This design competition is the highly anticipated "Pengyue Cup," a major domestic design competition.
For Shang Wu, this is an important step in his design career.
This competition has an extremely high reputation, and if she wins, her name as the designer "Freya" will qualify her for international rankings.
The competition consisted of three rounds, with each participant preparing their own design work.
Shang Wu immediately submitted the limited edition artwork that she planned to release in the next quarter as her entry for the competition.
After successfully registering, she arrived at the hotel designated for the competition the very next day, bringing Ah Ying and her carefully crafted artwork with her.
The hotel lobby was filled with emerging designers from all over the country and several renowned masters.
Shang Wu doesn't like making friends or expanding her network in the design circle. Therefore, apart from a few masters who frequently appear in the news, she doesn't know any of the others and is too lazy to exchange pleasantries with them.
For some reason, when she and Aying checked in, they could clearly feel that the gazes cast around them were somewhat strange.
Several young designers who were also participating in the competition whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with undisguised contempt.
"Look, it's her, Shang Wu."
"I heard that in order to make money, she used her work to promote her best friend to become a designer and ghostwriter behind the scenes."
"That's right. It seems like this matter caused quite a stir. Her best friend betrayed her in the end, and the two of them were tearing each other apart."
"How dare someone like this participate in the competition? He's just dragging down the competition's standards."
These murmurs were quite loud and clearly reached Shang Wu and A Ying's ears.
Aying was so angry that her face turned red. She wanted to step forward to argue, but Shangwu gently pulled her back.
Just then, a design master named Zhu Ying happened to pass by and overheard the discussion.
He stopped and gave Shang Wu a sharp once-over before saying bluntly, "Design is an art that requires piety and self-respect. If you can use your own work to make money, you don't deserve to stand on this competition stage. I hope some people can have some self-awareness."
After saying that, he snorted coldly and left.
Immediately, more mocking or amused glances were cast from those around them.
Shang Wu's expression remained unchanged.
Having seen many big events, this is nothing.
Since she had openly admitted to using her hard work to promote Ji Yu, she was prepared to be judged.
Besides, she has already sincerely apologized, received forgiveness from her fans, and started anew. Let others say what they want; she will just continue on her own path.
Shang Wu took the room key, thanked the staff, and, as if she hadn't heard the harsh noises, pulled the indignant A Ying straight toward the elevator.
As soon as she entered the hotel room, Aying couldn't help but explode.
"President Shang, they've gone too far! How dare they talk about you like that! And that so-called master, he doesn't even know the truth and he's just spouting nonsense!"
Shang Wu put her suitcase down, walked to the window and looked at the bustling city outside. Her tone was calm and unwavering: "People can say whatever they want, we can't control them. In this industry, the only way to shut people up is to let your work speak for itself. My work is good enough, that's enough."
Seeing that she showed no signs of being affected, Aying couldn't help but sigh, "Being mocked to my face like that, I don't have such a strong heart."
“A strong heart is built through training. If you have experienced being abandoned by your family, friends and fiancé, and then the Yu family incident, the malice of these people today will be like a drop of rain falling from the sky, without any harm to you.”
Shang Wu urged A Ying to go to sleep, then turned on the computer and began making final adjustments to the details of the artwork.
Night was falling.
After reviewing the submissions, she looked up at the sky outside.
She doesn't care what kind of person she is in other people's eyes.
Only she knows what her life has been like along the way.
If she could be defeated by these moments of exclusion and gossip, she would have already given up.
As Shang Wu was deep in thought, the landline phone in the room suddenly rang sharply.
She frowned. Who could it be so late? She answered the phone: "Hello?"
A cold voice came from the other end of the phone: "Hello, is this Ms. Freya? This is the competition review team. We have just received a formal complaint accusing you of serious ghostwriting and design practices in the past."
Shang Wu narrowed her eyes slightly. So they're resorting to the reporting tactic now?
"Please come to the conference room on the third floor of the hotel immediately. We need to ask you questions about this incident."
Shang Wu held the microphone and suddenly found it all ridiculous.
A report? That happened the night before her scheduled performance. How interesting.
"Miss Freya? Are you listening? Please come over immediately!" the voice on the other end of the phone urged.
Shang Wu said calmly, "I'll be right there."
After hanging up the phone, she followed the staff to the temporary meeting room on the third floor.
There were already three or four people inside, including Zhu Ying, who had embarrassed her in public during the day, two other highly experienced design masters, and a person in charge of the competition organizing committee.
The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.
"Freya, please sit down." The person in charge said in a cold tone, pushing a printed document in front of her.
“We received a joint, signed complaint from these teachers, alleging that when you worked at Chengzhou Group, you provided a large number of design drafts to your then-best friend, designer Ji Yu, which constitutes suspected ghostwriting.”
"Do you have anything to explain about this?"
Shang Wu looked at the "evidence" that was clearly carefully prepared, her expression turning slightly cold.
That is indeed true.
It was because she misjudged people and made a moment of confusion, using her design work to sell Cheng Zhou's work and to gild Ji Yu's reputation.
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