Addicted to Love, Mr. Fu’s Newly Married Wife

Chapter 1716 Several People Working Together

The next day at the hospital

The blanket was suddenly pulled back by a corner.

A chill crept up my ankles and into my trousers.

Xu Xiaoxiao shrank her legs and instinctively reached for the corner of the blanket, trying to wrap herself up again.

As soon as I reached out, another warm hand pressed down on my hand.

"Wake up! The sun's already high in the sky!"

A roar exploded in my ears.

Xu Xiaoxiao's heart clenched suddenly, and she was forcibly pulled back to reality from her dream.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

Nan Weiwei's enlarged face was almost touching the tip of her nose, with Xiao Mei peeking out from behind.

Xu Xiaoxiao's mind went blank, and her heart was still pounding in her chest.

She couldn't even tell if this was reality or a continuation of a dream.

"you……"

Xu Xiaoxiao swallowed, her throat extremely dry.

She propped herself up on the bed and sat up, rubbing her messy hair.

"This is a hospital, not a vegetable market."

Nan Weiwei plopped down on the edge of the bed, causing the mattress to sag significantly.

She placed the thermos she was holding on the bedside table.

With a thud.

The commotion was quite significant.

"It's only because we're in the hospital, otherwise I would have called you over the loudspeaker long ago."

Nan Weiwei reached out and poked Xu Xiaoxiao's cheek.

"Are you fully awake yet?"

Xu Xiaoxiao slapped her hand away, leaned against the headboard, and looked utterly dejected.

"It's a weekend, and it's not even eight o'clock yet."

She pointed to the wall clock.

The hour hand has just passed seven, while the minute hand is still trying to climb to six.

"Miss Nan, I am a patient and need to rest."

Xiao Mei squeezed out from behind Nan Weiwei, holding a bunch of lilies that were still wet with dew.

She put the flowers in the vase next to her and came over with a grin.

"Sister Xiaoxiao, this is much more important than resting."

Xu Xiaoxiao glanced at her.

"Has the sky fallen? Or has Lu Feng gone bankrupt? Are you two unemployed?"

Aside from these two things, she couldn't think of any reason why these two would come so early in the morning to disturb her peaceful sleep.

Nan Weiwei rolled her eyes.

"Lu Feng goes bankrupt? You'd better pray for your next life, otherwise I'll have to find a job again."

She pulled a thick stack of documents from her bag and slapped them directly onto Xu Xiaoxiao's blanket.

"It's an annual fashion design competition."

Xu Xiaoxiao was stunned.

My previously muddled mind was instantly cleared up as if doused with cold water.

She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the document cover on the quilt.

The large, gilded characters were somewhat dazzling in the morning light.

National Emerging Fashion Designer Competition

These words carry significant weight.

Xu Xiaoxiao unconsciously ran her fingers along the edge of the document.

To outsiders, this might just be a spectacle.

But for designers, this is the battlefield, the ladder to heaven.

If you can break through in this competition, even if you only make it into the top ten, your value will increase several times over.

Not to mention the champion.

That means a direct ticket to the top fashion circles, as well as offers from major luxury brands.

Xu Xiaoxiao looked up at Nan Weiwei.

Nan Weiwei's face lacked its usual playful smile; instead, it revealed an unusual seriousness.

"here we go?"

Xu Xiaoxiao asked.

"Registration will begin next week, and the preliminary round questions have already been released."

Nan Weiwei leaned forward, placing her hands on her knees.

"I want to win this time."

I don't want to participate.

They want to win.

Xu Xiaoxiao could tell the difference between the two words.

In the past, Nan Weiwei mostly dabbled in things; although she had talent, she always lacked the drive to persevere.

After all, she was the eldest daughter of the Nan family and Nan Yifeng's fiancée.

Having too many escape routes actually diminishes the motivation to move forward.

But this time is different.

Xu Xiaoxiao could feel the tension in Nan Weiwei's body.

"Does Nan Yifeng know?"

Xu Xiaoxiao asked casually.

Nan pursed her lips slightly, leaned back in her chair, and swayed back.

"he?"

She gave a soft hum.

"He doesn't care."

Nan Weiwei casually grabbed an apple from the table, wiped it on her clothes, and took a bite.

"For him, this is just a small game."

"Winning is the icing on the cake, it will bring honor to the Nan Group."

"It doesn't matter if we lose, the Nan family has plenty of money anyway."

Xu Xiaoxiao remained silent.

indeed.

For capitalists like the Feng family, who stand at the top of the pyramid, the benefits of winning a design competition are not even comparable to those of a small contract they sign.

I suspect Lu Feng shares the same attitude.

The Nan family might even think that Nan Weiwei is not doing her job properly and should go home to get married and have children sooner.

This kind of "it doesn't matter" is the most hurtful.

It negates your efforts and belittles your dreams.

That's why we have to win.

Xiao Mei chimed in from the side, clenching her fist and waving it.

"The design department has all gone mad."

"As soon as the news came out yesterday, everyone started looking for materials and drawing sketches overnight."

"The scene was like they were on a high."

Xiao Mei described it vividly.

"Even Lao Wang, who usually loves to slack off, dug out his best-kept design drafts."

Everyone's holding their breath.

Xu Xiaoxiao could imagine that scene.

A groundbreaking concept that will be recognized by the industry and amaze the public.

This competition is the best opportunity.

If they can win an award, not only will the company gain huge exposure and profits, but the participating designers will also become famous.

Who wouldn't be tempted by such a win-win situation of fame and fortune?

Xu Xiaoxiao looked at Nan Weiwei.

"You want to prove it to them?"

Nan Wei paused for a moment while chewing the apple.

She swallowed the fruit in her mouth and threw the remaining half of the apple into the trash can.

"I just don't want to be a pretty face."

Nan Weiwei stood up and walked to the window.

The morning light shone on her, giving her a golden glow.

"Everyone thinks that I'm in this position because of the Nan family."

“Even some people in the design department are polite to my face, but who knows what they’re saying about me behind my back.”

She turned around and stood with her back to the light.

"I'm going to shut them up."

"Let your work speak for itself."

Xu Xiaoxiao looked at her.

At this moment, Nan Weiwei seemed to be radiating light.

That indomitable spirit is particularly dazzling.

Count me in.

Xu Xiaoxiao threw off the covers and was about to get out of bed.

Nan Weiwei rushed over and pushed her back down.

What are you doing?

"I'm being discharged from the hospital. I'll go home with you."

Xu Xiaoxiao answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Since we're going to fight, we have to go all out.

She was lying in the hospital so much that her bones felt like they were going to melt.

"Why are you being discharged from the hospital? I wouldn't dare offend Fu Yanchen."

Nan glared at her and tucked the blanket in for her.

"Moreover, the preliminary round only requires submitting design drafts; there's no need to go to the site."

"I brought all the materials with me, let's study them here."

Nan Weiwei pointed to the stack of documents.

"This is a VIP ward, the environment is even better than the company, and no one will disturb us."

Xu Xiaoxiao was both amused and exasperated.

So these two were using the hospital room as a makeshift workspace.

"alright."

Xu Xiaoxiao compromised.

She picked up the document and turned to the first page.

Preliminary round theme: [Breaking the Cocoon].

Only two words.

Simple, yet extremely abstract.

The simpler the question, the more it tests the designer's skills and creativity.

Once you fall into a cliché, you'll suffer a terrible fate.

"Breaking out of the cocoon..."

Xu Xiaoxiao muttered to herself.

"I want to use silk."

Nan Weiwei directly shared her thoughts.

"Traditional silk combined with modern tailoring."

"That's too risky."

Xu Xiaoxiao instinctively retorted.

“While silk fits the image of a ‘cocoon,’ it is easy to make it look old-fashioned.”

"Moreover, this material is difficult to shape, and if it is not handled properly, it will look cheap."

That's why I came to find you.

Nan Weiwei pulled over a chair, sat back on it, and rested her chin on the back of the chair.

"You are most sensitive to materials."

"Moreover, no one in our design department can match your tailoring skills."

Xiao Mei nodded vigorously beside her.

"Sister Xiaoxiao, please help Sister Weiwei."

"I also want to see our company win a big prize, to make that sarcastic Director Wang next door furious."

Xu Xiaoxiao was amused.

"I didn't say I wouldn't help."

She touched the words "breaking out of the cocoon" with her fingertip.

Countless images flashed through my mind.

Restraint, struggle, tearing apart, rebirth.

This is more than just a design theme.

It's more like her previous situation.

Xu Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes.

She has something she wants to break.

Those shadows of the past, those labels imposed on her.

"Besides silk, we can also try high-tech fabrics."

Xu Xiaoxiao raised her head, her thoughts beginning to clear.

"Combining the softness of silk with the stiffness of high-tech fabrics."

"Combining strength and gentleness."

"It has both traditional charm and futuristic edge."

Nan Weiwei's eyes lit up.

"This is good!"

She grabbed the paper and pen from the bedside table and began sketching rapidly on the paper.

"Here, the waistline should be tightened to create a sense of constraint."

"The skirt should be large and have a sense of movement."

"Like the moment a butterfly emerges from its cocoon."

Xu Xiaoxiao leaned closer to take a look.

Nan Weiwei's lines are messy, but she exudes a captivating spirit.

The outline drawn with just a few strokes already conveys a sense of power to break free from constraints.

"The neckline is too high."

Xu Xiaoxiao pointed to the blueprints.

"The sense of oppression is too heavy."

"What we want is suppression."

Nan Weiwei retorted.

"If you don't suppress it, how can you show the explosion that follows?"

"Suppression does not mean closure."

Xu Xiaoxiao took the pen and lightly drew a line on her collar.

"Make an opening here."

"Leave a glimmer of hope."

"It's like a crack."

Nan Wei stared at the gap for a few seconds.

"Absolutely amazing."

She slapped her thigh suddenly.

"Xiaoxiao, you're a genius!"

Xu Xiaoxiao rubbed her ears, which were still numb from the shock.

"Stop joking and get to drawing."

"This is just a concept; we still need to consider the structure, manufacturing process, and color scheme..."

"The deadline is in three days."

Nan let out a slight wail, but her hands didn't stop moving.

The ward fell silent.

All that remained was the scratching sound of the pen tip rubbing against the paper.

Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the focused faces of the group.

Xiao Mei sat to the side, not daring to make a sound to disturb them, and could only silently peel the apple.

She looked at Nan Weiwei and Xu Xiaoxiao.

One is flamboyant and passionate, the other is calm and reserved.

When these two get together, they always create a wonderful chemical reaction.

This competition might actually produce some results.

Time passed second by second.

The ward door was suddenly pushed open.

The nurse pushed a cart in to make her rounds.

The nurse was taken aback when she saw the bed and floor covered in crumpled paper, and the two people drawing at the head of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Are they going to demolish the ward?"

Nan Weiwei didn't even raise her head.

"Doing art."

Nurse:……

She walked over and handed the thermometer to Xu Xiaoxiao.

"Take your temperature."

"Also, patients need rest and should not overuse their brains."

Xu Xiaoxiao obediently put the thermometer in her mouth.

Nan Weiwei, however, seemed not to hear, remaining immersed in her own world.

How about adding a crease here?

"No, that's too complicated."

She crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it behind her.

The crumpled paper traced an arc through the air and landed precisely on someone who had just entered the room.

The man was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit and carrying a fruit basket.

The crumpled paper hit his chest, bounced, and rolled to the ground.

The air in the ward seemed to freeze instantly.

Nan Weiwei sensed something was off and turned around.

He froze.

Xu Xiaoxiao blinked, the thermometer still in her mouth.

Landwind...

Why is he here? We're not that close...

Lu Feng glanced down at the crumpled paper at his feet, then looked at the mess in the room.

Finally, his gaze fell on Nan Weiwei, who was lying face down on the bed.

His eyebrows were slightly raised.

"Are you here at the hospital to take care of patients?"

Nan Wei gave a dry laugh and silently hid the pen behind her back.

"Well... work-life balance is important."

Lu Feng ignored her.

He bent down, picked up the crumpled paper, and slowly unfolded it.

Above are a few messy lines and a big question mark.

Although it was written hastily, he recognized what it was at a glance.

Clothing design draft.

He placed the paper on the table, his gaze sweeping over Nan Weiwei and Xiao Mei, finally settling on Xu Xiaoxiao's face.

"You seem to be in good spirits."

"They can still do these things."

Xiao Mei huddled in the corner, not daring to breathe.

Xu Xiaoxiao took the thermometer and handed it to the nurse.

"Mr. Lu, you have so much free time?"

"The company went bankrupt?"

Lu Feng wasn't annoyed.

He pulled up a chair and sat down, crossing his long legs.

"I came to visit a friend, and then I remembered you were hospitalized here, so I came to see you."

My gaze swept over the stack of competition materials.

"Emerging Designer Competition?"

He chuckled softly.

With a hint of nonchalance

"You guys actually approve of this kind of competition that just boosts the resumes of newcomers?"

These words were spoken to Nan Weiwei.

Nan Weiwei: "So what if I like it?"

"I love this kind of competition."

"At least it's fair."

Unlike shopping malls, which are all about calculation.

Lu Feng didn't respond.

His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on his knee.

"If you want to play, then play big."

He took a black card out of his pocket and pressed it on the crumpled design draft.

"There is no upper limit to the budget."

"But if I don't win the championship... I'll dissolve the company."

Nan Weiwei suddenly stood up.

The chair scraped against the floor with a harsh sound.

"Tsk tsk tsk! You..."

She grabbed the black card and squeezed it tightly in her palm.

The sharp edges of the card hurt my palm.

But she couldn't feel it.

At that moment, she had only one thought in her mind.

win.

must win.

We can't let Lu Feng down.

Xu Xiaoxiao watched this scene and sighed inwardly.

They've hit a deadlock.

But that's alright.

Pressure is a motivator.

Lu Feng's method of provoking someone, though old-fashioned, is the most effective.

only……

Xu Xiaoxiao glanced at Lu Feng.

Was this man really trying to provoke me?

Or is it that he actually wants Nan Weiwei to win more than anyone else?

Lu Feng stood up and straightened his cuffs, which were not wrinkled.

"Take good care of yourself and get well soon."

These words were said to Xu Xiaoxiao.

After saying that, he turned and left.

Without any hesitation or fuss.

Nan Weiwei looked at the black card in her hand and exclaimed, "Wow!"

Xu Xiaoxiao leaned back against the pillow and looked at the ceiling.

"Then let's get to work. If you win, share some of the prize money with me."

"OK..."