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Psst! We're moving!
Luo Mingjing hadn’t told Xu Qianqian why he asked her to come. He and Shi Min waited in the car beneath the apartment where the young couple lived. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was heavy.
Luo Mingjing thought that if Shi Min smoked, the car would now be filled with melancholic clouds of smoke.
Xu Qianqian came out, cheerful at first. She playfully nudged Luo Mingjing with her shoulder, congratulating him before asking, “What’s up?”
“Did you... use my drafts to create replicas?” Luo Mingjing asked. “The ones from the 24 Solar Terms series.”
Xu Qianqian’s smile quickly disappeared. After a moment, she nodded. “Yeah, I replicated them.”
Luo Mingjing had always been her professional benchmark. Before her art exams, whenever her brother created something, Xu Qianqian would replicate it to study his techniques. Although Luo Mingjing had repeatedly advised her against it, saying it might influence her own creative style later on, Xu Qianqian—whose life and career choices almost mirrored her brother’s path—had never broken this habit, which could neither be deemed good nor bad.
Luo Mingjing frowned. “Did you show them to anyone else?”
“How could I?!” Xu Qianqian’s voice tightened as she considered the possibility of a leak. Soon, she thought of something, breaking into a cold sweat.
Shi Min silently observed Xu Qianqian’s expression and calmly said, “It might just be a coincidence, but the situation is tricky. Although we launched our promotion first, their collaboration contract was signed nearly a month before ours.”
“You’ve worked with many people who’ve seen your drafts...” Xu Qianqian panicked. “There’s a high chance of a leak during the process, right?”
Luo Mingjing seemed drained, almost powerless, as he asked Shi Min, “When did they sign their contract?”
Shi Min looked at Xu Qianqian and slowly replied, “In October, nearly a month before us. So it couldn’t have been leaked by our collaborators.”
Luo Mingjing rested his forehead on his hand, sighing deeply. “Qianqian, think carefully... It must have been from your side.”
Xu Qianqian flung her hand down, feeling wronged. “If you suspect me, just say it!”
“You wouldn’t...”
“Do you think I’m like those scumbags who steal designs and pass them off as their own for fame? Is that what you’re accusing me of?!” Xu Qianqian’s shallow tear ducts overflowed as her voice rose. Luo Mingjing reached over with his sleeve to wipe her tears, but Xu Qianqian pushed him away and stomped her foot. “Brother, I feel terrible...”
“I feel terrible too,” Luo Mingjing said softly. “I just want to know how likely it is that the designs leaked from your side. This morning... they sent over their designer’s drafts. I reviewed them—they’re copies of mine. Qianqian, you should understand the difference between copying me and coincidentally overlapping in design concepts.”
“Why are you crying? I’m not accusing you.” Luo Mingjing reassured her. “No, I know you wouldn’t do that.”
Xu Qianqian wiped her tears. “Then are you mad at me? I caused trouble... I replicated your designs without telling you this time... I did it secretly.”
“I’m not mad,” Luo Mingjing said, lowering his eyes. “I don’t have the energy to be angry right now... I just want to get to the bottom of this.”
That morning, he had felt dizzy and nauseous, locking himself in the inner room to stare blankly. Eventually, Shi Min forced the door open, dragged him out, shoved a piece of bread into his mouth, wrapped a scarf around him, and bundled him warmly into the car.
Shi Min didn’t ask, and Luo Mingjing didn’t explain why his reaction had been so intense.
He said to Xu Qianqian, “I know it wasn’t you... Before their drafts were sent over, I hadn’t planned to question you. Even though there was a possibility of a leak from your side, I couldn’t let myself suspect you first. But after seeing their drafts... I noticed my anti-theft watermark on their designs. Qianqian, I know you—if you replicate my designs, you copy them exactly without altering or processing them yourself... Regardless of who their designer is, it’s possible the leak came from you. Who did you show them to?”
“...My roommates,” Xu Qianqian admitted. “I bragged to them, claiming it was my design... And I...”
She couldn’t continue.
In her dormitory, after replicating part of Luo Mingjing’s 24 Solar Terms series from memory, Xu Qianqian basked in the admiration and envy of her roommates. She thoroughly enjoyed the attention.
At school, in the dormitory, Xu Qianqian was a goddess—tall, beautiful, with a good family background, and a boyfriend who doted on her. Though her basic skills were average, her occasional creative pieces caught people’s eyes.
Though she couldn’t compare to the legendary campus prodigies, Xu Qianqian was undoubtedly one of the most talented and beautiful students at this top university.
She reveled in these accolades, even though she knew they were hollow. Once she stepped onto the path of vanity, she couldn’t step back.
Recalling Luo Mingjing’s drafts, Xu Qianqian drew three seasons’ worth of designs in front of her roommates. Finally, maintaining her image as a talented woman, she sighed regretfully, “Ah, I can’t remember the last season. This draft is ruined...”
Her roommates showered her with praise. As Xu Qianqian closed her computer, she said, “You think these drafts are good? Don’t flatter me, hahaha. They’re all trash—completely unusable.”
The game of vanity ended.
Luo Mingjing asked, “Do you... suspect your roommates?”
“It must be one of them! Ma Duo, Guo Yunxi, Cao Qi—it has to be!” Xu Qianqian fumed. “Absolutely! If it really leaked from my side, it must be my roommate!”
Shi Min glanced at her watch, growing impatient. “Get in the car. We’ll meet the other designer together.”
In the car, Xu Qianqian kept ranting, “It must be them, disgusting, wanting everything good for themselves!”
Shi Min wanted to say something, but Luo Mingjing noticed and glanced at her silently. Shi Min held her tongue for now.
Xu Qianqian continued berating her roommates, analyzing each one. Shi Min interrupted, asking, “Why did you copy your brother’s designs?”
“I didn’t copy!” Shi Min’s choice of words seemed to sting her. Xu Qianqian raised her voice, agitated. “How dare you call me a plagiarist?! Such a dirty word—how can you accuse me of that?!”
“Qianqian...” Luo Mingjing sighed, exhausted. “Stop. Just rest.”
“How can you call it copying?!” Xu Qianqian pouted, tears welling up again. She shouted at Shi Min, “My brother gave me permission! How dare you accuse me of plagiarism? I didn’t use his work to apply for degrees or enter competitions to win awards. I haven’t earned a single penny or ounce of fame from it—how can you call it plagiarism?!”
Shi Min was somewhat astonished, unsure where to begin educating her. Silently, she thought that such a child must have been spoiled by her family, living too comfortably to justify her behavior.
What surprised Shi Min even more was Luo Mingjing’s reaction. It was clear he was both angry and frustrated, yet he never scolded Xu Qianqian. It wasn’t the indulgence of an elder toward a younger sibling but rather guilt, so he endured...
Xu Qianqian sobbed loudly, her sniffles filling the car. Luo Mingjing furrowed his brows, closing his eyes but remaining silent.
Suddenly, Shi Min stopped the car. Opening the door, she pulled Xu Qianqian out and dragged her to the side. Luo Mingjing panicked. “Shi Min! Shi Min, don’t...”
Shi Min pushed Xu Qianqian behind the car and spoke slowly, enunciating every word. “I’ll say this once. First, you copied. Second, you’ll have a chance to apologize properly. Take it seriously—don’t think you can brush it off. Third, shut up.”
She added, “Don’t think blood relations give you the right to take advantage and act entitled. If you lack discipline, I won’t hesitate to reeducate you.”
After finishing, Shi Min shoved the stunned Xu Qianqian back into the car. As she closed the door, she said, “Class dismissed!”
Luo Mingjing didn’t dare speak. Shi Min restarted the car. After a long silence, Luo Mingjing finally said, “Don’t drive while emotional...”
“I know.”
Meanwhile, in Yuefeng Entertainment’s conference room, the designer contracted by Guohong Apparel tapped his feet nervously. Upon hearing that the designer of the 24 Solar Terms series was named Luo Mingjing, he suddenly relaxed and laughed. Turning to Fiona, he said, “Young lady, make me a cup of coffee.”
Guohong’s representative asked, “...Professor Ke, do you know the other party’s designer?”
“Yes,” Ke Ge leaned back in his chair. “A student I once taught.”
Guohong’s representative chuckled. “Oh! Your student... No wonder.”
The representative turned to Shi Chu. “Seems like a clash within the same school of thought. Since it’s a student of Professor Ke, overlapping creativity is quite common.”
Ke Ge raised an eyebrow and added, “A student I taught, but not one I finished mentoring. This student never graduated under me.”
He felt reassured. If it was Luo Mingjing, he could claim joint development under the guise of teacher and student.
When Shi Min arrived with the siblings, Shi Chu stood to make room.
As Luo Mingjing and Xu Qianqian entered, they both froze upon seeing Ke Ge smiling and nodding smugly.
Xu Qianqian slammed her hand on the table. “Damn, Ke Dog! Fuck, it was Ma Duo who copied me!”
Her outburst shocked the room. Xu Qianqian turned, initially intending to tell Luo Mingjing, but almost instantly, she found a better person to complain to. “Sister Min, this pretentious professor is Ma Duo’s graduation design advisor! It must be Ma Duo who stole your designs, you despicable pair!”
Guohong’s representative frowned. “This girl... What’s her problem?”
Such poor manners?
Ke Ge’s plans were disrupted by Xu Qianqian’s sudden outburst. Though his face twitched, he remained calm.
Accusing someone of plagiarism was easy, but proving it was difficult.
After reviewing Luo Mingjing’s designs, Ke Ge felt somewhat reassured. It seemed Ma Duo had submitted only the initial drafts, and the final versions differed significantly.
He turned to Luo Mingjing, speaking lightly. “What a coincidence to collide with my former student’s designs after all these years. Quite a connection, isn’t it?”
Luo Mingjing remained expressionless. Shi Min worried he might lose control, but just as she reached out to hold his hand, he grabbed the coffee Fiona brought into the meeting room, drank it in one gulp, placed it on the table, removed his coat and scarf, sat down, and took both sets of designs. “Professor Ke, would you like to see how I slap your face?”
Ke Ge shifted uncomfortably.
Luo Mingjing continued, “When you and Wang Zhenyu stole my Clear Sky Cranes , I didn’t demand an explanation. Did you think it was because I was afraid?”
“Please hand me a pen. Thank you.” Luo Mingjing picked up a pen and turned both designs over. “Look closely.”
With the pen, he traced two identical patterns on the fabric design of each draft. Together, they formed a name: Yi Lan.
Upon seeing the name, Xu Qianqian froze, then covered her mouth and began sobbing.
Luo Mingjing looked up. “This is my mother’s name, Professor Ke. Does your mother also go by Yi Lan?”
He took out a leather folder and poured out his drafts. “These are the sketches I started in August. This is my third draft from September. Compare them.”
Guohong’s representative glanced at Ke Ge and took the drafts.
Ke Ge seemed nailed to his chair, his lips trembling.
Luo Mingjing then took out his phone, opened his cloud storage, and said, “Allow me to inform you that ever since your beloved student stole my designs, I’ve learned to archive my work. Every day, I record my creative process with the studio camera. Professor Ke, esteemed mentor, where’s your proof of drafts and creative process?”
Fiona’s jaw dropped. Xu Qianqian sobbed uncontrollably. Shi Chu, seated at the head of the table, began clapping.
Shi Min said, “It seems there’s nothing left to discuss with your side. Fiona.”
Fiona snapped out of her daze. “Yes.”
“Contact Lawyer Zhao.”
“Yes!!”
Meanwhile, at Huan Yu Studio, Wang Zhenyu repeatedly watched Yang He’s promotional video. Frustrated, he threw his phone across the room.
After calming down, he retrieved another phone, opened WeChat, found Li Xiang, reviewed their chat history, saved a photo he had previously sent to Li Xiang, and posted it on Weibo using a secondary account. He tagged Mirror Realm , Bright Mirror Reflecting Fairies , and actress Yang He, purchasing three trending spots to ensure the post appeared prominently on Luo Mingjing’s topic page.
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