Chapter 106: Fashion Designer

Afterward, the design department of Like received two orders: first, to produce the jewelry from the sketches within three days; second, to trace the location of the email address.

—

On her side, Yun Fu took Joanne out strolling from street to street, stopping and starting along the way, and taking home anything she liked.

Anyway, the performance fee had already been paid; there was no shortage of money.

At last, the two of them stopped in front of a qipao shop.

It was a store tucked away in a residential district, serene amid the bustle, housed in a mansion from the Republican era. On the first floor hung a number of qipaos.

All around were houses of the same sort, though none of them were used for business.

“This is the old part of town. Houses here are priceless, though not many people still live here anymore. Mostly it’s elderly residents, and their status and standing are all fairly high.”

Seeing that Yun Fu was quite interested, Joanne explained it to her.

No sooner had she finished than a graceful beauty in a qipao stepped out from the shop.

In terms of looks, she could only be considered above average, but once she wore the qipao, with her elegant figure and striking poise, she somehow gave off the impression of a peerless beauty.

When the beauty saw the two of them, she was all warmth and enthusiasm. “Here to buy clothes? Come in and have a look.”

Yun Fu stepped inside, and the beauty stood beside her, the two of them forming a scene of striking loveliness.

“Even though you’re wearing a hat, your bone structure tells me you must be an absolute stunner.”

Yun Fu could not help laughing. “So the proprietress can read faces too.”

“How do you know I’m the proprietress?”

“Face reading.”

“...”

When the beauty smiled, she seemed even more like someone who had wandered through time.

Yun Fu removed her mask and hat, then said with a bright smile, “I have a launch event tomorrow. Could you pick out an outfit for me?”

Joanne was startled, her eyes widening all at once.

A launch event? Tomorrow’s launch event? You said everything was ready—yet you haven’t even bought clothes?

But she said nothing.

The beautiful proprietress was momentarily stunned by Yun Fu’s appearance, but quickly recovered, smiling with charming ease.

“It would be my honor.” She led Yun Fu deeper inside. “Let me tell you, I don’t sell my qipaos to just anyone. Only beauties I approve of qualify.”

She looked Yun Fu over and nodded in satisfaction. “You’re perfect. At a glance, I can tell you haven’t had any work done, and your figure is incredible. Paired with one of my qipaos, it’ll be flawless.”

She fetched a black embroidered qipao for Yun Fu. The flowers were a deep, dusky red, spreading from one side of the chest down toward the slit—mysterious and sensual. The frog buttons were threaded with pearls, making the garment look like an oil painting from the Middle Ages.

“This is the piece I’m most satisfied with, but black doesn’t suit me. I’ve never found the right person for it. The moment I saw you, I knew it was meant for you.”

She went on chattering about it for quite a while.

Looking at the cool, distant beauty before her, Yun Fu had not expected her to be such an easygoing chatterbox. Truly, one could not judge by appearances.

She pressed the dress into Yun Fu’s hands. “Go on, try it. If anything doesn’t fit, I’ll alter it for you.”

Unable to resist her enthusiasm—and indeed needing it—Yun Fu took the dress and went to change.

Two minutes later, she came out.

“Wow!”

“Beautiful!”

Before Joanne could even step forward, the proprietress rushed over, stars seeming to glitter in her eyes. “Oh my goodness, you’re gorgeous, absolutely perfect. Let me see if there’s anywhere that needs adjusting.”

Yun Fu now stood before her, her thick black hair falling straight down. Across the fullness of her chest bloomed a red flower, still quietly opening.

At the slit, a pair of long, straight, pale legs appeared and disappeared with each step. As she moved, the flower seemed to sway as well, breathtakingly beautiful.

Before Yun Fu had taken even two steps, she was swept into a bear hug. “Oh my goodness, your figure is amazing, and your waist is so tiny. I already made it very fitted, and yet your waist is even slimmer than the qipao itself. Sob sob sob, compared to you, I’m just a barrel...”

As she spoke, she kept rubbing and patting Yun Fu with obvious delight.

All the while, she explained, “Don’t misunderstand, all right? I’m married. My husband is very handsome, but he’s all hard and rigid—how could he compare to your lovely softness?”

Yun Fu: “...”

How had she ever thought this woman was aloof? She must have been blind.

“Take it off. I’ll alter it for you.”

“Mm.”

“Oh, right. You just said launch event, so you’re a celebrity then? Why haven’t I seen you before? You’re this beautiful—you should have been famous ages ago.”

“...I’m in the lowest tier.”

The proprietress pouted and, while adjusting the qipao, said, “That doesn’t make sense. With your looks, you should be hugely popular. Those surgically altered monsters can become famous, too—sigh, this vicious entertainment world.”

“...”

“Oh, by the way, what’s your name? Maybe I can be your fan from now on.”

“Yun Fu.”

“Yun Fu? That’s a lovely name. I’m Cheng Anzhi. You can come by anytime, and I won’t charge you.”

“...”

She suddenly became curious how this shop had managed to stay open.

After that, Cheng Anzhi kept talking and asking questions nonstop, while Yun Fu answered only occasionally.

In the end, the two even added each other on WeChat before Yun Fu left.

Once in the car, Joanne wiped the sweat from her forehead. “That proprietress was too enthusiastic. Still, the name Cheng Anzhi sounds familiar somehow.”

“The champion of the Fashion Design Contest.”

“Right! I remember now! So it was her. She looks so young—Xiaofu, I can’t believe you even know to pay attention to her.”

Joanne, who had originally been dissatisfied that Yun Fu had simply bought a qipao at random to wear to the launch event, was instantly pleased.

Just now, when Yun Fu had tried to pay, Cheng Anzhi had refused, and after some back-and-forth, the dress was finally bought for five hundred yuan.

A custom piece by a famous fashion designer for five hundred yuan. It sounded unbelievable.

Hearing her question, Yun Fu thought to herself that she was a designer too, so of course she would pay attention to such things.

She had not recognized Cheng Anzhi at first glance, but when she heard the name, she remembered.

She had not expected such a coincidence.

“I heard her family background is ordinary, but her husband is very impressive.”

“Probably.” With that, Yun Fu closed her eyes. Afraid of disturbing her, Joanne said nothing more and drove seriously.

After dropping her at home, Joanne left.

Yun Fu carried the shopping bag upstairs, only to find a person standing at the door—black shirt, black trousers, tall and upright, bearing himself with impressive grandeur.

Black hair and blue eyes, his features sharp and exquisite, as though carved by hand. He seemed to be heaven’s favored child in every respect.

At the sound of footsteps, he lifted his head. Their gazes met and intertwined.

The hand Yun Fu used to hold the bag tightened slightly. Then, with complete naturalness, she walked to the door, unlocked it, and opened it.

She said to the man standing there, “Come in.”

The man stepped forward, almost putting his hands and feet on the wrong side in his nervousness. Once inside, he finally relaxed a little.

“Yun Fu?” His voice was hoarse, and the dark circles under his pale skin could not be concealed.

Yun Fu knew he must have gone without sleep again and rushed here without the slightest pause.

“Yes, it’s me.” Emotions surged within her, and in the end, all the words in her heart became a single sentence: “Long time no see.”