Feng Xuan had no problems reading about the new reviews about Da Xia's brand. To be honest, she found the clothes right up her alley. Now that she wasn't really Ms. Goody Shoes, her wardrobe had been leaning on the clothes Da Xia was selling. She would've bought if someone else was selling them.
Da Xia's brand really stood out. Her first collection consisted of mostly metallic and shiny fabrics cut and twisted across the body, looking like it was only aiming to cover the private parts.
She got the idea on what kind of story she wanted to sell. Her line was meant to dress people for Valentine's—but it wouldn't be for those who would be going out on cute dates with the ferris wheel and eating cotton candies. It was for the people who were single. She was raising the flag for them.
It was a great message. "You can be this fabulous and you can have a lot of fun on Valentine's too". Most of the clothes look like something you would wear if you would be out with your friends partying.
"Won't it be fun if I wear one of Da Xia's clothes to a party?" she said to Wang Yimin who was currently laying down her white sofa, an arm slung over her eyes. "Would it be a slap to her face?" then she gasped. "Oh my God! It would be a slap to her face if I wore it better." She shook her cousin's foot. "What do you think?"
"I don't think you should do that too soon. The media is eating up this feud. It would be a waste of publicity if we look like we're offering a truce."
"But I will make sure wearing her clothes would have the effect that I want."
Wang Yimin cracked a smile. "I don't want to tell you this but on the next event that you would be attending, I made you a beautiful dress."
"Let me guess, it's in pastel and has flowers on it."
"Oh, you'd be surprised."
She was intrigued. "Let me see it."
Her cousin shook her head. "Find an event we can go and I'll let you see it."
"I'm going to have Qing Chen make an event tomorrow."
"You're crazy!"
"Show me the dress."
Wang Yimin laughed. "No. You wait."
"How much would I love it?"
"With all your heart."
Feng Xuan felt a tingling sensation on her fingers. She needed to see that dress. "Is there anything I can bribe you with?"
Wang Yimin laughed harder and pulled herself to a sitting position. She flicked her cousin's nose. "You're so impatient. The dress would be part of the first mini-collection that we are making."
"I did not approve of this," she said, trying to find a loophole to see the dress.
"You handle the business side. I'll handle the clothes." Wang Yimin grabbed a handful of nuts and put it all in her mouth. "The fashion show is ending."
On the screen Da Xia was handed a bouquet of flowers, some were made out of plastic with metallic petals. She had a huge smile on her face and Feng Xuan wondered how did that face could be so conniving.
She had heard about the interview Da Xia had provided at her launch. Thankfully, Qing Chen's grandmother stopped it before anyone could publish something.
"Excuse me," said a voice. The social media manager's head was peeking from the entryway of the living room. "I have twenty people on hold wanting a slot in the A Day of Firsts. What should I tell them?"
"Please prioritize the bigger companies for the nightime slot," said Feng Xuan. "That'll be a grander experience."
"Right on it!"
"See?" Feng Xuan said to her cousin. "My plan worked. Now they all want exclusives with Liu Meilien's date."
She pressed a button and the screen turned Gretel's.
**
Liu Meilien was not the type of person that you would see in the kitchen. That was why she was more than surprised to find that baking was a lot easier than she thought. Qing Lok had been a great help, double-checking everything before pouring the ingredients in a huge bowl.
While the cake batter was in the oven, the two finally got talking and realized neither of them actually had breakfast yet. Some of the staff made brewed coffee—Gretel's recipe of course and passed those around in pretty white cups to all.
Liu Meilien had a small pan and burner to their counter and Qing Lok was mixing pancake batter. "How do you like your pancakes?"
"I like mine with chocolate. Everyone in my family loves sweets. What about you?"
"I like mine with whipped cream."
Liu Meilien suddenly had flashbacks on the first time she had whipped cream on her pancakes. Feng Xuan had reminded her that she should be raw with this day, but only say things that would make her comfortable. At the same time, this would be a great opportunity to let the world know that she was not just a pretty face. Now that she was gaining her name, she should show her human side.
She decided to tell a story. "Before my mother married my step-father, she was working multiple jobs to be able to send me to school and keep a roof above our heads. It was my birthday but we could not afford to spend so much on a cake so she took me to this breakfast place and ordered a three-layer pancake. She told the people there that it was my birthday and they added whipped cream on top. It was the best thing I have ever tasted."
When she finished telling her story, she realized it might've made Qing Lok uncomfortable because of the silence that followed. But he was smiling at her. "Your mom is someone to be admired with the way she raised you." Then a playful grin appeared. "Do you think she'll approve of me?"