Chapter 114: Unbelievably Dumb

Gu Anning was stunned for a moment. She looked at Chen Huan unhappily, “These people are slandering me!”

“What did they say about you?”

“They’re saying I stole Lu An’an’s work.”

“Is there any evidence?”

“No.”

“If there’s no evidence, then it’s a matter of hearsay. Why are you so riled up? The industry runs on gossip and groundless rumours; if you allow it to get to you, aren’t you just feeding the gossip mill?”

“Besides, no one here has said you’ve done anything; they are merely parroting things they’ve overheard. Is there really a need for you to be so uptight?”

“But I…” Gu Anning wanted to defend herself but lost her chance when Han Ziyuan burst into the studio. She pulled Gu Anning aside and gave her a pointed look. Turning to Chen Huan and the rest of the studio staff, she said, “Anning just got a little agitated. I’m sure she’s sorry for kicking up such a fuss.”

Aside, she muttered, “Gu Anning, as a designer, you can’t allow your emotions to get the better of you. Don’t forget who allowed you to work here.”

Gu Anning met Han Ziyuan’s gaze and shuddered. Chen Huan’s expression had turned gloomy. If nothing else, it knocked some sense back into her, and she apologised profusely, “I’m sorry. I overreacted. I’ll be more mindful of my conduct in the future.”

…

Gu Anning beat a hasty retreat with her tail tucked between her legs. Han Ziyuan watched as Gu Anning fled, the polite smile she wore gradually fading.

Chen Huan surveyed Gu Anning’s workspace and said to Han Ziyuan, “You guaranteed her participation in the competition… Do you regret it?”

“How laughable,” Han Ziyuan answered, a tart smile ghosting over her lips, “Although I put in some effort to guarantee her a spot in the competition, her achievements are her own. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made it to the finals. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes,” Chen Huan nodded and said, “It’s just that in our line of work, a person’s character is more important than their ability. After all, the intricacies of the heart only reveal themselves in time. A designer who spends all their time designing without stepping back to observe the world around them will find it hard to gain inspiration.”

Han Ziyuan’s face fell, but she did her best to put on a winning smile. “You’re right. I shall remind her.”

Her façade collapsed as soon as Chen Huan left.

Gu Anning was so unbelievably dumb!

Was she so dumb that she did not know what she was doing?!

Was she trying to stir up trouble for herself by appearing at the studio?

Was she not afraid of having her eyes poked out?

If Gu Anning ruined her efforts, she would pay. Lu An’an would be the least of her concerns when she was through with her.

Lu An’an was diligently sketching a draft for her final submission, so she was oblivious to the commotion outside. After a long day’s work, she stretched and shuffled to the pantry to pour herself a cup of coffee. There, she saw her assistant crying.

“What’s wrong?” Lu An’an asked.

Lu An’an’s assistant wiped her tears and said, “I don’t know who provoked Gu Anning. She was so angry. I delivered a package to her, and she lashed at me. She said the package wasn’t hers and that it was my fault for getting her package wrong. I don’t understand… Why did she shout at me?”

Lu An’an knew that Gu Anning was in a terrible mood.

She comforted her assistant, patting her gently on her shoulders. “Don’t cry. The wicked will have their due. God will punish her for her bad deeds.”

“How could someone like her make it to the finals? It is beneath you to compete with a rotten woman like her. I’m sorry,” the assistant lamented, feeling indignant on Lu An’an’s behalf.

Lu An’an offered her a wry smile, speaking with indifference, “It doesn’t matter. Those in positions they do not belong will reveal who they are sooner than later.”