The Xiang Qingwei who appeared at the brand's cocktail party the next day switched back to her usual rational self.
A faint smile, deepening and lightening at turns, hovered on her lips, causing the dimple on her left cheek to appear and disappear in sync with the changing curve of her mouth. When speaking to anyone, her bright eyes were fixed attentively on the speaker, nodding from time to time.
When it came time for her to share her opinion, her voice was always clear, soft, and unhurried, never straining the listener's ears nor missing any key points.
Her voice was pleasant, making others eager to listen to her. She looked straight into people's eyes when she spoke, carrying a gentle smile that made others feel guilty for even attempting to look away.
"If Miss Xiang were to become a celebrity, I would be very happy to invite her to be our brand ambassador," a middle-aged man in a suit standing before Xiang Qingwei said with a smile, his eyes sparkling with interest.
Compared to the twenty-something girls who knew nothing but cosmetics and bags, he much preferred Xiang Qingwei, who looked reserved yet gentle, but also possessed a sharp edge beneath her veneer of subtlety.
"Mr. Zhou, you're too kind." Xiang Qingwei didn't seem the least bit embarrassed or flustered, instead returning the man's smile confidently. "I may look decent enough, but I'm afraid I'd expose my flaws on camera.
Unlike Miss Yun'er, a professional actress who has graced the silver screen, and someone whose youthful, refreshing, and natural disposition aligns well with the image of your esteemed brand."
"Miss Yun'er's image indeed aligns well with our brand, but I haven't seen any new projects from her recently, have you?" A flash of shrewdness crossed the man's eyes as he smiled.
Of course Xiang Qingwei knew she wouldn't convince him with mere words; ultimately, this was a business negotiation that needed to be grounded in reality.
Tonight, she wasn't the only one eyeing this opportunity.
The smile on Xiang Qingwei's face grew deeper, accentuating the dimple on her left cheek. "Miss Yun'er has become more selective after her unfortunate incident, and the scripts that have come knocking have already piled up into a small mountain in my office.
However, I still prefer for Miss Yun'er to focus on films rather than television series, as she is a Golden Lion Award-winning actress since the age of sixteen. Director Zhang Zhizhang's new film project is currently in preparation, and we are in the midst of negotiations..."
"Hey! Xiang Qingwei, over here!" Mr. Zhou, who was listening to her, suddenly waved at someone behind her.
Xiang Qingwei stopped talking, slightly perturbed; the name sounded vaguely familiar. She turned around and froze.
A man in a suit was walking toward them.
Mr. Zhou lightly tapped Xiang Qingwei's arm, smiling. "My apologies, Miss Xiang, I have to run."
Xiang Qingwei's eyes flashed, and a delighted expression appeared on her face as she looked at the man in the suit. "Mr. Fang, what a coincidence?"
The man in the black suit was none other than Fang Xingzhi, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
This was the third time they had run into each other by chance.
Xiang Qingwei's "Mr. Fang" successfully stopped Mr. Zhou from leaving.
Fang Xingzhi also startled when he saw Xiang Qingwei, but his gaze remained steady as he glanced at the two women standing together before greeting her, "Miss Xiang, long time no see."
In contrast to Xiang Qingwei's warm and familiar demeanor, Fang Xingzhi's face carried a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes, making his attitude cold and distant.
Mr. Zhou looked at the two of them in surprise, then turned to Fang Xingzhi. "Do you two know each other?"
Xiang Qingwei didn't interrupt, instead smiling as she gazed at Fang Xingzhi, her expression completely trusting and close.
Fang Xingzhi's gaze swept past her. "Our families know each other."
Mr. Zhou once again gave Xiang Qingwei a surprised look. Fang Xingzhi had a significant background, so if her elders were acquainted with his, then she must have an impressive one as well.
"That's a wonderful coincidence," Mr. Zhou laughed.
Xiang Qingwei continued to smile at Fang Xingzhi. "Yes, it is. I never got to thank you for paying for my meal at that restaurant in S City last time."
She wasn't sure if Fang Xingzhi had indeed been the one to pay for her meal that day, but given the situation now, even if he hadn't, he surely wouldn't deny it.
As expected, Fang Xingzhi only gave her a glance before saying, "No worries, it's nothing."
The smile on Xiang Qingwei's lips grew sweeter.
Mr. Zhou began to reevaluate Xiang Qingwei.
Though Fang Xingzhi was a charismatic individual, his charm was largely reserved for business. In his personal life, it wasn't easy to make his acquaintance, let alone enter his inner circle.
And this was precisely Xiang Qingwei's goal.
The way Mr. Zhou had unhesitatingly abandoned her to greet Fang Xingzhi proved that Fang Xingzhi was an important person to him, whether as a friend or otherwise. Establishing a closer relationship with Fang Xingzhi would doubtless bring her benefits.
Still, she was curious as to what exactly Fang Xingzhi did.
After chatting for a while, other people soon came to greet Mr. Zhou and Fang Xingzhi.
It wouldn't do for Xiang Qingwei to continue standing there holding her wineglass, so she quietly excused herself with the glass in hand.
The reception hall was noisy, so she went out to the balcony to enjoy the breeze. She'd only managed three minutes of peace when unpleasant sounds invaded her ears.
"Agent Xiang is truly a master of social graces, a real prodigy when it comes to networking."
Xiang Qingwei turned around, wineglass still in hand, and gazed at Jiang Rong, who wore a beautiful red dress tonight. If it had been anyone else, Xiang Qingwei would have feigned politeness despite her annoyance, but she never bothered with pretenses when it came to Jiang Rong.
"Jiang Rong, when will you learn to stop speaking in such an insincere and spiteful manner? Perhaps you've watched too many palace dramas?"
Taken aback by Xiang Qingwei's comeback, Jiang Rong dropped her act and sneered coldly. "If you're so capable, then compete with us head-on instead of resorting to these underhanded methods—what kind of skill is this?"
Xiang Qingwei tilted her head, holding a wineglass. "What do you mean by 'underhanded methods'? Talking to Mr. Zhou? Haven't you been trying to find an opportunity to speak to him as well? Is it because I managed to speak to him, while you couldn't, that my methods are now 'underhanded'?"
She had simply wanted some quiet time on the balcony to organize her thoughts, but Jiang Rong insisted on barging in.
Xiang Qingwei truly didn't understand where Jiang Rong's confidence came from, seeing as she never won a fight against her. Who gave her the guts to keep coming at her, again and again?
If not for the obvious admiration Jiang Rong directed toward Fu Yanbo, Xiang Qingwei would have suspected Jiang Rong had a crush on her and was merely trying to garner her attention.
Even if it was for Fu Yanbo...
It had been two years since she broke up with him, yet this woman still tirelessly dedicated herself to the pursuit of making Xiang Qingwei's life difficult. There was truly an inexplicable stubbornness in Jiang Rong's actions.
Jiang Rong was here tonight because she was fighting for her second-tier female client to win the endorsement deal.
Xiang Qingwei knew even if she didn't get the deal, Jiang Rong certainly wouldn't either.
Brands like these often targeted youthful, fresh, and energetic celebrities like Yun'er.
Jiang Rong's female celebrity had spent years in the industry before she finally made it to second-tier status with a supporting role in a popular drama last year. Her actual age was already thirty, and her age had been faked to appear younger.
In addition, she had recently been caught with swollen cheeks from plastic surgery, which meant she was nowhere near ready to make her debut on the big screen. Besides, even if she wanted to become the face of this brand, her current status was still too low, leaving her with only the option of negotiating a lower price.
Unfortunately, Jiang Rong lacked self-awareness and spent the entire night circling around Mr. Zhou with a wineglass in hand, attempting to strike up a conversation but failing to follow through.
Seeing Xiang Qingwei and Mr. Zhou chatting happily, Jiang Rong felt resentment toward her colleague, who had less experience than her but always seemed to surpass her in every aspect. Even though they had broken up, Mr. Fu still showed obvious favoritism toward Xiang Qingwei, which naturally filled Jiang Rong with envy.
At this moment, Xiang Qingwei's words made Jiang Rong's face turn red, her eyes slightly swollen. Seeing Xiang Qingwei hold her wineglass with a faint smile, old grievances surfaced within Jiang Rong's mind, and she felt her head boiling with anger. Without another word, she tossed the red wine in her glass onto Xiang Qingwei's face!
Xiang Qingwei never expected Jiang Rong to act so impulsively. She didn't have time to prepare, and even though she tried to dodge the splash, the red wine still drenched her head and face, staining her snow-white dress in the process.
After drenching Xiang Qingwei, Jiang Rong also seemed startled. She forced out a, "serves you right!" before hastily leaving with her empty wineglass.
The red wine stung Xiang Qingwei's eyes so much she couldn't open them. She tried several times, but every attempt only made her eyes water more as the burning sensation intensified. Just then, she heard footsteps coming toward her, and she quickly turned in the direction of the sound to cry for help, "Hello, could I trouble you for a paper towel? My eyes are closed."
The footsteps paused slightly before approaching her.
A soft piece of cloth appeared in Xiang Qingwei's hands.
It was a handkerchief.
"It's clean," a deep and magnetic voice said.
"Mr. Fang?" Xiang Qingwei was shocked.
"Do you need assistance?" Fang Xingzhi asked.
"No need." As Xiang Qingwei spoke, she wiped her eyes with the handkerchief. After a few attempts, she lifted her head helplessly once more. "Could you help me wet this handkerchief?"
"Okay, wait here, please." Fang Xingzhi took the handkerchief from her and walked inside, instructing a waiter to bring a bottle of mineral water.
When he returned, Xiang Qingwei stood quietly in a corner of the balcony with her eyes still closed. Her delicate, fair face was covered in red wine, her bangs were soaked and stuck to the sides of her forehead, and even her neck and arms bore traces of the crimson liquid. The white dress she wore was stained, making it seem like she was in quite a sorry state.
Yet, she carried herself with poise, unbothered even with her eyes closed, unperturbed despite the mess.
Fang Xingzhi found this scene strangely beautiful.
His footsteps paused slightly before he walked over to her and placed the damp handkerchief in her hand.
"Thank you." She gave him a grateful smile, her eyes still closed, before lowering her head to try and wash her eyes.
Fang Xingzhi suddenly wondered what it would take to see this woman lose her composure.
Xiang Qingwei slowly opened her eyes, wincing slightly at the faint stinging sensation. She glanced down at her dress, saw the large stain, and frowned.
"Fang Xingzhi," Xiang Qingwei responded, her voice barely audible.
"Oh, thank you." Xiang Qingwei quickly returned the handkerchief.
"Raise your face."
"Huh?" Xiang Qingwei lifted her face, confused.
In the following second, the damp handkerchief landed on her face. Fang Xingzhi gently wiped her cheeks with the cloth.
Xiang Qingwei blinked, staring at Fang Xingzhi in confusion, unable to see his expression clearly against the light.
Fang Xingzhi carefully cleaned the red wine stains from her face, then lowered his gaze past her fine neck, where his gaze lingered briefly before he finally handed the handkerchief back to her. "There's some more on your neck."
"Oh, thank you." Xiang Qingwei accepted the handkerchief again, turning it over to wipe her neck.
"Is that all?" She lifted her chin higher, allowing Fang Xingzhi to see.
Her fine neck stretched into an elegant line.
"A little more on the right side."
"Clean now?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Thank you so much." Xiang Qingwei clenched the handkerchief in her hand, then guiltily said, "I've dirtied your handkerchief; I'll buy a new one to return to you next time."
"How do you plan on leaving?" Fang Xingzhi's gaze swept over her chest, not lingering long enough to make her feel uncomfortable.
Xiang Qingwei glanced down at her white dress, which looked like it belonged to a murder victim, and then saw Fang Xingzhi remove his suit jacket and hold it out to her. "Put this on."
In that moment, Xiang Qingwei decided that Fang Xingzhi definitely had no interest in her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have handed her the jacket but rather draped it over her shoulders. Still, she didn't make a fuss, thanked him, and put it on, fully aware that the fitted men's suit jacket draped over her like a large coat.
"Are you leaving?" Fang Xingzhi asked.
Xiang Qingwei smiled helplessly. "I can't stay here anymore with the way I look. Don't mind me—I'll just call my assistant over to pick me up." After a pause, she added, "Send me the address of your company. Once I've washed the dress, I'll mail your jacket back to you."
She couldn't have sounded more courteous, more intent on avoiding any further interaction with him.
Fang Xingzhi suddenly felt quite down.
————————————————————————
The entire book has been translated, with a total of 414K words and more than 1,200 pages.
If you want to finish reading this novel in advance, you can click the link below to buy the e-book of this novel. The original price is $4.99, and now it only costs $1.99.
There are two versions, pdf and docx, which can be easily read on mobile phones, computers and Kindle.
You can also choose to wait for updates on this blog. This novel is expected to be fully updated in November 2024.
No comments:
Post a Comment