This was really something

Lu Xingluo did not care about taking first place in this performance. All she cared about was her image in the livestream viewers' eyes.

When choosing a partner, she had tried to pick someone as good-looking as possible.

The person willing to work with her who also looked good was the elderly woman beside her, dressed in a dark green qipao.

The elderly woman carried herself beautifully. Her snow-white hair was pinned behind her head with a Wooden Hairpin, and she rested both hands at one side of her waist, smiling at everyone.

"Since Miss Lu painted lotuses, I'll paint some lotuses too."

The moment she picked up the brush, everyone could see the difference. Her grip was clearly far more professional than Lu Xingluo's.

Her use of ink was also varied-scorched, dense, heavy, light, clear, and white. Every stroke was carefully executed.

Moreover, she used only black pigment throughout.

With black and white alone, she painted lifelike lotuses that seemed to sway.

There was more than one lotus, too, with flowers in full bloom and buds that had yet to open.

They looked as though they would blossom in the breeze at any moment.

She had taken only a little over ten minutes, but the impact she left lasted far longer than that.

Thunderous applause erupted, but Grandma Wang Lin merely gave a slight bow to thank everyone.

Beside her, Lu Xingluo was so furious that her fake nose nearly twisted out of place. She suspected the old hag had done it on purpose!

She clearly knew how to paint, yet she had said nothing and insisted on painting lotuses just like her!

Absolutely hateful!

[My god! This nursing home is full of hidden talents! Lu Xingluo's painting doesn't even compare to this one. It's like a grandmaster wiping the floor with a beginner apprentice.]

[Honestly, if Lu Xingluo's lotuses hadn't been in color, I wouldn't even have recognized them as lotuses. But this elderly lady's painting completely captures their movement. I can practically feel the wind stirring the lotus leaves. It's gorgeous!]

[Wait! Guys, I've spotted something! Isn't this elderly lady Professor Wang Lin?]

[Professor Wang Lin was hired as an art instructor at Beicheng Academy of Fine Arts decades ago. She held numerous exhibitions, and every single one sold out.

These days, her paintings are almost impossible to get, and they basically go for seven figures or more. She's a master of Chinese painting with worldwide influence!]

[Holy shit! I told you this nursing home was something special. Right off the bat, they bring out a national treasure of a Chinese painting master!]

[Director Sen, is the painting for sale? I'll offer a million!]

As soon as that comment appeared, the chat was flooded with people who had heard the news and come to ask for the painting.

It had been painted live. There was no way it could be fake!

Besides, Master Wang Lin had been out of sight for so long. Now that she had finally painted something, how could they not snap it up?

The production team's phone rang several times in succession. Baffled by the calls, the assistant director walked over to the director with the phone.

"Director, lots of people are calling to buy a painting. Are we selling?"

"Buy a painting?" Director Sen looked equally baffled. He glanced up at the people in the performance area, still puzzled.

Was the fan effect really that powerful?

Someone casually painted a picture, and people were already calling to buy it.

Everyone said Lu Xingluo had plenty of rich fans. Apparently, it was true.

"Go ask Lu Xingluo. If she's willing, we'll sell it and donate the money to orphanages and nursing homes. That'll fulfill our aim of doing charity work."

"Okay, I'll ask her now."

Of course Lu Xingluo was willing. Excitement and delight filled her face.

She shot a smug glance to the side, pushed the elderly woman aside, and deliberately said, "I'm so sorry, Grandma Wang. Director Sun just told me that lots of viewers in the livestream are fighting to buy my painting.

I need to show everyone my painting again."

"That's all right. I was taking up your spot. Go ahead and show them." Grandma Wang Lin politely stepped aside and out of the frame, leaving the stage to her alone.

Lu Xingluo held up her painting. Recalling the elderly woman's elegant, composed manner just now, she inwardly rolled her eyes.

So what if you can paint well? People aren't buying it.

It's still my painting the viewers like!

The response was so good that even she had not anticipated it.

She could already imagine how people online were praising her.

Now she was sure to become famous beyond her usual circles.

Although she had no interest in joining the Chinese painting scene, having the added halo of a Chinese painting prodigy would not be bad!

Especially when she heard the assistant director say the offer was seven figures, she was over the moon.

Immediately, she said to the camera with coy reserve, "Thank you all for your love. If someone is willing to pay seven figures for my painting, I'm willing to donate the entire sum to charity."

[Seven figures? Are you insane? Who would waste that kind of money on this piece of shit?]

[I've seen shameless people, but never anyone more shameless than her. Seven figures? She really dares to dream!]

[Please don't do this. What I have to say won't be nice, so I'm leaving.]

[Who exactly wants to buy her painting? Step forward. I'm an ophthalmologist. Let me check your eyesight.]

[Luo Luo, seven figures is a bit much. I could stretch to three figures.]

[Is the production team deaf? I clearly said I wanted to buy Professor Wang Lin's painting!]

[Exactly! Some third-tier actress needs to stop trying to latch onto our Professor Wang Lin!]

[Just you wait! I've got money. Watch me get you dragged onto the trending list!]

Just then, a shriek suddenly came from the production team. Director Sen walked over and scolded them, "We're filming a show here. What are you doing?"

"We got it wrong, all wrong." A female staff member handed him her phone. "It isn't Lu Xingluo's painting they want to buy. It's Professor Wang Lin's!"

"What Professor Wang Lin?" Director Sen took the phone doubtfully. Only after reading the viewers' comments did he realize who she meant by Professor Wang Lin.

This was really something!

A national-treasure-level master of Chinese painting had actually appeared on their little charity variety show.

Unfortunately, they had just handed her spotlight to a third-tier actress.

"Quick, quick! Readjust." Director Sen immediately said, "If we make a mistake, we fix it right away. Otherwise, the viewers will drag us onto the trending list.

The fans of a national-treasure-level master like her are all rich. We can't afford to offend them."

Over on the other side, Lu Xingluo was still talking at length about learning to paint as a child. Before she was even halfway through boasting, Director Sen urgently cut her off and had Director Sun ask her to step aside.

Director Sen tidied his somewhat thinning hair and respectfully invited Professor Wang Lin, who was standing beside Li Yi, forward. "Professor Wang Lin, we're terribly sorry. We misheard just now. What the viewers actually want to buy is your work.

Would you be willing to sell it?

We'll use all the proceeds for charity."

"What?" Lu Xingluo exclaimed in disbelief. "The seven-figure offer was for her painting?"

"Yes, Miss Lu. We're terribly sorry." Director Sun also apologized to Lu Xingluo.

"Why?" Lu Xingluo could not quite understand. "She isn't some celebrity. She's just a childless old woman in a nursing home. Why should her painting sell for seven figures? Are those people blind?"

"Because she's Professor Wang Lin, a master of Chinese painting renowned at home and abroad."

At the same time, on the other side, a kind, gentle voice spoke words of refusal. "It's not for sale. I only give my paintings away."