Chapter 54 - Scheming Behind the Scenes

Rebirth of a Fashionista: This Life Is Soo Last Season

Bang! A phone flew across the room and smashed into the TV mounted on the wall, causing the large screen to instantly crack.

“Why would you lose your temper out of nowhere?” A middle-aged man, who was sitting on the sofa watching the financial news, frowned upon seeing the cracked screen.

Qi Hua stood up and glared furiously at the man. “I asked you to remove Xu Jiaojiao from the National Supermodel show long ago, and you even promised that you would do it. But, did you do it in the end? Just look how well she’s doing now! She was even idle enough to hook up with Gu Zhou. Qi Yonggao, don’t tell me that you’re keeping a woman and illegitimate children outside? To think that you can’t even handle such a small issue for me properly! You didn’t take my words seriously, did you?”

“Stop spouting nonsense! What do you mean another woman and illegitimate children? For me, there’s only you and your mother.” Qi Yonggao glanced at the kitchen and added, “If there’s anything else, just say it properly. Don’t spout nonsense lest your mother hears you and starts overthinking.”

“It’s been so long already, yet you couldn’t even handle a little girl with no money and no power. How can I not be suspicious when things are like this?” Qi Hua pouted with an aggrieved look.

Qi Yonggao patted the spot beside him and gently consoled, “Come over here and sit down first. Dad will explain the situation to you.”

Qi Hua glanced at him and humphed before walking over.

“Qi Hua, you’re no longer a child. You have to take the bigger picture into account when doing things and think about the long run…”

“Stop talking about these useless things!” Qi Hua interrupted Qi Yonggao.

“Then, you tell me. When one person falls from the first floor and another person from the third floor, whose injury would be more serious?”

“What nonsense, of course the one who fell from the third floor-”

Qi Hua’s eyes instantly widened as realisation dawned on her. “Are you trying to destroy her after letting her experience excessive praise?”

Qi Yonggao smiled and enlightened his daughter. “If I kick her out of the show this early, she could merely think of it as losing a chance to stardom. However, she can still go back to school and continue her studies. Would you be satisfied with her suffering that kind of punishment?”

As expected of my cunning old man! Qi Hua’s lips curled upwards and a trace of intrigue flashed across her eyes.

“So, you want to make her famous first, and then bring her down?”

Qi Yonggao smiled and nodded. He raised his hand and patted Qi Hua’s head, but his hand was quickly blocked.

“Don’t pat my head. I’m not a child anymore!” Qi Hua pouted.

“Alright, alright, you’re not a child anymore. Go check on your mother in the kitchen and see how the birthday cake is coming along."

“What’s the hurry? It’s not like you haven’t eaten a cake before.” Even though she said that, Qi Hua still got up and walked to the kitchen.

As Qi Hua entered the kitchen, Qi Yonggao picked up his phone from the coffee table and called his assistant, asking him to buy a new TV.

Meanwhile, in another villa.

A woman, in the middle of trimming orchids by the window, suddenly cut an orchid off the branch and coldly stared at the mobile on speaker beside her.

“You’re saying that President Pan is investigating Xu Qing?!” she unconsciously raised her voice as she asked.

“Yes, Madam Pan," a young man’s voice transmitted over the phone.

Jiang Yin put down the scissors in her hand and dully asked, “What did the investigation lead to?”

“President Pan already knows that Xu Qing didn’t remarry after their divorce.”

“What does he plan to do next?” She picked up the orchid that was accidentally cut off and placed it in the palm of her left hand. Then, she brought it closer to her face to appreciate it at close range.

“President Pan asked me to find a way to get ahold of Xu Jiaojiao’s hair and whatnot.”

“Oh? He wants to do a paternity test?” At this moment, her fingers tightly wrapped around the orchid, crushing it into pieces.

The person, who reported the situation on the phone, kept silent, seemingly not knowing how to respond.

“Since he wants to do it, then let him do it.” Jiang Yin pulled out a tissue to wipe off the flower stains on her hand and added, “After all, there’s not only one person in this world named Xu Jiaojiao, right?”

“I understand.” The young man seemed to understand her message as his tone relaxed slightly.

“If there’s anything else, report it to me immediately. Don’t worry, I won’t treat you unfairly.”

“Yes, Madam.”

After the call ended, Jiang Yin picked up her phone and dialed a number she looked up from her contact list.

The call connected after a few rings.

“Madam Pan, I didn’t expect a call from you at this late hour. Is something the matter?” a young woman’s voice sounded on the other end of the phone.

Jiang Yin scanned the time displayed on her phone screen and saw that it wasn’t even 8 p.m yet. She didn’t beat around the bush and bluntly said, “I remember you saying that your husband owns an entertainment company.”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m surprised Madam Pan remembered this. What’s up?” the young woman asked with a chuckle.

“Help me sign someone. I want you to take good care of her for me,” Jiang Yin replied, accentuating the words ‘take good care’.

“Oh! Who’s the ‘lucky’ girl? Alright, since you’re asking, I’ll get my Old Liu to send someone to get it done.”

“Her name is Xu Jiaojiao and she’s currently participating in the National Supermodel competition. You’ll know who she is once you look it up.”

“Alright, no problem. Madam Pan, when you’re free, remember to come by and play mahjong with us!”

“Mhm.”

After the call, the spacious room fell silent again. It was so silent, only the sounds of breathing could be heard. The corners of Jiang Yin’s mouth curled up into a sly, sinister smile.

Since the worms in the gutter didn’t want to stay in the ditch and insisted on coming out to disgust people, they should just be trampled to death!

Darkness enveloped the entire city, and bright lights were lit everywhere on the streets, indicating the start of the vibrant nightlife.

It wasn’t until the wee hours of the morning that the bustling sound of the nightlife gradually died down.

“Wei Yang, let’s go home.” Liang Shuangyi wanted to help the drunkard lying on the bar up and take him away.

“I’m not going home, I’m going to find Xu Jiaojiao! That vile woman actually dared to stand me up!” Wei Yang pushed Liang Shuangyi away and glared at her with his intoxicated, hazy eyes. “I won’t let you go, we haven’t broken up yet!”

Liang Shuangyi felt pain in her heart, but she still walked forth to support Wei Yang. “Okay, we won’t break up.”

“It’s always been me dumping someone, you hear me? I’m the only one who’s allowed to dump others, not the other way around!” Wei Yang stood up and staggered.

“Yes, I hear you. Wei Yang, let’s go home first.” Liang Shuangyi put Wei Yang’s arm around her shoulders and supported him on the way out.

“No! Piss off! I’m not going home!” Wei Yang shook off Liang Shuangyi. Then, he stumbled and fell to the ground, unmoving.

Liang Shuangyi called out to him, but she realised that he’d already fallen asleep. She had no choice but to ask the people in the bar to help her bring Wei Yang to the hotel upstairs. She would first book a room and let Wei Yang rest there.

She expended a great deal of effort and finally managed to take off his shoes. Liang Shuangyi then went to get a wet towel and proceeded to wipe Wei Yang’s face, but he suddenly opened his eyes and stared at her in a daze.

“Wei Yang?” Liang Shuangyi asked tentatively.

Wei Yang simply continued staring at her without responding.

Liang Shuangyi took a deep breath and finally plucked up courage to speak her mind. “Wei Yang, I’ve been in love with you for a long time now. Say, we grew up together and others consider us childhood sweethearts, but why don’t you like me? Don’t tell me things like a rabbit doesn’t nibble the grass near its own hole. All I know is that you’re the one I set my mind on for the rest of my life, and it didn’t matter how long I had to wait. But, I don’t want to wait any longer.”

“I love you, Wei Yang! If you really have no feelings for me, then you can push me away.”

With that, Liang Shuangyi bit her lip and leaned down, closing in on Wei Yang. When their lips met, she was overjoyed.

Regardless of how reserved she used to be, at this moment, she held Wei Yang’s face and deepened the kiss.

By the time one hand clasped the back of her head, she’d already lost herself in the joy of being one with the person she liked.

Early in the morning, two people hugging each other were awoken by a constant ringing sound.

Wei Yang was the first to open his eyes. When he saw the person in his arms, he was startled. In fact, he’d never thought that aside from being best friends, he would ever have a more intimate relationship with Liang Shuangyi. They grew up together, so he’d always regarded Liang Shuangyi as his best friend and sister. He didn’t feel any trace of the love that a man would feel towards a woman he fancied.

The phone was still ringing next to him, so he reached out and turned off the wake up call. Upon seeing that Liang Shuangyi was still sound asleep, he gently removed her hand and got up. He then picked up his clothes scattered on the ground and entered the bathroom.

The moment the bathroom door was closed, Liang Shuangyi opened her eyes. She was sober as she’d woken up no later than Wei Yang. She turned to see Wei Yang’s phone laying beside her and reached for it.

His phone was still unlocked, so as soon as she touched it with a fingertip, the screen lit up.

What came into sight was the photo of a woman.

It was a woman with short, ash grey hair, wearing a thin layer of eyeliner to define her eyes. In the picture, she was looking ahead with her slender neck slightly leaning forward, her collarbone half shown and half concealed. All in all, she looked incomparably dazzling.

Xu! Jiao! Jiao!

Liang Shuangyi’s gaze dimmed as a trace of resentment appeared in the recesses of her eyes.

If she’d known that Xu Jiaojiao would affect Wei Yang this much one day, then she wouldn’t have merely changed her major. She should’ve changed her aspiration to being a volunteer and letting her be transferred to the borderland, making her defend the barren wastes for the rest of her life!