Chapter 1715: Sense of Mission
Having heard enough of today's stories, Xu Huo stayed for another round of desserts before leaving.
The curly-haired woman was waiting for him not far away, clearly having overheard his conversation with the old lady. She asked with a smile, "Do you think the 'Ember Maiden' could possibly be in the hands of Solan's playmates and neighbors?"
"Those playmates of Solan's hardly contacted her again after leaving Dingding Flower Town, and they either died or left Zone 019 before Solan became famous. That elderly neighbor also passed away from illness a few years later. Since everything she used in life was provided by the government, it was all reclaimed by the government after her death, and the house had already been renovated several times."
In other words, even if Solan had painted the "Ember Maiden" before she became famous, she wouldn't have entrusted it to an elderly woman who didn't have long to live.
As for those four friends, that was even less likely. Their relatives had also been visited by people searching for the painting. If the painting really existed, they would have produced it by now.
"Sometimes, the more impossible something seems, the more likely it is to be true." Xu Huo smiled slightly. "Look at it from another angle—why can't so many people find the 'Ember Maiden'? Perhaps its holder has already died, and it has ended up in some inconspicuous corner, brushing past countless painting seekers without being noticed."
The curly-haired woman paused, mulling over his words and finding them somewhat reasonable. She was about to ask what his next move would be when she heard him say, "You're not actually buying that, are you?"
The curly-haired woman and several players nearby who had been eavesdropping all instinctively turned their heads away.
"The others died early, but Master Solan lived a long life." Xu Huo continued with a grin. "If the 'Ember Maiden' were really gathering dust somewhere, why would she have mentioned it?"
The curly-haired woman gave a stiff smile. "That makes sense."
But she couldn't help adding, "Aren't you afraid of getting hit with a sneak attack, talking like that?"
Xu Huo's smile widened. "Someone capable of hitting me with a sneak attack probably wouldn't stoop to such low-class methods."
"Alright, time to go to sleep."
"What?" The curly-haired woman was surprised. "Sleeping this early?"
"Are we supposed to work overtime?" Xu Huo said as he walked away. "Look on the bright side—we might be doing this for the next ten days."
The curly-haired woman had no retort, but in the end, she didn't find a place to stay. Instead, she left the town.
That night, Xu Huo checked into an inn and even joined a tour group for a late-night snack.
The tourists were all there for Master Solan. Their conversations always revolved around her, discussing her works from different periods and occasionally speculating about the "Ember Maiden." Among them were three students working on a thesis about Solan, so they were actively asking others for their opinions. When they got to Xu Huo, the student holding a recorder was startled. "When did you sit down here?!"
Xu Huo raised the skewer in his hand. "Thanks for the invitation."
The student didn't remember inviting him, but since no one else seemed bothered, he let it go and asked for Xu Huo's thoughts on Master Solan.
Xu Huo thought for a moment. "I think she was a person with a strong sense of mission."
"Sense of mission?" The student was quite surprised. "Why do you think that? And what was her mission?"
"She spent her entire life conveying emotions through her paintings. Those who appreciate her work prioritize the emotions conveyed in the paintings above all else, even surpassing the recognition of her technical skill. That was likely the driving force behind her lifelong efforts," Xu Huo said.
Of course, he had no particular talent for art appreciation, but based on what the bakery owner had said, most of the emotions released through Solan's paintings over her lifetime were relatively positive. It wasn't that the bakery owner had imagined those small details—rather, Solan had deliberately suppressed her negative emotions. Given her abundant emotional output and sustained high productivity, maintaining a cheerful state of mind would have been nearly impossible. That was why Xu Huo believed her painting went beyond profession or hobby; it was a form of responsibility.
To be able to burn one's life for something meant she must have been carrying a self-imposed sense of mission.
The student had a different view. "The phrase 'sense of mission' sounds a bit like being forced into it, like taking on a responsibility you have no choice but to bear."
"But my father once interviewed Master Solan. He said she was someone as gentle as water, capable of embracing all things. She saw everything with a tender perspective, which is why she could resonate with people."
"She didn't act for the sake of accomplishing something—she genuinely loved this world from the bottom of her heart."
Xu Huo didn't argue with him, but he felt that the father-son duo might have too thick a filter. A person who could assert her own interests at the age of two and continued to "refuse to learn her lesson" and "keep causing trouble" as she grew up didn't exactly match the description of "embracing all things." On the contrary, someone so strong-willed and tenacious would likely have greater aspirations than the average person.
In a perfect district like Zone 019, Solan should have lived a peaceful, ordinary life like most people. What could have been beyond the ordinary, worth pursuing for a lifetime?
"...Are you even listening to me?" The student raised his voice slightly.
Xu Huo immediately adopted a convinced expression and took the opportunity to ask to see the materials the student had prepared.
The student generously shared some "exclusive" materials before turning back to chat with his companions.
Among the materials was an interview recording, presumably the one the student had mentioned from his father. In the footage, Master Solan didn't look aged, answering the interviewer's questions gently.
"Our homeland is like spring—beautiful everywhere. But everyone sees beauty differently. I want others to see the world through my eyes."
The interviewer applauded and responded enthusiastically, "I was born and raised in Zone 019, but I never really observed my surroundings closely. After seeing your paintings, I realized how beautiful this world truly is. That's why I switched careers to photography."
Solan smiled warmly and said sincerely, "I've seen your exhibited works too. They're very beautiful."
Receiving her praise, the interviewer became a bit flustered. "To have you compliment me is such an honor... I'll keep working hard and make sure to capture all the beautiful places in Zone 019..."
The interview continued, asking about her recent works, future plans, family matters, and even the passing of a certain painter.
After closing the interview materials, Xu Huo's gaze swept over the phrases "father died in a mining brawl" and "mother suspected to have died from depression"... The frequency of mining-related deaths and disabilities in this instance was unusually high. Not just Solan, but her childhood playmates and many children in the town had come to Dingding Flower Town because of family incidents.
This was just a retirement town, suggesting that the mining accidents in Zone 019 a century ago had an exceptionally wide-reaching impact.
(End of Chapter)