Chapter 239: Surpassed

Everybody gave a round of applause for Huo Liwei. But he remained expressionless.

Jianyu was sitting at a corner, observing him. As a CEO, he had met him before. Huo and Chen Corps had a few business dealings in the past.

The assistant said, “Out of the many entries we received, we have shortlisted five candidates for every category. Please welcome them.”

He recited the other three names and then said, “The next is Yao Luli from Design Premier.”

Yao Luli got up from her seat, having a graceful smile on her face. She bowed. “I’m grateful to Huo Corps for giving me this opportunity.”

She sat down, shooting daggers at Serena.

“And the last contestant is Serena, from Jia Se. She has recently opened her startup company.”

Jianyu widened his eyes as he heard the name. He was pestering Serena to tell him about the name she had decided for her new company, but she said it was a surprise and would only reveal at the competition.

Jia Se…

Jianyu and Serena.

It was a very simple name combining the first syllables of their names.

Serena looked up at the podium and gave him the warmest smile he ever saw on her face. Her company was the result of the hard work they put in together. Without Jianyu’s support, Serena thought that opening her own company would have been just a dream for her.

The tips of his ears turned red as he understood it’s meaning.

Serena chuckled.

‘He is twenty-six but blushes like a little boy.’

Jianyu lovingly looked at her and mouthed.

‘Stupid.’

Serena faintly smiled. It may be silly and stupid, but she wanted to associate her name with his.

Because she didn’t know until when she could bask in his love and warmth, the day he comes to know the truth would shatter everything into pieces. There would be no love and kindness in his eyes at that time, only hate and loathe.

A pang of sadness and agony overcame her.

Over there, the expressions on Yao Luli and Gong Hong’s face were just priceless and comical.

Yao Luli stammered. “S-she opened her own company?”

Here she was just an employee in Design Premier, and there she became the boss?

Here she was listening to orders, and there Serena was the one giving them?

She was enjoying the fact that she is participating, and Serena couldn’t, but she completely crushed her. Serena got way forward in her career, and she was stuck at the same place!

So, the last time we met in the store, she purposely didn’t say anything! She wanted to make fun of me. She was mocking me! She wanted to humiliate me by revealing it at the last minute.

It came as a huge shock to her. She gnashed her teeth in anger. The boy and girl were her assistants.

She now even had her own people under her command! If I had known earlier, then I would have sabotaged her chance of participation! But now I cannot do anything.

“Miss Serena?”

The assistant’s voice broke her stupor.

She quickly stood and bowed. “Thank you for giving me this chance. I won’t let you down.”

The assistant said, “Now that the introductions are over let me tell you the rules. We will give you three hours. Huo Corps will be opening a new shopping complex. The best design will win the competition, and the winning participant will be in charge of the project. Also, we will reward them with a three-year investment contract.”

Yao Luli and Gong Hong’s eyes sparkled. They will regain their lost reputation!

“Begin.”

Yao Luli sneered. No matter what, I will win this competition for sure.

The competition was under strict surveillance. All five participants were sincerely focussing on their work. Jianyu was silently cheering her.

Yao Luli peeked at Serena and saw her confident expression. Neither she looked worried nor anxious. She was calmly concentrating on her design as if the win was already in her bag.

But that affected Yao Luli all the more. She couldn’t concentrate and so was making silly mistakes, wasting her time in rectifying it. The whole time she was worrying that Serena would snatch this chance again. She was a complete nervous wreck.

Gong Hong was cursing her in his mind.

‘What is she doing!?’

Three hours passed by in a flash.

“Stop. The judging will now begin.” The assistant raised his hand and said.

One by one, the five participants came forward and explained their design.

Serena was the last. “…So this is my design. I’m open to your opinions and criticism.”

She glanced at Huo Liwei, but he didn’t look back at her. She bowed and went back to her seat.

Huo Liwei was lost in a particular memory as he listened to her presentation.

“Brother Liwei! Look at my dollhouse. Isn’t it pretty?” A little Serena of eight years old ran up to him, excited with sparkling eyes.

Huo Liwei, then twelve years old, looked at it and snorted. “So, so.”

She pouted. “Didn’t you like it?”

Huo Liwei shrugged. “Look at this.”

He had made a simulation of an amusement park with all the rides and attractions. The roller coaster was functioning with a chain of toy cars. It looked beautiful.

“Wow!” Serena’s eyes turned into big, bright stars as she looked at the design in wonder.

“Now, which is better?” He asked.

Her mood dampened. She looked at her dollhouse and then at the park and back and forth. She muttered. “The amusement park…”

Huo Liwei’s nose grew long in arrogance. But when he saw the sad look on her face, he pursed his lips. He patted her head and said, “I was just joking. Your dollhouse is also beautiful.”

“Really?”

“En.” He nodded.

“But, I want to make as amazing as yours.” She whined.

Huo Liwei paused. “You can if you become a great interior designer.”

“What is an interior designer?” She cutely tilted her head with an imaginary question mark over her head.

“They are super cool humans who plan and make super cool designs of buildings and stuff. You love your bedroom, right?”

She bobbed her head. “En! My room is the prettiest.”

Huo Liwei begged to differ but chose to ignore her claim. “Right. That room’s color, design, planning, furniture, everything is done by an interior designer so that our little princess Zhilan likes her room. As a matter of fact, this whole villa is done by her.”

“Really!?”

“En.”

“I also want to make one beautiful room like how she did.”

“Silly. You can design an entire building or a complex, not just single rooms.”

“Okay! I have decided! I will become an interior d-besigner, and I will make a super cool, big building for you.” Serena was jumping in excitement.

He chuckled. “For now, at least learn to spell and speak it right.”

The clapping of the audience snapped him out of his daze. They loved all the designs, but they were particularly impressed with Serena’s.

The assistant said, “Please wait for the judges to announce the results.”

Besides Huo Liwei, Mr. Xie and Mrs. Long were discussing their opinions.

Yao Luli was nervously shifting in her seat. Gong Hong said, “Seriously, you were wasting so much time! What happened? I’m telling you. We have to win this competition!”

Yao Luli cried, “No, boss. I have got this. I was still a little shocked by Serena’s sudden entry, but I steadied myself.”

“Hmph!”

After ten minutes, Huo Liwei came forward.

Everybody was eagerly waiting.

“Thank you, participants. Every design is beautiful, but there can be only one winner, and after much discussion, we three judges have come to a consensus.”

The participants held their breaths. Yao Luli was biting her lips.

“And the winner is…Miss Serena.”

The audience clapped and gave a loud cheer. “Yes! I wanted her to win.”

“Yeah, her idea and concept was spot on.”

“I can’t wait for the shopping complex to open!”

Yao Luli and Gong Hong were speechless.

“H-How?”

He gritted his teeth. “Yao Luli! I knew you messed up. I could tell that your f*cking head was somewhere else.”

Yao Luli’s eyes reddened in anger. 

Once again…Serena beat me once again!

“I don’t accept this!” She stood up and raised her voice. Gong Hong was stupefied.

Silence.

This stupid girl! Are you retaliating against Huo Liwei?

He smiled awkwardly. “Apologies, Mr. Huo. She is just feeling sad.”

Huo Liwei coldly shot a glance at them. The other two judges were also dissatisfied with her behavior.

Yao Luli screamed. “No! I want to know why Serena won! I’m sure my design is much better and superior to hers.” She refused to back down.

Huo Liwei glowered at her. “Miss. Yao Luli, please maintain the decorum. Are you questioning our judgment?”

Yao Luli got a little afraid of his tone.

“But I deserve to know why she won? I’m also just as good!”

Mrs. Long came forward. She sternly looked at Luli and said, “First a fall, your design was good, but too many calculation errors. Secondly, your design looked as if it was only meant for the rich. But Miss Serena’s design had the consideration for handicapped and disabled people too. The floor planning was very much aligned to their needs so that they can also easily navigate.”

Yao Luli was dumbfounded.

Who cares about them!

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