Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

He coaxed her patiently, without forcing her to do anything. Even when she threw a tantrum, he spoke kindly to her, but this only made Xu Qingcheng feel more upset.

He would have been better off being rude and unfriendly to her, so that she wouldn't have to hesitate or feel frustrated when making any decisions.

Now, even though she says firmly that she doesn't want it anymore, she's actually full of anxiety inside.

Her feelings were very complicated, and it was difficult to explain her inner turmoil and frustration in just a sentence or two.

Fu Jingting coaxed and carried the person into the car, holding them in his arms. "You can think about this for a few more days. There's no rush now. It's better than making a hasty decision and regretting it later."

As he spoke, he placed his hand on her lower abdomen. Fu Jingting stared at her, "Qingcheng, there are two little lives inside. They will be as adorable as Xu Yuan in the future. Today is the first time I've heard what a fetal heartbeat sounds like, just like a heart beating. It's also the first time I've seen an ultrasound image. I find it amazing."

He held her tightly. "Don't say no so easily. I'll be with you this time. I won't let you suffer like you did when you gave birth to Xu Yuan, having to bear everything on your own. Besides, the doctor said your physical condition isn't suitable for an induced abortion. Even if you don't care, I don't want to."

Xu Qingcheng was being held by him when she suddenly bit his shoulder hard, so hard that she could feel his taut muscles.

Even so, he didn't stop her, and gently patted her back with one hand.

No matter what she did, she couldn't bring herself to bite down. Her heart ached, as if she were biting herself, not him.

He didn't care, but she felt pain.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly burst into tears, "Fu Jingting, were you just waiting here?! Waiting for the doctor to say I can't have an abortion? The hangover medicine was also a scheme against me, it's not what you said at all! Isn't that right?!"

How could you be so mean?!

She cried as she accused him, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiful and endearing.

He placed his hand behind her head and pressed her forward, his lips sliding down from her eyes to kiss her lips soothingly, slowly swallowing away her struggles and grievances.

"Well……"

Her lips and tongue were sealed by him, and no matter how hard Xu Qingcheng tried to push him away, she couldn't. Instead, he took her by the rhythm, and his kiss, which started gently, suddenly became strong and oppressive.

Xu Qingcheng's fingers gripped his shirt as she endured his advances, her body completely limp in his arms, enveloped and embraced by him.

He only released her lips after she calmed down, and hugged her tightly without saying a word.

Xu Qingcheng struggled slightly in his arms, but since she couldn't win, she let him have his way. She secretly hated herself for being so weak; his kisses and coaxing had calmed her down considerably.

She nestled in his arms, her gaze falling on the teeth marks she had left on his neck. She gently pressed her fingers against them. "Does it hurt?"

Her voice was slightly nasal from crying, and her deliberately lowered voice was muffled, as if she didn't want anyone to hear her clearly.

But he still heard it. The man's body suddenly stiffened. His deep gaze fell on her face as he watched her bite her lip, turn her face to the side to avoid looking at him, and blush on her cheeks.

I don't know if the blush was from her kiss or from her current shyness.

Fu Jingting's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his chest heaving violently. A smile suddenly appeared in the corner of the man's eye, slowly making her face even redder.

He buried his face in her neck, his lips sliding down her delicate skin, past her collarbone, and down to her neck. He unbuttoned two buttons on her shirt, and Xu Qingcheng was so shocked she wanted to punch him.

The man didn't continue; she only felt a heavy sucking on her skin, leaving a kiss mark there easily.

He looked up, his fingers lightly pressing on the spot, his eyes full of laughter. "Does it hurt?"

Xu Qingcheng reached out and pushed his ambiguous face away!

The man laughed and grabbed her hand, shamelessly saying, "It doesn't hurt. You can bite all over my body."

"..." This person is simply...!

……

Xu Qingcheng arrived a little late to the new product launch of Keith, all because Fu Jingting insisted on making her eat, and wouldn't let her leave until she finished.

She was still shaken from vomiting that morning and didn't really want to eat. After all, she had activities in the afternoon and was afraid of vomiting on the spot and being incredibly embarrassed. However, he still watched her finish her lunch.

She wore a yellow chiffon floral dress, a two-piece set. The inner layer was a matching tight-fitting camisole, above the knee, and the outer layer was a semi-sheer chiffon maxi dress that reached her ankles, making her look incredibly elegant and subtly sexy.

Xu Qingcheng now confirmed that she had indeed gained weight. The long dress on the outside was a loose style, so it was fine. The key was the dress underneath, which was just right for her chest, waist, and hips. If she gained any more weight, she wouldn't be able to fit into it anymore.

The tight dress accentuated her slightly protruding belly, and Xu Qingcheng looked down at it, stunned by her own appearance.

It had silently taken root and sprouted in her belly, growing so big without any warning.

Xu Qingcheng shook her head to bring her thoughts back.

When she arrived at Case, Lou Xue was waiting for her outside. She handed Xu Qingcheng the invitation and entry pass, saying, "Cass is really going all out this time. It's very high-class, and the guests they invited are all very important."

"Keith has been thinking about becoming a top-tier brand in the past two years, and their design level has indeed improved."

"I saw the designs Jiang Xin created last time you told me about them, and they are indeed quite good," Lou Xue said with a smile. "But they're still far from your level."

"Don't flatter me." Xu Qingcheng glanced at Lou Xue sideways. "My ranking is reliable, but not really."

"Oh, you're deliberately holding back, pretending we don't know," Lou Xue said dismissively. "Gu Youzhenpin's entries for this competition will be published on their official website for audience voting. I think we're guaranteed to win."

Lou Xue confidently clenched her fist and waved it. Xu Qingcheng looked at her and smiled. A work is not finished just because the designer has produced a design draft. In fact, there are many staff members and craftsmen working hard behind the scenes. Lou Xue has also put in a lot of effort, and Xu Qingcheng understands her feelings.

But she also believed in herself and was sure there would be no problem.

Jiang Xin, dressed in a fresh and elegant princess dress, stood at the entrance of the hall to greet people. When she saw Xu Qingcheng, she smiled triumphantly, "Miss Xu has come too."

Xu Qingcheng nodded.

Jiang Xin glanced at her, a meaningful smile playing on her lips, "Then Miss Xu should give Keith more advice."

As the two entered the venue, Lou Xue couldn't help but complain, "Why does Jiang Xin talk in such a sarcastic way?"

Xu Qingcheng remained silent. She glanced back at Jiang Xin's seat and asked Lou Xue, "Is the Gu Youzhenpin vote this afternoon?"

"Yeah. They're already hyping it up online, but the opening time is set for 16:16, supposedly for a smooth and auspicious meaning. It's really just a gimmick, but it's actually quite convincing. I wonder who came up with this idea."

The two walked in talking as they went, when someone next to them suddenly laughed, "That must be Young Master Gu's idea."

Xu Qingcheng turned her head and saw Chen Lu wearing a sexy black off-shoulder dress, with red lips and alluring makeup, looking incredibly seductive.

Jewelry is definitely a major part of a woman's world. Many industry peers were present, and celebrity guests were also invited. No woman wanted to be outdone, so the competition for beauty and style was naturally fierce.

Even Chen Lu dressed up deliberately, while Xu Qingcheng's outfit looked rather plain. Not only that, she only wore light makeup. Luckily, she had some natural assets, otherwise she would have been completely outshone.

"Sister Lu, you're here too." Xu Qingcheng greeted her with a smile.

After several encounters at Gu You Zhenpin, we became familiar with each other. Chen Lu seemed like the kind of person who was just a pretty face and not very serious, but once you got to know her, you'd realize that she didn't just casually take on the title of design director at Gu You Zhenpin.

Beneath this surface lies Chen Lu, a talented and ambitious individual who is also straightforward and frank.

In short, Xu Qingcheng quite liked her.

"What time is it? I'm very particular about the time." Chen Lu glanced at her, clearly disgusted. "What's with your outfit today? Tear that outer layer off. It's not like you're short of assets, do you think people don't see it?"

"Believe it or not, if you show a little more skin, none of the men in this place will keep their eyes on that stage anymore."

Chen Lu smiled and reached out to tug at Xu Qingcheng's clothes. The outer garment was designed to be flowy and loose, with a rather large neckline. As she pulled, it slid down a bit, revealing a clear hickey that silently asserted its ownership.

Chen Lu raised an eyebrow. "Tsk tsk, which man left this here?"

Xu Qingcheng blushed slightly. She quickly straightened her clothes and pulled Lou Xue to find a place to sit down.

Chen Lu smiled and took her arm. "Sit with me."

Where will you sit?

"Over there." Chen Lu raised her chin, took Xu Qingcheng's arm and led her over, pressing her down to sit next to her.

Xu Qingcheng sat down, and as she turned her head to look to the other side, she suddenly noticed someone sitting down next to her, so she turned her head to look.

The man who had been with her an hour ago sat down beside her, and Xu Qingcheng suddenly understood what he meant by "I'll give you a ride, it's on my way."

But she didn't let him take her; she took a taxi herself, and he didn't stop her.

The man's gaze fell on her. She wasn't dressed provocatively, but sometimes her allure was more captivating than anything else.

"Aren't you cold?"

Chen Lu suddenly laughed, "What's so cold about it? I just told her to take off her outer layer. It would be such a waste not to show off such a hot figure."

Xu Qingcheng blushed as she was amused.

Gu Feibai came over with Fu Jingting. He sat down next to Chen Lu and said with a smile, "Say less, or someone will make you drink old vinegar."

Fu Jingting ignored them and calmly sat down next to Xu Qingcheng.

Chen Lu, with her sharp eyes, noticed a half-bite mark peeking out from the man's neck, which wasn't covered by his shirt collar. She smiled mischievously and nudged Xu Qingcheng's arm.

Xu Qingcheng followed her gaze, gritting her teeth and remaining silent.

Chen Lu, however, became interested and asked, "Young Master Fu, which woman left these marks on you?"

Fu Jingting did not answer, but his gaze fell on Xu Qingcheng.

She glared at him fiercely, warning him not to look around.

Chen Lu smiled and looked away, resting her face on her hand. "This is nice. I'm so envious."

……

The new product launch event by Keith featured three themes and included a fashion show with models walking the runway, creating a very lively atmosphere.

But as soon as the last group, "Youthful Dreams," came out, Lou Xue suddenly exclaimed "Ah!"

Xu Qingcheng gripped the armrest beside her tightly, her face radiating a chilling aura.

She watched as the host introduced Jiang Xin to the stage to explain the meaning behind the entire design.

She seemed to finally understand the source of Jiang Xin's smugness as she looked at her.

To say that this jewelry set is a complete copy wouldn't be entirely accurate; it's all been modified, but the core concept has been retained.

Laymen might not know, but experts can tell at a glance. With a breath stuck in her throat, Xu Qingcheng gritted her teeth.

Chen Lu gasped. All the design drafts submitted to Gu Youzhenpin had passed through her hands, and Chen Lu was particularly impressed by the design work submitted by Xu Qingcheng.

It has a strong sense of style and the craftsmanship is extremely complex.

The enthusiasm shown for this product at the event also demonstrates the level of popularity among the audience.

Chen Lu glanced at the time quickly, her scalp tingling. All of Gu Youzhenpin's design drafts submitted for the competition would be posted on Gu Youzhenpin's website in a few minutes.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly stood up and hurriedly walked out, saying, "Lou Xue, come out with me for a moment."

Fu Jingting reached out and grabbed her wrist. Her complexion was not good. After this set of works came out, Fu Jingting had vaguely noticed that it was very similar to the sketches he had seen on her desk before.

He frowned, his gaze fixed on her. "Can you handle this?"

Xu Qingcheng didn't bother to talk to him. Her skirt brushed against his leg as she pulled Lou Xue away from the side.

"How could the design drafts have been leaked?" Xu Qingcheng's voice was tense.

"That's impossible, it shouldn't be like that." Lou Xue panicked as well.

"What should we do? Their press conference is before ours. If Gu Youzhenpin announces it online, won't our work be in trouble...?" Lou Xue glanced into the venue. "Can we postpone the vote? Are you even familiar with them? Can you...?"

"It's too late." Xu Qingcheng checked the time.

"Call the company and have them handle the crisis first. I'll talk to Brother Yin first."

While instructing Lou Xue, Xu Qingcheng went to call Xie Yin to explain the situation.

Jiang Xin happily accepted the media interview, speaking eloquently as the designer representative of Keith. Watching Xu Qingcheng hurriedly leave the venue, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

The greater the hype surrounding Gu Youzhenpin's competition, the greater the impact on her.

Whether a design is plagiarized depends on who came first and who came last. Keith's choice to hold a press conference at this critical juncture reveals some hidden intentions.

Jiang Xin was secretly pleased with herself. She wanted to see how Xu Qingcheng would handle things. Even if Xu Qingcheng wanted to change the design, she wouldn't give her time.

For designers, the most damaging thing is being labeled as a plagiarist.

After hearing about the situation, Xie Yin asked her, "Is there any way?"

Xu Qingcheng pursed her lips. "X might be a little affected."

"And you?"

"I'm fine."

"That's fine then."

After they hung up the phone, Xu Qingcheng turned around and saw Fu Jingting standing not far behind her, squinting at her.

Lou Xue rushed over, trembling with fear. "Miss Xu, the news about Casey is spreading like wildfire, everywhere! Gu Youzhenpin has also released their report. What do we do next?"

Xu Qingcheng pursed her lips, rested her hands on the wall, and gently closed her eyes.

"wait."