The International Painting and Calligraphy Association’s Chairman came back after he ended the call. First, he looked at Zi Yi with a surprised gaze before he said to everyone, “The Chairman of China’s Painting and Calligraphy Association had personally given me a call. Miss Zi is indeed a member of the association.”

His words had shocked everyone at present and all of them turned mute.

The curator started to panic. He wanted to make Abel apologize to Zi Yi at once.

However, when Abel thought of how he had been randomly beaten up, the raging flames in his heart could not be suppressed. “I was only joking around with Miss Zi, and now that I have ended up like this, shouldn’t Miss Zi be responsible?!”

“Responsible?” Zi Yi asked, “Did I hit you?”

Everyone shifted their gazes towards Abel.

He very much wanted to say that Zi Yi was the one who beat him up, but it was true that she had been standing there without moving.

Zi Yi looked at Abel and sneered, “There’s a saying in our country. If we commit wrongdoings, we would not be afraid of ghosts knocking at our door in the middle of the night. There aren’t ghosts in your country, but there are resentful spirits. I think it’s because you’ve committed too many wrongdoings and those resentful spirits are latched onto you.”

The average person would only feel that Zi Yi was talking nonsense. However, Abel, who had committed numerous wrongdoings, was feeling afraid. His body trembled for no reason and coupled with the fact that his body was already in pain, cold sweat trickled down and his eyes rolled back before he lost consciousness.

Soon, Abel was sent to the hospital by the staff. Through this incident, it had caused everyone to view Zi Yi in a new light as they re-examined her.

Just moments before, they thought of her as an unknown individual who suddenly made her way into the finals. Perhaps it was due to luck, or that she was merely a pretty lady who wanted to reveal herself and gain popularity during the finals. Right now, all of them decided to go back and check on her information.

The International Association’s Chairman looked at Zi Yi with a surprised gaze. “I did hear about you from China’s Association Chairman, but I didn’t expect you to be so young, and also so… beautiful.”

Zi Yi pursed her lips and gave him a nod, without the intention to converse with him.

Dou Xiangling spoke on her behalf. “My cousin just joined the association and it’s normal for others not to know of her. However…”

Having said that, she glanced at the curator and the Chairman of Country X’s Association and said, “Even if my cousin isn’t a member of the association, she relied on her capabilities to enter the finals. The members of Country X’s Painting and Calligraphy Association have truly opened my eyes.”

The two culprits who were mentioned had ugly expressions on their faces. However, Abel was indeed the one at fault, and no matter how he had gotten injured, or perhaps he had truly encountered a spiritual affair, they could only bring him to apologize to Zi Yi.

Since the curator and Chairman had apologized to Zi Yi on behalf of Abel, Zi Yi did not intend to do anything else and she left with Dou Xiangling.

After they left, the others continued to discuss for a while before they left separately.

After the parking lot returned to its silence, Meng He and a woman wearing a famous branded suit, with her hair were meticulously combed, walked out. It was obvious at first glance that she was a successful career woman.

The woman said expressionlessly, “See? The Dou Family are not people you can afford to offend.”

Meng He snorted and refused to admit it. “I’ve never thought of offending the Dou Family. Besides… I only wish to compete with her fairly.”

“Fair competition?” The woman snorted. “Weren’t you the one who got people to tell Abel that the lady beside Miss Dou has no background and that Miss Dou is merely bringing her out to expand her outlook? I think your real intention is for Abel to flirt with them and cause trouble, so that you can make use of this opportunity to reveal yourself like a hero saving a beauty?”

After she said that, she turned over to Meng He whose expression had sunk. She then warned him. “Your objective should be to get the first prize in the International Painting and Calligraphy Competition so that you can increase your chances of being chosen as a professor of N’s School of Fine Arts. This way, my father would approve of our marriage.

If you have any other random thoughts, it’s best that you curb yourself. After we get married, I won’t interfere in your private affairs. You can look for whatever kind of woman you want.”

Meng He clenched his fists and looked at her with an aggressive gaze as he said with a deep voice, “What nonsense are you sprouting? I’ve said that I will only compete with her fairly and the first prize is definitely mine. I can’t be bothered to do those things.”

He then turned and left with a sullen expression.

The woman looked at Meng He’s departing back view and a glint surfaced in her eyes.

She snapped her fingers in the air.

A bodyguard soundlessly appeared and respectfully called out to her. “Miss.”

The woman said expressionlessly, “Go and kidnap those two women and let them out after the competition tomorrow.”

“I understand.”

After the bodyguard left, the corner of her lips curled up and she soon suppressed it. With a soft whisper, she said, “Since you’re a man I found, you must pass my father’s trial.”

She took a step forward and headed towards the direction where Meng He had left.

…

After Zi Yi and Dou Xiangling got in the car, Dou Xiangling was still somewhat angry at the thought of the incident.

“I didn’t expect to meet such a person like him. It’s so disgusting.”

Zi Yi took out her mobile phone to check which hospital Abel had been sent to. “This type of person should be taught several lessons so that he no longer dares to come out and harm others.”

In their circle, there were some who harmed beautiful men or women under the guise of art. To put it bluntly, they simply acted on their own selfish desires and Zi Yi intended to eliminate these types of pests for the common good.

Before long, the hidden and hateful things Abel had done in the past appeared on the internet and soon, he became a public enemy. Country X’s Painting and Calligraphy circles were the first to stand out and remove him from their list.

Of course, that was for another story.

Dou Xiangling brought Zi Yi to visit Master Anga who she had mentioned in the past.

The three of them chatted about painting and calligraphy the entire afternoon and it could be said that they had a good talk. In the end, Master Anga even enthusiastically asked them to stay back for dinner.

Country X was close to Country F and it had a strong artistic atmosphere. Especially when night fell, there were plenty of street performers on the roads.

While seated in the car, Dou Xiangling said to Zi Yi in excitement, “Yiyi, Let’s head south and stay there awhile to enjoy ourselves. There’s a river there and there would be many artists performing on both banks of the river and on the bridge at night. Perhaps if we’re lucky, we could even meet a master performing there!”

Zi Yi looked at Dou Xiangling’s sparkling gaze and said, “Ok.”

Dou Xiangling then told her about the experience of her previous visit. “It was two years ago the last time I came here. The scenery here at night is really beautiful.”

The car soon arrived at the street Dou Xiangling had mentioned.

Searchlights illuminated the area so that it would be as bright as the day, and the riverside was filled with colorful lighting. There were sculptures of all sorts of shapes on the fences near the river, while handicraft stalls were set up on the street. Some distance away from the stalls were different types of artists.

These artists include painters, musicians, and even performers.

Zi Yi and Dou Xiangling walked hand in hand in the crowd and stopped from time to time to check out the stalls.

Soon, there were several snacks in Zi Yi’s hands.

She did not bother about the gazes from the surroundings. She ate whatever Dou Xiangling had bought for her and when she ate something delicious, she would even point it out. “This is yummy. Try it.”

Dou Xiangling would then turn around and take a bite.