After the first video connection in the Year of the Tiger, the family exclusively disclosed the juvenile past of "Dun Dad" Cao Xue

"Mom and Dad, hello..." On February 12, when the familiar face of his parents was screened on his mobile phone screen, 60-year-old Cao Xue's eyes were red and his voice became trembling. I can't accompany you for the Spring Festival, my son can't stand you. Because of the epidemic and the reason for leading the design of the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot "Ice Pier", he has not returned home for three Spring Festivals, and originally made an appointment with his parents to spend this Spring Festival together and watch the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics together. However, since the "ice pier" fire out of the circle, media attention has surged, Cao Xue has to accept more than a dozen interviews a day, not only can not get out of the home, even with the family's New Year's greetings can only be a phone call. Until today, he has no time to video connect with his parents, and at the tail end of the Spring Festival in the Year of the Tiger, he and his family tell each other about their strong thoughts and affection.

In the face of his son, who has not been seen for a long time, his father Cao Hongci's excitement is also overflowing: "I miss you!" The 80-year-old man stared closely at his son's face, picked up the "ice pier" placed next to him, waved it to Cao Xue, and his eyes narrowed into a slit with happiness.

This "ice pier" was brought back from Guangzhou by Cao Xue three years ago. At that time, the mascots of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games had been released, the dust had settled, and the Cao Xue team purchased the "ice pier" for commemoration. When he was passing through Nanjing on a business trip, he deliberately handed over this painstaking effort of himself and his team to his family. When Cao Hongci learned that the "ice pier" designed by Cao Xue had officially become the mascot of the Winter Olympics, he made a "three-year plan" for himself - "live three more years, and see the ice pier unveiled at the 2022 Winter Olympics!" "The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on February 4 did not disappoint him.

"The ice pier is popular, think about why"

"The image of the ice pier is cute and pleasing, and the colors are harmonious. I love this fluffy little thing so much, it's like adding a little grandson. In Cao Hongci's view, the mascot that can represent the image of a country should be as "cute" as the ice pier, full of human characteristics, and can evoke a warm feeling in people's hearts. I heard that the "ice pier" became popular, and even some people lined up in the middle of the night to buy a quilt, the old man was a little confused, but he thought it was understandable. "This is something worth thinking about." Cao Hongci said.

"Cao Xue is kind and innocent, such a person, with the team to make such a work, I think it is reasonable." Recalling the time he spent with his son before, Cao Hongci couldn't help but choke up. He told reporters that Cao Xue has his own thoughts, has a lot of unique understanding, and will not follow the crowd: "For example, Cao Xue has long recognized the difference between 'natural actors' and 'role actors', he gave an example that painters are natural actors, and the works express their own views; designers are role actors, and works should be made for service objects, depending on what society needs." However, these words are not understood by everyone, and Cao Xue has also sat on the "cold bench". At that time, like all the fathers of the beloved sons in the world, Cao Hongci was anxious about this, but Cao Xue said: "We must rely on strength to change the prejudices of others." He also told his father: "Designers should be 'high in the eyes', high in vision, and low in stature." These incisive understandings of profession and life made Cao Hongci surprised and happy for her son.

Painting into "idiot", seeing everything wants to draw down

What makes parents infinitely worried is always the back of the child's gradual growth and departure. Cao Xue's mother, Liu Guoxian, said that seeing the ice pier seemed to see the situation of her younger son silently studying toy cars again. "He observes things very carefully. When he was a child playing with toys, he especially liked cars, took them apart and installed them, and repeatedly did not know how many times. To this end, when Cao Hongci was on a business trip, he bought a detachable car from Shanghai, and Cao Xue loved it. When she was in elementary school, Cao Xue liked to run to the road to observe the bus, and when she returned home, she drew it page by page. After that, his interest in drawing became more extensive, such as portraits, sketches, comics... Paint what you see, and draw what you want.

"He paints, and I'm very much in favor of it." Mother Liu Guoxian is very supportive of her children's interests. After discovering Cao Xue's interest in painting, she had to leave a budget for her son to buy paper and pencil at any time. Liu Guoxian was once an art teacher, but Cao Xue painted and did not communicate with her, nor did she restrict her son, giving him full creative freedom. However, Liu Guoxian is also a primary school math teacher, Cao Xue's math scores have been bad, she has worried a lot about him, a lot of anger.

When I was a child, Cao Xue in my mother's eyes was painting all the time, to the point of "infatuation". He was in math class, and he didn't want to listen, so he took out paper and drew sketches of his classmates. When others are running and playing games, he sits on the side and draws everything he sees in front of him. Despite their anxiety and anger, Liu Guoxian and her husband gradually realized that painting was where their son's talent and love lay. Later, Cao Xue's high school, Nanda Affiliated High School, specifically allowed him to turn his math class into an art class. Such a situation is somewhat incredible to think about now, however, the understanding and support of parents and teachers helped Cao Xue successfully enter Wuxi Light Industry University and realize her design dream.

Diligence

A sack of juvenile paintings is still preserved in the home

"When I was a child, I was bullied outside, and it was my sister who 'came out' for him!" Talking about her younger brother Cao Xue, the tone of her sister Cao Lu was full of pride and love. "Cao Xue has been more like a girl since she was a child, with a quiet personality, delicate feelings, and kindness and kindness. He was a very pure man, he liked to draw in middle school, he liked classical music, and he was radiant when he spoke. Sometimes, Mom and Dad ask him, 'Is this college entrance exam?' He smiled sheepishly. When I was in college, my classmates said that he was a 'pool singer', because when washing dishes and clothes, I heard his happy singing. ”

Cao Lu also talked about an anecdote: when Cao Xue got married, Cao Hongci gave him 3,000 yuan to buy a set of furniture, and as a result, Cao Xue used all the money to buy a set of stereos and bought a Simmons mattress to sleep on the floor. Cao Hongci was anxious again: "I have no objection to your pursuit of music, but life always has to be material and then spiritual!" Cao Xue laughed mischievously: "Personal pursuit is different!" ”

The art industry not only relies on professional talent, but also requires the output and accumulation of brain power and physical strength. From childhood painting, Cao Xue left countless practice paintings, the family moved several times, lost a lot, and now still can move out a whole sack of works. In addition to character sketching, copying and pattern design, when he was young, Cao Xue also loved to depict beautiful scenery, stacks of yellowed paper, leaving the timeless imprint of the times such as Nanjing Xuanwu Lake, Yuhuatai, Beijing Temple of Heaven, suzhou garden and so on.

"This is the idiom comic "Export into 'Dirty'" drawn by Xiaoxue when she was in middle school, which was published in the Nanjing Daily on January 13, 1980. There is also "Looking 'Like' Sighing", accompanied by a poem written by his father. "Sound East Strikes West" describes the scene of the barber cutting the customer's hair..." The two old men looked over it and sighed, like a number of family treasures. Although the second elder is now older, the words he said and did in the morning may be forgotten in the afternoon, but the bits and pieces about his son are still clear and vivid.