Famous designer YAN openly acts like a diva?
"Is it for real? 'YAN' really didn't show up? What does she take everyone for?"
"I used to like her designs so much. I never thought she'd look down on others. Since she chose to participate in the competition, why did she stand everyone up at the last minute? I despise this kind of person!"
"Maybe she's really ugly and too ashamed to show her face."
"Even if she didn't want to come, she should have informed the competition organizers. I've never seen such an arrogant and aloof designer. Her works must be just like her. I won't like her designs anymore!"
"..."
The surrounding whispers made Ning Anmiao clench her fists involuntarily, and her eyes were misted.
She wanted to say that she wasn't such a person.
She still sat quietly in her seat, staring blankly at the empty podium.
She used almost all her strength to keep herself from having an emotional breakdown in public.
She tried hard to keep a calm expression, lips tightly pursed, feeling self - deprecating inside.
Her love had always been just her own wishful thinking.
Lu Yan was still the high - and - mighty Lu Yan. How could he really consider things from her perspective?
The whispers around her continued, and Ning Anmiao felt even more aggrieved. Her excessive silence even made Jiang Qiwei, who had just stepped down from the podium, notice something was wrong.
"Lu Yan, you..." She abruptly stopped speaking and stared at him in surprise.
For some reason, looking at Lu Yan like this, she always felt that he exuded an air of loneliness and distance.
Was it because Ning Anmiao was gone?
—
The whole audience waited for a full five minutes, but there was no sign of 'YAN'.
The host glanced at her watch. Knowing that they couldn't waste any more time, she sighed helplessly and raised the microphone again.
"Due to personal reasons, designer 'YAN' failed to attend. Therefore, it's really a pity..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the back door of the venue was suddenly pushed open!
The loud noise made everyone turn around in unison. They saw a girl gasping for breath rushing in.
Ning Anmiao had her long hair neatly coiled up at the back of her head. Her outfit was very simple: a light - colored gray - striped women's shirt and black dress pants. She looked extremely valiant, with an air of competence and determination.
There was a word that was rather awkward when used to describe a woman, but it fit her perfectly.
Handsome.
Looking at the host on the stage and the gazes of others around, Lu Yan let out a sigh of relief in his heart.
He'd made it.
She quickly walked through the aisle in the crowd, looking firmly at the host.
"Hello, I'm 'YAN'. Is it my turn now?"
The host was a bit slow - witted. Looking at the woman in front of her, who was a bit disheveled but still calm - faced, she almost didn't react for a moment.
The 'Ning Anmiao' in front of her had dark and clear pupils. Her features were soft, but the look on her face left no room for anyone to doubt her.
The host looked at the whispering audience below. Thinking about how long they had waited just now, she gritted her teeth and said, "Sorry, since you're too late, you've exceeded the time limit."
Hearing this, the audience erupted in an uproar.
Ning Anmiao, sitting in the audience, looked up at Lu Yan standing on the stage and subconsciously stiffened.
What was the use of showing up now?
Did he deliberately act like he cared so much just to avoid being blamed by her?
It was really ridiculous.
Just then, Jiang Zhou, who came in right behind, immediately stepped forward. Seeing 'Ning Anmiao's' predicament, he quickly whispered a few words to the staff. The host also heard the arrangement from her superiors through the earpiece and quickly changed her tune.
"However, from the way you rushed here in a hurry just now, it's obvious that you attach great importance to this competition."
The host, after all, had received professional training and was very quick at saving the situation. "Next, please introduce your short - listed works."
The moment he got the microphone, Lu Yan let out a sigh of relief and walked directly to the main speaking position.
He slightly raised his eyes and scanned the whole venue. The moment his eyes fell on the 'Lu Yan' in the audience, his eyes flickered for a moment.
Although she looked expressionless, Lu Yan could tell that her mood was low.
It should be because he hadn't shown up on time.
But soon, he regained his composure.
He could just explain it to her after it was all over.
He thought it was just a small matter.
"I encountered a little trouble just now, so I'm a bit late. Please forgive me." His apology as soon as he took the stage immediately won him a lot of favor.
"This design is very special to me."
A faint smile played on his lips. His eyes were calm, and his words were concise. In a very short time, he drew everyone into the atmosphere he created.
Lu Yan had always been excellent at public speaking. Although this wasn't his area of expertise, he could still stir up the emotions of the whole audience. He had already memorized the speech draft Ning Anmiao prepared for him by heart.
After adding his own understanding and refinement, it obviously became a perfect speech.
"... That's the end of my speech. Thank you all." After saying the last sentence, he bowed to everyone.
This bow contained his apology to everyone.
The moment he stood up, the venue erupted in thunderous applause.
...
Seeing that the situation had been barely salvaged, Ning Anmiao's heavy heart gradually lifted, and the expression on her face finally wasn't so solemn anymore.
Ning Anmiao was so focused on the situation on the stage that she didn't notice Jiang Qiwei observing her from the side.
Jiang Qiwei noticed that 'Lu Yan' cared about 'Ning Anmiao' more than a little bit.
From the moment 'Ning Anmiao' disappeared to the moment she reappeared in the venue, 'Lu Yan's' emotions had changed dramatically in such a short time.
If anyone said he didn't care about 'Ning Anmiao', not even a fool would believe it.
Jiang Qiwei recalled the hesitant look on Lu's mother's face that day. Her heart wavered a bit.
Maybe Lu's mother had lied to her.
—
Although Lu Yan had rushed here in time for the final design speech, due to his lateness, his overall score still dropped a lot. In the end, he came in second, just behind Jiang Qiwei.
When Ning Anmiao saw the scoring results, she wasn't surprised.
In the scoring rules of some competitions, being late was indeed regarded as a sign of not taking the competition seriously and would result in point deductions. To come in second was already a narrow victory.
But she was still disappointed that he didn't get first place.
After the competition ended, the audience in the venue gradually left. Lu Yan and Ning Anmiao were the last to leave.
They walked in silence all the way until they reached the venue entrance.
Ning Anmiao pursed her lips and looked at Lu Yan in front of her, with no emotion in her eyes. "Why were you late?"