My Wife is a Hidden Big Shot-Chapter 93 - 88: Not on the Same Level

「8:00 PM.」

The award ceremony had finally begun.

The entire venue, though devoid of any media, was filled with influential figures from the world of calligraphy and painting.

People whose every move could send tremors through the entire community.

The host was on stage, delivering the opening remarks.

A magnificent landscape scroll, *A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains*, served as the opening spectacle, slowly unfurling on the large screen behind the stage.

It stunned the entire audience.

This was a national treasure-level scroll, painstakingly restored by Master Flora Guthrie over more than a decade, making it exceptionally precious.

On stage, the vice president of the association rambled on about the artwork’s history, his voice impassioned and inspiring.

Leigh Miles, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, was startled when she saw the painting. She glanced at Aurora Sinclair and asked quizzically, "Senior, this painting looks a little familiar. Didn’t you make a copy of it last year?"

Aurora Sinclair nodded, still nibbling on her own chicken leg.

Their casual chat was like a bolt from the blue, stunning the men next to them so thoroughly that their jaws dropped wide enough to fit an egg.

Arthur Lockwood pointed at the ancient painting—a work he had never even seen in person—and exclaimed as if he’d seen a ghost, "Aurora... you’ve seen this painting before?"

Aurora Sinclair nodded again.

Seeing his ignorant expression, Leigh Miles rolled her eyes and added, "My Senior even made a copy of it! If you like it, I can have her paint one for you when we get back..."

"Paint... paint... paint one?"

Aurora Sinclair calmly swallowed the piece of chicken in her mouth, nodding agreeably. "I’ll give you one."

Beta Morgan glanced silently at his master, who remained completely unfazed, and felt his own face twitch.

’Why is my master so calm?’

***

Outside, the award ceremony was in full swing. With each prize awarded, the winner’s work was displayed on the screen for everyone to admire and bid on.

The funds raised from the artworks would be used for charitable activities, an established tradition of The Calligraphy Association.

The preceding works were all excellent, with the second-prize winner fetching a price of 100,000.

This made everyone look forward to the upcoming first-prize and grand-prize pieces.

Leigh Miles pulled Titus Miles over to a seat by the glass wall, her face alight with excitement. "Senior, after the first prize is your cousin’s grand prize!"

Aurora Sinclair nodded, stuffed the last bite of chicken into her mouth, wiped her hands, and slowly stood up.

Arthur Lockwood didn’t know much about painting, but his grandfather was a fan and had instructed him in advance to be sure to win the grand-prize piece from the Guthrie Family.

So he asked with a smile, "Aurora, have you seen your cousin’s painting? How much do you think I should bid for it later?"

Aurora Sinclair shook her head lightly. Leigh Miles’s eyes darted around, and she asked curiously, "How much are you thinking of bidding?"

Arthur Lockwood held up two fingers.

"Two hundred thousand?" Leigh Miles’s eyes lit up, the picture of a money-lover.

"Add another zero."

"Two million—"

Leigh Miles shot to her feet in excitement.

Arthur Lockwood nodded with a smile, asking playfully, "Is that too little or too much?"

He found Aurora Sinclair’s junior apprentice quite amusing. Her expressions were wonderfully exaggerated, especially when her big eyes went wide on her round face, creating a strangely comical effect.

Unexpectedly, Leigh Miles suddenly pulled a small ledger out of her pocket, took out a pen, and started scribbling calculations. Then, her face glowing, she looked at Aurora Sinclair.

"Senior, you must have painted dozens of pictures over the years, right? If we sell them all, we can pay off our debts."

But Aurora Sinclair shook her head again, reached out, and flicked Leigh on the forehead. "We can’t sell them," she said in a rather stern tone.

Leigh Miles was very displeased, pouting as she grumbled, "Senior, why are you so old-fashioned, just like Master?"

"Only passed down within our school..."

"Alright, alright, stop talking! My chest hurts..."

Arthur Lockwood watched their interaction, thoroughly amused. At the same time, his curiosity about Aurora Sinclair grew even stronger.

"Leigh, is your Senior really that good at traditional painting?"

Leigh Miles simply held up an index finger and wagged it at him.

Arthur Lockwood glanced uncertainly at Aurora Sinclair and guessed, "Not good?"

"They’re not even on the same level."

Arthur Lockwood: ...

’Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?’

***

Just then, two knocks came from outside the private room. Immediately after, a Lockwood family bodyguard, who had been standing guard, entered with another man. "Young Master, Young Master Morgan, Young Master Guthrie is here."

Arthur Lockwood turned his head and greeted him familiarly, "Well, well, what brings Young Master Guthrie here?"

Jensen Guthrie smiled but ignored him, turning to Alvin Morgan instead. "Morgan," he invited, "my grandfather would like to ask you to present the award to the grand-prize winner."

Arthur Lockwood nearly spat out his drink. "Young Guthrie, your grandfather doesn’t have a fever, does he? Asking Morgan to do it? Aren’t you afraid he’ll ruin your family’s event?"

Leigh Miles was amused by Arthur Lockwood’s teasing and couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter. Only then did Jensen Guthrie notice the three people sitting by the glass wall.

With just one glance, his face went slack as if he’d lost his soul.

His eyes widened, his pupils contracted, and he stared unblinkingly at Aurora Sinclair’s face. The image of that slender silhouette surfaced in his mind once more.

His heart constricted violently. He felt as if a part of him that had been missing for years was suddenly whole again.

Arthur Lockwood, who had been watching him, followed his gaze to Aurora Sinclair. His heart tightened, and he said bluntly, "Don’t you go crazy on me. This isn’t your ’divine little sister.’ She’s Stella Sinclair’s cousin, Aurora Sinclair."

He and Jensen Guthrie had grown up together and were as thick as thieves. One look at his expression was all it took for Arthur to know what he was thinking.

But Jensen Guthrie’s gaze remained fixed on Aurora Sinclair, blazing with intensity, as he took a few steps forward.

"Have you... ever been to Kenton?"

As if she had suddenly realized something, Leigh Miles immediately stood up, blocking Aurora Sinclair from his view. "Never been," she replied warily.

Jensen Guthrie’s steps faltered.

Leigh Miles put on an innocent smile and continued, "My Senior, my junior, and I have always lived in the mountains. We’ve never been to the big city. You must have the wrong person, sir."

Hearing this, the light in Jensen Guthrie’s eyes dimmed, but his gaze remained fixed on Aurora Sinclair.

She, in turn, looked back at him politely.

Their gazes met—one confused, the other sorrowful. To an onlooker, it might have looked as if they were captivated by each other.

Alvin Morgan’s eyes narrowed slightly. He stood up, walked naturally to Aurora Sinclair’s side, and rested his hand on her head, breaking her line of sight. "Your cousin is about to come out."

Aurora Sinclair immediately turned to look at the awards stage.

Jensen Guthrie stared blankly at her back, his heart a tangle of emotions—sour and bitter.

"The presentation is about to start, so I won’t be going," Alvin Morgan said coolly, subtly blocking Jensen Guthrie’s view.

His voice held a faint trace of displeasure.

Beta Morgan and Dean Morgan reflexively shuffled to the side.

Jensen Guthrie’s heart clenched. He gave Aurora Sinclair another complicated look, mumbled a quiet assent, and quickly turned to leave.

After he left the room, Alvin Morgan glanced at Arthur Lockwood. Arthur tensed up and immediately shook his head, signaling that he had absolutely not leaked any information about Aurora Sinclair.

Out in the second-floor corridor, Jensen Guthrie glanced back at the Lockwood family’s private room and gave a bitter smile.

’Even if she is the girl who was painting in the hospital all those years ago, I can’t acknowledge her now.’

’Alvin Morgan has his eyes on her!’

***

On the awards stage below, the characters for "Grand Prize" appeared on the screen in massive brushstrokes, pushing the atmosphere to a climax as thunderous applause erupted.

"It’s finally time..."

Leigh Miles and Arthur Lockwood exchanged excited glances.

Arthur Lockwood picked up the nearby bidding device, while Leigh Miles clutched her small ledger, her eyes glued to the screen outside, waiting for the painting to be revealed.

"The most exciting moment has arrived! Next up, we will be presenting the award for this competition’s grand prize winner..."