Chapter 25 — The Path of Remembrance

Part two is composing according to the theme, announcing the theme and drawing on the spot. Part three is the conversation, where the teacher and examiner discuss with the candidate. My on-the-spot realistic drawing was quite good. The still life is a fruit basket, containing apples, tangerines and bananas. I drew yellowish spots on the apple and rough lines on the tangerine peel. The contestant next to me secretly looked at me, his expression a bit tense. The composition is announced on the spot. "Road." Just one word. In the exam room, some people started drawing big lines, some people started drawing railroad tracks, some people started drawing winding trails. I painted Gray Gray. Gray Gray stood on a dirt road, with two directions in front of him. One direction is the mountain, far away, blue. The other direction is the city, nearby, gray. Gray Gray tilted his head, as if thinking about where to go. But one of its hoofs came out. Step between the two directions. In the middle there is no road. It tramples itself into a road. The conversation judges include three teachers. One of them is the vice president of the Provincial Fine Arts Association, who gave me the award last time. She looked at me. “To Niem Niem, what did the gold award from the previous competition bring you?” “There are a lot more people who know you.” “Do you like being known by many people?” "I'm not very used to it. I'm more used to being known by geese." The three teachers burst out laughing. “So why do you want to go to an affiliated school?” "Because I want to draw better pictures. At my current school, there is only one art class per week, which I feel is not enough." "If I go to an affiliated school, I have to leave my current school and my family. Can you afford it?" "My mother once said that the road is made by walking, not by waiting. When it's time to go, you have to go." “Your mother said that?” "Mom doesn't say it so directly. But she draws a lot of picture books about roads. At the end of each book, Gray the donkey is walking." “Where did it go?” “Mom is still drawing. So Gray is still going.” At the end of the conversation, I walked out of the interview room. The sunlight is very bright. Mom stood under the sycamore tree waiting for me. Mom was wearing that little floral dress, her hair was a bit tangled in the wind. Seeing me leave, my mother waved. That movement is too familiar. When I was young, after I returned from running in the mountains all day, my mother stood at the yard gate waving at me like that. I stepped forward. "Mom." “How?” "That's OK." “Is it good or not good?” “It's actually okay.” Mom smiled and patted my head. “Let's go, mom will take you to eat grilled sweet potatoes.” “Are there roasted sweet potatoes here?” "Mom saw it when passing by an alley. As soon as she smelled it, she knew Niem Niem must be hungry." I held my mother's hand and went into that alley. The potato oven is at the beginning of the alley, the smoke is dim, the scent is exactly like the mountain. I received a baked potato and broke it open. Inside is golden and hot steam rises. I took a bite. Sweet. Just like at home. "Mom." "YES?" “Regardless of whether I pass the exam or not, I will always draw.” “I know.” “I won't draw like mom.” “You don't need to be like your mother.” “But Gray Gray in my painting will always be Gray Gray in my painting.” “What are you talking about, are you reading tongue twisters?” The mother and daughter leaned against the wall in the alley, each had a baked potato, their hands were covered in food. Passersby looking at this dirty mother and daughter probably wouldn't expect that one is the owner of the province-wide youth art gold award, and the other is a picture book artist with sales of tens of thousands of books. But that's not important. The important thing is that the potatoes are very sweet, the sun is very warm, and my mother is by my side. That's enough. Interview results are announced after two weeks. I have passed. Out of fifteen admission places, I ranked third. When the admission notice was sent to the Luc family, Luc's father stood holding the envelope for a long time. “Nien Niem, have you decided yet?” “I have decided.” "So in the future I will study at the affiliated school? Boarding?" "Yes. I'll be back on the weekend." "Where to? Here or to the mountains?" “Take turns.” He smiled, but in the smile there was reluctance. While helping me pack up, Luc's mother discovered a painting behind the drawing board in my room. That's the picture I secretly drew. I painted the living room of the Luc family. On the table are four bowls, and four people sit at the table. Father Luc, mother Luc, Luc Uyen Dinh and me. All four bowls were steaming hot. Second

When she saw that picture, Luc's mother squatted on the ground and cried for a long time. The last day before leaving, I went to find Luc Uyen Dinh. She is reading a book in her room. Or more accurately, holding a book in a daze. I knocked on the door and entered. “Uyen Dinh.” "YES." “I'm about to leave.” "I know. Congratulations." "Thank." I stood next to her desk for a while. "After you leave, I'll be the only child in the family. Mom and dad will have more time to spend with me." "YES." "With your grandmother, you don't have to worry too much. She talks hard but has a soft heart. After a while, she'll be fine." She put down the book and looked at me. “Nien Niem, why do you treat me so well?” "This is not called good. This is called normal." “You have done so many things to me…”