Chapter 158 One Million Votes!
That sinister and menacing stare was so intense that even while absorbed in her work, Cecilia couldn't ignore it.
Her pen tip suddenly froze on the paper, and she looked up with a frown.
With just one glance, Cecilia spotted Rufus standing not far away.
He was staring at her without moving, his eyes filled with possessiveness and obsession, like two invisible hands reaching through the air to grip her tightly.
Her stomach churned violently, and the creative mood she had finally settled into was instantly shattered.
What bad luck.
Cecilia's face showed undisguised disgust. She snapped her sketchbook shut and got up to leave.
Watching this scene, Rufus's expression grew even darker.
She actually dared...
She actually dared to show such an extremely disgusted expression right in front of him!
His fists at his sides clenched and unclenched, veins bulging on the backs of his hands, his knuckles cracking from the force.
He had the urge to rush over immediately, grab her, and demand answers.
But in the end, he didn't move forward.
Rufus slowly withdrew his gaze.
Very well.
He had all the time in the world, and all the patience, to slowly play this cat-and-mouse game with her.
At four o'clock sharp in the afternoon, the deadline bell rang throughout the entire venue.
Contestants gradually emerged from their respective studios, their expressions varied—some confident, others worried.
They placed their sealed design drafts into the submission box at the side of the stage.
Half an hour later, all contestants gathered again on the main stage, waiting for the final judgment.
The spotlights came on, and the host walked onto the stage with an enthusiastic smile.
"Dear audience members and contestants, welcome back to the second elimination round of the design competition!"
"After half a day of creative inspiration and intense work, our designers have all submitted their answers on the theme of 'Broken and Whole.'"
"Unlike the first round, this round will be more brutal, but also more fair!"
The host raised his voice, building everyone's anticipation.
"The final scores will consist of two parts! Professional judges' scores, accounting for fifty percent! And online votes from all our livestream viewers, also accounting for fifty percent! The five contestants with the lowest combined rankings will be directly eliminated!"
As soon as this format was announced, the contestants below immediately stirred.
Audience voting?
This meant that professional quality was no longer the only standard. Popularity, buzz, and even the contestants' personal charm would all become key factors in determining who stayed and who left!
This was undoubtedly a huge advantage for contestants like Isadora who already had traffic and fans.
"Next, let's move on to the work presentation and contestant explanation segment!"
As the host finished speaking, the huge electronic screen behind the stage began displaying each contestant's final design draft in sequence.
The contestants took turns on stage, explaining their design concepts to the camera and audience within a limited time, campaigning for votes.
"Hello everyone, my work is called 'Returning to the Nest.' In my view, every separation is a small breaking apart, and every return is the reunion of family and homeland..."
"My turn! My work is called..."
Most contestants' explanations were standard, but to win over the audience, many began to evoke sympathy at the end of their presentations, telling stories about their difficult journey into design.
Soon, it was Isadora's turn.
"My work is called 'Heartbreak.'"
She swept her sorrowful gaze across the audience, finally letting it fall, seemingly unintentionally, in Rufus's direction.
"For me, breaking apart has never been a physical state, but a heart-wrenching feeling. It's when you feel your heart being torn open in the middle of the night, but you can't make a sound."
"And becoming whole again isn't simply about repair, much less some fairy tale about mending what's broken. It's about carrying all your wounds, forcing yourself to stand up, and having the courage to keep moving forward."
At this point, she took a deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Many people only see me returning from abroad looking glamorous, but they don't know what I sacrificed."
"I once sat by a freezing river until dawn for a design inspiration, my hands numb from the cold. I've also had my work completely rejected by my professor, hiding alone in the studio crying and breaking down, doubting whether I was really suited for this path."
"To get to where I am today, I've experienced countless moments of self-doubt and breakdown. But I've never given up, because design is my life, the only reason I'm alive."
"I long, I truly long, to continue on this stage that I love so much, to present more and more beautiful works to everyone who supports me."
After speaking, she bowed deeply to the camera and the judges' panel.
When she lifted her head, a crystal tear happened to slide from the corner of her eye, refracting a pitiful light under the spotlight.
Her emotionally charged performance instantly ignited the atmosphere.
The live audience immediately burst into sympathetic and encouraging applause.
The livestream comments were flooded with countless messages of praise and sympathy.
[Isadora is so inspiring! I feel so bad for her!]
[She really, really loves design! The way she gives everything for her dream is so beautiful!]
[This is what a real designer is! Talented, hardworking, and so humble!]
[The championship definitely belongs to Isadora.]
Isadora walked off stage, a satisfied smile playing at her lips amid countless sympathetic gazes.
She glanced at Cecilia, who was waiting expressionlessly at the side of the stage, her eyes full of contempt.
What good is your popularity? It's all just empty stuff.
At this critical moment, it's about who can tell a better story, who can win more public sympathy.
Amelia, what do you have to compete with me?
"Next, please welcome contestant number 108, Amelia!"
At the host's announcement, Cecilia walked onto the stage.
She wore the same simple outfit as always, with no extra expression and no prepared emotional speech.
Her appearance instantly quieted the venue, which had just been immersed in a touching atmosphere.
She was too calm.
So calm that she seemed out of place on this stage that needed emotion and stories.
The host also seemed to sense the awkward atmosphere and smiled to ease the tension: "Contestant Amelia, you look very composed. Facing this theme, I'm sure you must have many insights to share? Can you share your story with us?"
He was giving her an opening to follow Isadora's example and win audience sympathy.
But Cecilia just glanced at him coolly, her voice carrying clearly through the microphone across the venue.
"My work doesn't need a story."
One sentence directly shut down all the host's guiding questions.
The venue fell silent.
Everyone was stunned by her blunt and arrogant statement.
Cecilia ignored everyone's reaction, turned to look at her design draft on the big screen, and began her explanation.
"Contestant number 108, Amelia. My work is called 'Shattered Light.'"
Her voice was cool and steady, without any fluctuation, yet carried a resolute and powerful force.
"My design concept is simple."
"True strength isn't never breaking apart, but having the power to reshape yourself after shattering."
"The main element of this work is an irregular piece of obsidian covered with cracks. It's rough and dark, symbolizing destruction and pain."
"But in each of its cracks, I've embedded the finest, most brilliant diamonds."
"Look carefully—these diamonds aren't repairing the cracks. They're tearing through the black stone, bursting forth from the fissures with savage determination, creating entirely new light."
Her tone grew slightly heavier, her gaze piercingly sharp.
"It symbolizes that what doesn't kill you will ultimately make you stronger."
"So breaking apart isn't the end—it's the starting point of rebirth. So-called wholeness isn't returning to the past, but creating a new, stronger self."
"That concludes my explanation."
Not a single word about herself, not a single word campaigning for votes.
She simply conveyed her design concept calmly and precisely in the most concise way possible to everyone.
The venue fell into a silence lasting over ten seconds.
Then applause began.
At first just a few scattered claps, it quickly built into thunderous waves, more enthusiastic and sustained than any previous round.
At the judges' panel, several internationally renowned design masters openly showed their appreciation, leading the applause.
The competition continued.
Finally, it was time to announce the online audience voting rankings.
Everyone's eyes were glued to the big screen, the atmosphere tense to the extreme.
The rankings on screen scrolled from bottom to top, names and vote counts flashing quickly.
"Tenth place, contestant number 55..."
"Fifth place, contestant number 36..."
With each name announced, there were gasps of either regret or relief from below.
Isadora's heart was in her throat.
As names were called one by one without hers appearing, rather than relaxing, she grew more nervous. Not in the top ten, not in the top five—this was good, it meant her ranking was near the top.
"Now, let's announce second place in this online voting!"
The host drew out his voice, building the suspense to its peak.
"She is—"
"Contestant number 23, Isadora! Congratulations! Total votes: 415,000!"
The spotlight hit Isadora.
Her smile froze slightly, but she quickly recovered. Although she didn't get first place, second was still a brilliant result. She lifted her skirt and walked forward gracefully, ready to accept her honor.
However, before she could stand still, the host's even more excited voice rang throughout the venue.
"Now, the exciting moment has arrived! The contestant who received the most audience support in this online voting, winning first place by an absolute margin is—"
The image on screen flashed rapidly, then froze dramatically!
Everyone held their breath.
In first place was clearly: Amelia!
And below her name was a number that shocked everyone.
Her vote count: 1,034,200 votes!