Chapter 113 - Planning a Few Steps Ahead

Lu An’an could not help but laugh. She looked at her assistant and asked, “Who told you that?”

“That’s what everyone says. We all think you’re much better than Gu Anning. Your submission for the semi-finals was amazing! It amazed everyone in the industry.”

“Gu Anning’s work may look impressive, but I can’t shake the feeling that it isn’t hers,” the assistant rambled.

Lu An’an tilted her head and asked, “Why do you say that?”

“I’ve seen plenty of works by Gu Anning, so I know her style; it does not look like something the Goddess of Flowers would design.”

“Do you suspect her of intellectual property theft?” Lu An’an asked the assistant.

“I’m not sure what to think. There’s no evidence against her, and I don’t want to cause unnecessary trouble for myself.”

“You’re right.” Lu An’an glanced at her assistant and said, “It’s better to keep such words to yourself, lest you invite trouble to your doorstep. God will punish her if she has stolen someone else’s work.”

Lu An’an turned to her draft design once the assistant left. Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth curled into a sneer.

So she enjoyed stealing ideas from others now, did she? She would let Gu Anning steal to her heart’s content this time!

Lu An’an remained in the studio till the wee hours of the morning before heading home.

As soon as she left the studio, a figure sneaked in.

Lu An’an looked at the surveillance footage on her phone and smiled. It seemed the thief had taken the bait.

......

Once home, Lu An’an retrieved a sketchbook she had brought back from the studio.

This sketchbook contained her actual designs, the ones she was going to produce.

The wedding dress she was going to make was not for others but for herself.

With her eyes closed, she imagined how it would look, mixing and matching different fabrics to see which would work best. When the dress’s final form came to fruition, she picked up her pen and breathed life into the picture she had envisaged.

Whenever she was struck by inspiration, she would pen it down in a separate notebook; those were flights of fancy which were not suited for her primary sketchbook, though they would serve as useful points of reference in the future.

–

The next day.

Lu An’an returned to the studio and found her desk as clean as she had left it the previous night.

She smirked.

She fished for ideas from her sandbox, the notebook she kept for the bursts of inspiration she received. Settling on a few, she got to work, adding things to the draft design she had started earlier.

“Did you see that? I feel that Lu An’an will win the competition this time.” Many of her colleagues gathered outside the studio gesturing at Lu An’an.

“Of course. I heard that Lu An’an is determined to win this competition.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“It’s not surprising. Lu An’an is very capable. I wonder how Gu Anning’s preparations are coming along.”

“Hah! How can Gu Anning compare with Lu An’an? She only got into the final round because of a stroke of luck. Someone must have made a mistake. Don’t tell me you think her designs are all that good when they really aren’t!”

“Hey, have you heard the rumour going around? People say her last submission was a copy of Lu An’an’s work.”

“I’ve heard this rumour, but it is unsubstantiated. Besides, Lu An’an hasn’t said anything; it isn’t our place as outsiders to speak up.”

“What are you all mumbling about?” Gu Anning rushed to meet her gossiping colleagues, slapping a document on the table before them. “I’m sure one or two of you are free!”

The crowd shook their heads as Gu Anning tried bossing them around.

“I’m so angry!” Gu Anning ground her teeth, her anger reaching a critical point. Before she could fly off the handle, Chen Guan appeared, eyeing Gu Anning with a raised brow. “Gu Anning, what are you doing?”