Obsessive Tycoon and His Swan Girl
Chapter 174 - 174 174 Skipping Studies to Mess Around Again

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Skipping Studies to Mess Around Again Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Skipping Studies to Mess Around Again Jiang Fanyue was a bit worried, this time she came to represent the Jiang Family in a fashion design competition.

Design was not her strong suit; originally her heart was set on focusing on the musical score she planned to prepare for Zhou Yaming.

However, the current situation of the Jiang Family was indeed somewhat difficult.

Orders had plummeted, and business had fallen dramatically compared to before.

The only business they could still do was all thanks to the design talent of Designer J from before, appealing to clients who still hoped to see the Jiang Family’s glory days return.

Liang Jinlan also couldn’t just sit by and watch the ship sink; she started using new designers aggressively and arranged for Jiang Fanyue to participate in the competition, both aspiring to restore the family’s design level and regain its reputation and revitalize the family business.

Jiang Fanyue also had to temporarily put aside other matters and rush over to join the competition.

“So what if it is? Not studying properly and messing around again, it looks like this will be her life from now on,” Liang Jinlan said with a pout.

Jiang Fanyue originally wanted to say, could Jiang Zhe possibly be coming to participate in the design competition?

But then she thought about it and realized she had never seen Jiang Zhe deal with design; what could she design?

Designing, like creation, was not a skill everyone could master.

She quickly dismissed that notion.

Liang Jinlan reminded her, “What’s important is for you to grasp the competition at hand. Didn’t you have a designer train you before? How are your preparations coming along?”

Jiang Fanyue felt quite annoyed inside; if just anyone could produce a design after some training, wouldn’t everyone be a genius?

But she could not say these words to Liang Jinlan.

Liang Jinlan had high hopes for her, and she could only agree to everything.

“I have already prepared,” Jiang Fanyue said softly.

She remembered how she had found many of Designer J’s old drafted designs on her home computer; those she had abandoned and not let Liang Jinlan destroy in the nick of time. Those drafts, in J’s eyes, were considered subpar and incomplete, and whenever there was something better, he would have Liang Jinlan discard the previous ones.

Jiang Fanyue had originally forgotten those drafts, but Liang Jinlan’s pressure made her remember everything, and she copied all the drafts from the computer.

With previous lessons learned, she even made a special comparison in the garment market to check if there were any duplicate designs.

After discovering there were none, Jiang Fanyue happily kept all these materials.

Indeed, many of these drafts were incomplete, some lacked color fill, and some lines were not fully drawn; it was evident that J had been perfecting his craft while providing the Jiang Family with drafts, and many creations were not achieved overnight.

It was because of these, although reluctant, that Jiang Fanyue had enough to cope with.

When she lifted her head again, she had a confident smile on her face.

As she looked out the window, Jiang Zhe’s figure was no longer there.

Other than their own hotel, there was only one other top seven-star hotel in Beijing that was absolutely impossible to get a reservation at.

Jiang Zhe certainly couldn’t be staying at that top hotel.

Therefore, Jiang Fanyue put that matter aside.

She and Liang Jinlan entered the hotel.

“This place is really nice,” Liang Jinlan remarked as she went in, instantly pleased with what she saw.

There were servers who came to help them with their luggage, and everyone’s attitude was reverent.

Jiang Fanyue said with a smile, “Yes, Jiaheng brother indeed had a hard time securing a room here for us.”

It was also because Gu Jiaheng’s mother, Han Jiayan, had such connections in Beijing that it was so convenient for them.

After settling their luggage, mother and daughter came down for coffee to enjoy the rare leisure time in Beijing.

While Liang Jinlan was sipping her coffee, she caught sight of a familiar figure, and her smile stiffened for a moment before she greeted, “Cheng Lu, what a coincidence.”

“Jinlan?” Cheng Lu approached, she was about the same age as Liang Jinlan, but because she hadn’t given birth, she was well-preserved and looked much younger than Liang Jinlan.

Cheng Lu sat down across from Liang Jinlan and asked, “Is this Fanyue? She’s grown so tall?”

“Yes, Fanyue, this is Auntie Cheng.”

“Hello, Auntie Cheng.” Jiang Fanyue recognized Cheng Lu. When she was younger, Cheng Lu often visited their home.

Cheng Lu was also in the clothing business, but she had distanced herself from the Jiang family over the years.

They hadn’t expected to encounter her here.

Cheng Lu asked, “Why didn’t Jiang Zhe come along?”

After moving to Beijing, Cheng Lu’s business didn’t grow much, and Liang Jinlan didn’t pay her much attention anymore.

Liang Jinlan’s voice contained a hint of regret, “Oh, she’s gone back to her birth family.”

Cheng Lu couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Fanyue, knowing full well that they were sisters and wondering why Jiang Zhe had gone back while Fanyue had not.

“Fanyue is my daughter, naturally she can’t go back. But Jiang Zhe was always disobedient; having her birth family discipline her is quite good,” her tone was filled with disdain for Jiang Zhe.

Cheng Lu couldn’t help but feel unhappy upon hearing this, “I don’t think Jiang Zhe is that bad.”

“You have to live with someone to know them.” Liang Jinlan picked up her coffee, annoyed at Cheng Lu for prying.

In the past, when the sisters were young, Cheng Lu would always tell her that the most important thing in raising children was to be fair and equal, to not let one harbor any grievances.

She was really annoyed by Cheng Lu. Did she need Cheng Lu to tell her how to raise her own children?

Anyway, Cheng Lu originally hadn’t had children of her own. She went to the orphanage intending to adopt Jiang Zhe, but Liang Jinlan insisted the sisters should stay together in one family, so Cheng Lu gave up.

Now what was she doing? Trying to tell her how to raise her children again?

Seeing Liang Jinlan pick up her coffee, Cheng Lu knew she was getting impatient.

In the past, all she did was say a few words about treating Jiang Zhe well, and Liang Jinlan reacted the same way.

Their relationship used to be good, but after some disagreements and because Cheng Lu moved to Beijing, they saw each other much less.

“Let’s not talk about that matter.” Cheng Lu didn’t want to argue with her.

Liang Jinlan’s expression softened, and she smiled, “Isn’t your business in the suburbs? Why are you staying in a hotel, out for business?”

“Isn’t there a fashion design competition? I came to see if I could sign a stable and talented designer,” said Cheng Lu.

This competition, aside from the many designers participating, indeed attracted many businesspeople like her, looking for designers.

However, those who performed well in the competition generally had plenty of opportunities, and for someone with a small company and little prospects for development like Cheng Lu, what designer would take an interest?

Liang Jinlan immediately found it amusing, her dilapidated company signing a talented designer?

“Then you should look carefully,” she thought very little of Cheng Lu by now.

Cheng Lu inquired, “Are you also here this time to look for a designer?”