Eating Lotus Root

Tan Xiao was a watercolor painter, now in his fifties, and a professor in the art department of Donghai University.

It was currently the student holidays. Tan Xiao privately enjoyed tutoring motivated students, so he had arranged for several of his pupils to go out and sketch together.

A student suggested they go sketch at Lingyou Zoo, which had been very popular recently.

"It's right at the foot of Cape Mountain. The scenery is great, and there are lots of animals, so there are many choices," the student said. "Most importantly, the Jiajia Restaurant there is especially delicious..."

"Yes, yes, Jiajia's Shennong Series is super delicious, a lifetime recommendation!"

"Damn, the Luojia Series is clearly the best, have you ever heard 'one cannot eat without bamboo'?"

"...Who said that, a panda?"

Tan Xiao interrupted the students' bickering, "I think I've heard of it too. Hah, how delicious can a zoo's restaurant be? You're all just hyping it up. But since it's at Cape Mountain, there's no harm in us going."

Tan Xiao led his students to Lingyou Zoo, each carrying an easel, a drawing board, and paints. To their surprise, the place was quite crowded, but it seemed at least half the people were there for the food.

After listening to some passersby's conversations, Tan Xiao learned it was because new dishes were being launched today. Those people were lining up in a long queue, causing the students to complain resentfully that they probably wouldn't get to eat today.

It wasn't a weekend or a holiday, so the crowd should have been manageable. Who knew that developing new dishes would attract so many people?

A zoo becoming a hit because of its food—was this putting the cart before the horse, or were the two mutually reinforcing?

Tan Xiao didn't dwell on this question. He didn't care whether he could eat or not; the main purpose today was to paint anyway. Tan Xiao led his students on a tour of the zoo and felt that it was indeed quite nice. The scenery within the enclosures was also excellent, mimicking their natural habitats.

Initially, Tan Xiao had considered choosing the lions or the white elephant, but when he saw the waterfowl lake, he changed his mind.

It was too beautiful here.

The lake water was surprisingly clear, with lotus leaves, aquatic plants, and waterfowl casting distinct reflections. Occasionally, the reflections on the water's surface would be broken by ripples as goldfish and koi swam beneath.

The bright red flower buds had not yet bloomed, but that touch of color was already stunning at first sight. Tan Xiao was even contemplating how to mix such a red.

It wasn't just Tan Xiao; many tourists also let out gasps of amazement. They didn't know why planting lotus flowers would increase the beauty so much; even the color of the water seemed to have changed, its rich hue intoxicating and full of Eastern charm.

"Let's do it here!" Tan Xiao decided.

His disciples responded with a roar of approval, setting down their things and arranging their setups on the grass by the waterfowl lake.

......

Tan Xiao unfolded his retractable metal easel, clipped on his drawing board, first contemplated his painting technique in his mind, then pulled out a sheet of high-grammage, thicker watercolor paper and secured it.

He decided to forgo sketching an outline with a pencil, completely wetting the entire sheet of watercolor paper with a spray bottle, then used a brush to lay down a large area of green and blue background colors, leaving only a little white at the top. The vast majority of his painting would be the lake.

Between the green and blue, he then dotted a series of orange and red. They spread across the paper, creating beautiful water stains. At this point, Tan Xiao switched to a smaller watercolor brush and continued to add specific details to the color blocks.

By now, many tourists had noticed the people painting. They gathered to one side to watch and even struck up conversations with the students. Upon learning they were students and a professor from Donghai University, they all said it was no wonder.

The crowd around Tan Xiao was the largest, not just because he was the oldest, but because his painting was genuinely the most captivating.

Tan Xiao himself didn't know why, but his form had never been this good. As he heard the faint sound of rustling bamboo in his ears, smelled the scent of water and lotus, and saw the goldfish flicking its gauze-like tail fin... he seemed to have entered a new realm, with flashes of inspiration constantly appearing!

Tan Xiao's bold color mixing created an impact that even viewers who knew nothing about painting could feel, yet the picture didn't look messy at all.

The rich, transparent quality of the lake water seemed perfectly suited for watercolor. In the large expanse of beautiful blue-green lake water, a school of goldfish and koi swimming toward the bottom of the frame and the figures of swans flying toward the top formed a charming and harmonious contrast.

On the small sheet of paper, space and layers were perfectly presented.

Someone couldn't help but whisper in admiration, "It's so beautiful!"

In the end, Tan Xiao's students also gave up painting and gathered around to watch him, amazed by the level he was displaying today.

"Professor Tan..." one student couldn't help but say, "The sense of rhythm is incredible."

The other students nodded in unison.

The composition, the selection and placement of elements, the positioning of colors... from this unfinished painting, they could already clearly feel its content.

It was obvious that Tan Xiao had achieved a breakthrough.

Such a breakthrough can sometimes be a sudden moment of enlightenment, the result of long accumulation. They were all speculating in their hearts whether Professor Tan had been moved by this environment. Because they too felt that it was easier to find their groove today than usual, just without a breakthrough like Professor Tan's.

At this moment, Tan Xiao had no mind to interact with the outside world, completely immersed in his painting. He didn't even know that he had already attracted the attention of the Lingyou staff.

Because there were too many people watching at the waterfowl lake, an employee mentioned it in the WeChat group.

When Duan Jiaze heard someone was sketching here, he couldn't help but run over to have a look. He too was stunned by Tan Xiao's painting. He even recognized that the largest leading goldfish at the bottom seemed to be Linggan...

Linggan was at the bottom of the picture, the "closest" element in the painting, and the leader of all the fish, so it was the largest and most conspicuous.

This painting was truly beautiful. Duan Jiaze could also hear the onlookers praising it. In fact, he also had a strong impulse to buy the original painting. After taking a few photos of Tan Xiao painting with his phone, he saw that the man was still immersed and gave some instructions to an employee before leaving.

......

It wasn't until the afternoon that Tan Xiao emerged from his own world, his painting nearly complete.

The tourists had mostly dispersed, and Tan Xiao's students were starving. They had all stopped their own paintings halfway through, spending the rest of the time watching Tan Xiao paint.

Only then did Tan Xiao realize that he had entered a very mysterious state. He couldn't help but scratch his head, thinking to himself that this place was truly marvelous, so full of spiritual energy that it spurred his inspiration to gush like a spring, allowing him to break through his previous limits in one go.

While painting just now, he felt as if he had divine assistance. It was as if every stroke was just right, the water not too much or too little, the colors not too dark or too light, and the color mixing flawless...

However, after some self-admiration, Tan Xiao also felt extreme hunger.

The students chattered away: "Professor Tan, you're amazing. After the director here saw your painting, he said that once you finished, he'd treat us to a big meal at Jiajia Restaurant for free. When he saw we didn't go at noon, he even specially said he'd save some food for us."

"Damn, if I were the director, I'd offer a meal too. This painting is beyond words. Professor Tan was in such a good state today, I didn't dare to call out to him."

"Professor, what's the name of this painting?"

Tan Xiao paused for a moment, then after careful consideration, said, "What's the first thing you all saw?"

Everyone said in unison, "The goldfish!"

Although the large areas of lake water and lotus leaves, and even the sky reflected in the water, were beautiful, their first impression was the fish, and specifically the goldfish. It was like a spark of light that brought the entire picture to life, all threads tied to its tail.

"Right, this painting will be called 'Goldfish'," Tan Xiao said with certainty.

......

Tan Xiao and his students were invited to Jiajia Restaurant, which was already closed to the public.

The waiter brought them the specially reserved dishes: Shennong's Five Grains congee, braised spring bamboo shoots, pork rib and lotus root soup, fried lotus root patties, and so on. Putting aside the taste, the color and aroma were already exquisite. The sight alone made the already famished group's mouths water.

Tan Xiao had just finished painting lotus leaves, so of course, he was very interested in lotus root. Moreover, the waiter was saying at the side, "Dishes with lotus root, lotus seeds, and so on are our new products launched today, and they've received rave reviews!"

Tan Xiao first ladled a bowl of pork rib and lotus root soup, scooping up a few pieces of lotus root. With the first sip of the soup, Tan Xiao felt as if he were about to float away like an immortal.

The soup was so delicious it felt like you could swallow your own tongue along with it, carrying the rich, sweet, and mellow fragrance of the lotus root. Then he took a bite of the lotus root, which was stewed until extremely soft and tender, pulling out fine threads. The fragrance of lotus root filled his mouth, throat, and stomach. His whole body felt warm, and his mind seemed to empty, leaving only the vivid sensation of the food.

In comparison, although the pork ribs were cooked until they were falling off the bone, they seemed a notch inferior to the lotus root. Their role seemed to be merely for flavoring.

Tan Xiao had traveled all over the country over the years for tourism and sketching. He had even been to regions famous for producing lotus root—starchy ones, crisp ones, all sorts of varieties, even those imported from abroad... Setting aside the cooking method, the raw ingredients of these lotus root dishes were absolutely the best he had ever tasted.

The sweet, fragrant, and tender quality they contained pushed his appetite to its peak. Even with simple cooking methods, they were incredibly delicious, with an endless aftertaste. After drinking the lotus root soup, one felt comfortable all over, unable to resist letting out a sigh of contentment.

"Here, you young people eat more meat..." As Tan Xiao said this, he had completely forgotten his earlier puzzlement over everyone's hype for Jiajia Restaurant.

Tan Xiao was even a little glad that he ate after he finished painting; otherwise, his mind would have been completely unsettled.

A male student said with concern, "Let our junior sister have the meat. You're too thin, it's heartbreaking to see!"

The female student was not to be outdone. "If you're so heartbroken, then give me the lotus root. Otherwise, may the best person win."

Even a meal had the drama of a palace struggle, with everyone pushing the meat away.

Besides, there were only ten fried lotus root patties on the plate. Each person got about two, and it felt like they were gone in just two or three bites. Tan Xiao was intensely dissatisfied.

He finally understood why so many people made a special trip to Lingyou to eat. He used to think there was an element of hype, but now he felt that with this level of flavor, any number of people coming was justified.

The pork in the golden-fried lotus root patties was faintly visible. With one bite, a "crunch" sound was heard as the crispy outer layer was broken, and then in an instant, the rich aroma of fried lotus root emerged. A bit of juice flowed into his mouth, mixing with the fresh, rich flavor of the lotus root and meat...

Tan Xiao puckered his lips, sucking up every last drop of juice, not feeling greasy at all. The crunch of the fried lotus root patty and its fragrant taste spread in his mouth, making him shovel in another mouthful of rice.

On the table, everyone also had a bowl of lotus seed water, which was simply peeled lotus seeds boiled in sugar water. The pale yellow lotus seeds piled up at the bottom of the porcelain bowl, and their fragrance was very fresh, as if just smelling it could cut through any grease. It was simple yet delicious and sweet. A few sips after the meal left one feeling very satisfied.

Biting into a lotus seed from the bottom, it was crisp yet not astringent at all. With the bitter pith removed, it was only sweet, not bitter, leaving a pleasant aftertaste and seemingly calming one's mood as well.

......

Tan Xiao and his students were already starving, and now they swept through the food on the table like a whirlwind.

Duan Jiaze had originally wanted to come over and chat with them while they ate, but upon seeing this scene, he couldn't help but sit quietly to the side. He felt they probably didn't have time to chat with him about anything.

It wasn't until Tan Xiao and the others had eaten their fill and were slumped in their chairs, motionless, that Duan Jiaze slowly walked over. "Hello, I'm the director of Lingyou, my name is Duan Jiaze."

Duan Jiaze handed over a business card. This was a new one. They used to be very slapdash, but they had recently made some very simple business cards.

Luya had even urged him to put that Q-version of himself on it, but Duan Jiaze said the art style was too inconsistent and to forget it, which made Luya angry for another ten minutes.

Tan Xiao took the business card and struggled to his feet. "Hello, Director Duan. Thank you for your hospitality."

Tan Xiao also gave his own business card to Duan Jiaze.

"Professor Tan, I saw your painting. It's truly beautiful. It completely captured the beauty of our waterfowl lake," Duan Jiaze said sincerely. "To be honest, I would very much like to purchase this original piece from you."

"This painting... I don't want to sell it for the time being. To be honest with you, here today, at your waterfowl lake, I was truly greatly inspired, my creativity burst forth. This painting today surpasses my previous highest level, and I want to study it a bit more," Tan Xiao said. "But I can send you a scanned copy. Thank you for bringing such beautiful scenery, and such delicious food."

Since Tan Xiao said so, Duan Jiaze naturally agreed. He chatted with Tan Xiao for a while and invited him to come sketch again often.

Duan Jiaze still had his heart set on this painting, but a year later when Tan Xiao put it up for auction, Duan Jiaze couldn't bring himself to spend the money, so the one hanging in the zoo has always been a scanned print.

Tan Xiao's "Goldfish" later fetched a rather good price, partly because it received very high praise in the art world.

Moreover, the painting was appreciated by both connoisseurs and the general public. After getting Tan Xiao's permission, Lingyou Zoo's official blog and Weibo account posted the painting and pictures of the creative process.

The comments below were all positive, and many tourists learned through this that Lingyou had transplanted lotus flowers.

"The colors are so beautiful, and there's that sense of ecological harmony. I love it."

"Still water with swimming fish, the light of the sky and the shadow of clouds, it's like being there."

"I can't help but post a photo. I went to Lingyou to eat lotus root yesterday and also saw the lotuses. This painting isn't an artistic exaggeration, it's really that beautiful."

"What the hell, I haven't been to Lingyou in just a month and the waterfowl lake is this beautiful? Did they just transplant lotuses or did they change the water too?"

"You can see the fish at the bottom of the water at a glance, the layers are so distinct. The water, the clearly visible fish through the water, the lotus leaves and buds in the water, the sky in the water and the birds in the sky... The painter is amazing."

"Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, so beautiful. I must go to Lingyou. I want to eat lotus root."

"So beautiful, must go +1. It's been so long since I've eaten at Jiajia..."

"So beautiful, going to Lingyou to eat lotus root tomorrow."

"It's time to bring out my annual pass..."

......

We won't mention how the thread went off-topic later.

——However, as for the protagonist, Linggan, his evaluation of this painting was not very high.

After receiving the scanned file from Tan Xiao, Duan Jiaze specifically found a professional printing factory and used the most advanced equipment to print it, seeking to restore the colors. He then hung it in his office. All the employees who saw it praised the director for his good taste.

Only Linggan, after seeing it, commented, "What the hell is this? Goldfish? This great king only takes up such a small spot. What a trash painter, doesn't he know how to handle primary and secondary subjects?"

He gestured wildly, "He should have painted a posture of this great king leaping out of the water, right in the center of the frame. Leave the other areas appropriately blank to emphasize my graceful figure and my broad, powerful tail fin..."

To be fair, Linggan's tail fin was very beautiful, especially when spread out in the water. However, his taste for what was essentially a large headshot was something no one could stand.

Duan Jiaze was utterly speechless. This Linggan, so beautiful and exceptionally elegant, with a head of flowing long hair—if he were in the Human Realm, everyone would think he was an artist. Yet his aesthetic was so simple and crude. No wonder his weapon was a nine-petaled red copper hammer...

Forging a lotus into a hammer showed just what kind of aesthetic preference Linggan had.

One could only say that Linggan and Xiong Siqian were polar opposites. Their appearances after transforming could have been swapped. No wonder the two of them got along so well.

Duan Jiaze decided it was better not to have a pointless conversation and just let others appreciate it. He felt that people with tastes like Yousu and Bai Suzhen should be able to understand the quality of this painting.

Xiao Qing was just about to praise it when Bai Suzhen pulled him back, shaking her head slightly, signaling him not to speak. Look how clever the Nine-tailed Fox is, not saying a word right now. Why do you think that is?

In the next second, Luya said with great displeasure, "What do you mean by hanging Linggan on your office wall?"

Duan Jiaze: "...I don't mean anything by it, it just looks good."

Luya: "Looks good my ass!!"

Duan Jiaze: "..."

Luya pressed on aggressively, "What's so good-looking about this goldfish?"

Although Duan Jiaze was appreciating the painting and not Linggan's figure, the painting was called "Goldfish". For a moment, he really didn't know how to explain it to this guy with his bizarre train of thought. He thought to himself, 'This was the subject Professor Tan chose. If Professor Tan had painted a Three-legged Golden Crow, I'd hang that up all the same.'

Duan Jiaze wanted to find Linggan to share some of the firepower, but he saw that Linggan, who had just been complaining that his appearance in the picture wasn't big enough, had already chickened out. He was shrinking to the side, and gradually, gradually, turned into water vapor and vanished...

Duan Jiaze: ???

What the hell, there's a move like that?

Linggan had slipped away, and Luya didn't bother with him, focusing all his fire on Duan Jiaze. Facing such pressure, Duan Jiaze thought hard and said, "...Daoist Lord's criticism is correct. Actually, I was just following the crowd. Everyone on Weibo said it looked good, so I hung it up. But to respect the painter, I'll keep it. How about I move it to the reception room?"

Luya said sarcastically, "Move it, go ahead and move it. While you're at it, print it on your business card too."

Duan Jiaze: "..."

At this moment, Yousu also said with a smile, "Let me say a fair word. The painting is actually decent, but hanging it up really can cause misunderstandings. Could it be that in this Lingyou Zoo, a goldfish is the boss?"

It was a moment of enlightenment for Xiao Qing. "Huh, that seems to be the case."

...The case for what? Please, besides you guys, no one else would misunderstand that, okay?

Duan Jiaze cupped his hands to everyone. "I'll order a few more prints of my own portrait right now. How about I make a photo wall?"