This person is clearly a male protagonist in a female-oriented novel, yet he is excessively lucid.

"Pfft—"

A snicker broke the tension. The speaker was a young woman with a high ponytail. She crossed her arms and spoke with a mocking tone.

"Originally, people had no intention of buying his paintings and were too lazy to waste time arguing with him, but he did it anyway."

Feeling humiliated after being rejected, they relentlessly pestered the seller, trying to force a sale. Now look what happened!

Being exposed in public—that's a real slap in the face!

In the audience, the girl who had witnessed the whole thing was making no attempt to hide her mockery, her gaze fixed on Master Jia, her voice not loud but loud enough for everyone around her to hear.

Several art students carrying drawing boards stood beside her. Upon hearing this, they immediately nodded in agreement, their faces showing a hint of relief at finally being able to voice their complaints, and chimed in:

"A few of us were just passing by when we were drawn in by the lively atmosphere here, so we came over out of curiosity to take a look."

To be honest, I've long felt that his paintings are uninteresting, all using the same formulaic techniques and lacking any sense of creativity that an artist should have.

Unfortunately, the area behind us was already completely blocked, and there was nowhere to move if we wanted to back out. We had no choice but to grit our teeth and stand there patiently.

I never expected to stumble upon such a spectacular show; this trip was definitely worthwhile!

An art student wearing glasses pushed up his glasses, his tone full of relief.

Another girl with short hair followed up:

"That's right! If this handsome guy hadn't pointed it out, I wouldn't have realized that we were actually forced to stay here."

This marketing strategy is absolutely brilliant, I'm truly impressed!

Her words seemed to awaken people from their dreams, and many of the audience members who had been looking blankly ahead suddenly realized what was going on.

They began to whisper among themselves, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at Master Jia.

The supporters who had been surrounding Master Jia fell completely silent at this moment.

Those fans who had been shouting "Master is mighty!" earlier turned pale and then red, their lips moving as if they wanted to defend Master Jia.

But I couldn't find a single plausible reason even after racking my brains.

In the end, he could only hang his head and remain silent, his fingers secretly curling up as he quietly threw the support sign with "Master Jia yyds" printed on it onto the ground.

At that moment, another middle-aged man's voice came from the crowd, his tone full of relief:

"The most outrageous thing is the so-called 'painting secrets' he sells in his live stream!"

It has long been said that the content in those books is all common knowledge copied from encyclopedias, and some basic drawing knowledge points are just copied, pasted and pieced together. Yet they still have the nerve to bind them into books and sell them at high prices.

I was skeptical at first, thinking it couldn't be that outrageous, but now it seems it really is true! Luckily I hesitated and didn't buy it, otherwise I would have lost a lot of money!

Public opinion at the scene was overwhelmingly against the government, and the situation in the live broadcast room was out of control.

The moderators were sweating profusely in the backstage area, constantly banning and kicking people in an attempt to control the comments, but to no avail.

The number of viewers is still increasing at a visible rate, and the barrage of comments is so dense that it's impossible to read them.

However, all public opinion was unanimously biased towards Yu Chenzhou, and all the comments were condemning Master Jia.

The atmosphere at the scene completely reversed. The phone cameras that were previously focused on Master Jia and his paintings seemed to have reached a tacit agreement, and all turned their focus to Yu Chenzhou.

Many viewers held up their phones and started a second live stream, sharing this exciting "on-site debunking" incident simultaneously.

Some people, in a fit of emotion, led the commotion, shouting at the top of their lungs:

"Refund! Refund! You scammer, give me my money back!"

Those viewers who had previously bought Master Jia's books now seemed to have found their tribe and instantly joined the shouting team with a shared sense of righteous indignation.

The cries for "refund" grew louder and louder, so powerful that they attracted the attention of several security guards who were responsible for maintaining order in the scenic area.

The security guards rushed over, pushed through the crowd to understand what had happened, and their expressions instantly turned serious.

If people don't step in to maintain order, the consequences could be disastrous if the crowd gets out of control and causes a stampede or a brawl.

However, the security guards' intervention did not quell the public's anger. The audience was not buying it and continued to shout for a refund.

Master Jia stood there, his face ashen, refusing to budge and agree to a refund.

He knew very well that once he started refunding money, a steady stream of people would come knocking on his door, and he would not only have to give back all the money he had earned, but he would also lose money, which was absolutely unacceptable.

The security guards were also in a dilemma. Faced with the agitated crowd, they couldn't forcefully stop them, nor could they resolve the core issue of refunds. All they could do was repeatedly emphasize through a megaphone:

"Everyone, calm down! Those who have been scammed should report it to the police first and try to recover their losses through legal channels!"

There was no other way but to try to calm everyone down and hope that the police would arrive soon.

In the chaos, Xiao Yilin was pushed and swayed by the crowd, her steps faltering and she could barely stand.

Yu Chenzhou immediately noticed her embarrassed expression, his brows furrowed instantly, and he quickly squeezed through the crowd, snatching the microphone from a staff member holding it, and shouted loudly into the crowd:

"Everyone, calm down! Quiet down! Don't rush, don't push! Can you listen to me?"

The microphone had a strong amplification effect, penetrating the noisy shouts.

Although most people were still immersed in anger and continued to protest intermittently, the audience in the front row had heard his voice and gradually stopped shouting and crowding, turning their heads to look at him.

Seeing that the situation had stabilized somewhat, Yu Chenzhou breathed a sigh of relief, quickly reached out and pulled Xiao Yilin out of the crowd, protecting her to his side, and then picked up the microphone again to speak:

"I'm sure some sharp-eyed friends have already recognized that the brushstrokes I used when I was painting just now were the 'Spring Silkworm Spinning Silk' technique, a unique style of the Eastern Jin Dynasty painter Gu Kaizhi."

As we all know, there are several unavoidable peaks in the world of classical Chinese painting and calligraphy, with Gu Kaizhi's paintings and Wang Xizhi's calligraphy being the pinnacle representatives.

So I'd like to ask everyone, would you like to see for yourselves what it would be like to see Gu Kaizhi's paintings paired with Wang Xizhi's calligraphy?

At this point, Yu Chenzhou deliberately paused, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire room.

The scene, which had been somewhat noisy, fell completely silent. Even the previous whispers vanished without a trace, and everyone's attention was drawn to his words.

"Come on, do you want to see it? Tell me loudly!"

Seeing that he had completely taken control of the situation, Yu Chenzhou felt relieved and asked again with a more guiding tone.

"think--!"

A unified shout erupted from the scene, so loud it was deafening.

The live stream room was in an uproar, with a barrage of comments saying "want" flooding the screen. Some newcomers even started sending virtual gifts like rockets and sports cars, just to get Yu Chenzhou to start the stream quickly.

However, as soon as they started posting, they were told by the chat that this was a fake master's live stream and that they should not give any money to the fake master.

"Alright! Since it was my suggestion, I will naturally grant everyone's request."

Yu Chenzhou nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.

"However, before that, please cooperate and maintain order at the scene."

With so many people crammed together in such a confined space, there's a risk of a stampede if anything goes wrong. Surely no one wants to be the one injured, right?

"No problem! Get started! Stop talking nonsense, we can't wait!"

A young man in casual clothes stood on tiptoe and shouted, his voice full of eager excitement.

"As long as I can see the combined skills of these two masters on a single sheet of paper, I'll forgive the money I was scammed out of before; consider it a ticket to see this grand spectacle!"

"Yes! We agree! This amount of money is nothing; witnessing such an artistic moment firsthand is worth it!"

The surrounding audience immediately echoed, their initial anger completely replaced by anticipation, and they took the initiative to step back, leaving a spacious area in the middle.

At the same time, the barrage of comments in the live stream that were originally full of condemnation of Master Jia has completely turned into a uniform expression of anticipation and urging. Viewers who were previously asking for "refund" are now changing their tune to "start quickly" and "waiting for the master's creation".

"Since everyone is willing to give me this face, I will naturally not let you down."

Yu Chenzhou smiled slightly, then turned around and walked calmly to the rectangular table where the paintings were displayed.

The staff member in charge of operating the equipment immediately understood and quickly made a few gestures on the control panel.

The images on the LED screen switched instantly. Master Jia's mediocre "Sunset over the Huangpu River" disappeared completely, leaving only Yu Chenzhou's previous painting, "Sunset over Pudong," clearly presented to everyone.

Seeing that Yu Chenzhou had already stood in front of the table and seemed about to begin creating, the audience held their breath in unison and completely stopped all discussion.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to the LED screen as if by a magnet.

His eyes held a mixture of anticipation, curiosity, and a hint of doubt, as he wanted to see for himself whether Yu Chenzhou was truly capable or just boasting.

Yu Chenzhou was completely unaffected by the stares of the outside world. He stood quietly in front of the rectangular table, looking down at his painting with a focused and serious gaze, as if the whole world consisted only of him and the painting in front of him.

After a while, he slowly raised his hand, picked up a wolf-hair brush from the brush holder, gently dipped it in the inkstone, adjusted the ink concentration, and then used the classic brushstrokes of Wang Xizhi's running script to write a poem in the blank space of the painting.

If we're talking about poems that perfectly capture the scenery of the Huangpu River and the mood of the sunset, then Lu Shen's "Passing Tangqiao Villa" from the Ming Dynasty is probably the most suitable.

"The painted boats, like egrets, drift on the water and clouds, occasionally passing the Five-Mile Bridge over the South Stream."

With a slight turn of his wrist, Yu Chenzhou's brushstrokes revealed a graceful and elegant style the moment the pen touched the paper.

Between the strokes, there is the unrestrained and free spirit of Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion", and at the turns and expansions, there is a touch of gentle and warm charm. It combines strength and softness and is extremely beautiful.

"Pedestrians appear and disappear at the ferry crossing, while birds cry and sway on the sandy shore."

The pen tip moves lightly across the paper, the ink varying in shades and depths, flowing freely and smoothly.

As the poem gradually took shape, the figures of people coming and going, sometimes visible and sometimes hidden, at the ferry crossing, and the birds chirping urgently and flapping their wings on the sandbar.

It seems to have slowly stepped out of the poem, blending perfectly with the scenery of the river and the sunset in the painting, forming a vivid and lively river scene.

"Together we admired the chrysanthemums in our thatched cottage, while I went alone to seek the source of the sea tide."

When writing the words "together," Yu Chenzhou paused slightly, and the ink spread gently on the rice paper.

The hazy outline resembled the shadow of Xiao Yilin's fingertips gently falling on the windowpane, carrying a touch of tender affection.

"Countless lofty sentiments are entrusted to the river road, where the setting sun shines on the treetops, revealing fishermen and woodcutters."

The last line was written with a light flick of the brush, leaving a lingering, resonant impression.

The magnificent scenery of the Huangpu River, the lofty sentiments in the poems, and the splendid sunset in the painting are all condensed into this piece of paper, complementing each other perfectly.

Is there anyone knowledgeable in calligraphy who can explain this? Is this calligraphy truly in the running script style of Wang Xizhi?

It's so beautiful!

As soon as Yu Chenzhou put down his pen and finished writing the inscription, viewers in the live stream immediately sent questioning comments.

As for the audience at the scene, most of them had only a superficial understanding of calligraphy and could only stare intently at the inscriptions and scrolling comments on the LED screen, hoping that a professional could provide an answer.

After all, they themselves couldn't distinguish between genuine and fake calligraphy, or between different levels of skill.

The live chat was instantly flooded with a large number of speculations and analyses.

Some say it seems real, others say it doesn't; the debate continues, and no one can give a definitive and authoritative answer in the short term.

Just as everyone was debating, an account with a gold official verification badge and the ID "President of the China Calligraphers Association" suddenly appeared in the comment section and posted a pinned comment:

Who exactly is this gentleman?

This calligraphy deeply captures the essence of Wang Xizhi's running script; its brushwork, spirit, and composition are all impeccable!

Among the many imitations of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy I have seen, this piece is absolutely a masterpiece. Even compared to the extant Shenlong version of the "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion," it is in no way inferior or inferior!

This officially verified comment was like a thunderclap in a clear sky, instantly plunging the noisy live stream into deathly silence.

It should be noted that the president of the China Calligraphers Association is a leading authority in the calligraphy world, and his words carry significant weight; they are certainly not unfounded.

Instantly, both the netizens watching the live stream and the audience at the scene gasped in shock.

It should be noted that the Shenlong version of the "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" is recognized as the pinnacle of Wang Xizhi's copying works. It seems that only Wang Xizhi's original works can rival it!

Can anyone explain what exactly happened here?

Does the gentleman who wrote the inscription have any contact information?

I am very eager to pay him a visit and have a proper discussion with him about calligraphy techniques!

After the live stream fell silent, the president of the calligraphy association seemed impatient and sent several bullet comments with the same content.

The words were filled with urgency, and the core issue was just one thing: they wanted Yu Chenzhou's contact information and address.

The president of the calligraphy association's comment made Master Jia's eyes instantly redden, and he suddenly realized how amazing the value of this painting was.

He immediately pounced on the rectangular table like a madman, reaching out to snatch the painting while yelling.

"Mine! This painting is mine!"

The paper you used is mine, and the brush, ink, and inkstone are also mine! Therefore, this painting rightfully belongs to me!

Yu Chenzhou was prepared. The moment he lunged at him, he firmly slapped the painting with his hand and looked at him coldly.

Master Jia's hand had already reached the edge of the painting. Seeing that Yu Chenzhou had pressed down on the painting, he was afraid that he would use too much force and damage this priceless painting, which would be a loss.

Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and abandoned the idea of ​​forcibly taking it.

"hehe!"

Master Jia's greedy and ridiculous appearance made the surrounding audience laugh in anger.

Someone couldn't help but mock:

"Didn't you say before that people could do whatever they wanted with their artwork? Now that it's valuable, you want to steal it? Where's your shame?"

Yu Chenzhou completely ignored Master Jia's exasperated appearance and the surrounding mockery. Instead, he turned to the audience and asked calmly:

"I knew you'd pull this stunt. Does anyone in the audience have a lighter they can borrow?"

"I have it! I have it!"

Upon hearing his words, a young man in a black T-shirt immediately raised his hand, took out a lighter from his pocket, and held it high above his head, shouting.

"I have a lighter here, here you go!"

"Linlin!"

Yu Chenzhou gave Xiao Yilin a look.

Xiao Yilin immediately understood, quickly walked to the young man's side, took the lighter, and then quickly walked back and handed the lighter to Yu Chenzhou.

When they saw Yu Chenzhou accept the lighter, everyone present, the netizens in the live broadcast room, the president of the calligraphy association on the other side of the screen, and even Master Jia standing to the side, immediately realized that something was wrong and their hearts skipped a beat.

Yu Chenzhou's subsequent actions completely confirmed their suspicions.

He reached out and picked up the painting on the table, and without hesitation, lit a corner of it with a lighter.

The flames spread rapidly, the orange-red flames gradually engulfing the painting.

Everyone watched helplessly as this priceless calligraphy and painting, praised by the president of the calligraphy association, gradually turned to ashes in the firelight.

They all swallowed hard; the room was so quiet you could hear the crackling of the flames.

The live stream chat exploded, instantly flooded with comments calling him a "spendthrift," while others lamented, "What a waste!"

After all, judging from the reaction of the calligraphy association president just now, the value of this calligraphy and painting is absolutely astonishing.

Of course, some clear-headed netizens saw through Yu Chenzhou's intentions and immediately posted comments to refute him:

Why are you wasting money?

Didn't you see how smoothly and effortlessly they painted and inscribed the calligraphy?

Judging from his practiced manner, it wouldn't be difficult for him to draw or write another picture.

Rather than keeping the painting and letting that fake master try to steal it, it's better to burn it. That way, the fake master's hopes are dashed, and we can vent our anger—it's so satisfying!

Agreed! +1!

Look at that fake guru's expression, like he'd lost a fortune, his face turned green! It felt so good, so satisfying! I give that move a perfect score!

[That was so satisfying!!! This was so cathartic! Support the master!]

"You...you...you actually burned it!"

Master Jia looked at the painting that had been set on fire, trembling with rage. He pointed at Yu Chenzhou, stammering and unable to utter a complete sentence. His face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with heartache and anger.

"Heh, it's my artwork, I get to decide what to do with it. Do I need to pay you back for the paper money?"

Just as Master Jia was about to speak, the piercing sound of police sirens grew louder and louder, finally reaching the scene.

Several police cars were parked not far away, and dozens of police officers walked over quickly.

With the police present to maintain order, the previously agitated atmosphere calmed down considerably, and the crowded people gradually dispersed, queuing up in an orderly fashion to leave the scene.

However, after learning the details of Master Jia's sale of books and paintings, the police officers in charge clearly told the audience that they could not file a case.

The police explained:

"Although the books and paintings he sells are not of high value, and can even be described as crudely made, they are all real items."

All of his paintings are his own original works; there is no evidence of forgery or impersonation of other people's works to defraud people.

After all, the value of a work of art is subjective and ambiguous, and there is no unified standard for judgment. Even if it goes to court, it is difficult to determine whether there is fraud.

Moreover, this transaction is a reasonable one between the two parties, and the price was clearly stated when the purchase was made.

Consumers voluntarily pay for purchases, and unless both parties have previously agreed on after-sales return services and the return period is still in effect, they cannot be forced to return the goods and receive a refund.

After hearing the police's explanation, the audience members who had been tricked into buying books and paintings all showed expressions of disappointment and helplessness.

Knowing that there was no hope of recovering their losses, they could only silently curse Master Jia's family in their hearts.

He finally left the scene dejectedly.