After the True Heiress Travels Back
Chapter 261: Outshining Gu Xiu

Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Outshining Gu Xiu

After the two finished their verbal fencing, Director Xu Qian finally spoke up, "It just so happens that I also had in mind letting everyone try out which task suits them best. Since Miss Shi and Miss An want to make a bet, let’s all join in and see for ourselves. After all, there are still two days left for shooting, which is plenty of time."

Naturally, no one had any objections.

Director Xu Qian then led everyone to the first filming location.

The craft production site closest to the director’s tent was where Gu Xiu was situated.

Gu Xiu is a traditional embroidery craft unique to Mingzhu City, with a rich historical heritage...

By the time they arrived, the Embroiderer Lady was already waiting for them.

Upon their arrival, the Embroiderer Lady began to introduce the embroidery methods of Gu Xiu, along with some other basic knowledge.

After the explanation, which lasted half an hour, was over.

Shi Yaoguang listened attentively, sparking her own thoughts.

She had never directly encountered Gu Xiu before, but she was familiar with embroidery techniques that were similar to it.

This was made possible because she once lived in a world where she relied on her embroidery skills.

In that life, she was reborn as a young lady in a family renowned for their embroidery.

When she arrived in that life, the original person’s fortune had been destroyed by a saboteur from Heavenly Dao, which led to her family’s decline and their ancestral embroidery being criticized.

To save her family, Shi Yaoguang delved into the study of embroidery techniques after arriving there.

After three years of seclusion, she mastered all the embroidery techniques she could find in that world and then, in the name of her family, she challenged the saboteur from Heavenly Dao and won back her family’s reputation.

In that world, she went from a mere embroiderer to an imperial court embroiderer, and it was no exaggeration to say that she held mastery over eighty percent of the world’s embroidery skills.

"Shi Yaoguang, Gu Xiu is not simple. You’re not scared silly, are you?"

Before Shi Yaoguang could reply, An Siqi couldn’t wait to assert her presence, "Yes, that’s right. You’re just a country bumpkin, you probably can’t even understand what an embroidery needle is. People like you are only good for patching up your tattered clothes."

Seeing her sneering expression, Shi Yaoguang licked her lips thoughtfully, "Seeing how much you disdain me, you must be very confident in yourself."

"In that case, why don’t you demonstrate it right now?"

No sooner had Shi Yaoguang finished speaking than Ming Yan chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes—if you’re so capable, show us now!"

Upon hearing this, she revealed an embarrassed expression, "Me, I didn’t say I can do it."

"You can’t? Then what’s the point in talking nonsense?" Ming Yan rolled his eyes dismissively, full of contempt.

An Siqi, feeling aggrieved by these words, retorted at once, "I might not be able to, but does that mean Shi Yaoguang can? At the very least, I’m much better than she is to start with."

"Is that so?" said Ming Yan, and then he turned to Director Xu Qian, "Director Xu, you heard someone bragging just now. How about we edit an extra behind-the-scenes clip? The content could be the process of everyone making their bets and competing, what do you think?"

Director Xu Qian had long been annoyed by An Siqi, so naturally, she didn’t refuse when she heard this proposal—she nodded and agreed immediately.

Ming Yan then gave An Siqi a provocative look, "Good luck, Ugly Betty!"

"You’re Ugly Betty!" An Siqi snapped back immediately.

Ming Yan caressed his cheek lovingly, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not Ugly Betty. I might never become Ugly Betty in my lifetime... ah, my bad, I’m too disrespectful, unmasking the fact that you’re Ugly Betty."

"But no worries!" he suddenly changed tone, "The public has discerning eyes. It’s okay if you don’t have a pretty face; people still appreciate talent."

"If you’re really that great, even as Ugly Betty, someone will like you, so... good luck, Ugly Betty. May everyone see your talent and look at you with new respect!"

As Ming Yan spoke, he made a fist and gestured encouragingly.

Encouraged, An Siqi couldn’t muster a smile at all.

How was that encouragement?

It was sheer mockery!

Ming Yan seemed to deliberately target her, just after calling her an ugly freak, he turned his head to Shi Yaoguang and said, "Fairy Sister, keep it up, I’m rooting for you~"

As he spoke, he even gave her a wink.

The difference in treatment couldn’t be more obvious.

Even Xu Qian couldn’t stand it anymore and gave a discreet cough to remind Ming Yan to contain himself a bit.

Ming Yan did contain himself, and he even expressed his desire to learn embroidery with Shi Yaoguang.

Xu Qian naturally wouldn’t refuse, and thus, Xu Qian’s group began to pick up needle and thread under the guidance of the Embroiderer Lady.

An Siqi might look down on others a lot, but when she got hold of the needle and thread, she was hardly any better than Ming Yan.

If one must ask...

Why not compare her with Shi Yaoguang?

It’s just that... any discerning eye could see, she wasn’t up to par!

Whether it was the way Shi Yaoguang held the needle or her posture when inserting it, everything was impeccably perfect.

Her instinctive awareness, even in the eyes of mature embroiderers, was extremely standard.

An Siqi, an outsider in this field, was no match for such a level.

As soon as Shi Yaoguang got hold of the needle and thread, a pattern formed in her mind.

Therefore, she directly started embroidering.

The others were under the guidance of the Embroiderer Lady, beginning by conceptualizing their designs on the embroidery fabric.

While being taught, An Siqi saw Shi Yaoguang across from her start embroidering right away and couldn’t help but sneer scornfully in her heart.

So what if she can hold a needle?

Being able to hold a needle doesn’t mean one can do embroidery.

The pattern she conceived was even praised by Embroiderer Lady Gu Xiu; it was sure to be better than whatever Shi Yaoguang came up with.

An Siqi was all set on showing Shi Yaoguang up later, not once considering why the Embroiderer Lady didn’t instruct Shi Yaoguang.

They say laymen watch the excitement; experts watch the technique.

Just by observing Shi Yaoguang’s movements, the embroiderers could tell how experienced she was.

If she weren’t so young, they would have almost believed that Shi Yaoguang had studied embroidery for decades.

It was precisely because they believed in Shi Yaoguang that they didn’t go over to teach her embroidery.

After all, not everyone has the audacity to show off their swordsmanship in front of Guan Yu.

Time flew by during embroidery, and in the blink of an eye, two hours had passed.

An Siqi was the first to finish her embroidery.

On a white handkerchief, she embroidered a gardenia flower.

Truth be told, at a glance, it looked pretty good.

An Siqi was very satisfied with her work, and she deliberately flaunted her finished handkerchief a few times in front of Director Xu Qian’s camera, earning herself a nice close-up shot.

It was bad enough to show off, but she even feigned modesty by saying, "Gu Xiu’s embroidery really is no simple feat, ah... mine is still rough."

Though she spoke of it as rough, she was practically overflowing with smugness.

When Shi Yaoguang heard the noise, she looked up at An Siqi, then lowered her head and continued.

An Siqi, seeing this, uttered a contemptuous snort, "Shi Yaoguang, you haven’t finished embroidering yet? You started before me, so how come there’s no sign of progress after such a long time..."