Jiang Xiaojiao was about to speak when the organizing committee head received a mysterious phone call. He said, "Alright, stop arguing. This matter has blown up. In a little while, the CEOs and head designers of all the major brands will be here. Today's issue must be thoroughly investigated! The higher-ups have instructed that once the truth is found, the rumormonger will not be let off lightly, and the thief will not be forgiven. Those with poor character, no matter how skilled, will not be hired!"
The committee head's two sentences instantly silenced everyone in the room!
The women who had been speaking up for Jiang Xiaojiao suddenly changed color.
The CEOs and head designers were alerted?
Heavens, this had escalated into a huge mess!
Shen Qi remained calm.
No matter who came, she stood her ground!
Sure enough, after a short while, a group of people quickly approached from a distance.
At the forefront were He Yining, Wen Yibo, and others, along with CEOs and head designers from several other brands.
Feng Manlun, who had been absent all along, also appeared.
Shen Qi was slightly startled. They had all arrived together.
He Yining wore a black silk shirt and trousers, accentuating his handsome and devilish charm.
His phoenix eyes swept over the crowd and instantly found Shen Qi.
Seeing her standing in the center of the crowd, facing judgment, He Yining's anger blazed.
When had his woman ever been subjected to such insults from these scoundrels?
Daring to frame his Xiao Qi? They were asking for trouble!
Wen Yibo glanced at Liu Yi, who had been maintaining a protective stance behind Shen Qi.
Wen Yibo's peach blossom eyes curved slightly.
Not bad, quite interesting.
Feng Manlun's gaze also fell on Shen Qi, but then shifted to Cui Yuelan, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The organizing committee head, seeing the big bosses had arrived, immediately went to consult them: "What should we do now?"
The CEOs of the other brands all turned to look at He Yining.
This group followed He Yining's lead.
He Yining's lips curled slightly, his brow raised, and his voice, though not loud, carried absolute authority and pressure: "With such a major incident, of course we must investigate, and thoroughly. Not only that, but once found, we'll implement a system of collective responsibility. If Jiang Xiaojiao is innocent, Shen Qi and Liu Yi will be disqualified. Conversely, if Jiang Xiaojiao is guilty of framing, those who spoke up for her will never work as designers again."
The women who had supported Jiang Xiaojiao were indignant and wanted to retort.
But as He Yining's phoenix eyes swept over them, they all shuddered involuntarily and couldn't utter a word.
Such was the pressure of a king.
Shen Qi stood her ground, her back straight, refusing to bow to her enemies.
She had relied on that conviction to hold herself up, but now, hearing He Yining's words, she inexplicably felt like crying.
It was unfair, truly unfair.
Being falsely accused like this brought not only grievance but also immense humiliation!
She had never been framed like this in her entire life!
If she couldn't clear her name today, she would live under this shadow forever.
Jiang Xiaojiao steeled herself and said, "Fine, I agree!"
Shen Qi nodded slowly. "I agree too. Having witnesses is best!"
Seeing Shen Qi had no objections, the organizing committee head waved his hand and said, "Search all contestants' rooms thoroughly! All committee members will supervise!"
At this command, everyone's faces changed instantly!
Those who had earlier clamored for room searches now looked even worse.
Some people were like that.
They spoke without considering the consequences.
As long as it didn't affect them, they delighted in others' misfortune.
But when it touched them, they couldn't stay calm.
After all, having your room searched was a real slap in the face.
Whether something was found or not, it meant your privacy was exposed to the light.
No one liked that feeling.
But since they had supported it so enthusiastically, they couldn't just stand by and cheer—they had to act!
The committee head immediately dispatched teams to investigate.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi stayed put, not stepping forward to greet He Yining or the others.
The people around them looked grim, especially those who had backed Jiang Xiaojiao, their faces dark as coal.
If they had known supporting Jiang Xiaojiao would lead to this, they wouldn't have gotten involved.
But it was too late.
If Shen Qi was proven innocent, they would likely not escape unscathed.
Liu Yi took Shen Qi's hand and led her to a seat, pressing her down. "Xiao Qi, we'll wait here! Let's see what they find!"
Shen Qi nodded.
No matter the outcome, some people here wouldn't get off easily.
He Yining's phoenix eyes fixed on Shen Qi, narrowing slightly.
He wanted to go over and tell her not to worry.
But he didn't want her to think he was watching her.
So he stood there, torn.
Xiao Chun, quick to read the room, said, "Gentlemen and head designers, perhaps you'd like to sit and wait? The rooms won't take long to search."
He Yining shot Xiao Chun an approving look and said to the others, "Let's sit and wait."
With that, he strode toward Shen Qi.
Feng Manlun was just as fast, taking a seat nearby as He Yining sat down.
The other CEOs and designers followed suit, gathering around Shen Qi.
Earlier, Shen Qi had been surrounded as the target of attack.
Now, surrounded by CEOs and head designers, she seemed like the center of attention.
He Yining's phoenix eyes flickered, his brows furrowing and relaxing as if he wanted to speak but held back. Shen Qi could barely stand it.
"What do you want to say to me?" she couldn't help asking.
He Yining sighed softly, reaching out to touch the top of her head. "I'll tell you after your competition."
Shen Qi tilted her head slightly.
His fingers slid down from her head.
His long, strong fingers stiffened briefly before withdrawing.
His voice was flat, betraying no emotion. "Don't worry about today."
"Mm," Shen Qi replied indifferently.
Tonight's events were clearly Cui Yuelan's doing.
So who would He Yining choose?
Who would he believe?
Cui Yuelan?
Or herself?
Shen Qi didn't dare think or guess.
She kept her eyes down, not looking at He Yining, so she missed the struggle and conflict in his gaze, the helplessness and tenderness on his face.
"No one can hurt you. Anyone who does... I won't let them off," He Yining said softly.
"What if it's Cui Yuelan?" Shen Qi still didn't look up.
He Yining's eyes deepened. Without hesitation, he replied, "I won't let her off either."
"What if it's... your parents?" Shen Qi pressed on.
He Yining's face darkened.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Shen Qi quickly looked up at him. "I overstepped. I take it back."
Sensing her growing distance, He Yining instinctively grabbed her fingers. "Xiao Qi..."
But Shen Qi silently pulled her hand away. "President He, there's no Xiao Qi here now. Sitting before you is today's semi-finalist, Shen Qi."
Her words struck him like a heavy blow, hitting him right in the heart.
Just then, news came from outside the dining hall: "The necklace has been found!"
All eyes turned toward the entrance.
Only Jiang Xiaojiao and Cui Yuelan looked at Shen Qi with smug satisfaction.
Shen Qi, calm and composed, glanced at them and slowly stood up, walking directly to the messenger. She demanded in a clear, firm voice, "Was the necklace found in my room?"
"Do you even need to ask? Of course it was found in your room! Where else could it be?" Jiang Xiaojiao interrupted smugly.
Her behavior was extremely rude.
But in her triumph, she overlooked that.
Shen Qi ignored Jiang Xiaojiao and faced the committee head directly, asking again, "Was it found in my room?"
He Yining chuckled softly.
His little one was always so stubborn.
If he hadn't been keeping an eye on her, she might have been taken advantage of.
Of course, with him around, no one could harm her.
The committee head, hearing her question, rubbed his hands together and said awkwardly, "No, it wasn't found in your room."
The moment he finished, Jiang Xiaojiao shrieked, "What? Not in Shen Qi's room? No, that's impossible!"
Shen Qi spun around and confronted Jiang Xiaojiao. "Then why were you so sure the necklace was in my room? What proof did you have?"
"I... I..." Jiang Xiaojiao panicked.
She instinctively looked at Cui Yuelan.
Cui Yuelan shot her a warning glare, making Jiang Xiaojiao's face turn pale.
The dining hall buzzed with murmurs.
If the necklace wasn't found in Shen Qi's room, whose room was it in?
Everyone looked expectantly at the committee head.
Shen Qi's words rang out firmly: "Since my name is cleared, I demand the real thief be named. I, Shen Qi, will not bear such false accusations!"
"Well said! I support you!" Liu Yi stood up loudly. "We oppose all unfair competitive tactics!"
"Yes, we oppose all framing!"
"Exactly! If she can frame Shen Qi today, she'll frame us tomorrow! Such a person doesn't deserve to be a designer!"
...
The crowd came to their senses, rallying behind Shen Qi and Liu Yi.
The committee head glanced quickly at He Yining before hesitating, "This..."