Everyone, whether in the live audience or watching the livestream online, was stunned silent.
'What the hell is going on? You're all renowned experts and authoritative professors in your respective fields, normally so stern and aloof. Why are you causing a scene and looking like you're about to start a brawl over a freshman?'
'Aren't you afraid of going viral for this? Believe it or not, you won't even have to wait until morning. The second you start fighting, the headlines on every major news site will read: "A Showdown of Experts: A Failure of Character or a Flaw in the System?"'
The Education Bureau official invited to the gala had no choice but to step forward and play mediator. After climbing onto the stage, he put on a broad smile and said to both groups, "My, my, you're all well-known figures. Why must you make such a scene? So many people are watching, both here and online. Can't we discuss this properly offstage…?"
Before he could finish, both sides ruthlessly cut him off in unison: "This has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it."
The Education Bureau official's face went pale. He stood there, so awkward he didn't know what to say. In his mind, he was cursing up a storm while grumbling resentfully, 'I was just trying to be nice and help you resolve this, to mediate for you. Not only are you ungrateful, but you're also yelling at me! Fine, I'm washing my hands of this. Go ahead and fight if you want. It's not my reputation on the line when you go viral for it!'
The Education Bureau official turned and walked off the stage, returning to his seat to watch the drama unfold.
What else could he do when they were so unappreciative? Both of the feuding groups were full of top-tier experts and professors in their industries. Even though he was an official from the Education Bureau, he didn't dare pull rank in front of these people. Not to mention, Ma Guotao's administrative rank was quite a bit higher than his own!
"Zhao Yuan is one of our university's people, a rising star in the world of medicine! If you think you can poach him from us, you've got another thing coming!" Ma Guotao glared at the musicians and dancers, his voice dripping with Killing Qi.
However, the other party was not intimidated in the least. They retorted confidently, "With Zhao Yuan's talent, he is destined to become an artist whose fame will echo through the ages! He might even be an all-around performer, a master of music, dance, magic, and acrobatics! A person like that is destined to become a world-class artist! We must take him with us today!"
As the person at the center of it all, Zhao Yuan couldn't possibly have been more mortified or felt more awkward.
'One side wants to take me away, the other wants to make me stay… Can't you people at least ask for my opinion first?'
Zhao Yuan really didn't want them to fight.
Every single person in both groups was a leading figure in their respective fields. If they fought and got injured because of him, his crime would be immense.
Zhao Yuan quickly sidled between the two groups and shouted, "Don't fight! Please, don't fight! Just listen to me for a second, okay?"
Below the stage, the Education Bureau official secretly shook his head and sighed softly. 'His intentions are good, but he's still too young. These experts and professors are all furious right now. They didn't even give me any face; what makes him think they'll listen to him?'
In the official's view, Zhao Yuan was about to get cursed out. However, things often take an unexpected turn.
Neither the musicians and dancers nor Ma Guotao and the medical experts cursed at Zhao Yuan. On the contrary, they were all exceedingly polite and respectful, saying one after another:
"Yes, let's hear what student Zhao Yuan has to say."
"Let student Zhao Yuan choose for himself!"
"Student Zhao Yuan, whatever you have to say, just say it. We'll always be on your side!"
The crowd's attitude and words left the Education Bureau official utterly stunned and bewildered.
'Damn it all, can't you at least pretend your attitude didn't just do a complete 180? Where's your integrity? Where's your cold, proud aloofness? This is completely out of character, you know!'
Unfortunately, at that moment, no one cared what he thought. Even less did they care that he felt wronged and heartbroken.
People only wanted to know what choice Zhao Yuan would make.
Zhao Yuan turned to the musicians and dancers, who were looking at him with great anticipation, and said apologetically, "I'm very grateful for the high regard you all have for me, but I have no intention of abandoning medicine for the arts. My goal is to be a doctor, a good doctor who can save patients from their suffering! I said this to Elder Huang and Teacher Zhang before. And what I'm telling you now is still the same."
Huang Shijia and Zhang Liping sat calmly below the stage. When their colleagues had jumped on stage to 'fight over' Zhao Yuan, not only had they not joined the commotion, they had even tried to talk them out of it. They did this because they knew very well that Zhao Yuan would never give up medicine to pursue a path in the arts.
Although they hadn't known Zhao Yuan for long, they could see that the young man was strong-willed. Once he set his mind on something, you couldn't drag him away with ten bulls.
Upon hearing Zhao Yuan's words, Ma Guotao and the other leaders and professors from West Hua Medical University let out a collective sigh of relief.
Of course, they were unwilling to lose a student like Zhao Yuan, who had single-handedly taken down a medical Noble Family at such a young age! In their eyes, Zhao Yuan was destined to become a world-class, even historically renowned, master physician! When that day came, the name of West Hua Medical University would spread across the globe and be written into the annals of history right alongside his!
What an incredible honor that would be!
How could they stand by and watch someone else snatch Zhao Yuan away?
As for the musicians and dancers, they were incredibly disappointed and full of regret. Unwilling to give up, they tried to persuade him, even offering many benefits to tempt him. But unfortunately for them, Zhao Yuan remained completely unmoved.
Helpless, they could only abandon their plan to poach Zhao Yuan and instead turned their attention to poaching Lin Xue.
Lin Xue's Cloud Flying Immortal Dance tonight was also incredibly brilliant. Although not quite on Zhao Yuan's level, with proper guidance, she too could become a world-class dance master. Unfortunately, this night was destined to be the most disappointing one for these musicians and dancers. Lin Xue rejected them as well, leaving no room for negotiation.
In the end, the farce concluded with the musicians and dancers failing to poach anyone.
Zhao Yuan and Lin Xue could finally get off the stage.
The following acts came and went, but by this point, people were no longer in the mood to watch the performances. Both in the venue and online, everyone was discussing the intense scene of the two factions fighting over Zhao Yuan, as well as the shocking Cloud Flying Immortal Dance, the magic trick, and the Oral Skill!
Clips of these three spectacular performances were even edited and uploaded to video-sharing websites. The view counts shot up, and the videos were even shared overseas, leaving countless magicians, oral-skill masters, dancers, and musicians dumbfounded and exclaiming in disbelief.
「Japan, Osaka.」
In a Japanese-style room, Kobayashi Haruo was kneeling with his head bowed.
The television nearby was playing the evening news. Suddenly, the beautiful melody of a Guqin drifted from the speakers. It caught Kobayashi Haruo's attention, and he turned his head to look. At once, he saw Zhao Yuan on stage, playing the Guqin.
"It's him!" Kobayashi Haruo jolted, the words escaping his lips in a shocked cry.
"Who?" a deep voice slowly asked.
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