Chapter 322 I Met You Three Years Ago
Mu Nanyan smiled and said to her:
"Of course it's real. Open it and see if you like it."
Shangguan Fuling took a deep breath and gently placed her fingers on the ribbon of the gift box.
She looked up at Mu Nanyan, and after receiving her encouraging smile, she carefully untied the bow on the gift box.
As the lid of the box was opened, a dreamy pink color came into view. Shangguan Fuling's eyes lit up instantly. This was her favorite cherry blossom pink!
"Wow--!"
She held her breath, her hands trembling as she held up the dress, the soft fabric slipping from her fingers like water.
“This…this is so beautiful…”
She looked at the dress and her voice choked.
The entire dress glows with a pearly luster under the light. The upper part of the dress is decorated with exquisite three-dimensional embroidery. The cherry blossoms are embroidered with gradient silk threads, from light pink to dark pink, and are lifelike.
The skirt adopts an innovative layered design. The outermost layer is translucent tulle, dotted with tiny crystals, which will reflect a dreamy halo when walking.
Mu Nanyan looked at the girl's surprised expression, with relief in her eyes:
"When I designed this, I referred to the photos your brother sent me. I noticed that you often wear pink clothes, and I thought you might like it. The cherry blossom pattern on the hem of the skirt is..."
“It’s the cherry tree in my back garden!”
Shangguan Fuling interrupted Mu Nanyan excitedly, her fingers gently stroking the embroidery on the hem of her skirt, then looked at Mu Nanyan and said:
"That cherry tree was planted by my brother and I when we were little. Every spring, I would take pictures under that tree! Sister Nan Yan, how did you know..."
Mu Nanyan explained gently:
“Your brother said that was your favorite spot, and the photos he sent me basically all had that tree in them, so I incorporated that element into the design.”
Shangguan Fuling's expression froze instantly when she heard this. She twisted her clothes nervously with her hands and looked at Mu Nanyan, asking tentatively:
"He didn't send you an ugly picture of me, did he?"
There was a tremor of despair in Shangguan Fuling's voice.
Mu Nanyan coughed lightly and looked away calmly. She thought of the photo Shangguan Jiuze had sent her. How should she put it? It was just... hard to judge.
She thought of those photos with strange compositions. There was always a blossoming cherry tree in the center of the picture, and a blurry figure huddled in the corner. If Shangguan Jiuze hadn't specifically marked it, she would not have recognized that it was his sister.
Shangguan Fuling stamped her feet anxiously, "Sister Nanyan! Tell me quickly! What photos did he send?"
Mu Nanyan finally couldn't help laughing out loud, then quickly pursed her lips:
"Actually... the composition is quite creative, it just... makes the people look... more abstract."
Mu Nanyan carefully considered her words and felt that the only way to describe it was "abstract".
"Ahhh! I knew it!"
Shangguan Fuling wailed and collapsed directly onto the leather sofa.
She couldn't help but complain:
"Every time the cherry blossoms bloom, I dress up and go take photos under the trees. My brother always comes over to join in the fun and insists on taking photos of me. He takes them, but in the photos he takes, I always look like a bystander who strayed into the frame! Sometimes I don't even know who is the real protagonist in the photo..."
Mu Nanyan finally couldn't help laughing out loud, and tiny smile lines appeared at the corners of her eyes.
The sunlight shone through the gauze curtains onto her, giving her a soft halo.
Shangguan Fuling looked at Mu Nanyan who couldn't help laughing and muttered in frustration:
"Sister Nanyan, laugh if you want... I just hope you can forget about those photos. Sometimes I really want to pretend that I don't have this brother."
Mu Nanyan felt that it was not a good idea to say bad things about him in private with his sister, so she said a few words on Shangguan Jiuze's behalf:
"At least it proves that he loves you very much, but he's just not good at expressing it."
When this was mentioned, Shangguan Fuling's eyes lit up again:
"That's true. Even though my brother always makes me angry, he has always found a way to give me whatever I want since I was little."
The pride in Shangguan Fuling's tone could not be hidden.
Mu Nanyan looked at the girl's spirited profile, and an indescribable bitterness rose in her heart.
The sunlight danced on the tips of Shangguan Fuling's hair, enveloping her whole body in a warm halo. This is what it looks like to grow up watered by love.
You don't need to read other people's expressions or be overly cautious. You can act coquettishly and naughtily without restraint because you know there will always be someone who will tolerate all your willfulness.
And she...
Memories flooded back like a tide: the dim attic, the endless washing of dishes, and my stepmother's shrill voice penetrating the thin walls:
"You're just a money-loser! You only know how to eat for free!"
At that time, she couldn't even imagine in her dreams that she could own such a beautiful dress.
Shangguan Fuling saw Mu Nanyan in a daze, tilted her head to look at her, and asked doubtfully:
"Sister Nanyan, what's wrong with you?"
Mu Nanyan then realized that she had lost her composure. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She hadn't thought about what happened before for a long time, but looking at Shangguan Fuling, she inexplicably remembered her childhood.
She quickly calmed down and put on a proper smile again:
"Want to give it a try?"
"Um!"
Shangguan Fuling nodded vigorously and ran upstairs holding the dress like a happy little deer.
She ran up a few steps but suddenly stopped, and her cheeks flushed slightly when she turned around:
"Um... Sister Nan Yan... can you help me check if it fits? I'm afraid I won't be able to wear it properly..."
A gentle smile appeared in Mu Nanyan's eyes: "Of course."
Mu Nanyan followed Shangguan Fuling to the bedroom on the second floor. Mu Nanyan stood at the door and was slightly stunned.
The whole room looks like an overturned palette, with the main tones of light pink and light yellow dotted with various bright colors.
There is a row of plush dolls at the head of the bed, the stationery on the desk is covered with cute animal shells, and even the lampshade is hand-painted with cherry blossom patterns, showing the owner's carefully cared girlish heart everywhere.
"Sister Nanyan, please sit down first. I'll be there soon!"
Shangguan Fuling went into the cloakroom with her dress in her arms. Before closing the door, she stuck her head out and added:
"My snack cabinet is on the left, feel free to take whatever you want!"
Mu Nanyan chuckled and shook her head, her eyes inadvertently sweeping across the wall opposite, and her breathing suddenly stagnated.
The entire wall was carefully arranged into a clipping wall, densely covered with pages from fashion magazines.
Mu Nanyan walked closer to take a closer look, her fingertips trembling slightly. From her debut work at the F Country Fashion Week five years ago to her famous work that won the Golden Roof Award last year, all were carefully cut out and pasted in different categories. The date was marked with a highlighter under each clipping.
What shocked her most was that several yellowed newspaper clippings were specially framed. They were her works from the finals of the China Fashion Design Competition in Beijing. She had almost forgotten about them...
The sound of the cloakroom door opening brought Mu Nanyan back to her senses. The moment she turned around, she unconsciously held her breath.
The sunlight passed through the gauze curtain, casting a soft glow around Shangguan Fuling.
The pink dress perfectly outlines the girl's growing curves, and the crystals on the skirt reflect the bright light like the stars as she walks.
She nervously tugged at the hem of her skirt, her cheeks even pinker than the cherry blossom embroidery.
"Turn around so I can see."
Mu Nanyan heard that her voice was a little tense.
Shangguan Fuling turned around obediently, and the layers of her skirt bloomed lightly like a flower.
She suddenly stopped in front of the floor-length mirror, looked at herself in the mirror, and couldn't hide her excitement in her voice:
"Sister Nanyan, this dress is so beautiful! I love it so much, but..."
Hearing this, Mu Nanyan looked at her puzzledly: "Just what?"
Shangguan Fuling stuck out her tongue in embarrassment. She took a deep breath, her fingers rubbing her waist nervously.
"I've been eating too much dessert lately, and it's a bit tight here..."
Mu Nanyan laughed and stepped forward to gently pinch her non-existent belly:
"Apart from this, are there any other areas that need adjustment? There's still time to make changes now."
Her fingertips slid over every detail of the skirt, and finally met Shangguan Fuling's eyes.
Shangguan Fuling shook her head and suddenly rushed over to give Mu Nanyan a tight hug:
"No need to alter it! I'll lose weight for this dress!"
Shangguan Fuling's voice was muffled over Mu Nanyan's shoulder, with a childish stubbornness.
Mu Nanyan laughed and patted her back gently:
"You don't need to lose weight."
She pulled away a little, looked at the girl's round face carefully, and said with a smile:
"That's cute."
Her fingers lightly touched the waistline of the dress:
"Also, I specifically asked the chef to leave more seam allowance, so I just need to adjust it when I get back."
Shangguan Fuling's eyes suddenly lit up, as if filled with stars:
"Really? Then I'll go change it now!"
She lifted her skirt, turned around, and skipped back to the cloakroom.
When Shangguan Fuling changed back into her teddy bear pajamas and came out, she found Mu Nanyan standing in front of the wall of clippings, her slender fingers gently stroking a yellowed school newspaper.
Mu Nanyan heard the footsteps and said:
"I didn't expect you to collect even my early works."
There was an imperceptible emotion in Mu Nanyan's voice.
Shangguan Fuling trotted over and shook her head proudly:
"Because you are my idol!"
She picked up the koala doll on the sofa and sank into the soft cushions.
"I begged my brother for a long time to get these. Some of them were even bought from the second-hand book market in Country F."
Mu Nanyan turned around, her eyes gleaming with curiosity:
"Since when did you start paying attention to me?"
Shangguan Fuling rested her chin on the doll's head, her eyes curved into crescents, and after a moment's thought, she said:
"Emm...about three years ago."
"Three years ago?"
Mu Nanyan was slightly stunned. Three years ago, she was still studying at the Fashion Design Institute in Country F and was not even qualified to participate in a fashion competition. How could this girl far away in China know her?
Shangguan Fuling saw Mu Nanyan's confusion and said with a smile: "Actually, I met you three years ago in Country F."
Mu Nanyan was even more confused after hearing this. They had met before? But why didn't she have any impression of him?
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