Chapter 200: Insulting a Work
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
9 a.m.
Fang Yuan initiated a live broadcast on behalf of the company, with Gu Panpan taking on the role of the host.
“Good morning, everyone. I’m Gu Panpan, the designer from Cheng Ming Clothing Co. Ltd…” It was Gu Panpan’s inaugural appearance in front of the camera, and though a bit shy, she summoned the courage to warmly greet the audience.
“Hello, everyone. I’m the designer, Zhou Hao.” Zhou Hao also extended his greetings. “I’m delighted to present my new creation to you in this format. Take a look at the dress in my hands. Does it seem familiar? That’s right! It’s the latest design unveiled by Charm Cloth just yesterday!”
“In reality, this design is a bit conservative. So, let me show you how I’ve reimagined it!”
Gu Panpan took a pair of scissors and, starting from the waist of the dress, began cutting. She adjusted the top, removed the sleeves, and shortened the lower half of the skirt. As she reassembled it, a well-cut, stylish dress that accentuated her figure emerged before the audience.
“This is the first new product we’re unveiling today!”
With the same fabric but an entirely different style, it looked significantly better than Charm Cloth’s new release, emphasizing the wearer’s silhouette.
“Now, let’s revisit this doll dress. Its flaw is the lack of a defined waistline. Watch how 1 transform it into a pure chic dress!” Gu Panpan picked up the scissors once more and began cutting freely.
As more people tuned in, the viewership steadily climbed. After modifying five or six styles, the audience count reached 400,000 and continued to rise.
“President Fang, look, many people are placing orders during the live stream!” Wang Ning couldn’t believe it. This approach was proving to be unexpectedly successful!
The day before, after Fang Yuan had sent Zhao Quan to the police station, she modified all 26 styles. Using the simplest techniques like splitting the dress in two or altering collars, sleeves, length, accessories, and more, she transformed each into a brand new creation.
Yesterday, Fang Yuan visited the production workshop and halted all ongoing tasks. She dedicated herself to retrieving the new products from the warehouse and making modifications. Many pieces only required simple cutting and sealing, allowing the workers to swiftly adapt numerous items.
“600,000! We have over 600,000 viewers!” Wang Ning exclaimed. “President Fang, check the comments. People are saying our style is superior, more contemporary. Many have returned Charm Cloth products to buy ours!”
Upon receiving the news, Sun Mei, the CEO of Charm Cloth, was infuriated and urgently called for a meeting. The executives shared her anger, slamming the table in frustration.
“This is outrageous! Cheng Ming is live-streaming alterations to our new design. Isn’t this a direct affront to us?”
“Their live broadcast has surpassed 700,000 viewers. At this rate, it’ll soon reach a million!”
“The crux is that the style has been entirely transformed. Even if we sue them for plagiarism, it won’t hold!”
“What’s even more maddening is that their prices are lower than ours. Over 11,000 orders from our backers have been canceled. If this continues, we’ll face substantial losses!”
Unaware of Sun Mei’s collusion with Yin Shang to pilfer Gu Panpan’s design drafts, the executives believed these designs were exclusively Yin Shang’s. They were incensed, feeling that Cheng Ming had crossed a line.
Meanwhile, Yin Shang observed Gu Panpan in the live broadcast room as she turned a dress into a halter dress, elevating its elegance. Clenching his hands secretly, he pondered over the fact that these 26 designs were undoubtedly Gu Panpan’s work. How could she innovate and modify them so rapidly? The transformed dresses were even more stunning than before, achieved through straightforward steps. There must be an expert guiding her! Otherwise, with her skill, she would have gained recognition long ago.
“Designer Yin, examine her design style. Doesn’t it resemble Master Yanli’s work?”
“I share the same sentiment. If it weren’t for the fact that no one has seen Master Yanli, I would suspect that she was taught by Master Yanli. Look at these modified styles; they surpass the originals!”
“That’s correct. Even if this style is priced at a few thousand yuan, it’s not considered expensive. It resembles a light luxury dress, yet they’re selling it for only a hundred yuan!” How could it not be a hot commodity?
“I can’t believe it. She’s just an unknown designer. How can she create something so remarkable? Is she naturally gifted, or does she truly have someone guiding her?”
“There doesn’t seem to be any other notable designers in their company…”
Sun Mei slammed the table in frustration. “1 called for an emergency meeting to brainstorm counter measures, not for you to analyze the design! Whoever has a solution, speak up. We can’t just stand by as their orders skyrocket!”
She glanced at the live stream again. The viewer count was approaching a million! Her heart felt constricted, and she struggled to breathe.
“We can file a lawsuit against them for disparaging our work and causing financial harm!” Yin Shang suggested. “They’re openly poaching customers, blatantly competing against Charm Cloth. In that case, we don’t need to show them any courtesy!”
“But their headquarters is under the Cheng Corporation… If things escalate too much, the Cheng family won’t let us off the hook.” Sun Mei harbored some fear regarding the Cheng family’s influence..