The next morning, as his flight was at 9:30 AM, Wan Yunting woke up early, washed, packed, checked out of the hotel, had a steaming hot breakfast from a roadside stall, and then took a taxi directly to the airport. After getting his ticket and waiting for half an hour, he boarded his flight, which first flew to Qinghai City for a layover. It was already noon by the time he finished that leg of the journey.
At 1:00 PM, Wan Yunting boarded another flight, this time flying directly from Qinghai City to Xiaoshan Airport in Hangzhou. By the time he disembarked, it was already 4:30 PM. Wan Yunting immediately took another taxi to Shaoxing City...
He sat in a ride-hailing car, opening the window and looking at the advertisements on the street billboards. He saw a poster announcing the national Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition!
"Boss, are you also going to Shaoxing City for the calligraphy competition?" the driver asked Wan Yunting, who was sitting behind him.
"Yes."
Wan Yunting nodded with a smile. The driver chuckled, "It's quite lively there now. This year's Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition is being held at the Cultural Center in Dongchang, the hometown of Mr. Lu Xun, in our Shaoxing City. It has attracted countless people from all over the country to visit and sightsee."
"Oh."
Wan Yunting was a little surprised. He had never paid attention to such calligraphy competitions and didn't know the significance of the Lanting Award for a calligrapher.
He had always thought it was just an ordinary competition within the calligraphy circle. However, seeing the Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition being promoted on every street and alley in Shaoxing City clearly indicated that it was the highest level of national calligraphy award.
"I heard that over a thousand people are participating in this competition, so it's very lively," the driver said, glancing at Wan Yunting in the rearview mirror with a smile.
"So many people, how long will the competition last?" Wan Yunting was astonished.
"I think they said it would be two or three days," the driver replied.
Wan Yunting nodded. If over a thousand people were competing, the scene would definitely be grand, and it would indeed take two or three days.
"Boss, you look a bit familiar. I feel like I've seen you somewhere before. Are you from around here?" the driver suddenly asked again, scrutinizing Wan Yunting in the rearview mirror.
"Is that so?"
Wan Yunting smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because I have a very ordinary face, and you find it familiar."
The driver rolled his eyes and laughed, "If your looks are ordinary, what about us? But it's true, as a driver, I see all sorts of customers, so it's normal to find someone familiar..."
It was already 6:20 PM when Wan Yunting's car officially entered Shaoxing City and headed towards Dongchang. As they neared their destination, he called Fang Guowen.
At this time, in Dongchang, Shaoxing City, in front of a decent-looking hotel, Fang Guowen, the president of the Hua Du Literary Association, came down to meet Wan Yunting as soon as he received his call. As a white ride-hailing car slowly drove up and stopped at the hotel entrance, Wan Yunting pushed open the car door and got out, waving to Fang Guowen, who was looking around at the entrance. "Uncle Fang, over here."
Fang Guowen immediately looked over and walked quickly towards him with a joyful expression. "Oh, Xiao Wan, you've finally made it!"
"Yes, am I late?"
Wan Yunting took his luggage bag from the car. Fang Guowen shook his head and smiled, "Not late at all. Today is the fourth, and there's still tomorrow. The competition is on the sixth, so you can rest well tomorrow, or you can go out and explore the local scenery. Especially the former residence of Mr. Lu Xun, if you don't visit it, it's as if you haven't been to Shaoxing City."
"Alright."
Wan Yunting nodded. Fang Guowen patted his shoulder, full of joy. "Let's go in, I've already booked a room for you."
"Thank you, Uncle Fang."
Wan Yunting smiled and nodded. Fang Guowen glanced at him and chuckled, "We're family, no need for formalities..."
As soon as they entered the hotel, they ran into Liang Hongda, the vice president of the Hua Du Literary Association. He was coming out with several middle-aged men. Seeing Fang Guowen with Wan Yunting, Liang Hongda's aged face showed a slight surprise, and he immediately smiled, "Isn't this our Hua Du celebrity, Wan Yunting! Haha, President Wan, I knew you would definitely let him participate in this year's Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition."
Wan Yunting had some impression of Liang Hongda and knew why he was acting this way. He simply nodded and smiled at him without saying anything.
"Old Liang, where are you guys going?" Fang Guowen asked.
Liang Hongda pointed towards the hotel entrance and said, "I just received a call from Hongfang. Mr. Yuan from Beijing has arrived, and we're going out to welcome him."
Fang Guowen raised an eyebrow. At that moment, Liang Hongda saw a business van arriving at the entrance. "They're here, hurry out to greet them..."
The group quickly headed towards the hotel entrance. Fang Guowen and Wan Yunting turned back to see the business van's door open. A young man in a branded suit stepped out first. He bent down and extended his hand to help an elderly gentleman wearing a plain white Tang suit and a thick coat. This elderly gentleman was indeed Yuan Deyou, a master figure in the calligraphy circles of Beijing!
"Mr. Yuan..."
Liang Hongda, Wang Fuyi, and the others who had quickly come out rushed forward with beaming smiles, bowing and fawning over Yuan Deyou. "Mr. Yuan, it's been a long time. I wonder if you still remember me."
Yuan Deyou was over eighty years old, with short, salt-and-pepper hair and a ruddy complexion that made him look very energetic. Although he was leaning on a cane, the old gentleman stood tall and strong. He chuckled at Liang Hongda, "You must be Little Liang from the Hua Du Literary Association, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes! I didn't expect Mr. Yuan to still remember me."
Liang Hongda was excited, nodding and bowing profusely, like a pampered poodle trying to please its owner...
"Mr. Yuan..."
At this moment, Fang Guowen, with Wan Yunting in tow, came out. Since they had met, he naturally came out to greet Yuan Deyou. "I didn't know you were arriving now. Please forgive my lack of a proper welcome, Mr. Yuan."
"Heh heh, it's Little Fang."
Yuan Deyou looked at Fang Guowen with a hint of disdain and contempt in his eyes and said, "It's alright, I'm not that important, no need to inform you all."
Huangfu Hongfang, who was standing by to support him, politely smiled and greeted Fang Guowen. "President Fang, my teacher just doesn't want to trouble you. There's no need for such formality."
Fang Guowen nodded. He knew that Yuan Deyou was the most important master judge on their judging panel for this competition. He had intended to prepare a grand reception for him upon his arrival, but he hadn't expected Huangfu Hongfang to bring him today.
"Mr. Wan, you've just arrived too?"
Huangfu Hongfang looked at Wan Yunting, who was standing beside Fang Guowen with his luggage bag, and smiled, "With your participation in this Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition, it's sure to be very exciting."
Facing Huangfu Hongfang's feigned politeness, Wan Yunting felt indifferent. He smiled and nodded, saying, "Brother Huangfu is joking. This is my first time participating in such a national calligraphy competition, and I'm feeling a bit apprehensive. Unlike you, who have participated in various calligraphy competitions large and small for years, you must have a lot of experience."
"Heh heh."
Huangfu Hongfang chuckled twice and said, "Mr. Wan is really good at making jokes. You are now a famous national figure. I believe you will perform normally in the subsequent calligraphy competitions, and I also look forward to competing with Mr. Wan."
"Oh, I wouldn't dare compete. I'm just here to have fun." Wan Yunting pretended to be modest and exchanged a few pleasantries with Huangfu Hongfang.
He didn't care about the Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition. He had come solely because of the invitations from Fang Guowen and Gu Luotang. Otherwise, Wan Yunting would have already returned to Hua Du City to attend to his own important matters.
"Hongfang, is this the young man you mentioned who is new in Hua Du City and is skilled in writing the Slender Gold style calligraphy?"
Yuan Deyou naturally didn't know Wan Yunting. However, Huangfu Hongfang had gone to Beijing to see him later and had told him about Wan Yunting's public calligraphy of poems during the Mid-Autumn Festival, displaying a kingly demeanor with the Slender Gold style, which had piqued Yuan Deyou's curiosity!
"Yes, teacher."
Huangfu Hongfang nodded. Although he didn't want to admit it, Wan Yunting's Slender Gold style was indeed better than his own.
"Greetings, sir." Wan Yunting clasped his hands and politely greeted him out of courtesy.
However, Yuan Deyou's aged face held a proud expression, and his old eyes revealed a hint of contempt and disdain. With an air of seniority and arrogance, he said, "Young man, I look forward to your work."
Wan Yunting's eyes narrowed slightly. He could tell that the old man was looking down on him with contempt, so he smiled indifferently and said nothing more.
Just as Huangfu Hongfang and another middle-aged man were about to help Yuan Deyou into the hotel to rest, a taxi slowly pulled up. It was Gu Luotang, dressed in a winter Hanfu dress, and her junior sister Qi Miaomiao. Seeing Wan Yunting at the entrance, Qi Miaomiao immediately exclaimed happily, "Brother Yunting..."
Wan Yunting turned his head and, upon seeing the two sisters, greeted Fang Guowen and went to meet Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao. The two girls directly linked their arms around him on both sides, calling him "Brother Yunting" repeatedly, which instantly made Huangfu Hongfang's face darken.
Especially seeing the affectionate gaze in Gu Luotang's eyes as she looked at Wan Yunting, Huangfu Hongfang's heart burned with unspoken anger.
Back in the disaster area, Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang were trapped in a cave. Huangfu Hongfang had seen the news at the time. Although he was in Beijing and couldn't rush over, he had initially thought Gu Luotang and Wan Yunting would die in the disaster. To his surprise, they miraculously survived.
During that period, the news had also broken out with various rumors and gossip about Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang, suggesting that after experiencing life and death together in the cave, they must be a couple.
Some even speculated that Gu Luotang was more suited to be Wan Yunting's girlfriend...
When Huangfu Hongfang first saw those news reports, he had harbored a sliver of hope that there was nothing between Gu Luotang and Wan Yunting.
But seeing Gu Luotang holding Wan Yunting's arm now, her eyes filled with affection, and the joy radiating from her face, Huangfu Hongfang's expression turned grim. He knew that the two of them must be together now...