Cheng Xuhai's words shocked everyone present.
Bai Jing was the first to react, pulling Quan Jiu's hand in surprise, "You are the painter 'Zhi Fan'? It's truly a pleasure to meet you. I never imagined you'd be so young and beautiful, truly accomplished at such a young age. To be honest, I'm your fan, and I came today specifically to buy your painting."
Quan Jiu smiled gratefully, "Thank you for your like and support."
Seeing this, the surrounding people also belatedly realized. Then, someone took the lead, pushing towards Quan Jiu.
"Teacher Zhi Fan, I'm your loyal fan, could you please give me an autograph... and take a photo with me?"
With one person leading, more and more people crowded around, soon surrounding Quan Jiu three layers deep.
He Miao and her mother were pushed around by the crowd. Especially He Miao, who was already wearing sky-high heels, and the floor was slippery. She couldn't stand steady and fell to the ground within a few moments.
But there were many people in the hall, and everyone was only focused on the celebrity, paying no attention to the ground. He Miao's hands and feet were stepped on several times, and she cried out in pain.
He mother struggled with all her might to pull her daughter out of the crowd. Seeing that her daughter's hand was already scraped and her little finger was bent unnaturally, clearly broken.
She angrily cursed, "Isn't she just Zhi Fan? Do you have any humanity? Are you trying to stomp my daughter to death?"
But no one paid attention to her; everyone was surrounding Quan Jiu, constantly taking photos and asking for autographs.
He Miao was too shocked to even feel the pain. How could this be? How could this bitch be the famous painter Zhi Fan? It must be fake.
Xu Yi was also pushed around by the crowd during this process, eventually being squeezed into a corner. Her feet were stepped on several times, and she felt like her toes were broken.
"You all move aside, move aside," Xu Yi shouted.
At this moment, people standing on the periphery who couldn't squeeze in began to look at her and the He Miao mother and daughter.
"You don't even recognize the master, and you're slandering the master. How despicable."
"That's right, and the master has great tolerance, not bothering with these two idiots. But letting people like this go unpunished is too easy for them."
"Kick them out, people like this should be kicked out."
As more and more people accused them, the attention also fell on the He mother and daughter and Xu Yi.
Xu Yi stubbornly insisted, "She's not Zhi Fan at all. Zhi Fan is an old, faded hag. How could she be as young as her? You've been deceived by Cheng Xuhai; he's just trying to save that woman."
Quan Jiu took a pen and notebook from someone, quickly signed her artist name, and then looked at Xu Yi coldly, "I am truly disappointed to have a staff member like you at Tong Hua."
The person who received the signature quickly showed it off, "This is indeed Zhi Fan's signature, the handwriting is identical. That staff member is still lying and slandering."
"Your mouth stinks too much. Did you fall into a latrine?" someone cursed.
"People with no upbringing like you shouldn't be out in society. Don't come out and harm the world in the future."
"Send her to the police station, sue her for defamation and slander."
Xu Yi was yelled at by everyone, filled with hatred, shame, and pain. In the end, she could only cry and try to run.
But she was surrounded by everyone, where could she run? She could only squat down, bury her head, and cry out continuously.
Cheng Xuhai, worried that the incident would escalate and damage Zhi Fan's reputation, stopped the crowd's insults, "Everyone, Tong Hua was negligent today. Our company will administer internal disciplinary action against this person. We will provide a reasonable explanation to Teacher Zhi Fan and everyone."
Xu Yi cried with tears and snot flowing together. She looked at Quan Jiu's noble posture, as if a celestial maiden from the nine heavens was looking down on her. She murmured unwillingly, "How is this possible? How can such a pretty face be the famous Zhi Fan? It must be fake. Cheng Xuhai must have done this on purpose."
"She's fake, she can't be Zhi Fan." Xu Yi had lost her mind and could only deceive herself like this, and her words made the surrounding people shake their heads and mock her.
"Security, quickly take this lunatic away, she's ruining the mood." Someone impatiently urged.
Security quickly escorted Xu Yi away from the East Exhibition Area.
After witnessing Xu Yi's tragic situation, He mother decisively decided to take her daughter and leave. But by chance, He Miao was an idiot. She loudly shouted, "Don't be fooled by her. This woman is the best at deceiving people. Even if she is some damn Zhi Fan, it doesn't change the fact that she stole my boyfriend, Jiang Nanchen."
The commotion in the East Exhibition Area was significant, attracting the curiosity of other exhibition areas. Some people started discussing, and even some who knew the situation came to gossip in front of the parties involved.
"Madam Jiang, your future daughter-in-law is having a dispute with the painter Zhi Fan. Aren't you going to take a look?"
Jiang Guixiu looked strange, "My daughter-in-law? Where does this come from? Our Nanchen is not engaged to anyone yet, and he is currently single."
The speaker was confused, "But that's not what they're saying in the East Exhibition Area. Why don't you go and see? It's all over the place, saying that you've arranged a marriage with your family, and then the painter Zhi Fan snatched the bride."
Mother Jiang became even more confused, "What is all this? I'll go and see."
Arriving at the East Exhibition Area, she happened to hear He Miao's voice. Jiang Guixiu immediately said with a stern face, "Our Nanchen is not engaged yet, and he is currently single. What is your intention in spreading such rumors?"
The crowd turned their heads and quickly recognized her as Madam Jiang.
Someone said, "This young lady, who claims to be from the He family, has repeatedly said that she is engaged to the Jiang family, and that the painter Zhi Fan snatched the marriage. Madam Jiang, is there no such thing?"
Jiang Guixiu, born into a prominent family, valued family reputation the most. She immediately said angrily, "There is absolutely no such thing. I don't know who is spreading rumors, but our Jiang family is not familiar with any family named He, nor is there any engagement. I want to see who is shamelessly spreading rumors."
She walked into the crowd and immediately saw He Miao and Mother He.
Mother Jiang's face showed displeasure, "Are you the ones talking nonsense?"
He Miao immediately stopped her arrogance and hobbled over, trying to grab Mother Jiang's wrist.
Mother Jiang shook her hand away and asked again, "Are you the one spreading rumors?"
He Miao was extremely embarrassed and could only say with a forced smile, "Auntie Jiang, Nanchen and I have been childhood sweethearts since we were young. He..."
"Even if our Nanchen liked someone, he wouldn't like someone like you. Moreover, Nanchen and you, our Jiang family and your He family, have no relationship whatsoever. You are ruining my son's reputation like this, aren't you just trying to attach yourself to our Jiang family? I'm telling you, it's impossible. A mere second-rate family trying to enter my Jiang family's door, stop dreaming."
He Miao was stunned for a moment, then said with shame and indignation, "Auntie Jiang, you are too much. I even gave you a limited edition bag on your birthday, and you liked it very much, didn't you?"
Mother Jiang was so angry she laughed, "The bag you gave me, I can only give it to our servants to carry. I don't even find it appealing."
Mother He trembled with anger, "Jiang Guixiu, you should watch your mouth."
"It is you who should watch your mouth. Everyone here has status, yet you are spreading rumors about a marital relationship with our family. How will our Nanchen find a wife in the future? Our Nanchen is a pure man, and he has barely met your family twice. Hmph, shameless.
Everyone, let me make it clear today, the Jiang family is not familiar with the He family, and our Nanchen has no relationship with this Miss He."
Discussions and mocking voices immediately arose from the crowd.
He Miao was so ashamed she could find no place to hide and stumbled away from the scene. Mother He also lost face and chased after her daughter, fleeing.
Jiang Guixiu's gaze swept across the surrounding crowd. After a moment, her eyes fixed on Quan Jiu.
"Why are you here? This is not a place you should be," Jiang Guixiu became increasingly displeased. If this woman were to reveal her relationship with Nanchen, wouldn't it make the Jiang family a laughingstock to those around?