Chapter 186 Are Our Perfumers Now at This Level?
Everything took about half an hour, and people started turning in their papers one by one. The crowd lessened, but Evelyn was still writing.
The components were easy to identify and write. What was interesting about these two perfumes was how similar they smelled; not just in color but in their top and middle notes.
The pros and cons were also pretty similar, which was worth thinking about.
While some finished quickly, a few hesitant ones eventually completed their answers. In the end, only a few were left.
"Ten minutes left. If you don't hand in your paper, you'll be disqualified," the examiner announced, checking the time.
With that, the hesitant ones finally started writing. Evelyn smelled the lingering fragrance again, smiling and quickly finishing up.
After handing in her paper, she realized that those who finished earlier hadn't left but were gathered in a large room, waiting for the results.
Since the final round was over, everyone was pretty relaxed. Having spent the past few days together, they were somewhat familiar with each other and started chatting.
"Mr. Thompson's perfume is amazing. His skill is unmatched. I bet this perfume will be this year's international bestseller!"
Several others agreed, but someone objected, "Come on! Do you really think he made that because his name's on the bottle? It's not true at all. It's just to see how you praise-loving people react!"
"Can't you smell the flaw in that perfume? You're a perfumer; go home and take care of your kid!"
The woman being mocked turned red and shot back, "Of course I can smell it! Mr. Thompson's perfume uses different floral scents as the base, and the essential oils are specially formulated. If you don't get it, don't mock others! And especially, don't mock women. Weren't you raised by one?"
The conversation quickly turned into personal insults, and it looked like an argument was surging.
The room was basically split into two groups: one believed Matthew was exceptional, while the other thought it wasn't his work at all. They suspected the organizers did this to create misunderstandings and lead to incorrect judgments.
As the arguments heated up, it seemed like a fight was imminent. Evelyn stayed out of it, quietly observing from a corner.
"Not buying into their arguments?" Dylan suddenly asked, standing next to her. She turned to see him looking right at her.
He was quite handsome.
She hadn't really noticed the other contestants before, so she didn't have much of an impression of Dylan. But since he was still here, he was obviously a contestant too.
"I didn't say anything," she replied, not fully siding with either group.
He seemed more interested in her than the heated debate nearby. "But I can tell you don't agree with either side."
"How come?" she asked.
He introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Dylan Anderson."
He extended his hand with a friendly smile.
Standing straight, Evelyn didn't seem interested in shaking hands. "It's almost over."
The organizers came out and instructed everyone to return to the venue. The noise died down, giving her ears a break.
Back in her seat, she noticed Dylan was seated behind her. No wonder she hadn't remembered him earlier.
Seeing her glance his way, he waved cheerfully. However, Evelyn looked away and focused ahead.
Evelyn thought, 'I don't know you, so why the enthusiasm?'
"All the answer have been reviewed. For various reasons, we have decided to announce the final results now. But before that, Mr. Thompson has something to say," the examiner announced, stepping aside. "Please welcome Mr. Thompson."
Applause filled the room as Matthew, always looking serious, walked in.
He wore a crisply-ironed suit and walked with purpose. After surveying the room, he sat down.
Evelyn felt that when he looked her way, his gaze seemed to linger.
She thought, 'It can't be because of Lisa, right? Mr. Thompson is too proud for networking.'
"I'm glad to see all of you here. Those who made it are the best of the past two years," Mr. Thompson began. Before anyone could react positively, his expression changed. "But I'm also disappointed. Is this the level of our perfumers now?"
His statement left everyone bewildered.
Before they could even start laughing, their smiles froze. The awkwardness was palpable.
Evelyn found it amusing, pursing her lips without a word.
"Mr. Thompson, why would you say that? You can criticize us if we made a mistake or have our faults. However, is there not a single person here who meets your expectations?" one competitor asked, clearly dissatisfied.
"Mr. Thompson, the test was obviously meant to confuse us, right? Neither of those two bottles was your work, correct?" another chimed in, trying to confirm their suspicions.
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