Chapter 132: Not Understanding Art!

At six thirty in the afternoon, Fang Yu and Qin Yimo arrived at Yulinfang, located in the western part of Jiangnan.

This place is one of the famous gardens in Jiangnan, showcasing beautiful scenery and garden art.

“Today, the renowned calligraphy master Cai Gaoyang will hold his personal calligraphy and painting exhibition here, and many celebrities will be attending,” Qin Yimo said.

“Isn’t it just a personal exhibition? Why are so many people coming?” Fang Yu asked, puzzled.

Qin Yimo shot Fang Yu a glance and said, “You can’t possibly have never heard of Master Cai Gaoyang’s name, right?”

Fang Yu shook his head and replied, “I really haven’t heard of Cai Gaoyang; I only know the Sage of Calligraphy, Huang Daoran.”

“The Sage of Calligraphy, Huang Daoran, is indeed impressive, but he was a figure from two thousand years ago. Master Cai Gaoyang is the contemporary Sage of Calligraphy! Who in the Nine Provinces doesn’t know Master Cai Gaoyang? His skills in calligraphy are at a level that others find hard to reach! Any piece of his calligraphy taken to an auction can fetch over a hundred million…”

“Tonight, so many celebrities are attending this exhibition mostly to seek a piece of calligraphy. Even if they don’t succeed, just meeting Master Cai Gaoyang and chatting for a few moments is already a great opportunity,” Qin Yimo said, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration.

Fang Yu, however, remained unconvinced and followed Qin Yimo into Yulinfang.

The scenery of Yulinfang was indeed impressive. Once inside, there were many windows on both sides, and looking outside, one could see beautifully trimmed potted plants, as well as lotus leaves and flowers floating on the green lake.

The entire garden was filled with a fresh, natural fragrance, making one feel refreshed and cheerful.

“Only someone like Master Cai Gaoyang could hold a personal exhibition in a place like Yulinfang,” Qin Yimo exclaimed as she walked.

Soon, Fang Yu followed Qin Yimo into what appeared to be an exhibition hall.

Inside, one could see many calligraphy pieces and paintings hanging on the surrounding walls.

The exhibition hall was already crowded with people, each standing in front of various calligraphy pieces, praising the techniques displayed and expressing their admiration.

Fang Yu casually glanced around, his expression indifferent.

To him, the characters on these calligraphy pieces were merely ordinary.

Of course, this ordinariness was relative; compared to the average person, Cai Gaoyang’s calligraphy was certainly much better, but compared to Huang Daoran’s, it fell far short.

It was impossible for Cai Gaoyang to be on par with Huang Daoran.

The two were simply not in the same league.

Seeing the enthusiasm on the faces of the people in the exhibition hall and their words of praise, Fang Yu couldn’t help but shake his head.

Have people’s appreciation abilities really sunk this low?

However, perhaps these people weren’t truly passionate about art.

They were just following the trend and fawning over it.

Everyone said Cai Gaoyang’s calligraphy was impressive, so it must be genuinely impressive.

They attended the exhibition not for the sake of art, but to create an image of themselves as art lovers, perhaps to appear more noble.

If they could obtain a piece of Cai Gaoyang’s calligraphy or chat with him for a few moments, that would be even better—a symbol of status.

“Fang Yu, do you see this? This is Master Cai Gaoyang’s level,” Qin Yimo led Fang Yu to a calligraphy piece and looked up at it.

The piece featured an ancient poem.

“Master Cai’s calligraphy is truly remarkable; seeing it in person is better than hearing about it a hundred times. Look at the brushwork, it’s like a flying dragon and dancing phoenix, grand and majestic. He truly deserves the title of the contemporary Sage of Calligraphy…”

“I think the most impressive aspect of Master Cai is his ability to switch between various styles. This piece appears lively and flowing, elegant yet rigorous—truly exceptional…”

“You both make excellent points. In my opinion, the most outstanding feature of Master Cai’s calligraphy is the way he curves his strokes; it’s as if a dragon is soaring…”

Various voices of admiration echoed around, but the compliments followed a basic pattern, mostly overusing idioms.

As Fang Yu listened, he found it increasingly amusing and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

A bald man nearby turned to Fang Yu, frowning, and said, “Young man, it seems you have a different opinion?”

“No,” Fang Yu replied.

“Then what are you laughing at?” the bald man pressed.

“I think Master Cai’s calligraphy is very good, really impressive,” Fang Yu smiled.

Another middle-aged man snorted and said, “Kid, how did you get in here? How can you be so flippant in such an occasion? Also, is ‘very good’ the only way you can describe Master Cai’s calligraphy? I see you don’t understand art at all!”

The bald man nodded and said, “Indeed, today’s young people are so restless; they can’t even calm down to appreciate art. Alas, our Nine Provinces’ thousands of years of brilliant calligraphy heritage will probably dim significantly by the next generation…”

Fang Yu couldn’t be bothered to engage with these two and turned to look at Qin Yimo.

At that moment, Qin Yimo was gazing up at a calligraphy piece, lost in thought.

“Do you really love calligraphy that much?” Fang Yu asked.

Qin Yimo came back to her senses, glanced at Fang Yu, and said, “Of course! My childhood dream was to become a calligraphy master, and Master Cai is my role model… Since elementary school, I practiced calligraphy for over two hours every day, and this habit continued until I graduated from university… Unfortunately, I just don’t have the talent; the characters I write never develop my own style.”

“Ah, if only I could get a piece of Master Cai’s calligraphy today.”

“Your family is so wealthy; why not just buy a piece?” Fang Yu suggested.

“I want to buy one, but Master Cai no longer sells his calligraphy, and those collectors who already have his pieces are not short on money; even with money, you can’t buy one,” Qin Yimo lamented.

“I have a few authentic pieces by Huang Daoran. If you offer a suitable price, I can sell you one,” Fang Yu said.

“Huang Daoran? Is he the only one you know, the Sage of Calligraphy Huang Daoran? Besides, only three authentic pieces of Huang Daoran have survived to this day. Two are in the hands of foreign collectors, and one is with a big boss… Can you stop bragging about these meaningless things? I’m not one of those naive high school girls; I won’t be fooled by your words,” Qin Yimo said, annoyed.

Fang Yu fell silent.

At that moment, a couple entered the exhibition hall.

The man was dressed in a suit, looking under thirty, with a beard that gave him a somewhat rugged yet handsome appearance.

The woman wore a black evening gown, with light makeup on her beautiful face and a great figure.

However, the expression on the woman’s face was not pleasant; she looked quite unhappy.

As soon as she entered the exhibition hall, she spotted Fang Yu, who was standing not far away, talking to Qin Yimo.

Fang Yu?

A glimmer of light flashed in the woman’s eyes.

She suddenly thought of a way to get rid of the man!

With that, a smile appeared on her face as she started to walk over.

At that moment, the man reached out and grabbed her.

“Xiao Ran, where do you think you’re going?” the man asked with a smile.

“Zhou Cheng! I told you we’re not that close! Don’t call me Xiao Ran!” Ding Ran glared at the man.

Zhou Cheng squinted slightly and said, “If you want to attract the attention of so many people here, feel free to keep shouting.”

Ding Ran’s expression changed slightly as she glanced at Fang Yu and said, “I ran into a friend; I need to go chat with him for a bit!”

“Go ahead,” Zhou Cheng smiled slightly and released Ding Ran’s hand.

Ding Ran quickly walked towards Fang Yu.

Zhou Cheng’s expression instantly turned serious as he shoved his hands into his pockets, watching Ding Ran’s every move with cold eyes.

“Fang Yu, what are you doing here?” Ding Ran approached Fang Yu from behind and tapped him on the shoulder.

Fang Yu turned around and saw it was Ding Ran, frowning slightly.

“What a coincidence that we ran into each other,” Ding Ran said with a gentle smile.

Fang Yu said nothing, but Qin Yimo, standing nearby, asked curiously, “Fang Yu, is this your friend?”

Ding Ran then noticed Qin Yimo, her eyes flashing with surprise.

What a beautiful woman…

Ding Ran had always been confident in her looks, but upon seeing Qin Yimo, she felt inferior.

In terms of both temperament and appearance…

How could Fang Yu know such a woman?

For a moment, Ding Ran felt an inexplicable jealousy arise within her.

“She is my English tutor from class,” Fang Yu replied.

Ding Ran smiled slightly at Qin Yimo but did not engage in further conversation. Instead, she leaned closer to Fang Yu and whispered, “Fang Yu, can you take me to a private place? I have something I need your help with.”