Chapter 64: Chapter 33: Sister-in-law, Looking Forward to Seeing You Tonight (Part 2)
Just as she was basking in her own stunning beauty, an assistant’s voice cut in, "Miss Jiang, you’re on."
Jiang Li froze, not expecting her break to be so short.
Still, she rose to her feet, held her head high, and strode toward the stage in her four-inch heels.
But even after psyching herself up, the sheer scale of the event made Jiang Li pause.
It was a massive runway, nearly ten meters long, flanked by a packed audience, with cameras live-streaming and recording from the sidelines.
But stunned or not, at 1,000 an hour, she couldn’t afford to drop the ball.
She matched the beat of the music, striding down the catwalk with a swagger that screamed she owned the place, as haughty as a Persian cat.
Watching from the monitor, Zhong Mufeng couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up. ’That’s my best friend, all right. Her stage presence is absolutely killer.’
’No one would even question it if you told them she was a professional model.’
She quickly pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocked it, and hit record.
’A highlight reel moment like this? It definitely had to be recorded.’
Jiang Li changed a total of seven times, covering a full spectrum of rainbow colors.
Her initial nervousness gave way to a comfortable confidence, and she even found moments to interact with the audience.
It was just exhausting.
Her feet, especially, felt like they didn’t belong to her anymore.
Zhong Mufeng came over with an envelope and pressed it into Jiang Li’s hands. "Babe, thanks for all your hard work."
It was Jiang Li’s payment: a total of 10,000.
She had only worked for an hour, but the dresses she modeled had created an online buying frenzy. The extra 9,000 was a bonus from the sponsor.
Jiang Li glanced at the thick envelope and looked up at Zhong Mufeng suspiciously. "Are you sure this is right?"
Zhong Mufeng explained, "The extra is a bonus from the sponsor. The clothes sold like hotcakes."
Jiang Li clicked her tongue. "The clothes flew off the shelves and this is all they give? This sponsor is so stingy!"
Suddenly, a man’s voice sounded from behind them. "Did I just hear someone call me stingy?"
Zhong Mufeng gave an awkward laugh, nodding at Lu Zhi’an. "Mr. Lu."
"Director Zhong, no need to be so formal."
Jiang Li hadn’t expected to be overheard by the very person she was badmouthing. It was more than a little awkward.
But she lived by the principle of ’it’s only awkward if you make it awkward.’ Acting as if nothing had happened, Jiang Li followed Zhong Mufeng’s lead. "Mr. Lu."
Lu Zhi’an had seen photos of Jiang Li, so of course he recognized her.
He just hadn’t expected her to be even more beautiful in person. ’Shen Yanzhi really hit the jackpot,’ he thought. ’How did he manage to find a hidden gem like her?’
Lu Zhi’an nodded. "Well, given the circumstances, I suppose I should be calling you sister-in-law."
Jiang Li stared at Lu Zhi’an in confusion, her mind instantly spinning up a whole soap opera about a rich, powerful family.
Sensing the burning curiosity in her eyes, Lu Zhi’an explained, "I’m a friend of Shen Yanzhi’s. He’s actually having dinner with me tonight."
Jiang Li froze, and then her face flushed bright red.
’A moment ago, she’d been thinking he was some illegitimate son, but it turns out he was just Shen Yanzhi’s friend.’
She extended her hand. "Hello."
Lu Zhi’an returned the handshake, their hands parting after a brief touch. "I have to admit, I didn’t expect to meet you this way."
He then offered a generous compliment. "Your performance just now was brilliant. Just like a professional model."
Jiang Li waved her hand dismissively. "Oh no, you’re giving me too much credit."
Zhong Mufeng, on the other hand, had been perfectly polite at first, since Lu Zhi’an was the client.
But the moment she heard he was a friend of Shen Yanzhi, her expression soured. She leaned in, cupped her hands around Jiang Li’s ears, and whispered, "Since when did your Shen have a friend like this? Don’t you think you should call and check?"
The corner of Jiang Li’s mouth twitched. She whispered back, "It’s not really something he can fake, is it?"
’If he weren’t his friend, how would he know they were having dinner tonight?’
’He must be a friend Shen made while he was abroad.’
Still, Jiang Li was curious about one thing: how did Lu Zhi’an recognize her?
Lu Zhi’an didn’t know what to make of Jiang Li and Zhong Mufeng. The room was only so big, and his hearing was perfectly fine. No matter how quietly they whispered, he could hear every word.
To break the awkward silence, Lu Zhi’an spoke up. "Would I have the honor of joining two lovely ladies for lunch?"
Zhong Mufeng waved him off. "Count me out. I’m still busy."
With that, she grabbed Jiang Li’s arm. "She’s having lunch with me, so she’s not available."
Jiang Li’s face was a mask of question marks. ’Wait,’ she thought, ’when did Zhong Mufeng become my official spokesperson?’
’She was the one he’d invited, and she hadn’t even said a word, yet Zhong Mufeng had already turned him down for her.’
’She’d actually wanted to go. It was a perfect chance to get some stories out of Lu Zhi’an about Shen Yanzhi’s years abroad while he wasn’t around.’
Now that dream was shattered. All Jiang Li could do was shoot Zhong Mufeng a wounded look, one that made Zhong Mufeng second-guess her own high-handed decision.
Comments