Chapter 130 Events in Life
She put down the sunflower seeds, sat up straight, and said firmly.
"Mom, don't worry, I'll look after the shop for you!"
She knew that her mother had sacrificed too much for the family over the years.
Now that she finally has the opportunity to pursue her dreams, she supports them more than anyone else.
"Oh dear, that's what I was planning to do too. I'm really sorry to trouble you these next few days."
Zhou Shufen smiled and nodded, her eyes slightly moist.
She felt completely at ease leaving the shop in her daughter's hands.
"Going to Beijing? I'll go with you!"
Guo Zhenyi blurted it out.
No matter the outcome, he would stay by her side.
After he finished speaking, his phone rang.
The caller ID showed it was a company leader.
He hesitated for a moment, but still answered the phone.
He listened to the urgent project report coming from the other end of the line and responded.
Zhou Shufen smiled but didn't say anything.
He knew how busy he was; how could he possibly find a few days of free time?
As soon as Guo Zhenyi hung up the phone, she said gently.
"Forget it, don't go. I'm not a child, I can go out by myself, right? You just stay here and focus on your work, don't worry about me."
"Are you sure everything's okay?"
Guo Zhenyi was still not entirely at ease.
“I know you’re used to being independent, but this is a competition, a major life event. I really want to go with you.”
"Of course, no problem!"
Zhou Shufen smiled easily and naturally.
"Besides, the competition in this kind of competition is so fierce, I might get eliminated in the first round. I'll just give you a call to let you know the result, it's a quick trip and won't cause any trouble!"
Guo Zhenyi stared at her for a long time.
After a long silence, he finally nodded.
"Alright, since you've said so, I won't stop you. Keep in touch with me on the way, send me a message when you arrive, and let me know before the competition, so we don't lose contact."
"Yes, definitely!"
Zhou Shufen immediately agreed.
With the competition date fast approaching, she immediately booked the next available flight to Beijing.
The airport was bustling with people in the early morning, with announcements and footsteps mingling together.
Zhou Shufen found her seat and took out a thick stack of competition materials from her bag.
He spread the document out on his lap, carefully flipping through each page, occasionally reciting the design points to himself.
A man sat next to her, about the same age as her, in his early thirties.
She was wearing a light gray cashmere sweater with a dark blue casual suit jacket over it.
They nodded and smiled at each other as they boarded the plane, and that was it.
After that, they sat quietly, and no one said another word.
It wasn't until Zhou Shufen took out a large design drawing and looked through it that she realized what was happening.
The person next to him glanced at it unintentionally and suddenly paused.
He then turned his head, carefully examined the documents in her hand, and looked her up and down before asking in surprise.
"Are you looking at these things because you're going to participate in that National Youth Architectural Design Innovation Competition?"
"Yes, that's why we're going this time."
Zhou Shufen nodded, casually waved the documents in her hand, and said with a smile.
"I didn't expect to be recognized by a fellow traveler as soon as I boarded the plane."
Wow, what a coincidence!
The man's eyes lit up, and he introduced himself frankly.
"I never expected we'd be on the same flight. I'm one of the judges for this competition."
"Are you a judge?"
Zhou Shufen blurted it out, her voice involuntarily rising a few decibels.
This is outrageous! Who would have thought you could run into the examiner on a plane?
"Yes, it really is quite a coincidence."
The man turned his head and looked at the sketch she had spread out on her lap, his eyes revealing a hint of appreciation.
He leaned closer, looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but whisper.
"Although your design draft has only just begun and many details have not yet been finalized, the overall feel is quite good, especially the structure and layout, which is very inspired. It can only be drawn by someone with ideas."
"It was just a quick sketch, it's not finalized yet."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shufen smiled shyly.
Actually, she wasn't entirely satisfied with the sketch either, feeling that something was missing.
"Don't be nervous, this competition isn't as difficult as you think."
The man noticed her unease and directly interrupted her unspoken worries.
“I’ve seen many entries. Many people have a good foundation, but what they lack is your sense of dynamism. With your skills, you are fully qualified to enter the finals, and even go further.”
Zhou Shufen was initially delighted by this encouragement.
A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
Her expression changed slightly, and she spoke with a hint of hesitation.
"Hey, wait a minute... You're a judge for this competition, and I'm here to participate. Is it really appropriate for us to chat and discuss designs like this all the way here?"
Actually, she was just thinking it offhand and didn't really suspect anything.
However, she has always been cautious and was afraid that such private exchanges might create a sense of unfairness for other contestants.
"It's fine."
The other person smiled after hearing this.
"The rules for this competition are particularly strict, and all stages are conducted on-site. Each contestant must complete the design draft and physical production from scratch within the specified time."
"The entire process is recorded by cameras and monitored by an audit team. Any form of prior preparation or external assistance will be considered cheating, and the candidate will be immediately disqualified upon discovery."
He paused, then added.
"So, no one can get in through the back door, so don't overthink it. Our current chat is just a normal conversation that happened during our trip, and it won't affect the rating process at all. Don't worry."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shufen's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
The rules are so strict that they do indeed eliminate the possibility of cheating.
She won't be lonely on the rest of the journey.
The two started chatting over the cabin announcement, and the conversation gradually expanded to clothing design styles from different places. The more they talked, the more they clicked.
The two only ended their long conversation reluctantly after leaving the airport terminal.
Zhou Shufen stood by the roadside waving goodbye.
"I'll be going now! Thank you for your directions along the way!"
"OK."
The man responded with a smile.
"I'm really looking forward to your performance. Do your best and try to get a good ranking! Good luck!"
Zhou Shufen waved to him one last time, then turned and walked quickly toward the taxi parked to the side.
Upon arriving at the hotel room, the first thing I did was put my suitcase in the corner.
Then he plopped down on the soft bed and let out a long sigh of relief.
Immediately afterwards, she took out her phone and dialed Guo Zhenyi's number.
"Have you arrived? Have you checked in?"
Guo Zhenyi asked two questions in quick succession as soon as he opened his mouth.
"We're here! We just walked in!"
Zhou Shufen spoke in a lighthearted tone.
"Everything is going well, don't worry!"
Hearing that familiar voice, she couldn't help but smile.
"That's good. I've been waiting for your call."
Guo Zhenyi chuckled softly.
Zhou Shufen's ears burned, and she unconsciously shrank her neck, saying with a smile.
"I knew you'd wait! Let me tell you something interesting. I met a friend on the plane who's a judge for this design competition! We talked a lot the whole way, about design concepts and fabric pairings. He's really knowledgeable, experienced, and insightful. No wonder he's a judge."
She spoke enthusiastically, but Guo Zhenyi on the other end of the phone remained silent.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
