Chapter 187 Artworks in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Chapter 187 Artworks in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Chapter 187 Artworks in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

"Stop talking nonsense and just follow your sister." Ning Chunyan said.

Okay, I’m a sister again.

Wang Zixu followed behind Ning Chunyan, thinking, unlike her sister, she sometimes has a "motherly" feeling - of course, here it refers to the "mother" in the literary sense - careful, caring, and when she takes sides, she will make people feel safe and stand on your side. It's a pity that Wang Zixu didn't spend much time with his mother in his life, otherwise he could analyze this image more deeply in literature. And he couldn't let the young and energetic Miss Ning know that Wang Zixu was so critical, she would definitely be furious and say that you, the married Wang Zixu, have a motherly feeling.

Come to think of it, it seemed like he hadn't heard Ning Chunyan say "You married prince Xu" for a long time, as if he hadn't heard her mention this famous line since his wife disappeared.

She probably wanted to avoid reminding him of his sad memories. Ning Chunyan looked careless and uninhibited, but in fact, she might be a sensitive girl. Wang Zixu thought so. Just like Xiao Mengyin, even if that woman didn't look like a writer, at least she would carry a pen with her.

"I have a question," Wang Zixu said as they walked, "Chen Qingluo is not the kind of person who can be manipulated by others."

"Who dares to manipulate her?" Ning Chunyan felt that he was talking nonsense.

"So, how can I get her to go to Qingshan Square tomorrow? She definitely won't go without a strong reason."

"You don't even have this kind of trick to please a girl?"

"Even if I can coax others, I can't coax Chen Qingluo."

Ning Chunyan thought about it and agreed: "That's right. You can't coax her."

"What should I do?"

"Cold salad."

When you are running around like a headless fly, you will often get such a wonderful answer from an indifferent person. Cold. It's great. I wish I could cold you - usually people who are furious would answer like this, but Wang Zixu generally respects Ning Chunyan, so he didn't say so.

Ning Chunyan seemed to be in a good mood, her steps bounced, her skirt fluttered, and she hummed a song. After humming for a while, she said to Wang Zixu, "Come with me to a place first, and I will teach you how to say it tomorrow."

The place Ning Chunyan mentioned was on the second floor of a shopping mall next to Qingshan Square. In a dark corner, there was a suffocatingly damp audio-visual store with a sign that said something like Random. If Ning Chunyan hadn't brought him here, Wang Zixu felt that he would never visit this place in his lifetime.

Ning Chunyan pointed at the billboard at the door, and her scallion-like fingers moved along the Chinese characters on the billboard. Wang Zixu followed her hand and read the characters one by one:
"...Couples who check in for two days or more can purchase a collection of CDs at a 50% discount. The promotion lasts only..."

After reading it, Wang Zixu said, "I understand. This is the trap of consumerism."

Ning Chunyan patted his shoulder and said, "Go in and take a look first."

The two walked in and came to the shelf of so-called "collector's edition CDs". Wang Zixu picked one up at random and was stunned. On the pitch-black cover, there was a bright red silhouette of a Tyrannosaurus Rex bone. It turned out to be the original first edition CD of "Jurassic Park".

He flipped through the books a few times and found a wide variety of films, including "Paprika", "The Shawshank Redemption", "Star Wars", "Tom and Jerry", and even signed English versions. After watching them all, he felt dizzy. What was this game doing?
"Are you interested?" Ning Chunyan turned to look at him. "My dad is a fan of old movies and often comes to this store to buy discs. Do you have a CD player at home?"

"Have you read 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'?" Wang Zixu answered the question with a question.

“I haven’t read it, but I have studied Benjamin’s works.”

"Traditional art has authenticity. In addition to artistic value, it also has worship value. However, in the era of mechanical reproduction, artworks are mass-produced and endlessly reproduced, which shortens the distance between artworks and the public, causing the 'halo' to dissipate. The art revolution begins quietly, and the era of art fission begins. Artworks become props for entertaining the public..."

Wang Zixu held the disc and looked at Ning Chunyan: "Is this a step backwards, making mechanically reproduced works worthy of worship again?"

Ning Chunyan shrugged: "It's nothing more than a process of disenchantment and reenchantment. It's a historical necessity. It can't be considered a reversal. I just want to ask you whether you like it or not?"

“I want this signed copy of David Fincher’s Fight Club.”

Ning Chunyan laughed sarcastically: "I knew you would like it."

Wang Zixu held the disc carefully and returned to the original question - he didn't have a CD player at home, but he estimated that after buying this disc, his home would have one.

The boss asked him to leave his name and contact information on the counter. After he finished, he looked at the two of them and said, "Can you two stand here and make a heart shape?"

Ning Chunyan stepped forward decisively, but Wang Zixu hesitated.

"Come here quickly, don't leave me standing here alone." Ning Chunyan squeezed out the words from the corner of his mouth, "It's embarrassing for you to leave me alone like this."

Wang Zixu had no choice but to move over, and Ning Chunyan casually made a half heart shape with his left hand and handed it to him.

Wang Zixu hesitated even more. The consumerist trap was indeed a trap. They didn't tell me to make a heart shape before I came in. Seeing Ning Chunyan standing straight with her legs together and her hands stretched out in the air, he felt that this was a bit unethical.

"Hurry up, I don't dislike you." Ning Chunyan urged.

Wang Zixu had no choice but to put on a fake smile, make a heart shape with Ning Chunyan, and punch in at the counter.

...After a while, Wang Zixu went out with a note from the boss. Ning Chunyan told him, don't worry, there are no photos left, so even if your wife goes into this store while shopping one day, it won't cause any unpleasant misunderstandings.

She also said, tomorrow you can use this as an excuse to bring Qingluo over - don't worry, you won't need to give me a heart the second time - and then you can buy her milk tea under the pretext of repaying her favor. After she drinks your milk tea, she will not hold a grudge and you can apologize to her.

She described Chen Qingluo's character as that of a dog. But overall, Wang Zixu was inclined to believe her point of view. Chen Qingluo did have a tendency to carry out the principle of "being grateful to someone who has helped you." He discovered this not long after he met her.

That was also in high school. Since Xie Dongyu came to school for a book signing event, under Chen Qingluo's suggestion (or instigation), Wang Zixu and she both lied that they didn't bring any money, and became accomplices in not buying books, which led to Wang Zixu being severely criticized by the teacher. After that, even if the two knew each other, sometimes they would look at each other for two seconds when they met in the corridor, but they were not at the level of nodding acquaintances, and they could not be said to know each other. It was just that Wang Zixu had a deep impression of this pretty girl and would pay more attention to her.

But in school, especially at that time, everyone was very shy. Taking the initiative to talk to the opposite sex always looked suspicious, especially when the other person was such a pretty girl. Pretty girls always attract attention, and if you talk to her, it will seem that you are acting too much and are very ostentatious. Moreover, he and her seats were so far apart, and it would seem very deliberate to go to her.

Therefore, although Wang Zixu always had the urge to get close to her (this urge became particularly obvious every time they met in the corridor), he did not dare to really do anything extraordinary. Of course, he later learned that he was not the only boy who had set his eyes on Chen Qingluo at that time, and some even secretly went to give her small gifts.

In short, since that day in the playground, when they had a few words of communication under the sun, he and her had no more interactions for two whole months. So when he adjusted his seat later, he was surprised to find that Chen Qingluo was sitting next to him, which made him feel as if his dream had suddenly become a reality.

He was itching to talk for a long time that day and didn't listen carefully in the two classes. Finally, when the class was over, he found an opportunity and spoke to Chen Qingluo:
"Freddy, I saw it."

Chen Qingluo turned around, her fair face seemed to have a halo: "What Freddy?"

"Freddy the Golden Hamster," Wang Zixu said, "I've seen it."

Judging from Chen Qingluo's expression, she obviously didn't remember what he was saying.

Wang Zixu pointed with his fingers and explained: "Didn't you say that on the playground that day? Xie Dongyu copied this book, and I said I would read it. Do you remember?"

Chen Qingluo slowly raised her face with a thoughtful expression and said in a long tone: "Oh——"

"Have you remembered?"

"I remembered."

"From the look on your face, it seems like you haven't remembered it."

Chen Qingluo didn't say anything. It seemed like she really hadn't remembered it.

Wang Zixu suddenly felt very depressed.

Of course he knew that this was normal. It happened two months ago. Even if you read a book, you might forget the plot two months ago. Besides, so many things happened in these two months. Chen Qingluo was very busy every day, so it was normal for her to forget what he, a strange classmate who she had only met once, said.

But Wang Zixu still felt a sense of loss: this feeling was like a pair of lovers who had been through thick and thin together in a Korean drama, but one of them lost his memory and only one of them remembered the other (even though they were not lovers); or like an old father who raised his daughter and talked about how he carried feces and urine when he was a child, but the daughter had no memory of it (even though they were not father and daughter either). Wang Zixu felt such a sense of loss.

He continued to try to get close to Chen Qingluo with a treacherous heart: "Do you like the book "Golden Hamster" very much? I think it is really good after reading it. Which character in the book do you like best? The mouse, the cat, the hamster brothers, Sophie, or Master John?"

"Those were all books I read when I was a kid, so let's not discuss the plot. I have no interest in discussing children's books."

Chen Qingluo was very cold and kept people at a distance.

Wang Zixu felt very hurt.

Before morning self-study the next day, he left a handful of White Rabbit milk candies on the table.

At that time, Wang Zixu was growing taller. He was 1.6 meters tall in the first year of high school and 1.8 meters tall in the third year of high school, creating a miracle. Therefore, he sometimes suffered from hypoglycemia. At that time, he developed the habit of carrying a handful of candy with him, and took one when he felt dizzy.

At that time, Chen Qingluo sat in front of her seat, holding her stomach, secretly observing his candy for a long time. When the bell rang for class, she took advantage of the bell to ask him, "Can you finish it?"

"Ah?" The ringing sound was so loud that Prince Xu couldn't hear it clearly.

"I said, can you finish it?"

"What did you say?"

"Give me one." said Chen Qingluo.

"Oh." Wang Zixu said, "You can take it yourself."

Chen Qingluo quickly grabbed one and put it in her mouth. Before the teacher arrived, she quickly took another one.

Wang Zixu stared at her in amazement: She took out the candy too quickly, just like a golden hamster seeing the larvae of a yellow powder beetle. She also hid the candy in her cheeks like a hamster. The head teacher walked through the aisle with his hands behind his back and looked majestic. He secretly turned his head and saw that Chen Qingluo's white and tender face was puffed up.

"Didn't you have breakfast this morning?"

Chen Qingluo didn't answer, her cheeks moved and her teeth seemed to be stuck by candy.

Kind of cute.

After a while, she finally opened her mouth, and the first words she said were:
"Master John."

"What?" Wang Zixu was confused by this incoherent sentence.

"My favorite character is Master John," Chen Qingluo said. "I have a good impression of writers."

Wang Zixu remembered that "Master John" was a character in "Freddy the Hamster".

She was answering the question he asked yesterday.

Fortunately she remembered.

From then on, Wang Zixu would bring more food every day, and Chen Qingluo also developed the habit of eating his food. From being cold as ice at the beginning, their relationship improved later, all thanks to the ice-breaking White Rabbit Milk Candy.

Wang Zixu and Ning Chunyan walked out of the mall. Ning Chunyan put her hands behind her back, was shy for a long time, and then said to him, "Okay, I've helped you with your problem. Now you can go to a place with me."

"You decide where to go." Wang Zixu was very straightforward.

"To meet a group of... uh..." Ning Chunyan tilted his head and thought for a long time, "Talented Girls."

"Talented girl? What talented girl?" Wang Zixu had a strange expression on his face. He felt that this word was particularly feudal.

Ning Chunyan was also a very modern person. He understood what he meant and felt a little embarrassed. He breathed a little faster and pretended to be vicious and said, "Layoffs! We'll lay you off!"

"Don't fire me. I promise that our magazine will have a source of income in the future. A source of abundant income."

After saying that, both of them were amused by their own puns and jokes, and laughed for a long time.

After laughing, Ning Chunyan said, "If I have to explain it in detail, the so-called talented girls are a group of girls from very well-off families who share a common interest in literature. They gradually formed a circle and would get together to appreciate literature. However, since they are not from professional backgrounds, their level is just parroting others. However, their family conditions are indeed very good, so they have formed a certain influence."

Wang Zixu was stunned when he heard this. Ning Chunyan leaned over and said:
"Do you understand?"

"I seem to understand, but I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"The dialectical relationship between literary level and family conditions."

Ning Chunyan laughed and said, "Forget it, don't worry about it. I'll bring you there to be a mascot. Just sit there and answer when others ask you questions. Talk less and appear very serious, then they will think you are very powerful."

"I still don't quite understand," Wang Zixu pointed at himself, "Why do you want to take me with you?"

"Because you were featured in Get," Ning Chunyan said, "You are now a more avant-garde topic in the circle."

(End of this chapter)