment and asked.

"That can certainly be understood this way. I hope to see you produce a painting that’s emotionally charged and touches the heart."

Mrs. Sakai considered and offered her suggestion: "Shengzi, your painting skills themselves are not bad. However, if you want to stand out among professional painters, you should let your strokes deepen and need to create more profound works."

"The paintbrush is the carrier of the painter’s emotions; you need to learn to let your work speak." Mrs. Sakai said.

"This is actually very difficult—"

Koizumi Katsuko tilted her head.

There’s only a little over a hundred days until the deadline for submissions to the art exhibition.

Learning to integrate emotions into a painting is not necessarily easier than improving one’s painting skills.

"This is certainly difficult." Mrs. Sakai did not urge, "The goal is there; if you feel you can’t achieve it, we can wait another year. You’re still very young."

"—But mom, I feel I have got some sense of it. Today I saw Gu Weijing painting, and I felt a miraculous vitality."

Koizumi Katsuko’s eyelashes lowered, but her tone was firm: "Maybe I can really do it. Who knows."

Today, seeing Gu Weijing replicate Carol’s painting, she felt a miraculous fire burning in his brush.

At the moment Gu Weijing finished painting,

she seemed to see the interplay of light and rain flowing from the canvas into the surrounding air. There was a moment when she truly believed this was a miracle bestowed by Carol, the female painter from the Celestial Kingdom.

This shock made Koizumi Katsuko feel as if her heart was hit.

The blockage that had always separated her work and the real world had a corner revealed.

Especially when she boldly grabbed Gu Weijing’s hand at that moment, she felt enveloped in a wonderful happiness, her chest filled with a desire to express as never before.

This desire to express,

is called love.

"At that time, if I had a brush in my hand, I would definitely have been able to paint a work full of emotion."

Thinking about it, Koizumi Katsuko’s lips curled up involuntarily.

"Then go for it. Lovers can indeed teach us to love the world more deeply. I’m looking forward to being surprised by my Shengzi."

Mrs. Sakai did not show criticism towards Gu Weijing this time: "You can discuss these feelings more with that young man. If the one you love can become your muse, it won’t only bring you happiness but also help your career. Then you’re a very lucky girl and a very lucky painter."

The Muse Goddess, in Greek Mythology, governs art and music.

In the European art circles,

whenever a painter feels their creative inspiration has been stimulated, and their skill level as if aided by God, they often describe themselves as being blessed and kissed by the Muse Goddess.

Some even pray to the Muse before painting, similar to phrases like "God bless, Lord above."

Meanwhile, muses particularly refer to female lovers who can inspire a painter’s passion and creative enthusiasm, in plain terms, specifically models.

In letters from painters like Picasso, Rubens, and Klimt, whenever they mention "my muse," they are invariably referring to women they are newly involved with.

Of course,

usually, the honor of being called the muse inspiring their creative genius only goes to new muses they’ve just caught.

As for wives after marriage or old lovers they’ve grown tired of,

according to the style of Picasso and the like, the typical description would normally be "wanton witch" or "devouring demon."

"Love should make both parties bright like peacocks with their tail feathers displayed, striving to show their best side to each other, and should not become an obstacle disrupting your life’s plans."

Mrs. Sakai unusually praised Gu Weijing: "For example, I feel that young man’s preparation for shocking the Lion City Art Exhibition with such a painting style is very thorough."

"You also wouldn’t want to participate together only to end up overshadowed by your sweetheart, right."

Koizumi Katsuko nodded.

"By the way, there’s one last thing I wanted to talk to you about today. Shengzi is all grown up."

Mrs. Sakai rarely hesitated for a few seconds, then pulled out a little black box embossed with gold letters from her pocket.

"I got this from the hotel front desk. I think it should be given to you by me, your mother."

"Hm?"

Koizumi Katsuko hesitated for a moment, staring at the English brand name embossed in gold letters on the black box, [Durex], along with the category mark Condoms.

At first, she was stunned for two seconds.

Then her pupils widened, her gaze became frantic, her hands fluttered at her chest not knowing where to place them, and a blush spread rapidly from her porcelain-like cheeks to her neck and behind her ears.

Almost instantly,

Koizumi Katsuko turned entirely like a shy little deer, with her earlobes red enough to bleed.

"Mom, you’re teasing me."

Her lowered head: "If you keep this up, I won’t talk to you."

"Shengzi, don’t be shy, this is a very serious matter."

Mrs. Sakai pulled her daughter’s hand over, speaking gently: "When pure young girls like you fall in love for the first time, your heart is entirely tied to the young man. In deep emotion, you wish to give everything to him—"

"Mom!"

Shengzi was unbearably bashful and almost wanted to leap off the bed and flee.

"Shengzi."

Mrs. Sakai gently hugged her daughter from behind, "Discussing this kind of thing, the level of awkwardness I feel right now won’t be much less than yours."

"But if it’s not me, your mom, telling you this, then who will? Out of responsibility as a mother, I must make things clear today, and you must listen carefully."

"You need to seriously listen to what I’m going to say next, think about it, okay?"

The middle-aged woman softly wrapped her arms around Miss Shengzi’s now full and shapely shoulders, whispering in her ear.

Koizumi Katsuko was still extremely shy, yet she slightly nodded.

"You know I come from a traditional Catholic family, adhering to the Ten Commandments, prohibiting premarital sex. But I have never required you to follow the faith."

"To be honest, I also did not strictly abide by this church precept."

Mrs. Sakai chuckled lightly: "However, my hope for Shengzi, if you truly wish to accompany Gu Weijing for the long haul, is to give, even if you like him very much, your first kiss, or your first night, a bit slower, a bit more reserved."