Chapter 132 Qu He is framed (Part 1)
The exhibition hall's dome, with its enormous glass ceiling, casts dappled light onto the floor.
On one side, lush bamboos are arranged in a pleasing manner. A gentle breeze blows, the leaves rustle, and the swaying light and shadows leave a flickering effect on the crowd through the carved window lattice.
Among the crowd, Qu He could feel an undeniable gaze upon her.
Looking up, I saw Yan Shu standing right next to Master Luo Tongliang.
That glance carried an indescribable complexity, like scrutiny, yet also like provocation.
"Professor Qu He," a junior colleague who had exchanged pleasantries with her during registration whispered, "Professor Luo has arrived. Let's go say hello."
Qu He composed herself and stepped forward.
Luo Tongliang is from Guangcheng. When he was young, he left his hometown and came to Beicheng to work hard on his own. He went from being an interior designer to a master of ceramics. He also founded Suyatang and is a god-like figure in the hearts of many ceramic artists. His status is very important.
He is nearly sixty years old this year, but he is in good spirits and looks particularly stylish in his well-tailored Zhongshan suit.
Upon seeing Qu He, Luo Tongliang immediately broke into a smile, much more enthusiastic than he was towards others.
He spoke in a thick Cantonese accent: "Quhe, right? Old Qi had tea with me half a month ago, and he was all smiles, saying that he had taken on a good apprentice whose pottery skills are top-notch!"
Qu He bowed slightly, her tone neither humble nor arrogant: "Mr. Luo, you flatter me. Teacher Qi Mo often mentions you to me, saying that you have unique insights into ceramics and that I should learn more from you."
"Haha, no problem at all!"
Luo Tongliang was very pleased, and his gaze toward Qu He became increasingly satisfied. "Young man, you're not arrogant or impatient, that's good! But don't be so modest, if you have something to show, then show it!"
Luo Tongliang patted Yan Shu's hand, turned to her and gestured with his chin, "Shu, look at Qu He. She's so young but has such a spirit. When you work with her in the future, you should learn from each other, understand?"
A strange look flashed across Yan Shu's face as she smiled and replied, "What Elder Luo says is true. I have long heard of Teacher Qu He's pottery skills, and I should indeed learn more from her."
After Luo Tongliang finished speaking, he introduced Yan Shu to Qu He: "This is Miss Yan Shu, a close friend I met in England. Although she majors in oil painting, she is also very knowledgeable in ceramics. We will be working together in the future, so you should exchange ideas more often!"
"Cooperation?" Qu He wondered.
Yan Shu stepped forward and extended her hand, her smile gentle, but her eyes were devoid of warmth: "Teacher Qu He, Master Qi Mo and Teacher Luo have jointly recommended us to participate in the 'Qinglan Cup' Innovative Art Unit next month. We would appreciate your guidance."
Qinglan Cup?
Qu He was startled.
This is a highly prestigious award in the field of arts and crafts in China, especially its gold medal, which has important reference value for the evaluation of the annual "Master of Arts and Crafts".
But the Qinglan Cup has always only judged ceramics. When did it add oil painting as a competition category?
She was not unaware of certain rules in the art world, and she had often heard of people manipulating awards to gain promotions. A few years ago, it was revealed that some people specifically organized competitions to secure awards and promotions. Could it be that even the Qinglan Cup is now...?
Qu He suddenly realized that this was probably to pave the way for Yan Shu, and that even the rules of the Qinglan Cup could be changed.
Disappointment filled my heart, growing colder and colder.
Luo Tongliang seemed to sense her doubts and laughed it off: "Art needs innovation! Combining oil painting with ceramics has great potential! Miss Yan Shu's ideas are very novel. If you young people exchange ideas more, you will definitely produce good works!"
Qu He remained silent, glancing at the faint smile on Yan Shu's lips before simply nodding politely.
After the art exhibition officially began, Qu He politely said goodbye to the two and focused on viewing the exhibition.
However, while viewing the exhibition, she could always feel some subtle gazes falling on her.
Some even carried a hint of sympathy, like hooks that made her back stiffen.
Especially when Yan Shu passed by her, those gazes became even more obvious, and one could vaguely hear words like "Weibo," "trending search," and "quick to withdraw."
Qu He assumed everyone was still discussing the recording mix-up from that night's live stream and didn't think much of it, but the unease that welled up inside her wouldn't go away.
After the tour, everyone moved to the banquet rooms on the mountain.
The art exhibition was held in the garden scenic area of Beicheng, and the banquet was held in a private restaurant on the top of the mountain in the scenic area. The private room was antique and elegant, and the view of Beicheng Mountain outside the window was beautiful.
Qu He, representing Qi Mo, sat at the main table with Luo Tongliang, while Yan Shu remained close to Luo Tongliang, and the two chatted happily.
Luo Tongliang is a connoisseur of liquor, especially strong baijiu. To cater to his tastes, the organizers prepared Baijiu, a traditional Chinese liquor.
After a few drinks, Luo Tongliang was inspired to write poetry. His face was flushed, and he took a sip, slapped the table, and praised, "This wine is excellent! It's even more mellow and fragrant than the wine I drank in Guangzhou!"
As he spoke, his hand naturally rested on Yan Shu's shoulder beside him, and his knuckles gently rubbed against hers.
Qu He frowned involuntarily as she watched this scene.
Those around them either pretended not to see it or smiled and offered a toast; no one dared to say anything.
The private room was filled with dishes on a round mahogany table, and the spicy aroma of baijiu mixed with the fragrance of the food filled the room.
Soon someone approached Elder Luo with a wine glass in hand: "Elder Luo, I'd like to offer you a toast!"
"Great, great!" Old Luo drank one cup after another.
Qu He frowned as the glass of baijiu swirld and foamed.
The bag containing the hangover medicine is still in the driver's car; it would be too presumptuous and impolite to go out now.
Just as I was hesitating, I suddenly noticed a jar of iced wine on the table, with water droplets condensing on the outside of the porcelain jar.
It seems that this drink is not on the menu of Ke Qu He Ji.
The color of the iced brew was similar to that of white liquor, but she wasn't sure if it contained alcohol.
Just as she was about to ask the waiter, she saw Yan Shu call out to her before she could.
She asked something in a low voice, and the waiter shook his head.
Then Yan Shu nodded to her, and she picked up the ice brew jar and poured herself a glass.
After seeing Qu He's gaze, she smiled slightly, "I'm on my period right now, so it's not convenient for me to drink alcohol. This doesn't contain alcohol; it's just fruit juice and sparkling water. If you don't want to drink alcohol, this is just as good."
After saying that, she took her glass and walked to Luo Tongliang's side, taking the glass of wine for him as if she had done it a thousand times before.
Qu He looked at the glass of iced wine, and the sounds of toasting grew closer and closer, so she had no choice but to pick up the glass and pour herself a drink.
The banquet has ended.
The night wind swirled the leaves around.
The group said their goodbyes at the door.
The driver was waiting at the door with a shawl, and as soon as he saw Qu He come out, he went up to put it on her.
Luo Tongliang was so drunk he could barely stand. Leaning against the doorframe, he cursed, "You bastard! Where's the car? Tell it to come here faster!"
His car hadn't arrived yet, and no one dared to leave first.
Yan Shu held his arm and looked at Qu He, "Teacher Qu He, would it be convenient for you to let Old Luo ride back in your car? You see him like this, it's really worrying."
Qu He's gaze lingered for a moment.
With so many people present, why did Yan Shu specifically ask her to deliver it?
She was trying to find a reason to politely decline.
Before she could even speak, the driver stepped forward and refused, saying, "I'm sorry, Ms. Yan, Mr. Zhuang specifically instructed that you must escort his wife home safely tonight. You'd better find someone else."
Yan Shu's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
She glanced around at the people around her and gave a wry smile. "Since it's Mr. Zhuang's order, I naturally wouldn't dare to force him."
Upon hearing this, the way people around Qu He looked at her became even stranger. The same familiar gazes as before included sympathy, inquiry, and a hint of watching a good show, even more pronounced than before.
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