The next day, Xia Xingchen arrived at the studio early, ready to refine the design details.
But as soon as she turned on her computer, her face paled instantly.
The final version of the headquarters design draft was gone.
The folder was empty, the backup files corrupted, and the cloud drive showed an unknown login from an unfamiliar device.
Her design had been stolen.
Panic surged through her, but she quickly forced herself to calm down. This project was too important—to her career, to the studio, and to Gu Group. If the draft leaked or was plagiarized, she would not only lose the project but also be labeled a fraud.
She immediately checked the studio's monitoring and login records. The last person who had accessed her computer was her assistant, Lin Xiaoxiao.
Just as Xia Xingchen was about to call her, a breaking news alert popped up on her screen.
A well-known design firm, Tiancheng Design, had just released a new skyscraper design plan.The concept, structure, color scheme, and even the details were almost identical to hers.
The headline blared:Tiancheng Design Reveals Shocking New Landmark Plan — Ahead of Gu Group's Project
Comments exploded online.
"Did Gu Group get plagiarized?"
"Or did their designer copy Tiancheng's idea?"
"Xia Xingchen must have stolen the design! She only got the project because she's Mrs. Gu!"
The rumors spread like wildfire. The executives of Gu Group were furious, and many called for immediately firing Xia Xingchen and terminating the cooperation.
When Gu Yanzhi received the news, he rushed to the studio without a second's delay.
He found Xia Xingchen sitting quietly at her desk, her eyes red but her expression firm.
"I didn't steal it. My design was stolen," she said calmly.
Gu Yanzhi knelt down in front of her and held her hands. His voice was gentle and firm.
"I believe you. No matter what others say, I believe you."
His trust instantly stabilized her wavering heart.
"I know who did it," Xia Xingchen said. "My assistant, Lin Xiaoxiao. And she's working with Tiancheng Design."
Gu Yanzhi's eyes turned cold. He took out his phone and called Lin Hao."Investigate Lin Xiaoxiao and Tiancheng Design. I want all evidence of their conspiracy in an hour."
An hour later, everything was exposed.
Lin Xiaoxiao had been bribed by Tiancheng Design. She had snuck into the studio after work, copied Xia Xingchen's design, and handed it over. Tiancheng then announced the design publicly to frame Xia Xingchen and steal the huge Gu Group project.
But they had made one fatal mistake.
Xia Xingchen had hidden encrypted watermarks and unique design codes in every layer of the draft, invisible to the naked eye but detectable with professional software.
She copied the stolen design from Tiancheng's website, imported it into the program, and clicked decrypt.
Hidden markers appeared one by one, all marked with her exclusive signature and creation time — weeks before Tiancheng had released anything.
Solid proof.
Xia Xingchen packaged all the evidence: login records, monitoring clips, chat history between Lin Xiaoxiao and Tiancheng, and the encrypted watermark results.
She posted everything on her social media and professional design platforms.
The internet exploded again.
"Oh my god! They framed her!"
"She's so talented and careful! The watermark move is brilliant!"
"Tiancheng Design deserves to go bankrupt!"
Under Gu Yanzhi's order, the legal department sued Tiancheng Design and Lin Xiaoxiao for theft of intellectual property and commercial slander.
Tiancheng Design was forced to apologize publicly, dismiss all executives involved, and pay heavy compensation. The company was ruined overnight.
Lin Xiaoxiao was fired and faced legal punishment.
When the news reached Gu Group, the executives who had doubted Xia Xingchen lowered their heads in shame.
At the emergency meeting, Gu Yanzhi held Xia Xingchen's hand in front of everyone.
"My wife did not rely on anyone. She relied on her ability and her vigilance to protect her work. She is the only chief designer worthy of this project."
Applause filled the room.
Xia Xingchen looked at Gu Yanzhi, her eyes bright.She had not only saved her career but also proven herself to the world.
Gu Yanzhi leaned close to her ear and whispered in a low, charming voice:"I told you. I will watch you shine.And this time, the whole world is watching too."