After Breaking Up With the Scheming Bad Woman 9

Chapter 9: Seeming to Have Been Coaxed into a Better Mood.

Because Wen Shiwei had returned to the country, Huai Xing and Chu Wantang’s itinerary in Yuncheng became much fuller. It was a rare day off, and with the good weather, not going out for a spring outing would have been a waste.

But happy times are fleeting. At five o’clock on Sunday afternoon, the two of them passed through airport security under the reluctant gazes of the Wen family.

Huai Xing still couldn’t sleep on the return flight. She listened to the songs in her earphones, feeling a little wistful.

In her memory, she had never met her father, nor did she know who he was. Huai Zhao had raised her all by herself, spending her own money and time. The two of them, mother and daughter, had an apartment in Yuncheng. After Huai Zhao’s accident, that apartment became hers.

But in the past few years, she had gone to study in Jingcheng, far away. Not wanting to constantly spend Chu Wantang’s money, she had asked Wen Ruyu to rent out her family’s apartment to a reliable female tenant.

It was better to have someone living there than to leave it empty; it would add a bit of life to the place.

As a result, she hadn’t been back to the Huai family home in several years.

Thinking about this, her mood inevitably sank. Even though the three members of the Wen family were also her family, it was ultimately different.

As for Chu Wantang…

She didn’t even know how long their sisterly relationship could last. If she wasn’t careful and failed to hide her feelings later on, would it all come to a permanent end?

The pain of her mother’s death had finally eased over the past six years, but now a new pain was tormenting her day and night. On the nights she slept with Chu Wantang because she was “afraid” of thunder, she worried that Chu Wantang would hear her sleep-talking.

Sometimes she would wonder, if she had refused the Wen family back then instead of Chu Wantang, would she not be trapped in this mire now?

Unable to struggle, only sinking deeper.

Her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all easily controlled by one person.

Her sadness was so obvious that Chu Wantang could clearly sense it without even having to observe her.

When they deplaned, Chu Wantang took her hand, her other hand still pulling the suitcase as usual. She looked straight ahead and instructed earnestly, “It’s crowded. Don’t get lost.”

“…” Huai Xing glanced sideways and finally spoke. “Jiejie, I’ll be 22 in a few months. Do you remember?”

She was a grown woman. How could she get lost so easily? Most importantly, first-class passengers had priority deplaning. Where was the crowd?

Chu Wantang turned her head to look back at her and chuckled softly. “Even if you’re 30, you’ll still be six years younger than me, Xiao Xing.”

A six-year age gap wasn’t actually that big, was it? But from the day she had fallen for Chu Wantang, that number had been pressing down on her head, impossible to overcome. Sun Wukong was trapped under the Five Finger Mountain for five hundred years, so what about her? Would this number still be etched into her soul, impossible to erase, even ten thousand years after her death?

The airport announcements switched between Chinese and English, and the sound of suitcase wheels rolling was incessant.

But Huai Xing couldn’t hear anything. Her heart was sinking continuously, yet she still managed a smile for Chu Wantang, her eyes curving. “Alright then. You’d better not lose me.”

Chu Wantang’s breath caught, her lashes fluttering slightly.

Huai Xing didn’t notice and even winked playfully. “But Director Chu should probably think about what to do with her work first, right? The big show is less than half a month away.”

Chu Wantang: “…”

She let go of her hand, ruffled the girl’s hair, and feigned anger. “Did you learn this from Su Cheng? Bringing up work during a break.”

Their hands were no longer held, but the smile on Huai Xing’s face was much more pronounced.

Seeming to have been coaxed into a better mood.

Realizing this, Chu Wantang’s smile stiffened for a fleeting moment. She then curled her fingers, trying to let the air dilute the soft sensation.

In the end, it was futile.

…

The weekend passed in a flash. When Huai Xing sat down at her desk again, she couldn’t smile anymore.

It wasn’t just Director Chu who needed to think about what to do with her upcoming work. She, a humble intern in the marketing department, was also facing a mountain of tasks and feeling a headache coming on.

Without a doubt, the “LANLING LIFE” show on Women’s Day was the company’s top priority. All departments on both floors were preparing for it. The marketing department had to follow up on all promotions, and the various data were dazzling. On top of that, the company was launching a new spring collection, adding to the workload.

Thanks, but no thanks. After two consecutive days of work, forget about getting a “whiff of the office drone vibe,” Huai Xing felt like she had been thoroughly marinated in it.

Wednesday morning, it was time for the regular team meeting again.

After analyzing the data on the PPT, Gu Rufeng looked at the drowsy faces below and said with a smile, “I received a notice from above today. After the big show, bonuses will be distributed based on each department’s performance. If our Team 2 can come out on top…” She tapped her head, looking troubled. “But it seems like everyone doesn’t really care about a bonus equivalent to two months’ salary, huh?”

As soon as she said this, everyone perked up as if they had been injected with chicken blood.

Huai Xing didn’t feel much. She wasn’t short on money. Her original intention for working here was to commute with Chu Wantang. She didn’t like waiting at home alone for Chu Wantang to return; it felt agonizing. But now, apart from leaving together in the morning, they were never together at other times. None of the hundreds of people in the company knew about their relationship.

However, occasionally hearing the words “Director Chu” from her colleagues would make her lips curl up secretly.

The strict Director Chu in your eyes is not like this in front of me.

She had the exclusive privilege of being family in Chu Wantang’s eyes, even if this “family” identity trapped her forever.

“Aish,” her work buddy beside her let out another frustrated groan about work. “Why am I not a rich second-generation heir? Why don’t I have money? Why haven’t I won a few hundred million in the lottery? Is it because I didn’t buy a ticket? If I weren’t short on money, would I still be working this crappy job?”

Huai Xing, who had money but was still working this crappy job, felt her temples throb. She looked at the numbers on the computer screen and asked while typing, “When you stop working, will you feel bored?”

“Miss Huai, I must correct your erroneous thinking. Is working really that interesting?”

Huai Xing’s brows shot up. She answered, “A little.”

Ren Jiao looked at her in disbelief and wailed, “Heavens, how can there be someone like you in this world…” As she wailed, her gaze shifted, and she tilted her chin in a certain direction, starting a new topic. “See that person?”

Huai Xing followed her gaze. “Director Lu’s assistant. She started around the same time as us.”

“No, not anymore.”

Ren Jiao leaned over and whispered, “She resigned. The specific reason is unknown. Maybe she couldn’t stand this crappy job? So much to do right after starting. I’m so envious that she can just resign.”

Huai Xing wasn’t very interested in these things. She chuckled. “Cheer up, Jiaojiao.”

Ren Jiao’s vision went dark.

The staff in the design department were also seeing black. Chu Wantang’s standards were strict. The clothes they had painstakingly made were tried on by the models, only to be rejected by her time and time again.

The problem was, they didn’t have much time left. The full rehearsal was in just a few days.

The scene in the design department was so tense that even the photographer documenting the process felt anxious. She held her camera and filmed the design department’s meeting.

In the shot, the Director Chu, whose beauty made her incredibly popular in the financial circle, had a flawless face. Her women’s suit jacket was casually draped over a chair, the cuffs of her blouse rolled up. She was once again emphasizing the concept of the show to the designers before her, and pointing out where the problems were.

Everyone nodded frequently and quickly left the small conference room with their drawings.

Chu Wantang sat down in her chair, tilted her head back, and closed her eyes, gently pressing her brow. She knew her subordinates were complaining endlessly, but in this aspect, she was a perfectionist.

If it weren’t for this, she wouldn’t have reached her current position.

As she pressed, she looked towards the camera and revealed a smile. “I know where the problem is now.”

“Meeting.”

In the afternoon, all departments received a notice: employees who were at least 168 cm tall were to go to the design department for a “model” interview.

The notice caused a stir. “Lan Ling” had held a show for its tenth anniversary, and they had used professional models for that. No one could figure out what the higher-ups were thinking. The employees who met the height requirement did as they were told, first signing up, then going to the design department in order.

Of the several hundred female employees at the headquarters, about fifty were over 168 cm tall. They stood together, backs straight, wearing their ID badges. Their appearances, ages, and body types were all different.

In the end, the two team leads first selected ten employees who met the requirements in various aspects to stay.

“As a tribute to the craftsmanship of our employees, the company has added a segment where CEO Mei will walk the runway with employees.” Chu Wantang stood at the front, holding a pen, her expression gentle. “The ones who know the brand best are undoubtedly ourselves. Every employee is also a brand ambassador for ‘Lan Ling.’ So, I would like to invite everyone to be the ‘chief experience officers’ for this show, to demonstrate the diverse adaptability of ‘Lan Ling’ in our daily work and life.”

At this point, Chu Wantang’s gaze lingered on Huai Xing’s face for a moment before she nonchalantly looked away.

Huai Xing was one centimeter taller than the standard, and her external conditions were outstanding. It wasn’t strange for her to be here.

An employee raised her hand and said, “But, Director Chu, none of us have any runway experience…”

“It’s okay.” Chu Wantang smiled faintly. “We will hire a teacher to give emergency guidance on basic positioning and walking. For this segment, we don’t need the most professional models, but women who can show a confident state. Even if it’s their first time on stage, we are women. What can’t we handle? I hope everyone has a little more confidence and courage in themselves, and believes that we can do it.”

Someone started clapping to cheer everyone on. Huai Xing looked at Chu Wantang, feeling as if she could hear her own heartbeat in the applause. She had seen Chu Wantang handle work in private, but this was the first time she had seen her like this.

After the small meeting, it was time to take the models’ measurements. There were many measurements needed for a clothing model. Height, weight, and the three-circumference measurements were the most basic. In addition, they also needed to measure shoulder width, head circumference, neck circumference, wrist circumference, and ankle circumference. The people in the design department were very good at taking these measurements. Moreover, the design department often had models for fittings, so they had a separate fitting room with many cubicles.

Huai Xing had delicate and three-dimensional features, and a clean and clear temperament. Even in a simple hoodie and jeans, her superior body proportions were evident.

Several designers wanted to take her measurements, but before they could extend an invitation, their own director picked up a measuring tape and a form, took a long stride forward, and raised an eyebrow at the young woman—

“Huai Xing from Marketing Team 2, right? Come with me.”