Weeks past. Xue Guangli had finally completed the bridal gown she was making after spending hours every day, creating it since she had nothing better to do.
The bride had already come for a private fitting, and it slipped on her perfectly.
It was Qian Meigui's wedding day, so Xue Guangli placed on a tight yellow dress when a limo picked her from the front of the store. She stepped into the limo, alone, with the wedding gown covered in hand.
She stopped at Qian Meigui's sister-in-law's house to help the bride fit in the layers, mesh, and lace of the dress.
Xue Guangli was invited to stay the entire ceremony, and she enjoyed herself, despite not knowing anyone else. She ate and drank, and she felt comfortable with being alone.
Throughout the entire time, a photographer had snapped photos of the bride and groom.
Xue Guangli felt the excitement of the wedding season. She wondered just by looking at the newlyweds if she would ever be as happy as them? Once she finally heals from the wounds her father inflicted.
The groom was handsome, and he looked at the bride dotingly and affectionately, as if she was the only woman in the room, and in return, she looked at him with something like longing and desire.
Xue Guangli smiled as she watched them. She hoped to have something like that one day.
…
With her own wedding around the corner, Xue Guangli had to get some extra work done to prepare herself from when she gets ownership of the stores.
That was when Xue Liena had barged into the store, breathlessly, her flared skirts swayed. She smiled happily.
Xue Guangli stood, puzzled. "What is it?" she asked her sister.
Xue Liena had placed a magazine on top of the table. "The CEO of Song Entertainment published magazines across the country with a photo of him and his wife on the front cover."
Xue Guangli's eyes widened, she picked it up and looked at it. Her eyes were darting all over the front page. Indeed, it was a photo of Qian Meigui and her husband, Song Sheng, the CEO of Song Entertainment. They both looked happy and gorgeous. Right underneath she was credited:
Dress: Xue Guangli, from Spring-Autumn Designs.
Xue Guangli was so astonished that she had to take a step back. She didn't imagine that this would happen.
Xue Liena smiled with gleaming teeth. "Everyone is going to see this! Do you know how big the company is?"
Xue Guangli could feel that her sister was practically roiling with excitement. Xue Guangli, on the other hand, was too shocked to feel anything.
And yet, within the next few days, all the stores became busy. Xue Guangli had to hire extra staff and work extra hours to keep up with their busy, positive attention.
Many people wanted the dress Qian Meigui wore, but since it was an original, they settled for the other pieces they were trying to sell. All the dresses were beautiful and designed by their mother before she died, but none of them were hand-crafted by their mother, so they were happy it sold.
At one point, Song Sheng, the CEO of Song Entertainment, called her in the middle of his honeymoon trip to thank her. He also wanted to purchase many of the dresses for the models and actresses signed with his company.
Xue Guangli agreed, and she had reserved most of them for his company. People that worked for him then swept the stores, leaving the shelves nearly empty.
The twilight dawned when Xue Guangli closed up the store after a long, eventful day. She then realized that she was practically smiling the entire walk home. She felt excited, like something awakening her craft and desire to create. She felt like drawing, like painting, like anything that involved colours.
Right when she was walking over the curb of her home, she caught sight of Long Huojin stepping out of his car, gracefully. He had straightened out the jacket of his suit, carrying a briefcase. He locked the car with his keys.
Xue Guangli was going to ignore him, but as she walked the path towards her house, she heard him call her, "Xue Li."
Xue Guangli paused, she turned to face him. He was leaning against his car, smoking. He then straightened and began to cross the yard between their homes, meeting her in front of her porch. The setting sun nearly disappeared behind him. The lights of her house were on.
"I saw your dress in a magazine," he said.
Xue Guangli was in a good mood, so she smiled and said, "Are you impressed?"
Long Huojin nodded, taking a drag from his cigarette; his cheeks hollowed. He blew the smoke, "I'm very impressed," he said. "You did well."
Xue Guangli did not expect him to agree, so it surprised her. He would usually scoff and say something like, 'What is there to be impressed about?'
Xue Guangli's lips curled into a smile unconsciously; she felt inexplicably happy. She was delighted because her work paid off, and because of Long Huojin, the sturdy and invulnerable man had admitted that she had done well.
Long Huojin was looking down at her intensely; his eyes sparkled the same way sunlight did reflecting upon the ripples of a river on a hot summer day, blue and bright. Xue Guangli didn't understand. Was he happy for her, too?
She didn't realize that she was watching the way his lips had looked while smoking. Long Huojin seemed to have caught on. But he interpreted as something else, and she was glad of it.
He passed her the cigarette, the same one he smoked. Xue Guangli was in a good mood, so she took it.
She took a step towards him, taking the strick from him, inhaling. She coughed slightly, and Long Huojin smiled at her with gleaming teeth. But it wasn't a smile that teased or made fun of her; it was a genuine smile.
She let the rush fill her lungs and head. It felt good. She never did it often, although. He then grasped it back from her hand, their fingers brushing, and he put it back in his mouth, his eyes never leaving her, his hair falling over.
A gust of wind passed through them, Xue Guangli shivered. She then took a step back from him.
"I have to go inside," she spoke softly.
Long Huojin nodded, extinguishing the cigarette. "I will see you soon, Xue Li," he said, parting ways.
Xue Guangli was going to step into the house when an absurd idea popped in her head.
She then turned, saying, "Long Huojin!"
He began walking away when he heard her; he paused and turned, his hands in his pocket.
She took steps down. "I know you, and Wang Weimin had a fallout, and we haven't always been on the best of terms, but I was wondering..." she began to feel shy.
Long Huojin smiled at her, patiently waiting. The cold wind caressed his ink-black hair.
"I want us to be friends!" she declared boldly.
His smiled widened. "It's all I've ever wanted, Xue Li," he said and turned around, walking away without another word. Xue Guangli was stunned; around Long Huojin, why did her chest always tighten to the point where she feels like she can't breathe? She disregarded the thought.
She went inside her house, towards her bedroom, she flicked on the lights and began drawing.