The True Heiress Is The Real Bigshot

Chapter 209: 201 Ying Zijin: Um, the picture I drew [1 more post]

On the runway, Xie Manyu was the first to appear.

However, she was not wearing the “Vermilion Bird” which had already been showcased on Weibo, but the “White Tiger,” which had not yet been exposed to the public eye.

It was a pure white gown, with touches of light blue fluff at the neckline.

The cut was asymmetrical, shorter on the left and reaching the knee, while the right side of the skirt trailed like water, sweeping the floor with damask fabric.

There was no overly heavy makeup, nor deliberately contrived expressions.

Xie Manyu simply walked naturally, and that unique sense of queenly authority came surging forth overwhelmingly.

Grace and decisiveness coexisted.

It was a sight that stunned the soul.

Although Xie Manyu was a film actress and only acted in movies.

But having clawed her way through the entertainment industry for so many years and played countless roles, walking the runway was a breeze for her.

Fans and design enthusiasts in Hua Country watching the live broadcast all exploded with excitement.

This time, the live broadcast rights for the Royal Academy of Arts in O continent were given to Watermelon Video.

Watermelon Video is Hua Country’s leading video platform, and for this fashion design competition, two live broadcast rooms were opened to prevent disconnections due to excessive viewership.

Many had initially tuned in for the “Vermilion Bird” that Luo Ziyue was wearing, but now, everyone was captivated by Xie Manyu.

The moment Xie Manyu made her entrance, viewership in both broadcast rooms surged from less than five million to ten million each!

The barrage of live comments went crazy.

[Ahhhh, it’s been three years! I’ll be the first to hail “Your Majesty” today!]

[My sister’s gaze is slaying me! It was because of Manyu’s portrayal of the Martial Emperor’s ennobling gesture in “Wordless Stele” that I was willing to kneel down.]

[Who is Manyu’s designer? What kind of immortal design is this? Utterly brilliant, if you have this talent, why would you need to plagiarize a flopped idol?]

[Heh, don’t speak too soon. Design is about inspiration, for all we know, the designer from Chuguang Media might have been inspired by Ziyue’s outfit. Otherwise, why would they both use the Four Divine Beasts as their material?]

However, what others did not know, Zhong Zhiwan knew all too well.

She stared blankly as Xie Manyu walked from the back to the front of the runway, surrounded by sounds of amazement and praise that were a hundred times more enthusiastic than when Luo Ziyue took the stage.

But Zhong Zhiwan was in no mood to appreciate such a stunning gown.

She only felt waves of dizziness washing over her mind, a buzzing sound in her ears, and her high heels were nearly breaking under her feet.

Zhong Zhiwan had always believed that since she found that discarded draft in Old Master Zhong’s study, it must belong to a designer from Zhong Corporation.

That’s why she took it with confidence.

Business at Zhong Corporation was focused on jewelry, and their design standards were not low.

She even specifically modified the design to ensure that the gown would look even better once made.

But who could tell her, why was the design she picked out of the trash can belong to Chuguang Media?!

Chuguang Media and the Zhong Family were poles apart.

Whether in terms of revenue or fame, Zhong Corporation was far behind.

Zhong Zhiwan’s complexion grew paler by the second, and cold sweat kept seeping out.

No one was paying attention to her at the moment; all she wanted to do was leave this place quick, but extreme fear had made her legs weak.

She clutched the back of a seat in front of her, unable to move an inch.

With panic growing in her heart, Zhong Zhiwan accidentally slipped and fell onto the chair.

From this fall, she saw the cameras above moving up and down, and her mind went “buzz” and exploded again.

This was a live broadcast!

A broadcast facing the world, facing the international design community!

Almost everyone who had made their mark in the design field was watching this fashion design competition.

Even those who hadn’t tuned in would know of her, Zhong Zhiwan’s, name afterward.

Not for her outstanding design, but for her plagiarism!

Even when Old Master Zhong caught her speaking ill of Ying Zijin behind his back, Zhong Zhiwan had never been this panicked.

She picked up Chuguang Media’s design draft and claimed it as her own, and Chuguang Media certainly would not protect her like Zhong Corporation would.

What should I do?

Zhong Zhiwan’s fingers clenched her skirt tightly, tears almost falling as her heart raced with urgency.

But no one paid any attention to her, because after Xie Manyu exited, it was Shang Yaozhi’s turn to appear.

The viewership of the live broadcast soared again to nearly twenty million in both rooms.

The appeal of the top-ranked Top1 celebrity was indisputable.

Moreover, Shang Yaozhi stood out from his peers of young idols. Not only did he possess the universally acknowledged ultimate handsome looks, but his talent was also remarkable.

[I thought the outfit on Weibo was already stunning, but this one is even more sublime! I’m dead, who will help me up?]

[Okay, enough, nobody call him baby today, say husband, you hear?]

[Babe, it hasn’t been easy, you’re the handsomest today, wuwuwu, mama is so proud.]

Shang Yaozhi’s agent sat below, reading the fans’ comments.

This was Shang Yaozhi’s first time participating in a runway competition, and an international one at that, so it was of great significance.

The agent feared the fans might be disappointed, but the outcome was much better than expected, except for the many uses of the word “babe”.

He had a bit of a toothache.

After silently observing the young talents, the agent finally realized something.

No wonder Shang Yaozhi’s fans seemed so easy-going, yet at critical moments their fighting power was strong enough to tear the Earth apart.

If a son was bullied, wouldn’t a mother roll up her sleeves and join the fray?

**

After the first round of the fashion show was over, the host returned to the stage.

“Everyone, please don’t rush, there are a total of four outfits in the Four Spirits Series, and we’ve only seen two. Please wait a few more seconds for the models to showcase the next two.”

The cheering from the audience grew even louder.

The judges, including Martha, sat up straighter, eyes gleaming.

They had only seen the design sketches, not the actual garments.

But the first two pieces had already shown them that Chuguang Media had put great effort into the stitching and choice of materials.

The lights converged once again, and the background music changed to another track.

This time, Xie Manyu and Shang Yaozhi appeared together, wearing “Vermilion Bird” and “Black Tortoise” respectively.

Initially, Ke Huizhu had been quite calm upon seeing the “White Tiger” and “Azure Dragon” dresses.

It was only when she set eyes on the latter two that her expression changed dramatically.

The young man beside Ke Huizhu suddenly sobered up.

Even though he was a hedonist, he understood the gravity of the situation and exclaimed in shock, “Auntie?”

Ke Huizhu’s face turned from green to red, then from red to white, her chest heaving violently, and her vision darkening in waves.

She hadn’t expected her words to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The design sketch that Madam Mu had brought over was indeed plagiarized!

And it was plagiarized from Chuguang Media.

Luxurious Embroidery had also made custom dresses for many celebrities, so of course, Ke Huizhu knew the depth of Chuguang Media.

Could Chuguang Media guarantee that their artists were free from unhealthy industry practices without being powerful?

The Ke Family was not a major clan in the Emperor City, and they were no match compared to Chuguang Media.

Ke Huizhu knew clearly that Luxurious Embroidery, by plagiarizing Chuguang Media, had dug their own grave.

Never mind aspiring to be a top designer internationally, even continuing in the business was now questionable.

What now?

Ke Huizhu could only pray that others wouldn’t notice.

That way, there might still be a chance for redemption.

But even laypeople could tell these four outfits made up one set.

And the host was still there, giving commentary.

“Dear audience members, you must have noticed that the set of clothes from Chuguang Media and Luxurious Embroidery are very similar. However, as mentioned before, here in Hua Country, Chuguang Media was the first to submit their design sketches.”

With that statement, Luxurious Embroidery was sentenced to death.

During the live broadcast happening at the same time, the barrage of comments started a mode of mockery.

“[Those fans of whatever Luo, I can’t even be bothered to remember your idol’s name, jump already, come on, now who plagiarized whom?]”

“[What’s my sister’s status in the entertainment industry? Coveting a blurry idol? When you choose someone to discredit, look at who they are. Some people are beyond your league.]”

“[Chuguang Media already knew, right? No wonder they replied like that.]”

“[Enough said, has anyone figured out who the designer is yet? I want to become a fan!!!]”

**

Inside the Verdant Auditorium, the students who had been cheering for Zhong Zhiwan just moments before had fallen silent.

Even the female classmate who had always been on good terms with Zhong Zhiwan couldn’t speak without feeling embarrassed, her face burning.

How excited they had been previously, and now how ashamed they were.

Ashamed because they had praised Zhong Zhiwan, and annoyed because she claimed to have designed it herself when it was actually plagiarized, wasting their trust for nothing.

But just then, “applause” erupted.

It was the students from class 19.

The little brother’s palms were red from clapping.

“Zhong Zhiwan is awesome,” Xiu Yu led the clapping, “Bold enough to copy from Chuguang Media and still daring to say it’s her own design. Respect, respect.”

She clicked her tongue, “I knew it, how could she possibly design it?”

Jiang Ran’s head moved slightly, with a light snort, “Embarrassing.”

“It’s good that Chuguang Media was the first to send their designs over, otherwise it might have been impossible to clear the air,” Xiu Yu shook her head, “But speaking of which, who is the designer for Chuguang Media this time?”

Beside her, Ying Zijin pulled open a can of soda and took a sip of coke.

Her phoenix eyes were misty and rippling.

Cold yet desirous.

She spoke casually.

“Yeah, me.”