Chapter 637: 0627 Lead the trouble away to the east Chapter 637: 0627 Lead the trouble away to the east Upon entering the grand hall for the award ceremony, gazing at the lofty dome and surrounded by luxurious classical decor, the group couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
Su Xinyan caught a waiter halfway and grabbed a glass of champagne, looking around the hall.
“What’s wrong, Xinyan? Are you looking for someone?”
Gu Heng asked quietly upon seeing this.
Su Xinyan shook her head and looked up at him.
“It’s nothing, just having a look around.”
Though she said this, her eyes were filled with a coldness.
Damn it, why hasn’t the person arrived yet?
If they’re any later, the award ceremony will begin!
After taking a deep breath, she looked up again and saw several judges not far away, along with Lydia standing beside them.
The competition was over, and it wouldn’t be questioned for contestants to greet the judges at this point.
On the contrary, pretending not to see them would lead to doubts about being overly aloof.
However, the World Designer Contest was held every year, with countless designers participating, and the judges could not possibly remember everyone.
Because of this, ever since the judges had arrived, many contestants had already taken the initiative to greet them, but the judges’ faces were all adorned with distant yet polite smiles.
Clearly, there wasn’t much enthusiasm!
It was only when Lydia approached that the judges exchanged a few words with her, but from the looks on their faces, it was clear that they were not very enthusiastic.
Upon witnessing this, Su Xinyan’s face was full of scorn and disdain. She glanced at Su Ran in another direction, her lips curling up slightly as a deep meaning flashed through her eyes.
She turned around and whispered to Gu Heng and Wen Peipei:
“Grandma, Brother Heng, I’m going to say hello to the judges over there.”
Wen Peipei’s eyes sparkled as she looked in the direction Su Xinyan had indicated.
“Don’t worry about us, go ahead!”
Gu Heng also responded, his handsome face bearing a faint smile.
Su Xinyan smiled, holding her champagne as she turned and walked away.
Zhao Yiyi watched Su Xinyan’s departing back with envy spread across her face.
Su Xinyan’s approach immediately drew sideways glances from those around her, leading other contestants to speak sarcastically.
“Look, there goes another one not afraid of embarrassment!”
“How would you know they’ll be embarrassed if you don’t try?”
“Do you even need to try? Hundreds of people have greeted them, well, at least dozens, right? Has any judge ever smiled at someone?”
“Only Lydia can talk to the teachers for more than two sentences, but that’s because she’s a familiar face.”
“Ah, I really wonder who can catch the judges’ eyes, I’m so curious!”
Su Xinyan scoffed at the surrounding remarks, approaching the judges with a face full of haughty confidence.
“Good day, respected judges, I am Heart.”
The judges looked at the person who had suddenly appeared before them, pausing briefly before one finally remembered who Heart was.
“Oh, it’s you, I still remember you!”
The other judges gave a faint nod.
“Heart, your design this year was great!”
“Yes, truly perfect, quite stunning!”
Su Xinyan smiled, “Thank you, it’s an honor to receive such appreciation from the esteemed judges!”
“Who is that? Why are the judges so polite to her?”
“Yeah, I haven’t seen the judges smile at anyone.”
“She must be one of the winners this time, she seems quite confident.”
“Oh my god, Lydia looks so awkward on the side. She’s utterly embarrassed!”
“I just heard the judges call her Heart, could she be that youngest contestant in history? And the talented designer?”
“That’s her, no wonder! During the finals, she was the first to complete her design and also received high praise from the judges!”
The people around watched Su Xinyan talking eloquently with the judges, their faces filled with envy.
Lydia, who was being ignored, had an expression of embarrassment on her face.
She stood aside, pale-faced, her eyes cold as she looked at Su Xinyan.
Su Xinyan curled her lips, casting a disdainful glance at her. Hearing the envious tone of admiration from everyone around, her smile grew more arrogantly confident.
“I’d like to raise a toast to all the judges, thank you for your recognition and guidance,” she said.
“Don’t mention it,” they replied.
“It’s our duty,” another added.
Su Xinyan shook her head, expressing her gratitude,
“Just because it’s the judges’ duty, doesn’t mean you turn a blind eye. That would be ungrateful and too self-important. This drink is well deserved…”
As Su Xinyan spoke, her gaze drifted intentionally towards Su Ran’s direction.
The judges, having weathered many storms, could naturally read between the lines of Su Xinyan’s words.
Following her gaze, everyone was suddenly stunned in their tracks.
Su Xinyan felt a surge of satisfaction. She not only wanted to make Su Ran see the gap between them but also to leave an impression of arrogance in front of the judges.
Although the judges might not remember everyone who toasted them, Su Xinyan had to admit, Su Ran’s face was hard to forget once seen.
She took a deep breath and lifted her smile and glass to the judges.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I…”
However, before she could finish, the judges let out exclamations in succession, circumventing her and moving towards someone behind her with faces full of surprise.
A deliberately subdued voice of surprise echoed, and Su Ran turned her head in confusion, only to see a familiar face.
It was the judge who had been very excited to see her at the final competition.
She hesitated for a moment, then a smile spread across her face.
The judge opened his arms, his expression excited and passionate as he embraced Su Ran, his hand holding the glass trembling slightly.
“I am so honored to see you again!”
Su Ran smiled in response, “Likewise.”
Then, the other judges also began to eagerly greet Su Ran.
“Miss Su, long time no see!”
“We finally meet again!”
The excitement and joy on each person’s face were unmistakable, and they even performed the highest diplomatic courtesy.
The vast hall fell into an eerie quiet.
The next second, the room erupted!
“My heavens, who is she that the judges would perform a diplomatic courtesy for her?”
“What’s a diplomatic courtesy? Is it very formal?”
“More than formal, the diplomatic courtesy is our nation’s highest form of etiquette, reserved for meeting members of the royal nobility or those whom one admires the most.”
“A courtesy reserved for meeting members of the royal nobility, my heavens! What is her status?”
“But she’s so beautiful and carries such a strong aura; she must be impressive!”
Su Xinyan was still holding her glass aloft, the smile that had been on her face now completely paralyzed.
All the attention that had been focused on her was now, without exception, shifted onto Su Ran.
She bit her lip so hard she wished she could shatter the champagne glass in her hand!
A diplomatic courtesy?
That wretch is worthy of such!?
Suppressing her raging fury, she turned around, only to see Su Ran engaged in lively conversation with several judges.
For a moment, venom surged in her eyes!
Wen Peipei’s face also bore a hint of confusion. How was Su Ran so familiar with those judges?
Su Xinyan swept a cold glance over Su Ran and looked around the room. Not seeing anyone in particular, she exchanged a surreptitious look with Zhao Yiyi.
Zhao Yiyi caught on instantly, walking slowly to Su Xinyan’s side, her voice deliberately raised in a shrill and piercing tone.
“A plagiarist shamelessly networking with the judges, how ludicrous!”
The hall fell silent once more, gazes turning towards Su Ran.
Meanwhile, a smug viciousness flickered in Su Xinyan’s eyes.