After Breaking Up With the Scheming Bad Woman 18

Chapter 18: Who Misses Me So Much?

The “LANLING LIFE” show arrived as scheduled on March 8th, Women’s Day.

From ten in the morning, the venue was even busier than the previous week. The official show was in the afternoon, and all departments had to do their final checks to ensure there were no mistakes. Most of the staff here had shed their smiles, focusing on their own tasks.

The second hand on the watch ticked by, one grid at a time, quietly passing.

At one in the afternoon, the audience began to arrive.

To increase interactivity and a sense of participation, an area outside the venue was specially designated as a photo wall. The several female celebrities, in order to boost the hype, all joined in, causing a burst of enthusiastic screams from the crowd.

Only after scanning the QR code to receive the electronic program did everyone enter the venue in an orderly fashion.

A band was invited to play soothing music on stage, and the background screen played a short film about the “Lan Ling” brand’s 15-year history. People took selfies, chatted, socialized, and shared. The photographers constantly clicked their shutters, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

The front of the house was orderly, but the backstage was a different scene.

The tense atmosphere was like a dense, impenetrable net, tightly surrounding everyone. The staff wore wireless headsets, their speaking speed as fast as their footsteps. Everyone was racing against time, giving their all for the upcoming show.

Even Chu Wantang couldn’t escape this sense of urgency. Five years ago, when “Lan Ling” held its tenth-anniversary show, she was just a member of the design department. Now, she was the director of the design department. Even with her relevant experience, she still had her brows furrowed, checking the details of the clothing over and over again.

She was a perfectionist. Today’s show could not have any mistakes.

The countdown reached two o’clock.

The entire venue fell silent in an instant. The sound of high heels tapping on the ground gradually amplified, each tap of the heel like a sharp drumbeat.

A few seconds later, Chu Wantang appeared from backstage, holding a microphone. She gave the opening speech on behalf of “Lan Ling,” and in conjunction with the PPT on the large screen, she presented the theme of the show: “Today is Women’s Day. I wish all the women here a happy holiday. The character ‘Fu’ (妇 – woman) refers to a woman who can topple mountains…”

She was wearing a classic “Lan Ling” outfit, her expression relaxed, her smile gentle, calm, and composed. But when she spoke, her tone was sonorous and powerful, landing heavily in everyone’s ears.

Everyone present couldn’t help but fix their gaze on her.

It was just the beginning. There was still some time before Huai Xing and the others were to appear. They were still in the lounge.

They couldn’t use their phones at this time, but the company, considering that they wanted to see what was happening out front, had specially brought a computer and placed it on the dressing table for them to watch the livestream. A dozen or so heads were huddled together.

Although she had a certain understanding of Chu Wantang’s work ability, seeing this side of Chu Wantang again, Huai Xing’s heart couldn’t help but feel warm.

She stared at the person on the screen without blinking, her lashes forgetting to tremble, unable to be distracted.

The opening speech was not too long, controlled within eight minutes.

“Then, please join me in entering ‘LANLING LIFE’.” After Chu Wantang finished speaking, she bowed gracefully amidst applause.

She came down from the stage and sat down in her front-row seat, next to Su Cheng.

The runway show was divided into three segments, and the timing had to be very precise. The cooperation of all departments was particularly important.

Chu Wantang also received a lot of attention while sitting in the audience. She seemed completely unaware, her focus solely on the performance on stage. She would occasionally turn her head to talk to Su Cheng, a warm smile on her face.

Unsurprisingly, the climax of the show was when Wan Yi appeared. The number of viewers in the company’s livestream rooms on various platforms surged at that moment.

Huai Xing and the others had no time to pay attention to the livestream. The waiting area had an LED prompt system with a countdown accurate to the second.

Even though she had a lot of stage experience and the rehearsals over the past few days hadn’t made her nervous, at this moment, perhaps because being in the same company as Chu Wantang gave it a different meaning, she actually felt a little nervous.

“Everyone, get ready! Be confident! Believe in yourselves!” someone cheered.

Huai Xing’s lips curled up.

Their group was not large, only eleven people including CEO Mei. But the pace of this show was relatively slow, with more emphasis on displaying details, so the models also adjusted accordingly, their steps slower, which made their movements richer and the time correspondingly longer.

Everyone had one minute to showcase.

The spotlight was on the T-stage, the light scorching, but the gazes of the audience were even hotter.

Huai Xing did not slack off in the slightest. She was the last to appear. Her appearance was outstanding, and coupled with her confident and flamboyant aura, she showcased the texture of the “Lan Ling” clothing to the fullest.

In the audience.

Su Cheng was wearing “Lan Ling” clothes. She looked at Huai Xing on the stage, turned her head, and “tsked” at her friend, saying in a low voice, “You invited me to see the show, probably to see Xingxing, right?” She poked Chu Wantang’s arm. “I know you too well, Chu Wantang. You’re the type of parent who is proud to see their child on stage.”

“Child’s second aunt,” Chu Wantang said, her eyes fixed on the person on stage, not turning her head, her voice soft and gentle. “Can you please watch the show seriously first?”

Su Cheng: “…”

She immediately said, “We’re only six years older than her. A mere six years. Yiyi has dated plenty of little sisters six years younger.” She rolled her eyes. “Did you let them meet?”

“Mm.”

“They’ve been rehearsing recently. It’s hard not to meet, right?”

“Forget it. What am I worrying about?” Su Cheng continued to look at the stage and said slowly, “Your little sister has also severed her emotional ties and is cultivating the path of heartlessness with you.”

“You should read fewer novels.”

“I won’t.”

While they were chatting in the audience, the closing ceremony was already underway on stage.

The lights focused on one spot. At this time, it was CEO Mei, the boss, who came up. She stood on stage, holding a microphone, talking about the development of “Lan Ling,” thanking every customer who liked “Lan Ling.” She focused on the present, looked to the future, and finally made a promise: for every piece of “Lan Ling” clothing sold in the future, the company would sponsor one hour of vocational skills training for disadvantaged women. For every thousand pieces sold, they would donate…

“The ‘LANLING LIFE’ show has generated 67 orders so far…”

…

With a combination of punches, “Lan Ling’s” show today was pushed onto the hot search.

Director Chu’s beauty shone, Wan Yi was still the queen of the runway, and the public welfare plan focusing on women was deeply rooted in people’s hearts…

And the company’s employees breathed a sigh of relief. They had been busy for several months for this show, and now it was finally over. The company would not have such arrangements again in the short term. And the most gratifying thing was that the bonuses would be settled soon, and they would have two days off tomorrow and the day after.

Thinking of this, everyone felt more energetic during the cleanup and inventory check.

After returning the clothes to the boxes, Huai Xing unlocked her phone and finally had time to check her messages.

Tu Zhaoyu and the others had opened the livestream for her and even sent screenshots, saying with great exaggeration: [Wow! A professional urban beauty!]

Wen Shiwei was also watching the livestream, but she didn’t take screenshots. She said: [Our Xingxing is no less than a professional model.]

Wen Ruyu also sent a message: [Auntie was just worrying about what to buy for the female employees of the company.]

There were also some less familiar friends who sent screenshots asking if it was her, and she replied to them one by one.

But the pinned chat box was empty.

Huai Xing’s thumb stroked the screen. The next second, He He bumped her shoulder. “Huai Xing, let’s go! Time to go home! We have the next two days off! I want to eat hot pot, ahhh!”

“Okay.”

Huai Xing smiled. “I’ll send a message to my sister to let her know.”

Yesterday, when Chu Wantang had called her into the car, she had asked her why she hadn’t sent a message, if she didn’t miss her.

Her tone was even a little aggrieved.

Huai Xing had immediately said, “I miss you very much.”

“But you were busy, Jiejie. I thought my message would disturb you.”

“We are the closest people in the world,” Chu Wantang had said, a hint of confusion in her eyes. “How could it be a disturbance?”

She had been too careful.

Huai Xing’s thoughts returned. She sent a message to Chu Wantang: [Jiejie, I’m going home now.]

[Where are you?]

Chu Wantang’s reply didn’t arrive so quickly. Huai Xing and He He walked out.

After a while, Huai Xing’s phone vibrated.

Outside the venue, the brilliant evening clouds spread across the sky like an overturned palette.

Huai Xing answered the phone, looked at the sunset, and her lips moved slightly. “Jiejie.”

“I have to attend a celebration dinner tonight,” Chu Wantang’s voice came through. “I’ve already told Auntie Chen about dinner. Go home and be a good girl, eat and take a shower.”

Huai Xing: “Okay.”

“If I drink, you come pick me up. I don’t trust designated drivers.”

“Okay.”

“Is ‘okay’ the only word you know? Don’t you have anything else to say to me?”

“Okay…” Huai Xing’s eyelashes trembled. “I miss you.”

There was a silence of several seconds on the other end before a pleasant chuckle sounded. “Who misses me so much?”

“I miss you so much, Jiejie.”

“See you tonight.”

The call ended, but the tense emotions from having expressed her feelings on such an occasion did not relax.

The color of the sunset was reflected in Huai Xing’s pupils, her heart beating like a drum.

She turned her head and saw He He, whose pupils were shaking.

He He raised her hand. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.” She couldn’t help but add, “But Huai Xing, do you and your sister always talk like this…?”

She had never seen the world.

“My sister and I are close,” Huai Xing nodded, glossing over it.

“Okay.”

After parting with He He, Huai Xing got into a taxi.

It was the evening rush hour, and the traffic was congested. A new message notification popped up on her phone screen.

Jiejie: [I miss you so much too.]

[See you tonight, Xiao Xing.]