"I totally agree!"
Augustine chuckled to himself for a moment before sending a voice message. "Guess what? I've discovered a genius! She's competing in the calligraphy competition, so you old-timers might just get to meet her!"
As soon as he sent it, the group chat exploded with excitement.
"What? We have someone that talented today? You should have told us earlier!"
"Augustine! That's so unfair! How could you hide such an incredible student?"
"What student? With skills like that, she's practically a mentor! What's her name? Can I drop by and meet her now?"
"I second that!"
"Count me in!"
Augustine found himself feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of messages.
He quickly sent another voice message, adopting a more serious tone. "Listen up! I found her first, so don't even think about stealing her from me. I'm not above making this a showdown!"
Augustine knew exactly what these old-timers were plotting—they were likely trying to recruit Helen as their student before the calligraphy competition results came out, eager to get close and steal the spotlight.
With his warning, the others had no choice but to back off.
Behind the scenes, many of them were already booking flights to Glendale.
As the chat settled down, Augustine nodded to himself, feeling quite satisfied.
As Sadie looked at the luxury cars lining the road, a wave of unease washed over her, causing her thoughts to drift.
"Sadie?" Dylan called out, concern evident in his voice. "Are you okay? You look a bit off."
Snapping back to reality, Sadie tucked her hair behind her ear and replied distractedly, "I think I just didn't sleep well last night. I'm fine, honestly."
"I'm glad to hear that. The association only holds evaluations once a year, so we can't afford to miss this chance. Just hang in there," Dylan reassured her.
"I understand, Mr. Snyder, but why are there so many cars today? Are all the parents of the finalists here? I think I even spotted some reporters with cameras," Sadie asked, her curiosity growing.
"Didn't you know?" Dylan responded coolly. "The heads of calligraphy associations from all over the country are attending the competition. They'll likely be involved in the evaluations, and the reporters are probably here to cover them. You'll want to make a great impression."
"Oh, I see," Sadie said, finally relaxing as a smile spread across her face. "Don't worry, Mr. Snyder, I'll give it my best! I'm heading inside now."
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