Chapter 31 Part 2

Since Li Gaoxuan had gone to such great lengths to drum up comeback buzz for her, Yun Chun had no intention of letting the opportunity slip away. She hadn’t walked a runway much in the past two years, but today she was turning dreams into reality. Stepping back onto the T-stage, she betrayed no hint of stage fright. This was her stage, after all—her birthright.

The flashing lights below were familiar stars, yet somehow strange.

The path stretching before her was a galaxy she could never forget, no matter how many years passed.

And the gown enveloping her body was the wellspring of her confidence.

That confidence stemmed from Lu Qingxue.

She remembered Lu Qingxue wielding scissors, boldly yet meticulously trimming the ruined sections of the skirt. Once that was done, to harmonize with the abrupt new hole, Lu Qingxue had reworked even the previously intact parts.

The theme of this fashion show was “Breakthrough.” The instant Yun Chun laid eyes on the finished alterations, she realized how perfectly they embodied it.

And in that moment, watching Lu Qingxue’s focused expression, a single thought welled up in her heart: she had made the right choice.

Lu Qingxue always delivered surprises and delights.

Not like that time at Shangding when she’d startled Li Gaoxuan out of sheer boredom, claiming she just wanted to mess with someone for fun—nothing like that would ever come from Lu Qingxue. What caught Yun Chun off guard was that Lu Qingxue had gone to such lengths for her sake.

Now, beholding the rag that had once been her dress transform in Lu Qingxue’s hands into something magical—more thematic than the original, sparkling with fresh highlights—Yun Chun brimmed with delight.

She felt an even stronger urge to uncover Lu Qingxue’s secrets. What was there that Lu Qingxue couldn’t do?

~~~

Yun Chun lit up the internet—and not just a spark, but an inferno.

To borrow a corny old saying: she might be out of the game, but her legend lived on in the whispers of the industry.

When Yun Chun reached the end of the T-stage, she lifted her hand and flung open the black robe, revealing the gown beneath. It was exquisite, utterly beyond reproach. The crowd below burst into applause, dazzled.

It wasn’t just the commanding aura she exuded as she cast off the robe, but the dress it had concealed.

A short, body-hugging white lace dress. Lace was practically the very definition of sensuality, so the cutaway at the waist and the completely exposed back felt seamless rather than jarring. Her curves were showcased to perfection, and the parts veiled by lace only heightened their allure. Yet there was something intriguing about the hem: already short, one side had been slit open entirely. White ribbons bound the upper portion tightly, the gaps between them widening as they descended—from snug to loose—until they culminated in a dainty bow at the end. Sensuality collided with innocence here, passion laced with bashfulness: a bold rupture of conventions and norms.

Yun Chun had impeccable camera instincts. She spotted a lens pointed straight at her, hooked the black robe with one fingertip, and lifted it to veil half her long leg. She held the pose for a beat before letting it fall. Then she turned and glided back the way she’d come, trailing the robe behind her.

In her wake, the robe had transcended mere covering to become a fashion statement unto itself. Later, viewers of the video clips online would comment that Yun Chun evoked an angel tumbled into the infernal realms—even after surviving the bloodiest of tempests, she returned to the human world with her pure heart unscathed.

~~~

Down in the audience, the moment Yun Chun shed the black robe, Li Gaoxuan shot to his feet in disbelief.

It was the same dress, but transformed beyond recognition.

He had previewed the pieces before they went to the models; he had personally selected this white mini for Yun Chun.

He had no idea what his operatives had done to sabotage her skirt, but whatever the damage, it should have rendered it unwearable on stage.

Yet not only had Yun Chun taken the stage, she had refashioned the skirt into something radiant.

How? Who had done the altering?

Regardless, Li Gaoxuan turned to the show manager seated beside him. “That dress Yun Chun’s wearing—it isn’t the one you prepared for her, is it? And you let her go out there like that? Modifying it that way… doesn’t your designer have a problem with it?”

The manager was still recovering from the impact of Yun Chun’s walk. He smiled at Li Gaoxuan’s questions. “President Li, Yun Chun’s agent cleared it with us in advance, and we approved the black robe. As for the designer… we’ll get to the bottom of who sabotaged his creation. But the modifications? He’s thrilled with them. No complaints there. Please don’t worry.”

Li Gaoxuan pressed, “Who is Yun Chun’s agent?”

The manager faltered for a second. How was he supposed to answer that? The woman who slapped you across the face?

Right before the show started, that lady had pulled him aside for a quick chat and laid out the situation. He’d immediately looped in the designer and the boss, then forwarded photos of Yun Chun’s altered dress. The designer had grumbled a bit, but he couldn’t deny it: the rework was superior to his original in every way, with not a single flawed stitch.

They had spotted the buzz around Yun Chun’s comeback and saw a chance to amplify the show’s own heat.

Which was why they had no objections to her agent’s idea of having her walk in the black robe.

“You’re Yun Chun’s boss, President Li. Surely you don’t need to ask me about her agent,” the manager replied with a smile, seizing the excuse to slip away.

Li Gaoxuan’s mood was utterly spoiled. With no appetite left to stay, he rose to head backstage.

He would confront Yun Chun—and get a look at this agent of hers.

How had his foolproof plan unraveled like this?

But just as he reached the backstage area, Yang Cheng blocked his path. “President Li, the person you mentioned earlier—she’s from the Mo Family.”

The Mo Family? No wonder.

Yang Cheng added, “Also, Madam called. She wants you to come home.”

“What is it?”

“…She said someone mailed her that old video of yours.”

~~~

Even if Li Gaoxuan had made it backstage, he wouldn’t have found Yun Chun or Qin Xing.

After stepping offstage, Yun Chun changed clothes and had a quick word with the organizers before leaving with Qin Xing.

Once in the car, Yun Chun turned to her. “I heard you slapped Li Gaoxuan, Sister Xing?”

She and Lu Qingxue had been in the changing room fixing the dress at the time, and they’d overheard people gossiping about it. But they’d been too focused on getting ready for the walk to ask questions then.

Qin Xing kept her eyes on the road ahead, replying flatly, “Mm-hm.”

“No way!” Yun Chun thrust her thumb up at her. “That satisfying?!”

“Pretty satisfying,” Qin Xing replied, thinking back to the feel of it.

“I want to give it a try myself sometime.” Yun Chun practically soared at the thought of landing one on Li Gaoxuan’s smug face. Still, she worried aloud, “But that guy’s got a real vindictive streak, Sister Xing. Watch your back—I wouldn’t put it past him to come after you.”

Qin Xing let out a soft chuckle. Rather than dwelling on her own safety, she asked Yun Chun, “So, what’s your plan going forward?”

“No plans needed on my end,” Yun Chun said with a laugh.

“Oh?”

“If you mean work, I already told you—I’m sticking with you. But if you’re asking how I’ll handle Li Gaoxuan…”

Yun Chun’s voice softened. “Before heading out today, I sent every video from that incident straight to our Big Boss, Mo Yue. Didn’t you say she’s in a feud with the Yi Family? She’s helped me out before, and she’s a friend of a friend. Handing her the footage seemed like the best way for her to put it to use.”

Of course, Yun Chun’s real aim was to have it crush Li Gaoxuan for good, so he’d finally leave her alone.

When Qin Xing heard that Yun Chun had given the videos to Mo Yue, her grip tightened on the steering wheel. After a brief pause, she said, “A friend of a friend? And which friend would that be…?”

Yun Chun answered, “Lu Qingxue. I only found out recently that she’s friends with Mo Yue.”

At that, a memory struck Yun Chun: Qin Xing had mentioned hearing Lu Qingxue’s name before, and her expression had soured then. Yun Chun hadn’t pressed it at the time. But now her curiosity about Lu Qingxue burned even brighter, so she ventured cautiously, “Hey, Sister Xing—where exactly did you hear Lu Qingxue’s name before?”

From Mo Yue.

Qin Xing had no desire to let on her connection to Mo Yue, so she pivoted. “You still haven’t told me when you learned to design clothes.”

Yun Chun clicked her tongue. “I just… fiddled around with it.”

She could hardly say: Actually, I’ve got this all-powerful Ghost King right by my side—she can do anything, knows everything, and she’s the one who pulled me out of the fire.

(Oh, and “Ghost King” was Yun Chun’s private nickname for Lu Qingxue. It just fit her vibe so perfectly.)

Qin Xing shot her a sidelong glance, her eyes brimming with skepticism. She could tell Yun Chun was holding something back. But then again, who didn’t have their secrets? It would be rude to push further.

Qin Xing hummed in acknowledgment. They had planned to grab a meal together, but then she received a phone call—someone urgently needed her. In the end, Qin Xing could only drive Yun Chun back home.

Watching Qin Xing’s car disappear into the distance, Yun Chun hurried inside.

The moment she stepped through the door, Yun Chun leaped forward, wrapping herself around Lu Qingxue like a koala. Lu Qingxue had been waiting right there by her side the whole time, never once leaving.

Yun Chun gazed up at her with starry eyes blinking brightly, adoration pouring out freely as she exclaimed, “Sister Qingxue, you’re incredible!”

During Qin Xing’s call with the magazine team, Yun Chun had overheard the designer lavishly praising the revised dress. And the instant she stepped off the runway, that same designer had anxiously clamored to inspect every detail. Yun Chun had even taken it off and handed it over to him…

She had always thought Lu Qingxue was amazing, but hearing such high praise from a professional designer confirmed it—Lu Qingxue was truly exceptional.

Lu Qingxue was caught off guard by the sudden embrace. When Yun Chun showered her with praise, she smiled and teased back, “This is what you call incredible?”

As she spoke, Lu Qingxue wrapped an arm around Yun Chun’s waist, steadying her to prevent her from slipping off.

Yun Chun didn’t even notice the new arm around her waist. She nodded vigorously. “Super incredible!”

Lu Qingxue narrowed her eyes playfully. “Then doesn’t Little Darling have a reward for me?”

Yun Chun agreed without hesitation. “Sure! What do you want? I’ll cook it for you.”

Lu Qingxue: “…”

How did she manage to shatter the mood with a single sentence?

Seeing Lu Qingxue fall silent, Yun Chun assumed she must want something expensive. She pressed on eagerly. “Sister Qingxue, what is it? I really will cook it for you, no matter how pricey.”

Lu Qingxue was at a loss for words. “Some things… can’t be cooked.”

Yun Chun blinked, not catching on right away. “Huh? What?”

“Silly.” Lu Qingxue couldn’t hold back a chuckle, her lips curving into a smile. “The thing I want doesn’t need cooking. You just have to say yes, and it’s mine.”

Yun Chun: “……?”

“I want you.”

Yun Chun’s heart skipped a beat.

Was this something you could just say out loud?

Luckily, her mind raced ahead, and she realized she’d jumped to conclusions. Right after those words came the rest of Lu Qingxue’s sentence.

Her tone earnest, Lu Qingxue gazed at Yun Chun with open affection as she laid out her request. “From now on, no matter what troubles come your way, the first person you think of—the first one you turn to for help…”

“…will be me.”