If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 62
Chapter 62: The Twenty-Second Day
The red carpet atmosphere, which should have peaked with Yun Fei’s appearance, was now even more lively with the arrival of Ji Chaozhou and Cheng Liu, completely stealing Yun Fei's spotlight. The photographers frantically snapped photos, almost as if they wanted to break their fingers capturing the two.
Unfortunately, they walked quickly, barely pausing.
Yun Fei and the French perfumer had lingered for so long that the emcee, standing at the entrance, had to call them over.
Yun Fei struggled to maintain her smile. She had meticulously prepared for this event. The gold, diamond-studded dress had been custom-designed for her, the first in the world to wear it.
Not to mention the long diamond earrings and the jeweled tassel necklace, each worth millions.
Her manager had already prepared the press releases, ready to be published as soon as she finished her red carpet walk.
But now, all the cameras were focused on the two people behind her.
If it had just been Ji Chaozhou, Yun Fei wouldn't have minded, but he was with Cheng Liu.
From that brief glance, Yun Fei could tell that Cheng Liu’s dress wasn't particularly expensive, certainly not as extravagant as her own handcrafted, diamond-encrusted gown.
Yet, Cheng Liu wore the dress with an effortless grace, a casual elegance. Her walk might not have been as polished as a trained celebrity’s, but she still commanded attention.
As Yun Fei walked, she could clearly hear the reporters calling out.
“It’s CEO Cheng!”
“CEO Cheng, look this way!”
Their excitement wasn't just about capturing a celebrity photo; their voices were filled with admiration, a genuine fondness for Cheng Liu.
“What kind of expo has a red carpet?” Cheng Liu whispered to Ji Chaozhou.
Ji Chaozhou leaned down slightly to hear her, then replied, “The Luo Xiang Expo. It’s hosted by a French brand, the theme is Eastern Incense Dao.”
“A foreign brand hosting a Chinese incense expo?” Cheng Liu raised an eyebrow at Ji Chaozhou. “Ranshan should host one in the future.”
“Okay,” Ji Chaozhou said casually.
Only Tang Fanglu, walking behind them, knew that Ji Chaozhou always meant what he said.
Before Ji Chaozhou and Cheng Liu arrived, the online consensus, based on the live stream, had been that Yun Fei’s red carpet look was the undisputed best dressed. The white diamonds on her dress and the rubies on her earrings, necklace, and ring, paired with her red lipstick and wavy hair, had outshone all the other female celebrities.
Marketing accounts were reposting her photos, eager to capitalize on the trend.
[Yun Fei is the queen of the red carpet.]
[The first to wear this dress globally. Only Yun Fei has the status for that.]
[I heard only two domestic perfume companies are participating. What a joke. This is Eastern Incense Dao? Embarrassing.]
[Two is better than none. I remember one of them is Ranshan. Ranshan and Midu both won a series of perfume awards, twenty years apart. Not bad.]
[It’s a shame Ranshan’s perfumer passed away so young.]
[Isn’t Midu’s perfumer the son of Ranshan’s original perfumer? Carrying on the family legacy.]
…
Unedited photos of the celebrities from the red carpet were circulating online, fans praising their favorites.
Then, several media outlets suddenly posted blurry GIFs, promoting Cheng Liu: The founder of Shenyin Technology attended the expo, accompanied by a young man.
The news spread like wildfire.
Even through the blurry GIFs, it was clear how stunning they both looked.
[OMG! CEO Cheng is killing me!]
[Who's the guy with her? None of the male celebrities even come close.]
[Doesn't any media outlet have clearer photos?]
[Are they holding hands?]
Even these blurry photos and GIFs were enough to make netizens abandon their idols and focus on Cheng Liu and Ji Chaozhou. Drawn to their undeniable beauty, the online community was captivated, even though no one knew who Ji Chaozhou was.
Netizens watched the GIFs repeatedly, some media outlets even posting short video clips from different angles, enough to satisfy their curiosity.
[Did Yun Fei say something?]
[She said the young man with CEO Cheng is Ranshan’s genius perfumer.]
[Really? He’s the one who created Midu?]
[Wait, aren’t CEO Cheng and Ranshan’s genius perfumer neighbors?]
[It all makes sense! Didn’t Yun Fei say she knew the perfumer?]
…
Cheng Liu and Ji Chaozhou walked off the red carpet and into the exhibition hall, their hands separating.
Ji Chaozhou slowly closed his hand, the warmth of her touch lingering on his palm.
The French perfumer was already waiting inside. As soon as they entered, he approached Ji Chaozhou with a glass of champagne, introducing himself.
Cheng Liu took a glass of champagne from a passing server and handed it to Ji Chaozhou.
Ji Chaozhou took the glass and continued talking to the French perfumer.
The perfumer was clearly fascinated by the creator of Midu, even more so by Ji Chaozhou's youth and striking good looks.
“Brother Chaozhou,” Yun Fei said, walking over with them. She looked at Cheng Liu. “CEO Cheng, what brings you here?”
“Just looking around,” Cheng Liu said casually.
Yun Fei, annoyed by her flippant response, felt a pang of jealousy. Cheng Liu was too captivating. Just standing there, she drew everyone's attention, people already looking for excuses to approach her.
Yun Fei, unable to find any flaws in Cheng Liu’s appearance or demeanor, finally asked, “Aren’t you busy with work, CEO Cheng?”
“Mm,” Cheng Liu said, looking down at her phone.
Yun Fei: “…”
Cheng Liu had just retrieved her phone from a Ranshan employee. She was looking at the photos and messages Kong Zhouyun had sent.
Kong Zhouyun: [CEO Cheng, can I publish the photos from the red carpet?]
Kong Zhouyun: [They’re all over the internet! But mine are better!]
CEO Cheng immediately replied: [Publish them.]
She sent the message, then, noticing Yun Fei still staring at her, opened the photos, turned her phone screen towards Yun Fei, and asked, in a friendly tone, “Aren't they beautiful?”
The photo showed Ji Chaozhou in a classic black suit, perfectly tailored, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs accentuating his aloof elegance, his hand clasped in Cheng Liu’s, who wore a similarly colored dress.
One aloof and elegant, the other casual and alluring, yet their presence together created a perfect harmony.
Yun Fei's eyes reddened with jealousy. She had heard of Cheng Liu before, but hadn’t paid much attention.
After all, a newly successful businesswoman, especially a woman, was unlikely to cross paths with her.
Who would have thought Cheng Liu would now be standing beside the man she loved?
Yun Fei couldn’t even compare. No matter how glamorous she tried to be, Ji Chaozhou barely glanced at her, the media clearly favoring Cheng Liu.
“Did you get something in your eye?” Cheng Liu asked, looking up at Yun Fei, surprised by her reddened eyes.
Yun Fei: “…” She was fuming, but she couldn’t say anything.
Meanwhile, Kong Zhouyun, having received Cheng Liu’s approval, excitedly logged into his entertainment news Weibo account and posted several high-definition photos from the red carpet.
These photos were no less stunning than the ones he had taken under the streetlight. The formal attire, the backdrop of reporters and photographers, the added spotlight, made them even more captivating.
As soon as he posted them, the photos went viral.
Kong Zhouyun watched the rapidly increasing number of reposts and comments, overjoyed. He had exceeded his KPI for the month!
[OMG! High-definition photos! You guys are amazing!]
Kong Zhouyun’s photos weren’t just high-definition; they also captured moments not seen in other media photos or videos – Ji Chaozhou looking at the camera, Cheng Liu looking at the camera.
[Can this perfumer debut as a celebrity? He’s so much better than those male stars.]
[CEO Cheng’s dress is gorgeous! Black satin, yet shimmering, so elegant and alluring.]
[These two together are a visual feast!]
[Are you guys missing something? Look at the perfumer's wrist!!!]
In one photo, where Ji Chaozhou and Cheng Liu were standing slightly apart, his hand not quite reaching hers, his suit sleeve had ridden up, revealing the watch on his wrist.
[That watch…looks familiar.]
[I thought so too.]
[Because CEO Cheng wore it a few days ago! photo.jpg]
[It fits him perfectly.]
[OMG!!! The mystery is solved!!!]
[So the person who lent CEO Cheng their watch is Ranshan’s genius perfumer?!]
[And they’re neighbors.]
[That whole “climbing the wall to see flowers” story during the live stream was a lie!]
The gossip fueled the online frenzy, the photos being shared everywhere.
Kong Zhouyun, biting his nails, thought: If he posted the streetlight photo, these netizens would go crazy.
…
At the expo, people constantly approached Ji Chaozhou, not just celebrities, but also figures from the perfume industry, curious about the creator of Midu.
After every conversation, Ji Chaozhou would instinctively look for Cheng Liu, always nearby.
Like now, Cheng Liu was casually leaning back in a chair at a high table, her elbow resting on the backrest, the silver snake ring on her finger tapping lightly on the surface.
Only after confirming her presence would Ji Chaozhou look away, his fingers subtly touching the pilot’s watch on his wrist.
—He had worn it deliberately.
Most of the attendees weren't focused on the perfumes. Half of them were looking at Ji Chaozhou, the other half at Cheng Liu.
Some even discreetly took photos of them.
Cheng Liu, not needing to socialize, not drinking, sat there, watching Ji Chaozhou, his tall, slender figure, his posture straight and elegant, like a snow-covered pine tree. He seemed unaccustomed to such events, otherwise, more people would have recognized him.
Even so, he stood there, composed and at ease, effortlessly navigating the conversations.
As Cheng Liu watched his profile, she had a fleeting sense of déjà vu, as if seeing him again on the deck of the cruise ship six months ago.
Just for a moment, then Cheng Liu chided herself: How could she overlap Ji Chaozhou’s image with Wang Hongyang’s?
That was unacceptable!
Just then, Ji Chaozhou, in the distance, suddenly turned and looked at her, his usually cold amber eyes softening as they met hers, a gentle warmth in their depths.
Cheng Liu instinctively pressed her hand against her racing heart: That couldn’t be the same as Wang Hongyang’s gaze. She must have been mistaken!
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