Chapter 179 - Have Fun Destroying Her

On the one-week mark after the New Year's party, Feng Xuan was grinning when she opened the package that contained The Society magazine. Of all the pictures they could have used, it was of her and Qing Chen kissing while the fireworks exploded in the background.

"Why do they photograph people kissing?" said Qing Chen with a sour look on his face when Feng Xuan showed it to him over breakfast.

"Don't you like it? It looks like we're in a movie poster, or a book cover. So romantic." Qing Chen shook his head but there was a huge smile on his lips. Feng Xuan read the headlines. "'Qing-Feng Couple Ends Divorce Rumors—Attends New Year's Party Together'." Feng Xuan had never laughed harder.

She flipped to the page of the whole article and read the excerpt that was from their short interview after the red carpet. As usual, there was the recent recap of the events: how they were a self-confessed arranged marriage couple, her car accident, her kidnapping—she flipped the magazine close but something caught her eyes.

She flipped so hard that the magazine almost fell apart in her hands. "'Model Da Xia to enter the fashion industry in Chengshi….'" The rest of the article was from an interview that Da Xia had under the section AFTERPARTY. 

"Do I look like a nice person, Chen?" she asked him as he got back from brushing his teeth.

"Yes. Why?"

"It seems like your ex-girlfriend did not really take me seriously."

Qing Chen kissed the top of her head in farewell. "Have fun destroying her."

"Oh, I will!" she said and stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck and gave him a big smooch. "Have a great day."

**

So how could she make Da Xia leave this city? It would be too cruel to destroy her name all over the world, considering that the woman did not really do anything to her directly… maybe she should have asked Qing Chen what really happened.

"What are you thinking about?" Wang Yimin bumped her shoulders against hers. They were both leaning against the cashier at Gretel's.

"What do you think about getting into the fashion industry?" 

Wang Yimin laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"Not really," she shook her head.

Wang Yimin put a hand on her hip. "What do you know about the fashion industry?"

"Not much to be honest." She smiled. "But YOU know a lot… and I think I'll fund you if you're willing…"

Realization sunk in and her cousin stared her down. "I know what this is about."

"You've seen The Society this morning?"

"Who didn't?" Wang Yimin answered.

Feng Xuan wrapped her arm on Wang Yimin's. "What do you think, cousin? Let's do this?"

Wang Yimin looked like she was about to laugh. "You're so bent on keeping your husband's ex-girlfriend away from this city."

"Wrong," she said. "I don't want them in the same continent. She has to go."

"Let's think this through, Xuan—"

"What's there to think about? You have talent with clothes, you have a strong following on social media—"

"Da Xia is a famous model."

"Then we'll make you more famous." She batted her eyes at her cousin. "I would even let you use me as a model. For free."

Wang Yimin guffawed. "Those were nice pictures of you in the red carpet last week. You really sold that 'I am a devil now' look."

Feng Xuan's smile faltered, "In line with that, I think I need to go shopping for new clothes."

Wang Yimin's eyes were suspicious but took off her apron, "Seriously, what happened to you when you went on that retreat?"

"Oh… it just made me realize what kind of woman I want to be."

"Where is that? I think I need to make an appointment."

Feng Xuan slung her bag on her shoulder. "Believe me, you wouldn't want to be there."

**

The cousins went to multiple stores in search of new clothes for Feng Xuan. "Would it be nice if we put our clothes together and then we'll do something like a garage sale?" she asked Wang Yimin as she examined a rack of black tops.

"That sound great," replied Wang Yimin in her soft voice. "All proceeds to charity?"

"As always," Feng Xuan answered. "It would be great publicity. We can make the announcement there. We have to think of a name. Any ideas?"

"I don't think I have one yet."

"Oh come on, cousin," Feng Xuan groaned. "You must've dreamt of your own clothing line when you were younger. I don't like two-word names. Let's keep it simple. One word that brings everything."

"Hmmmm… it's really hard to think of a name nowadays. Almost everything is taken."

"No worries, we'll buy the name then copyright it. I want something like Vogue, Chanel, LV, Versace… Da Xia will probably make a name with something European."

"How are we going to get rid of Da Xia with opening our own fashion line?"

"We're going to overshadow her, what else?" Feng Xuan laughed. "We'll make the people come to us instead of her. That's why we need to move fast."

"Let me get back to you on that name," said Wang Yimin.

"They would want to come to us for expensive clothes that when they buy them, they'd feel like they're one of us."

"What are we anyway?"

"Rich people with no substance?"

Wang Yimin laughed. "Socialites. Lace-curtain. Silk-stocking."

"Those words mean a lot but they would be lame."

"What about Doll Face, Baby Doll."

Feng Xuan looked over her shoulder to her cousin who was busy looking at scarves. They used to have the same style—carefree, happy, demure, 'I am a good wife" kind. She took a look at the garments slung on her arm—dark, showy, skin, 'I am going to slice you' vibe. "We're bound to find something in common."

"Don't worry cousin. We'll think of something."

Feng Xuan pouted, thinking that this plan might collapse even before it started.