Amidst low murmurs, Qian Zimo finished his platitudes and exited the stage.
The host continued to welcome guests, with the other two families being the Li family from the capital and the Wang family from Haicheng.
The purpose of these two families' investment was straightforward. Perfume was a core part of their businesses, and they were looking to recruit talent. They praised their company benefits and perks, hoping participants would consider them after the competition.
Qin He's gaze shifted to the last car, whose final guest had sparked considerable discussion.
"The last investor should be the Gu family, right?"
"The Gu family from Qingcheng, that's different from these other prominent families!" someone whispered. "The Gu Corporation has been developing rapidly and is no longer limited to Qingcheng. The Gu Corporation is now ranked among the top global companies!"
All eyes turned towards the Gu Corporation's car.
Qin He's heart pounded. Gu Qishen—had he come?
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the car door opened.
A pair of black leather shoes stepped out, followed by the person exiting the vehicle.
The individual was tall and slender, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
Qin He pursed her lips, watching Yu Jing alight from the car.
"Hello everyone, I am Yu Jing, representative of the Gu Corporation and Special Assistant to President Gu..."
Disappointed voices echoed from behind Qin He.
"I knew it. How could the CEO of Gu Corporation come for a competition like this?"
"That's right, given Gu Qishen's status. Though, come to think of it, he did have a past with Qin He."
Amidst the murmurs, Qin He's gaze slowly lowered.
When she accepted this collaboration, she had intended to keep it strictly professional. She hadn't expected Gu Qishen to indeed handle it with such professionalism.
A sense of inexplicable loss washed over Qin He.
Yu Jing was direct, reading from a prepared script that expressed his desire to recruit talent and congratulated everyone on their upcoming competition.
However, compared to the previous two companies, the Gu Corporation's demeanor was noticeably more refined. They didn't boast about their company's benefits, as it was common knowledge, and therefore, there was no need for excessive promotion.
The Gu Corporation had their own standing.
After his introduction, Yu Jing withdrew.
The staff member nodded respectfully before addressing the crowd, "You're probably all curious why we've called you out so early. I'm sure you all noticed last night that our accommodation consists of four villas. While enough for a hundred people, they are still a bit cramped."
"You must be wondering why this is happening. I will now explain the rules of this competition. Although this is the final round, it is divided into five stages: the top fifty advancement round, the top twenty advancement round, followed by the top ten, then the top three, and finally the championship round. We've asked you to come out today for the top fifty advancement round. After this competition, only fifty-two of the one hundred and four participants will remain."
"The elimination rate is fifty percent!"
A clamor erupted from the crowd, most expressing disbelief.
"What the heck? We have to do the top fifty advancement round before we've even woken up properly!?"
"Why are there so many stages in the finals? They should at least give us some preparation time!"
"Yeah, my mind is still foggy!"
Amidst the chatter, the staff member's words were sharp.
"If you have the foundational skills, you shouldn't fear a competition like this on short notice. For fairness and impartiality, the competition times are never announced in advance. If you have any objections to this process, you can submit a protest or feedback to the organizing committee after the competition. But for now, please adhere to the rules!"
Everyone stood dejectedly.
The staff member continued, "Our competitions are always based on a theme. The theme for the top fifty advancement round is 'First Love.' Please create perfumes that evoke the feeling of first love."
"First love?"
Immediately, many participants' eyes lit up with eagerness. 'First love' was a broad theme, as long as it conveyed a sense of innocence and sweetness, it wasn't particularly challenging.
"And where will we be blending the perfumes?" someone called out.
The host smiled and said, "Do you see that bungalow in the distance? That's where the directors, production crew, organizing committee, and all investors are located. Behind the bungalow is a large warehouse, which should contain everything you need. You can write down your requirements and have your assistants fetch them. We need to see the results by noon today."
"By noon today? How can it be so soon?"
"Exactly. A good perfumer sometimes spends years to create a classic fragrance. What can we possibly create in just half a day? Essence?"
Someone grumbled in a low voice.
The staff member offered no further explanation. After announcing all the procedures, he added a reminder, "We hope you won't waste time. Complaining will only make your time even shorter."
His words were effective. Many contestants hurried back to their villas.
Qin He also returned to her villa, heading to the third floor. She knocked on Di Shishi's door. It was only 7:30 AM, and Di Shishi's room was quiet.
Qin He pressed her ear to the door, listening. It sounded like Di Shishi was still asleep.
First love—
Qin He pondered for a moment, then returned to her bedroom. She picked up a pen and wrote down a list of ingredients needed for her perfume. Holding the list, she left the villa and walked towards the bungalow.
Because she was quick at writing the recipe, there weren't many people going to the warehouse to collect materials yet. The pink beach was quite empty.
After walking a few steps, Qin He heard a voice behind her.
"Miss Qin."
Qin He turned and saw Zhang Caiyu, holding a list, walking towards her with a graceful posture a short distance behind her.
By this time, Zhang Caiyu had changed into a blue casual outfit.
Qin He nodded. "Miss Zhang."
Zhang Caiyu glanced at the list in Qin He's hand, her mocking smile undisguised.
"Miss Qin, are you very talented in perfumery? You've already written out your recipe so quickly. I thought only I could come up with a recipe in such a short time."
Qin He smiled and nodded. "I don't know much, so I didn't spend too long researching. If I think it's okay, then it's okay."
A glint of "as expected" flashed in Zhang Caiyu's eyes as she made a final attempt. "Miss Qin, why don't you let me see your recipe? I can offer you some valuable advice during our walk."
Qin He shook her head.
Zhang Caiyu whispered, "Don't worry, no one's watching with cameras right now. It won't matter if you just let me see it."
Seeing Zhang Caiyu reach out to take her recipe, Qin He directly tucked the list into her pocket. "Miss Zhang, it wouldn't be fair to the other contestants if we did that."