Chapter 7 — The Dignity of a Signature

The information on the screen is too direct. Even without understanding the major, you can see the problem. In the folder there are a total of one hundred forty-seven design file versions. The first version was created on January twelfth. The final version was completed on September 3. The first one hundred and thirty-one versions... The operating accounts all have the same name: From the one hundred and thirty-second version onwards, the new account changes to: And the change time... Is the fifteenth of September. Coincidentally, it was the second day after Hua Tu Tu officially joined the company. In other words— When Hua Si Tu took over that account, the core design of “Quy Khu” was completely completed. What she did was just correct a few unimportant details in the final versions. For example, font size. Margin spacing. File naming rules. The big screen kept the same look for fifteen seconds. Enough for everyone in the hall to see clearly. It was enough for more than two hundred thousand viewers in the livestream to take screenshots and save it. The live comment section immediately exploded.

"What's going on??? Who is Lam Ha?"

“So the real designer is not Hua Tu Tu?”

“The first one hundred and thirty versions were all made by someone else, did she just change the format?”

“Are you really that fake to this extent?”

“Is the Golden Crane Award rigged?!”

Tham Hao jumped up from the chair. His face was pale. Eyes staring at the big screen, chest heaving violently. Hua Tu Tu sat in place, not moving. Her hands clasped the hem of her dress so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Phuong Tri Vien on the screen still calmly spoke:

“This recording was extracted directly from the work's original cloud collaboration platform.”

“Every edit, every file save has a timestamp automatically generated by the system.”

“Cannot be modified.”

He stopped for a beat. Then slowly ask:

“I want to ask Ms. Hua Tu Tu who is present at the scene…”

“Why is the first one hundred and thirty-one versions of the gold-winning work bearing your name not created by you?”

The whole hall was in absolute silence. Hua Tu Tu opened his mouth. But no sound comes out. She turned her head to look at Tham Hao. But Tham Hao did not look at her. He's looking for me. His eyes frantically scanned every row of seats, every corner of the hall. Finally stopped at the backstage. He saw me. I stood at the backstage entrance, wearing a black uniform with the word "Officer" printed on it, my hands in my pockets, quietly looking at him. Tham Hao's throat moved slightly. Then he immediately walked towards me. Very fast footsteps. Almost like running. He passed through the front row, went around the main entrance and rushed to the backstage door, pulling hard on my wrist with one hand. His voice seemed to be forced from between his teeth, each word trembling.

“What did you do?”

I lowered my head and looked at his wrist being squeezed tightly.

“General Shen.”

I said softly:

“You hurt me.”

He didn't let go.

“Immediately call Phuong Tri Vien and tell him to cut the connection immediately.”

He lowered his voice and spoke very quickly:

“Do you know this will destroy the whole company?”

“Lam Ha, please hear me clearly.”

“You are my wife.”

“What benefits will I get from destroying the company?”

I raised my head to look at him. It's been four years. Have known him for six years. Married four years. Those four years… I was with him build a career. Help him get the project. Help him compete. Help him win the prize step by step. From a ten square meter studio... Transformed into the two hundred employee design company it is today. But behind every core project... is my design. As for my identity... From the co-founder. Turned into a secretly married wife. Then turned into a personal assistant. And now... As a "working employee".

“Shen Hao.”

I looked straight into his eyes and slowly said each word:

“Let go.”

He stopped. Until now, I have never used this tone to talk to him. On stage, Phuong Tri Vien continued.

“If Ms. Hua Tu Tu cannot answer for the time being…”

“Then I would like to change another question.”

His voice echoed throughout the hall through the sound system:

“Mr. Tham Hao, as the person in charge of the company, can you explain why a work that all digital data proves was created by Lam Ha…”

“…will I be sent to participate in the Golden Crane Award under the name Hua Tu Tu?”

In that moment— All eyes and all cameras turned to the backstage at the same time. Towards me and Tham Hao. The lighting staff immediately reflexively shined a beam of spotlight. Blinding white light. Tham Hao took a step back. The hand that was squeezing my wrist also loosened. Under that light, his face turned pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.