"If anyone leaves this competition, we welcome you to return in the next contest. Our resolve to select talent has never wavered—as long as you are talented, as long as you have skill, our doors will always be open to you!"
The organizing committee's speech earned a perfunctory round of applause from the crowd below.
Some stayed, some left.
It was inevitable.
This wasn't a film festival opening where just walking the red carpet counted as a victory.
Once you failed to compete successfully in the semifinals, it meant spending the next few years still stuck at the bottom of society, scrambling aimlessly, achieving nothing.
It could be said that the semifinals were the dividing line between cabbage and diamond.
Even if you only made it to the quarterfinals, as a diamond, you could still land a decent job back home.
The quarterfinals alone were already a shining design identity card.
But the semifinals? Just an unremarkable ID.
So the contestants on site waited eagerly, yet nervously.
Shen Qi was no exception.
As the saying goes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Shen Qi didn't even dare to think about whether she could reach the finals. For now, just making it to the quarterfinals was already a form of validation for herself.
Success and failure hung by a thread.
Step over it, and you succeed.
Fail to step over, and you lose.
After dragging out the suspense, the head of the organizing committee finally spoke slowly: "Now, congratulations to the two teams that have successfully advanced. They are Team Three and Team Six."
The next second, the whole venue erupted in cheers.
Team Five fell into a deathly silence.
How could this be?
Why, after preparing so thoroughly, had they still met with defeat?
Shen Qi tried to comfort Liu Yi instead: "It's okay, it's okay! If we lose, we lose! We'll come back in a few years!"
Throughout the team, many started to cry.
They had truly given it their all.
But why had they lost?
Just then, the organizing committee had the ten models take the stage.
Shen Qi saw the gap at a glance.
Yes, it really was a gap.
Teams Three and Six were truly outstanding.
At that moment, someone from Team Five protested: "But what about the bonus points we earned during the expansion? Don't they count?"
The others didn't chime in, but their eyes clearly said the same thing.
Then a judge spoke up: "During this expansion, many teams earned bonus points. Those points will indeed be added to your competition scores. However, the gap in your scores this time is simply too large. Do you know why Teams Three and Six won? Because the models in those two teams were the actual mothers of the team members."
Someone else protested: "Our phones and communication devices were confiscated. How did they find their real mothers? Isn't that a violation?"
The judge shook his head: "They didn't violate any rules. Their mothers live nearby and came to visit their children every day."
The head of the organizing committee said: "Now do you see where you lost? It's a lack of understanding. As a designer, you must ground yourself in truly understanding the subject of your design, and you must grasp it with your heart. Not just a superficial, self-righteous overview. Let me use Team Five as an example to explain. I know Team Five is definitely not convinced, because your scores were really excellent."
"Team Five's character design is the most inspired I've ever seen. I admit, the contestant who did the character design is truly talented. Though their technique is still a bit raw, the potential is enormous. However, this competition judges team performance, not individual display." The head of the organizing committee continued: "You uncovered some layers of the character, but you failed to dig into the true essence of that character. You knew she was a disheartened mother, but you forgot she was also a stubborn one!"
"So you only highlighted her gentleness and kindness, but forgot to emphasize her resilience. That was your biggest flaw." The organizing committee head went on: "Moreover, you only knew she was frantically fighting for justice after her daughter's car accident, but you forgot she was also repenting for not holding her daughter back that day, leading her daughter, in a fit of anger, to overlook the speeding car that caused the tragedy."
"So, your exploration was incomplete and not true to life. The reason Teams Three and Six advanced is that both teams had real mothers. As children, they knew their mothers' traits best. So they fully tapped into all their mothers' personality characteristics. Even though their works had flaws and imperfections, in this competition, they won without a doubt. Team Five's performance was also very good, but unfortunately, only two teams could advance this time. If three teams were chosen, Team Five's advancement would have been a given."
The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.
Not every competition gets a critique of the works afterward.
This was both a lesson and a learning experience.
Shen Qi sighed inwardly.
No wonder her teacher had told her to join this competition.
So this was the teacher's intention.
Only through effort and sweat, success and failure, would it truly be etched in memory.
"We lost." Shen Qi looked at the team leader regretfully: "I'm sorry, I messed up."
The team leader shook his head, his face dark: "No, you all worked very hard. You gave it your all, and we all know that. It's just that only two teams could advance this time. We'll... come back in a few years!"
Just as everyone was reluctantly accepting this reality.
The head of the organizing committee suddenly announced: "During this competition, several major brand executives noticed a few exceptionally outstanding designers. Therefore, they are willing to personally award a promotion pass to protect talent. They are: Leo from Team One, Chang Xin from Team Two, Shen Qi and Liu Yi from Team Five, and Wu Yiyi from Team Seven. Congratulations to these five, who will advance to the quarterfinals along with Teams Three and Six."
As these words landed, several screams erupted from the crowd.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi stood frozen in place.
Was this ride really this tumultuous?
Just moments ago, they had come back to reality from the tension, and now their hearts were being lifted again?
Liu Yi looked incredulous: "No way..."
Shen Qi shook her head too: "I can hardly believe it!"
The rest of Team Five turned to look at them.
The team leader reached out to Shen Qi and Liu Yi: "You being guaranteed advancement is well-deserved. You contributed the most in this competition. I have no objections."
The others on Team Five were silent for a moment, then finally came over to shake hands or hug Shen Qi and Liu Yi: "Congratulations! Represent Team Five and see it through to the end!"
"Our Team Five hasn't been completely wiped out." The others encouraged Shen Qi and Liu Yi: "Go all the way for us! Let us see what the others are really made of."
Shen Qi and Liu Yi hugged them in farewell.
Shen Qi's eyes grew a bit misty.
These past few days, they had eaten, lived, planned, and strategized together.
But in the end, it had all fallen short.
It was all her fault.
She had been too confident, thinking that two years of character styling experience would be enough to handle the role.
Only now did she realize how much she was lacking.
No wonder her teacher had told her to come here.
This wasn't just an improvement for her—it was a tempering.
This battle had ended in a crushing defeat, a total loss.
In the next battle, she would never make such a mistake!
Shen Qi clenched her fist tightly, making a silent vow.
She had to get stronger, she had to overcome her former self.
She had to keep going!
She had to win!
Even if it was for Team Five, for Liu Yi, she couldn't give up easily!
The team leader and the others waved goodbye to Shen Qi and Liu Yi.
Today, they would officially withdraw from the competition and leave the hotel.
Shen Qi watched their retreating figures, her eyes welling up.
Half the crowd had already left; those who remained were just the ones unwilling to accept defeat, hoping to argue with the committee.
Cui Yuelan walked up to Shen Qi, her eyes dark and resentful as she glared at her.
She was acting out of character, not bullying her as usual, but staring with cold, disgusted eyes.
Shen Qi expected her to say something, but Cui Yuelan just glanced at her and turned away.
After Cui Yuelan left, Team Six murmured among themselves: "I heard Team Three's design caught the eye of the higher-ups and has already been bought. That's why they advanced so smoothly."
Team Three's design was bought?
Oh, right.
Her teacher had also mentioned that she was supposed to discuss a design with a company in M City.
It seemed she couldn't talk to them now; she'd have to wait until after the competition.
But who was the standout from Team Three that had caught those people's attention?
Shen Qi was lost in thought when Liu Yi whispered: "Xiao Qi, who do you think saved us two?"
Shen Qi thought about it.
It could be any of them.
Whether He Yining, Wen Yibo, Fan Sheng Fan Li, or Feng Manlun, they all had the qualifications and power to give her a promotion pass.
Since she couldn't guess, she wouldn't bother.
She'd find out sooner or later.
"I don't know. Let's go back." Shen Qi said softly: "After seeing so many people off, the committee probably won't announce the quarterfinal content right away. Let's go rest too. After all these busy days, we finally have a result."
Liu Yi nodded: "Yeah, okay."
The two turned and left. When they returned to their room, it still felt like a dream.
Yesterday, they were arguing fiercely over a button design with those people who had now checked out and left M City.
Those who stayed could only watch from the outer hotels, unable to participate.
"It really feels like a dream." Liu Yi lay on the bed, hands behind her head, sighing: "Xiao Qi, why does a designer selection contest feel as serious as an international competition?"