Yu Sisi won the competition and was reported by major media outlets. Although fashion designers don't have the same level of fame as entertainment stars, young fashion designers with good looks are still very popular, especially since she has outstanding talent and a large fan base within the industry.
As soon as the report came out, people from all walks of life took notice of her, especially her relationship with Xu Zifan, which generated a lot of discussion. Instead of attacking or fighting each other, their fans joined forces and formed a huge and harmonious fan group, which is quite a sight.
Xu Zifan's friends all saw the news and were happy for him, but also very sorry. Such good brothers had drifted apart. As Xu Zifan became more and more famous, they wouldn't be living in the same city anymore, and they might slowly become people from two different worlds. This was all caused by Yue Lingling and Wei Yan, and naturally, they were very disgusted with the two of them.
In front of Wei Yan, Yue Lingling acted as if she didn't care about the news at all, even showing some guilt and offering her blessings. But privately, she couldn't help but smash things around the room, consumed by jealousy. She had been with Xu Zifan for twenty-eight years; why wasn't she the one by his side?
She tried every method to send messages to Xu Zifan, expressing her blessings to him, but all her messages went unanswered. Even using unfamiliar numbers didn't work; it was as if Xu Zifan knew it was her sending the messages and never replied.
She couldn't understand why using unfamiliar numbers didn't work. She didn't know about the existence of such an extraordinary being as Shaohua; she would never be able to break through Shaohua's firewall in her entire life.
After much deliberation, she hired online trolls to stir up controversy, revealing that Xu Zifan had a childhood sweetheart neighbor he had known for 28 years. Needless to say, netizens naturally focused on the "childhood sweetheart" aspect, imagining all sorts of love-hate relationships, with most believing that after 28 years together, it was impossible for the relationship not to blossom into love.
Originally, Xu Zifan's followers were mostly fans of models and variety shows, a relatively peaceful group who rarely trended on social media and didn't generate much buzz. However, with the recent "childhood sweetheart" topic, Xu Zifan was inexplicably thrust into the trending topics. The debate raged between those who believe childhood sweethearts are truly friends and those who argue that childhood sweethearts can't be purely friends, causing a rapid surge in the popularity of both Xu Zifan and Yu Sisi.
Yu Sisi won the championship and was going to represent China in an international competition. She and Xu Zifan were stopped by reporters at the airport. The reporters asked bluntly, "Xu Zifan, what is your relationship with Yue Lingling? Did you ever like her? Do Yu Sisi and Yue Lingling get along well?"
Yu Sisi glanced at Xu Zifan with concern, but Xu Zifan smiled nonchalantly and said, "I won't comment on private matters, but since everyone has gone through so much trouble to make this trip, we should at least get some information back with us."
He held Yu Sisi's hand tightly, and said with a smile, "This time I accompanied Sisi to participate in an international competition. All the works were designed by Sisi for me, and they include many different styles. I hope everyone will pay more attention to them. There may be some unexpected surprises."
"Do you mean the surprise you're referring to is an upcoming wedding? Are you planning to propose?"
Xu Zifan smiled and looked at Yu Sisi, "It seems everyone knows we're getting married. Don't refuse me when I propose, or I'll lose face."
Yu Sisi said with a laugh, "We'll talk about it after you ask. I can't agree to it first."
Xu Zifan put his arm around her shoulder, waved to the reporters, and pointed to the boarding gate. "Okay, we've gone through security. Thank you all for your hard work. I'll treat you to some iced drinks."
Xu Zifan's agent quickly stopped the reporters, smiling as he led them to the side for cold drinks. He refused to respond to any of their questions about Yue Lingling, but when asked about Yu Sisi, he said he hoped everyone would focus on her work.
The reporters didn't dig up any juicy scoops, but the news was still eye-catching. Things like "Popular supermodel Xu Zifan wants to propose at a design competition," "Rising designer Yu Sisi is confident of winning the championship," and "Xu Zifan and Yu Sisi show affection at the airport" were quite appealing. Coupled with their recent popularity, they have actually gained the popularity of second-tier celebrities, which is extremely difficult for their industry.
Yue Lingling was heartbroken to see that Xu Zifan didn't mention her at all, as if he had completely forgotten about her without saying a word. However, she didn't forget her original intention. She pretended to be a netizen and doxxed herself, posting the information online. Soon, reporters came to interview her.
When asked by reporters, she smiled gracefully and replied, "Brother Zifan is my neighbor and a very good brother. We've been like brothers for so many years. Now that we're older, he has a girlfriend named Sisi, and I have a boyfriend I've known for many years. We're both very happy and living very ordinary lives. I hope everyone will pay more attention to Brother Zifan and Sisi's work and support them more."
She's actually quite good-looking, and after this interview video was posted online, she instantly became the epitome of a childhood sweetheart. Many girls have come forward saying they've encountered disgusting, manly women, so a childhood sweetheart like her, with her clear thinking and good character, is truly rare. Hopefully, both of these childhood sweethearts will find happiness.
Yue Lingling wanted to use this method to convince Xu Zifan that she had truly let go of him and genuinely liked Wei Yan, so that they might have a chance to reconcile. She felt that after nearly thirty years of relationship, she had gone to such lengths, and Xu Zifan couldn't possibly still ignore her. Even if it was just out of politeness, shouldn't they at least be ordinary friends?
But Xu Zifan simply ignored her. No matter who asked her, Xu Zifan would only say "no response," and the same went for those around him. Netizens assumed he was protecting his non-celebrity friend and didn't want the media to bother her too much, but Yue Lingling was in great pain. She felt that Xu Zifan simply didn't care about her anymore, so he wouldn't mention her at all, and his expression wouldn't even change when he did hear about her.
The most painful thing isn't the resentment and disgust of the person you love, but being ignored! No matter how much she did, she couldn't get even a tiny bit of their attention.
Note that this feeling was incredibly painful. She also had to pretend to love Wei Yan more and more, which almost drove her to a mental breakdown.
Xu Zifan and Yu Sisi didn't take her seriously and focused on the competition. After a fierce battle, they finally won the international championship!
Yu Sisi stood excitedly on the awards stage and delivered her acceptance speech in fluent English. Then, she looked at Xu Zifan in the audience, smiled gently, and said in Chinese, "I was able to receive this award at this age because I met my muse, who gave me a constant source of inspiration. Today, on this awards stage that is so meaningful to me, I want to do something."
She took a deep breath, a little nervous, and said, "Mr. Xu Zifan, will you marry me? Will you share joys and sorrows, never leave me, and be my lover for life?"
There were many translators in the room, and everyone immediately understood what she meant. They all smiled kindly, applauded, and looked at them. The camera was also pointed at Xu Zifan's position.
Xu Zifan was slightly surprised, then smiled and got up to walk onto the stage. He took out a small square box and said with a smile, "You beat me to it, Sisi. Marry me. I hope to be your muse for life."
Yu Sisi hugged him without hesitation, Xu Zifan put a ring on her finger, and took her hand to signal to everyone. Another round of applause rang out from the audience, and they received the blessings of the entire crowd.
Although the design industry may not receive widespread public attention, winning an international championship is undoubtedly a remarkable honor. Major domestic media outlets rushed to report on Yu Sisi's victory, as well as the heartwarming story of her and Xu Zifan's engagement.
Bringing glory to the country is always a positive thing, and the two of them have never had any scandals since they appeared in the public eye, naturally attracting many fans. Netizens' favorability towards them skyrocketed, calling them a perfect couple, the most ideal pairing. This even sparked a wave of interest in designer-model pairings.
A perfect couple and the best childhood sweetheart seem to be the ideal combination for a winner in life. As things unfolded, netizens generally thought so, believing that they got along very well.
When Yue Lingling saw Xu Zifan putting a diamond ring on Yu Sisi's finger, she was so jealous that her heart ached. However, when she saw netizens praising her as a good childhood sweetheart and saying that Xu Zifan should cherish his lover and childhood sweetheart, she was satisfied. This was the effect she wanted. Now that everyone is speaking up for her, how could Xu Zifan not forgive her?
But her childhood sweetheart had changed, seeing through her little schemes perfectly clearly. He'd even anticipated it all, choosing to ignore her completely, and she was utterly helpless.
Yue Lingling went all out, deliberately guiding Wei Yan to propose and starting wedding preparations. Fearing Xu Zifan wouldn't believe her, she and Wei Yan registered their marriage first, posting it on social media to show off their love and let all their friends know. She believed that these friends, who had always regretted estrangement from Xu Zifan, would feel that the matter was over and reconnect with him.
She was right. A friend actually messaged Xu Zifan, showing him Yue Lingling's wedding photos and advising him to go back to his hometown and reunite with his friends when he had time.
Xu Zifan replied briefly: [I've been too busy with work lately. When you guys come to Beijing, I'll show you around.]
He didn't mention Yue Lingling and Wei Yan at all, and his friend, seeing this, didn't say anything more. In fact, he was planning to visit him in Beijing if he had the chance.
As Yue Lingling's wedding approached, Xu Zifan booked a senior citizen tour for his parents and Grandma Yu, allowing them to travel abroad with ease. So despite all her efforts, Yue Lingling didn't see anyone from the Xu family, nor did she receive any news; the wedding itself didn't change anything.
She couldn't keep up the act any longer and, utterly bewildered, asked her friends, "Why is Brother Zifan so heartless? He just won't forgive me, and he doesn't even care about my marriage to Wei Yan. Why is that?"
Your friend mocked, "You'd rather tear down ten temples than ruin a marriage. You've ruined someone else's relationship twice. How immoral is that? Only a saint could forgive you. I think you should just give up on this and live your own life. Don't expect Zifan to consider you a friend anymore."
Her friends thought she couldn't let go of a relationship of more than 20 years, but Wei Yan saw it this time: Yue Lingling clearly hadn't let go of Xu Zifan yet!
He questioned Yue Lingling, but Yue Lingling realized that this trick was not working and lost interest in pretending. She not only admitted it but also had a big fight with him, which made Wei Yan so angry that he went out to drink in the middle of the night.
Afterwards, Yue Lingling, in a fit of despair, went to the media to reveal that she had always deeply loved Xu Zifan, but Xu Zifan, fearing his girlfriend would misunderstand, treated her like a stranger and broke off their relationship. She cried her eyes out, looking utterly miserable, and immediately a large group of netizens sided with her, criticizing Xu Zifan for being a pushover and Yu Sisi for being a jealous person.
Although most netizens are observing or analyzing the situation rationally, the fact that some netizens have turned against Xu Zifan and Yu Sisi has still affected their reputations to some extent. One of Xu Zifan's endorsements said they would consider whether or not to sign him.
Even so, when the media asked Xu Zifan about it, he still "did not respond," and he didn't show any displeasure or negative emotions, as if Yue Lingling was just a roadside flower or weed that couldn't attract his attention.
He then had Shao Hua create a team of online trolls, posing as "acquaintances" and "insiders," who took turns revealing the details of Yue Lingling's elaborate schemes to sabotage Xu Zifan's two relationships. They also posted evidence of Yue Lingling having an abortion for Wei Yan, destroying her image as a "devoted and faithful" and "best childhood sweetheart," causing an uproar among netizens.
The facts speak for themselves, and right and wrong are crystal clear. Even the blind cannot say that Xu Zifan is wrong. Yue Lingling is nothing but a manipulative bitch and a poisonous childhood sweetheart. She is a paranoid person with mental problems!
The anger of her supporters who felt deceived was unimaginable. The netizens who had previously supported Yue Lingling turned against her and attacked her. The intensity of that cyberbullying was so great that it made people want to crawl into a hole in the ground.
Yue Lingling doesn't care about netizens, but she cares about Xu Zifan's reaction. She's caused such a big fuss, threatening Xu Zifan's career and Yu Sisi's reputation, yet Xu Zifan still ignores her and doesn't respond, as if she's just a clown!
Wei Yan's parents and relatives were furious and ordered him to divorce Yue Lingling immediately, saying they couldn't bear the shame. Wei Yan also felt cheated on and humiliated nationwide, and agreed to divorce Yue Lingling.
Yue Lingling hates him to death. If he hadn't gotten her pregnant, why would netizens think she doesn't love Xu Zifan? There would definitely be many netizens on her side, moved by her deep feelings, speaking up for her. Wasn't that how Wei Yan was in the beginning? With so much pressure from public opinion, Xu Zifan will definitely see her. It's all Wei Yan's fault, that bastard.
Yue Lingling wouldn't let Wei Yan have an easy time either, and she refused to agree to a divorce no matter what. So Wei Yan simply moved out, and soon fell in love with another pitiful girl and had an affair.
Yue Lingling continued to try every means to contact Xu Zifan. When she was extremely annoyed, she would catch Wei Yan and his mistress in the act, beat them up, and make a scene that everyone knew about, making Wei Yan lose face and share her annoyance.
This cycle of life repeated itself, and she drifted further and further away from Xu Zifan, clinging to Wei Yan like enemies, finding no joy in life and even falling into endless negative emotions.
Xu Zifan and Yu Sisi regained their innocence and their careers soared. Then, on a beautiful sunny day, they held a wedding of the century. At the wedding, Xu's parents and Yu's grandmother couldn't stop smiling, and the couple also had happy smiles on their faces.
The photos stung Yue Lingling's eyes, but she could only look at them; nothing she could do would change anything. That sense of powerlessness nearly drove her mad, but as long as she didn't go insane, she could only continue to suffer like this day after day, self-destructively searching for news about Xu Zifan and Yu Sisi, only to experience even deeper pain.
Yue Lingling suffered her whole life, aging prematurely and passing away before the age of fifty. Xu Zifan, on the other hand, had long since erased any trace of her from his life, and his family lived happily ever after.
He reached the pinnacle of the modeling world, accompanied Yu Sisi throughout her life, and also spent a peaceful and happy old age with three elderly people, completely unaffected by Yue Lingling.
Even after his departure, the legend of his relationship with Yu Sisi as a muse still circulated in the industry.
One is a world-class model, and the other is a world-class fashion designer; they are a perfect lifelong partnership.
When Xu Zifan was seventy years old, he walked the runway for his wife.
At that time, they were already a handsome old man and a beautiful and elegant old woman, yet they still led the fashion trend for the elderly, created an industry miracle, and had countless fans.
As for that seriously ill poisonous plum, it has long been forgotten in the torrent of time.
Ignoring someone is always the greatest harm, causing them to lose all traces without them even realizing it. As for Yue Lingling, there wasn't even a single person in this world willing to remember her or recall her. It's unknown whether she regretted her stubbornness when she died.
Xu Zifan returned to the void space, immersed himself in the spiritual spring to cultivate his soul, slowly let go of the emotions of this life, and began a new journey.