IDEI Ch16

“You can head back for now. We’ll need to trouble you to come by again once the clothes arrive,” Chu Sixiu said with a smile, catching Qi Yanning’s cue.

The trainees could only return to their practice room, their hearts filled with unease.

Meanwhile, Li Jinshi had already gotten in touch with Liang Qingxue and Qin Zhifan.

[XUE]: A-Shi, what did you just say?

Seeing Li Jinshi’s message, Liang Qingxue leaped up from her bed.

Having not found a job yet, she was still living in the university dorms. Seeing Li Jinshi’s text, she even double-checked it three times.

[XUE]: That stylist you mentioned took a liking to my graduation design? Seriously?

[XUE]: Sister, don’t mess with me! I’m really gonna believe it!

[LUCKY SHI]: For real. Just say if we can borrow it or not?

[XUE]: Yes yes yes! Absolutely yes! Where are you right now? I’ll haul ass over with my graduation project at lightning speed!

[XUE]: Ahhhhhhh I made it!

[XUE]: Mom, I made it! Someone’s gonna wear my graduation design on the red carpet, hehehehehe!

Seeing that Liang Qingxue was settled, Li Jinshi went to contact Qin Zhifan.

Qin Zhifan had secured a postgraduate recommendation to remain at the university, so she was still on campus as well. As always, she was cool and detached.

[Q.F]: Fine. Which piece, address.

Seeing both agree, Li Jinshi looked up at Qi Yanning. “Qi-ge, they both agreed! They’ll bring the clothes right over.”

Qi Yanning looked at the assistant with a faint, knowing smile.

The assistant wiped his face. “The company will send a car to pick them up.”

Qi Yanning nodded slightly.

With Morning Star Entertainment’s swift coordination, Liang Qingxue and Qin Zhifan arrived at Morning Star Entertainment with their graduation projects two hours later.

[XUE]: Morning Star Entertainment! Ahhhhh baby, why didn’t you say so earlier?

[XUE]: A Morning Star artist wearing my clothes—do I even deserve this? Hell yeah I do, hahahaha!

[XUE]: I’m so excited! Sister, you’ve hit the big time for real!

Liang Qingxue secretly texted Li Jinshi the entire way, trying her best to suppress her overwhelming excitement. Even Qin Zhifan’s expression betrayed subtle ripples of emotion.

Despite her consistently stellar academic record, Qin Zhifan’s previous pieces had only ever walked campus runway showcases, essentially student self-indulgence.

She had never imagined that while still a student, she would have the chance to see her creations grace an actual red carpet!

The two were guided up to the twenty-second floor and ushered into a styling studio.

Seeing them enter, Qi Yanning stood up and offered a polite nod in greeting. “Hello, I am Qi Yanning.”

Liang Qingxue pinched her own arm hard.

Good heavens, Qi Yanning?

She was actually meeting the rumored idol who had left the entertainment circle in person? Totally worth it!

Her eyes remained glued to Qi Yanning without blinking.

In person, he was even more strikingly handsome than on screen. What was more, the Qi Yanning before her carried an indescribable aura:

Powerful, fearless, and undeniably compelling. Even with an easy, languid posture and an even tone, he commanded natural compliance.

Liang Qingxue realized that Qi Yanning was different from before.

Dammit, her idol must have endured so much hardship over this period!

Noticing the heartache written across Liang Qingxue’s face, a gentle wave stirred in Qi Yanning’s chest.

The original Qi Yanning had truly been loved by a wonderful group of people.

Softening his expression with rare warmth, he smiled at Liang Qingxue.

“It’s getting late, so let’s make this quick,” Qi Yanning said. “I need the five dresses from Qin Zhifan’s graduation collection, plus Liang Qingxue’s ‘Tower Rose’ gown. Can they be altered to fit the trainees’ measurements?”

Both nodded in unison.

Right on cue, the trainees filed into the styling studio once more.

“Go change into the outfits first,” Qi Yanning instructed before they could react. “There will be plenty of alterations needed.”

The seven girls entered the fitting rooms in a daze, with Li Jinshi and Chu Sixiu following inside to assist them.

The wardrobe change finished quickly.

The idol trainees were the first to emerge.

At that exact moment, Ling Cangzhou stepped into the styling studio. The instant he walked through the door, his eyes ignited—

The dresses worn by the idol trainees were built on a black foundation, with clean, razor-sharp silhouettes that each carried distinct variations.

The highlight of the gowns lay in their embellishments: twisted, folded silver metal formed various three-dimensional metallic blossoms.

Clusters of metal flowers clustered across the dresses, evoking a deconstructivist metal botanical garden at first glance.

Coincidentally, Qin Zhifan’s graduation collection happened to be titled “Garden.”

“Beautiful,” Ling Cangzhou applauded softly.

“Your aesthetic instinct is razor-sharp. These dresses suit them wonderfully, and they align seamlessly with their debut group concept.” Ling Cangzhou praised Qi Yanning with a warm smile, earning a dry, amused glance in return.

“Jianming, Jinshi, Sixiu, come do their hair and makeup,” Qi Yanning directed.

During the two hours spent waiting earlier, they had already finalized the makeup concept sketches, making this the perfect time to execute the looks.

With the three working in tandem on experimental trials that didn’t require full detail polish, they finished swiftly.

An hour later, all seven trainees stood assembled before them.

The five idol trainees wore black metal floral gowns, their hair styled clean and crisp, complemented by soft smoky eye makeup that accentuated an aloof, cool elegance perfectly in sync with their wardrobe.

Meanwhile, the two acting trainees wore white palette ensembles.

The cute-styled trainee wore a pure white dress with colorful floral patterns subtly peeking through the sheer tulle of the skirt, resembling a garden shrouded in morning mist. Her hair was styled into a loose side braid resting over her shoulder, making her look like an ethereal woodland sprite.

The elegant trainee’s gown appeared to be an understated white slip dress at first glance. Yet from the front, a diagonal slash across the silhouette revealed intricate, three-dimensional blossoms, like a garden glimpsed through a half-open courtyard gate.

The blossoms transitioned from dense clusters at the hem to sparse accents near the bodice, leaving only a few stray petals winding around the shoulder straps to highlight her pale collarbones. Her hair was gathered in a soft updo, radiating gentle, captivating grace.

Ling Cangzhou stared at them in sheer wonder.

Turning to Qi Yanning, his eyes shone with startling brilliance. “A-Ning…”

“No matter how many times I witness this, you leave me utterly breathless…”

Qi Yanning did not look away, meeting eyes brimming with starlight.

After a long beat, both curved their lips into a smile.

The trainees exchanged looks among themselves, their eyes filled with mutual astonishment.

Qin Zhifan and Liang Qingxue were in a daze. Before arriving, they knew their collections were exceptional, having received unanimous praise from their university professors.

Yet how such conceptual graduation designs would translate onto a red carpet was something they could never guarantee.

Qi Yanning, however, seamlessly preserved the artistic integrity of the garments without letting the clothes overpower the wearers, enhancing each artist’s unique temperament instead.

Qi Yanning observed the fit of each piece with clinical care.

Naturally, student graduation pieces lacked the meticulous finishing of luxury couture. Yet with minor structural alterations, they would be more than ready to command the red carpet.

“Miss Qin, Miss Liang, do you consent to reversible alterations on your pieces?” Qi Yanning asked.

Both nodded immediately. That was standard industry protocol; they understood completely.

“Sixiu, trouble you all to work some overtime to tailor the dimensions of these pieces,” Qi Yanning told his assistants.

“We can help too,” Liang Qingxue and Qin Zhifan offered hesitantly, exchanging glances.

“That would be ideal. Thank you,” Qi Yanning curved his lips. Having the original designers assist would make the work twice as efficient.

Working quickly, they pinned and marked the necessary adjustments in no time, setting to work the moment the trainees changed out of the garments.

By the time the alterations wrapped up, it was already late into the night.

“Thank you for your hard work, everyone,” Ling Cangzhou, who had waited patiently nearby, stood up and addressed the room. “Everyone must be starving. Morning Star Entertainment has a 24-hour cafeteria buffet. How about I treat you all to a late-night supper?”

Excitement surfaced on the assistants’ faces immediately. Even Qin Zhifan and Liang Qingxue were no exception.

That was the Morning Star Entertainment cafeteria!

Morning Star’s corporate dining hall was legendary in the industry. More than a few Morning Star artists had raved in interviews about how delicious their cafeteria food was, even trending on social media for it.

After all, an entertainment agency becoming famous because of its cafeteria food was intrinsically hilarious.

The assistants exchanged glances, then looked pleadingly at Qi Yanning.

Qi Yanning cast them a glance and spoke up, “Follow along. Zhifan and Qingxue, you come too!”

The hesitation on the two designers’ faces vanished in an instant, cheering alongside the three assistants.

Awesome!

The youngsters trailed closely behind Qi Yanning, while Ling Cangzhou walked shoulder-to-shoulder beside him.

With the group flanking Qi Yanning toward the cafeteria, curious glances followed them down the corridors.

Who was this gorgeous stunner to be hosted personally by the CEO?

Qi Yanning paid no heed to the stares, strolling into the dining hall at an unhurried pace.

Morning Star Entertainment’s cafeteria was indeed magnificent, occupying an entire floor of the high-rise. It offered an endless spread of delicacies, spanning China’s eight major culinary traditions to international cuisine.

“Go ahead,” Qi Yanning told the assistants with a teasing smirk, noticing their eyes practically glowing.

“Qi-ge, we’re off then!” The five dashed off like unleashed puppies toward their favorite food stations.

“Let me show you around,” Ling Cangzhou, who had remained quiet until now, smiled warmly. “What would you like to eat?”

Qi Yanning genuinely didn’t know what to choose. It was well past his dinner hour, and by habit, he avoided late-night food entirely. Yet to avoid dampening the young crew’s spirits, he had come along anyway.

“It’s quite late. Would you prefer something light?” Ling Cangzhou suggested intuitively, reading his expression. “The Cantonese slow-simmered soups over there are prepared by master chefs brought in directly from Guangdong. They’re very authentic. Care to try some?”

Qi Yanning nodded noncommittally.

A cafeteria attendant soon delivered the soup to their table. Served in delicate ceramic tureens, it radiated a comforting, aromatic steam. Beside it sat a small bowl of rice noodles simmered in the rich broth.

Qi Yanning took a sip, his eyes lighting up slightly. This flavor held traces of the imperial kitchen’s mastery from his past life!

Ling Cangzhou gently stirred the soup in his bowl with a spoon without drinking, smiling across at Qi Yanning. “The pigeon soup has medicinal herbs added to soothe the nerves and aid sleep. The noodles beside it were cooked in the same broth. Knowing you don’t take late-night meals, it’s just a single mouthful to keep your stomach settled.”

“It’s very good.” Qi Yanning set down his spoon, dabbed his lips lightly with a napkin, and smoothed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. Only then did he look up, meeting Ling Cangzhou’s gaze with a hint of amusement.

“Earning praise from A-Ning means the company didn’t hire that head chef in vain,” Ling Cangzhou leaned forward slightly across the table, teasing playfully.

“Is my praise worth that much gold?” Qi Yanning asked evenly, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

“Of course. A-Ning is the most brilliant stylist I’ve ever seen. I’m working hard to stay on your good side so it’ll be easier to book your services in the future.”

Ling Cangzhou leaned in a fraction closer, tilting his head slightly with clasped hands rested on the table, offering a bright, innocent grin.

“Besides, A-Ning himself is the absolute best.”

Qi Yanning met his gaze for a moment, arching an eyebrow with a faint smile. Saying nothing, he cast Ling Cangzhou a deep look before lowering his head to finish his pigeon soup.

Ling Cangzhou casually shifted his posture, discreetly releasing his clasped hands beneath the table.

He had been so nervous just now that he gripped his hands too tightly, and his fingers had gone completely numb!