54: Chapter 054: Attending the Art Exhibition 54: Chapter 054: Attending the Art Exhibition Ning Fan’s eyes lit up at the sight of thirty thousand yuan, and he immediately flung off the blanket and opened up his arms, saying, “I’m ready, come on!”
Xu Xiaoqing nearly spewed water all over Ning Fan’s face and wished she could fit his head with a toilet pump…
Ning Fan asked in bewilderment, “Little girl, what are you waiting for?
I’m still waiting for your prostitution fee.”
Xu Xiaoqing looked down on Ning Fan even more, for being not only greedy for money but also full of dirty thoughts.
“You stinky fool, it’s not that kind of help!”
“Then what kind of help is it?”
Upon hearing Xu Xiaoqing say this, Ning Fan immediately wrapped himself tighter in the blanket, thinking that it couldn’t possibly get worse than this.
In fear that Ning Fan might get any more wrong ideas, Xu Xiaoqing hurriedly said:
“There’s an art exhibition at the school this afternoon.
I didn’t want to go, but the teachers insisted that everyone must attend, and everyone else has a boyfriend, except for me…”
Ning Fan had a sudden realization and said, “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend, the kind that can only take bullets but can’t do the actual work?”
Xu Xiaoqing smiled and nodded, “Ning Fan, you’re quite aware, huh.”
Ning Fan said, “What kind of bullet shield am I even pretending to be, forget it, I’m not going.
No matter how much you pay, I won’t go.
Whoever wants to go can go.”
To be anything at all, but a bullet shield—this is just inviting public anger, only those courting death would go!
Xu Xiaoqing huffed and threatened Ning Fan with folded arms, “If you don’t agree, I’ll shout right now and tell sister that you tried to scare me with a caterpillar!”
“For crying out loud!”
Ning Fan wished he could smack this girl dead, looking so underage yet unexpectedly so scheming.
“Girl, you’re ruthless!”
Xu Xiaoqing chuckled with a triumphant posture as she walked out of Ning Fan’s room.
Ning Fan watched Xu Xiaoqing leave, helplessly, with no choice but to agree to her request.
That afternoon, the two drove to Xu Xiaoqing’s school, Zhonghai City University.
“Just to look at paintings?
Why is it so crowded?”
Ning Fan looked towards the direction of the art exhibition and saw many people coming and going, feeling that something was amiss, and glared at Xu Xiaoqing.
Xu Xiaoqing giggled and leaned close to Ning Fan, whispering, “Today’s exhibition is different; it’s a charity art competition, or simply put, it’s a drawing contest…”
She was worried Ning Fan might not understand and added a clarification at the end.
Ning Fan uttered an “oh.”
Xu Xiaoqing then continued to Ning Fan, “Today’s exhibition also invited the most famous art teacher in Zhonghai City: Teacher Zhang Qingsong.
He is a legendary figure in the Chinese painting circles of Zhonghai City, one of the judges and also the chief judge!”
As she said this, her face was full of admiration, eyes brimming with worship.
Again, Ning Fan simply responded with an “oh,” unimpressed by Zhang Qingsong.
As they got closer to the exhibition, Ning Fan felt an increasing number of sharp gazes piercing through him.
He glanced at the surrounding students, all of whom revealed looks of disbelief and skepticism.
It seemed as if he, Ning Fan, didn’t belong next to Xu Xiaoqing, the universally acknowledged campus belle of the school, and was only suited to go back to being a poor loser.
Ning Fan mentally slapped his forehead, thinking it wasn’t worth damaging his reputation for the money.
Indeed, this was what the people around were thinking, gossiping about Ning Fan in their small groups.
“With that look of his, he dares to be with the beautiful campus belle Xu Xiaoqing—just unbelievable…”
“Ah, good cabbage being hogged by a pig.”
The surrounding students ridiculed them, which didn’t sit well with Ning Fan.
If it weren’t for Xu Xiaoqing’s money, he would’ve left already.
Xu Xiaoqing also felt the unfriendly stares of her classmates.
She glanced over everyone and spoke with a cheerful smile:
“My boyfriend, Ning Fan.”
As she spoke, she directly clung to Ning Fan’s arm and boldly walked towards the exhibition hall.
Does this little girl want to drag herself into a firing squad?
Being her human shield, I’m afraid I’ll be shot through the heart with a thousand arrows.
The students were all taken aback, Xu Xiaoqing actually got such a boyfriend and so openly admitted it?!
The boys sighed one after another, resenting they hadn’t made their move earlier.
If a loser like him could get close to Xu Xiaoqing, surely they could have too.
But it was too late, the loser had his luck.
Just thinking about it made everyone extremely displeased, casting hostile looks at Ning Fan.
Ning Fan didn’t care, as they hadn’t gone far before they ran into acquaintances.
“Xiaoqing, you’re here, and the piano master Master Ning as well?”
Zhou Jiangming and Wang Xiaoyan saw Ning Fan and Xu Xiaoqing, with Wang Xiaoyan greeting them with enthusiasm.
A flash of hatred and displeasure crossed Zhou Jiangming’s eyes when he saw Xu Xiaoqing walking with Ning Fan.
The last time at the mall, because of Ning Fan, he lost face in front of Xu Xiaoqing, and today they met again.
Although he really wanted to give Ning Fan a tough time, he still appeared quite amicable on the surface.
Zhou Jiangming smiled gently with an air of refinement, “I didn’t expect Brother Ning to not only possess remarkable talent in piano music but also to have interest in such an art like painting.
Are you also here to show off your skills?”
Ning Fan smiled politely.
Zhou Jiangming inwardly snorted coldly, while maintaining a friendly appearance as he looked at Xu Xiaoqing.
But Xu Xiaoqing ignored Zhou Jiangming, hugging Ning Fan as they headed towards the exhibition hall.
Zhou Jiangming was eager to strike up a conversation with Xu Xiaoqing, so he said, “Xiaoqing, are you taking part in today’s painting competition?”
But Xu Xiaoqing didn’t look back.
“If I’m in a good mood, I might show off a trick or two…”
Ning Fan and Xu Xiaoqing then didn’t pay any more attention to Zhou Jiangming and Wang Xiaoyan.
Wang Xiaoyan muttered to herself, it’s not just about being able to play the piano, what’s there to be smug about?
My Zhou Jiangming is also good at painting.
With that thought, Wang Xiaoyan couldn’t help but whisper, “Jiangming, give them a good show.”
Zhou Jiangming naturally wanted to showcase his skills in painting to put down Ning Fan and impress Xu Xiaoqing.
Who knows, Xu Xiaoqing might end up liking him because of it.
The painting exhibition began…
According to the rules, students from the school could paint their own artworks, which would be critiqued by the teachers to select the top ten.
Then the top ten students’ paintings could be auctioned, and the money raised d to the Hope Primary School.
Zhou Jiangming unhesitatingly participated in the painting.
This made the judges all smile knowingly, Zhou Jiangming’s painting skills were outstanding in the universities of Zhonghai City, earning the admiration of many.
His participation was a strong support for this painting exhibition.
Zhou Jiangming glanced at Ning Fan and said very politely, “I wonder how Brother Ning’s painting skills are.
Why not join in for a bit of fun?”
The invitation from Zhou Jiangming surprised everyone, and they all turned their gaze toward Ning Fan.
Ning Fan replied indifferently, “I’m not very good at painting.”
All of a sudden, those who had been full of expectations for Ning Fan felt a huge disappointment, and seeing Xu Xiaoqing in his arms really irked them.
It was as if Ning Fan had only come to show off that Xu Xiaoqing was his girlfriend, deliberately trying to outdo them.
Some of the students couldn’t stand it anymore and said sarcastically, “If you can’t paint, what are you doing here?”
“Exactly, our Zhou Jiangming is a painting expert.
He already did you a favor by inviting you, and you still don’t appreciate it…”