Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 222 - 219 This is Not Easy

"I’ve been seconded to the Ministry of Commerce, so I often have to do business trips to Rome and Milan. It’s not like when I was stationed in Africa, where I’d be at the same embassy all the time," Lei Pili explained his situation.

"So, Senior Brother Lei, are you returning to Florence today after handing over the documents?" Jiao Zhifei had originally planned to invite Lei Pili for a meal tomorrow to express his thanks.

"Not that fast, I might stay for another two days. Doesn’t your sister want to get into Fashion Week? I don’t know much about Fashion Week myself. I might as well take this opportunity to talk to the organizers to find out more and get some information to bring back." This was Lei Pili’s main purpose for the trip.

"Old Sister, are you planning to attend this year’s Milan Fashion Week?" Jiao Zhifei asked Yan Yan.

"How could that be possible, at this point all the official schedules have been released. A newbie like me, attend Fashion Week?" There was a hint of embarrassment in Yan Yan’s tone, both about the topic of Fashion Week and the matter that had just made her blush.

"It’s good you know you’re a newbie. I was thinking, ’a newbie like you wanting to attend the Four Fashion Weeks,’ you sure think highly of yourself. Senior Brother Lei is a big-time diplomat, why bother him? If you want to go to Fashion Week, just tell me~" Jiao Zhifei’s thoughts started to stray again.

"Where’s the short-circuit in your brain today? You used to have just unusual thought processes, but today it seems like you’ve lost your mind along with your passport, haven’t you?" Yan Yan gave Jiao Zhifei a look, her tone frustrated, "What do you mean by ’tell you’? And then you’ll arrange it for me, is that it?"

"That’s not hard at all? I say, it’s just Fashion Week, no big deal," Jiao Zhifei was still in the midst of further thought loss.

"Great, tell me about Fashion Week then. I’ve only recently come into contact with Milan Fashion Week during a dinner for designers, and I still haven’t figured out the specifics of the Four Fashion Weeks," Lei Pili earnestly asked Jiao Zhifei for his opinion.

"Brother Pili, don’t listen to my brother’s nonsense. It’s highly likely that, having lost his passport today, he has also had an out-of-body experience," Yan Yan said to Lei Pili while giving Jiao Zhifei a glance filled with despair.

"When did I ever spout nonsense?" Upon hearing Yan Yan’s appraisal of him, Jiao Zhifei radiated discomfort from head to toe.

"You’re asking a good question. I really don’t know when you don’t spout nonsense. Just focus on real estate and selling your houses, and stop making a fuss here, okay?" Yan Yan’s final ’okay’ was delivered exactly like one would talk to a child.

"This year’s Fashion Week isn’t possible for you, you would need a strong enough resume.

Senior Brother Lei just said in the car, you’ve met a lot of key players at the dinner.

Even if that could be your capital, it won’t make it into your resume.

An internship designer at Ferragamo, with such a resume, which Fashion Week wouldn’t deem it respectable?" Jiao Zhifei particularly disliked Yan Yan talking to him as if he were a child.

He was stubborn, but that did not mean he was childish.

Yan Yan did not expect Jiao Zhifei to make such a point, and she did not retort, but quietly watched him, waiting for him to finish his thoughts.

"Given your eccentric character, I guess the designs you come up with are probably bizarre outfits. Out of the Four Fashion Weeks, London Fashion Week would definitely suit you best," Jiao Zhifei continued.

"When have I ever made bizarre outfits? Have you ever seen my designs to make such a comment?" Yan Yan asked her brother, who had never cared about her designs.

"I don’t need to see them to know." Jiao Zhifei had very firm beliefs about his opinion.

"Alright, design is indeed a matter of personal opinion, and you are of course entitled to yours. By saying London Fashion Week suits me best, do you mean you’re preparing to arrange for me to go to London Fashion Week?" Yan Yan asked Jiao Zhifei, but this time without the previous tone of telling a ’child not to talk nonsense.’

"That, I can’t arrange for you, it’s up to your own capabilities," Jiao Zhifei replied.

"What kind of capabilities?" Yan Yan pressed Jiao Zhifei to be more specific.

"Are you last year’s graduate? Did you win your RMIT’s graduate design award?" Jiao Zhifei asked Yan Yan.

"Well, sort of, my graduation design was decent enough," Yan Yan didn’t want to exaggerate her achievement because she didn’t know where her brother was going with this.

"Then didn’t you get an invitation to GFW?" Jiao Zhifei asked Yan Yan.

"You mean London’s Graduate Fashion Week?

That is for the top graduates in June to participate in.

My graduation time was a bit awkward; I graduated in December.

Well, I never saw Graduate Fashion Week as a goal to achieve.

You should know, even London’s own two top design schools, Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, don’t participate in GFW but have their own independent graduate exhibitions.

Graduate Fashion Week can’t even attract London’s top-tier students; its influence is limited." Yan Yan did have some understanding of GFW.

RMIT also asked her if she wanted to complete her graduation project early, or delay her graduation to mid-year.

But in the first half of 2011, Yan Yan was focusing on the study of patterns and didn’t plan on doing her graduation project; postponing her graduation was even less within the scope of her considerations.

"Limited influence, that was in the past. Last year at GFW, some designers were directly signed by big brands like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Coach. Anyway, I’m not clear about other influences, but if you can win this year’s Graduate Fashion Award, you would have enough on your resume to apply for next year’s Four Fashion Weeks," Jiao Zhifei now indicated that he was indeed not just talking nonsense.

"I see? So, it turns out I was talking nonsense, misunderstanding my dear brother. But I didn’t compete for GFW at all," Yan Yan was surprised that her brother, who was usually disconnected from fashion, noticed something like Graduate Fashion Week.

"Whether you’ve competed or not doesn’t matter. If your designs even have a bit of merit, I’ll help you get into GFW," Jiao Zhifei retorted using the same tone Yan Yan had used to knock him down earlier.