"Everyone, this year's Treasure Hunt Contest has come to a successful conclusion. I wonder if you've all found the treasures you like?" Fang Zhengsong said, then turned the microphone towards the audience for interaction.
"Yes!" Xu Qingqing put her hands around her mouth and shouted to the stage.
Fang Zhengsong was quite satisfied with the response from the audience. "You all shouted so loudly. It seems you've all found quite a few treasures."
"Well, I won't waste your time any longer. Now, let me announce the top ten winners of this year's Treasure Hunt Contest. The tenth place goes to Wang Xiaoliang..."
"The third place goes to Li Ying'er, who has selected two treasures! The first one is a 'Wealthy Peony Vase', which is five years old and made in Jingdezhen."
"The second one is a Tibetan sky bead. After being appraised by the appraisal room, it's found to be over 100 years old and made of pure natural agate. Congratulations to Li Ying'er!"
Li Ying'er was extremely happy to achieve this ranking. She excitedly hugged Xu Qingqing. "Sister Qingqing, thank you! If it weren't for you, I would never have gotten the third place!"
"Come on, no need to thank me. Strive to rely on yourself and achieve a good ranking in the next Treasure Hunt Contest." Xu Qingqing smiled and encouraged Li Ying'er.
"The second place goes to Professor Wang Lide. The six - character golden bracelet with the pattern of 'longevity' he selected dates back to the late Yuan Dynasty and is inlaid with a large number of rubies, emeralds..."
Hearing that Wang Lide was also among the winners, Xu Qingqing excitedly waved to his direction. "Congratulations, Teacher Wang!"
"Thank you."
Having bought the bracelet he liked, Wang Lide was also very happy.
Wang Lide had asked Fang Zhengsong if he could buy the bracelet. Considering that it was Wang Lide who discovered the cheating incident this time, Fang Zhengsong made an exception for him.
"The first place goes to Xu Qingqing. She selected a pair of antique walnuts from an ancient city ruins. Since the time is too long ago, the exact date can't be inferred, plus a painting by Shen Qingxiu, which is 132 years old."
Hearing that the antiques selected by Xu Qingqing were so remarkable, everyone present cast shocked and admiring looks at her.
She was amazing! Although she was young, she had such sharp eyesight and excellent appraisal ability. She was really outstanding!
"Please come on stage to receive your awards!"
Li Ying'er pulled Xu Qingqing's arm and shyly walked onto the stage to receive the trophies.
When taking the group photo, Xu Qingqing wanted to give the center position to Wang Lide, but Wang Lide and the others all stepped aside and insisted that Xu Qingqing stand in the center.
Fang Zhengsong stood beside Xu Qingqing and took a group photo. Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
After the winners stepped off the stage, Fang Zhengsong raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. "Now that the winners have been announced, it's time to punish the cheating contestants in this contest!"
"Because the rules of the Treasure Hunt Contest are relatively loose, many people thought they could take advantage of it and tried to cheat to get a good ranking. Some gave up, but some were so stubborn that they refused to turn back until they hit the wall."
Looking at the people on - site, Fang Zhengsong's expression gradually changed and his tone became more serious. "What's most infuriating is that some people managed to get into the top ten with the results of cheating!"
"We gave them a chance to repent, but they didn't cherish it. So, we're really sorry for these cheating contestants. The Treasure Hunt Contest will never accept cheaters!"
"People with bad morals don't deserve to be in the antique world!"
"The first cheater is Liu Tianjing, who was the champion for three consecutive years. I used to think highly of this girl and believed that she won the championship with her real skills, but I never thought she cheated every time!"
"During the first three contests when the facilities were not perfect, she won the championship for three years and still wasn't satisfied. This time, when the monitoring was clearly strict, she still did such a despicable thing!"
"Considering that Liu Tianjing's behavior seriously violated the contest rules, all her contest results are invalidated, and she will be permanently banned from participating in the Treasure Hunt Contest from now on!"
There was an uproar in the audience. No one expected such a severe punishment - a lifetime ban!
Fang Zhengsong raised his hand again to signal everyone to be quiet. "Contestants cheat to get good rankings, but I really don't understand why the stall owners would cheat."
"Wang Xiaoqiang deceived customers by claiming that all the calligraphy and paintings he sold were genuine and even forged evidence. His punishment is that he is never allowed to sell things in the antique city again!"
"If he has a stall in the antique city, he should pack up his things and leave immediately. We don't need dishonest people here!"
"All the results have been announced. Thanks to everyone's honest cooperation, this Treasure Hunt Contest has come to a successful conclusion!"
With Fang Zhengsong's words, the eventful Treasure Hunt Contest finally ended.
In the blue - and - white building, the lawyer found by Sun Jingjing made a statement of innocence for Lu Fenglin, bailing him out on the guarantee that he hadn't done anything bad.
Lu Fenglin's step - mother held the statement of innocence and impatiently asked the guard to open the iron gate. She excitedly called her son.
"Fenglin, hurry up. Otherwise, when that stubborn woman Xiao He comes back, she will definitely stop you!"
Lu Fenglin silently looked at the statement in his step - mother's hand and sat motionless on the hard board bed. "I'm not leaving. If you want to go, go by yourself!"
This was a rare opportunity for him to gain Xu Qingqing's favor. He didn't want to leave and arouse her disgust.
Moreover, Lu Fenglin didn't want to live under his step - mother's control anymore. He wanted to live according to his own will.
His step - mother got angry. Her emotions were unstable as she rushed forward to slap Lu Fenglin, but then she realized where she was and stopped her raised hand.
"Do you know how much hardship I've endured to get this statement of innocence for you! You're so ungrateful. Do you really want to stay in this hellhole for the rest of your life?"
"I never asked you to do this for me. I participated in the tomb - robbing, so I should be punished. You don't need to interfere." Lu Fenglin remained unmoved with a cold face.
"Don't need my interference?"
The sense of crisis that Lu Fenglin was getting out of her control made his step - mother furious. She couldn't help clenching her fists and hitting Lu Fenglin. She cried and shouted threateningly.
"Lu Fenglin, I've raised you for so many years. Do you think you can just tell me not to interfere? Repay me for these decades of kindness first, and then talk about this!"
Lu Fenglin gritted his teeth and endured his step - mother's beating, firmly adhering to his idea. "I'm not leaving! I promised Qingqing that I would sincerely atone for my sins..."
Xu Qingqing... It was always Xu Qingqing!
His step - mother was so angry that her eyes turned blood - red. She cursed loudly.
"Do you really want to ruin your whole life for a woman! If you don't leave, don't blame me for being rude to you!"
After saying that, his step - mother gave a chop to Lu Fenglin's neck. Lu Fenglin felt numb and painful in his neck. His vision went black and he fainted.
His step - mother dragged Lu Fenglin out and carried him on her back to the black business car outside.
Sun Jingjing opened the car door and carefully helped the unconscious Lu Fenglin into the car. She asked worriedly, "Aunt Lu, what's wrong with Fenglin?"
"He just couldn't think straight and refused to leave. I knocked him out directly."
His step - mother forcefully stuffed Lu Fenglin into the car, then got into the car herself and told the driver to drive quickly.