Liu Shu Huai said to Shen He with a helpless sigh, "Old Yuan said he wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be attending the award ceremony, so he asked you to present the awards to the winners."
"Heh..."
Shen He let out a cold laugh, knowing full well Yuan Deyou's intentions. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, if he doesn't want to come, so be it. Go and see if the top ten winners have all arrived."
"Yes, I'll go arrange it..."
As Liu Shu Huai, who was inside the cultural hall, was about to leave, he saw Fan Liren and Cao Hui, dressed casually, entering with Wang Mianzhi and the others. Liu Shu Huai was surprised and immediately went to greet them, "Old Fan, Old Cao, Old Wang, why have you come..."
"Can't we come?" Fan Liren retorted.
"Oh, Old Fan, please don't tease us."
Liu Shu Huai smiled bitterly. Shen He and the other committee members also came over and greeted them. Fan Liren looked at them and asked, "Where is Yuan Deyou? Why isn't he here?"
"Old Fan, Old Yuan said he wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be coming, so he asked us to hold the award ceremony," Shen He replied.
"Heh, I think he's not feeling well in his heart," Fan Liren said with a cold laugh, waving his hand indifferently. "I'll present this award today."
Shen He and Liu Shu Huai exchanged glances and said with happy smiles, "That would be excellent."
"Then let's get started." Fan Liren waved his hand and sat down with Cao Hui and Wang Mianzhi on nearby chairs, waiting for the award ceremony to officially begin...
Outside, the crowd was huge and bustling. As Wan Yunting, Gu Luotang, and Qi Miaomiao appeared with Fang Guowen and Hu Tianchi, they were immediately surrounded by a group of young talents and beautiful women shouting, "It's that Wan Yunting! The Immortal Fairy Luo Tang is here with him..."
In addition to these excited talents and beauties, there was also a group of reporters eager to interview Wan Yunting. They blocked their path, making it impossible to get through. Wan Yunting reluctantly answered a few questions from the reporters. Finally, a group of security guards arrived and escorted them into the cultural hall to gather.
"Old Fan, Old Cao, Old Wang, you're here too."
Upon entering, they saw Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and Wang Mianzhi. Wan Yunting, with Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao, went forward, followed by Fang Guowen and Hu Tianchi. Fan Liren and the others turned back and laughed, "Aren't you surprised, little Wan, Luo Tang? I'm the one presenting the award to you."
"Also, you can't escape this meal!" Wang Mianzhi said, pointing at Wan Yunting and laughing.
Wan Yunting cupped his fists and nodded at the three elders with a smile, "I've already arranged with Brother Tang. We'll meet at the Purple Bamboo Garden at noon. You can drink as much as you want then, and I'll accompany you."
"Haha, that's the spirit." Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and Wang Mianzhi burst into laughter.
At this moment, Shen He came over and said to Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang with a smile, "The award ceremony is about to begin. You two should get ready."
"Okay..." Wan Yunting politely shook hands with Shen He and replied with a smile...
Just then, Liu Shu Huai came in and said, "Old Shen, except for Huangfu Hongfang and Ning Yuqing, all other award winners have arrived."
Shen He's expression darkened. Fan Liren couldn't help but snort, "What kind of teacher, teaches what kind of student. Shen He, call Yuan Deyou. Give him ten minutes. If he doesn't bring his students, he won't be a professor anymore!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the many acclaimed masters present changed dramatically. Yuan Deyou's behavior had crossed Fan Liren's bottom line! Shen He quickly took out his phone and called Yuan Deyou. Yuan Deyou, who was resting in a hotel, heard Shen He relay Fan Liren's words to him verbatim. His face immediately changed, and after repeatedly agreeing, he also hung up the phone and called Huangfu Hongfang...
At this moment, in a villa room, Huangfu Hongfang and Ning Yuqing were leaning against each other on a large bed, looking at the news on their phones. Yuan Deyou's call came, and he immediately answered, "Teacher, what's wrong?"
"Hongfang, hurry up and pick me up to the cultural hall to attend the award ceremony." Yuan Deyou's voice was anxious.
Huangfu Hongfang's expression immediately changed, and he said, "But Teacher, didn't you say we didn't need to attend? Why the sudden change..."
"Oh, stop the nonsense and hurry up and pick me up. I'll explain when we get there. Hurry..." Yuan Deyou said anxiously and hung up the phone, leaving Huangfu Hongfang stunned. Ning Yuqing also frowned and said softly, "It seems Old Fan has also gone to the cultural hall to attend the award ceremony!"
Instantly understanding, Huangfu Hongfang's heart sank heavily, and he could only get out of bed with a cold snort...
At the cultural hall, it was already ten o'clock in the morning, but there was a half-hour delay. Wan Yunting, Gu Luotang, and Qi Miaomiao were chatting happily with Old Fan, Old Cao, and Old Wang, while Fang Guowen and Hu Tianchi also sat aside. The other committee members gathered around, looking at Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang with envy.
When they learned that Fan Liren had accepted Gu Luotang as his last disciple, it surprised everyone present even more and made the awarded talents and beauties even more envious of Gu Luotang. After all, being accepted as a last disciple by Fan Liren, a titan of the literary world, was an absolute lifelong honor and a boundless future...
Time quickly passed to ten twenty. Yuan Deyou, with an anxious look on his face, rushed in with Huangfu Hongfang and Ning Yuqing. Upon seeing Fan Liren and the others, he hurried over and forced a smile on his old face, "Old Fan, I'm truly sorry. I didn't know you were also attending the award ceremony today, so I..."
"Heh." Yuan Deyou was interrupted by Fan Liren's cold laugh. Fan Liren's old eyes scanned Huangfu Hongfang, whose face was grim, and Ning Yuqing, whose face was stiff and cold, following behind Yuan Deyou. But Fan Liren ignored them and turned to Shen He, saying, "Let's begin now."
"Yes, Old Fan." Shen He and Liu Shu Huai nodded and immediately beckoned everyone to go out...
"Let's go, little Wan. It's time to present your awards..." Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and Wang Mianzhi stood up. Wan Yunting and Gu Luotang nodded and also stood up, ignoring the stiff Yuan Deyou, Huangfu Hongfang, and Ning Yuqing standing aside. The group headed straight out of the cultural hall...
Finally, the vast hall of the cultural center was left with only the three of them. Yuan Deyou's old face was even more gloomily clouded than ever, and his heart trembled violently. Huangfu Hongfang was about to say something, but Yuan Deyou turned his face, glaring at him with his old eyes, and said angrily, "It's all your fault for giving me such terrible advice!"
"Teacher, I..."
"Hmph." Yuan Deyou let out a heavy, cold snort and flicked his sleeves to leave...
Huangfu Hongfang paused, his face darkened, and his eyes revealed endless resentment and anger. His mouth twitched, and finally, he said coldly, "Wan Yunting, I will definitely ruin your reputation!"
"Let's go." Ning Yuqing, with a cold face, headed towards the hall entrance, as they still had to go on stage to receive their awards. Huangfu Hongfang could only suppress the anger in his heart and followed Ning Yuqing out. He saw Shen He had already taken the stage, holding a microphone and delivering some official remarks. He then introduced Fan Liren, who would be presenting awards to the winners today, immediately causing thunderous applause and roaring cheers from the audience of young talents and beauties.
"Now, please welcome Wan Yunting, who won first place in the Ninth Lanting Award Calligraphy Competition, Gu Luotang, who won second place, Huangfu Hongfang, who won third place, Huang Yaodong, who won fourth place, and Ning Yuqing, who won fifth place..."
As their names were called, Wan Yunting, Gu Luotang, and Huang Yaodong went onto the stage one after another. Huangfu Hongfang and Ning Yuqing also went up to the stage with cold faces, standing on the stage according to their rankings. Then, the host handed the microphone to Wan Yunting and said with a smile, "Mr. Wan, could you share your feelings about winning first place in this year's Lanting Award?"
Wan Yunting smiled as he took the microphone, looking at the cheering crowd below and said, "I feel very honored to have won first place. Thank you..." With that, he handed the microphone back to the beautiful host, leaving her stunned. The audience below was also speechless: "Is that it?"
"Don't be so stingy with your words. You're so handsome, say a few more things..." a beautiful woman shouted from the crowd. Fan Liren, Cao Hui, and Wang Mianzhi, standing on the sides of the stage, pointed at Wan Yunting above and said with smiles, "This little Wan is really interesting..."
The host smiled and said, "Mr. Wan, please say a bit more. I'm sure everyone wants to know how you learned calligraphy and what experiences you've had that have led you to write so well..." Seeing this, Wan Yunting could only reluctantly take the microphone again and said, "Actually, I've only been practicing calligraphy for five or six years, and I learned it in prison. As for any experience or why I write so well, I don't actually think I write that well. After all, I believe the world is vast, and there are many people who write better calligraphy than me. Well, that's all." He then handed the microphone back to the beautiful host.
The crowd below was already in an uproar, with some shouting, "This is too much of a humblebrag! Learning so well in just five or six years..." "Exactly, and he learned it in prison. Do they even teach calligraphy in prison?" "Wow, you've made me want to learn calligraphy in prison!" "Brother, don't do anything foolish. Perhaps he's self-taught. How could prison teach calligraphy? It's better not to break the law and go to prison..." Although many of the young talents and beauties present didn't know Wan Yunting before, they had already collected his personal information starting from last night and basically knew his background, including the fact that he had served over seven years in prison...