"Rose? She's a prodigy young designer who became famous overnight and then disappeared," Lili recalled, briefing Qin Ningyi. "She's Qin Jie's idol. Zhou Wu rose to fame with Rose's help. One reason Qin Jie tolerated Wang Wanrou for so long was her hope of meeting Rose through Zhou Wu."
So, this prodigy young designer was Huo Rou? Kan Shu Wu. Xi
Qin Ningyi watched Huo Rou, who was invited to sit between Qin Feiwan and Zhou Wu on the sofa, his eyes filled with both confusion and excitement. How many more things about his little kitten did he not know?
Zhou Wu peppered Huo Rou with questions about where she had been all these years.
As Zhou Wu poured his heart out, Huo Rou's head began to ache. She regretted her decision. She should have gone somewhere else. Anywhere else would have been better than here, even Ren Zhen's company!
Qin Ningyi listened as Zhou Wu's words grew increasingly inappropriate. Was he trying to poach his future wife? Yet, Zhou Wu continued to bat his eyelashes at Huo Rou, shamelessly playing to her emotions. "Design clothes for me again, will you? Only your clothes truly suit me! Rose, please."
Qin Feiwan had wanted to retort to Zhou Wu from the start, but now the topic shifted here. She wanted to see it too! "A'rou, why not sketch something right now?"
Wang Wanrou watched Huo Rou, surrounded by adulation, her face contorted with jealousy. She couldn't believe it. Just a designer, not even famous, and they were fawning over her like this.
"Zhou, I'll design for you!" Wang Wanrou didn't want all the attention to be stolen by Huo Rou. She was the one who invited Zhou Wu here; she was the primary contributor.
"You?" Zhou Wu scoffed, his disbelief conveyed in a single word. He then fell silent, as if deeming her unworthy of further conversation. Judging by the length of their exchanges, Wang Wanrou had lost this battle.
She was furious. "I studied at the world's highest institution for fashion design. How can I be worse than someone who digs ditches?"
"Huo Rou, stop pretending. You've fooled everyone into thinking you're so amazing," Wang Wanrou sneered.
"It's laughable that you know Zhou Wu but not Rose. Your studies must not have been very effective," Qin Feiwan finally felt vindicated after being threatened for so long. She raised an eyebrow. "Are you and Zhou Wu really good friends of many years?"
"How could that be?" Zhou Wu, already annoyed by Wang Wanrou's disparagement of Huo Rou, immediately denied it. "I only added her contact information because her voice sounded like Rose's. We're hardly friends."
Wang Wanrou stared in disbelief. Zhou Wu had returned to the country because of her!
"Zhou, we chat all the time! Why are you saying I'm not your friend now? Is it because of her? Do you like her, so you're cutting ties with me?" Tears welled up in Wang Wanrou's eyes, making her appear pitiful. "She has a man, more than one!" she cried out hoarsely, as if trying to awaken a deluded Zhou Wu. "She's involved with Xiao Yuda in an improper relationship, and she's even pregnant with President Qin's child. You have no good future if you like her!"
Wang Wanrou couldn't afford to lose her connection with Zhou Wu, or everything she had now would turn to dust.
"Improper relationship?" Huo Rou retorted with a bitter laugh. "Only those with filthy minds would always assume normal interactions between people are improper."
"Are you daring to say you have nothing with Xiao Yuda?" Wang Wanrou had investigated. Photos of Xiao Yuda carrying her out of the building had long been circulating within their company.
Huo Rou's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What could I possibly have with my brother?"
"He clearly carried you out of the company! Stop making excuses," Wang Wanrou insisted, determined to win Zhou Wu over. She couldn't afford to lose him.
"I was sick. Can't a little humanitarian concern be shown?" Huo Rou said lazily. "You can be frail, can't others be frail too?" She remembered Wang Wanrou's affected gaze and feigned weakness in her legs. Speaking of which, the other party involved was also here. Huo Rou couldn't help but cast a resentful glance at Qin Ningyi.
Qin Ningyi caught her gaze and, in a flash of inspiration, realized this was about settling scores. "Sick? Rose, what illness do you have? Is it serious?" Zhou Wu leaned forward, blocking their visual exchange, his deep eyes fixed on Huo Rou, filled with concern.
"You and your noisy friend can get out now," Huo Rou said, annoyed. Talking to senseless people was exhausting.
"She's really not my friend, believe me!" Zhou Wu, seeing Huo Rou's obvious aversion to Wang Wanrou, immediately swore to the heavens to distance himself. To prove his innocence, he even posted a message on Weibo.
Wang Wanrou tried to snatch his phone, but Zhou Wu gave her no quarter. Realizing the situation was irreparable, she inexplicably blamed Huo Rou and lunged forward.
"Someone, throw her out!" Qin Ningyi stepped in front of Huo Rou. His patience had limits. The security guards who had been following outside immediately entered and dragged Wang Wanrou out.
"President Qin, don't you want the calligraphy my father wrote? I'm telling you, if you kick me out today, my father will never give your Qin family another word!" Wang Wanrou panicked. Her facade of gentle pretense was ripped away, revealing the twisted malice beneath.
"If words fail, resort to force," Qin Ningyi said calmly, not even bothering to spare Wang Wanrou a glance. Wang Wanrou finally felt a flicker of fear. She had inquired beforehand and knew Qin Ningyi was ruthless and severe. Those who crossed him rarely ended well. How could she have forgotten this? She had foolishly thought she could continue to blackmail them with this matter.
With Wang Wanrou ejected, a moment of silence descended upon the office. Then, Zhou Wu began his incessant pleas to Huo Rou for clothing designs.
Qin Ningyi watched as Huo Rou seemed on the verge of agreeing to the two of them, a pang of jealousy striking him. He stepped forward and pulled Zhou Wu aside. What was this man trying to do? This was his woman; if anyone was going to be attentive, it should be him. He could talk to Huo Rou for hours, just like Zhou Wu. He smiled charmingly and leaned close to Huo Rou. "How about designing something for me?"
Qin Feiwan, observing her brother's sudden peacock display, felt unaccustomed to it and rubbed her arms, retreating a few steps. Huo Rou was still somewhat bewildered when Qin Ningyi leaned in and embraced her. In this enclosed space, Huo Rou felt an unprecedented sense of peace and security.
Qin Ningyi, despite his careful preparations, couldn't emulate the garrulousness of the other man. But unwilling to be outdone, how could he let Zhou Wu get close to Huo Rou again? Besides, if he couldn't get something he desired, could anyone else? In front of Zhou Wu, he rested his forehead against Huo Rou's, his gaze deep and possessive, a clear declaration of his claim.
"Either don't do it at all, or only do it for me," Qin Ningyi said, his eyes holding an unspoken meaning. At first glance, it seemed to be about designing clothes. But with the smile in his eyes and his suggestive expression, Huo Rou felt she might be misinterpreting. Seeing her dazed look, Qin Ningyi beamed, his voice a near whisper, his throat bobbing. "Will you?"