Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: Genuine and Counterfeit 1
Chapter 513: Genuine and Counterfeit 1
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“This gown was designed by Airelly,” said another Neo Fashion executive. “The finished product is at our company currently, though only senior executives have seen it. Naturally, all of us here have laid eyes on it.”
“That’s right. From concept to completion, this dress consumed six months of work,” Airelly nodded. “Mere days have passed since its finalization. So I want to ask where exactly did you encounter my creation?”
To a designer, each work was like a child. With her child now poised for theft, how could she not feel outraged?
Hearing this, Ye Xiyuan’s pupils contracted as her eyes shot wide, filled with shock, her mind going blank.
Impossible! She clearly remembered this gown debuting at next year’s Paris Fashion Week. How could it exist already? And designed by Airelly?
Ye Xiyuan’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly, uncertain how to respond.
Could she claim no familiarity with the work, brushing it off as a coincidence? Would anyone present actually believe that? How else might she explain the virtually identical nature of her draft then? Such alignments defied belief in the design sphere.
Ye Li also froze in place, equally astonished. Rushing forward earlier at the scoring reveal, he hadn’t pondered the rationale at all. Now faced with these serious questions, he did not know how to react appropriately.
Further, he never expected that Ye Xiyuan might plagiarize, especially Airelly’s work.
Once it spread, irreparable damage would impact the Ye family’s reputation,
leading to substantive losses.
“Please address my question, Miss Ye Xiyuan,” Airelly persisted, refusing to let shock still Ye Xiyuan’s tongue. “This constitutes grave plagiarism. I hadn’t intended to probe the matter here, but since answers were demanded, we can only elucidate it plainly!’
“Ms. Airelly, I have never seen your work before,” said Ye Xiyuan, taking a deep breath to steady her spiking panic. “l conceived this independently.”
No, admitting plagiarism was impermissible. The label would stick, making her a target of widespread derision. She could under no circumstances concede the infraction.
Hearing this, the judges’ expressions darkened, having anticipated a factual explanation, not stubborn stonewalling.
“Do you take us for fools?” asked Linda incredulously. “You claim sheer coincidence led you and Airelly to identical designs? Would anyone buy that?”
“l speak truly,” Ye Xiyuan persisted. “And I have no way of accessing Ms. Airelly’s work for plagiarism.”
Nobody expected that Ye Xiyuan would respond in such a way. In typical situations, people would feel ashamed, admit their mistakes, apologize, or simply find it difficult to stay and leave immediately. However, after the initial panic, Ye Xiyuan had now chosen to outright deny the fact of plagiarism.
The judges’ faces soured markedly at this.
Those below stared, scandalized by Ye Xiyuan’s audacity.
On the side, Ye Li, on the other hand, with his eyes darting around, seemed lost in thought, but he didn’t intervene or stop Ye Xiyuan from persistently denying the allegations.
“Your shamelessness truly knows no bounds, Ye Xiyuan!” Other judges might not want to say anything too harsh, but Ye Lengan didn’t hold back at all. “We’ve reached this point, and you can still deny the fact of plagiarism.. It seems like you’re really determined to stick to your story!’