5 The Black Prince (1)

It had begun to rain when she decided to go straight to work.

Xue Guangli spent the afternoon and all of the next day in the store she managed: answering calls regarding inquiries, speaking to clients, managing her small staff. Her sisters ran the other stores.

The store had been slow these last few months since they haven't been able to keep up with new trends for dresses and bridal gowns.

Xue Guangli recalled that their stores were going to near bankruptcy years ago because they couldn't keep up with the costs or maintaining the flow of revenue. Therefore, she auctioned most of the expensive clothing to attain the expenses of keeping her mother's brand.

Xue Guangli felt disheartened that she had to sell her mother's hand-made dresses, but it was necessary. Since she died, all of the prices sky-rocketed, worth millions of yuan. They then worked together to take over the stores.

Since it was a silent auction, Xue Guangli never found out who bought them, but she knew it was a single bidding on all of the dresses.

As the evening came, Xue Guangli worked on a bridal dress she spent weeks creating. She then suddenly heard customers walk in, the first since her lunch break.

She approached the front to greet them and realized who they were. It was her friends. Song Ren, the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, and Qian Meigui, a lawyer who defended large corporations like Sun Group and Song Pharmaceuticals in their city.

"Hello," Xue Guangli greeted them kindly. They were the most regular and most affluent customers she had, supporting her. They were also the prettiest girls to behold, but unlike other wealthy women, they weren't arrogant or snobby.

Qian Meigui approached her with a smile, grasping her hands in hers. "Guangli, I need a wedding gown!" she said with cheerfulness; her ring finger sparkled like a white-diamond halo.

Xue Guangli recalled that Qian Meigui was engaged to the CEO of an entertainment company, and Song Ren was her soon to be sister-in-law. "Come with me," Xue Guangli said to her, genuinely. She then escorted them to the bridal section. The two women looked around the store.

Qian Meigui held her hand on her chin, roaming the hangers while using her free hand to feel the materials when she pointed out at one of them and said, "That one!"

It was the dress she was working on, held over a mannequin.

"Ah!" Xue Guangli began, "I was only making it for fun. It will end up thrown in the trash," she responded lightly.

Qian Meigui said, "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I will give you anything for it," she said desperately. She then ran her fingers through the folds and lace of it. "My fiancé would love to see me in this," she said more to herself than anyone in particular.

Xue Guangli bit down her lip; she felt like there was nothing special about it. It was only in the first two stages.

"There are better dresses," she responded.

Qian Meigui shook her head with a smile. "I promise, it's perfect," she assured her.

Xue Guangli grinned. "All right then. I will sell it to you, but only when I have finished."

Qian Meigui smiled happily, gazing at the gown affectionately. Xue Guangli wondered if she was thinking about her future husband. And she also wondered, could she ever be as blissfully happy as her?

"Thank you," the bride said to her. She was glowing so brightly that Xue Guangli now felt determined to finish the dress to the best of her abilities. And she felt good about it because she hadn't received that spark in a long time.

"You're coming to my wedding, right?" Qian Meigui asked her.

"I'm coming," she responded eagerly. It was the first time in a long time that she felt excited about something. To also attend a wedding, it should be fun. Qian Meigui then hugged her suddenly, catching her off guard.

Qian Meigui was a lawyer, one of the best in the city, as her debut cases were complex dealings that she managed to win. Xue Guangli felt fortunate to have her as a friend.

Afterward, Xue Guangli bid her friend's good-bye, and she continued to work on the dress until the late evening.

She then changed into a thin-strapped red dress right after finishing up some work before she closed the store.

Wang Weimin was waiting right outside for her in the car.

He then took her to a mansion party in the downtown core, where their friends waited for them.

They both stepped into the house, walking down towards the dining hall. It was a large house, indeed, owned by Yin Shou. Yin Shou was a member of the High Society and a good friend to them.

He occasionally liked to throw lavish parties, and today it was to celebrate his twenty-sixth birthday. They went to greet him. "Thanks for coming," Yin Shou began. "There is food, activities, and if you need some quiet time," he leaned into the two of them. "The backyard will do," he finished with a wink, slightly drunk.

Xue Guangli shot him a smile before Wang Weimin enclosed her waist, and they headed towards the backyard where fewer people were.

Xue Guangli and Wang Weimin grabbed some cocktails before stepping onto the grass; there were fairy lights hung all around the yard, illuminating the yard faintly. A vast pool lay in the middle, with tables and chairs on opposite ends.

Xue Guangli and Wang Weimin found a seat and began speaking to each other. A friend of his, one she did not know, greeted the two of them and started talking.

Xue Guangli had no part in the conversation, so her gaze lingered around, finding an outdoor lamp suddenly interesting. But as she kept gazing around, she caught a glimpse of someone familiar. Her heart sped up quickly as she looked away.

Hoping her mind was playing an illusion, she looked over again at the man who was lying down on a pool chair. His hair hung loosely over his eyes; he held a glass in his hand over his knee.

His white shirt, underneath his suit jacket, was unbuttoned loosely, revealing his muscled skin. He stared distantly into the pool, dazed as a woman next to him, kissed him against his ears and neck. But he did not look the faintest interested in her.

Xue Guangli scoffed, but then suddenly, his gaze locked with hers, and he stared at her with the pool between them. The woman's kisses lingered down towards his chest. Long Huojin then smiled lightly, raising his glass in salute towards her, downing it. He never looked away; it was as if he wanted her to watch him.

Xue Guangli's gritted her teeth, inching towards Wang Weimin, ignoring Long Huojin. She didn't give him another glance, but she could still feel his stare pierce through her.

It had been like this for years now. They always wound up in the same parties, events, and social circles because they had mutual friends.

But why was he even here? He wasn't part of the High Society anymore…