Chapter 291 Facing skepticism in front of tens of thousands of people
Shang Wu simply lay down and admitted his mistake.
This left Luo Xue with a feeling of powerlessness, like punching cotton.
All the planned follow-up hype tactics were suddenly rendered useless.
It was like having a lot of energy but nowhere to release it, making her feel uncomfortable all over.
The feeling of the other party not playing by the rules is particularly annoying and makes things seem especially boring.
Luo Xue adopted a magnanimous and composed demeanor when facing the reporters who came to interview her.
“Since Ms. Freya has already apologized on behalf of my sister, I am not one to hold a grudge.”
Let's leave it at that.
She gave the camera a seemingly sincere smile, but then abruptly changed the subject.
"What I'm looking forward to now is Ms. Freya's upcoming new work."
"After all, she made a promise. It's a masterpiece. I believe she won't let everyone down."
"Right?"
Luo Xue's tone was gentle and sincere. However, her eyes were full of provocation and malice, as if she were waiting to see a good show, and she transferred the pressure back to Shang Wu from a distance.
Everyone waited for the results in three days, wanting to see if Shang Wu would rise from the ashes or fall from grace.
...
New product launch day.
The group finally arrived.
The venue was packed, and spotlights were flashing incessantly.
Media outlets, fashion critics, and celebrities gathered together, the air thick with anticipation and excitement.
The online live streaming channel has been open for some time, and the number of people watching online at any given time has easily exceeded one million and is still soaring.
The scrolling comments were dazzling.
"It's here! I can't wait for Freya's masterpiece!"
"I've been waiting for so long! It's finally about to happen!"
"A moment to witness history!"
"Luo Xue's prediction is so accurate, please don't let us down!"
"I bet five cents, it's definitely going to backfire."
Backstage.
Shang Wu stood in the shadows.
Ah Ying nervously rubbed her hands together, her voice trembling slightly.
"Mr. Shang, there are so many people outside! And the live stream room is packed with viewers too!"
Shang Wu took a deep breath and patted her arm.
"Don't be nervous, we're not the ones who should be nervous."
Time's up.
The music gradually stopped.
All eyes were focused on the entrance at the end of the runway.
After the host finished his enthusiastic introduction, a spotlight suddenly shone on the exit.
Shang Wu walked out step by step, bathed in light, and stepped onto the center of the stage.
Her figure was slender, and her eyes were as calm as a deep pool of water.
The audience fell silent instantly, and all the cameras were pointed at her.
The live stream's close-up shots captured every subtle expression on Shang Wu's face.
Without exchanging pleasantries or smiling, Shang Wu stood in front of the standing microphone, her cool voice carrying through the speakers to every corner of the venue and reaching the ears of millions of online viewers.
"Thank you all for coming today. Before showcasing the artwork, there is something I must tell you."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the audience members with their varied expressions.
"All the design drafts I prepared for this press conference were maliciously deleted three days ago. The hacker's methods were clean and efficient, and both local and cloud backups were destroyed and cannot be recovered."
The words fell.
The entire room fell silent.
Everyone was stunned, then erupted in uproar.
"What? The design draft was deleted? Are you kidding me! What are we releasing today then?"
The live stream chat exploded instantly.
The screen was flooded with comments.
"Holy crap???"
"A script, right? Or just improvising a story?"
"I knew there couldn't possibly be a masterpiece! Turns out the manuscript was gone!"
"Who did this? That's utterly despicable!"
"This news caught me completely off guard!"
Shang Wu stood quietly on the stage, waiting for the initial commotion to subside.
She spoke again, her voice heavy with apology.
"I am very sorry to have disappointed everyone. There is no masterpiece. I am even unable to present the complete series that was originally planned."
A murmur of disappointment rose from the audience.
Luo Xue sat in the best seat in the front row, and a smile couldn't help but appear on her lips.
She waited to see how Shang Wu would end up, how he would be utterly disgraced.
Shang Wu's gaze seemed to casually sweep over her direction before he continued speaking.
"but."
“I can’t let everyone who came to support me leave empty-handed, and I can’t let some people’s schemes succeed completely. So in the past seventy-two hours, I picked up my pen again and rushed to make three dresses of the same type as the jewelry.”
"They may be rushed, they may be imperfect, and they are far from what I originally wanted to present. This is also my first time learning to design clothes, but they are the sincere explanation I can give at this moment."
Just then, Luo Xue suddenly stood up from her seat.
"Freya! You're saying the design draft was deleted? Where's the evidence? Could it be that you've run out of ideas and can't produce any decent work, so you're making up this flimsy excuse because you're afraid you won't meet everyone's expectations?"
Her voice was sharp and undisguised, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
This is also a concern in the minds of many people.
yes.
Words alone are not enough.
How can I prove that the design draft was really deleted?
Discussions arose again from the audience, and the live stream chat was filled with questioning comments.
Seeing Luo Xue's face and hearing her distorted words, Lu You, who was sitting not far away, was filled with rage.
She suddenly stood up and pointed at Luo Xue through the crowd.
"Say that again, you fucking bastard! Believe me or I'll tear your mouth apart!"
She was so angry that she was about to rush over.
Cheng Zhou had been watching her closely, and upon seeing this, he immediately stood up and wrapped his strong arms tightly around her from behind.
"Youyou, calm down! Don't fall for it!"
On the other side.
Lu Rang also stood up at almost the same time, his tall figure exuding a sense of oppression.
He grabbed Lu You's shoulder, his eyes cold and stern, and reprimanded her in a deep voice.
"Lu You!"
"Sit down! Don't create topics of conversation for her!"
Lu You struggled a few times under the pressure of the two men, but ultimately failed to break free.
She glared resentfully in Luo Xue's direction, her chest heaving violently.
Seeing this, Luo Xue's smug smile became even more pronounced, even carrying a hint of provocation.
On the stage, Shang Wu took in everything.
There was no sign of anger on her face; instead, under the spotlight, a faint, almost gentle smile slowly appeared.
There was no anger or panic in that smile, only a faint, all-knowing mockery.
"Miss Luo's question is very good."
"Evidence? The record of the computer being hacked has been submitted to professionals for processing."
"Whether one believes or not is up to the individual."
She tilted her head slightly, looking openly at Luo Xue and at all the cameras.
"Instead of arguing pointlessly here and wasting everyone's precious time, why don't we..."
She turned to the side, her arm gracefully pointing towards the entrance to the runway, her voice clear and melodious.
"Let's take a look at this hastily completed temporary work."
"how?"
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
Despite lingering doubts, expectations for the show itself have plummeted.
Many people began to whisper among themselves, looking disappointed, and the number of viewers in the live stream started to drop at a visible rate.
The number of comments on the screen has also decreased significantly.
"That's enough, it's pointless, it's definitely going to crash and burn."
"Is something that was hastily made acceptable? I'm leaving."
"What a waste of time waiting."
"Am I the only one who still has it? I want to see what I can make on the spot..."
"True fans, hold me tight! Support Freya! Believe in her!"
The music started again, the lights changed, and the first model walked out to the rhythm.
The remaining gazes, tinged with pity, were focused on the catwalk.
Shang Wu stepped back to the side of the stage and stood quietly, the shadows outlining her tired yet resilient profile.
The real test is just beginning.
The music was deep and somber, like a heartbeat gradually reviving.
As the first model walked out, all the remaining eyes in the room, filled with scrutiny and judgment, fell on that dress.
It was a dress with a deep, dark blue main color, and boldly used asymmetrical cutouts on the shoulders and waist.
This is completely unlike Freya's previous designs for motherboards, which were known for their elegant and agile movements.
There was a slight commotion in the audience.
Someone frowned.
A hint of surprise flashed in someone's eyes.
Luo Xue curled her lips and silently uttered two words: "That's it?"
The second model followed closely behind, wearing a pantsuit with a crisp silk top that featured a bold slit at the back, connected by crisscrossing black ropes.
Whispers began to circulate among the audience.
"This design is quite interesting."
"Such a big change in style!"
"That sense of brokenness is very special."
The number of viewers in the live stream had already declined.
The trend slowed down, and the number of bullet comments began to increase.
"Huh? It seems...not bad?"
"This doesn't seem like something rushed out; it's very well-thought-out!"
"The stitching detail is absolutely amazing!"
The third model then appeared.
She was wearing a long evening gown.
The skirt is made of gray tulle with subtle color variations, like gathering dark clouds. However, from the waist upwards, the fabric gradually becomes lighter, and the color transitions to a soft, dawn-like hue.
Most stunningly, a lily pattern was embroidered with tiny diamonds on the model's chest, its petals outstretched and its posture tenacious, as if it had broken through all the gloom and bloomed proudly.
The lights followed the models.
She walked to the very front of the runway, turned around at a fixed point, her skirt billowing, and the lily on her heart shone brightly under the lights.
The entire venue fell silent at that moment.
Everyone was awestruck by the design, which was full of metaphor and power.
Each of these three outfits is more impactful than the last; they are no longer simply about beauty, but rather about the struggles and shattering that ultimately give rise to new life from despair.
After a brief silence, applause erupted.
Many people spontaneously stood up and applauded enthusiastically.
"marvelous!!"
"This is design! Design with soul!"
"I got goosebumps!"
The live stream chat went completely crazy.
The number of online users skyrocketed at an alarming rate, instantly surpassing previous peaks.
And it's still rising like crazy, with so many comments that you can't even see them!
"Aaaaaaah, I'm crying!"
"A masterpiece! This is a masterpiece!"
"I'm sorry, Freya! I was too loud!"
"This was actually a last-minute design? And it's a transitional piece from jewelry design to fashion design? Just how amazing must the original jewelry design be?!"
"I believe it! The design drafts were definitely stolen! Otherwise, the original drafts would have been so stunning!"
"Hey, speak up! Doesn't your face hurt?"
"Queen Freya! You are my goddess!"
Backstage.
As Aying watched the soaring data and frenzied comments on the monitor screen, she covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face, too overwhelmed to speak.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com