Chapter 131 Participation

After she finally stopped talking, a sentence slowly came out from the other end.

"Heh, what a coincidence! So, what does this judge look like? Did he... say anything special to you?"

Guo Zhenyi was starting to feel sour inside.

He wasn't by her side and couldn't see her every move.

As it turned out, she happened to meet a man she clicked with.

He was also a judge of considerable status.

Just thinking about these things made him feel like something was wrong.

Zhou Shufen paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Oh, Mr. Guo, are you jealous? What, you're interrogating me now?"

"Then tell me, how can I not be jealous?"

Guo Zhenyi frankly admitted it, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

"You're so outstanding, with such a great presence and strong professional skills, it's normal for others to like you. I'm just... a little uneasy. I'm afraid that while you're far away, someone is thinking of you, and I can't do anything about it."

Zhou Shufen laughed even harder.

She took a deep breath, regulated her breathing, and then spoke seriously.

"Stop overthinking it! We're just having a normal conversation, not even friends. Since I chose you, I won't be fickle. There are some things I simply won't do, so don't get the wrong idea."

Guo Zhenyi felt a warm glow in his heart after hearing this.

"Okay, then I won't speculate anymore. I'm just glad to know you're safe. It's good that you meet more people over there, so you won't get bored all alone."

He paused, then added.

"As long as you know who you belong to, that's enough."

Guo Zhenyi always kept Zhou Shufen in mind.

Even if he can't be by her side, he hopes she can have a fulfilling and happy time in a foreign land.

"Okay, don't worry. But I haven't finished packing my luggage yet, so I can't chat with you much right now. I'll be busy for a while later."

Zhou Shufen glanced at the suitcase lying against the wall and frowned slightly.

"Okay, finish up early today and go to bed early. Don't stay up late. You need to be healthy to have the energy to work hard."

Guo Zhenyi casually gave a word of advice.

Zhou Shufen felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing this.

They had agreed to hang up, but neither of them wanted to be the first to do so, and they chatted for a few more minutes.

The call lasted for several minutes before it finally ended.

Zhou Shufen tossed her phone onto the bed and immediately got up to start packing her things.

After finishing her work, she took out paper, pens, and a few design magazines, and sat down to practice drawing diligently.

In the design industry, if you don't use your hands often, you'll quickly become rusty.

She knew this all too well.

Inspiration is like lightning, it comes and goes quickly.

Without proficient hand-drawing skills, even the most amazing ideas will remain only in your mind and cannot be brought to life.

She practiced diligently for the entire afternoon before finally yawning and climbing into bed to rest.

The next morning, Zhou Shufen arrived at the competition venue feeling refreshed.

Nearly a hundred people have gathered in the large venue.

Some people were carefully checking documents in folders, while others were wearing headphones and humming softly to relieve tension.

Several others simply sat on the ground and gathered together to play small games.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of coffee and the smell of printing paper.

She suppressed her nervousness and walked into the hall.

This was her first time participating in such a high-level national competition, so the pressure was inevitable.

But she reminded herself.

Since we're here, we should give it our best.

Zhou Shufen looked around and saw several groups of people having a lively discussion about the theme.

She wanted to get closer to listen, but was worried about disturbing others.

The designers present were diverse, and each person's clothing style reflected their personal taste.

Several of them were dressed in a particularly trendy style, which even impressed Zhou Shufen.

"Hey, hello! You're here to compete too, right? We're here early, let's chat."

A woman standing nearby, who spoke frankly, struck up a conversation with her.

Zhou Shufen turned her head to look.

The other person had short, ear-length hair and a sincere smile on their lips.

Seeing Zhou Shufen looking over, she waved again.

Zhou Shufen nodded, quickly stepped forward, and said softly.

"Hello, I am Zhou Shufen."

The other person immediately reached out and shook her hand.

"Hey, welcome!"

The woman smiled and led her to the center of the crowd.

There were already seven or eight people gathered there, and they all nodded and greeted her when she came over.

Competition may be fierce, but art should not be limited to winning and losing.

Many people come with the mindset of exchanging ideas and learning, hoping to take this opportunity to meet more like-minded people.

Even if only one person can reach the summit in the end, the encounters and inspirations along the way are equally valuable.

When it was her turn to introduce herself, the woman who had called her name first smiled and said...

"My name is Cheng Yulu, just call me Yulu! We're all competitors on the same stage, so let's see what our skills are like from now on."

After saying that, he even made a boxing pose, which made everyone around him burst into laughter.

Zhou Shufen was also affected by her emotions and couldn't help but smile.

Cheng Yulu patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't be nervous, let's cheer each other on!"

A single sentence drastically shortened the distance between the two people who were originally strangers.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous just thinking about it."

Zhou Shufen responded with a smile.

But just as Cheng Yulu turned around, a sharp glint flashed in the depths of her eyes.

Just then, the judge I met on the plane yesterday came out from behind.

He walked onto the stage and clapped his hands.

The crisp applause instantly drew everyone's attention.

He then picked up the microphone, his voice steady.

"Hello everyone, I am Wei Mingwei, one of the judges for this competition. I will now announce the competition questions. The entire competition consists of three rounds, and the final score will be calculated as the average of the three rounds."

Enthusiastic applause rose and fell, interspersed with excited whispers and discussions.

The organizing committee staff then came up.

They handed out a stack of envelopes with sealed numbers to the participants one by one.

"I believe everyone has received the questions."

Wei Mingwei looked around, his tone calm.

"Go back and work on your ideas tonight, don't waste time. The day after tomorrow, we'll officially start creating here on-site."

Everyone couldn't help but crowd around to see the competition questions.

Some whispered the keywords, some frowned in thought, and others quickly opened their notebooks to jot down their thoughts.

The atmosphere at the scene immediately became tense.

Wei Mingwei also walked down from the stage, through the crowd, and finally stopped in front of Zhou Shufen.

He leaned down slightly and whispered words of encouragement to her.

"The questions are out, do your best!"

"Yes, I will do my best."

Zhou Shufen nodded, her voice gentle.

Wei Mingwei smiled at her, his eyes filled with encouragement.

Then he straightened up, waved, and left.

Cheng Yulu witnessed the entire scene.

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Zhou Shufen, and she began to wonder what the relationship between the two was.

He pretended to be casual, saying it with a hint of teasing.

"Oh, you seem to know the judges quite well? Tell me, was it already decided beforehand?"

This question made Zhou Shufen a little embarrassed. Her smile faltered slightly, and she quickly shook her head in denial.

"No way, the competition was very fair. I just happened to run into him on the plane, and we didn't even exchange more than a few words."

"Really? That makes sense."

Cheng Yulu laughed and casually grabbed Zhou Shufen's arm.