After Chen Lishu returned, everyone's attention was focused on her. Zhang Wan'er stood in place as if she were air. She took a deep breath, not wanting to humiliate herself further. So she said, "It's getting late, and I have other matters to attend to. I'll be leaving now. Auntie and Uncle, I'll come back to take care of you tomorrow!"
Old Mrs. He glanced at Zhang Wan'er and then nodded, saying, "Alright, you go back. Is it safe for you to go alone? Shall I have someone escort you?"
"No, I can manage on my own." After saying this, Zhang Wan'er's lips curved upwards slightly, a look of docility on her face.
Seeing that Zhang Wan'er had refused her offer, Old Mrs. He didn't dwell on the matter. She was the eldest daughter of the Zhang family and would certainly not walk home alone; someone must be there to pick her up, so there was no need to worry about her safety.
Thus, she only escorted Zhang Wan'er to the door as a formality before closing it and returning to the living room.
Watching Zhang Wan'er's retreating figure, Chen Lishu's eyes grew thoughtful. She parted her thin lips and asked, "Godmother, hasn't Zhang Wan'er been coming over a bit too frequently lately? What was her purpose here today?"
Mother He sat beside Chen Lishu, took her hand, and slowly said, "We don't know what she's up to. If nothing unexpected happens, her target should be Gu Xingdong. However, Xingdong has been busy with some minor company matters, just like you, and hasn't had time to stay at home. She hasn't mentioned anything about Xingdong either.
I strongly suspect she might be trying to curry favor with me to achieve her own goals. But don't worry, we won't be easily fooled. After all, she is Yang Zhiguo's grandniece, and it's not convenient for us to make things too ugly. We can only placate her for now and deal with the rest later."
"Mhmm." Chen Lishu was worried that the elderly couple might be caught off guard and manipulated, as Zhang Wan'er was not a good person and was now targeting the He family's elders.
After a moment of thought, she suggested, "It's best to keep her from coming to the house for a while. It seems this Zhang Wan'er really hasn't changed her ways. I didn't want to bother with her, but if we don't deal with her now, we'll face bigger problems!
Leave her handling to me. I plan to bring my work to the siheyuan. If I find anything amiss with her, I won't hesitate to retaliate. I don't care if she's Yang Zhiguo's grandniece; as the saying goes, even the emperor is subject to the law, not to mention a common citizen!"
Hearing Chen Lishu's words, Mother He's expression grew serious. She shook her head and said, "No, you still have the competition to deal with, so you can't focus your attention on Zhang Wan'er. Leave her to us.
Your father and I have been through worse storms; do you think a young girl can fool us so easily? Besides, haven't we installed 360-degree cameras all over the house? We're not afraid of her doing anything, but we are afraid of her doing nothing!
As long as she dares to make a move in the siheyuan, we'll have a way to catch her red-handed and deliver a fatal blow, ensuring she never dares to provoke you two again! For now, focus on your competition. I hope you can make a stunning debut in this event!"
Looking at Old Mrs. He's eager expression, Chen Lishu felt a sudden premonition. Zhang Wan'er was not a good person; to achieve her goals, she wouldn't even hesitate to sacrifice her reputation. If she could be so ruthless to herself, how much more so to a stranger she had no connection with?
Since Godmother had stated her intentions so clearly, if Chen Lishu refused repeatedly, it would either be seen as a lack of recognition for her abilities or an unnecessary cause of worry. Old Mrs. He would then feel resentful and think that she was old and inefficient.
To both preserve Godmother's pride and subtly intervene in the matter, Chen Lishu propped her chin and thought carefully for a moment. Then, she looked up and said with a smile, "Godmother, the design drafts are almost finished. Would you like to come and take a look with me?"
Hearing Chen Lishu's invitation, Mother He's face lit up with joy. She eagerly said, "Of course! You and your husband have been competing silently these past few days, and I haven't dared to ask about your competition. Now that you're inviting me to see the design drafts, I couldn't be happier!"
With that, Mother He, smiling, followed Chen Lishu to the study.
Chen Lishu took out her design drafts and placed them in front of Mother He. Upon seeing the drafts, Mother He's eyes lit up. "I have to say, you were born for this profession! I've rarely seen such revealing, form-fitting styles. Your design is very daring. If the effect is good, it will become a trend. However, if it receives recognition from the Queen of Country M, your design might be criticized, as it's too revealing. It could be said to be an attempt to please men, just like last time."
"Don't worry, Godmother. When designing this piece, I specifically sent people to Country M for research. At this time, their fashion design leans towards the bold. Showing shoulders and halter designs have already become popular. Although my design is somewhat revealing, it's still considered more conservative compared to theirs. If the Queen of Country M insists on finding fault with this, we will have ample reason to retort."
Seeing that Chen Lishu had her own ideas on the matter, Mother He nodded with satisfaction. "Alright, as long as you have your own thoughts, that's good. It seems your design is complete. You can relax for a while. Is there anywhere you particularly want to go?
It's been a while since we mother and daughter went out together. How about we go to the commercial street tomorrow? Although the design drafts are out, we can't let our guard down. I haven't seen which fabric you've chosen. You know, fabric selection is a very important part of the industry!"
Chen Lishu slung an arm around Mother He's arm and said, "Then rest assured, this fabric will definitely make the Queen of Country M's eyes light up. You know, this fabric suits their aesthetic very well; they love exaggerated and sparkly clothes! Once the dress is designed, you'll be the first to witness it!"