To Meng Ruozhao's surprise, the following week passed without any further disturbances in the store.
Neither Miss Liang nor Mrs. Chen came to bother her again. In fact, Liang Wei even introduced a client to her, who placed an order for a cheongsam worth nearly 100,000 yuan.
As for the Du family, they didn't contact her even once.
She was quite curious. Did Du Feng think he could rest easy just because he couldn't find the records? And what about Xia Lian and her daughter? Did they think the same way?
She couldn't figure it out and didn't bother to dwell on it.
Rather than worrying about their reactions, she was more concerned about the matter of the similar designs with [Jinhua]. So, after preparing all the necessary materials, she took the initiative to contact the person in charge of the liaison at [Jinhua].
She wanted to make an appointment to discuss the so - called "plagiarism" controversy in person. But when the phone was answered, the other person's reaction left her stunned.
"Hey, Boss Meng, hello, hello!" The voice on the other end was so enthusiastic that it bordered on obsequiousness.
"It's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!"
"We're really sorry. It's a new designer on our side who is not well - trained and misattributed things."
"Not only did she make subjective assumptions, but she also spouted off in public. We've seriously criticized her."
"We're extremely sorry for causing so much trouble to your studio. Please don't take it to heart. We'll do anything we can to cooperate and clarify the matter."
This sudden apology and explanation came so quickly and unexpectedly.
Meng Ruozhao held the phone, not knowing how to respond for a moment. All the well - prepared justifications she had were stuck in her throat.
"Got it wrong?" She repeated doubtfully, trying to discern the truth from the other person's overly enthusiastic tone.
"Absolutely. We've also compared the design drafts. It was definitely a misjudgment on our designer's part." The other person's tone was firm, even with a hint of barely perceptible panic.
"Boss Meng, your originality is obvious to all. How could you plagiarize?"
"Let's just put this matter behind us. What do you think? I'll definitely come to your place to apologize in person some other day!"
The other person had lowered their stance so much and insisted that it was their own mistake. Even though Meng Ruozhao had doubts in her heart, she didn't feel good about pressing further. She just exchanged a few polite words and hung up the phone.
The matter was resolved so easily that it made her feel a twinge of unease. But this unease was soon overshadowed by another thing.
While browsing industry news, she accidentally came across a recruitment notice from a new online drama crew focusing on the Republic of China era.
The crew was obviously short on funds. But in the recruitment notice, they repeatedly emphasized their pursuit of perfection in costumes, props, and sets. They hoped to find a brand with the same aesthetic concept to sponsor the costumes.
Meng Ruozhao clicked on the released makeup photo of the leading actress and a trial scene clip, and was immediately attracted.
The leading actress was not a popular star, but she had a cold yet resilient temperament.
She had a small face, a slender neck, and a well - proportioned and upright figure. She was simply a natural model for cheongsams. Especially her eyes, which were full of stories.
Meng Ruozhao's creative desire was instantly ignited. Several sketches of modified cheongsams that could enhance the actress's temperament and fit the plot had already emerged in her mind.
She stared at the poster with bright eyes and didn't even notice when Pei Jiangmu walked up behind her.
"What are you looking at? So engrossed." Pei Jiangmu's voice sounded beside her ear, with a hint of gentle softness.
The gauze on his right hand had been removed, and the wound had formed a dark scab, still looking a bit terrifying. But at least he could move it more conveniently.
Meng Ruozhao was startled. When she turned around and saw it was him, she subconsciously tilted the screen towards him.
"I saw an invitation for sponsorship from a drama crew. I think their leading actress is quite special and very suitable for wearing cheongsams."
Pei Jiangmu's eyes swept across the photo of the actress on the screen and the rather shabby recruitment notice of the crew. His heart skipped a beat with joy.
He had been worrying about how to support her in a reasonable way, and wasn't this a perfect opportunity right in front of him?
"A Republic of China drama? Won't the demand for costumes be very high?" He asked casually, sitting down next to her and leaning closer to look at the information on the screen.
"Yes, I only want to sponsor the leading actress's costumes. According to the plot synopsis, there are many scenes where the leading actress needs to wear cheongsams." Meng Ruozhao didn't notice his approach and analyzed excitedly.
"Although their budget may not be high, if the designs are outstanding, it will be a good publicity opportunity for both sides."
"And this leading actress's temperament can really bring out the charm of cheongsams."
She pointed at the girl's eyebrows and the line of her shoulders and neck on the screen, and talked more than usual.
Pei Jiangmu listened attentively and occasionally asked one or two seemingly amateur but on - point questions, guiding her to think more deeply about the feasibility of the cooperation.
Seeing that her eyes were getting brighter and brighter as she talked, obviously very tempted, he had an idea.
"It sounds good. It's a rare opportunity. It's worth a try." He encouraged.
Meng Ruozhao thought so too, so she quickly added the contact information left by the drama crew.
Next, all she had to do was wait for a response from the crew.
After putting down the phone, the haze on her face that had lingered for many days was dispelled a lot, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
However, just as Meng Ruozhao started to seriously think about how to communicate with this financially - strapped drama crew and even how to create the most outstanding designs within the limited budget.
Pei Jiangmu had quietly walked out of the studio and dialed Qi Yu's phone.
"Find a Republic of China online drama crew called 'Old Friends in the Mountains and Seas' and make contact."
"Act as an investor and add a special sponsorship fund for costumes."
"The only requirement is that all the cheongsams the leading actress needs to wear, both on and off - stage, must be provided solely by the [Fuyunxuan] studio."
Pei Jiangmu's voice was calm and decisive.
"The money will come from my private account and follow the regular investment process, but make sure the director's team understands that this is a non - negotiable requirement."
"Moreover, the design and production fees that the studio should receive must not be cut at all and should be paid at the highest rate."
"As for how this investment gets into the crew's account, handle it cleanly. Don't let the crew blabber and let Miss Meng know about it."
Qi Yu immediately took the order on the other end of the phone.
"Understood, Mr. Pei. I'll handle it flawlessly."
"I'll make sure Miss Meng only thinks that her designs have impressed the crew and that the crew has suddenly become more financially abundant."
"Okay." Pei Jiangmu hung up the phone, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
In this way, she could do what she liked, earn the due rewards, and not realize it was his doing.
Seeing her get busy and regain her vitality because of this was more rewarding than anything else.
Sure enough, just two days later, a response from the drama crew came.
The person in charge on the phone sounded excited and a bit cautious. First, they repeatedly praised the design concept of [Fuyunxuan] for coinciding with that of the crew. Then, they revealed that the crew had just received an additional investment, which happened to include a special budget for costumes. They sincerely hoped to have a face - to - face discussion with Meng Ruozhao about the cooperation details. They even offered to cover the design and production fees of the studio, and the amount was much higher than what Meng Ruozhao had initially estimated.