Chapter 136 Prejudice
More importantly, the inner and outer layers use a dual connection system of magnetic snaps and concealed snaps.
It can be worn as a single piece or easily disassembled.
This modular design concept is novel and practical, and many designers at the scene praised it in hushed tones after seeing it.
In contrast, Cheng Yulu's works appear rough and ordinary, with insufficiently fine stitching.
The overall structure is a single, integrated unit with no adjustable parts.
There was absolutely no breakthrough in the design.
It uses a common banquet dress template available on the market.
They simply added a few rhinestones to the neckline and then called it "original".
Cheng Yulu snatched the clothes away and shouted in a shrill voice.
"What does that prove? Who can guarantee that you didn't see my design and then changed it at the last minute?!"
She pointed at Zhou Shufen's dismantled structure and said through gritted teeth.
"You submitted it so late, dawdling until the very last minute. You had plenty of time to adjust it according to my ideas! You might have even asked someone to help you!"
These design details alone are not enough to definitively prove plagiarism.
Especially in the absence of surveillance or witnesses, the time difference becomes the most delicate point of contention.
The judges exchanged a few whispers; some shook their heads, others frowned.
"What's the point of investigating? She can't produce any evidence! You should just disqualify her!"
Cheng Yulu crossed her arms in front of her chest, striking a victim-like pose.
Seeing her like this, Zhou Shufen couldn't help but laugh.
I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone this shameless.
They have a guilty conscience, yet they turn around and accuse others.
"Then produce evidence that I copied your work?"
Zhou Shufen did not back down and looked directly into the other person's eyes.
"Can you convict someone just by spouting nonsense? Competitions are about rules, not emotions."
She paused, her gaze turning slightly cold.
"And today, you were in my room."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Yulu immediately fell silent.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes, and her eyes began to flicker.
He had no choice but to muster his courage and turn around to yell at the judges.
"What do you suggest we do? We can't just let this go! If we don't address this, who will dare to compete properly in the future?"
Zhou Dajun pondered for a moment, then lightly tapped his fingers on the table.
After a moment, he slowly spoke.
"Neither of you can produce solid evidence, and neither of you admits anything. Under these circumstances, we, as judges, cannot determine the truth. So, there's nothing we can do but eliminate both of you."
"What? Why should I?!"
Zhou Shufen's eyes widened.
"It wasn't me who copied it, so why am I being eliminated too? Just because of one sentence from her, I have to take the blame?"
Cheng Yulu was particularly unhappy.
When she saw the revised design by Zhou Shufen, her feelings were indescribable.
Why should I?
In just a short while, she managed to revise the drawings so beautifully.
That kind of inspiration and creativity is something I can never achieve, no matter how hard I try.
"I refuse to accept this! I submitted my work first, so why should I be forced to withdraw from the competition?"
Cheng Yulu snorted with her nostrils pointing to the sky.
"Stop arguing. If you have evidence, continue the comparison. If you don't, then shut up."
Zhou Dajun's face darkened, and he replied in a harsh tone.
"There are rules to a competition, and procedural justice is far more important than emotional venting. You can't just say whatever you want and decide someone's fate based solely on your words."
Another judge next to him nodded in agreement.
“That’s right, you two are each giving your own reasons, and we’ve heard them all. But the problem is, neither of you has any substantial evidence. If we had solid proof, it would be fine; we could verify it on the spot and take immediate action. But in the current situation, we can only follow the competition rules and disqualify you.”
Zhou Shufen gave a cold laugh.
"Ha, drawing conclusions hastily, doing things perfunctorily, and then calling it 'following the rules'?"
She shook her head, her eyes filled with disappointment.
"This is truly eye-opening. So this is what fair competition is all about."
Once she finished speaking, she didn't look at anyone else again and turned to leave.
This competition has left her utterly disheartened.
She had thought there was at least basic fairness here.
The result was that the rules proved vulnerable to prejudice.
They didn't even bother to do a proper investigation before so hastily telling people to quit.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The first thing she did when she got back to the hotel was to throw her bag onto the bed.
The backpack hit the edge of the bed with a dull thud.
The vibration made the desk lamp shake.
She took a breath, walked to the table, picked up the kettle, and poured herself a glass of water.
I looked up at the wall clock; the hour hand was already pointing to a little past eight in the evening.
Zhou Shufen took a deep breath, estimating that Guo Zhenyi should be almost done with his work by now.
He then reached into his bag and took out his phone.
The call was quickly connected, followed by Guo Zhenyi's gentle voice.
"Why are you calling so late? Have you eaten?"
Zhou Shufen pursed her lips and frowned slightly.
"I'm so angry I'm full, how can I eat anything? Ugh... I'm so angry."
Upon hearing this, Guo Zhenyi's voice immediately turned serious.
"What's wrong? What happened? Who made you angry again?"
"Who else could it be? Cheng Yulu, of course."
Zhou Shufen spat out the name through gritted teeth.
"I never imagined she could do something like this! It's utterly shameless."
She paused, her chest heaving slightly.
He then continued.
"She brought me breakfast this morning, saying she was concerned about how hard I was working. I was quite touched at the time, but what happened? She secretly looked through my design drawings when I wasn't looking!"
"What's even more infuriating is that the work she submitted today was almost a direct copy of my idea, just with different colors and details, and even the structure and layout were exactly the same! This is no coincidence; it's blatant plagiarism!"
After saying all that, she actually felt much more relaxed.
"But what infuriates me the most is the organizer!"
"They didn't investigate anything, and they didn't listen to my explanation. They just kicked us both out! Why? I didn't steal anything from anyone!"
She shook her head as she spoke, her eyes gazing blankly out the window.
The image of that era involuntarily surfaced in my mind.
The streets are full of surveillance cameras, even the small shops on the roadside have high-definition recordings.
Who did what can be easily found out by investigation.
And now?
Even the most basic identity record is incomplete, making it difficult to prove one's innocence.
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a soft sigh.
Guo Zhenyi could hear the grievance and resentment in her words.
I also know that she is always conscientious and responsible, and would never do something like plagiarism.
So he softened his tone and gently comforted her.
"Don't get upset, your health is the most important thing. You have to believe that the truth will eventually come out. People who have done wrong will be exposed sooner or later. Time will tell."
"Don't think about anything right now. Just treat this as a trip to relax and get some rest for a few days. Don't let those unworthy people affect your mood. Your talent doesn't need to be proven through competitions."
After hearing these words, Zhou Shufen felt a little better.
The two chatted like that for quite a while.
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