Chapter 1521 - 1510: Avenging My Sister

Chapter 1521: Chapter 1510: Avenging My Sister

The process of this fashion competition allowed each finalist to display five finished pieces. Contestants not only had to explain the inspiration behind their creations but also had to have their selected models walk the runway. Finally, scores would be given by six esteemed judges who hold considerable sway in Hua Country’s fashion industry. Initially, there were only five judges, but the organizing committee added one more seat due to Jian Lifan’s arrival.

Even though Jian Lifan mentioned that among the finalists, there was a disciple he favored, it did not affect the decision to have him as a judge. After all, his personal status is widely recognized and his character is well-known by all; no one would believe he would act unjustly for personal gain. Moreover, even if he had such intentions, who could challenge him? With him providing support, it’s likely that the disciple he favors won’t perform poorly in the future; it might be better to give him some face.

However, today’s Jian Lifan does not need others to give him this courtesy because he is confident in Ye Qiu’s strength and believes her works will surely amaze everyone.

As one of the most important events in Hua Country’s fashion industry, this competition was fully broadcasted on television. In addition to the attention of all major domestic brand companies, many managers or agents from the Asia-Pacific regions of major international brands were present on the scene. If any of these people took notice of a contestant, their future career prospects would surely be secure. Therefore, every contestant today was giving it their all, hoping to soar to the top.

Li Zhihua was nervously preparing backstage. As a beauty designer with some renown in Hua Country, she didn’t manage to invite international supermodels, but several famous domestic models were kind enough to give her face. Furthermore, her series, with a touch of ethnic style, was better expressed through domestic supermodels.

Li Zhihua confidently looked at everyone and, after a final check to ensure nothing needed to change, waited confidently to go on stage.

Below the stage, Li Si Yue and Wang Chengyang were sitting together, excitedly waiting. They were both confident Li Zhihua would shine, but unlike Li Si Yue’s simple pride and joy, Wang Chengyang knew exactly how Li Zhihua’s work came to be, so he was somewhat indifferent and even a little worried.

Can Li Zhihua deceive others for a while, but could she deceive them forever? From the start, Li Zhihua was so intent on winning, so obsessed with fame and fortune. Could she really give up rationally once she reached a certain level?

Wang Chengyang believed he understood Li Zhihua, which was why he was so worried. She managed to plagiarize Zhan Yao and Ye Qiu so easily, but could she continue to do so in the future? Moreover, where would she find so many talented yet naive people for her to plagiarize? Even if there were, could their styles match?

Wang Chengyang was now somewhat regretting tying himself to Li Zhihua. Still, he had no choice; first, because the interests of their two families were closely intertwined, and second, he bore some responsibility for why Zhan Yao died. Some things, once they happen, cannot be easily cleared.

Li Zhihua worried that he couldn’t handle the secret, while he feared that Li Zhihua would make things worse and then be unable to contain the fallout and expose everything.

Wang Chengyang was now deeply regretting why he followed Li Zhihua’s instructions to provoke Zhan Yao back then. If he hadn’t been motivated by ambition, things wouldn’t be such a mess now.

"Brother-in-law, what are you thinking?" Li Si Yue’s sudden question startled Wang Chengyang.

"Oh, nothing." Wang Chengyang calmed himself and replied perfunctorily, "I was just wondering if your sister is nervous right now."

"No, she isn’t." Li Si Yue said confidently, "My cousin always has a plan, and with her works being so outstanding, if she wasn’t confident, then others wouldn’t even need to compete."

As she spoke, a piece of music started playing on stage. Two hosts came out, and Wang Chengyang whispered, "It’s starting, let’s focus and watch."

The female host was a familiar face often seen on TV, while the male host had retired from the runway several years ago. Over the years, he had founded his own fashion brand and participated in several popular variety shows, making him well-known to the public.

According to the program’s agenda, the two hosts first introduced the six judges and sponsors present. When mentioning Jian Lifan, the audience cheered particularly loudly, indicating that his fame had reached the level of public recognition, which explained his high status in the fashion industry.

After these introductions came the highlight of the evening: the contestants and their works. To maintain the competition’s suspense, introductions of each contestant included showcasing their design sketches for that night. Both the audience on-site and those watching on TV were filled with anticipation.

Because Li Zhihua was the pride of A University, whether it was the clothing design department or other students who admired her from different departments, all had turned on their computers to watch the live broadcast. Two lecture halls even set up large screens for a better viewing experience for the school’s students.

Xia Meng and Yu You were among them tonight. They had an elective class, and the teacher thought experiencing the competition atmosphere and watching other designers’ finished pieces would be more beneficial for students to learn, so today’s class involved watching the competition live.

Almost all students from A University supported Li Zhihua. After all, compared to others, Li Zhihua was one of their own. Nobody wanted her to walk away without an award. Unfortunately, there was no audience voting segment in this competition; otherwise, Li Zhihua would likely have more popularity than other contestants.

The hosts finished introducing several contestants and arrived at the segment A University’s students anticipated most. At the hosts’ invitation, Li Zhihua slowly walked to the center of the stage. She was wearing an outfit from the same series as her competition piece. She felt it was simpler than the items she entered in the competition, so she didn’t include it in the lineup, but it was equally stunning, which is why she wore it herself.

On the judges’ panel, Jian Lifan’s gaze turned cold. He thought that someone like Li Zhihua, who could plagiarize so well, would at least have a decent sense of fashion, yet she discarded this piece.

This shirt dress, although not covered with complex patterns, had adornments on the collar and waist that were its crowning glories. In his evaluation, this shirt dress should rank third in the series. There was no need for every piece exhibited to be extravagant; sometimes, a classic simple style is what truly catches the eye.

As Jian Lifan watched Li Zhihua speaking eloquently on stage, his expression grew increasingly stern, entirely devoid of the admiration seen in the other five judges.

Not only Li Zhihua, but even audiences outside the TV felt apprehensive watching this. Yet even so, Li Zhihua managed to call out to him during the host’s interview.