"Are you here to see this graduation show?" Huang He asked curiously.
"Something like that, but I'm also showcasing my own designs!" Vivian said with a chuckle. "Since this is the first graduating class, the academy plans to arrange a dialogue between senior and junior students, and select three freshman representatives to participate in this graduation show alongside their seniors."
"I'm honored to be one of the three representatives, and I'll be participating with my work!"
"That's great!" Huang He praised with a smile. However, he inwardly and twistedly speculated that the academy's leadership must have given Vivian this opportunity because of her background.
After all, she was a European princess, arguably the student with the highest status among all international students at Tsinghua University. How could they not reserve such an opportunity for her?
Having a European princess participate in the Tsinghua Academy of Arts and Design's graduation show would be an honor in itself. Although Huang He didn't see it that way, the leaders of the academy would definitely consider it a great honor, and most people in China would probably think so too.
Huang He grumbled inwardly but naturally didn't say anything to dampen her spirits. Instead, he made Vivian very happy. If it weren't for the fact that Vivian had to go backstage to prepare her work, she might have stayed by Boss Huang's side the whole time.
However, as soon as Vivian left, another fragrant breeze swept over. Huang He turned his head and saw another familiar face, Qu Wei, who they had been discussing Caiwei with every day for the past few days.
"Weren't you looking for a storefront in Wangfujing? Why are you here?" Huang He asked.
"I'm a fashion designer. There's a fashion show here, so it's only natural that I'm invited to participate, isn't it?" Qu Wei rolled her eyes.
"No, I thought with your status, you wouldn't come to this kind of student-level fashion show!" Huang He said.
"Aren't you, the esteemed richest man in China, here too?" Qu Wei said with a grin. "Actually, I wasn't interested in coming, but the dean of the Academy of Arts and Design is my martial uncle. He invited me as a guest to this graduation show, and I couldn't refuse him, so I came!"
"Alright, then this can be considered our fate. Let's go in together!" Huang He said with a smile. Unfortunately, their fate ended here.
As soon as they entered the venue, Huang He was warmly invited to sit in the front row by several staff members and the bosses of several companies. Qu Wei's seat was also in the front row, but it was in a more remote location.
This was unavoidable. The better seats in the front row, apart from a couple reserved for the leaders of the Academy of Arts and Design, were all occupied by industry magnates.
This was also normal. After all, art ultimately served capital. In the eyes of capital, even the most brilliant artist was just an actor.
Only leaders with administrative positions, like the dean of the Academy of Arts and Design, had the right to sit with these industry bigwigs. The rest of the designers, no matter how talented, even if they were the Muses of the East, had to obediently make way for capital and recognize their own positions.
Fortunately, every designer understood their position very well and had no intention of competing with these capital magnates. Qu Wei obediently took her designated seat.
Sitting next to Qu Wei was another designer whom Qu Wei recognized. She was also a prominent figure in the domestic design industry. Originally, Qu Wei would have looked up to this figure.
However, ever since Qu Wei received the title of Muse of the East in Paris, she had become the undisputed top figure in the Chinese design world. After all, besides Qu Wei, no other Chinese designer had received such high praise and titles from the Western fashion design industry, not even a honorary title.
This was true not only in China but in the entire global design industry. No matter how outstanding your personal designs were or how great your achievements, if you didn't receive recognition from the so-called Western mainstream design circles, you were nothing.
Conversely, once you gained recognition, even if you were just starting out, you could instantly become an undisputed design leader. Your credibility would soar, and no one could say anything against you.
Therefore, this prominent designer was filled with envy towards Qu Wei. Although she didn't openly show it and they shook hands and greeted each other warmly when they met, their communication ended there. They didn't exchange another word afterward.
Qu Wei was too lazy to feign politeness with these people and was looking for an excuse to leave when suddenly a commotion arose in the venue, and she heard a familiar voice say, "Excuse me, may I switch seats with you?"
"No!" the prominent designer instinctively replied. However, when she looked up and saw who was speaking, she was so startled that she immediately stood up and exclaimed, "Mr. Huang, is that really you? It's Mr. Huang He!"
"I am Huang He!" Huang He nodded with a smile. "Sorry, Miss Qu Wei and I are partners. I want to chat with her. Can we switch seats? My seat is over there, and it's a better location!"
Upon hearing Huang He's words, the designer felt an extreme surge of jealousy.
Although many people were still unconvinced, most of them generally acknowledged Huang He as the richest man. It was rumored that the new issue of Fortune magazine was preparing to name Huang He as the richest man in mainland China. Having a connection with such a wealthy person would undoubtedly lead to limitless future development.
However, the fact that Huang He was speaking to her only to sit with that flirtatious little thing, Qu Wei, was deeply upsetting and incredibly provoking.
However, the relationship between Huang He and Qu Wei was well-known. After all, the sensational events they created in Paris back then were always the most eagerly discussed topics in the entire fashion industry.
In the mouths of these imaginative designers, this incident had spawned hundreds of different versions, and the plot that Qu Wei and Huang He had an unspeakable relationship was present in many of these versions.
Therefore, despite her 100% unwillingness, this designer dared not provoke Huang He, unless she no longer cared about her future.
Moreover, Huang He was switching seats with her, and Huang He's seat was originally in the center of the stage. To his left sat the dean of the Academy of Arts and Design, and to his right sat the chairman of the Dairy Association. It was a truly overwhelming position of being surrounded by esteemed figures. If she were to sit there, she could get to know two industry magnates simultaneously.
Well, she was already very familiar with the dean of the Academy of Arts and Design and had a good relationship with him. However, she had never interacted with the chairman of the Dairy Association. If she could communicate with him this time and become friends, wouldn't she be able to receive many business orders from the Dairy Association for her own benefit?
With this thought, the designer no longer refused and obediently switched seats with Huang He.
"Why are you sitting over here?" Qu Wei said grumpily.
"Those two old guys are too hypocritical. I can't be bothered to talk to them. It's much more comfortable to sit with my darling Vivian!" Huang He said with a smile. Although Qu Wei rolled her eyes again, her face clearly showed a smile.
"However, you should still check on your Princess Vivian. See if your princess can win a big award this time!" Qu Wei said with a light哼.
"No way. She's a newcomer. As long as she doesn't embarrass Europe, where would she have any qualifications to win an award?" Huang He said with a laugh.
"That's not necessarily true. To be honest, the Best Newcomer award this time has already been pre-determined for her. The dean even informed me, and I'll vote for her then!" Qu Wei said with a cold smile.
"Is that so? That's truly embarrassing!" Huang He's expression also turned somewhat unpleasant. This was indeed extremely embarrassing. The esteemed dean of the Academy of Arts and Design, without even seeing her work, directly pre-determined the Best Newcomer award just because of her princess title.
It was no wonder that the future Chinese design industry was so embarrassing. Even in 2021, they were still producing so many models with small, slanted eyes.
Wait, could it be that this year's graduation show would also be full of models with small, slanted eyes!
Thinking of this, Huang He felt even more uncomfortable. Fortunately, at this moment, a beautiful woman and a handsome man, a host duo, walked onto the stage, starting this graduation show, which temporarily made Huang He forget about the issue of small, slanted eyes.
The opening host naturally spoke a lot of platitudes, followed by speeches from the chairman of the Dairy Association and the dean of the Academy of Arts and Design. Huang He was originally scheduled to give a speech as well. After all, with his net worth, if Huang He wasn't allowed to speak, the other two probably wouldn't dare to go on stage.
However, Huang He directly refused. He was here only to donate funds to the children who had been harmed, to help them overcome their difficulties. A speech was completely unnecessary.
After the two leaders finished their speeches, the host then proceeded to explain the rules of the charity gala.
In fact, the rules were quite simple. First, the graduation show was organized by graduates. There were a total of 98 fashion designer graduates participating in this graduation show. The number was relatively large, as it was the entire year's graduates participating in the show together.
In fact, the entire graduating class of the fashion design department had over 150 students. More than 50 students had been rejected from participating in the graduation show for various reasons. Even so, there were still a full 98 students.
For the sake of time, each fashion designer was only allowed to showcase one piece of their designed clothing.
In order to fully demonstrate a designer's comprehensive abilities in a short period, not only the clothing but also the model selection, model makeup, and model runway style were all undertaken by the designer. Ultimately, through the runway walk of one model, the designer's abilities would be fully showcased.
Although there were still some deficiencies in this process, it was the best process under the current circumstances.