Chapter 35: Change Seats
“Wishful thinking? Me?”
Qiao Xi did not expect to hear such a thing the moment she returned backstage. She crossed her arms and looked at the female student who had just spoken with a faint smile.
That person’s expression froze, as if recalling what had happened backstage this morning. She silently took a step back and hid in the crowd, not daring to make a sound.
Qiao Rou walked past the crowd and held Qiao Xi’s hand with a face full of worry. “Sister, where did you go? Someone said that you gave up participating in the competition… Sister, quickly tell everyone that you’re a participant. You clearly like designing so much…”
“I’m not a participant in the competition.”
Qiao Xi withdrew her hand.
Qiao Rou’s expression froze. “Sister, you…”
She sounded angry and sad at the same time. “Why… Why did you…”
Why?
Qiao Xi raised her eyebrows. Of course, it was because she was a judge.
“Don’t worry. You’ll know why later.”
Qiao Xi looked at her deeply.
That glance made Qiao Rou feel uneasy.
At this moment, the host talked into the microphone, “Please keep quiet, everyone. We’re soon going to announce the winner of Li City University’s Fashion Design Competition! Everyone knows that this competition has made history in our university. Not only did we manage to invite Mr. Gu Zheng, the CEO of the Gu Corporation, over but also the mysterious Master Gu Shan!”
As soon as the host finished speaking, the spotlight to the judges’ seats.
Gu Zheng’s handsome face instantly appeared on the big screen.
“Damn, so handsome!”
“The CEO of the Gu Corporation is actually so young! If I had known earlier, I would’ve signed up for the competition too!”
“Bullsh*t, don’t think that I don’t know you. You’re from the business department!”
“But what about Master Gu Shan? Didn’t the host say that Master Gu Shan is here too?”
Compared to Gu Zheng, who would occasionally appear in financial newspapers, the students were more interested in the mysterious Master Gu Shan.
However…
The seat that should have been Master Gu Shan’s was empty.
The chancellor kept winking at Zhou Guanjin, asking him where she was.
Zhou Guanjin was also anxious. He kept calling Qiao Xi but there was no response!
In a corner of the hall, Qiao Xi nonchalantly rejected the call. After the spotlight was no longer on the judges’ seats, she slowly moved forward.
The host was good at acting on the spot. After a short pause, he announced the winner of the competition.
The participants who were backstage were disappointed when they did not see Master Gu Shan. However, they quickly composed themselves and waited excitedly for the host’s final announcement.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry. Where’s Qiao Rou? Hurry up and get ready to receive the award!” Someone called out to Qiao Rou.
Under their enthusiasm, Qiao Rou was pushed from the back to the front. She said some humble words, but her proud expression was about to overflow from her eyes.
She straightened her skirt and prepared to make her appearance on stage.
“Students, I now announce that the winner of this competition is Qiao…”
The moment the word ‘Qiao’ was uttered, the people backstage erupted in cheers. Qiao Rou could not even hide the smile on her face.
She enjoyed the envious and jealous gazes of everyone. She enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention. Gu Moling was holding a bouquet of roses and standing in front of Qiao Rou. He smiled at her. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Qiao Rou went on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
Gu Moling held her shoulders and waited for the host to finish calling out Qiao Rou’s name.
“Qiao Rou!
“I now announce that Qiao Rou won first place. Let’s welcome her on stage with warm applause!”
Amid the applause, Qiao Rou, who was wearing a white dress, appeared on stage like a fairy.
At the same time, Qiao Xi finally sat down on the seat.
Sensing the movement by his side, Gu Zheng casually glanced over and happened to meet Qiao Xi’s gaze as she shushed him.
Gu Zheng paused.
Song Shiyu heard the movement as well and turned casually. However, his eyes widened instantly. “Madam?! Why are you sitting here?!”
Fortunately, everyone’s eyes were on the stage and no one noticed this. Song Shiyu quickly bent down and waved at Qiao Xi. “Madam, come sit with me. Your seat belongs to someone else.”
The university knew that Gu Corporation intended to work with Master Gu Shan, so they had arranged for them to be seated together.
Qiao Xi shook her head. “That’s alright, I’ll just sit here.”
Song Shiyu, “!”
He was screaming in his heart. ‘I’m not being polite, I’m asking you to leave that seat!’
At this moment, Qiao Rou had already started giving her speech.
Ignoring Song Shiyu who was so anxious that his buttocks were burning, Qiao Xi casually raised her hand amid the silence.. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have objections about the first-place winner of this competition.”
Chapter 36: She Plagiarized
The venue instantly fell silent.
They stared blankly at Qiao Xi, not knowing how to react.
Many people who did not know Qiao Xi were whispering to each other.
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her before, but she’s really good-looking.”
“Are you stupid? Why are you acting like a love-struck fool? So what if she’s good-looking if she’s brainless!”
She actually dared to openly question the judges’ decision. This woman must be crazy.
They did not know Qiao Xi, but that did not mean they did not know Qiao Rou. In the hearts of many students, Qiao Rou deserved to be first place.
Gu Zheng was shocked by Qiao Xi’s sudden actions as well. He turned to look at Qiao Xi.
After causing such a huge commotion, the woman’s expression had not changed. She still looked carefree as though she had not come to her senses. Her red lips were still curled up as well.
Song Shiyu gulped. “Madam, Madam…”
He knew that Qiao Xi and Qiao Rou were not on good terms. However, even if Madam wanted to have Qiao Rou make a fool of herself, she should look at the occasion!
The first-place winner was selected by so many judges. How could Qiao Xi, a student who did not participate in the competition, question their decision?!
Among the crowd, only Zhou Guanjin patted his chest. Luckily, Sister Qiao Xi had finally appeared.
This unforeseen event happened too suddenly. When the host realized what was going on, he kept signaling the leaders below to ask them what to do. However, he realized that the university leaders were ignoring him!
The host was stunned.
Qiao Rou held the microphone and looked into Qiao Xi’s eyes. After a long silence, Qiao Rou’s gentle voice spread to every corner of the venue through the microphone.
“Sister, stop fooling around. I know that you really want to get first place in this competition. You want to enter Gu Corporation to fulfill your dreams of becoming a designer, but you didn’t even have the courage to participate in the competition.”
Qiao Rou bit her lip, as if the words were a little difficult for her to say. “Although you’re my sister, there are some things I still have to say. As fashion designers, we have to be brave and innovative when facing difficulties. Only when we are brave can we open up a new era for future designers.”
Anyone could have dreams, but one should have the courage to move forward.
It had to be said that Qiao Rou’s words were really grand and majestic-sounding. Many students immediately gave her thunderous applause.
Song Shiyu was as anxious like an ant on a hot pan. His brain worked furiously as he tried to think of a way to resolve this awkward situation.
On the contrary, Qiao Xi’s expression was extremely calm even though she was the person involved.
At this moment, the leaders of the university who were forcefully pulled back by Zhou Guanjin finally came back to their senses. They looked at Qiao Xi in bewilderment and then secretly waved at the host.
After a while, the host returned to the stage. He cleared his throat and said, “I’m sorry that something unexpected has happened.”
As soon as he spoke, the spotlight instantly shifted to him.
“Student, why do you think Qiao Rou is not worthy of winning first place?” The host pointed the microphone at Qiao Xi.
The instruction he received was to find out why Qiao Xi had objections to Qiao Rou winning first place.
“Why? Of course, it’s because… she plagiarized.” Qiao Xi’s brows were indifferent, and her posture was lazy and casual.
“What? Plagiarism?! Damn!”
As designers, they hated plagiarizers the most!
Every design sketch was the product of the designer’s blood, sweat, and tears. It was simply shameless to treat something that someone else had painstakingly created as their own!
There was an uproar.
Qiao Rou panicked for a moment. Impossible! She could not have been discovered!
Moreover, she did not plagiarize. She had only borrowed Master Gu Shan’s creativity!
At the thought of this, she quickly calmed down. “Sister, how can you spout nonsense? Do you know that this sentence from you will ruin me? Reputation is the most important thing to a designer. One word from you and I’ll be nailed to the pillar of shame…”
Qiao Rou choked.
The host also came back to his senses and continued to ask, “Qiao Rou is right. Reputation is everything to a designer. Qiao Xi, you’re saying that Qiao Rou plagiarized, but can you provide evidence?”
After a pause, he continued, “Although I’m not a student of the fashion design department, I can see that Qiao Rou’s design is very novel and vibrant. It’s a design style I’ve never seen before.”
As soon as the host finished speaking, a figure rushed out from backstage. “Of course, it’s novel! Because Qiao Rou didn’t plagiarize at all!”
The girl grabbed Qiao Rou’s microphone and pointed at Qiao Xi while shouting, “Don’t be fooled by her. She’s Qiao Xi, the eldest daughter of the Qiao family who was brought back from the countryside! She’s someone who has never even learned fashion design.. She only got into Li City University’s school of design with the help of the Qiao family. She knows nothing about design and plagiarism! She just doesn’t like Qiao Rou and wants to go against her!”