Chapter One Hundred and Twenty

With Rong Qing’s work having come to a temporary close, she stayed home in leisurely comfort, delighting in the pressure-free life of a wealthy lady. Aside from a few necessary endorsements, she would not take on any more work in the near future. Though her figure had disappeared from the screen, some people did not need repeated public appearances to build fame. The name Rong Qing itself had become synonymous with a superstar, and her films and news items were watched and followed again and again by her fans.

As one of the nation’s foremost stars, Rong Qing had seen her value soar, and her wardrobe and appearance naturally rose to match. Yet she held a different view of fashion and dress. To her, fashion was a cultivated taste created for display, for leading public aesthetics; it was the result of careful craftsmanship by world-renowned brands and master designers. But everyday clothing, in her opinion, did not have to be expensive luxuries inlaid with gold and jade. It could be a shirt with a unique street-side personality, or something thoughtfully made from an online boutique. As long as the pairing was comfortable and inventive, that too was a new kind of fashion. Her dressing room was packed full of clothes, shoes, and bags, yet among them were not a few ordinary items from street stalls and roadside shops. And when private detectives captured the image of superstar Rong Qing and it appeared on a fashion cover, perhaps the pair of jeans she wore cost less than a hundred yuan.

The loungewear Rong Qing wore at home was made of high-quality foreign brands, soft and comfortable against the skin. She lay lazily in an armchair, with fresh fruit and imported juice on the table beside her. On her bent legs rested a laptop, and on the top-tier business machine a lively game of Plants vs. Zombies was unfolding. Rong Qing’s fingers moved swiftly over the keys, and she played by herself with great amusement.

When the butler came in and saw his lady of the house looking so idle and content, he finally could not remain composed. He respectfully handed Rong Qing a stack of documents.

“What is this?” Rong Qing flipped through a few pages at random. “Wenna Fashion Design Company? What is this supposed to be?” She looked only half-understanding. Turning to the last page, a few words caught her eye: company shares owned by Rong Qing. She could clearly see her own fingerprint stamped on the paper.

Rong Qing’s expression could only be described as splendid. She was like an exploded little cat, all bristling fur and flashing claws. If Huo Lingtian had not run fast, that furious little wildcat would probably have scratched him to pieces. Thinking of how, last night, she had been fried and refried, boiled and boiled again by that detestable Huo Lingtian, and how her waist was still aching fiercely, she realized that he had even used her unconscious state to press this ironclad fingerprint evidence. A man really did need proper discipline.

“The master ordered me to bring this to Miss Rong,” Old Guan said, “and he asked me to tell you that this company belongs to you. Whether it lives or dies is entirely up to you. If you think it is too troublesome and do not wish to manage it yourself, you may hand it over to someone by your side. Do not overwork yourself.”

His eyes gleamed with a shrewd light.

Rong Qing sighed. Huo Lingtian still did not know her temperament, but so be it. It was only a small company, and fashion design was also an industry she was interested in. She could use this little company to sharpen herself. “Old Guan, prepare the car this afternoon. I’ll go take a look at the company first.”

From her dressing room, Rong Qing selected an elegant outfit. She wore a light pink trench coat and black ankle boots, her long hair falling behind her shoulders. Her fair little face, framed by the pink, became even more alluring, while the sharp, tailored trench coat lent her an added air of authority.

The car slowly entered the city and headed toward a familiar direction. The more Rong Qing thought about it, the more puzzled she became. Why was the parking area right beside that imposing, towering building?

“Miss, we’ve arrived,” Old Guan said.

He had originally been the grand steward of the Huo residence and seldom appeared before others, but to accompany the mistress of the Huo family on this trip filled him with a deep sense of honor.

Wearing high heels, Rong Qing looked up at the weather vane of the entire city. Standing beneath it, she felt a profound shock from its overwhelming presence. This was the deep foundation of the century-old Huo family, advancing forward with formidable strength.

Rong Qing drew a breath and stepped into this palace of blue tiles and green eaves. Her heels clicked against the glossy floor with a crisp tapping sound, and immediately the people on the ground floor were drawn to the figures that had appeared. Rong Qing was dressed in brilliant, eye-catching finery; even with sunglasses on, her star quality could not be concealed. The employees who had been bent over their work looked up at her in confusion.

Rong Qing did not particularly want to be so ostentatious. Who could have imagined the aura created by a reigning superstar with a group of people following behind her? In the Huo Group’s territory, there truly was no one daring enough to be this arrogant. At that moment, a tall woman in a business suit came hurrying out of the elevator.

“Madam... Madam! This way. Your office is on the fifth floor.”

Lu Mengyi was out of breath. Only heaven knew how excited she had been upon learning that the lady of the house was coming, and how remorseful she felt at being late and failing to greet her. This was not up to the standards of a perfect secretary. It was all because her superior had informed her too late.

At last, Rong Qing was freed from the awkwardness of being watched by a crowd, and she followed the young woman into the elevator.

“Madam, you can call me Mengyi. If you need anything in the future, just come to me.” The girl’s shy and friendly manner put Rong Qing at ease, and she smiled back.

“Don’t call me Madam all the time. I’m not that old yet. I think we’re about the same age, so just call me Rong Qing.”

“Mm, all right, Rong Qing.” The two got along harmoniously, and the atmosphere became much more pleasant.

Meanwhile, the onlookers from before were jolted awake by that single word, Madam. So the mysterious young mistress of the Huo Group had been the one just now. No wonder the superstar Rong Qing had such a powerful presence. Good heavens, she had been standing right in front of them in person, and they had failed to recognize her.

By the time they reached the fifth floor, the entire unit had been converted into Wenna’s design and creative studio. A well-run fashion team required creativity, marketing, and logistics, none of which could be lacking. Watching the compact and orderly work team from outside, Rong Qing felt increasingly satisfied.

“This is your office.”

Led by Lu Mengyi, Rong Qing took a cursory look around before entering a room. The color scheme inside leaned toward sky blue. On the oversized solid-wood desk stood two dedicated computers, along with a high-end wine cabinet, a reception table, and all the necessary furniture fully prepared. In the inner partition there was a huge pink double bed, and the bathroom and wardrobe were complete as well.

Rong Qing: This was clearly a trap laid long in advance, just waiting for her to walk into it.

Aside from the overly lavish and comfortable surroundings, she was fairly satisfied with everything else. Rong Qing sat down on the leather sofa and bounced twice; it was very comfortable and resilient.

“These are the fashion show photos from last quarter. Wenna is the first domestic brand to gain access to the European fashion exhibitions. Although it cannot compare with France’s top-tier labels, its sales among younger women are still quite considerable.” Lu Mengyi handed an album to Rong Qing. “Even though Wenna has only been developing for two years, well-known domestic designers such as He Yun have been brought under its banner, and the results have been astonishing.”

Rong Qing flipped through the album casually. The bright images and perfect pairings on the pages did indeed make her eyes light up. It was a pleasant surprise, but there was still something lacking, some distinctive charm. Even when the styling and design were prominent enough, the overall aesthetic of the fashion show was still leaning toward Europe and America.

Noticing that Mengyi was waiting nearby, Rong Qing smiled and said, “You don’t need to keep me company here. Everything I need is here. I’ll learn slowly, look through things slowly, and one day I’ll hold up this brand myself.”

Lu Mengyi’s face reddened. The overworked assistant who had suffered such inhuman torment at the hands of Young Master Huo could not help but sigh inwardly: the chairman’s wife really was wonderful. Gentle, courteous, dignified, elegant, smiling at everyone and making the employees feel a tenderness like spring itself.

Rong Qing spent the entire afternoon in her office, reviewing all the materials and designs related to Wenna from the bookshelf, and she gained a rough understanding of the company’s situation.

Meanwhile, Huo Lingtian, who had come to the top floor in the afternoon, was restless and distracted. Every ten minutes he glanced at the wall clock, wishing the hands would whirl around several times in a flash so that work could be over. Just as Young Master Huo’s patience was about to run out, the hands finally trembled as they pointed to six o’clock.

At once, the composed Huo Group president could no longer remain calm. He put on his jacket, straightened his tie, and connected the internal line.

“Hello, sweetheart. Work’s over. Shall we go have dinner together?” Huo Lingtian’s voice was filled with restrained excitement. Just thinking that every day he was upstairs while his darling was downstairs, that they left early and came home late yet still kept each other company, made the whole idea of being an office couple unbearably thrilling.

“Oh, go on without me. I still have things to do.”

Rong Qing’s voice was faint and her interest low.

Damn it, who dared assign work to his wife? Did they not want to keep their job? Heaven, timing, and place were all in hand; only the human element remained, and this beautiful moment absolutely could not be ruined. Huo Lingtian coaxed her patiently. “What work is that? It’s not urgent right this second. Skipping meals on time can give you stomach trouble. Baby, come eat with me.”

He brought out his trump card: acting pitiful.

“I’ve only just taken over. There’s a mountain of company matters. Be good and don’t bother me.” With a soft click, Rong Qing hung up.

Holding the receiver, her eyes gleamed with sharp amusement. Hmph, let him make decisions on his own again.

Of course she understood that he had handed the company to her so that she would have some footing within the family, and that fashion was indeed an industry she liked. But she was still unhappy. This man was using public matters for private gain, with nothing but schemes in his head. The giant bed in the bedroom, the fact that they worked in the same building—every detail spoke of his hidden selfishness.

Huo Lingtian ground his teeth in frustration, but there was nothing to be done. It had taken so much effort to put his darling right under his nose, and after thinking for a moment, he headed downstairs.

“President...”

“Good afternoon, President...”

Everyone he passed greeted him. Huo Lingtian wore a smile and, with calm confidence, knocked on the door of the director’s office.

“Rong Qing... Qing’er... darling... baby... wife...” Huo Lingtian called out with a mouth full of grievance to the person buried in her work. Poor him—he had been staring at the person before him for more than an hour already. If the one in front of him had been a flower, it would have long since bloomed from being moved by his devotion. Alas, his wife had made up her mind to punish him.

At last, Rong Qing was willing to lift her eyes from that pile of pictures and give him a bored glance. She calmly put away the documents spread across the desk, returned them to the bookshelf, picked up her coat, and walked toward the door.

“Wife, wife, where are you going?” Huo Lingtian rushed after her and blocked her path. Was she... was she leaving because he was too annoying?

Rong Qing gave him an exasperated look and said with gloating delight, “Didn’t you want to eat? Let’s go.”

“Right, let’s go right now.” Huo Lingtian immediately trailed behind his wife, bustling after her with eager devotion.