Chapter 99: The Whale and Deer Art Exhibition—A Temple of Art

Three days later.

The streets and alleys of Dagangtou Town in Guyan Art Village bustled with animated conversations about a single topic—the quiet emergence of a new inn. The inn itself was perhaps modest in size, but on the day it opened, a public art exchange event would be held. The Guyan Art Village Whale & Deer Exhibition. Every artist in the ancient town would be invited, from eighty-year-old elders to eight-year-old children, from seasoned professionals to enthusiastic amateurs. As long as you loved to wield a brush and could turn your heartfelt emotions into paintings, you were welcome to join.

The Whale & Deer Inn, as the host, would select fifty works from the submissions to permanently preserve in its halls. Of course, the inn's manager would also offer a sum of money to the selected artists and grant them each a free room to stay in. The chosen artist's own work would be displayed in their room. Another portion of the funds would be donated under the artist's name to the cultural department of Guyan Art Village, contributing to the development of the village's cultural heritage.

This news was spreading like wildfire throughout Guyan Art Village. And the mastermind behind it all, Lin Shenlu, was sitting in a small courtyard, sipping tea. The tea had been gifted by the landlord, said to be wild tea from the mountain forests surrounding the village. Its flavor was far more distinctive than anything available in the markets, filling the mouth with an earthy, fresh aroma.

The advertisements running through the town were indeed lively, but negotiations with the cultural department had encountered no small number of obstacles. If it hadn’t been for the idea to donate part of the proceeds, things would never have come together so quickly.

“Lin Shenlu, your maneuver is brilliant. In an instant, you’ve elevated the entire character of our inn,” said Hai Lanjing, brimming with excitement. Ever since learning of Lin Shenlu’s full plan and helping to implement it, Hai Lanjing had been filled with anticipation for the big day.

“It’s nothing much. There’s certainly sentiment involved, but this is also a game for those with the means. For most people dreaming of opening an inn, unless they have extraordinary connections, achieving this would be nearly impossible,” Lin Shenlu replied, gently blowing on her tea before taking a small sip.

“Fifty paintings—thirty for the rooms, one in each, and the rest can be hung in the lounge, corridors, hallways, the tea room… Remember, I told you before: this inn won’t need to purchase any decorative art. The finest works of the village will be brought to you here,” Lin Shenlu continued with a smile.

Hai Lanjing understood deeply now why Lin Shenlu insisted that there was no need to consult a designer for the inn’s artistic ambiance. This time, Lin Shenlu had taken a completely different path. No need to build new attractions or waste energy on construction—just one art exhibition at the inn. While drawing in crowds, the inn would quietly transform itself into an art gallery.

Henceforth, Guyan Art Village would boast a new art museum—one displaying perhaps the finest works in the whole village. To stay at the Whale & Deer Inn would be to reside not only in comfort, but in art, in taste, in refinement, in true sentiment.

“That’s why you need to understand the essence of the place where you open an inn. In Dali, people seek a mutual, passionate love—an earthly utopia. But here in Lishui, in this art village, what people long for is art, freedom, and communion with nature. The spirit of this inn must resonate with that,” Lin Shenlu said confidently, meeting Hai Lanjing’s gaze.

Hai Lanjing was genuinely enlightened. Of all the people she had met, no one matched Lin Shenlu’s flair for crafting sentiment and vision. No wonder Lin Shenlu had waved off Lu Chaoxi’s suggestion to commission decorative art for the walls. It wasn’t a clash of aesthetic philosophies—the spaces on these walls were reserved for the future.

“Don’t worry, the collection of works in this inn will only grow. The paintings in the rooms won’t remain forever; more and more outstanding works will find a home here. Years from now, this inn, in name only, will quietly have become the foremost temple of art in Guyan Art Village…”

After a short pause, Lin Shenlu continued, “Later, as our reputation grows and more people come to visit and stay, you can start issuing certificates of appreciation to commemorate the artists whose works are collected here. In time, the Whale & Deer Inn will become a sanctuary for artists of Guyan Art Village—a mark of honor to be represented here. Think of it as akin to the Palace Museum or the Great Hall of the People in the capital—though not quite on that level, the sentiment is the same…”

Hai Lanjing couldn’t help but nod. Most travelers to Guyan Art Village were the type who came to appreciate and experience art. After all, the very name of the destination spoke of art. By targeting these visitors so precisely, the Whale & Deer Inn would become an essential stop for every traveler, as it would house the best works by the village’s greatest artists.

In the future, the Whale & Deer Inn would be featured in travel websites and blogs not just as a recommended place to stay, but as a destination in its own right. At that point, would there ever be a shortage of guests?

One day, when Baidu searches for Guyan Art Village bring up the Whale & Deer Inn alongside time-honored attractions like Xiangzhang Ancient Port, Jiangbin Ancient Street, Barbizon Oil Painting Gallery, the Millennium Weir, and Fisherman’s Evening Song, Lin Shenlu’s vision would be realized.

This was no mere attempt to create a fleeting internet sensation on the foundation of an existing inn. This was the birth of a permanent beacon of art in Guyan Art Village.

Lin Shenlu took a gentle sip of tea and remarked quietly, “It’s just a pity that the cultural department’s slogan is rather modest—just a painting exchange and a Whale & Deer Inn exhibition. If it were up to me, I’d make it an art festival, with the inn as the title sponsor, and invite the whole town to take part. That would be sure to make headlines and TV news.”

“If that happened, every tourist and resident in Guyan Art Village would be taking photos and videos at the scene, and the word would spread like wildfire!” Lin Shenlu said, a trace of regret in her tone.

“Lin Shenlu… what did you do before?” Hai Lanjing found herself truly admiring Lin Shenlu from the bottom of her heart. If, back in Dali, her feelings for Lin Shenlu were rooted in admiration for her talent and a sense of fated affinity, now that admiration had deepened into genuine reverence—a love that had been sublimated by awe.

She had known that inviting Lin Shenlu to help open the inn in Lishui would be a wise decision. This was not simply a favor Lin Shenlu was doing for her, but a grand undertaking they were accomplishing together.

However successful it would become, half the credit would always belong to Lin Shenlu.

In Lishui, where you once stayed, the Whale & Deer Inn will always be your home.