You Yan finished the last stroke and gazed at his painting for a long time.
He reached out and gently touched the wings of the swallow in the painting.
Then he lifted the painting off the drawing board.
Before Wen Ning could say anything,
You Yan had already torn the painting in half.
He did not tear it hysterically. He did it quietly, one tear at a time, as though saying goodbye to something.
A breeze swept in from the lake, lifting scraps of paper from between his fingers and scattering them onto the ground like a flock of swallows that could never fly again.
Lu Ming was the first to react.
He came over, looked at the scraps strewn across the ground, and blurted out,
"Doesn't this count as littering? This lakeshore might be deserted, but it's still under the jurisdiction of the Mount Tai Scenic Area. Scattering paper everywhere isn't good. The Mount Tai Mountain God Office has rules about this. Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility."
Wen Ning turned to look at Lu Ming, momentarily at a loss for words.
You Yan froze too, still clutching half a sheet of torn drawing paper.
He looked at Lu Ming, a bewildering mix of expressions crossing his face.
He had spent so many years in the Heavenly Court.
Never once had anyone brought up environmental protection while he was tearing up a painting.
Seeing them both staring at him, Lu Ming edged back half a step, a little sheepishly.
But then he rallied and justified himself with complete confidence.
"Well, it's true. Article Three of the Mount Tai Scenic Area Management Regulations states that visitors must not litter within the scenic area. You might not have bought a ticket, but you're the Queen Mother's pet. You should be setting