Bai Xiaoyu narrowed his eyes, and his gaze eventually settled on Gu Xiaoer's pale face. Her small face, barely the size of a palm, was completely devoid of color, ghastly under the large screen. Her large watery eyes and lightly bitten cherry lips made her look so innocent and pitiable.
"Hmph..."
A hardly audible chuckle, cold and disdainful.
Plagiarism was not a new issue, yet someone dared to take such a risk in a grand competition like this. Was it ignorance or sheer audacity? Ning Fangyuan, Gu Xiaoer—one of them must be the plagiarist. As to which one of them it was, he did not yet know.
But no matter who it was or whoever stood behind them, once they crossed the design industry's red line, they should be ready to be banned from the industry!
"Would the two of you care to explain?" Bai Xiaoyu's cold voice rang out, striking directly at the two concerned parties.
Ning Fangyuan was the first to react, her expression frantic, tremblingly pointing at Gu Xiaoer as she exclaimed, "You are plagiarizing me!"
With that accusation, she had pre-emptively condemned Gu Xiaoer.
"No, I didn't!" Gu Xiaoer's first reaction was to deny, but after speaking, she realized something—Ning Fangyuan was deliberately leading her into a trap! There was no need for her to deny something she hadn't done!
"Student Gu, we are both designers, don't you know the pain of having your work plagiarized? I put so much effort into designing this piece, how dare you take it effortlessly!"
Gu Xiaoer was rendered speechless by Ning Fangyuan's words and regained some sense of rationality. Her lips parted slightly, "The work is my own design, and I have already explained my design concept very clearly earlier. Moreover, I have the drafts and original manuscripts of this piece from start to finish, all of which can prove that it is indeed my original idea."
Seeing Gu Xiaoer calming down, Ning Fangyuan seemed to realize her own overreaction and straightened up, addressing Bai Xiaoyu, "Minister Bai, not only do I have the original and revised drafts, but I also have a witness!"
Bai Xiaoyu nodded, signaling Ning Fangyuan to continue.
Ning Fangyuan immediately called upon her roommates to stand and testify. With the confirmation of three roommates, the piece was undoubtedly designed by Ning Fangyuan herself.
It seemed that public opinion had begun to lean one way.
"Ning Fangyuan has always been an outstanding student in our department, and she's hardworking and diligent. I'm sure it must be Gu Xiaoer who plagiarized her!"
"I think so too. After all, Gu Xiaoer isn't usually that good. This piece obviously exceeds her level."
Gu Xiaoer stood alone at the podium, and with Ning Fangyuan's cleansing of her image, all suspicions undoubtedly pointed at her. Character witnesses, huh? She had a character witness too—her witness was Da Luoluo!
Gu Xiaoer took out her phone and quickly found Han Luoli's number but hesitated to make the call.
If she asked Han Luoli to be her witness, wouldn't their relationship be exposed? Then, the news about her renting a man and cohabiting with him would also be divulged!
Either move would mean ruination and loss of reputation!
Gu Xiaoer's hesitation was visible to everyone, and the situation seemed even clearer now.
"Today's competition ends here." Bai Xiaoyu dropped this sentence and walked down the podium to where Principal Wang of Nanyi stood, coldly saying, "Principal Wang, please thoroughly investigate and give Shenghan an explanation."
The weight of his words was perhaps known only to Principal Wang.
Ever since he had become aware of the plagiarism, his heart had been in suspense. The collaboration with Shenghan was once-in-a-century opportunity, but such a scandal had happened at his school. If the news spread, Nanyi's reputation would also suffer greatly!
Soon, his gaze fell on Gu Xiaoer.