Everyone present looked towards the source of the sound.
They saw a refined and handsome middle-aged man walking over with a lady with an outstanding temperament.
The lady was well-maintained and looked to be less than 40 years old.
Although her face betrayed traces of her age, her elegant temperament could veil this well.
Some of the girls present thought that it would be great if they could have such a temperament when they reached middle age.
She looked like the man beside her, elegant and well-mannered.
Hearing Tan Jinyi call out “Teacher”.
Everyone had some guesses about who they were.
Tan Jinyi pulled Tan Mo along and went up to them. “Teacher, Mistress, why are you here?”
“This is your first official exhibition. Although it can’t be considered a solo exhibition, it’s still your works that have been officially released. How can we not be around?”
Everyone from the Tan family also walked over.
They merely had to take a few steps as they were already close by.
“Mr. He, Mrs. He,” Tan Wenci called out.
Tan Jinqi and the others followed suit.
It wasn’t polite to call him Mr. He.
Previously, because of Tan Jinyi, they had set up a group chat, and they were all in the same group.
Although they didn’t see each other often, they often chatted in the group.
Hence, they were very familiar with each other.
Naturally, there was no need to be polite.
Calling him Mister here was naturally what the teacher intended.
He Haoyan and Mrs. He greeted the Tan family members.
“I just heard, who said that your paintings were average?” He Haoyan asked.
“It was these five teachers,” Tan Jinyi said. “They said that my paintings were average. I was just asking where it was that my paintings were lacking. I will work hard to improve further.”
Tan Jinyi smiled, saying, “I know that I’m still young. Although I’ve been painting since primary school, I still have many shortcomings. Even though aesthetic appreciation in art is a subjective and personal matter, when I’m at this age and my painting is published for the first time, there will definitely be people who think it’s good, and there will also be people who think otherwise. This is all normal. I just want to know where’s not up to standard.”
“I also want to know if it was really because of my painting skills, or if it was just a difference in aesthetic appreciation,” Tan Jinyi said seriously, “Teachers, please enlighten me. No matter what, as a junior, I will accept it humbly.”
The five people still couldn’t explain what was average about it.
It was because they really couldn’t tell which part was average.
It was just a casual remark earlier.
Who knew that Tan Jinyi wouldn’t let it go.
He Haoyan also smiled warmly and said to the five people, “The five of you are also artists? Or famous appraisers?”
“Pfft!” Someone in the crowd laughed out loud first.
Then someone said with a smile, “Didn’t these five people say that they are from the Calligraphy and Painting Association? They are also famous artists. One of them has held an art exhibition, one of them has published many books, and one of them has taught many students, etc. In the end, the president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association doesn’t even know them.”
“Hahaha!” Someone laughed without concealing it. “Are they bragging?”
“Maybe,” someone added. “Otherwise, why would they not have said anything even after Tan Jinyi asked for advice so sincerely? Either they are keeping it to themselves, or they are bragging.”
“Huh, the former is bad. While scolding the youths, they also didn’t teach them anything. The young people wouldn’t learn anything and continue to be scolded. In the long run, these youths’ confidence would be destroyed and they wouldn’t be able to recover. This is if we’re talking lightly about it. But seriously, if they keep it to themselves and teach their students only partially, feeding them a morsel each time they learned a little, then over time, they would teach less and less and the youths will learn less and less. What else can they learn in the future?”
“As for the latter, if they are just bragging, then they are being silly. I don’t know what they are thinking, bragging on such an occasion just to humiliate others.”
These words were clearly heard by the five people.
“Although Jinyi’s current works do have some deficiencies,” another voice rang out.
“Senior!” Tan Jinyi called out in surprise.
Senior?
Everyone’s heart thudded.
The person whom Tan Jinyi called senior.
Could it be the legendary Dong Yanzhen?
If one didn’t consider at the entire world, but simply Hua Empire, who wouldn’t know its shining star, Dong Yanzhen?
However, there were few who had met Dong Yanzhen.
Even among those who had purchased Dong Yanzhen’s paintings, rarely any had personally seen Dong Yanzhen.
They were actually lucky enough to see Dong Yanzhen in person now?
Everyone looked over.
They saw a man who looked much younger than He Haoyan and not yet 40 years old. He wore casual clothes and walked over with a smile.
He Haoyan gave people the impression that he was gentle.
And Dong Yanzhen was much livelier than everyone had imagined.
It couldn’t be described as lively. In any case, he was quite cheerful.
He wore a smile on his face and didn’t look like the artist that they had imagined.
He Haoyan seemed more like the artist that they had in their mind’s eye.
“However, Senior and I allowed him to display it because we felt that with his current level, his paintings were definitely worthy of the audience and could withstand the appraisals,” Dong Yanzhen said.
Dong Yanzhen and He Haoyan’s attitude confirmed Tan Mo’s words.
Since Tan Jinyi dared to let others see it, he must have reached the standards set by He Haoyan and Dong Yanzhen.
Since the two masters felt that Tan Jinyi was qualified, the five of you must be even more powerful than the two of them?
You want to say that you are not convinced?
Didn’t you use your seniority to pressurize others earlier?
Now that He Haoyan and Dong Yanzhen are doing the same to you, what’s there to be unconvinced about?
He Haoyan heard everyone’s discussion and explained with a smile, “There are a lot of members in the Calligraphy and Painting Association. Even as the president, I can’t remember everyone’s names, and don’t think everyone can match up to each other. Therefore, even if I don’t know them, it doesn’t mean that they’re not members of the Association. On the contrary, as the president, I’m really ashamed that I can’t remember all the members.”
Everyone sighed.
“Look, this is what the disposition of a respected artist should be like.”
“Mr. He has already achieved so much, yet he’s still so humble and polite.”
“Unlike some people, who don’t seem to be very good, but think so highly of themselves.”
“It seems that the five of you can’t tell which part’s so-so?” Mrs. He raised her eyebrows.
She was an elegant lady, but she was also a teacher’s wife who protected those under her wing.
In the past, when Dong Yanzhen had just entered the division.
Usually, it was He Haoyan who took more care of Dong Yanzhen.
He Haoyan and Mrs. He gave the feeling that they had raised their children single-handedly.
So much so that after Dong Yanzhen made a name for himself, He Haoyan did not take in any more disciples.
To him, Dong Yanzhen was like a junior and an apprentice.
Until later, when he took Tan Jinyi in as his disciple.
Tan Jinyi became He Haoyan’s only official student.
It made He Haoyan and Mrs. He feel like they had brought up Dong Yanzhen.
