Eighth stroke

After Liu Hui hurriedly left with Guan You, Gao Fei also got up to follow them. An Yanran, bearing a minor identity, naturally remained in her original position.

Moments later, several staff members surged into the award ceremony venue, politely and swiftly escorting the on-site reporters away, while others began to collect each person's cameras and mobile phones one by one

The restroom in the art museum is exquisite and beautiful, featuring a spacious makeup counter on the right side in addition to the cubicle on the left side

The eagerly anticipated first, second, and third place winners were jointly selected by a judging panel composed of several renowned painters, art academy professors, and distinguished art appraisers

It is difficult to describe her feelings at that moment when she heard him say that her painting was dead, as if all hope had been swallowed by darkness. However, when she heard him say that only by forgetting could one be reborn, it was as if a beam of light suddenly shone in the boundless darkness

Bo Xiang and the sponsoring group spared no expense in their extensive promotion, with the entire award process consisting of the award ceremony, a reception for the award-winning authors and journalists, and a month-long exhibition of the works.

All machines with recording capabilities were taken away. There was a slight stir among the crowd, as many in the audience today were family and friends of the award winners, all wanting to capture the moment when the artists received their awards

At this point, An Yanran in the partition heard the other two hiss at her a few times, clearly indicating that this was a taboo topic in the workplace. She recalled Gao Feiming's rather unpleasant expression that morning and realized that she must have learned about the competition results from Liu Hui early on.

She is well aware of the storms that will arise in the studio after the award ceremony. She never intended to completely conceal herself; the real reason she considered using a pseudonym was because of one person

These two awards, aside from the sixty percent scoring proportion allocated to the judging panel, have an additional forty percent scoring proportion determined by the public through online voting. Among the more than fifty shortlisted works, individuals will select their own potential award and creativity award.

Assistant B: "Indeed, it is quite bold to use nude men as the theme for such large-scale competitions! That painting, apart from being avant-garde and unconventional, also imparts a sense of ethereal beauty that is remarkably detached and serene"

An Yanran calmly looked forward to meeting this gentleman chairman again after reviewing the guest list on the award ceremony schedule

This person is named Pei Se

An Yanran finally fully regained the soft demeanor she had in front of him in the past, quietly lifting the corners of her lips to form a gentle curve, "I understand, teacher, please allow me to try again!"

Due to Bo Xiang's relatively lenient requirements for the participants' various information, An Yanran only provided her apartment address, phone number, and the name "Xia Ruanan" when entering the competition

She raised an eyebrow and displayed a mischievous smile

You will feel that the work is avant-garde due to its use of color, as the painting and illustrations do not have very distinct lines, relying instead on the interplay of color blocks. As for the sense of tranquility, it stems from the expressions and postures of the characters within; the author has captured the feeling very accurately. This special creative award is well-deserved

Assistant B: "Unfortunately, Sister Fei did not win an award this time..."

He is young and talented, possessing exceptional social skills, adeptly navigating among the many discerning stakeholders behind the art academy. With his strong connections and capabilities, he has spent six years elevating this once superficial third-rate institution to its now well-deserved first-rate status.

As An Yanran just entered, she was captivated by the three girls at the makeup table. The girl in the middle was tall and delicate, yet her eyes were red and swollen; the two girls beside her were softly comforting her.

It is reported that on the day of the awards ceremony, in addition to the renowned painters, art academy professors, and appraisers from the judging panel, Pei Se, the chairman of the S City Academy of Fine Arts, who rarely makes public appearances, will also be present

What a splendid spectacle it will be

An Yanran was indeed there to receive an award, but she did not want her phone to be taken away for no reason. Taking advantage of the staff's momentary inattention, she quietly got up and slipped out of the venue, planning to go to the restroom to hide.

The large-scale painting competition jointly organized by Boxiang Gallery and S City Academy of Fine Arts concluded at the end of August

So similar, as if resonating with a certain memory within her heart in an instant

The girl whose eyes were red from crying turned out to be the champion of this competition and the main character of the *Illustrated Book*. She had previously encountered a certain influential figure backstage and thought that, with her status as the champion, she would be able to exchange a few words with the person.

Everyone who has met Pei Se unanimously praises him as a gentle and courteous gentleman. From billionaires with vast fortunes to ordinary students in the academy, he treats everyone with politeness and grace, and his smile always makes people feel as if they are basking in the warmth of spring.

The winners of the first, second, and third places will be directly signed by Bo Xiang, becoming long-term artists under his agency. All awarded works will be priced and sold through Bo Xiang Gallery with the consent of the authors. In summary, the art competition is the first step for these young artists towards success

Therefore, on the eve of the award ceremony, none of the studio members were aware that the Xia Ruan'an they were discussing was actually right beside them

He stood there watching her for a long time, his eyes flickering as if he were carefully observing her. "Some things cannot be achieved just by saying you won't give up. Do you really understand why I never let you touch the paintbrush before?"

This is what she must remember clearly on the day of her rebirth

The award ceremony for the competition is scheduled for September 8

However, the facts reveal another truth to her: plans can never keep up with changes

He rarely calls her by her name in such a formal manner, and she knows that when this happens, he is completely serious and solemn

It is not that I never give up, but rather that I have completely given up before, so I tell myself to never give up on anything from now on

In the academy, the number of girls who have a crush on him is about the same as those who have a crush on Guan You, but the other party's consistently courteous attitude inexplicably makes one feel both respectful and distant

When she could no longer continue living as she once did, she told herself that in order to be reborn, she must forget everything that had happened in the past. Her life could not be destroyed here; all that she had endured would one day be repaid in double.

Assistant C: "You are so infatuated! Always thinking about handsome guys, Xia Ruan'an, that name sounds like a girl's! But speaking of handsome, who can compare to Guan You! Our Sister Fei is truly fortunate"

She felt embarrassed to look at other people's affairs, so she quickly glanced and entered the compartment. The two people outside who were offering comfort clearly did not mind, and their conversation continued to be heard clearly. She listened carefully and roughly understood the whole situation

Even in front of this god-like person, she has never mentioned a single word about her past

Do not cry, it is his fault. The master is remarkable, yet he is so disrespectful! You are the only champion of the Boxiang Painting Competition

However, the staff's attitude was exceptionally clear, repeatedly stating that there would be time for everyone to take photos after the award ceremony concluded

This nearly thirty-year-old chairman has always been a legendary figure at the S City Academy of Fine Arts

In addition to the six champions, runners-up, and third-place winners, the competition also established five Rookie Potential Awards and one Special Creativity Award

She wished that when she reappeared in their lives with that calm and serene demeanor, those two would perhaps never know. Beneath her tranquility lay wounds that had bled profusely—those wounds inflicted by them

Assistant A: "Did you also cast a vote for 'First Love'? In fact, the technique of that painting is not particularly outstanding, but for some reason, when I first saw the image, I was inexplicably drawn to the people within it"

An Yanran confirmed her award news in the restroom of Gao Fei Studio the day before receiving the notification of her victory in the competition

He paused for a moment and continued, "Because I want you to completely forget everything you have learned before. Art is alive, and your painting is already dead. Only by forgetting can one be reborn"

Assistant A: "You are indeed the expert. In a few days at the award ceremony, we should be able to meet the author of this painting! I wonder if this painting might be a self-portrait of the author himself?"

Give up? She chewed on these two words in her heart, yet the weariness and confusion on her face gradually receded. "Teacher, I will absolutely not give up!"

Not long after taking a seat, a staff member hurriedly approached, leaning down to whisper a few words in Liu Hui's ear. Liu Hui's expression changed dramatically; although he tried to conceal it, the overwhelming excitement that was evident could not be hidden at all.

Little did she know that this person was extremely aloof; not only did he ignore her phone when she wanted to take a photo together, but he also dismissed her award-winning work as worthless

On September 8, she entered the art museum under the Bo Xiang Gallery as an audience member, accompanied by Gao Fei, Guan You, and Liu Hui