Rongcheng had fully entered September, with autumn breezes turning cool as the season gradually deepened into clear fall weather. The fashion industry in Rongcheng recently welcomed its annual clothing design competition.
Both An Yin and Jiang Mengyue unanimously agreed to participate in this competition. For this purpose, they had been constantly seeking inspiration and continuously designing works, but… none had yet produced what they considered a stunning piece capable of competing with their peers.
Jiang Mengyue worried daily, while An Yin remained relatively calm and composed because she knew which designer would ultimately claim the championship in this competition.
Though it would be easy for her to create identical clothing, she didn’t want to do that. She aspired to create a piece that could surpass it, one more worthy of the competition’s champion title.
“Yinyin, take a look at these sketches I just finished…”
“……”
Jiang Mengyue pushed open the door to An Yin’s office, holding her newly revised design drafts from the past two days.
But the room was empty – An Yin wasn’t there at all. Jiang Mengyue had come for nothing.
……
Meanwhile, on the top floor of Lu Corporation, An Yin was having lunch with Lu Muqian.
While eating, she kept looking at her drafts and the competition’s design concept.
The design concept for this competition was to create a dress using the most minimal, highest quality, and lowest cost fabric.
But not the ordinary kind – it needed to have lightweight texture without appearing cheap.
Lu Muqian watched as An Yin focused so intently on her documents that no matter what he put in her bowl, she would eat it without looking.
“Hey… my documents…”
Unable to bear watching An Yin divide her attention and not eat properly, Lu Muqian directly reached over, took the documents from her hands, and tossed them aside.
“Yinyin, focus on your meal.”
An Yin initially wanted to protest and even thought about retrieving her documents, but when she looked up and saw the man’s dark expression, she didn’t dare move. He was angry.
“I won’t look at them anymore, please don’t be angry, okay?”
“Hmm.” He responded quietly, then placed another piece of spare rib in An Yin’s bowl and told her to continue eating.
“Eat.”
……
For half a month straight, An Yin busied herself with her competition entry. She finally submitted her draft to the organizers before the preliminary round, then began preparing the physical garment, waiting for the preliminary round to display it and advance to the finals.
Soon, the annual clothing design competition reached its preliminary stage.
That evening marked both the opening ceremony of the preliminary round and the beginning of the advancement process.
Shortly after submitting her work, An Yin received an invitation. She and Jiang Mengyue brought their dresses, completed through days and nights of hard work, to prepare backstage at the venue.
The models had been arranged when the works were completed – An Chen had found them for An Yin. Though not highly famous, they perfectly matched An Yin’s clothing designs, fitting them excellently and showcasing everything perfectly.
The day before the competition, contestants began drawing their presentation order numbers. By coincidence, An Yin drew the final closing spot.
The atmosphere at the venue grew increasingly tense. Just before opening, the director was still instructing staff to repeatedly check the lighting equipment, while distinguished figures from the fashion industry and organizers were gradually guided to their seats.
There were twelve contestants in total, each presenting three works.
The first contestant, from Star Costume Studio, was a model wearing a Mermaid Gown in the color of seawater, adorned with tiny shimmering sequins and no other embellishments. Her appearance immediately captivated the audience, and the judges nodded in approval.
The runway lighting was perfectly arranged, with each lamp illuminating the stage just right.
An Yin watched the designs showcased by her peers backstage. She had to admit that everyone who made it to this competition possessed some level of skill and genuine talent. Even she found their designs impressive.
However, An Yin was also confident and unafraid, knowing she had what it took to reach the finals.
Time passed minute by minute. The first ten contestants had already presented their work, and only one more remained before it was As Initial Seen Studio’s turn—An Yin’s primary design would take the stage.
During this brief interval, An Yin checked her phone. There were no messages from a certain someone.
Her event was about to start, so why hadn’t Lu Muqian arrived? She had mentioned it to him earlier and really hoped he would come. The man had even promised.
An Yin glanced at a specific seat in the audience, but from the beginning until now, it had remained empty, with no one sitting there.
“Next, let’s welcome our final contestant, contestant number twelve—An Yin from As Initial Seen Studio. Please give her a round of applause.”
The host had already called An Yin’s name. There was no time to dwell on it; she quickly returned backstage to guide the models in an orderly presentation.
The first piece was a light green Bubble Gauze Dress. The hem was lightweight yet not bulky, instead contouring the body to highlight a slender waist and skin as smooth as fine jade.
Aside from the audience’s admiration, the judges couldn’t help but turn to each other, whispering praises for the clever design.
…………
By the time the third piece was displayed, it sent a slight tremor through the crowd. They had thought the earlier designs were stunning enough, but they hadn’t expected the finale to be An Yin’s main highlight.
A gentle purple Gauze Dress featured Lace Trim, a Butterfly Strap Design, Petal Tassels at the waist, and subtle layered pleats at the hem. The colors were bright without being overpowering, vibrant yet elegant.
Moreover, the fabric was lightweight and affordable—a Gauze Dress that wasn’t sheer, with a soft texture that perfectly aligned with the preliminary round’s theme.
After the presentation, the outcome was to be decided by votes from the ten judges. All twelve contestants stood on stage, waiting for the host to announce the results.
Out of twelve, six would advance. First place went to As Initial Seen Studio, second to the opening contestant from Star Studio, and third to the unexpected Yun & Lan Studio.
With the preliminary round officially concluded, the finals were scheduled for half a month later, giving the contestants ample time to prepare their entries.
…………
From start to finish, Lu Muqian never appeared. An Yin thought he hadn’t come, and her mood grew heavy.
Suddenly, her phone, held tightly in her hand, rang. It was the very person she had been thinking of. She answered the call.
“Hey, why didn’t you come to watch my competition today?”
On Lu Muqian’s lap, his tablet screen still displayed the live stream of the fashion preliminary round, though it now showed that the broadcast had ended. Gazing through the car window toward the venue’s entrance, he replied calmly, “I came. I’ve been here all along.”
“Huh? Then why didn’t I see you?”
“I’ve been waiting outside for Yinyin all along.”
“You’re outside right now?” Lu Muqian has been outside this whole time? An Yin said she didn’t know.
“Mhm.”
“……”
After hanging up the phone, An Yin rushed anxiously out of the venue. As soon as she stepped out, she saw the familiar car parked at the entrance.
She went over, pulled open the car door and got in. Her first action was to share her joy with the man. “Lu Muqian, I made it to the finals! Aren’t I amazing?”
“Yinyin is wonderful.”
“By the way, why didn’t you come in? I waited for you inside for so long.”
“Sorry, that’s my fault.” After apologizing, he stared directly at An Yin and added,
“But are you sure you wanted me to come in, Yinyin?”