Liu Caixia and Zhao Jingyu arrived in the provincial capital a day early.
They first participated in a three-day clothing exhibition organized by the provincial foreign trade department, and the last day was the clothing design competition.
Zhao Jingyu wasn't interested in the clothing fair. He quickly lost patience after browsing around for a bit, said goodbye to Liu Caixia, and went for a stroll on the street.
The streets of the provincial capital were crowded with people, bustling with activity, and the bridgehead was filled with men waiting to start work.
Zhao Jingyu walked past the crowd in a suit and tie. The laborers mistook him for their employer and immediately swarmed up to him, asking if he needed any work.
Zhao Jingyu said he also came to look for work, but he had been hungry all day and hadn't found any jobs.
The crowd dispersed, casting disdainful glances at him. How could a laborer be dressed so smartly? Was his clothing stolen?
After crossing the bridge, Zhao Jingyu strolled around casually, bought a rattle drum from a stall, and put it in his bag. His child would be born in a few days, so it would be perfect for the baby to play with.
“Ting Shen, I’m going back with you just to see the place where you grew up and the place where you worked. I don’t mean anything else.” A girl in a yellow woolen coat walked past Zhao Jingyu side by side with Xiao Ting Shen.
Xiao Tingshen did not see Zhao Jingyu and said in a cold tone, "My wife is about to give birth. It's not appropriate for you to go at this time. You should go during the summer vacation."
"Ting Shen, why couldn't we have met and gotten to know each other sooner?" the girl in the yellow wool coat said plaintively. "Why did you have to get married before you even went to university?"
“Yanni, I think it’s fine for us to just be friends.” Xiao Tingshen glanced at her. “In the future, it’s better not to say things like that. It’s not good if others hear it.”
“But I…” Ge Yanni looked up and saw a man in a suit standing expressionlessly in front of them. She was startled. “You, who are you?”
"Zhao Jingyu?" Xiao Tingshen was also startled. "What are you doing here?"
Didn't they say he had an accident?
When did he get back?
"What? You can come, but I can't?" Zhao Jingyu looked at the two of them with a half-smile and teased, "Brother-in-law, what do you mean by this?"
"Oh, this is my classmate Ge Yanni. We bumped into each other on the road just now." Xiao Tingshen felt awkward when he heard Zhao Jingyu call him brother-in-law. "Jingyu, is there something you need in the provincial capital?"
Ge Yanni glanced at Zhao Jingyu, her face flushed, and said, "You two chat, I'll be going now."
"Hello, Ge Yanni. Xiao Tingshen and I are brothers-in-law. It's fate that we met. How about we have a meal together?" Zhao Jingyu glanced at Ge Yanni and asked Xiao Tingshen with a smile, "A confidante?"
"No, it's, it's a classmate." Ge Yanni blushed even more and ran away as if fleeing.
“Jingyu, Yanni and I are completely innocent. Don’t go back and talk nonsense.” Xiao Tingshen’s face turned red. “It’s not what you think. I have a holiday next week, so I’ll go back.”
"Don't worry, it's none of my business how many women you have outside." Zhao Jingyu looked at him with amusement. "I just hope you can keep your wife in check and stop her from causing trouble everywhere. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"What did she do to you?" Xiao Tingshen was completely bewildered. "You just got back, and she's already upset you?"
"She spread rumors in the tenement that I wasn't coming back, and she even came to my house to peek at the sample garments my wife was making." Zhao Jingyu sneered. "Xiao Tingshen, I don't care if you mess around outside, but Tang Wenya has already affected my life. Tell me, hasn't she offended me?"
"Everyone is spreading rumors about your accident. Why do you say it was her?" Xiao Tingshen frowned and said, "The sample garments you mentioned were all made by Chen Meili. They have nothing to do with Wenya. She doesn't know anything about clothing."
Chen Meili arrived yesterday, and he arranged for her to stay at a hotel near the school.
Tang Wenya said that she and Chen Meili had agreed to split the prize money equally. He agreed as soon as he heard this, and coincidentally, one of his classmates was on the judging panel. He felt that this was a perfect combination of timing, location, and people.
After all, a prize of five hundred yuan is very tempting.
"Tang Wenya and Chen Meili have been in cahoots for a long time. Go ask Chen Meili now if the sample garments she made were inspired by Tang Wenya."
Zhao Jingyu left after he finished speaking.
After taking a few steps, he stopped again: "Xiao Tingshen, the reason I'm telling you this is that I hope you will participate in the competition properly and save some time so that you can go back to your wives and have children. But if you really want to play any tricks, then I will see you through to the end."
"Then let me tell you, Wenya isn't that kind of person." Xiao Tingshen stared at Zhao Jingyu's retreating figure and said, word by word, "Why do you all insist on making things difficult for her?"
Although Tang Wenya and Xu Qingning are not biological sisters, they are sisters in the same family.
He didn't understand why they were always going against him.
More than half a year has passed since they went to the countryside, but Xu Qingning and Zhao Jingyu still can't let it go.
But he still went to the hotel to find Chen Meili.
Chen Meili wasn't at the hotel; she had gone to a clothing trade fair. Xiao Tingshen waited at the entrance for half an hour before she returned carrying large and small bags.
Upon seeing him, Chen Meili smiled, took out her keys, and opened the door: "Aren't you in class today?"
"get out of class is over, I have something to ask you." Xiao Tingshen followed her into the house, and Chen Meili put down her bags. "What is it?"
"Did you copy Xu Qingning's design for your sample garment?" Xiao Tingshen asked her directly. "Chen Meili, the fashion competition is a very serious matter. You can't try to be clever or take shortcuts. If you are found out, you will be punished."
"Who told you that?" Chen Meili was stunned. "Wenya told you?"
Really?
“I just ran into Zhao Jingyu on the road.” Xiao Tingshen looked at her seriously. “If you really copied Xu Qingning’s ideas, I advise you to withdraw from the competition and save face for everyone.”
A prize of 500 yuan is indeed very tempting.
But if you lose face, no amount of money can make up for it.
"You believe Zhao Jingyu's words?" Chen Meili was indignant. "He wished he could persuade every contestant to go back so that Xu Qingning could take all the prize money. Xiao Tingshen, why are you siding with outsiders!"
"I've said everything I need to say, you all know what I mean." Actually, Xiao Tingshen didn't believe that Tang Wenya would go to Xu Qingning's house to peek at the sample clothes; he didn't think it was necessary.
Chen Meili snorted: "Don't worry, it won't involve you."
System: "Host, Zhao Jingyu has arrived in the provincial capital. He met Xiao Tingshen and told him about our sample garment. Xiao Tingshen then went to see Chen Meili and asked her to give up the competition."
"What did Chen Meili say?" Tang Wenya was very disappointed in Xiao Tingshen. Why did he always do things that boosted the morale of others while diminishing his own?
System: "Chen Meili didn't agree to his request, but if they can't reach a consensus and help each other, it will be difficult for her to get the bonus, unless something goes wrong on Zhao Jingyu's side..."
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