“Do you even know her? Is it appropriate for a literati to speak ill of someone they don’t know?”
No one expected Molly to turn against them for Jane, causing dissatisfaction among many.
“Miss Waters, although your calligraphy has won awards before, you should still understand boundaries. There are many seniors here who are better than you. Are you not afraid of being isolated by defending that woman?”
The people around them began threatening Molly directly, which shocked Jane.
Jane didn’t expect that Molly had also won awards in this field and had some prestige in the calligraphy world. But standing up for herself like this might not have a good outcome.
Thinking about this made Jane worry and she grabbed Molly’s hand. “It’s okay, I’m fine.”
“No,” said Molly with a pout as she shielded Jane behind her. “Jane is my good friend. Have any of you thought about how she feels or how I feel when treating her like this?”
This statement caused everyone around them to start discussing.
“Miss Waters, although it’s none of our business who you choose to be friends with, we advise that you think twice before associating with someone like her or else she might sell you out later.”
Everyone chimed in agreement because they looked down on Jane since she was just a merchant.
“You’re all just talking nonsense without knowing anything! You’re only spouting off meaningless opinions from anonymous sources online! Is this what being part of the Realm of Literature and Art is supposed to be about?” said Molly as she stood up for Jane again which only further angered those around them.
“I advise you not to get involved in this matter. It’s already benevolent of the Realm of Literature and Art to allow Jane, a businessperson, to participate. And here you are, supporting her, which clearly shows disrespect towards us.”
The crowd nodded in agreement, and Molly couldn’t salvage the situation.
Of course, there were people who couldn’t stand Jane. Their thoughts revolved around seeing her make a fool of herself, to make the crowd mock Jane and keep her head forever lowered. After all, exceptional individuals are always envied by others.
With so many people around Jane supporting and speaking up for her, it only fueled the desire to witness her embarrassment. Among those who wanted to see Jane humiliated, there was one named Cassandra.
She held a grudge and wanted to prove herself against Jane.
She was someone with talent, albeit not exceptionally high talent. Her pride was high, but she didn’t put in the effort to study painting, so her talent could only reach a certain level.
Although Cassandra had a high level of pride, she still possessed basic manners. After all, she couldn’t show a bad side of herself in front of so many people.
“Hello, my name is Cassandra Sutton.” While speaking, she put on a professional smile and extended her right hand.
Jane hesitated for a moment. She didn’t even know Cassandra, but she still maintained her manners and promptly extended her right hand, saying, “Hello.”
“I have admired you for a long time, and I have always wanted an opportunity to compare our paintings. I don’t know if there’s a chance for that now, with so many people here. It would be an honor if you could oblige,” Cassandra deliberately raised her voice, drawing everyone’s attention to them.
Jane glanced at Cassandra and calmly replied, “Today’s occasion might not be suitable. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. We are guests and should not overshadow the host. Don’t you agree?”
She continued, “I think it’s better to let it go today.” Jane finished speaking and directly ignored her, turning to look at the artworks.
Jane understood Cassandra’s intentions. She wasn’t afraid of a competition, but she felt that the occasion was not quite right, and she didn’t like attracting so much attention.
After all, she preferred to keep a low profile. Although sometimes she couldn’t avoid the spotlight, she had no choice.
Upon hearing Jane’s refusal, Cassandra was momentarily speechless. She thought Jane was afraid and planned to compete with her today, whether Jane agreed or not.
“Everyone,” all eyes turned to Cassandra, “would you please honor us by witnessing a competition between Jane and me? We’ve already enjoyed enough appreciation of calligraphy and painting.”
The surrounding crowd cheered and pointed at the two of them, saying, “Yes, yes! We’ve heard that Jane is extremely talented. I also want to see her paint firsthand.”
They all wanted to see how they would face each other, especially curious about Jane’s response. “This is going to be exciting.”
“Since everyone seems to agree, I’ll have someone prepare the necessary materials. Isn’t that right, Ms. North?” Cassandra deliberately shifted the focus onto Jane.
Cassandra really knew how to manipulate public opinion. If Jane didn’t agree now, it would seem like she was inferior to Cassandra.
What was there to fear in a competition? Besides, this group of people really loved to witness drama. Weren’t artists supposed to be loners? Why did this crowd’s eyes light up at the mention of a competition? Jane was speechless.
“Okay.” Jane replied with just one word. She was the one being referred to as “one who values every word.”
“Then please give us a topic,” Cassandra said to the group of spectators, her happiness evident.
The surrounding onlookers added, “It’s currently the rainy season, so why not use rain as the theme and have no specific requirements? Let your creativity flow freely.”
Jane nodded in agreement after hearing the crowd’s suggestion. The theme seemed suitable, and the timing was just right.
“In that case, please wait a moment for us to compare,” Cassandra said confidently.
With everything prepared, the two of them took their seats. When the time was right, they began the brush test.
In the first ten minutes, Cassandra confidently started painting, while Jane didn’t even touch her brush. She seemed lost in thought, staring at the blank paper. From an outsider’s perspective, it appeared as if she were daydreaming.
The spectators felt that Jane was unworthy and started discussing among themselves, “What’s she doing? It’s been ten minutes, and she hasn’t even started. Who knows what she’s up to?”
Cassandra almost burst out laughing when she heard others talking about Jane.
But she needed to maintain a calm demeanor now. After all, she wanted to appear mysterious, and she couldn’t stand Jane’s behavior.
When it came to painting, one needed to concentrate. Jane’s mind was filled with various thoughts, but now she focused solely on her artwork.
It was fortunate that there was a curtain separating the two of them. Otherwise, Cassandra would have been curious to see what Jane was doing.
“Hey, come over and see, Jane finally started painting.” Someone exclaimed, and everyone turned their attention towards Jane.
If Jane had her way, painting would be a more private matter, not meant for others to see. After all, it would disrupt her personal affairs. But for now, there was no other choice. They could watch, as she had painted in front of even larger audiences before.