22 Chapter 22
◎You won't be jealous, will you?◎
The finals venue was packed with people. When Sang Xinqi and her mother arrived, staff members immediately came up to greet them warmly and led them to the backstage.
The backstage was bustling with activity, staff members were rushing back and forth, and telephones were ringing constantly.
"Please put on your makeup first, the model will be here soon." A girl wearing a work badge said to them.
Mother Sang nodded in agreement, "Okay."
Soon a makeup artist came over to put makeup on Sang Xinqi.
"How old is this little girl this year? Is she an adult?" The makeup artist chatted while applying foundation for her.
Sang Xinqi looked at the makeup artist's delicate makeup through the mirror and replied softly, "Not yet."
The makeup artist expertly applied eyeliner and exclaimed, "It's amazing to have made it to the finals. You're the youngest contestant selected this time."
Sang Xinqi smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks.
Sang Xinqi's makeup didn't need to be too heavy, so it was completed quickly.
While waiting to go on stage, Sang Xinqi focused on watching other contestants' work presentations and design explanations from the audience.
In the blink of an eye, it was her turn.
Mother Sang gently pressed her daughter's shoulders and said, "Relax."
Sang Xinqi took a deep breath and said, "Mom, I'm not nervous." Even so, as she looked at the crowded auditorium below, beads of sweat still appeared on her palms.
The moment I stepped onto the stage, the spotlight shone on me.
Sang Xinqi fluently introduced herself and projected her design drawings onto the big screen. When her work, a denim style series that integrated Chinese aesthetics, was presented, there was a burst of exclamations from the judges.
She calmly explained her design concept, "I want to combine the graceful elegance of the traditional cheongsam with the casualness of denim, showcasing the oriental charm of the new era..."
During the question-and-answer session, she answered the judges' professional questions fluently, and her graceful performance won rounds of applause.
Finally, when the models appeared on stage wearing the works, the atmosphere reached a climax.
The modified version of the denim cheongsam top is paired with a slit hip skirt, which retains the elegance of traditional clothing while highlighting the modern and fashionable lines.
There were constant exclamations of admiration from the audience, "This design is amazing! Oh my god, the silhouette is so well executed! You can't tell it's the work of an underage designer!"
Sang Xinqi stood at the side of the stage, watching her work gleam under the spotlight, her lips curling up unconsciously. At that moment, all her nervousness transformed into the joy of creation.
Then she slowly walked off the stage to warm applause.
Just as she was about to walk down the stairs, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure flashing by in the audience. When she looked closely, the figure had disappeared.
Sang Xinqi shook her head slightly, a self-deprecating smile playing on her lips. Liao Yishen should still be attending classes in Qingcheng right now. How could he be here on a Saturday morning? She must be too nervous and hallucinating.
"It's finally over," she walked quickly to Mother Sang and breathed a sigh of relief.
Mother Sang's eyes were filled with pride as she gently tidied her daughter's hair. "You did a great job."
"I wonder if I can win the award," Sang Xinqi blinked, her tone full of anticipation.
"My daughter is so outstanding, she will definitely win," said Mother Sang, who never hesitates to encourage.
Receiving her mother's affirmation, Sang Xinqi smiled brightly, "Of course!"
As the mother and daughter smiled at each other, the next contestant had already come on stage.
He was a handsome young man. His design seemed simple, with a pure black top, a quicksand white skirt, and an exaggerated bow at the waist.
It wasn't stunning at first, but when the model wore it onto the catwalk, the entire design suddenly took on a dazzling brilliance, even surpassing Sang Xinqi's work.
Sang Xinqi watched intently, admiring the design sincerely. After the boy finished explaining, he happened to stand next to her.
"Your design is really great," she couldn't help but admire it in a low voice.
The young man turned around and smiled warmly, "Thank you. Your work is also excellent."
He paused and politely asked, "Would you like to be friends? We can exchange design ideas in the future."
"Of course!" Sang Xinqi took out her phone in surprise. When they added each other as friends, she noticed the other person's name. "Xu Jianian...what a nice name."
"Don't you think it sounds too much like a girl's name?" Xu Jianian asked with a smile.
Sang Xinqi thought about it carefully and said, "A little bit, but it's really special."
Xu Jianian asked, "Are you in high school or college now?"
"I'm a senior in high school, what about you?"
"I'm a freshman," Xu Jianian had just finished speaking when a clear voice suddenly interrupted him.
“Sangsang!”
Sang Xinqi turned around and saw two familiar figures walking towards her. Her eyes widened in surprise. "It's really you! Just now on the stage, I seemed to see..."
She hurriedly said goodbye to Xu Jianian, "My friend is here, I'm leaving first!"
Xu Jianian smiled and said, "Okay, bye!"
She turned and walked towards them, only to see Jiang Xun smiling and opening his arms, "You came here specifically to watch our great designer's competition."
"I thought I was seeing things!" Sang Xinqi said excitedly.
Liao Yishen smiled and said, "I'm not dazzled."
The laughter of the three young people was particularly crisp in the conference hall.
When Mother Sang returned from the bathroom, she happened to see two tall figures standing beside her daughter. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Xiao Xun? Yi Shen?"
"Hello, Auntie Sang," the two teenagers greeted politely.
"Did you come all the way here to watch Sangsang's competition?" Sang's mother smiled.
Liao Yishen and Jiang Xun nodded at the same time, and Jiang Xun added lively, "How can we miss such an important moment?"
"You are so thoughtful," Mother Sang patted their shoulders gently.
After sitting down again, everyone focused on watching the subsequent entries, but Sang Xinqi's attention always drifted to Liao Yishen unconsciously. The two of them talked in low voices from time to time, and their eyes were full of youthful affection that could not be concealed.
Mother Sang saw all of this. As a mother, even the slightest change in her daughter's mood could not escape her eyes. She had a vague guess in her heart, but she just smiled and did not point it out.
As the last contestant finished his presentation, the host announced the start of the most tense award ceremony. Sang Xinqi unconsciously clutched the hem of her skirt - the top three would receive generous prize money.
"Congratulations to Wu Youyou for third place!"
Amidst enthusiastic applause, a girl with a ponytail surprisingly came up to the stage to receive her award. Immediately afterwards, the host cleared his throat and said, "Congratulations to Sang Xinqi for second place!"
Her heart finally settled down. Although Sang Xinqi felt a little disappointed for missing the championship, this regret was soon diluted by joy.
She excitedly stood up to receive the award. As she passed by Xu Jianian, she heard his gentle voice, "Congratulations."
"Thank you!" Sang Xinqi responded with a bright smile.
After she stepped down from the stage holding the heavy trophy, she was almost certain who would take first place.
"The champion is Xu Jianian!"
The whole audience burst into applause. Sang Xinqi returned to her family and friends with the trophy in her arms. Jiang Xun was the first to come over and say, "Our Sangsang is amazing!"
Liao Yishen said nothing, but with a smile on his face, he handed her a bouquet of white and pink cool-skinned roses and said, "Congratulations."
Sang Xinqi was stunned, and Jiang Xun explained at the right moment, "The takeaway arrived just as you were going on stage. Wasn't the timing perfect?"
"It's absolutely perfect," Sang Xinqi buried her face in the fragrant bouquet and held the trophy in front of her mother like a treasure. "Mom, I didn't embarrass you, did I?"
Mother Sang pinched her daughter's cheek lovingly, "Mom's pride is pretty good."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xu Jianian walking down from the podium. The moment their eyes met, they both smiled in appreciation.
When Liao Yishen saw this scene, he unconsciously pursed his lips.
"Come on, I'll treat you!" Sang Xinqi shook the prize envelope. "Although it's not as much as the first prize, it's more than enough for us to have a good meal."
Jiang Xun responded immediately, "I want to eat boiled fish!"
The four of them left the venue chatting and laughing.
After dinner, Mother Sang brought the three young people to their hotel. While checking in, she turned around and asked, "Would you like to stay one more day before leaving tomorrow? It's a rare trip to the capital."
Sang Xinqi subconsciously looked at Liao Yishen, her eyelashes trembling slightly, as if waiting for his answer.
"Of course!" Jiang Xun immediately jumped in, gesturing excitedly, "I looked up a lot of guides, and there's a popular online bookstore that's especially good for checking in!"
Liao Yishen's gaze lingered for a moment on Sang Xinqi's expectant eyes, his Adam's apple moving slightly. "Well, there won't be any classes tomorrow either."
Mother Sang smiled knowingly and said, "Then I'll book another room.
When she turned around, she noticed that her daughter quietly tugged at the corner of Liao Yishen's clothes, and the tip of the boy's ear immediately turned a thin layer of red.
It was a little after four in the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly and it was warm, and the four of them were strolling along the bustling commercial street.
Sang Xinqi and Jiang Xun were commenting on the shop windows on the street, while Liao Yishen always kept a suitable distance, but his eyes always followed the ends of Sang Xinqi's hair blown by the wind.
As night fell, the four of them walked towards the hotel. The night breeze, carrying the sweet aroma of sugar-roasted chestnuts, brushed past their noses. Sang Xinqi said greedily, "Do you want to buy some sugar-roasted chestnuts?"
"Okay," Liao Yishen responded.
The next morning, Sang's mother sent a message to Sang Xinqi saying that she was going to visit an old friend, and the three of them went to the famous tourist attraction as planned.
Without the presence of their elders, the three young people were obviously much more relaxed. As they walked through the crowded square, Liao Yishen suddenly held Sang Xinqi's hand.
The girl was stunned at first, then she smiled and secretly intertwined her fingers with his.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Jiang Xun covered his eyes exaggeratedly, "Can you please consider the feelings of single people?"
Sang Xinqi playfully shook their clasped hands, "We don't mind you being a third wheel."
Jiang Xun pretended to hit her, but Liao Yishen blocked him by moving sideways.
Although the boy still had a blank expression, there was a smile in his eyes. "Be careful, don't touch her."
"....." Jiang Xun was completely speechless and looked up at the sky, "What sin have I committed?"
The sun was shining brightly, and the shadows of the three people were stretched out long on the stone road. Sang Xinqi secretly glanced at the boy next to her and found that he was also looking at her. The two smiled at each other and their clasped hands tightened a little.
The longer they dated, the more she found she liked him.
"Let's go to the art museum," Sang Xinqi suggested.
Liao Yishen lowered his head to check his phone, "Do you need an appointment?"
"I don't know," Sang Xinqi tilted her head.
The light from the screen reflected on Liao Yishen's face, "If you want to make an appointment, it's fully booked."
He looked up and saw her eyes dimmed for a moment, and his heart softened. "But we can try our luck, maybe we can get in on the spot."
"Great!" She immediately became excited again, and the ends of her hair danced in the sunlight.
During the twenty-minute drive, Liao Yishen kept looking at her profile through the car window. Even when the taxi stopped, he was still wondering whether this decision was correct.
"Sang Xinqi."
The gentle voice made the three of them turn around at the same time. Xu Jianian was standing a few steps away. His beige coat made him look particularly handsome. There was a boy wearing glasses next to him.
At this moment, Liao Yishen felt extremely regretful.
"What a coincidence!" Sang Xinqi waved in surprise.
As Xu Jianian approached, his gaze lingered on Liao Yishen for a moment, "What a coincidence indeed."
Then he added, "Are these two your friends?"
"Yes," Sang Xinqi said with a smile.
Jiang Xun greeted him warmly, but Liao Yishen just nodded stiffly. He was regretting it so much at this moment. Why was Xu Jianian still haunting him?
"This is my friend Guo Yan," Xu Jianian introduced. "She's the talented young designer I told you about."
Guo Yan pushed up his glasses and said, "I've heard a lot about you."
Liao Yishen's fingers were clenched white at his sides, his nails dug deep into his palms, and the winter sun suddenly became dazzling.
"Do you want to go together?" Xu Jianian suggested.
Sang Xinqi waved her hand and refused, "We didn't make an appointment, we just came here to try our luck."
Xu Jianian said, "I have an acquaintance in the museum and can take you in."
Sang Xinqi looked at Liao Yishen hesitantly, "This..."
"Go ahead!" Jiang Xun bumped her shoulder heartlessly, "Haven't you been talking about it for a long time?"
Finally, she whispered a thank you, and Xu Jianian smiled gently, "It's just a piece of cake."
As the five of them walked towards the art museum, Liao Yishen remained silent.
Sang Xinqi was chatting happily with Xu Jianian at first, until she noticed that the person next to her was unusually quiet. She quietly moved closer, "Liao Yishen? Why are you so silent?"
Although I know he doesn't talk much, he is really silent at this moment, and the air pressure around him is very low.
"It's okay," he said in a dry voice.
The windless winter day should have been warm, but he felt bone-chillingly cold.
Sang Xinqi narrowed her eyes slightly, not knowing what she was thinking about, and smiled like a fox, "You're not jealous, are you?"
Liao Yishen: “…”
But the tips of his ears, which turned red instantly, betrayed him.
Sang Xinqi suddenly grabbed his hand and said, "Your hands are so warm."
Her fingertips were cold, but it made his heart tremble.
"Let me warm you up," he said hoarsely, wrapping the little hand around it.
The sunlight filtered through the branches of the sycamore tree, casting dappled shadows on their clasped hands.
Xu Jianian turned around and wanted to say something, but he happened to see this scene. The girl stood on tiptoe and whispered to the boy, and the cold boy's eyes and eyebrows were gentle at this moment. He was stunned, and an indescribable sourness rose in his chest. In the end, he just turned his head back silently.
As we entered the art gallery, warm air hit us in the face.
Sunlight shines through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows onto the polished marble floor, making the colorful paintings even more vivid.
Although they did not have a deep understanding of art, they found common topics in such a creative atmosphere.
"The colors in this painting are so bold," Sang Xinqi said, standing in front of an abstract painting and unconsciously leaning closer to Liao Yishen. "Does it resemble the neon lights we saw in the rain last time?"
Liao Yishen's gaze shifted from the painting to her focused profile, the corners of his mouth rising slightly, "Well, especially this blue." He pointed to a corner of the canvas, his fingers inadvertently brushing her shoulder.
Xu Jianian stood not far away, watching the two people's tacit interaction, and the guide book in his hand was wrinkled.
His friend Guo Yan pushed his glasses and looked at him thoughtfully.
When we finished visiting the last exhibition hall, the setting sun had already dyed the glass curtain wall of the museum golden.
At the exit, Xu Jianian hesitated for a moment, then finally invited, "Would you like to have dinner together? There's a nice restaurant nearby..."
"Thank you for your kindness," Sang Xinqi smiled and shook her head, her fingers unconsciously stroking the straps of her backpack, "but we've booked a ticket back to Qingcheng at 7 o'clock."
She paused and added, "Let's get together again next time we have a chance."
Xu Jianian's eyes moved between her and Liao Yishen, and finally nodded, "Okay, have a safe trip."
"Bye!" Sang Xinqi waved.
Liao Yishen was walking last, and when he turned around, he happened to meet Xu Jianian's gaze. The two teenagers stared at each other for a second, one calm, the other deep. Finally, Liao Yishen nodded gently, turned around, and followed Sang Xinqi's steps.
The station was packed with people. Mother Sang was already waiting in the waiting area. When she saw them, she waved, "Here!"
Her eyes shifted between her daughter and Liao Yishen, noticing that the two were closer than yesterday. When they saw her, they kept some distance again. She smiled knowingly.
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