Chapter 186

Xiao Qi attended the calligraphy and painting club activities at the Datang Complex Building, while Mi'er attended the photography club activities at the student council building.

The student council building was dedicated for the student council's use. Other clubs could use it if they paid rent.

The student council at Enhua University already felt like a big company in society.

The photography club and public relations club were clubs that had plenty of money, so they directly had large activity rooms in the student council building.

Other clubs that didn't want to rent fixed activity rooms could apply to the school to use classrooms. Public classrooms could be applied for use when time slots opened up.

It's said that photographers stay poor for three generations, so it's easy to imagine that it requires spending lots of money. Not to mention how much cameras and lenses cost, just playing around casually could cost tens of thousands, and that's just getting started.

Of course, new members who had just joined didn't have such high awareness and preparation yet. Many of the new female members of the photography club had joined aiming to take nice-looking photos, while some silent and unassuming members carrying large bags were actually the real enthusiasts. Those vibrant and pretty girls were just the lively scenery.

Clubs were actually like this. Many students joined clubs on impulse, but only those who were truly passionate would stay and become the backbone of a club, while smart students would slowly figure out what they truly liked and wanted to become. Confused students would probably graduate without figuring it out.

Mi'er had actually joined to take photos and post on Moments. She liked posting on Moments.

Having her wait crouching for hours to take a nice scenic photo, that restless girl simply couldn't do it.

Listening to seniors on stage earnestly analyzing lenses, discussing which lenses suited which type of photos, Mi'er was practically falling asleep. But falling asleep in this kind of situation would be too embarrassing, so she really wanted to post the bamboo weaving video she had recorded for her deskmate earlier on Moments, but the recording was too long. She couldn't bear to cut any part of it for the 15 second Moments limit.

After the tall and thin senior on stage finished speaking and stepped down, Mi'er went over, wanting him to help her make a nice 15 second video.

The male student smiled helplessly, but seeing the energetic and quite pretty young girl in front of him, he still patiently taught her.

Photography hobbyist Mi'er felt she had no hope, but posting on Moments was very interesting. She listened very earnestly as senior Chen Jianfei, a second year math major, taught her step-by-step how to extract the footage she felt was best and stitch them together. She could also speed up or slow down parts of the video. It was simply perfect.

She had joined the right club with the photography club. "Senior, let's add each other on WeChat... Senior, you're also surnamed Chen, we're from the same hometown... Senior, you're a math major? I'm a computer science major, we're in the same building! Senior..."

Chen Jianfei: "..."

Mi'er successfully picked up a math major senior with eight camera lenses at the photography club, asking him to teach her and help with posting on Moments...

As soon as Xiao Qi started writing, she entered a state of concentration.

It was like this whenever she practiced calligraphy. She could calm down and focus very easily. The noise outside wouldn't affect her at all.

She had persisted in practicing calligraphy since she was little. It was probably the easiest way for her to find calm.

No matter if it was in the room without glass windows in her ancestral village, her aunt's hospital basement, the bright school and library, when Xiao Qi practiced calligraphy, her state of mind was very peaceful. This was probably the main difference between her and her high school roommate Xia Zhen. She had inner fortitude.

She was the same now. She didn't pay attention to the still running camera, or Mr. Ke the guest invited by the club's slightly odd expression, or Chu Yu in the crowd, or Li Weijin. She was immersed in her own world.

The good brush felt so smooth, it was even smoother to write with than the one she used in her dorm.

The xuan paper was the same. The ink spread and swirled on the xuan paper, giving it a special aesthetic and tactile feeling that made Xiao Qi a little intoxicated.

The Heart Sutra content was a bit complicated for Xiao Qi, but this text overall had an aesthetic beauty and was very suitable for calligraphy practice.

"When the Bodhisattva Avalokite?vara was practicing the profound Praj?āpāramitā, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw they were all empty..." As Xiao Qi wrote more, she flowed more smoothly. She felt she had a good grasp of it and wrote faster and faster, fluently and effortlessly.

"...Therefore in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, conception, volition, or consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind; no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables or objects of mind; no sight-organ element..."

Besides people like Li Weijin, most of the members of the calligraphy and painting club were students truly interested in it. Even Chu Yu believed her own calligraphy was good, and had been praised for it since she was little, so she joined the calligraphy and painting club.

Some others were good at painting.

So they had a basic understanding and eye for whether someone's calligraphy was good or not.

The calligraphy of this girl in front of them was very good. And very steady.

Seeing her standing there, holding the brush steadily with good posture and poise, and looking closely at her hands which had faint calluses, it was clear she must have practiced calligraphy for a long time. Calluses like this wouldn't form overnight.

Amateurs watch posture.

Xiao Qi's calligraphy posture was probably about eighty times better than Mr. Ke's just now.

After all, Mr. Ke's age showed, as did his life experience. His whole demeanor was a bit greasy.

But Xiao Qi was dressed very simply in a white T-shirt and jeans. Aside from the sporty Casio watch on her wrist, she wore no other accessories.

Her hair was tied in a little ponytail with a thin red rubber band.

Some people also happened to have gone to the Mid-Autumn Festival gala yesterday, and already recognized that the girl in front of them was the top 10 singer Su Xiaoqi, who sang "Exploring the Qingshui River". They didn't expect her calligraphy was so good looking as well as her singing...

Li Weijin also didn't expect this. He had discovered another side of Su Xiaoqi.

Her calligraphy was very good. Li Weijin himself wasn't knowledgeable about these things, but his dad was the pretentious type who liked dabbling in elegant hobbies. Although he was a country bumpkin who struck it rich from nothing, once he had money he became very interested in these things, often inviting famous calligraphers over to write for him.

As a refined rich second generation, Li Weijin had naturally been forced by his dad to learn such things as well.

Since his dad couldn't wash away his lowbrow roots, the next generation had to accomplish that. Li Weijin was no stranger to these things from his exposure.

Xiao Qi's Heart Sutra was placed next to the one just written by the guest calligrapher. There was no absolute best in art, but the relative merits could still be judged.

And Li Weijin felt Xiao Qi's calligraphy was better than the guest's, objectively speaking.

As Xiao Qi kept writing, Ke Yinhua's expression grew increasingly awkward and ashamed |||_ ?. He had also noticed.

The student he had casually pointed out wrote better than him.

It was a complex feeling. If he was a layman who couldn't tell, that would be one thing, but he had been immersed in calligraphy for over a decade. After being assigned to the Cultural Museum, with no prospects in his career, he had taken up calligraphy as a passion, and had made a small name for himself. But exactly because he had this discernment, he could tell the difference.

His own calligraphy was decent, but lacked a certain charm—he still hadn't reached that level.

But this girl in front of him probably wasn't even a fraction of his age, yet her calligraphy already had charm and a strong individual style. Her brushwork didn't show any immaturity at all, it was very steady. She even gave the impression that she had practiced calligraphy longer than him, but how was that possible?

Chu Yu was also unhappy, because the scene had suddenly gone very quiet. She watched Xiao Qi's calligraphy, and felt it was just decent, not much better than her own. She was clearly just pretending. She was especially unhappy seeing Li Weijin next to her intently watching Xiao Qi.

In reality, Chu Yu's calligraphy was at most basic level. Just a little neater. She was the youngest in her family, and often claimed to have a weak constitution that couldn't take stimulation. No matter how bad her calligraphy looked, her family would only praise her. She often hinted at school that her family had hired a private tutor to teach her calligraphy, so her classmates naturally just flattered her and praised her calligraphy.

In reality she practiced very little, only writing for homework and exams.

While Xiao Qi was seizing every fragment of time to practice, in terms of time, she was investing more than most people on the scene.

The deputy head of the calligraphy and painting club was also looking unhappy at the moment. She had originally invited Mr. Ke to show off and make an appearance. Her calligraphy was average, but she had good connections, so she became the deputy head to manage the club's big and small matters. The president didn't appear much.

She felt the atmosphere was off because Mr. Ke looked unhappy.

Fortunately, the time passed quickly. Reciting the Heart Sutra didn't take much time. Xiao Qi finished it in one go, feeling extremely gratified. She put down the brush with a smile and sincerely said to the guest, "Mr. Ke, your brush is really good. It feels very smooth to write with. Thank you for giving me the chance to try it out."

Ke Yinhua had an awkward expression on his face. Fortunately, no one on the scene exposed it. He was also relieved that, except for this female student who was a freak accident, others probably wouldn't be able to tell that her calligraphy was actually better than this old man's. Now that he saw the camera was still on, he became a little unhappy.

"Your calligraphy is good. Keep working hard," Ke Yinhua encouraged the junior as usual, kindly.

But he felt a little insecure inside.

Fortunately, the atmosphere became harmonious again. Those new club members began writing on the big table, leaving their own notes.

This was also part of today's event.

Chu Yu was well prepared and earnestly wrote a poem, Yellow Crane Tower.

It was quite neat. After finishing, she looked at Li Weijin with a flushed face.

"Li Weijin, are you going to write?" she asked.

When Li Weijin saw her handwriting... at an elementary school level, he didn't know what gave her the face to write this and even sign off. As for his writing, thinking of Su Xiaoqi's, he gave up. He didn't want to write.

The deputy head and several core members were chatting with Mr. Ke, kind of like interviewing him, praising him.

At last, the awkward and strange atmosphere from earlier was suppressed again.

At this time, the president came.

The president was already in his third year and had the intention to gradually withdraw from the club. Usually when the third year ended, he would hand over the president position to the next one.

The president of the calligraphy club, Li Luanliang, really had good skills. He had participated in national level calligraphy competitions and won second place.

When he arrived, the atmosphere became even more enthusiastic.

Deputy Head Han Wei immediately went up to introduce. She was probably the most suitable to take over so far, so she was very proactive. Although she personally didn't have much interest in calligraphy or painting, she was quite capable.

Like arranging today's event.

Li Luanliang came over to greet the guest first. He was really good at praising people.

"I've long admired Mr. Ke's great reputation. My grandma especially likes your Heart Sutra and really wants a copy to put in our home. I didn't expect to meet you in person today. It's truly an honor."

Ke Yinhua didn't dare look down on the young man in front of him. After all, the young man came from a family with artistic heritage. His grandfather was a famous traditional Chinese painting master that even he had to address as "Elder". His expression became more humble.

Since the other party praised him like this, it also indirectly proved that his calligraphy was good and appreciated by others.

"Mr. Ke just wrote out the Heart Sutra here. It was especially wonderful," Deputy Head Han Wei quickly added.

Li Luanliang revealed a delighted expression. He walked to the writing table in front and the other students made way when they saw it was the president.

At a glance, he saw two Heart Sutras placed in the middle. The one on top looked a little sloppy while the bottom one was steady and bold, full of charm that gladdened one's heart, especially for a calligraphy enthusiast like him.

The one on top was probably written by some student, and it was decent.

He picked up the bottom one and couldn't help sincerely praising, "I didn't expect that after not seeing you for a long time, Mr. Ke's calligraphy has improved again. It's really rare. Mr. Ke is a true master of calligraphy and a role model for my generation."

And the scene... went quiet.

Because earlier, some smart club members wanted to please the guest and had sneakily placed Xiao Qi's Heart Sutra on the bottom with Mr. Ke's on top. Since it was just a small trick, they didn't pay too much attention and just casually switched the positions.

But everyone present had just watched the two of them write the Heart Sutras, so it was clear who wrote which one.

As a result of the president's words... how awkward!

Li Luanliang was overjoyed at the sight and hadn't noticed the problem yet. His smile became even more sincere and enthusiastic: "Mr. Ke, you haven't signed and sealed it yet. You must sign it. I insist on framing this Heart Sutra nicely as the club's treasure."

And the scene...