Qin Xiaoyu noticed a wink from A Lei, turned around, and saw Linda walking over leisurely. She put down her napkin, waiting for her turn.
“Paris is so small, I can run into you everywhere. Qin Xiaoyu, you’re really successful. You’ve changed A Lei so much that I don’t even recognize him anymore. If he were like this back then, I probably would have risked my life to keep him from leaving.” Linda whispered in Qin Xiaoyu’s ear, a smile playing on her lips, but tears welled up in her eyes.
"You'll meet someone better, someone more suitable for you." Qin Xiaoyu never completely destroys disarmed enemies. She just didn't understand why Linda was taking the initiative to befriend her.
"Let me introduce you. This is the owner of the restaurant, and also a good friend of mine. He'd like to take a photo with your whole family and leave it in the restaurant, is that alright?" Linda straightened up and introduced the gentleman behind her to them.
"Of course," Qin Xiaoyu readily agreed.
They took another group photo in the hotel lobby.
"We're missing a little Jiajia," Commander Zhou muttered.
"Uncle, they said they can't take a family photo, so it's better if one person is missing," Qin Xiaoyu quickly comforted him.
"Oh, Dad, I don't even want to talk to you anymore. What about your son-in-law and a bunch of grandchildren? Is this all you care about? Don't be so biased!"
"There's no favoritism!" Commander Zhou pouted, displeased.
Hanhan was right; the moment their family appeared on the steps, they were bombarded with flashes of light. Alei had already picked up his little sister and was shielding her eyes with his hands. Qin Xiaoyu forced a smile, struck a couple of poses to complete her mission, and then escaped with the others.
Being a celebrity is incredibly stressful, and Qin Xiaoyu misses her simpler past life.
Notre Dame Cathedral was a must-see; who knows when it might be gone, so seeing it sooner rather than later would put her mind at ease. However, being photographed as scenery by others while taking pictures of the landscape was something Qin Xiaoyu found unbearable.
"If I had known this would happen, I would have come to Paris earlier and enjoyed all the places I could visit without worry," Qin Xiaoyu muttered to A Lei.
"Didn't you ever think that your life would change after this fashion week?" A Lei was amused by her.
"I had thought about it, but I didn't expect it to be this serious. I thought it was just a little heat, who knew they were going to put me on a rack and roast me with fire?" Qin Xiaoyu pressed the parasol down hard, trying to shrink into the shadows.
"Just don't worry about your image. Be yourself and be natural. Otherwise, how tiring will it be for you? Just pretend they don't exist. You're still Qin Xiaoyu." A Lei's words cleared up Qin Xiaoyu's mind. Indeed, she had accidentally lost herself and was determined to find it again.
So the next day's newspaper featured Qin Xiaoyu, who had let go of her idol image. She was seen laughing and chasing with two children in the square, feeding pigeons, blowing bubbles, her hat falling off, and barefoot, completely unrefined.
One publication used the analogy of a truant child to describe her, and this time they finally got the description right.
Originally, Commander Zhou and his wife wanted to stay in France for a few more days, but they missed Xiao Jiajia and soon took her back to China, leaving Qin Xiaoyu and A Lei behind for convenience.
Zhou Yue will stay and study for three months before returning home; this was arranged before she came.
The group returned safely, marking a perfect end to their trip to Paris.
Miranda is right, the fashion world is the most fickle, and new generations will soon take over, and the popularity of Sun Moon Apparel is already waning.
All that's left is steady development, gradually establishing a foothold in the market, and then expanding further. The overseas market is Fu Di and Fang Baobao's business, so Qin Xiaoyu can rest assured.
Man Aihong and Ye Qiu stayed in China and kept sending news that the country was very satisfied with Riyue Apparel's performance, with lengthy reports always making headlines.
SunMoon Apparel has firmly established itself as the industry leader, and for a time it seemed to be in a completely unchallenged position.
Orders were pouring in like snowflakes, and the house was in complete chaos. But now the team was working together seamlessly, so Qin Xiaoyu didn't have to worry about anything anymore.
Now that it's harvest time, Qin Xiaoyu can let go. She's going back to MG with Miranda and the others. It's a rare opportunity to come out, so she has to see A Lei's father.
Miranda was aware of their schedule, so she refused to travel with them once they arrived in New York.
"You can meet them. I still have a lot of work to do. Xiao Jin can come back with me now. She's an assistant I can't live without."
Xiao Jin was quite happy when she heard that she could have a few more days of vacation, but now that her vacation is over early, she's pouting.
“Come with us, it’s rare for us to get together,” A Lei suddenly whispered.
Qin Xiaoyu then realized that he didn't have the courage to see his father alone, and even if he brought Qin Xiaoyu with him, he still wouldn't dare.
Ray's father now lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and Miranda knew the address, so she drove them there.
The house was unremarkable from the outside, even somewhat out of place with its dilapidated state. It had three floors, and all the windows were closed, so one could only imagine how dark and gloomy it was inside.
A Lei walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. He had already made an appointment over the phone, but the doorbell kept ringing and the door remained closed.
Just when they were losing hope, suddenly the window on the third floor opened, and a white head popped out.
"Sorry, I forgot. Don't go, I'll be right down!" There was a commotion inside the building, and then the door opened.
This is probably what A Lei will look like when he's old. Qin Xiaoyu noticed that A Lei's father is still quite handsome. It makes sense; Miranda has good taste. If the man wasn't good, she wouldn't have married him.
Seeing Miranda standing at the back, Are's father's gaze lingered on her for a while.
"This is my wife, Xiaoyu. This is my son, Hanhan. This is my niece, Xiaojin," A'Lei introduced them one by one.
"Just call me Hanni," said A Lei's father, without shaking hands, simply opening the door for them to come in.
A Lei's father ushered them into the house, still rubbing his hands, seemingly not yet recovered from the shock of seeing Miranda.
"What would you like to drink? Brandy, I'll go get it." He finally found an excuse and dashed off. A commotion erupted in the basement; it was unclear what mechanism he had triggered.
The people upstairs were terrified.
"Oh." Hanhan looked around and exclaimed in surprise.
Qin Xiaoyu didn't notice anything special.
The room was much better than she had imagined; it wasn't too messy, just had some strange things hanging on it. The table was covered with test tubes and oddly shaped devices.
"Mom, this place is so interesting," Hanhan whispered in Qin Xiaoyu's ear, his eyes practically glowing. For a science enthusiast, this must be paradise.
"Really? What are these for?" Qin Xiaoyu walked to the table and reached out to pinch the small ball on the table.
"No!" Hanhan tried to stop her, but it was too late. A drop of liquid fell into the bottle, and a blue light appeared in the previously calm bottle. Then there was a loud bang. Qin Xiaoyu covered her ears in fright and hid behind A Lei.
Ten thousand stars exploded before their eyes.
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