"Young gentleman, you don't need to lie to me, I won't reveal your secret. But you still have to be careful in the future, not everyone has no evil intentions."
Mrs. Scarlett seemed sure that Jenkins was the Giver, but only pointed it out. After finishing speaking, the woman nodded to Jenkins, picked up the frame and was about to leave, but Jenkins stopped her:
"Sorry. About the bestower... we can talk about it later. But actually, I really want to know something related to this painting. Since you think I am the bestower, you should also know that most bestowers have some unique abilities. I can feel that this painting is extraordinary, but I don't know where this feeling comes from. Please, can you tell me the story behind this painting? To be honest, I am a famous writer. The story behind such an extraordinary work of art is really curious."
The woman held no ill will towards Jenkins, and Jenkins did not want to confront her, so he adopted this peaceful method. Of course, he was also ready for a violent solution. Now that all his belongings, including the metal pieces, were in boxes under the counter, he was confident of solving all troubles.
His luck was obviously good, the woman hesitated for a moment, and did not refuse the request. She put the painting on the table again, but didn't leave her hand:
"You are not the first person to want to know the story between us, but the last person who wanted to know the story died 49 years ago. I am always willing to share our story with the audience who will listen, He's the other way around...it's not a story with a happy ending, and I want you to prepare ahead of time."
Jenkins nodded, accepting any kind of story, especially if it cost nothing to hear.
"My name is Cullen Kamel, and his name is Spade Foote. We were originally a pair of lovers who lived long ago."
She looked up at Jenkins' expression, but neither the young writer nor his cat was surprised, they both had the same expression of curiosity being satisfied.
"I think you probably have had many miraculous experiences, which even the bestowers cannot escape. My lover and I also tried to pursue mysteries in the era we lived in, and we succeeded, but this also brought disasters .”
She said sadly, rubbing her hands on the surface of the painting:
"There are thousands of ways to pursue mystery, but we chose the wrong one. We signed a contract with an ancient alien species, and became the bestowers at the cost of love. But that alien species has been blaspheming a A powerful false god to gain power, and when the day of punishment came, bad luck happened to me and Spade. The god cursed us, and since then... "
The man in the painting really moved, shouting in vain in the two-dimensional space.
"From then on, the two of us will be locked in this painting in turn, with an interval of one hundred years each time. During these one hundred years, the painting and people can only see each other for one day every ten years, and after this day, we must see each other again. Separation, otherwise you will suffer more terrible torture. Those who can "live" will definitely meet another lover within a hundred years, until the next hundred years will be re-enclosed in the painting, and then watch the long-ago lover regain freedom , and find a new love."
This kind of punishment really scared Jenkins. He couldn't imagine how much the god who made the curse hated the two people in front of him to do such a thing.
But he didn't believe that these two people were simply implicated. After all, gods rarely pay attention to specific human beings alone, let alone such special curses as ingenious designs.
"That's why you deposit this painting with Dad?"
He asked in a low voice, feeling that this story was really novel.
"Yes, the ten-year period is up, and I'm here to pick him up... There are three decades before he is free, and I can find a lover again in these three decades."
Jenkins didn't know the mood of the woman at the moment, and it was difficult to judge the mood of the man in the painting. He probably guessed how desperate it would be to live in the dark space with nothing in the painting, and what is even more desperate is that his other half can live freely and find a new love.
"Young man, you can spread or keep our secrets as much as you want, it doesn't matter. I hope you can cherish the love you have already grasped, and don't find out in the future that you can never see each other again."
She whispered her warning, picked up the painting again and prepared to leave.
"Didn't you find a way to get rid of it for so many years?"
Jenkins remained curious, though, of course, caution was not lost.
"I can't get rid of it. Even if we take the initiative to tell our experience, people will forget it in a very short time. Just like the conversation between us, when I leave your sight for more than five seconds, all the memories and records Gone, that's part of the curse. Sorry."
She nodded to Jenkins again, and walked out of the store with the painting in her arms.
"five four three two one."
Counting to five silently in my heart, what happened just now is still extremely clear in my mind.
"Well, it seems that I can't tell my father about this, otherwise I can't explain why I can remember it."
Jenkins shrugged, in fact, he had no desire to continue exploring this. He is only interested in the story behind it, and excessive exploration is likely to lead to troublesome follow-up.
As for helping the woman just now, he didn't have that leisurely heart. Since there must be a reason for being cursed by God, since a woman doesn't tell the truth, he has no obligation to get involved.
"Travel is the most important thing. I hope the weather will be fine and the journey will be smooth."
As he prayed, he tapped on the table next to Chocolate to remind it not to fall asleep, because they were leaving the store soon.
Although the year-end holiday lasts only three days, the residual warmth of the festival can still be felt a week later. It was rare for the antique shop to have customers in the early morning. Although they didn't buy anything in the end, it was enough to make Jenkins feel happy.
When it was close to ten o'clock in the morning, he was about to leave for the club. When she was slowly putting on her coat again, the woman who took the painting just now pushed open the door again and hurried in.
"please help me!"
Her face was no longer sad, but extremely panicked, "Sir, you may not remember the story I just told, but please believe me!"