Su Ciliang was speechless, truly at a loss for words.
At that moment, he suddenly remembered that his little sister, no matter the situation, always appeared composed and could say many reasonable things.
Why didn't he possess such a skill?
After this event, he would have to learn diligently from his sister; perhaps there would be many more opportunities to receive awards in the future.
Jiang Yuehan nervously clutched Cao Gaoxuan's sleeve.
"Teacher, what should we do?"
"Just wait!"
While Su Ciliang was still struggling for words, Cao Gaoxuan actually stood up and walked towards the main stage under everyone's gaze.
The atmosphere was lively, and everyone was focused on the main stage, anticipating what the young, inexperienced boy would say. No one noticed Cao Gaoxuan's movement.
However, as everyone else was seated and only one person stood up, with the main stage as their target, attention quickly shifted to Cao Gaoxuan.
Especially the leaders and judges seated below, they frowned as they looked at Cao Gaoxuan.
They did not recognize this person and had no idea of his purpose in going on stage at this moment.
But Su Ciliang did.
Seeing Cao Gaoxuan walk towards the main stage, Su Ciliang grew even more nervous.
What was Cao Gaoxuan planning to do?
"Grandma, do you know this person?" Su Xiaotian, sensing that something might be amiss and an unexpected turn of events was likely, asked.
Yu Ruiyuan frowned beside her.
She had seen this person before, though not intimately. Wasn't this Su Ciliang's teacher, Cao Gaoxuan?
This person's appearance did not suggest kindness.
"Is he planning to go on stage to brag, that second brother is his disciple?" Su Xiaotian asked.
Yu Ruiyuan looked at Su Xiaotian but did not reply.
However, she absolutely did not believe that this person, lacking any bottom line, would go on stage merely to inform everyone that he was Su Ciliang's teacher.
After all, Su Ciliang's actual supervising teacher was not him.
Without a response, Su Xiaotian stopped asking and watched nervously as Cao Gaoxuan walked step by step onto the main stage.
The host, who was waiting for Su Ciliang to speak, stared in surprise at the person who had suddenly appeared on stage.
They recognized him, but they didn't understand why Teacher Cao had suddenly appeared on the main stage.
Could it be that he had some connection with the first-place winner?
The male and female hosts exchanged glances, feeling that their guess might be correct.
The female host, being quick-witted, immediately walked towards Cao Gaoxuan.
"Teacher Cao, do you have something to say to our audience?"
To avoid awkwardness, the female host tried to maintain a dignified expression.
Cao Gaoxuan turned his gaze to Su Ciliang, his eyes conveying a meaning so profound that it made Su Ciliang momentarily flustered.
What did he mean? Why was he looking at him like that?
Could it be because he had secretly signed up for the competition?
Su Ciliang was a kind and simple child. Although he had suspected Cao Gaoxuan for a long time, at this moment, he still thought of him in a better light.
However, this kindness was ultimately misplaced.
Cao Gaoxuan took the microphone from the host, his expression one of deep disappointment.
Su Ciliang was stunned.
At this point, he already felt that Cao Gaoxuan was about to cause trouble.
And the trouble might be more serious than he had imagined.
Not only Su Ciliang, but almost everyone had a bad premonition.
Cao Gaoxuan's sudden appearance on stage at this moment was definitely not a good sign.
Some who knew Cao Gaoxuan began to guess what this teacher, lacking professional ethics, intended to do.
Others who were familiar with Cao Gaoxuan knew that Su Ciliang was his student.
However, why would Cao Gaoxuan show such an expression when his student had achieved success?
The female host, watching the microphone being taken by Cao Gaoxuan, was momentarily stunned.
She looked at her empty hand, wanting to get the microphone back, but Cao Gaoxuan acted as if he didn't see the female host's gaze.
Finally, Cao Gaoxuan felt the time was right, slowly picked up the microphone, and began to speak.
"Ciliang, you have disappointed me too much."
With that one sentence, the entire venue erupted in an uproar!
Too disappointed.
What did that mean?
The winner of the first prize had caused disappointment?
Then what was the point of their own lives?
Was it just to disappoint others?
Even the other two middle-aged men who had also won first prize exchanged bewildered glances.
A first-prize winner under twenty years old, who also won a third prize, and this person caused disappointment?
What kind of high expectations were these?
What were they doing at his age?
Could they have the same level of skill as this young man?
The people in the venue began to murmur amongst themselves.
Even the leaders who had been presenting awards to the winners were now dumbfounded.
Could it be that this young man's abilities were more than that? Was this first-prize painting not good enough?
Su Ciliang, on stage, looked utterly dismayed, even breaking out in a sweat in the slightly chilly autumn air.
Seeing Su Ciliang's nervousness, Cao Gaoxuan felt pleased!
It was good that he knew fear; he feared the young, fearless calf who knew no fear at all.
If Su Ciliang complied with his wishes this time, he would decide to give Su Ciliang another chance to stay by his side.
"Teacher Cao..." Su Ciliang tried to speak, but Cao Gaoxuan interrupted him.
"Ciliang, I know you are a child from the rural northwest, and you want to make a name for yourself. But making a name for yourself requires ability and morality. How could you use someone else's painting to compete?"
Cao Gaoxuan was also a skilled actor. His heartbroken tone and devastated expression made everyone present feel his sorrow.
At the same time, the sharp gazes of these people all focused on Su Ciliang.
Could it be that this young man's painting was not his own, but belonged to this middle-aged man?
If that were the case, it would make sense.
What twenty-year-old could possess such skill?
When Su Xiaotian heard this, she almost fainted from anger. What did this person mean?
He was saying that her second brother's painting was done by someone else?
Was this a joke?
Although she hadn't seen her second brother paint the entire process for the competition, she had seen some of it.
As a witness, how could she not know how much effort her second brother had put into these two paintings that won awards today?
Su Ciliang was completely dumbfounded at this moment. He had never expected Cao Gaoxuan to turn the tables on him.
He wasn't foolish. When Jiang Yuehan's "Sunset over the Long River" was announced as the second-prize winner, he had already sensed a problem.
But he never expected Cao Gaoxuan to dare to come on stage in full view of everyone and say such shameless words.
Was this the embodiment of "shamelessness is invincible"?
"Teacher Cao, what do you mean by that? I don't understand," Su Ciliang said, trying to suppress his anger.
No matter what, this person was his teacher, and in front of everyone, he couldn't let others think he was disrespectful to his elders.
However, Cao Gaoxuan's expression clearly worsened. This Su Ciliang was not going along with his intentions.
"Ciliang, you are a country child, I can understand you, but you cannot lie. If it wasn't painted by you, then it wasn't painted by you. You must admit your shortcomings!"