novelraw Chapter 455: Fuse
Chapter 455: Fuse
5:50 AM.
The alarm clock's sound drifted gently through the clean but crowded bedroom.
Yao Lingling slowly opened her eyes, her eyelashes trembling lightly. The next second, she sat up abruptly.
Ten minutes until sunrise. The sky outside had already been tinged with a faint morning glow, but the room remained dim.
She turned on the small bedside nightlight and sat in a daze for a moment, her thoughts gradually clearing.
Picking up the phone next to her pillow, Yao Lingling glanced at today’s weather forecast. Just as she opened WeChat, an unread message caught her attention.
[Tang Song: "You got this, Designer Lingling!"]
Sent at 5:30 AM.
Her fingertips paused slightly, a bright smile spreading across her face as her whole demeanor lifted with energy.
From what she knew, her senior had just woken up at this time.Which meant, the first thing he did after waking up was send her a WeChat message.
She tapped into the chat window, her fingers flying across the screen.
[Lingling: "(≥V≤)/ Thank you for the encouragement, Senior!"]
[Lingling: "oo Today is September 13, sunny, crisp autumn air. Outfit recommendations as follows..."]
After sending the message, she set her phone aside, stepped barefoot onto the cool floor, and gently pulled open the curtains.
Taking a deep breath, she savored the uniquely refreshing autumn air, feeling as if she had been blessed with an "Excitement Buff."
The Yan Provincial International Fashion Expo officially kicked off today.
After all, the attendees included industry experts, media influencers, and government officials.
Next up, it was time for Designer Lingling to shine!
Lin Muxue picked up the hand-drawn "Sister Liang Sketch" from under the desk, gave it an air kiss, then swayed her hips while humming a tune as she headed to the bathroom.
Bathroom break, washing up, makeup...
After changing into a sharp, stylish professional outfit, Lin Muxue walked to the guest bedroom.
"Bang bang bang—" She knocked forcefully on the door and whispered, "Minmin, are you done packing?"
"Just a little longer!"
The door opened, revealing Li Shumin with a face mask on. She looked at Lin Muxue, who was brimming with energy, and gave her a thumbs-up. "So fierce, stunning!"
"Hehe, you sure know how to talk." Lin Muxue patted her shoulder in satisfaction. "Hurry up and finish packing, we need to check the exhibition hall first, and then you’ll head to the opening ceremony."
"So envious." Li Shumin pouted. "I wanna go too. I heard there aren't even a handful of small influencers with millions of followers. I really want to join the fun."
Lin Muxue shrugged. "Can't help you there. Just take fewer pictures of them when the time comes."
Only six designers from Shangya Fashion Design were allowed to attend the opening ceremony.
The reason she had the qualification was that her work was featured in the runway show.
...
By 8:00 AM, the entrance of the Yan City International Convention Center was already bustling, mostly with staff from various fashion companies.
After showing their temporary work badges, the two entered the venue smoothly.
The air carried a faint mix of perfume and fresh flowers, filling the hall with an atmosphere of fashion and vibrancy.
The vast central hall had been neatly partitioned into numerous exhibition booths.
Each booth was meticulously designed, with unique lighting, décor, and displays.
The clicking of high heels, the static of walkie-talkies, and occasional shouts blended together, heightening the tension.
"Good morning, Sister Xuan!"
"Morning, Lingling."
"Brother Wang! Morning!"
Navigating through the bustling crowd, they greeted people as they arrived at their exhibition booth.
As a well-known local fashion design company, Shangya had secured a prime spot in the core area.
Looking at the newly designed modern Chinese-style womenswear hanging on the rack, Yao Lingling’s eyes sparkled with delight.
Li Shumin grabbed her best friend's arm and praised, "It's gorgeous! Can't wait to see the model wearing it on the runway!"
"You’ll see it this afternoon, hehe."
Li Shumin nodded eagerly. "Next up, we’ll be watching our great designer Lingling accept her award!"
Yao Lingling playfully grinned. Just as she was about to respond, a cold voice suddenly interrupted.
"Yao Lingling, Li Shumin!"
Turning around, they saw Liang Jiani standing with her arms crossed, looking stern.
"Sister Liang." "Sister Liang."
Liang Jiani raised her brows and raised her voice an octave. "Go help clean up! Stop wasting time here."
"Got it, Sister Liang." Yao Lingling maintained her bright smile, as if she hadn’t picked up on the sharpness in her tone. She casually tugged at Li Shumin’s sleeve and walked towards the negotiation area.
Glancing at the clothes on the display racks, then at Yao Lingling’s retreating figure, a flicker of amusement and anticipation flashed through Liang Jiani’s eyes.
A little farther away, Li Shumin bit her lip and whispered in frustration, "That old witch is just jealous of you! She’s deliberately giving us trouble."
"It’s fine, let’s just stay out of her way." Yao Lingling whispered back, then busied herself.
She understood Liang Jiani’s temperament all too well.
After all, since joining the company, she had been Liang Jiani’s assistant, running around for her, handling all the dirty and tiring work, and often taking the blame.
Then, all of a sudden, this assistant "shot to the top," becoming an equal as a lead designer.
Liang Jiani had been holding in resentment ever since, constantly throwing sarcastic remarks and looking for chances to suppress her.
Especially at this international fashion expo, where Yao Lingling's work was selected to represent the Qimeng Brand in the runway show. She was also attending the opening ceremony as a designer representative.
Meanwhile, Liang Jiani lost the internal competition to other colleagues and was only eligible to exhibit her work.
Her mindset? Absolutely shattered.
Yao Lingling had no interest in provoking her, so she simply avoided her altogether.
The Porsche 911, like a silver lightning bolt, gracefully pulled out of the underground parking lot.
Under the morning sun, the car gleamed with a faint glow, as if lined with a thin layer of gold.
Lin Muxue’s fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel as she casually said, "Once we're inside, don’t go running your mouth."
"Mm-hmm, I got it!" Xu Ning quickly nodded, adjusting the collar of her suit.
It was her first time wearing a semi-formal suit, and she felt extremely uncomfortable.
Lin Muxue turned to glance at her and sighed. "If I had a better option, I wouldn’t have brought you. You bring no presence at all. Whatever, just stay quiet and follow behind me. Do exactly what I tell you."
Xu Ning smiled awkwardly. "Got it, President Lin!"
Hearing the title, Lin Muxue couldn’t help but smirk slightly.
This time, she was attending as an executive of Confluent Capital, accompanying Jiang Yanbin. As a representative of the organizers, she would be hosting government officials and elite business figures.
Naturally, she needed someone to carry her bag and collect business cards—a secretary.
There were plenty of people in Confluent Capital’s administrative office who could be assigned to the role, but this trip was more of a "personal errand."
She even planned to publicly suppress Wen Qiuyue, so naturally, she didn’t want any colleagues catching wind of it and reporting back to Tang Song.
If she ever got the chance, she might even bring it up with Tang Song—suggesting that she hire a secretary to assist with her work.
Thinking of this, Lin Muxue couldn’t help but start fantasizing wildly.
Heh, that Shen Yuyan would be a good choice.
Hadn't she been trying to find out about her work all along? Making her a secretary would be just perfect.
Although Lin Muxue instinctively disliked Shen Yuyan, she had to admit—the woman was incredibly smart and well-mannered.
Having her take orders every day, running errands, and occasionally taking her out for appearances—now that would be a power move.
Soon, the car pulled into the Yan City International Convention Center parking lot.
The two got out of the car, and Xu Ning carried Lin Muxue’s Hermès Birkin, looking up at the grand and imposing building with a hint of ambition in her eyes.
According to Xiaoxue, today's event was massive, with provincial leaders in attendance.
Glancing at Xu Ning beside her, Lin Muxue suddenly said, "Xu Ning, you've been living at my place for almost two months now, right?"
"Ah!" Xu Ning's face went pale with nervousness. "Y-Yeah, almost... Xiaoxue, are you kicking me out?"
She hadn't made a single cent yet.
Even though Lin Muxue had given her bits of allowance totaling over a thousand yuan, there wasn't much left.
And with her pile of debt, renting a place was simply out of the question.
Of course, she was also reluctant to leave Lanfeng International Apartments, with its luxurious living environment.
"Heh." Lin Muxue rolled her eyes. "In a couple of days, I’ll arrange through my company to rent you a one-bedroom in Lanfeng International Apartments. You’ll move in, and I’ll cover the cost for now. If you keep crashing at my place, my boyfriend won’t even dare to come over."
Lanfeng International Hotel and Lanfeng International Apartments were originally assets of Yunxi Tower, and the executives from both sides were quite familiar with each other.
With her current status, all it took was a word with the hotel, and securing a unit was effortless. The rent would be negligible.
While she wouldn’t dare to abuse her position for personal gain, arranging a 40-square-meter apartment for a friend was nothing.
Xu Ning instantly let out a sigh of relief, grinning ear to ear. "Oh, so I can still stay here? That’s great! Once I start making money, I’ll definitely pay you back. Thank you, Xiaoxue!"
"Forget it. Just focus on managing Xuetang Culture for me."
As they chatted, they arrived at the side entrance of the convention center.
"President Lin!" "President Lin!"
Several respectful voices suddenly called out.
Xu Ning tensed up and saw four uniformed staff members with work badges approaching quickly.
"President Lin, I’m Zhou Chi from Meigou. Director Jiang asked me to meet you here."
"Oh, hello, Secretary Zhou. Director Jiang mentioned it to me." Lin Muxue gave a slight nod, her tone relaxed. "Let’s head in."
Soon, surrounded by the group, Lin Muxue strode confidently into the convention center.
With so many exhibitors and a complex crowd, the opening ceremony was held inside the internal conference center.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the lavishly decorated VIP lounge.
Since there was still a long time before the event started, the VIP lounge wasn’t crowded—only some executives from the organizing and co-organizing companies were present.
At that moment, a middle-aged man in his forties approached briskly, speaking in accented Mandarin, "Good morning, President Lin!"
Several well-dressed and influential-looking men and women followed beside him.
Lin Muxue maintained a polite smile, her tone light. "Good morning, Director Jiang."
Jiang Yanbin warmly introduced, "This is our Confluent Capital’s Executive Assistant, Ms. Lin Muxue.
President Lin, this is Director Sun Yun from the Yan City Bureau of Commerce...
This is Mr. Zhang Wenshuo, President of the Yan Provincial Textile and Apparel Association."
"Nice to meet you, Director Sun."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Lin."
Watching Xiaoxue’s tall and commanding figure, Xu Ning felt her throat go dry, her eyelids twitching.
She had heard that the event was high-profile, but she hadn't expected it to be this high-level.
And these senior officials seemed particularly courteous to Xiaoxue.
After some enthusiastic small talk, Lin Muxue led her "secretary" Xu Ning to the lounge area and sat down on the sofa.
Soon, a staff member served them steaming hot tea.
Lin Muxue sipped her tea while checking the time.
A smile of anticipation appeared on her lips.
Wen Qiuyue, you wretched b***h!
It’s time for you to see who I really am!
Hahahaha!
Fashion Exhibition Hall Scene
A colleague who had a good relationship with Yao Lingling patted her shoulder. "Lingling, stop working already. Aren’t you attending the opening ceremony? It’s time to go sign in."
"Oh, right!" Yao Lingling quickly put down what she was working on, grabbed her bag, bid farewell to Li Shumin, and hurried out.
She hadn’t walked far before noticing Liang Jiani also leaving, keeping a deliberate distance—not too close, but not too far either.
Yao Lingling pretended not to notice and lowered her head, heading toward the east side of the exhibition hall. She took the elevator straight to the second floor.
After passing through a grand doorway, a luxurious red carpet stretched out before her.
Large LED screens on both sides displayed event guidelines and expo information in a looping feed.
At the end of the red carpet was the check-in area.
Even though there was still plenty of time before the event started, a crowd had already begun to gather.
Yao Lingling adjusted her hair and collar before stepping forward quickly.
After waiting in line for a bit, it was almost her turn.
She pulled out her temporary work badge issued by the event organizers.
A QR code on it contained her personal information and served as her official invitation to the ceremony.
After queuing for a while, her turn finally came.
She scanned the QR code, but a red error message popped up:
[You do not have entry permission for this event. Please contact the organizers for verification.]
The check-in staff politely reminded her, "Apologies, but you are not on the invited guest list for this opening ceremony."
"W-What…" Yao Lingling’s face filled with anxious confusion. "I’m one of the exhibiting designers! How can I not be on the list? There must be a mistake!"
Saying this, she tried scanning the code again.
The same 'No Permission' message appeared.
Feeling the stares of people around her, Yao Lingling’s face flushed hot red, and she mumbled in disbelief, "This… This can’t be right… Our leadership confirmed my details were entered..."
The staff politely gestured and said, "Please step aside for now. We will verify your information again shortly."
"O-Okay, thank you." Yao Lingling quickly moved to the side, her forehead breaking into a fine sweat.
To gain her colleagues' approval, she had arrived at the expo early, helping out wherever she could.
Now, all the other eligible designers had already entered together, and only 40 minutes remained before the opening ceremony began.
If this issue wasn’t resolved soon, it would be a disaster.
Just then, she felt a nudge on her shoulder.
Turning around, Yao Lingling saw Liang Jiani walking past her.
At the check-in counter, Liang Jiani scanned her QR code and entered the security gate without issue.
Noticing Yao Lingling’s shocked expression, Liang Jiani’s lips curled into a cold smile.
"Yao Lingling, you’d better check with your leadership to see if there’s been… any changes they forgot to tell you about."
Hearing those words, Yao Lingling's heart skipped a beat.
Every company had limited slots for the opening ceremony. If Liang Jiani, who originally wasn’t on the list, could enter, that meant someone else had been bumped off.
She wasn’t stupid. The first person she thought of was herself.
But how could that be possible?
She hadn’t received any notification at all. Even her manager, Xiao Mingxuan, never mentioned anything.
Yao Lingling pressed her lips tightly together and urgently asked, "Sister Liang, do you know what’s going on?"
Liang Jiani only looked at her with mocking disdain and said nothing.
Yao Lingling exhaled sharply, pulled out her phone, and dialed Xiao Mingxuan’s number.
"Beep… Beep… Beep…"
The call rang for a long time, but no one picked up.
Standing at the entrance of the passageway, Yao Lingling watched as the crowd grew larger, her face turning slightly pale.
She had no idea what was happening, but an uneasy feeling settled in her heart.
"Lingling?"
A gentle yet firm voice suddenly sounded from behind.
Footsteps approached.
Liang Jiani raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the source of the voice. Her expression froze.
Approaching them was a stunningly elegant woman.
Tall and voluptuous, she exuded confidence and intelligence, her deep blue suit tailored perfectly to her form. Her makeup was flawless, enhancing her refined features.
Behind her followed a male and female assistant, both dressed professionally.
She carried herself with an air of composure and grace, her presence instantly commanding attention.
Yao Lingling snapped out of her daze and immediately greeted her, "Sister Wen Ruan!"
"Hmm." Wen Ruan studied her expression with concern. "Are you alright? Not feeling well?"
"I'm fine." Yao Lingling bit her lip and lowered her head to hide her distress.
Wen Ruan arched an eyebrow and gently took her hand, her tone affectionate. "What’s wrong? Tell me."
With Wen Ruan’s emotional intelligence and sharp mind, a rookie fresh out of university like Yao Lingling could never hide her worries.
"I…"
Feeling the warmth of her older sister figure, Yao Lingling hesitated for a moment before softly saying, "Our company is one of the exhibitors for this fashion expo. I was originally invited to the opening ceremony, but when I scanned my QR code, it said I don’t have permission. It’s okay, Sister Wen Ruan. I’ll call my manager and see if I can sort it out."
"Oh? A problem with your invitation?"
Wen Ruan smiled, gently patting her head. "No worries, I’ll handle it."
Yao Lingling was stunned. "Sister Wen Ruan, wouldn’t that be too much trouble?"
"It’s not trouble at all. It’s easy." Wen Ruan winked playfully. "If you feel bad about it, just treat me to a meal later."
Across from them, Liang Jiani curled her lips in disdain.
She made it sound so casual and effortless.
Who do you think you are? The event organizer?
Yao Lingling bit her lip and said sincerely, "Thank you, Sister Wen Ruan."
Right now, she just wanted to get inside first. She could figure out what happened with her company leadership later.
Wen Ruan turned to the young woman beside her. "Dandan, call the event coordinator and explain the situation."
"Got it, President Wen!" Wang Dandan nodded, pulled out her phone, and made a call, speaking in a low voice.
After a moment, she hung up and said, "They’ll be here shortly."
Wen Ruan nodded lightly and held Yao Lingling’s hand, smiling. "I was dreading how boring today would be, but now that you're here, it's a pleasant surprise. Let's go inside and chat."
Yao Lingling took a deep breath, feeling immense gratitude. "Thank you, Sister Wen Ruan! Sorry for the trouble."
She knew Wen Ruan wasn’t an ordinary person.
She had run into her before at Lanfeng International Hotel, where she had been dining with Yang, the senior partner from Quanjing Law Firm.
But she hadn’t expected her influence to be this powerful.
"Oh, come on, no need to be so formal with me."
Just then, a man in his fifties hurried over.
He glanced at Wang Dandan before stepping up to Wen Ruan, his face beaming with enthusiasm. "President Wen, good morning! I’m Li Wenzhi, the reception manager."
"Hello, Manager Li." Wen Ruan nodded, lightly pulling Yao Lingling forward. "This is my friend. Could you help her out?"
"Of course, you’re too polite."
Li Wenzhi walked directly to the turnstile, took out a card from his pocket, and unlocked the entrance.
With a warm gesture, he said, "Please, go ahead."
Wen Ruan thanked him and led a dazed Yao Lingling inside.
Behind them, Liang Jiani’s sneer slowly froze.
She felt as if she were dreaming. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ⓝovelFire.net
Was this a joke?
A single phone call, and the reception manager personally came to open the gate?
Even their chairman, Xiao Liguo, wouldn’t have that kind of pull.
Who the hell was Wen Ruan?
And how did Yao Lingling know someone like her?
As Wen Ruan passed by, Liang Jiani quickly lowered her head, her body involuntarily shivering.
Once their figures disappeared, Liang Jiani immediately pulled out her phone and sent a message to Wen Qiuyue, reporting that Yao Lingling had managed to get inside.
After walking through a long corridor, the space suddenly opened up.
The 2,000-square-meter conference hall was spacious and grand.
A magnificent stage, rows of neatly arranged seats, flowing red banners, vibrant LED screens, and dazzling lights—
The entire scene was visually stunning, exuding an intense, ceremonial atmosphere.
As they walked further inside, Wen Ruan gently patted Yao Lingling’s back. "Lingling, do you want to sit with me?"
"No need, Sister Wen Ruan." Yao Lingling shook her head. "I need to find my company’s leadership and ask about my invitation issue."
Sensing Yao Lingling’s distraction, Wen Ruan didn’t press further and simply nodded. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, Sister Wen Ruan." Yao Lingling bowed slightly, scanning the venue for her colleagues.
Soon, she spotted Xiao Mingxuan, but he was standing beside Chairman Xiao Liguo, engaged in a conversation with a group of high-profile figures.
Just from their demeanor, it was clear they were big shots.
She even saw Wen Zhenhua, the chairman of Jiaxin Group—Wen Qiuyue’s father.
Yao Lingling bit her lip, hesitating.
She didn’t dare approach them. After all, these were all top executives.
Instead, she quickly found her design director, Peng Xinlei, who was sitting with a group of colleagues.
Yao Lingling let out a breath and hurried toward Peng Xinlei.
Just as she was about to reach her—
Her phone vibrated.
[Incoming Call: Li Shumin]
She answered softly, "Hello? Minmin, what’s wrong?"
From the other end, Li Shumin’s panicked voice burst through the speaker. "Lingling! HR just called me. They… they said I’ve been laid off!"
"What?!"
Yao Lingling froze in her tracks, her voice filled with disbelief. "Why?! Our division just got established! We’re still hiring! Why would they suddenly cut staff?!"
"I don’t know! My mind is completely blank right now!"
Li Shumin’s voice trembled, with a hint of tears.
Yao Lingling gritted her teeth and lowered her voice. "Don’t panic. I’ll ask Director Xiao what’s going on."
"Please… Ask for me. He even told me a few days ago that I was getting a raise…"
Li Shumin sounded utterly wronged.
"Mm, wait for my update."
Hanging up, Yao Lingling’s heart felt heavy.
If she knew Xiao Mingxuan at all, he wouldn’t have been aware of this.
That meant—this decision had come from the higher-ups.
And to bypass Xiao Mingxuan, it had to be at least a vice president-level executive.
Coupled with her suddenly revoked invitation, a bad feeling crept over her.
Just then, her phone rang again.
[HR Director - Sun Rong]
Yao Lingling’s hand clenched tightly.
She answered in a low voice, "Hello? Director Sun?"
"Hello, Lingling. I need to inform you about something." Sun Rong’s voice was calm yet firm.
"Go ahead." Yao Lingling took a deep breath.
"You’ve been promoted to Lead Designer for almost three months now. Based on the company’s comprehensive evaluation of your performance, I regret to inform you that you did not pass the probation period.
Your position will be demoted back to Assistant Designer, and leadership has decided to reassign you to the Design Department."
Boom.
It was as if a bomb had gone off in Yao Lingling’s head.
Her face instantly turned pale.
For Sun Rong to refer to "leadership", there were only two possible figures—Chairman Xiao Liguo or President Xiao Mingxuan.
"...But don’t be discouraged. Keep working hard, and there will be many more opportunities in the future—"
Sun Rong’s steady voice continued in her ear, but Yao Lingling wasn’t listening anymore.
Because just then—
A pair of gleaming red high heels came into view.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze—
And locked eyes with Wen Qiuyue, dressed in a chic, high-fashion dress.
Their eyes met.
A cold smirk curled on Wen Qiuyue’s lips—mocking and triumphant.