Chapter 485: The Biggest Winner (Part 1)

Chapter 485: Chapter 485: The Biggest Winner (Part 1)

Seraphina Sterling had no objections. One was the rarely seen Miss Sterling; the other, the fiancée of the Hale family’s young master. With both asking Mr. Holden to guide their calligraphy, and the matter of rewriting the birthday message now in the mix, this was no longer a simple lesson. It had escalated into a full-blown competition, and the judge was none other than the contemporary calligraphy master, Mr. Holden!

Seraphina Sterling wasn’t concerned at all. Without even pausing to think, she picked up her brush and wrote a simple couplet: "May your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea, and your life as long as the Southern Mountain’s pines!" It was fitting for the occasion.

Aiden Faulkner, on the other hand, was much more cautious. She thought for a long time before carefully putting her brush to paper. She had painstakingly practiced calligraphy for seven years just so she could stand by Justin Hale’s side and win Mr. Hale’s approval. All that effort was for a stage exactly like this one—a chance to showcase her skill and have her moment in the spotlight. She hadn’t planned to reveal her abilities so soon, but since Seraphina Sterling had provided the opportunity, ’wouldn’t it be a waste of her good intentions not to perform?’

’With my seven years of hard practice, beating Seraphina Sterling will be a piece of cake!’ Aiden Faulkner was full of confidence. Little did she know, Seraphina Sterling’s experience with calligraphy far exceeded a mere seven years.

Aiden Faulkner moved with practiced ease. She wrote just four words: A truly receptive mind. Every stroke and every line was executed with extreme caution and focus, as if she were pouring all her strength into it. Aiden Faulkner finished before Seraphina Sterling.

’Sometimes, the quality of the calligraphy is crucial, but you can’t underestimate a few little tricks! First impressions are everything. Mr. Holden will see my work first, and it will leave a deep impression. After that, even if Seraphina’s work is on par with mine, it won’t seem as good in his eyes! That’s the power of first impressions—the primacy effect. Unless Seraphina’s calligraphy is clearly superior to mine, there’s no way she can win!’

"Very neat! For someone your age to produce such fine characters is not easy! I can tell you’ve put your heart into it! Although it lacks a certain personal flair, the script itself is already very good! You may not become a great master, but it’s an excellent way to cultivate your character and calm your mind!"

Looking at the four words, "A truly receptive mind," Mr. Holden smiled in satisfaction. ’It’s rare to find a young person with the patience to practice calligraphy these days.’ While Aiden’s work was merely passable, it was still quite good.

"Seraphina Sterling, are you done? Mr. Holden has already given his critique of my piece! If you haven’t finished, you’d better hurry. Everyone’s waiting!"

Aiden Faulkner urged her on. Although she tried hard to suppress it, her tone was laced with a hint of triumph. ’I was just praised! Praised by *the* great calligraphy master! No matter how amazing Seraphina Sterling is, she’s only been studying for half a year. There’s no way her skill level could surpass mine! I’ve definitely won this time!’

"You can’t rush perfection. In calligraphy, one practices not just the characters, but one’s state of mind. You can’t create good work in a hurry." Unhurried, Seraphina Sterling slowly set down her brush. "Mine is ready, too."

Unlike before, Mr. Holden didn’t give an immediate evaluation. He studied the piece for a long time, remaining silent.

Mr. Holden’s uncharacteristic reaction drew everyone’s attention. People instinctively moved forward to get a closer look at Seraphina Sterling’s work. Wild cursive! She had actually written in wild cursive script! Aiden Faulkner had used regular script, a style many people practice today, which is relatively easy to compare, reference, and judge. But wild cursive was different. Compared to the structured regular script, it was more about artistic appreciation, and its evaluation was far more subjective.

Wild cursive is more about artistic appreciation, whereas regular script, especially from someone still learning, can only be called practice. Not just anyone can write in wild cursive. Without a solid foundation in calligraphy, what comes out is nothing more than illegible scribbles, a complete laughingstock! But Seraphina Sterling clearly hadn’t come here to make a fool of herself—that much was obvious from the look on Mr. Holden’s face.