"I heard about you from the rescue rangers just now. Thank you so much for helping." Sophia helped Melody sit at a relatively clean table. "You sit here, I'll get you some food.”Not long after, she came back with water and bread, and said warmly, "You’ve been busy for so long, I’m sure you’re hungry. Here, eat some."Melody was indeed thirsty, tired, and hungry. She was grateful, but also a bit confused. "Thank you, but why?”Sophia smiled sheepishly. "Christopher told me you’re his friend. I’ve been tricked by malicious businessmen before. They scammed me into participating in a competition, the sold my silk hand embroidery. All they cared about was money. They never bothered to promote silk hand embroidery. That’s why I can’t trust anyone. I’m sorry."Melody felt sorry for Sophia. "It’s okay, it’s all their fault. I understand."Seeing that Melody was so sensible, Sophia was even more appreciative of her. "I didn’t expect you to practice medicine. Saving a life is better than
He was happy, but was also a little worried about whether her body could bear it. Sophia noticed his concern, and smiled inwardly.Christopher was young and shy. He cared about Melody, but refused to admit it."You've been burning all night. Are you thirsty?" Sophia poured some warm water in a disposable paper cup, and handed it to Christopher."I can’t let you serve me. I...cough, cough..."His throat was dry, and he choked twice when he opened his mouth.Sophia patted him gently. "You’re a patient. Just let me do it for you."Christopher had some water to moisten his throat and regain some energy. Then, he chatted leisurely with Sophia about the interesting things that happened when his grandfather Jonathan visited Cromton Village.While they were talking about Jonathan fishing in the river with his childlike innocence, Melody came yawning."Why don't you sleep a little longer?" Sophia chided.Melody was still worried about Christopher, so she didn’t dare to take a long na
To take care of Sophia, who was flying for the first time, Melody and Christopher requested the stewardess to ensure they sat in a row.Melody took out some earplugs for Sophia. "You may get tinnitus. This will help."Sophia didn’t experience any discomfort except a slight dizziness, so she waved her hand in dismissal. "It’s alright. I’m so excited, this is my first time traveling to Bayridge!Christopher chuckled. "I can take you around for a nice tour when you’re free.""That’s no big deal. Business first." Sophia gave him a meaningful look. "Hmm… You should spend more time with Melody instead."Hearing that, Melody was stunned. She glanced at Christopher. ‘What did you tell her?’Christopher shrugged innocently. ‘Nothing.’Melody pursed her lips, displeased. "Please stop making fun of me."Apparently, Sophia had a strong desire to solve their issues. She took Melody's hand, and said, "Melody, Christopher came all the way to the village just for you. I don't know what happe
Just like Amelia said, the competition attracted many applicants due to Nolan Enterprise’s influence.In just a few days, the first preliminary round was over. All the contestants who were eliminated sighed in dejection. They missed a good job opportunity, and didn’t get to meet the Nolans’ heiress.Jenson took the list and reported the results of the preliminary round to Melody. "Only two contestants show great potential. The rest are relatively ordinary."He pointed at the list. "Janice Langly and Queta Conrad. The judges thought they were better than the rest."There were photos of the two of them on the contestant profiles. Both women wore standard polite smiles. Janice had a round face and round eyes, delicate and dignified. Queta was also good-looking, but for some reason, Melody felt uncomfortable looking at her eyes.She wasn’t sure whether it was a lighting problem during the shooting, but she felt that Queta’s eyes were a little impure."Alright, proceed with your work.
Melody commented, "There are some minor errors in her work."Paula was willing to hear her out, but Queta was displeased. Her expression changed immediately, and she demanded, "What errors?"Melody pointed at her work, and said loudly, "The colors used are bright and appropriate, but they can be improved. Most importantly, the technique used for the little girl’s eyes is quite inappropriate. The ordering technique is more suitable to show the purity in her eyes, as compared to the picking technique.”When Dexter heard that, he looked closer, and nodded. Melody’s words seemed to make sense.Queta was unhappy. The judges were originally praising her—Melody's actions were clearly a disgrace to her!"No way!" Quetta strode forward angrily. She stared straight at Melody, and sneered, "Miss, you’re the host, not the judge. You may be good at planning an event, but silk hand embroidery isn’t your thing. My advice, don’t pretend to be an expert!"As soon as she said that, everyone's eyes
Melody was ready to bring this little incident to a close. She cleared her throat, and signaled for everyone to quiet down. "Ladies and gentlemen, I represent the organizers in planning this competition. Naturally, I must consider their reputation. You all came a long way to participate in this event, and our gathering is a stroke of fate. I hope we can respect each other and make the competition proceed smoothly."Her words were articulate and polite, earning the admiration of those present.Queta gnashed her teeth in frustration, glaring fiercely at Melody from a place where nobody noticed. She knew there was an underlying message in Melody’s words, which implied that she was being too arrogant.The judges continued with their comments. "This stitching technique is too ordinary, this color scheme is too flashy... But this one, the concept is clever."The work being referred to didn't directly depict a scene of a reunion of people, but instead portrayed a few pairs of hands
Without waiting for Sophia to inquire further, the waiter arrived with their dishes. Melody first served a spoonful of bamboo shoots to Sophia. "These bamboo shoots look fresh and crisp. Try them."Indeed, the taste was refreshing and delightful. Sophia's eyes widened slightly, and she exclaimed, "These are fantastic! They’re nothing like the dried or canned bamboo shoots I've had before. They’re exceptionally fresh and sweet."Melody smoothly continued the conversation. "If I had known you liked these, I should’ve brought two baskets when I visited you. But it's not too late. This time, I'll make sure you eat your fill."Sophia chuckled. "Haha, I can only take a few bites before my belly becomes round!"The two engaged in a lively conversation, laughing and chatting, creating a warm atmosphere that made them seem like close family.Christopher focused on Melody's delicate eyes, and noticed that she seemed to keep her emotions hidden. Though they were so close, he felt as if the
Still, it was Melody who took the stage to speak. "All of you who have come this far are the elites of the silk hand embroidery world. Regardless of the final results, your abilities are recognized by everyone."The rules for the final round of this competition are quite simple. No specific theme, no restrictions on embroidery techniques. Based on your experiences in the competition over the past few days, create a unique piece of work within a two-day time limit."Each of your submitted works will be stored by the staff and locked in personal lockers. The exhibition and evaluation will take place the following day."After hearing the rules for this round, the contestants returned to the backstage resting room, each lost in thought.Janice silently nodded, jotting down everything Melody had said in her notebook. Her friends huddled around her, and one of them remarked, "Janice, you're so diligent.""Yeah, you're actually taking notes. No wonder the teacher praised your work for