บท 22: Hello, Miss Designer

"Big Bro," Xu Ming sprinted behind his elder brother to catch up. His right hand smacked Xu Wei's shoulder when he reached his side. "So, Grandma is not here anymore. Care to tell me who the lucky woman is?"

Xu Wei continued walking towards his gray Porsche Cayenne. Both of his hands were inside the pants' pockets. "Why are you interested? Did you start working at the entertainment industry now?" He went to the driver side and opened the car door, lowering himself inside.

His younger brother who was already at the passenger side also pulled the car door open. "Well, it's a good suggestion. I think I'll always get a kickback for the gossips I have in my hand," Xu Ming chuckled at the idea.

Xu Wei shook his head as he turned on the engine. He turned the steering wheel clockwise, before slowly moving away from the ancestral house. The Pavilion has a limit of 20 kph within its vicinity to avoid accidents.

As the car speed away from Pavilion's gate, Xu Wei's left hand loosened his necktie while the other hand gripped on the steering wheel. He was not fond of neckties. He preferred to wear casual clothes.

"She's a designer," Xu Wei said.

Xu Ming inclined his head to the side. "Designer?" Was it really Li Chanying? Yang Shana was in the entertainment industry while Yang Lina and Li Nuxie were both MBA holders. "Is she famous?"

"Very much," Xu Wei's eyes were trained on the road ahead, the car swerving as it overtook other cars.

Xu Ming nodded. In his mind, he had already convinced himself that his future sister-in-law was Li Chanying. "But Grandma will not give her the blessings. You know she doesn't like the younger generation of the Yangs and Lis," he reminded his elder brother.

The car entered the vicinity of the Hong Department Store. This was located in downtown of City S and was the largest branch of HDS in Country C. The car moved towards the open parking. "I have my ways to get her blessings. Besides, it's not as if I'm going to get married next month," Xu Wei's eyes glanced around, looking for a vacant parking lot.

A crease appeared on Xu Ming's forehead as he processed what Xu Wei had just said. "Didn't you tell us you're going to announce it during the annual Scion Gathering?" He patted Xu Wei's left shoulder. "The gathering is next month, if you haven't put it on your calendar yet."

Xu Wei remained silent, his eyes were staring ahead. At the end of the open parking was a vacant lot. He stepped on the accelerator before maneuvering the car at the vacant car park smoothly.

The passenger on Xu Wei's side did not even have the time to react. Beads of sweat rolled down Xu Ming's temples. His heart was still hammering against his chest. His breathing was shallow.

"Do you really want to kill me?" he glared at his elder brother, his hands were tightly clenched on his thighs.

"What?" Xu Wei arched an eyebrow. "I know what I'm doing. Of course, if I'm going to kill you, I'll make sure that you'll deposit your sperm in the bank first." He turned off the engine.

Xu Ming's hands automatically covered his crotch as his eyes widened. The devil in the driver seat has a heart of black diamond.

=0=

Li Chanying and Li Nuxie woke up early. They will visit the Ying Design Limited Boutique at HDS before going to the Li Ancestral House. Li Chanying wore her own design of pink ruffles dress that fell one inch above her knees. She paired it with flat sandals.

For Li Nuxie's part, she wore a white shirt that she personally hand painted with a girl's face. She paired it with blue horizontal striped shorts and white Chuck Taylor. Her short hair was tucked behind her ears.

Li Chanying parked her car at her designated parking space, a perk for being a tenant of HDS. They rode the elevator from the basement parking. It opened on the fifth floor, the area where one can see different brands of clothes, shoes, and bags.

Going out of the elevator, the onlookers followed the two women who were walking towards YDLB.

"That's Li Chanying. She's the owner of YDLB."

"I also heard that she won the Dressing Dolls competition way back."

"She's so successful. By the way, who is the woman with her?"

"Hmmm, it's my first time seeing her. Perhaps a friend?"

"She looked like someone from a prominent family. Look at the regal bearing. You can't fake that."

Li Chanying and Li Nuxie didn't pay attention to the mutterings around them. Li Nuxie knew she was practically unknown in the high society. How much more among the public? But who cares? She has people who can work for her. She will make sure that these people who do not know her will recite her name in the future, regardless of the place and social status.

"Good morning, Miss Li," the supervisor greeted Li Chanying before glancing at the woman beside her boss. "Good morning, Young Miss Li."

Li Nuxie nodded slightly. "Don't mind me, Ying. Do your errand. I'll just look around," she told her cousin.

"Okay, I'll be fast." She turned away and nodded to the supervisor. "Follow me," she strode towards the stock room.

Li Nuxie went to the long sleeves section of the boutique. It was barely an hour after the HDS opened so there were only few people. She browsed the button down shirts one by one, running her fingers against the fabric.

The Li Textile supplied the Ying Design Limited with fabrics. But it will not be long before the company stopped supplying. Li Nuxie's narrowed into slits as she tightened her grasp on the button down shirt. It almost fell when she took in what she had done. She twisted her lips as her hands tried to even out the crease.

Putting back the button down shirt on the rack, the voice of the sales lady greeting a customer entered her consciousness.

"Second Young Master Xu Ming, welcome to YDLB," the sales lady lowered her head as soon as she welcomed their esteemed customer. It's not every day someone from the Xu Family entered their boutique and bought something.

Li Nuxie straightened her back when Xu Ming entered her line of sight. She shook her head as she turned her body away. She put her hand over her mouth. But it was not enough. Her shoulders shook as she tried to hold her laughter. Li Nuxie, you better get hold of yourself, she mused.

But she cannot help it. Xu Ming, even with the god-like aura surrounding him, looked out of place with his white sleeveless dri-fit shirt, black jogging pants, and black running shoes. Although he looked hot but hey, it's the Ying Design Limited Boutique.

She closed her eyes and count from one to ten, inhaling and exhaling slowly. There would be hell to pay for if she happened to burst out laughing in front of him.

"Hello, Miss Designer. We've met again," a voice smooth like honey caught Li Nuxie's attention. It was the type that sent shivers to her spine. Instantly, her shoulders went stiff. The voice sounded familiar. It sounded like that man's voice. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Why that stupid Black Emperor was always invading her mind? Erase! Erase! She slowly turned her head. Words were caught in Li Nuxie's mouth as soon as her eyes devoured the person's profile. She put her hands behind her back, wringing them to stop from trembling.

The man who haunted her dreams during her first week in City S was still the same, the way she memorized his facial features. The prominent jaw and those luscious lips that was tempting like chocolate éclair.

She swallowed an imaginary lump in her throat as she gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Hello, Mr. Book. Fancy seeing you here," she returned the greeting. She can feel the heat gradually creeping behind her ears towards her neck and finally to her face.

She did what she did because she was sure they will not meet again. So why was the man standing in front of her now? He was wearing a gray business suit, in contrast to his gray hoody jacket when they first met.

Li Nuxie was not aware that her voice sounded breathless which drew out a reaction to the man's certain body part. How can she be aware when all she looked at was the middle of his eyebrows?

Xu Ming went to the sales lady and gave the selected pieces of clothing to wrap. His eyes roamed around the boutique, looking for his elder brother. His gaze stopped at the long sleeves section. Xu Wei's back was facing Xu Ming but it seemed like he was talking to someone.

He curled his lips as he strode towards his elder brother. So, Xu Wei was really going to marry Li Chanying? No wonder they went here even though they already finished buying dresses for their sister.

However, Xu Ming almost knocked down a mannequin when he saw the woman his elder brother was talking to.

"Young Miss Li?" his voice was a bit higher than his usual, making the two people turned to face him.

Li Nuxie held her chin high. "Second Young Master Xu."

Xu Ming looked at his brother before glancing back at Li Nuxie. It's not Li Chanying? He approached them, stopping at his brother's side. "You know my b—"

Xu Wei's right hand slammed right into Xu Ming's core before he finished his question. Xu Ming staggered back, wincing at the thought that he was caught off guard.

"Hey!" Coldness crept on Li Nuxie's hands as she watched the man slammed Xu Ming's stomach.

Xu Ming raised his hand as he felt the coldness from his elder brother. Dying of hypothermia was not included in his bucket list! "I'm fine, Young Miss Li. It's just our way of greeting each other. What I wanted to say was 'You know my best friend?'"

Li Nuxie pressed her lips together as her eyes narrowed towards the two men in front of her. "I see," she said. They are clearly hiding something from her but it's not her business to meddle with. "Well then, I'll get going."

"How about coffee? My treat." Xu Ming invited Li Nuxie. He wanted to gather as many data as he can. Xu Wei nodded towards him slightly, clearly appreciating his move.

"I'm going to meet my grandma," she gave them a smile. "Family first before coffee with strangers."

Xu Ming's laughter floated in the air as he put his arm over his brother's shoulder. He thought they are getting married? How come his elder brother was being treated as a stranger? Curiosity gleamed in his eyes.

"Soon, we're not going to be strangers," Xu Wei butted in before removing his younger brother's arm and headed towards the exit.

Li Nuxie and Xu Ming were left with thin lines on their foreheads. Both were confused but for totally different reasons.