Chapter 3, Settling the Controversy of the Art Exhibition

The young man walked around her and strolled towards the exhibition hall across from them, while also remembering to turn back and smile in greeting.

Xue Yuan's emotions had nearly settled, and she calmly continued, "They are merely taking advantage of the belief that there is no one in China. Since I am here, I cannot allow them to succeed."

It seems that I have arrived a step too late, as you have successfully resolved the issue.

He Yuntang was in a state of utter distress, almost on the verge of losing her temper. She pointed towards a booth in the exhibition hall, where a crowd had gathered, and the voices of several foreigners were notably louder than elsewhere, truly drawing attention. He Yuntang glared and gritted her teeth, saying: "I really can't handle this anymore. These French people are insisting that this painting is plagiarized. No matter how I explain, they refuse to listen, claiming they don't understand my English. I suggested they go to the office at the back for a detailed explanation, but they absolutely refuse to leave, insisting they won't be satisfied until they see this painting taken down. I saw you dealing with foreigners this morning, and your English was impressively fluent. You are much better at articulating than I am. Please help me out here while I go find General Manager Zhang."

The young man was not surprised by her response, and with a regretful shrug and a light laugh, he said, "Ah, what a pity. I apologize, I will take my leave first and go see other works."

Mr. Li Tianming collaborates with Boyi Gallery for the first time... His new paintings "The Girl Reading" and "The Sound" are exhibited for the first time...

"Sir, this is not malicious indulgence," Xue Yuan patiently explained, "Determining whether a painting is plagiarized is not something you and I can decide. The industry naturally has its own methods, and there are relevant regulations in the law. Factors such as composition and expression are all criteria for judgment. If we were to conclude that two paintings are plagiarized solely based on their visual similarities, that would not be a scientific approach"

Xue Yuan was about to provide further explanation when the other two French individuals curled their lips and began to converse in low voices in French; Xue Yuan furrowed her brow and raised her voice by eight degrees while switching to French: "Please be mindful of your wording! If I heard correctly, you just said, 'Chinese people only know how to plagiarize,' didn't you? Assuming that no one present understands French and casually framing accusations without clear evidence? I had thought that France was a romantic country, a nation that respects and loves art, yet your behavior has left all the Chinese present, including myself, deeply disappointed.

The Frenchman widened his eyes, the veins on the back of his hand bulging: "But this painting is clearly consistent with 'Hands in Prayer'! Dufresne is a renowned painter in our country, and his personal style is very distinctive! I can tell at a glance that the style of this painting on the wall is exactly the same as Dufresne's style!"

Ding Yinan pinched him again, applying much more force than last time

As expected, once I got busy, time seemed to pass by in seconds, and I didn't even notice what the person standing in front of me looked like. Guests came and went; I had just seen off one guest when I looked up and saw Ding Yinan and Huang Wan. Habitually, I nodded and said, "Welcome to browse at your leisure"

You are completely resorting to sophistry! It is absolutely impossible for me to find the painting "Hands in Prayer" right now! Hanging such a plagiarized work on the wall is maliciously condoning this behavior! The nature of this is even more reprehensible!

Xue Yuan was surprised: "What happened?"

Ding Yinan casually raised his head and unexpectedly spotted Huang Wan's silhouette in a small exhibition hall on the left. He stood beneath a painting, his figure upright.

It was utterly dizzying. In that moment, Ding Yinan only wanted to nod frantically, but fortunately, reason intervened just in time, forcing back a "good" that was stuck in her throat, and instead, she bit her tongue and managed to utter three words: "I am sorry"

Ding Yinan clapped her hands and said, "By the way, have you seen Li Tianming's work? That painting 'The Girl Reading' is truly beautiful. When I saw it, I thought to myself, you must like it very much."

Good

There are all kinds of people, and some individuals in this world are far wealthier than you and I can imagine

The host's voice resonated throughout the exhibition hall after being transmitted through the microphone, while the sound of cameras clicking seemed like the background music of a bustling film. The works of Li Tianming, represented by Boyi, are undoubtedly a significant event in the art world. With so many heads bobbing and so many excited faces, one can also ascertain another fact—today will not be an easy day. The works of Li Tianming, represented by Boyi, are undoubtedly a significant event in the art world. With so many heads bobbing and so many excited faces, one can also ascertain another fact—today will not be an easy day

Xue Yuan sighed inwardly, realizing that such a grand assembly must have taken Bo Yi four months of preparation

Xue Yuan widened her eyes in surprise. She glanced at the several tall figures in the partition, and after a moment's consideration, she patted He Yuntang's shoulder: "Alright, you go call General Manager Zhang. If she is unavailable, then look for Secretary Xiao. Let me handle things here for the time being"

As the speech concluded, a profound silence enveloped the venue, followed by applause that began at a single point and then spread throughout the entire hall at an unexpected speed. Xue Yuan glanced at the group of French individuals once more, slightly inclined her body, and refrained from further speech, merely observing them.

Ah, alright, alright

I understand, you go ahead with your work first

A compliment made Ding Yinan's heart bloom with joy. She shyly chuckled twice and then said, "What beautiful girl? Where? Where?"

The scene just now was perfectly captured in Xiao Zhengyu's eyes. He scanned the crowd and was taken aback when he caught a glimpse of someone leaving. However, he had no time to dwell on it; he lowered his head to speak to He Yuntang beside him, only to find her completely engrossed, her face filled with admiration as she looked at Xue Yuan. Not a single word of his reached her ears, and he couldn't help but shake his head and smile.

She paused for a moment, then looked at the group of arrogant Frenchmen: "When you return to your country, you may want to compare the original paintings, as this particular piece is not well-known in China and not many people will be aware of it; after the comparison, you will clearly see whether there was any mistake in what I just said. If you appreciate fine arts, if you respect these works of painting, then you should also respect the artists who created them. An artist's inspiration may sometimes overlap, resulting in similar works—but these two pieces, we have sufficient evidence to demonstrate that they are entirely different paintings. Therefore, we refuse to remove this artwork from the exhibition area. If you insist on your viewpoint, we will respect your opinion, but before that, we hope to see the judge's ruling."

In contrast to their leisure, Xue Yuan was so busy that she hardly had time to eat. Just as she had finished handing over her tasks to a colleague and was planning to return to the office area for lunch, she was intercepted by another colleague, He Yuntang, halfway there

However, Huang Wan seemed oblivious to the pain in his arm, not uttering a single complaint, as his attention was completely captivated by the painting before him

Xue Yuan felt a headache, yet still wore a charming smile: "Perhaps you have a point, but can you provide me with evidence? You know, we cannot rely solely on your word. For instance, let us take the painting 'Hands in Prayer' and compare it with 'We Can Make It'. We can draw a preliminary conclusion."

Half of the works for sale will be auctioned off

She gave a brief response, nodded in acknowledgment to Ding Yinan and Huang Wan, and then left the departure area with Xiao Zhengyu

Her explanation was a jumble, yet the young man in front of her understood and shook his head without a care: "It doesn't matter, I am very happy to be interrupted by a beautiful girl"

Upon this mention, Ding Yinan began to seriously observe the painting, gradually discerning some meaning from it. The two engaged in a quiet conversation, only to realize that they were completely surrounded by several foreigners, who were pointing at the painting and speaking in a language they did not understand at all. These individuals were exceptionally tall, and as they crowded around the exhibition wall, they blocked the light like a mountain. Having already finished viewing the painting and adhering to the principle of 'catering to foreign friends,' the two exchanged a glance and quickly stepped aside to appreciate other works. These individuals were exceptionally tall, and as they crowded around the exhibition wall, they blocked the light like a mountain. Having already finished viewing the painting and adhering to the principle of 'catering to foreign friends,' the two exchanged a glance and quickly stepped aside to appreciate other works

Xue Yuan finished speaking in one breath, then looked around the crowd and noticed that the number of onlookers was increasing, forming a semicircular encirclement around them, with quite a few foreigners also coming over to watch. She then switched to speaking in English

She spoke with a professional smile, and Ding Yinan couldn't help but chuckle. Then she leaned in and said, "You seem quite busy. We will just be browsing. It's impossible for us to afford anything. Most of the items will be for sale this time, right?"

Unexpectedly hearing such fluent French, several French individuals were clearly taken aback, exchanging glances as if they had forgotten to respond

After a while without receiving a response from Huang Wan, she came to her senses and realized he was no longer by her side. She knew very well that she would indeed find him in the main hall at Li Tianming's exhibition area. Once Huang Wan became absorbed in thought, he exhibited a state akin to having consumed too much fine wine; he stared intently at the painting "The Reading Girl," his cheeks flushed and muttering to himself.

Ding Yinan was filled with excitement, something surged to her forehead, and that exhilarating feeling made her unable to help but follow the figure of the person leaving, completely at a loss. Huang Wan's voice sounded behind her, neither warm nor cold: "Oh, who are you so entranced by?"

"It is not a big deal; when necessary, one should cut off decisively. This is the demeanor of a great general," Xiao Zhengyu remarked approvingly. "We will discuss the specific details back at the office. He Yuntang, you will continue to be in charge. For any further matters, report directly to me."

The modern art exhibition was held as scheduled on the day Xue Yuan officially started work

After taking a few steps, Ding Yinan turned back and found Xue Yuan fully engrossed in conversation with several visitors. Her focused demeanor was exceptionally beautiful, her eyes sparkling with vitality, causing others to nod in agreement. Ding Yinan sighed and said to herself, "It is indeed enviable, but it is also quite arduous. I do not have the patience to deal with so many people."

"Indeed, the handling of colors is simply exquisite," Huang Wan said, his face filled with ecstasy. "Now I understand the reason why he hasn't produced any new works for several years! Over these years, he has been in a period of dormancy, attempting to elevate his painting skills to a new level. The rich visual effects and profound colors are already on par with any great Western painter, which is truly astonishing. I stood in front of the painting for nearly twenty minutes, reluctant to leave... The rich visual effects and profound colors are already on par with any great Western painter, which is truly astonishing. I stood in front of the painting for nearly twenty minutes, reluctant to leave..."

As the annual large-scale event of Boyi Gallery, this exhibition was described later in the newspapers as "putting in great effort to gather the best dealers, artists, collectors, professionals, and art enthusiasts from both the country and the world together"; the venue was bustling with people and cars, resembling the glamorous scene when celebrities walk the red carpet. This was a grand gathering in the art world and also a great opportunity for artists to showcase themselves simultaneously. The venue was bustling with people and cars, resembling the glamorous scene when celebrities walk the red carpet. This was a grand gathering in the art world and also a great opportunity for artists to showcase themselves simultaneously

In this situation, even the thickest-skinned person would likely be unable to stay. Seeing a few people leave without looking back, Xue Yuan then searched for the source of the sound with her gaze, and saw Ding Yinan and Huang Wan applauding in the crowd, along with many unfamiliar faces. Her heart warmed, as if a traveler trudging through the darkness had finally found a brightly lit city; it was her support and pillar, and she finally let out a sigh of relief

The atmosphere in the exhibition hall reached its peak when Li Tianming's painting was unveiled for the first time after the opening ceremony and press conference. Xue Yuan was not part of this scene; in fact, although she was also an employee of Boyi, she had not even seen what Li Tianming looked like. If possible, she would have liked to go and see Li Tianming's new painting, but her work that day primarily involved registering and guiding visitors who were interested in purchasing paintings. Therefore, she could not go anywhere. She dutifully stood at the counter in the corner of the hall, listening intently from a distance to the cheers that rose and fell in the distance. Finally, she let out a soft sigh, lowered her head again, and continued reading the list on the table.

The crowd of spectators around was too large, and pushing through the throng to find him was certainly not a wise decision. More importantly, she did not want to disrupt his enjoyment of the artwork. Ding Yinan simply wandered around the exhibition hall alone. There are many advantages to appreciating paintings with a companion; previously, she often attended art exhibitions with Huang Wan and Xue Yuan. Both of them are very thoughtful individuals, each with their own perspectives on the works, especially Xue Yuan, whose critiques are extremely professional and whose reasoning is universally accepted. Being with them meant that she only needed to accept their views without exerting herself to think deeply. Now, without them, Ding Yinan discovered that viewing art alone also has its benefits: it is quiet and free from the influence of others' thoughts.

Due to the large number of visitors, Huang Wan endured the pain without crying out, and could only complain discontentedly: "What is so attractive about that man? He has nothing but a deceptive face, like a fairy. You women only like men who look like this, completely lacking in appreciation."

The words "over there" had no outlet, yet the person turned around with deep confusion, and Ding Yinan was momentarily taken aback.

She feels that many works are exceptionally beautiful, with no apparent flaws. However, in Xue Yuan's eyes, shortcomings are undoubtedly glaring. After so many years of studying painting and design, it seems she is still at a fundamental level. In a painting, what truly constitutes good or bad? Everyone has their own scale for measurement. The purpose of painting is to pursue beauty, but being overly concerned with the perfection of details is indeed exhausting

No, "Huangwan Commentary," this painting requires careful observation. Look at those hands; they appear completely lifelike, with each inch of skin displaying a different hue, perfectly showcasing the luster. The meaning conveyed in the painting is also commendable.

She felt astonished; given Huang Wan's character, how could he possibly walk away so quickly from the work he was infatuated with? She rushed up and punched that figure in the back, laughing as she said, "You really run fast! I just saw you still at---"

I am truly curious about what kind of people can afford to buy these paintings

Xue Yuan was originally filling in the information of the previous guest in her notebook when she suddenly raised her head and said, "Is that so?"

The place where you stand is part of China, and this art exhibition is also organized by Chinese people. Please believe that our passion for art is at least as great as yours, if not greater. Every piece exhibited here has undergone rigorous scrutiny. I remember you just mentioned that you are very familiar with Dussart, so you should be even more aware of the differences in these details. However, in my opinion, you do not seem to be very familiar with Dussart's original works. Fortunately, I know what the original looks like. " She paused, turned to face all the visitors, and pointed to the painting on the wall. "I remember you just said you are very familiar with Dussart, so you should be even more aware of the differences in these details. However, in my opinion, you do not seem to be very familiar with Dussart's original works. Fortunately, I know what the original looks like. " She paused again, turned to face all the visitors, and pointed to the painting on the wall. "There are many differences between 'Fate' and 'Hands in Prayer.' First, in the painting 'Prayer,' the hands are together with fingers aligned, palms pressed together; while in 'Fate,' the hands are clenched into fists. Second, the object in front of the hands in 'Prayer' is a statue of the Virgin Mary; whereas in 'Fate,' it is a key. Third, the backgrounds are vastly different. The background of 'Prayer' is a gray haze, while the background of 'Fate' features a traditional Chinese house, which carries profound meanings in Chinese traditional culture. This is just the most obvious difference. In terms of composition and color, the positions of the hands and the key in the paintings also differ significantly. These differences render the meanings of these two paintings entirely distinct.

Ding Yinan smiled broadly, and Huang Wan nodded vigorously. The two spoke in unison: "Of course!"

He spoke with both hands and feet, his body language was quite exaggerated, and coupled with his loud voice, he attracted the attention and gaze of many visitors. The crowd gradually gathered around, yet the surroundings strangely fell silent.

Xue Yuan's expression suddenly became very distant. Then she saw several visitors walking past Ding Yinan, and politely interrupted Huang Wan's excited discourse: "I would be very happy to continue listening, but unfortunately, I cannot today as guests have arrived. Please feel free to look around."

One can almost understand the situation without much thought. Regardless, guests are to be treated with respect, and one must put on a show of courtesy. Xue Yuan rubbed her face, revealing a perfect smile, and walked over with poise and grace. She parted the crowd, focused on the leader, and politely greeted in fluent English: "Good afternoon, I just heard about this matter from a colleague, but I still do not have a clear understanding of the situation. Could you please explain it to me once more?"

As Ding Yinan turned around, she fiercely pinched his arm and said: "Clearly, it is the same outfit, why does it look so much better on others than on you"

Turning around, Xue Yuan saw that the speaker was indeed Xiao Zhengyu. His face was full of smiles, and at that moment, Xue Yuan noticed that he had a pair of peach blossom eyes, with long corners and slightly upturned tips, radiating a pool of brilliance. Xue Yuan inclined her body slightly and said, "I apologize, I may have been a bit too emotional, and I am not sure if it will have a negative impact on the gallery"

The leading French man was a head taller than Xue Yuan, his voice booming like a bell: "This painting plagiarizes our writer Du Sha's 'Hands in Prayer'. In terms of both creativity and color, this is a despicable act of theft. I hope you will take this painting down."

A young man, slightly hunched and leaning forward, raised his head with a perfectly casual smile on his face: "Wearing the same outfit as your boyfriend is also a kind of fate. Since your boyfriend is not here right now, I wonder if you would be willing to spare half an hour to accompany me in appreciating these works?"

Ding Yinan followed his gaze and also saw the painting on the wall, then said: "Fate, can you grasp it? The name is indeed interesting, but I find it rather ordinary."

While others were admiring the painting, Ding Yinan was only gazing at the silhouette of Huang Wan, muttering, "One or two are all like this; it's just a very beautiful painting."

Ding Yinan was so excited as if she had won a five million prize, rushing over to grab her arm and shake it vigorously: "Xiao Yuan, you are truly amazing! You are so handsome that it defies reason! Although I don't quite understand what you are saying, seeing those foreigners turn red and white like defeated chickens makes me feel extremely relieved."

After staring at the unfamiliar face for a full minute, she finally spoke hesitantly: "I am sorry, I mistook you for someone else. Your outfit is quite similar to my boyfriend's; he also wears a camel-colored mid-length coat, black pants, and is about the same height as you. I truly apologize."