After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows-Chapter 17 The Old Man and the Sunset

Until they reached an exceptionally lush century-old tree.

It was the first time Jiang Lingxi stopped in her tracks.

She looked at the silhouette of an elder and a child under the ancient tree.

Both were dressed in loose white Tai Chi uniforms, poised in the starting position.

The background consisted of white walls and black tiles, while in the foreground stood the flourishing ancient tree, with the moving image being the synchronized actions of the two silhouettes beneath it.

She took out her phone, carefully taking what was no longer just a practice shot but her first serious work.

The scene froze in time.

However, what Jiang Lingxi didn't expect was that the elderly man with snow-white hair had exceptionally keen hearing, as she had just heard a 'click' when he stopped exercising and turned toward her.

The elderly man had a youthful vigor despite his age, and his eyes were sharp and clear under his white eyebrows.

The accompanying photographer only got a glance and instinctively trembled, almost unable to hold their equipment steady.

There had never been such an imposing elder in this small village before!

What luck was this?

To face the elder's gaze was one thing, but it was clear he was a little disgruntled by the interruption.

Knowing she was at fault, she put down the phone and performed a Tai Chi salute, "Apologies for the disturbance, elder, I acknowledge my mistake."

Seeing her decent form of salutation, the elder's expression softened, though his voice remained curt, "What did you just photograph?"

Jiang Lingxi displayed the picture she had just taken, stepped forward to present it with both hands, and briefly explained her identity and today's task. Although it was a pity to consider deleting her most satisfactory photo so far, she said, "If you prefer not to be in the picture, I will delete it immediately."

"This photo... oh well, it's just a silhouette; as long as no faces are shown. But the equipment that gentleman has..."

The accompanying photographer quickly shifted his equipment to the other side, "Rest assured, elder, without your consent, we guarantee there'll be no footage of you."

"All right, off you go then, no more disturbances."

Jiang Lingxi took back her phone, bowed once more, and gestured for the photographer to leave quickly with her.

After the two walked a distance away.

"Grandpa, that sister was so pretty!"

The elder lightly tapped his grandson's head, "Pretty, yes, but she's feeble, doesn't care for her health, and if she doesn't take proper care, she's destined for a short life."

"Really? That's such a pity!"

"Certainly, that's why you must study medicine diligently; otherwise, you can't see these things. Enough about her, continue practicing Tai Chi with me."

*

They rushed back just before sunset.

The lights in the villa's yard were on, and the staff were all present, ready to start the voting.

Jiang Lingxi sent over the photo she took to the director Zhao Hengsheng's phone and sat down in the contestant seat to await the voting results.

The large LCD TV, sponsored by advertisers, was moved to the yard, and after the program staff fiddled with it, the five entries appeared one by one on the screen.

The photos weren't labeled with the photographer's name, meaning the vote relied solely on the works themselves.

Lin Xuefei was confident about her work, having taken around a hundred shots today, and choosing the most satisfactory one from them took a lot of effort.

But looking at the other entries on the TV screen, they all seemed quite good.

The key issue was telling which of the other four was captured by Jiang Lingxi.

When did her photography skills improve so much?

She Man and Xu Yin also hoped to win, but they were fine with losing, not needing to vie for the public welfare ambassador spot.

Kai Yuan wasn't concerned with the voting outcome; he was only worried about dinner later on.

After wandering around all day, he was starving, and there were no snacks to fill his stomach.

Aside from the five guest's accompanying photographers and the director Zhao Hengsheng who received the photos, no one else on-site knew who took which photo.

"The photos are numbered now, one to five, matching five boxes. You can now cast your vote into the corresponding box with the ticket you hold."

After examining the five photos closely, someone finally went to the ballot box with their ticket.

Lin Xuefei couldn't help but lean forward slightly and then pressed her lips together after watching the ticket fall into the fifth box, once more eyeing the fifth entry on the TV screen.

That photo was the most distinctive of the five. The other four are purely landscapes, with waterfalls, distant mountains, streams with fish, and blossoms scattered, but this one's subject was not scenery, but people.

Not some handsome man or beautiful woman, rather several elders with faces full of wrinkles sitting on small stools, chatting and laughing.

Behind the elders stretched a winding road leading to an orange sunset, with smoke rising warmly from the houses on either side of the road.

The photo cast a warm glow and carried a tinge of fading sorrow and acceptance.

But to take such a picture, it couldn't possibly be Jiang Lingxi or Kai Yuan. Even if it were She Man or Xu Yin, losing to one of them wouldn't feel too bad.

After silently comforting herself, Lin Xuefei glanced at Jiang Lingxi next to her.

Under the lights, it was hard to see her expression clearly, and she didn't seem overly excited, suggesting her assumption was likely correct.

With about thirty voters, the process didn't take long, and soon the last vote was cast.

Zhao Hengsheng, standing behind the cameras, although the votes hadn't been tallied yet, already had a good guess about who the night's winner would be.

Amid the flickering lights, due to unstable voltage, he took another look at the figure sitting on the guest seat.

After receiving the photos, he had confirmed it multiple times, only convincing himself at last that the creator of the fifth entry, a picture he deemed least likely to have been taken by Jiang Lingxi, of elders and the sunset, was indeed her.

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The vote counting was swift, as someone announced the results while another marked them down, and the outcome quickly emerged.

The fifth piece won by a landslide, securing sixteen votes, a good seven more than the runner-up.

Perhaps having anticipated the result, Lin Xuefei was accepting of it, smiling as she prepared to congratulate She Man or Xu Yin.

Unexpectedly, glancing over, she saw them also looking toward her and Jiang Lingxi.

Lin Xuefei felt an internal thud, her mind flashing a preposterous assumption.

Soon alone, the speculation turned out to be true.

"Let's congratulate the photographer of the fifth work, Jiang Lingxi. The other teachers' works were also excellent!"

A blow not only struck Lin Xuefei on the head but also bewildered several staff members.

During voting, none of them imagined Jiang Lingxi was behind the fifth work.

Yet it was really her!

She Man paused her applause, took a deep breath as she looked at Jiang Lingxi, standing to receive congratulations.

After confirming that the fifth photo wasn't captured by Xu Yin and knowing Kai Yuan wasn't capable of such a delicate piece, she assumed it was Lin Xuefei's work, never suspecting Jiang Lingxi.

The reality once again slapped her in the face.

Never before was she as certain as she was now, Jiang Lingxi was truly different from before!