"Ah, Xiao Tang has arrived."
The old man named Wang Mianzhi saw a middle-aged man in a Tang suit standing in front of him. This was Tang Boyun, the boss who invested in building the Purple Bamboo Tea Garden. He was on the first floor of the Jubao Pavilion with a few tall and beautiful female attendants. He saw Cao Hui and Wang Mianzhi bringing Fan Liren over...
Tang Boyun immediately lowered his body and walked quickly to greet them. From a distance, he cupped his hands in greeting towards Fan Liren and said with a smile, "Mr. Fan, it's truly an honor to have you visit our Purple Bamboo Tea Garden. I still couldn't believe it when Mr. Cao mentioned you were coming..."
Fan Liren sized up Tang Boyun. He had a scholarly air about him, lacking the usual stench of wealth associated with businessmen. He nodded and smiled, saying, "Mr. Tang, it's not easy to build such a tea garden for us literati to gather."
"Not at all, Mr. Fan. In front of you, you can just call me Xiao Tang. Moreover, I am a great admirer of your Chinese paintings and calligraphy, and I've read many of your literary masterpieces. You are my idol!"
Tang Boyun was of medium build and exuded a refined demeanor. Unlike other bosses with a strong whiff of commerce, he was passionate about art and literature, which was why he invested over a billion yuan to create this magnificent Purple Bamboo Tea Garden.
"Old Mr. Fan, just call him Xiao Tang," Cao Hui also said with a smile. "Otherwise, he'll be uncomfortable."
"Alright."
Fan Liren nodded, and Tang Boyun became even more excited. After all, he had always idolized Fan Liren and even collected many of his Chinese paintings and calligraphy works at home, but he had never had the chance to meet him. When he heard from Old Mr. Cao that he was bringing Fan Liren to his Purple Bamboo Tea Garden today, Tang Boyun was thrilled. He said with great respect, "Then, Mr. Fan, shall we go up to the Jubao Pavilion to sit? I've already prepared excellent tea for you..."
"No need."
As Fan Liren walked, he waved his hand and said, "I'm not used to those expensive teas. Let's just have our Longjing tea here."
Tang Boyun paused for a moment and glanced at Cao Hui. He nodded and smiled, "We'll do as Old Mr. Fan wishes."
"Alright."
Tang Boyun nodded, bowed his head, and gestured. All along the way, he invited Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and the other esteemed guests, Wang Mianzhi, to ascend directly to the upper floors of the Jubao Pavilion...
"Look quickly, it's Mr. Tang and Old Mr. Cao...!"
The scholars and beauties on the first floor of the Jubao Pavilion saw Tang Boyun, the owner of the Purple Bamboo Tea Garden, personally welcoming Fan Liren. This sight caused them to point and whisper amongst themselves. "Who is that old gentleman? He looks somewhat familiar!"
"No, you don't even recognize the esteemed Mr. Fan Liren!" A young man who recognized Fan Liren turned to those people and said.
"What? The esteemed Mr. Fan Liren, is it really him?" At once, those scholars and beauties were astonished. They stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Tang Boyun and Cao Hui, who were leading Fan Liren up to the second floor, exclaiming, "Good heavens, Fan Liren, the titan of the art and literary world, has also come to the Purple Bamboo Tea Garden! No wonder Old Mr. Cao and Old Mr. Wang are personally accompanying him. This is too exciting..."
"Yes, he's my idol. I absolutely love his calligraphy and paintings, and his literary works..."
"Nonsense, Old Mr. Fan is a towering figure in our art world, and he is the idol of us all..."
For a moment, the scholars and beauties below were in an uproar, exclaiming with excitement.
Unfortunately, Tang Boyun led Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and the others up to the second floor. These scholars and beauties did not have the required 'Treasure' pavilion passes and could not go up. They could only stomp their feet in regret on the first floor for not recognizing Old Mr. Fan sooner so they could have gone up to greet him...
"Come, Old Mr. Fan, please ascend to the third floor..." Tang Boyun, still bowed, respectfully led them to the second floor and continued upwards to the third floor...
"What beautiful calligraphy, truly beautiful calligraphy...!"
"Yes, it's incredible that someone not from the art world could write such excellent Slender Gold Script calligraphy...!"
As a result, people on the second floor were stirred by a piece of Slender Gold Script calligraphy written by Wan Yunting, causing all the scholars and beauties on the second floor to marvel at its exquisite artistry.
Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and the others paused and turned to look at the young scholars, smiling, "It seems someone has created a masterpiece, causing such a commotion."
"Yes, the young people who came to the Purple Bamboo Tea Garden today are all here to participate in the Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition from all over the country. It's natural that there are a few truly talented young people here, so such a scene is normal," Wang Mianzhi said with a nod and a smile.
"How about it, Old Mr. Fan, shall we go take a look too?" Cao Hui became interested and said to Fan Liren with a smile.
"Alright."
Fan Liren was indifferent. Although he wasn't optimistic about the current generation of young people, he hoped to encounter someone with genuine talent...
"Let me ask..."
So, Tang Boyun immediately went up and asked the young people, "Who is creating the work?"
Someone turned and saw him, immediately exclaiming, "Mr. Tang is here, and also Old Mr. Cao and Old Mr. Wang...!"
At once, the scholars and beauties present exclaimed, making way for Tang Boyun to lead Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and the others into the study. Huang Yaodong, Lin Yushu, Hou Xuesong, and Gu Luotang immediately recognized Fan Liren and exclaimed, "It's the esteemed Old Mr. Fan...!"
"Good heavens, it's truly the titan of the literary world, Old Mr. Fan..."
At this point, other people nearby recognized Fan Liren, and the scene instantly erupted. The scholars and beauties stared intently at Fan Liren with excited eyes, their exclamations continuous...
However, Wan Yunting, who was beside Gu Luotang, looked utterly confused. He had no idea who the "Old Mr. Fan" mentioned by Gu Luotang and Huang Yaodong was, but he felt that the short old man looked somewhat familiar. Especially the gaze beneath his glasses, Wan Yunting immediately recognized him as the elderly gentleman who had explained the little-known aspects of Lu Xun's life to them at the Lu Xun Memorial Hall yesterday, and whom he had helped apprehend a pickpocket who stole a phone.
"Huh, isn't this the young man from the memorial hall yesterday!" Fan Liren, seeing Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang, also recognized them immediately. He went up with a smile and said, "Haha, young man, are you here to play too?"
Gu Luotang's pretty face showed surprise. She looked at Fan Liren with disbelief. She now recognized the old gentleman she had met at the Lu Xun Memorial Hall yesterday afternoon. She turned excitedly to the man beside her, and Wan Yunting nodded with a smile, "It's that old gentleman."
"Good heavens, it's Old Mr. Fan, and I didn't even recognize him..." Gu Luotang was internally thrilled. After all, Fan Liren was a towering figure in the art world. She had also read many of Fan Liren's literary works and collected several of his calligraphy and paintings, but Gu Luotang had never met Fan Liren in person. She hadn't expected to meet him at the memorial hall yesterday and failed to recognize him. However, Fan Liren had been wearing a mask at the time, so Gu Luotang naturally couldn't recognize him.
"Greetings, Old Sir..." Wan Yunting cupped his hands and politely greeted Fan Liren. Gu Luotang also reacted and quickly bowed in greeting...
Huang Yaodong, Zhao Yushi, Lin Yushu, Hou Xuesong, Qi Miaomiao, Tang Boyun, Cao Hui, Wang Mianzhi, and others present all looked puzzled, wondering how Fan Liren knew Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang.
"Haha, no need for formalities..." Fan Liren also hadn't expected to meet Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang here. He explained to Cao Hui and Wang Mianzhi with a smile, "This young man and I met at the Lu Xun Memorial Hall yesterday afternoon, and he bravely stepped forward to help me catch a phone thief. Otherwise, I would have had to ask my granddaughter to buy me a new phone."
"Oh, so that's why..." Tang Boyun, Cao Hui, and the others finally understood. Huang Yaodong, Zhao Yushi, and the others also looked at Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang in surprise, not expecting them to have already met the esteemed Old Mr. Fan yesterday afternoon.
"Yes!" Suddenly, Fan Liren noticed the Du Fu poem "Ascending Yueyang Tower" placed on the desk. He couldn't help but walk forward, his old eyes beneath his glasses slightly widening as he carefully examined the calligraphy written by Wan Yunting in Slender Gold Script...
Tang Boyun, Cao Hui, and Wang Mianzhi also came forward and gathered around the desk to look at the calligraphy. They were immediately astonished by the kingly aura emanating from the Slender Gold Script calligraphy. Wang Mianzhi couldn't help but praise, "What beautiful calligraphy! I never expected someone could write such excellent Slender Gold Script!"
"Indeed, it possesses an imposing spirit and sharp strokes. Truly, it is fine calligraphy," Cao Hui nodded and then asked Huang Yaodong and the others, "Who wrote this piece?"
"Old Mr. Cao, he wrote it!" Lin Yushu immediately pointed at Wan Yunting.
At this, Tang Boyun, Cao Hui, and Wang Mianzhi all turned their heads, their gazes focusing on Wan Yunting...
Fan Liren also looked up, his eyes beneath his glasses releasing a sharp, undisguised look of surprise, "Young man, did you truly write this piece?"
Wan Yunting had already heard Gu Luotang quietly explain that the old gentleman before him was a titan in the art world. He exclaimed internally, no wonder he could explain the details of Lu Xun's life at the memorial hall yesterday; he was truly a master of the arts.
"Yes, Old Sir," Wan Yunting replied with a smile and a nod.
"Well written..." Fan Liren immediately clapped his hands in praise, his old face showing an excited expression. He directly gave Wan Yunting a thumbs-up, praising, "I truly never imagined that at such a young age, you could write the Slender Gold Script with such spirit and grandeur. This is absolutely the best Slender Gold Script I have ever seen. Young man, you are truly remarkable."
Fan Liren's high praise stunned all the scholars and beauties present. They all knew Fan Liren's character. He had publicly criticized the current generation of young people more than once, urging them not to merely put on a show and seek attention due to the prevailing superficiality. He had even publicly expressed his disappointment in the current generation of young people! Seeing him now praising Wan Yunting's Slender Gold Script calligraphy made the scholars and beauties present envious. After all, to receive praise from a titan in the art world was an immense honor...