Since Liu Ruoyan had come earlier than Li Meili and Zhang Jiren, she—of course—witnessed the scene of their arrival. Everyone was talking about how the couple looked so good together, and she couldn't help but grit her teeth in annoyance.

  Did Li Meili have to rub it on her face that not only did she lose her chance on Feng Tianyi, but she also couldn't get her hands on Zhang Jiren? Li Meili surely knew which button to push to annoy her.

  When Zhang Jiren and Li Meili made their appearance, some who didn't know who they were assumed that they were sort of celebrities, given how perfect they look like being together. Li Meili had a warm smile on her face as she hooked her arm on Zhang Jiren's as they walked on the red carpet.

  Anyway, it didn't matter to Liu Ruoyan if she wasn't able to catch Zhang Jiren's attention. Opportunities would always arise in the future. Tonight, however, was a once-in-a-lifetime victory. Liu Ruoyan was confident she was going to win against the Black Nightingale… and everyone would see that Li Meili was below her. She could only endure and wait until then.

  Who cares if Li Meili was the Black Nightingale? Liu Ruoyan had been the champion for five consecutive years, and with a strong backing within the panel of judges, Li Meili would have a hard time winning against her tonight. She could only hope that Xing Yiyue wouldn't ruin her chances.

  Back to the couple, Zhang Jiren and Li Meili were ushered by one of the staff to their arranged seats. The two waited patiently until the event officially started with the host taking the stage, welcoming their guests and attendees.

  In the beginning, the host had given everyone a brief introduction to the competition and how excited they were to see this year's finalists. It was only after an hour had passed did they present the top ten participants who managed to get into the finals.

  One by one, the models entered the stage, walking along the runway while wearing the participating entries. When it was Liu Ruoyan's Golden Elegance's turn to present their entry, everyone was shocked to see Xing Yiyue coming out from backstage, taking the runway.

  Li Meili's eyes narrowed the moment she saw the white lotus coming up the stage, representing Liu Ruoyan's line. Ah, so her little birds were right. Xing Yiyue had indeed gone to Liu Ruoyan with the purpose of wanting the public to know that she was still able to work and capable of presenting herself even though she had lost a powerful backing. However, she would never expect that Li Meili wouldn't allow her to take the spotlight tonight—no matter what.

  "Am I seeing things, or it's really Xing Yiyue?" The murmurs within the crowd were filled with curiosity about Xing Yiyue's sudden appearance tonight.

  "It's really her. I can't believe she would make an appearance here as Golden Elegance's model."

  "It's been over a year since the last time Xing Yiyue made an appearance. Why do I feel like she looks different?"

  "Haven't you heard? She gave birth to a daughter before CEO Feng divorced her. I think Feng Tianhua waited for her to deliver the child before he kicked her out to the curb."

  "Liu Ruoyan's entry isn't bad at all. It's the best thing I've seen so far. Do you think Black Nightingale would be able to beat her, considering Xing Yiyue received some favorable impressions from the judges?"

  "It's hard to tell. Come to think of it. I wonder why the Black Nightingale didn't join the previous competition in the past, considering she gained popularity overnight six years ago."

  "Well, we don't even know who it is. I'll be really upset if the committee doesn't reveal Black Nightingale's identity."

  The talk within the crowd continued in low voices. Xing Yiyue's appearance tonight had greatly favored Liu Ruoyan in the eyes of the judges, along with the attendees.

  "Last but not the least, we present to you the Black Nightingale's 'Dryad of the Trees'," the female host announced.

  The crowd held their breaths as they anticipated the model presenting the mysterious designer's entry. Li Meili's grip on Zhang Jiren's hand tightened as her entry was announced. Even though she'd been working as a designer for years now, this was still all new to her who had never once competed with anyone in the field.

  Several gasps from the crowd emerged as the model took the stage, catching everyone off-guard. Just as they thought that Xing Yiyue's appearance tonight was the highlight of the event, they had never thought that the newest film empress would take the stage to represent the Black Nightingale.

  "It's Luo Qingqing!" Someone exclaimed.

  "My god! My eyes are blessed! I can't believe I'll see my goddess taking the runway tonight!"

  Luo Qingqing confidently walked on the stage, her every step firm and sure. Her face had an impression that made everyone think that she was a queen, looking at her subjects with an authoritative aura. It wasn't arrogant and harsh like Xing Yiyue's earlier performance, demanding everyone to look at her and only her.

  The dress she was wearing was made with lace with expensive crystals on her skirt. Her shoulders were almost see-through, but her bodice and her skirt gave everyone the impression of her slender figure. On her ears dangled a pair of earrings made of red rubies that sparkled under the lights.

  "I never expected that it would be this beautiful, Meili," Zhang Jiren commented in a low voice. He had never seen the finished dress before it was transported here.

  "I gave my all to the dress, Jiren. I have no regrets."