Chapter 154 - So Many Heroes
Translator: Noodletown Translated Editor: Noodletown Translated
When Zhao Yanzi saw Xie Yujia, she immediately became hostile.
She found that every time she came to this school, this beautiful Class President was around Hao Ren; it had become a pattern. No wonder she took Xie Yujia as her rival in love.
Boldened by the presence of Su Han today, she was about to attack her rival with words. However, Zhao Hongyu stopped her with a tug and a look of warning.
“Let’s see the exhibition together then,” Zhao Hongyu said pleasantly to Xie Yujia and Su Han.
“Ok.” Xie Yujia had met Zhao Hongyu last time in the stadium. Knowing that this woman was gentle and considerate, Xie Yujia was quite fond of her subconsciously.
In science, she admired Yue Yang, but in life, she wanted to be a graceful woman like Zhao Hongyu.
“This is an impressionistic landscape painting which is usually painted on a piece of raw rice paper. It pays more attention to the spirit of the landscape than meticulous-style drawings. For example, this painting follows the style of Shi Tao, one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou <sup>1</sup> . Look at the right half of the painting; it depicts the depth of the landscape with a close-up view, which is an example of Shi Tao’s Section Method…”
Zhao Hongyu was telling Zhao Yanzi this while appreciating the paintings. The others also listened to her quietly.
Hao Ren knew that Zhao Yanzi’s knowledge in art all came from Zhao Hongyu. The 15-year-old Zhao Yanzi was already several levels higher than him in art appreciation, so Zhao Hongyu’s knowledge was way beyond his imagination.
Listening to the explanations, Xie Yujia was more and more amazed. Under Zhao Hongyu’s guidance, she began to understand the details that she would have missed.
Glancing at Hao Ren who was also listening attentively and looking at Zhao Yanzi who kept showing-off by talking to her mom, Xie Yujia suddenly remembered the art books that Hao Ren had borrowed. She wondered if the reason behind Hao Ren’s sudden thirst for art knowledge was this little girl.
After they finished walking around on the first floor, Zhao Hongyu had given them a thorough lesson about the paintings. Hao Ren had learned a lot, and Zhao Yanzi was feeling smug. “Well, now you understand that my mom knows everything!” she thought.
Xie Yujia admired Zhao Hongyu’s knowledge and temperament. Glancing at the babbling Zhao Yanzi, she wondered if this little girl could really grow into a gentle and elegant woman like her mom.
It was now eight o’clock, and the students who were waiting outside in line finally could enter the exhibition. The quiet hall suddenly became lively.
Lu Qing brought Lu Linlin and Lu Lili into the hall. The moment he saw Zhao Hongyu, he hurried over.
“Hello, Principal Lu,” Zhao Hongyu greeted.
“Ah… Ms. Zhao, how are you?” Lu Qing asked in a slightly tentative voice.
Together with Lu Qing were some directors of the Art Program. He introduced, “This is Ms. Zhao Hongyu from LOM Design Studio. Her husband is Zhao Guang, the Chairman and CEO of Mingri Group which is the biggest donor of our school.”
LOM Design Studio was well known among the teachers of the Art Program, and her identity as the wife of Mingri Group’s Chairman made them even more respectful.
After all, the buildings and the advanced facilities of the Art Program were all funded by Mingri Group.
“Ms. Zhao, it is an honor to meet you…” They lined up to shake hands with Zhao Hongyu.
Half of the Development Funds of East Ocean University came from Mingri Group, the biggest corporation in East Ocean City. In fact, Mingri Group funded all the expansions of the university which were not covered by the government grants, including the facilities, benefits of the teachers and students, develop and research branches, and all kinds of guest lectures…
The rapidly growing reputation of East Ocean University was attributed to the generous donations of Mingri Group.
Standing beside Zhao Hongyu, Xie Yujia heard Lu Qing’s introduction, and her eyes widened slightly.
“This elegant and easy-going woman is, in fact, the wife of the chairman of the biggest corporation in the region! And Hao Ren is tutoring their daughter!” she thought.
In short, Zhao Yanzi’s family controlled Mingri Group, and Mingri Group was the big hidden boss of East Ocean University.
“No wonder Vice Principal Lu Qing is so respectful towards them!” she thought.
“Gongzi!” Lu Linlin and Lu Lili rushed over, and they each took one of Hao Ren’s arms; they didn’t care about where they were.
The students gushing in from the entrance happened to witness the intimate behaviors of the Lu sisters toward Hao Ren.
Even the teachers of the Art Program who were standing beside Lu Qing saw it. However, since the girls were Lu Qing’s ‘granddaughters’ and Lu Qing didn’t show any disapproval, they just pretended that they saw nothing inappropriate.
Therefore, the students saw Lu Linlin and Lu Lili clinging into Hao Ren blatantly in front of Vice Principal Lu Qing while the teachers around them just watched with smiles.
The students gasped. “This guy is so extraordinary that even Vice Principal Lu Qing doesn’t mind him dating his granddaughters…”
Hurriedly, they memorized Hao Ren’s look and reminded themselves not to mess with this plain-looking guy.
At this moment, Huang Xujie who had cut the line walked in with the members of his Rock Climbing Club. Although dressed casually, he was the most dashing one among the guys.
When he saw Lu Linlin and Lu Lili clinging onto Hao Ren and Su Han standing elegantly beside him, Huang Xujie’s chill and confident expression vanished.
However, seeing Lu Qing and the directors of the Art Program standing across from Hao Ren, he didn’t dare to cause trouble and had to hold back his rage.
He couldn’t understand how this rival who was insignificant a month ago became so much influential than him in such a short time. Besides the great strength, this rival of his had even attracted so many beauties to his side despite the plain-look and the ordinary background.
“Why? Why?” Huang Xujie cried in his mind.
Hao Ren’s sharp eyes caught the minuscule change on Huang Xujie’s face. He withdrew his arms from the twin sisters’ hands and looked disapprovingly at them.
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili stuck their tongues out at each other before giggling. It seemed like they had done it on purpose to make someone jealous.
On the other side, the girls spotted Qin Shaoyang in the suit and rushed toward him, shrieking.
The security guards immediately blocked them with their arms.
Accompany by many influential figures in the art circle, Qin Shaoyang slowly took off his suit jacket and revealed the white shirt underneath.
The white shirt was thin and fitting, highlighting his muscular body. It again had made the girls scream in excitement.
Next, a slightly devilish smile appeared on his face, and the usually quiet library was filled with a round of collective screams instantly.
Huang Xujie was a little dazed and thought, “This is what people call charisma!”
“Today’s exhibition is displaying the traditional Chinese paintings that Mr. Qin Shaoyang has painted in the past several years for the first time, and it represents Mr. Qin Shaoyang’s formal entrance into the field of traditional Chinese painting. As you all know, Mr. Qin Shaoyang’s oil paintings have won him a great reputation in the world, and the average auction price for one of his oil paintings has reached 7.8 million yuan!” The host in a tuxedo walked out with a microphone and introduced Qin Shaoyang to everyone.
“An average of 7.8 million yuan for one painting. Damn! The world is full of rich people…” Hao Ren thought.
“Now that Mr. Qin Shaoyang has begun to focus his attention on traditional Chinese paintings, his international reputation will bring our traditional Chinese paintings to the world! I’m sure that he will make traditional Chinese paintings the hottest collection items in the eyes of international buyers! The great artists in the Chinese art circle here today all agreed that Mr. Qin Shaoyang’s skills in terms of traditional Chinese painting have reached a very high level! At our persistent request, Mr. Qin Shaoyang will paint on the spot to show his passion for traditional Chinese paintings! Please watch and enjoy!”
After saying that, the host backed off, and the lights in the library were suddenly turned off.
Clap!
A spotlight lit up the area that Qin Shaoyang was standing on.
Two pretty girls in elegant traditional Chinese dresses carried out an antique-looking desk and placed it before him.
Then, one pretty girl spread a sheet of white rice paper on the desk while another beautiful girl walked over and began to make ink by grinding an ink stick with water on the ink stone.
The sound of melodious music appeared, and the spotlight moved to another pretty girl who was playing a Chinese lute.
The atmosphere was now completely relaxed.
The girls had stopped screaming, and they looked at Qin Shaoyang with wide eyes.
Qin Shaoyang tossed aside the hair in front of his forehead with a light shake of his head, and he slowly rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular arms.
The pretty girl who was making ink finished grinding and backed off silently.
Qin Shaoyang lifted the brush with one hand and stirred the tip in ink in the ink stone
Swoosh!
He waved his hand abruptly, and a streak of ink spread onto the rice paper, creating a dragon-shaped mountain.
He shifted his body before brushing onto the paper again, and ink dots that were representing trees fell on the mountain.
His movements were sometimes light and sometimes heavy, and his strokes danced with the music produced by the Chinese lute.
Qin Shaoyang’s female fans held their breaths, afraid that they would make a sound and interrupt the beautiful scene.
Hao Ren also quietly watched Qin Shaoyang paint while Lu Linlin and Lu Lili stood close to him on both sides.
Xie Yujia and Ma Lina widened their eyes since it was the first time that they watched someone paint a traditional Chinese painting.
Due to Zhao Yanzi’s lack of height, she had to stand on her tiptoes but still couldn’t see. Therefore, Zhao Hongyu had to secretly boost her up with an invisible energy.
Su Han stood elegantly with her hands together, and her face was expressionless. However, she looked extraordinarily beautiful in the darkness.
As the music of the Chinese lute slowly came to an end, Qin Shaoyang also put down his brush before straightening his body.
His white shirt was still spotless, which was quite a feat in itself. The white shirt originated from the West and the landscape painting from the East didn’t give people an impression of disharmony.
Click! Click!
The lights were back.
Two pretty girls in traditional Chinese dresses stepped forward and carefully lifted the landscape painting with their slim hands while the ink was still wet.
“The endless river flows eastward. With its huge waves, all those gallant heroes of the past are gone. People say that to the west of the ancient fortress was the Red Cliff where General Zhou won his early fame when the Three Kingdom were in flame. Rocks tower in the air, and waves slammed on the shore, rolling up a thousand heaps of snow. This world is like a painting, and so many heroes have put on great shows…” <sup>2</sup>
A poem was written on the left side of the painting.
“Great handwriting!” The Vice President of Chinese Artists Association, a white-haired and high-spirited old man, applauded. “This painting proves the saying that ‘there is painting in the poetry, and there’s poetry in the painting’!”
With his applause, the other influential figures in the art circle all showed their appreciations as well.
With a slight smile, Qin Shaoyang took the painting from the girls before walking into the crowd. He said with his magnetic voice, “Han, this painting is for you!”
“Wow!” The girls realized that Qin Shaoyang was taking this chance to show his love.
“But who is this ‘Han’?” the girls wondered.
With the painting in his hands, Qin Shaoyang walked through the crowd and stood before Su Han. A bright smile was on his face.
Su Han looked at the painting before taking it from his hands. Then, she slowly tore it into pieces.
All of the people there were stunned.
It was a painting that the genius artist Qin Shaoyang had done under their eyes! And it was the first painting that he had ever done in public. With its significance and his reputation, the painting was worth at least 5 million yuan!
But an ordinary lecturer tore it into pieces before their eyes?
“Good try!” Su Han dropped the torn pieces of the painting from her hands and said lightly. Her eyes were as sharp as lightning.
She would never change her determination in pursuing the ultimate goal of cultivation. Qin Shaoyang’s effort of dissuasion was an insult to her!
“Su! What did you do?!” Oblivious to the situation, the Principal hurried over and scolded Su Han.
Surprisingly, Qin Shaoyang was not angry. He lifted his hand to stop the Principal and smiled graciously. “It was just a casual painting. I don’t mind that it was torn. However, Ms. Su does have a quick temper.”
Still angry, the Principal said to Su Han, “Come to my office after the exhibition!”
In his mind, Su Han usually stayed in her office and rarely showed her face on campus. However, she was a good and responsible teacher. But today, her behavior brought the school disgrace!
Su Han knew that Qin Shaoyang was trying to make her lose her job in the mortal world. She caught Lu Qing’s apologetic gaze and said after a moment of consideration, “It’s just a painting! I will repay you with another!”
Then, she stepped forward to the painting desk.
The teachers and students all knew her, and they stepped aside to let her pass.
“Is it possible that the No.1 Beauty in East Ocean University could paint traditional Chinese paintings?” this question appeared in everyone’s mind.
In her chiffon top, Su Han walked to the painting desk, and her beauty instantly overshadowed the pretty girls in traditional Chinese dresses.
Slowly, she lifted the brush, looked around, and called out, “Hao Ren, come here! I will teach you how to paint!”
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