Chu Ming looked over in confusion, only to see Liang Yuan shake his head. His eyes seemed to say, Don't embarrass yourself.
Su Zhe, the woman from Painting Rain Pavilion, Chu Yu...
The confusion lasted only an instant. Chu Ming's attention was still fixed on Chu Yu of the Chu Family.
"Heh, you picked a good time to come, kid. This is a rare opportunity, so make sure you do your best."
"Uncle Yuan, you mean..." Su Zhe's face lit with delight, and his gaze turned toward the depths of the Painting Gallery.
"Go on." Yuan Zhong waved him off.
"Thank you, Uncle Yuan."
Su Zhe headed into the Painting Gallery.
Su Qian hesitated, glanced away from the scholar Chu Ming, then followed Su Zhe.
Chu Yu bowed to Yuan Zhong once more before following them into the gallery.
Everyone looked on in surprise.
From the sound of it, someone was going to challenge that painting?
As soon as Su Zhe and the others left, a crowd followed after them.
Apparently, watching Su Zhe challenge some painting was more interesting than studying the True Landscape Painting.
Even Yan Xuan and the others, who had been copying the landscape painting, put away their brushes and ink, bowed to Yuan Zhong, and headed deeper into the gallery.
In an instant, the place was left quiet, like a forest after the birds and beasts had fled.
Yuan Zhong shook his head and started walking, seemingly intending to go and take a look as well.
But after only a few steps, he stopped short. Remembering something, he turned to look at Chu Ming's desk.
"Where's the painting?" Yuan Zhong asked, staring at the empty desk with an oddly anxious expression.
The painting?
The landscape painting was still hanging there. No one had touched it.