C19 Chapter 19

When Du Yawei saw the designer Saang Shijuan was pointing to—and realized she’d never seen her in the industry before—she instantly relaxed. Her confidence in arguing with him came right back.

Du Yawei clicked her tongue. “Looks like Mr. Saang is better suited to the cutthroat business world. When it comes to fashion design, this kind of thing should still be judged by professionals.”

“So you’re saying I have no taste?” Saang Shijuan lifted his chin slightly, his narrow eyes fixed on Du Yawei, his gaze dripping with sarcasm.

Du Yawei couldn’t help laughing. “Mr. Saang, looks like you really won’t quit until you hit a wall. Since that’s the case, I’ll give you a professional breakdown of exactly why that designer’s work isn’t all that impressive.”

Saang Shijuan arched a brow, the corner of his mouth curling with mockery. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

Du Yawei led Saang Shijuan and Zhong Xinyi toward Xia Bing.

The commotion quickly drew the attention of the people nearby.

Quite a few recognized the man and woman following behind Du Yawei.

The woman went without saying—Zhong Xinyi was a hugely popular star, and everyone knew who she was.

As for the man beside her, once people recognized him, they couldn’t help gasping under their breath.

Oh my God, wasn’t that Saang Shijuan, the real boss behind today’s competition sponsor?

News that Zhong Xinyi had just signed on as the new seasonal spokesperson for Lingchuang Clothing had not yet been fully announced. Very few people in the industry knew about it, so those who were out of the loop immediately started speculating:

“Is Zhong Xinyi dating Saang Shijuan? Why else would they show up here together?”

“Pretty girls really do have it easy. Marry into a wealthy family, and you’re set for life.”

“But didn’t I see in the news a few days ago that Saang Shijuan’s girlfriend was that actress, Xu Caiwei?”

“So what’s going on now? Why is Saang Shijuan arguing with Du Yawei? Come on, let’s go take a look.”

“...”

By the time the three of them reached Xia Bing, a crowd had already gathered around to watch.

Du Yawei lifted her chin and strode forward, her posture radiating a kind of arrogance that made it clear she didn’t think much of anyone there. She yanked the outfit right off the model and said to Saang Shijuan, “First of all, there’s nothing remotely striking about this design. The cut is way too conservative, and as for creativity, there’s honestly nothing worth mentioning... A design like this, in my opinion, is trash! I really have no idea where this designer gets her confidence from, bringing something like this to the National Fashion Competition!”

A woman had suddenly walked over, grabbed her outfit, and started tearing it apart, leaving Xia Bing completely baffled.

Her hand paused. She turned slightly and glanced at the woman beside her, still going on and on, then swept her gaze over the people gathered around her.

A moment later, her eyes landed on the man standing off to the side, his posture straight and rigid.

Tall and striking, with broad shoulders and a trim waist, he carried himself with a commanding, aloof presence that seemed to overpower everyone around him.

He was clearly a stranger, yet Xia Bing felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity from him.

And the moment she realized where that feeling came from, her eyes widened sharply. Her breathing quickened, her body tensed, and she instinctively took a step back.

She stared at the man’s face.

Why did he look so much like Xia Yanyou?

Aside from the difference in expression, those brows, those eyes, those features—they looked as if they had been cast from the same mold.

But Xia Yanyou loved to smile. When he smiled, his eyes curved warmly, giving him the gentle, comforting air of someone you could always count on. The man in front of her, however, had nothing but coldness in his dark eyes, and his whole body gave off a heavy, distant chill.