"Master, I think there must be a mistake. Perhaps the work has been wrongly covered," Du Yating had the same thoughts and said this as he climbed the stage.
"Open the second-ranked work and let Du Yating confirm if that is the work he had painted," Grandmaster Wang suggested from the side.
If anyone looked closely, they would have seen that his eyes had the hint of a mocking smile.
From the beginning, he had suspected that the first work, which was exhibit 72, was his own disciple's work.
But President Pei had constantly insisted that the work was done by Du Yating.
Now that things got to this point, he didn't want them to open the first ranked work and steal from Rong Yue's shine, so he hurriedly made this solution.
Following his instruction, the member that had been acting as the host opened the work with the exhibit number 98.
On seeing it, Du Yating's body trembled because that was really his work.
Before he could even speak, some of the people that had been in the same room with Du Yating spoke up.
"Ahh, isn't this the same painting that Du Yating did? How can he say there's a mistake?"
"It can't be that he doesn't want to accept his work because he didn't get the first place right?" Another person said, pointing out the thoughts that most people had.
As at that time, he had picked a front seat so that everyone could see him. Now a lot of those people also served as evidence that this was indeed the work he did.
President Pei was also able to hear the murmurs from most people as there wasn't too much distance between the stage and the audience seats.
His face had gone from one shade to two others in less than a minute. After all, he had boasted back inside that the only person capable of the first work was his student. Yet, the truth was a far cry from it.
The second work was for Du Yating.
"Yating, is this your work?"
"Yes..."
Du Yating was struggling but there was also only one answer to the question.
What should originally be a good occasion was turned sour because of the two reactions that both masters and disciple had.
He handed over the exhibit card number and the cover over his work was also removed.
"Woah, it's actually really beautiful." Someone exclaimed, breaking the silence.
"It is. If the second work is this good, just how amazing is the first ranked work?"
"Just by looking at it, I can hear my mother telling me to carry on without her, that the road ahead would be better." A young lady said as her eyes turned red with tears.
It could be said that the work was really good.
The display system was also very clear and allowed them to see every detail that was drawn by the artist.
As he heard the comments made by the crowd, the displeasure that Du Yating was dispersed and he looked at his master with a questioning gaze.
However, he couldn't get any reply and was soon sent back to his seat.
Everyone eyes were fixed on the large display screen that was showing the painting of the fiery lady.
Regardless of what they thought before the painting was revealed, everyone felt that their mind had been broadened.
At the back of the hall, no one noticed Qin Yichen standing in one dark corner. At some point, he had slipped into the hall, after all, he didn't want to miss seeing his girl being called to the stage.
"Seems like I only saw the tip of the iceberg before." He murmured with his lips curled up in a smirk while his eyes were filled with intense gazing.
"This was created with brush?" Someone finally asked, breaking the magical silence in the room.
"That fiery woman looks so real! I feel like she could walk out of the painting any moment from now." Someone added while wiping some fake tears from his eyes.
"Would she have printed it out? From here, I can even see those clear and smooth strokes of the brush..."
"It's only that she is indeed a lot skilled, it's almost as though her hands didn't stop all through,"
It was normal to take breaks while painting and while some people polished their art.
For a work that was done within this short time frame, it was only normal that the little pauses taken by the artist for their hand is seen in some places.
Even if it were experts like President Pei and Grandfather Wang, seeing such brush pauses was only normal.
But for Rong Yue, there was no such thing, as though after she started, her brush didn't stop for once on the canvas.
"If we look past the skill, I think what's frightening is the thought behind the painting!"
"She's looks really young or is my eyes playing tricks on me?" One middle aged painter asked with awe in his eyes.
"You aren't wrong, my little sister is only going to turn eighteen in three weeks from now!" Wan An replied with his chest puffed out with pride.
"Ehen, third brother, didn't I tell you that sister would win the first place? Those other disciples thinking themselves to be a big deal. If they had a any talent, would grandfather reject them ruthlessly?"
Wang Lei shot him a warning glare but he turned his gaze back to the painting on the screen.
From his actions, it could be seen that he couldn't spare the time to deal with Wang An.
"What a frightening interpretation..."
All through the hall, everyone had similar expressions.
Admiration, surprise, inspiration.
Rong Yue's work was good enough that it made some painters to have a creative breakthrough. It was though they saw another angle they could use in their work.
At another corner of the hall, three figures in suit stood together. They clearly didn't want to be seen by others as they had also stayed in a dark corner.
Also, from their looks, it was easy to tell that they were foreigners.
"Isn't this girl too frightening? A painting like this, I don't think any of our country's kids can do it." One of them said with a sigh.
His face had mixed feelings as a part of him really admired the painting while another part was worried about their own people.
"I doubt that this was created by that girl." Another one replied.
Unlike the first one, his eyes had a shrewd look in them and were trained on Rong Yue as she walked back to her seat.