Shen Yuan’s Fourth Nomination and Victory
Shen Yuan was first nominated at the age of twenty-five. Back then, he was a little excited. Although his competitors were formidable, being nominated alone allowed him to imagine the scene of holding the award… of course, in the end, he didn’t win. He wasn’t too disappointed—he knew his skills weren’t yet at that level, and being nominated was already a recognition in itself.
The second time he was nominated, Shen Yuan felt his chances were much higher. He went with hope, but returned empty-handed again. The third time, the buzz before the award suggested he was the top contender, yet he still lost. Each time he had prepared his acceptance speech in advance, only to have it go unused—a little frustrating.
Over the past two years, Shen Yuan had come to terms with it. He wouldn’t change his style just to please an international award; he would let things be. Even without the award, his studio thrived. He had several well-received and commercially successful collections spanning high, medium, and low-end markets. Technically, he was a jewelry designer, but practically, he was already his own boss. Clients weren’t scarce; whenever he got new gems and created high-end designs, they sold out quickly—without public announcements.
Qiao Hailou had even given him the shares of Cuilan, saving him a decade of effort. Now Shen Yuan was both CEO and Chief Designer of Cuilan. Many people might feel content at this stage, but Shen Yuan still felt he could push further.
Finally, the day of the awards ceremony arrived. This was his fourth time attending, and he was familiar with the routine. His custom-made tuxedo was ready, and he could bring a guest—naturally, he brought Qiao Hailou.
The kids were on holiday and had come along from home, chattering and giving style advice.
Shen Qiaosheng (Little Peanut) was now half a head shorter than Shen Yuan, tall and strong, increasingly resembling Qiao Hailou in appearance. He looked sharp and clever, but at home, his gentle nature allowed his little sister to tease him constantly.
Shen Qiaosheng said, “Daddy, I think the blue tie looks better. Let’s wear that one.”
Without a word, Shen Yuan switched to the tie his son picked. Whether it matched or not didn’t matter—children’s choices were important.
Shen Qiaozheng (Little Rice Cake), though only two years younger than her brother, was smaller, probably due to being under the weather recently. Even before she could write, she would follow Shen Yuan to draw. Occasionally entering art competitions, she would bring home awards.
She comforted him: “Daddy, it doesn’t matter if you win or not. If you win, we’ll take you out to eat to celebrate. If you don’t win, we’ll still take you out to eat. Okay?”
Shen Yuan laughed: “Really? Then no matter what, I get a free meal!”
Time to leave arrived. The kids, like little tails, ran to the door. Qiao Hailou held Shen Yuan’s hand, waving: “Alright, go back. We’ll take care of your little daddies.”
The kids looked worried: “Daddy, we’ll wait for you at home.”
Shen Yuan’s heart melted. “Come here. Daddy will hold you.”
His daughter jumped into his arms, while the shy son hesitated. Shen Yuan gave him a glance; the boy then allowed himself to be embraced. Qiao Hailou hugged the three of them, the four of them forming a warm family cluster.
Shen Yuan felt a surge of courage and contentment, feeling complete.
At the ceremony, he recognized most of the Chinese designers attending; he greeted them personally, no need for a secretary. Not just compatriots—he could recall notable designers he had met, like a bird chirping joyfully among the trees.
Some criticized him for being overly commercial, networking widely, but these years had seen China’s jewelry scene thrive, with talented newcomers emerging. Shen Yuan had facilitated access to top foreign jewelry magazines, served as a competition judge, even organized a reality show promoting new designers, offering scholarships and admissions recommendations.
Looking around, he realized he had established a solid position despite still being young—unlike anyone domestically before him. Seeing the young entrants reminded him of his own early days.
Mr. Hill, a judging panel member, had aged slightly since they last met. Smiling, he asked, “…Feeling confident this time?”
Shen Yuan shook his head honestly: “Not confident.”
Hill teased: “You always say that.”
Shen Yuan replied lightly, with confidence in other matters: “But I’m confident that my next collection will sell well.”
Qiao Hailou watched as Shen Yuan conversed easily with others, like a butterfly flitting about, at ease and unbothered.
As they were seated, Chinese designers gathered around him voluntarily. Shen Yuan claimed he wasn’t nervous, but when the awards began, his palms were sweaty. Qiao Hailou whispered: “You said it didn’t matter if you didn’t win… still scared, huh?”
Shen Yuan glared slightly: “I’m not scared—it’s just normal physiology.”
He clasped Qiao Hailou’s hands tightly, drawing comfort. He could feel what Qiao meant: nothing to fear, he wasn’t alone.
Shen Yuan smiled, remembering: “Little Peanut and Little Rice Cake said they’d take us out to eat—but the money is technically ours. So we’re just paying ourselves, right?”
Qiao Hailou explained: “They saved their New Year money for this occasion. If you win, they even have other gifts ready for you.”
Shen Yuan was touched: “So obedient?”
Qiao Hailou patted his hand: “Alright, focus—the main event is here.”
Lights dimmed. One spotlight scanned the audience.
“The International Jewelry Designer of the Year is…”
The host opened the card, announcing in a strange tone:
“Yuan·Shen.”
The light settled on him alone. Shen Yuan froze for a few seconds, then waves of applause enveloped him. His mind blank—he turned and hugged Qiao Hailou.
Qiao Hailou returned the embrace, patting his back gently: “Everyone’s watching, no more fussing. Go accept your award.”
After lingering for several seconds, Shen Yuan reluctantly let go, straightened his tuxedo, and walked to the stage. He glanced back—Qiao Hailou’s reassuring gaze calmed him.
Taking the heavy trophy from the presenter, Shen Yuan quickly spotted Qiao Hailou in the crowd, smiling. He returned the smile.
Calm and composed now, he delivered his prepared speech:
“Thank you all. I am grateful to the judges, and to everyone here supporting me. The other nominees are incredibly talented, and winning this award is my honor. I most want to thank my husband, for his unwavering support, and my two children, my little angels and my inspiration.
I am very satisfied.
As a child, I had two wishes: to become a moderately successful jewelry designer, and to have a family to return to when life was tiring. Today, both dreams are fulfilled.”
Qiao Hailou shared in his pride, loving to see Shen Yuan shine.
Many might say Shen Yuan owes his success to others—but he had grown strong in the dark before meeting Qiao Hailou. The husband simply provided enough light for Shen Yuan to grow faster.
This was not an ending—it was a beginning.
Ambitiously, Shen Yuan looked into the cameras: “Next, I will launch new projects. Please look forward to them. Thank you.”
Qiao Hailou gazed into his eyes, wishing that light would never fade.