Hey hey hey, aren’t these two a bit overconfident? With so many people signing up, everyone seems so skilled—it doesn’t look easy to win the championship at all!
"Don’t worry, her painting skills are extraordinary." Yang Ming soothed, stroking his wife’s head.
"That’s true." Just last time, under such circumstances, Wang Xiangxiang managed to paint those gangster’s faces—it really showed her skill.
Not long after, Wang Xiangxiang and Chu Lian came back, with Wang Xiangxiang handing a card for Xiaoxiao to see.
"What’s this?" Xiaoxiao asked, puzzled.
"It’s a number card, I drew number eight," Wang Xiangxiang explained.
Xiaoxiao clapped her hands in delight, "Sis, this is a good sign!"
"You see, eight eight eight, lucky lucky lucky, this means we are going to make a fortune. That Blood Jade can definitely sell for a lot." Xiaoxiao said excitedly as if she was looking at a pile of shiny silver right in front of her.
"..." Everyone was speechless. Wasn’t the contest about passion? Why did they suddenly decide to sell it?
At that moment, a girl who had helped them on the road, Wen Nuan, approached them and politely addressed Chu Lian, "We meet again."
"Thank you, miss, for your help."
Wen Nuan smiled and turned to ask Wang Xiangxiang, "Are you also participating in the competition?"
"Yes." Wang Xiangxiang nodded, her face slightly unnatural because she remembered how she had intentionally gotten close to Chu Lian on the road and whispered something to him. She felt woman was probably going to make a move on Chu Lian, which she didn’t like.
"Then, please be gentle on me in the competition. I’m number eighteen. See you later!" Wen Nuan said before walking away.
Wang Xiangxiang stood there, determined to outperform that woman; she couldn’t afford to lose face in front of Chu Lian.
Shortly after, someone brought up a scroll and said, "The first round of the calligraphy contest is simple. Everyone just needs to write the content on this painting and mark it with their number. We will have someone judge it."
Xiaoxiao thought this was fair. Having the numbers meant nobody knew who was whom, not even the judges.
"Sis, we’ll be cheering for you down here." Xiaoxiao said, clenching her small fists and raising them as she yelled, "Go, go!"
"..." Wang Xiangxiang smiled, seemingly understanding the encouragement from Xiaoxiao, "I’ll do my best."
Having said that, she went up on the stage. The atmosphere fell silent for a moment as everyone watched the woman taking up the brush and diligently writing.
Wang Xiangxiang was confident in her calligraphy. She had thought she would be the first to finish. After she finished writing, she looked up confidently, only to discover that Wen Nuan had finished before her and was even smiling at her. It made her feel uncomfortable, but she generously returned a smile.
Just then, with a clang, the gong for the end of the contest sounded, and Wang Xiangxiang stepped down from the stage.
Several people anxiously awaited the results of this round—it wasn’t long before someone went up to announce them, "The winner of the first round of the calligraphy contest is... "
Xiaoxiao kept muttering inside, "Number eight, number eight."
Hearing the result, Wang Xiangxiang’s eyes widened—in disbelief, she had lost to Wen Nuan.
Seeing Wang Xiangxiang’s dismay, Chu Lian spoke up to comfort her, "It’s okay, there are other contests."