Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat-Chapter 60 - 57 Plagiarism (Second Update)
Chapter 60 -57: Plagiarism (Second Update)
Chapter 60 -57: Plagiarism (Second Update)
Upon seeing the painting for the first time, Deng Tao was stunned…
As everyone knows, Mu Chenyan became famous as a young artist and is most skilled at traditional Chinese painting; even her calligraphy could rival that of the President of the Jingdu Calligraphy Association. However, the painting of hers now on display at the art gallery of Beicheng University’s School of Fine Arts was a sketch.
And it was a sketch that Deng Tao knew all too well.
The painting depicted a little girl, about three years old, with her arms open, chasing butterflies in the garden. The girl’s face was not shown; only a profile and her back were visible, yet even so, one could see the liveliness and vivacity of the little girl.
In the lower right corner of the painting was Mu Chenyan’s personal seal, proof that this work was indeed created by her.
The little girl chasing butterflies…
Deng Tao looked at the girl’s silhouette, her hairstyle, and the design and pattern of the dress she wore… And her eyes widened in shock!
Plagiarism!
Song Jiawen had actually plagiarized Master Mu’s painting!
The first thought that Deng Tao had upon clearly seeing this painting was that Song Jiawen had plagiarized, without considering any other possibility.
After all, this was Master Mu. How could she, Song Jiawen, even compare herself with Master Mu?
Although her painting that was submitted for the competition lacked the finely-crafted old house found in Master Mu’s, such a slight difference really explained nothing, because the little girls in both paintings, whether in appearance, attire, or essence, could be said to be uncannily identical.
Of course, compared to Song Jiawen, Master Mu’s technique was certainly much more sophisticated, stable, and her painting conveyed more profound emotions, mature beyond measure.
But if one put aside these considerations, one could say that Song Jiawen’s act of plagiarism was quite successful.
After all, not just anyone could replicate and reach the standard of her work.
However, plagiarism was plagiarism, no matter how it was framed, and that was indisputable.
And the competition had clearly outlined its rules and requirements from the start: each contestant’s work had to be original and could neither be copied nor borrowed from someone else’s artwork; otherwise, it would be deemed invalid, and the contestant would be banned from participating for three years.
Heh…
Deng Tao suddenly found it somewhat ludicrous. She had torn up a plagiarist’s painting, yet was condemned collectively by those people and bullied throughout the school.
And that wasn’t all; in the end, her father had to pay five thousand yuan.
For what reason?
And Song Jiawen, how could she have the cheek to demand this money?
So, the demure and innocent persona she portrayed all the time was just an act!
“Xiaotao, what’s wrong?”
Seeing his daughter staring at a painting with her expression gradually becoming twisted and… strange, Deng’s father sensed something was off and asked hurriedly.
It took Deng Tao quite an effort to stabilize her emotions before she angrily explained the situation to her father, pointing to the sketch by Master Mu.
Having heard the explanation, Deng’s father’s brows also furrowed. To be honest, he was quite angry as well.
However, regardless of his feelings, he was still an adult, and having been immersed in the business world for many years, he knew what was right and wrong.
Even if it was plagiarism, that did not justify stealing and destroying the painting. What’s more, you didn’t know that her painting was a copy to begin with.
Deng’s father did dote on his daughter, but he wouldn’t do so without principle or limits.
“Xiaotao, I’ve told you before, that matter has ended. We chose to compensate voluntarily, and it was because you truly were in the wrong. This has nothing to do with what kind of painting Song Jiawen made, you…”
“Professor Fang!”
Deng’s father hadn’t finished his words when out of the corner of her eye, Deng Tao saw Professor Fang and Xu Yan slowly walking their way, admiring the paintings as they came closer.
The anger that had just been suppressed surged up in an instant.
She turned around, her gaze sharp as a knife, and gestured for the two to come over.
But the teacher, seeing her attitude, sneered coldly and ignored her completely, continuing to admire the painting in front of him with Xu Yan at a leisurely pace.
Deng Tao, ignoring her father’s attempts to stop her, quickly rushed up to the teacher, looking as if she was breathing fire, “Teacher, why don’t you dare to come over when I call you? Is it because you know there is a painting by Master Mu over there and fear feeling guilty once you see it?”
Utterly ridiculous!
The teacher looked at Deng Tao as if she were looking at a lunatic, and asked the approaching Mr. Deng, “Is this the kind of home schooling your family provides? If you don’t know how to control your daughter, and she goes crazy at me, I won’t be polite.”
“Not be polite? What are you going to do, hit me? Just to cover up the fact that your talented student plagiarized someone else’s painting?”
Plagiarism?
The teacher was even more baffled, scoffing, “If your brain isn’t working properly, go to the hospital to get it checked. Don’t just run around biting people when you’re crazy.”
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
“I’m biting indiscriminately? Ha… Teacher, if you’re not guilty, just look at Master Mu’s painting over there. Then explain to me why the painting Song Jiawen submitted for the competition is exactly the same as Master Mu’s.”
Exactly the same as Master Mu’s painting?
The teacher’s face remained calm, but her heart was filled with astonishment; from Deng Tao’s behavior, it was clear she had seen the painting.
When the teacher stood before Mu Chenyan’s sketch, she too was stunned.
Indeed… it was very similar!
But how could that be possible?
When Song Jiawen painted that sketch, the teacher was sitting beside her throughout the process. If the painting hadn’t been original, her emotions couldn’t have been so abundant at the time.
Moreover, after the painting was finished, she seemed to be in a low mood and didn’t look at the painting a second time, asking the teacher to take it away.
She then sat by the window for a long time before leaving.
So even if the painting was so similar, the teacher didn’t believe that Song Jiawen had plagiarized.
Perhaps, was it a coincidence?
Furthermore…
“You know that Master Mu specializes in traditional Chinese painting and her sketches are very rare. Such paintings, I want to ask you, Deng Tao, is this the first time you’ve seen it?”
The works of Master Mu released to the public were scarce, and sketches like these were almost nonexistent. The art college probably went to great lengths to get this piece.
So when the teacher said this, it wasn’t without basis.
Deng Tao pursed her lips, staying silent.
The teacher sneered, “Even I, who have been to North City, am seeing it for the first time. What makes you think Song Jiawen has seen it before? It’s just two little girls chasing butterflies, a similar concept, merely a coincidence. How does that amount to plagiarism? I’ve painted many bamboos and peonies, does that mean I’ve copied Master Qi’s paintings? Some people have painted pandas in competitions, does that mean they’ve plagiarized Master Ouyang’s work?”
Deng Tao’s face turned beet red, yet she couldn’t utter a word in rebuttal.
But in her heart, she firmly believed it was not so simple, it definitely wasn’t.
“People say that to know one’s mistakes and be able to correct them is commendable. Last time you even came to apologize to me, and I thought you truly recognized your mistake. Little did I know it was all just for show, done for others to see.”
Never had the teacher felt such disdain for a person, and even Mr. Deng looked extremely unpleasant to her. His daughter was being disrespectful to her teacher right in front of him, and yet he stood idly by, letting her make a scene, completely unreasonable.
What a family!
The teacher lost any interest in admiring the paintings, and instead took Xu Yan and left.
