"Something's happened, we need to ask your aunt for help." Qin Xiaoyu recounted what Man Aihong had said on the phone, and A Lei also became anxious.

He walked to the phone and dialed it.

My uncle answered the phone. My aunt had already mentioned at the dinner table that her flight was early tomorrow morning and she was already asleep.

"I'll make a call tomorrow; it's too late to handle this." The uncle checked the time; it was almost eleven o'clock.

"Uncle, please help us with this. We'll be right there to explain the situation in detail." Without another word, A Lei hung up the phone and pulled Qin Xiaoyu outside.

"What a hassle. We have to eat out when we stay at a hotel and they even provide room service." They deliberately spoke loudly in the hallway.

When we arrived at my uncle's house, my aunt had already been woken up, and her face looked noticeably pale.

"It's a competition, does the order really matter? If your work is good, what does it matter which order you appear?" My aunt still didn't understand the significance of this matter.

"Auntie, we've been copied. If they go first, we won't be able to go on stage. Wearing the exact same clothes as them, even if we win the competition, people will criticize us for winning unfairly. Besides, with the first impression, we might not be able to win," Qin Xiaoyu hurriedly explained.

"Do you have evidence that they plagiarized? Is it now irrefutable proof?"

"We don't have direct evidence; we just received a tip-off call, and a friend notified us."

“Look, all of this is just speculation. Besides, what if they were already in front of you? How do you explain that? Would I still insist on replacing them?” My aunt is really principled.

“Aunt, Xiaoyu has done her best to participate in the competition. She came all the way from Guangzhou with her big belly. She doesn’t ask for any special treatment, she just wants fairness. Is that alright?” Lei had probably never been so humble before. His words made his uncle and aunt exchange a glance.

“It’s so late, and we don’t even know who’s in charge of this. We have to catch a flight abroad tomorrow…” My aunt shook her head with difficulty. “And this matter of yours is unfounded. I can’t just call and insist that the Guangdong entries be moved after yours, can I? That would be unfair to the others. There are more than one submission from Guangdong, this…”

Qin Xiaoyu could understand her aunt's many doubts. She and Lu Di were the same kind of people—both politically sound and professionally competent, extremely dedicated to their work, and always prioritizing the overall situation.

Qin Xiaoyu had already realized that this trip was probably a waste of time; her aunt didn't want to get involved in this matter at all, even though she was capable of doing so.

She suddenly remembered the method Man Aihong used to deal with Zhu Yuzhen last time, and thought it wouldn't hurt to try it out.

"Ah Lei, stop talking, let's go. There's no justice in this world. We know we've been wronged, and there's nothing we can do. We're just too weak." Qin Xiaoyu stood up, tears welling in her eyes, and tugged at Ah Lei's sleeve.

A Lei was most afraid of seeing her cry, and his face turned red instantly, making his uncle feel a little embarrassed.

"There's no concrete evidence to support this claim..."

“What about trust? Shouldn’t there be trust between family members? Do you just think of us as unreasonable children crying and begging to be taken care of? We’re not! How did I get through the difficulties the review team made things difficult for me? How did I get through the rejection in Shanghai? I know that it’s a favor if you help me, and it’s a matter of morality if you don’t. So we won’t force you.” Qin Xiaoyu pulled A Lei out.

“If they really do wear the same outfits to the competition tomorrow, I’ll turn the venue upside down and demand justice.” Are’s eyes were blazing with fury.

Not only him, but Qin Xiaoyu also felt humiliated and her heart ached when she thought about it.

When they returned to their lodgings, Director Fei was still awake and was pacing around the door.

"Hurry upstairs, the phone keeps ringing."

A Lei ran upstairs in a few quick steps. The caller was his uncle, who simply said, "It's all arranged."

Qin Xiaoyu pushed open the door and saw the smile on A Lei's face, knowing that everything was fine.

The next day, they arrived at the venue early. A Lei was right; the traffic was not smooth.

"Sister Fei, come in." Qin Xiaoyu reminded her when she saw that Factory Director Fei had fallen behind.

"I think I see Gao Daxiong."

Qin Xiaoyu felt a lump in her throat; it seemed she was about to run into her enemy.

They found their changing room according to their numbers, only to find that people from another manufacturer were already there. It turned out that the two companies were sharing a room.

"What's your number?" The older woman on the other end was very enthusiastic. Although they were competitors, she seemed no different from a comrade. People in that era were simple and honest; friendship came first, competition second, and most didn't have many ulterior motives. Qin Xiaoyu liked such straightforward people.

“We’re number 139,” Qin Xiaoyu said, glancing at the number plate.

"Our room number is 138. It turns out that rooms were assigned according to room numbers," the older woman laughed.

Qin Xiaoyu glanced at their competition outfits; they were very outdated, but very sturdy—the kind of outfits you'd buy and wear for a lifetime.

When Qin Xiaoyu took out her competition outfit, the older sister couldn't take it all in with her eyes and hands.

"Wow, it's so beautiful! What kind of fabric is this? Does it wrinkle easily? Is it all embroidered? Is it a bridal gown?" The older woman reached out and scratched the fabric a few times, and Factory Manager Fei reluctantly opened it.

"Yes, it's an embroidered wedding dress made in our factory. It has both traditional ethnic style and new designs." This set is Master Liang's work. Whether it wins an award depends entirely on it; its name is "Flower Wedding Dress."

The entire dress was machine-embroidered with auspicious dragon and phoenix patterns, and a large piece of sequins was sewn on the hem, shimmering and sparkling. It was both grand and elegant. When Hu Xing wore it during rehearsals, the whole room lit up.

Each unit can only submit three fashion items for the competition. The other two items include a menswear design by Jiewei, which Dazhuang will showcase; it's a modified version of the Zhongshan suit. Dazhuang looks as handsome as a popular young male idol in it.

The other dress was a long gown designed by Xu Jingye, custom-made for Daya. The black tulle fabric was entirely openwork with floral patterns, and it was so beautiful that it was impossible to look away, as it did not reveal the chest or shoulders.

It was still early; they couldn't put them on prematurely. Qin Xiaoyu was getting restless waiting inside, so she ran out to see what other people's fashion looked like. Seeing this boosted her confidence in winning the award even more. Lu Di had had Sister Zhang compile and send her pictures of the award-winning fashions from previous years.

It's truly indescribable. The overly wide, armor-like shoulder pads are enough to ruin any aesthetic appeal. This year's entries not only failed to improve, but actually worsened the situation.

In terms of both color and style, none of them can compare to her three pieces.

Just then, the older sister reminded her that the dressing rooms were assigned by number, and if Gao Daxiong was behind them, he would be number 139 or later.

Qin Xiaoyu took a look and actually found it. Not far behind them, Gao Daxiong was talking furtively with someone.