Zhang Bin seemed surprised that he would have another opportunity to cooperate with Chen Lishu. His eyes lit up, and the hand holding his wine glass began to tremble. He said excitedly, "That's great, I look forward to our collaboration!
By the way, don't we need to cover this up? I've seen the online comments, and it's not good for you. It's not a major issue, but I'm worried about public opinion, which might affect your mood during the competition."
Seeing Zhang Bin's worried expression, Chen Lishu pursed her lips and shook her head, saying with great openness, "There's no need to stop this. Just consider it advertising for the company. If we lose the competition, so be it. After all, I'm just a businesswoman, and my skills naturally can't compare to those professional designers.
If we do lose, I believe Lin Che and other leaders will not stand by and let others smear China. They will find a more perfect way to resolve this issue! As the saying goes, when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten."
Since Chen Lishu said it didn't matter, Zhang Bin stopped worrying. He raised his glass towards Chen Lishu and said joyfully, "I believe in your ability, and you will definitely shine at the competition. I'll celebrate your success in advance here."
"Good!" Chen Lishu also raised her glass and gestured to Zhang Bin.
They discussed the follow-up matters regarding the fabrics. Around eight o'clock, they finished dinner. When it was time to pay, a young girl walked in. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Chen Lishu, and she said with a smile, "Are you the boss of Shuse Group? We also received news about you participating in the international competition. We won't charge you for this meal today!
We hope you will shine in the upcoming competition and bring glory to China. You know, this is the first time I've seen someone from our country participate in a fashion design competition abroad. We were once known as the fashion capital, but that title has dimmed. If you can reclaim this title, our hotel is willing to open its doors to you at any time. Come and eat whenever you want, and it will be free every time!"
Hearing the girl's words, Zhang Bin's expression gradually became serious. It wasn't that they couldn't afford the meal, nor was it necessary to place such high hopes on it. If the psychological pressure became too great, he didn't know if Chen Lishu would be tormented by this pressure to the point where she couldn't design good work.
After pondering for a moment, Zhang Bin still took out a stack of cash from his bag and handed it to the girl, a polite but distant smile on his face. He said, "We still have to pay what we owe. This competition is being held on someone else's territory, and you might not understand the inside story. For the sake of friendly relations between the two countries, we shouldn't make things too difficult. Regardless of the outcome, we hope you can treat it rationally!"
The young girl was stunned by Zhang Bin's words. She took the cash and watched them leave with a dazed look. It wasn't until their figures disappeared from her sight that she realized she wanted to chase after them and return the money to Zhang Bin. However, by the time she ran out, they were already gone.
At 8:30, Chen Lishu returned home. By then, she already had a general idea of the evening gown in her mind. However, all her design tools were at the company, so it was impossible to draft the initial design now.
Seeing her phone lying beside her, she suddenly remembered Zhang Bin saying that the online comments were divided into two factions. This piqued her curiosity, so she picked up her phone and opened a webpage.
【There are thousands upon thousands of designers in China, so why let a businesswoman participate in this competition? People nowadays are driven mad by money and will agree to anything? If this is handled poorly, it will be the shame of all Chinese people!】
【There are thousands upon thousands of designers, yet not one has stepped forward to accept the challenge. I say Chen Lishu has quite a lot of courage. We need someone with courage to break the mold. Only then can others follow suit bravely!】
【What you said is not wrong, but the key point is that this is China's first time participating...】
Su Nian's face turned a little red under Chen Lishu's gaze, and she stammered, "Is... is something wrong, Madam? Is my suggestion not very good? It's okay, your mind is much brighter than mine, and I believe you will definitely have a better idea to solve this problem."
Chen Lishu shook her head, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. She then teasingly said, "Not at all. I'm just a bit surprised. You've always been uninterested in business matters. I'm truly surprised that you could say something like this now!"
Su Nian scratched her head shyly and said, "By being around you and learning from you, I've also acquired a lot of useful knowledge. If this knowledge can help you, then it means that the time I've spent learning by your side has not been without its rewards!"
"You're right. If things really reach that point, Lin Che will naturally have to help me contact CCTV to prove my innocence. Alright, there's no need to dwell on this. The competition hasn't even started yet, so we can't lose our spirit and already think about solutions for losing.
Or are you saying that I'm so useless that I will definitely lose this competition to those designers from country M?" After saying this, Chen Lishu propped her head with one hand and lazily raised an eyebrow at Su Nian.