Volume One, Chapter 13: Who’s Copying Whom?

Upon hearing Qin Lulu’s words, Fu Mingchi’s expression changed instantly.

That’s right—given Ye Zhaoying’s previous performance at school, she clearly wouldn’t have even qualified as an outstanding graduate, so there was no way she could have designed such an exceptional piece.

With this thought, Fu Mingchi furrowed his brows, his gaze toward Ye Zhaoying laden with complexity.

Could Ye Zhaoying really have committed plagiarism just to win? Was she not afraid of legal consequences?

Unaware that the accusation of plagiarism had already been casually pinned on her, Ye Zhaoying maintained a serene smile and confidently completed the presentation of her work.

As she stepped down from the stage, thunderous applause erupted. Many who had once looked upon her with disdain were now filled with astonishment and admiration.

Naturally, there were also many whose eyes were clouded with jealousy and suspicion.

How could Ye Zhaoying, whose university record was unremarkable, suddenly produce such an outstanding creation?

Moreover, the work bore such a striking resemblance to that of her younger sister, Ye Qianyao—surely there was something fishy going on!

Ye Zhaoying paid no mind to the gazes of others. As she descended the stage, she exchanged a brief glance with Lu Jingchen, who was seated in the front row, giving him a slight nod as a greeting.

His eyes were calm, yet they sparkled with a brilliance like stars, dazzling amidst the crowd of corpulent, aging executives.

She quickly withdrew her gaze and hurried back to her seat.

The subsequent works were mediocre, and soon it was time to announce the results of the project competition.

To be honest, although Ye Zhaoying had always been confident in her work, at this critical moment, a trace of nervousness seeped deep within her heart.

After all, she had endured countless hardships since birth—big and small—and it was impossible for her not to feel tense.

“The final result of this project competition is… Morning Glow Studio!”

When these words were announced, Ye Zhaoying finally exhaled a deep sigh of relief, the heavy stone in her heart fully lifted.

Beside her, Xiao Li was even more ecstatic, grinning from ear to ear. If they were not still inside the venue, she might have leapt for joy.

“Ahhh! That’s wonderful! Boss, we really made it!”

Young and lively, Xiao Li’s enthusiasm was impossible to conceal as she grabbed Ye Zhaoying’s hand and shook it excitedly.

Ye Zhaoying smiled in return. “Yes, we finally didn’t let you all down.”

The host invited Ye Zhaoying to the stage to receive her award. She quickly composed herself and rose, walking briskly forward amid the applause.

This was indeed big news. Everyone had expected the award to go to one of the large fashion companies like Yuanhui, but it ended up with Morning Glow Studio, a small studio no one had ever heard of before. It was truly astonishing.

But one thing was certain: from this moment on, Morning Glow Studio would rise to prominence.

Ye Zhaoying stood on the podium as the general manager of DL Fashion Company personally presented her the award.

Just as she took the trophy and was about to deliver her acceptance speech, a reporter suddenly stood up and spoke sharply.

“Excuse me for interrupting.”

“I’m a reporter from AK Entertainment and have witnessed the entire event. I believe everyone noticed that Ms. Ye Zhaoying’s work from Morning Glow Studio bears a striking resemblance to the piece presented by Ms. Ye Qianyao of Yuanhui Fashion Company.”

“I also learned that Ms. Ye Qianyao and Ms. Ye Zhaoying are sisters. Ms. Ye Qianyao is an outstanding graduate of University A and studied abroad in Country Y for a year. She performed exceptionally well in school and was hailed by professors as a ‘genius designer.’ In contrast, Ms. Ye Zhaoying’s performance was quite average.”

“The outcome of today’s showcase is truly surprising. Is there a suspicion of plagiarism between their works?!”

In an instant, nearly everyone’s attention shifted from the reporter to Ye Zhaoying, their expressions a mix of schadenfreude and disdain.

Indeed, many had harbored such doubts after viewing both works but had avoided speaking up.

Now, with the AK Entertainment reporter’s bold accusation, the atmosphere exploded.

“Yes! I was about to say the same thing—the two works are too similar! It’s very likely plagiarism!”

“Definitely Ye Zhaoying plagiarized from Ye Qianyao. Everyone has recognized Ye Qianyao’s talent over the years, but we’ve never even heard of Ye Zhaoying before!”

“Exactly, it’s obvious who copied whom!”

“Ms. Ye Zhaoying, please answer directly. Did you plagiarize your sister Ye Qianyao’s work?”

At that moment, Ye Zhaoying’s once glorious image was dragged down into the mud, branded a plagiarist condemned by all.

“I said it before—how could someone no one had ever seen suddenly design such a great piece? Of course it’s plagiarism!”

“Plagiarist! What right do you have to win an award?!”

“Yes! If I were Ye Qianyao, I’d sue her immediately!”

“What kind of sister is that, stealing her younger sister’s work? Have some shame!”

“Ye Qianyao must be very kind not to expose it…”

The venue descended into chaos, resembling a bustling market, as the crowd glared at Ye Zhaoying, clearly having nailed her to the pillar of plagiarism shame.

Meanwhile, Ye Qianyao, a superb actress, looked at Ye Zhaoying with a worried expression as if concerned for her, though her eyes betrayed nothing but gloating and provocation.

Ye Zhaoying sneered inwardly. If Ye Qianyao truly worried about her, why had she chosen to say nothing at this moment, wearing such a submissive and resigned expression?

For a moment, the judges and organizers wore grim faces, quietly discussing how to handle the situation.

Ye Zhaoying showed no panic or distress. Still smiling calmly, she took up the microphone and spoke clearly.

“To address everyone’s doubts: as you have just seen, you all know which of the two works is more outstanding.”

“If I had plagiarized, either my work would be exactly the same as Ms. Ye Qianyao’s, or it would be inferior. Why is mine more striking?”

“Our works are indeed similar, but who copied whom remains open to debate.”

“I have just one sentence: if Ms. Ye Qianyao accuses me of plagiarism and infringement of her rights, she is welcome to take evidence to court at any time. I await your lawyer’s letter!”

Having said this, Ye Zhaoying set down the microphone and stepped off the stage amid the gradually subsiding murmurs.

Those who had been shouting earlier were stunned by her commanding presence and fell silent.

Yet many still believed she was brazen because Ye Qianyao was caught off guard and lacked evidence, hence her arrogance.

Sympathy and pity for Ye Qianyao grew, while hatred and disgust toward Ye Zhaoying intensified.

Having such a sister was truly a curse extending over eight generations.