Chapter 396: Your partner has changed!

Ying Duo ignored Xi Rensheng's latest crazy talk and turned his gaze to Hua Jian Lei.

Since you're back, tell me about the plan you prepared for the fashion show.

He had already asked Lao Bao and Xi Rensheng earlier today, but obviously couldn't get anything useful out of them; the details still needed to be asked of Hua Jian Lei's side.

Hua Jian Lei glanced at Ying Duo; his peach-blossom eyes showed no ripple, just a cold snort.

This plan is already dead in the womb.

Ying Duo looked at him, bewildered; Hua Jian Lei raised a hand and slowly rubbed his temples, Lao Bao coughed beside him, holding that flat beer, wanting to speak but stopping.

The original plan was for Xi Rensheng to enter as a designer, with me as his model going in together, and Lao Bao providing support outside.

Ying Duo also suddenly realized something was wrong.

But now—

Hua Jian Lei pointed at the stack of design drafts he had thrown to the ground, while Xi Rensheng shrank his neck behind Ying Duo.

This is what he sent to the fashion show side today.

Ying Duo instinctively glanced at Xi Rensheng, like a kid caught stealing candy—knowing he'd done wrong, but if you asked him whether he regretted it, he'd probably say, "No regret, just the candy wasn't sweet enough."

Xi Rensheng did it on purpose, to get revenge on Hua Jian Lei.

Ying Duo lowered his gaze again at the scattered design drafts on the ground: a fishtail skirt, a strapless style, the waistline taken in extremely narrow, the hem flaring out suddenly from the hips down.

Then he lifted his head and glanced at Hua Jian Lei.

Silver-pink long hair, peach-blossom eyes, cold-white skin, not short in stature, slender build, but his bone structure was evident—

Ying Duo's gaze swept from top to bottom, finally landing on Hua Jian Lei's waist.

Hmm.

Lao Bao also realized.

His gaze darted between Hua Jian Lei and the design drafts on the ground, his mouth twitched—he wanted to laugh but didn't dare, finally forcing a strange expression, then lowered his head and gulped down a mouthful of liquor.

Xi Rensheng poked half his head out from behind Ying Duo's shoulder, quickly glanced at Hua Jian Lei's expression, then pulled back.

But he was smiling.

Although he stifled himself from making a sound, the corners of his eyes and brows were full of a smug smile.

Hua Jian Lei sat at the bar counter, his peach-blossom eyes slightly narrowed; everyone present knew what lay beneath this calm.

Lao Bao had already put down his beer, both hands placed properly on his knees, his sitting posture even more upright than when Xi Rensheng had just been scolded.

The atmosphere was off.

Very off.

Yet Ying Duo spoke up at that moment.

This won't work.

Everyone's gaze turned to him; Ying Duo preempted Hua Jian Lei's anger by rejecting that option.

This dress is strapless.

He lowered his head and glanced again at the design drafts on the ground, then after confirming once more spoke very seriously:

I don't know whether this world's technology can fake it, but if it's strapless... even two steamed buns wouldn't suffice.

The air fell silent.

Hua Jian Lei stopped rubbing his temples.

His fingers resting on the bar edge tightened slightly, his peach-blossom eyes still narrowed, and Ying Duo's back inexplicably felt a chill.

"I mean," Yang Yixie continued without changing expression, "the technical difficulty of this plan is relatively high—not saying you can't do it."

Hua Jian Lei's finger tapped once on the bar's edge.

Ying Duo's speech actually sped up a bit: "Besides, this skirt is a fishtail cut—it restricts your steps, and it's inconvenient for fighting."

Hua Jian Lei's finger tapped again.

Ying Duo bluntly changed tack: "What's your Aberrant Art? So I can devise a plan.

The topic shifted so awkwardly that Lao Bao, who had been holding back his breath for a long time, finally couldn't hold in his laugh, then immediately covered his mouth and feigned a cough.

Forget it; anyway you're here, you can re‑set the plan.

The operational guidelines have always been set by Yang Yixie, and Hua Jian Lei himself isn't good at this either.

Ying Duo nodded, brushed aside the earlier interruption, and got down to business.

The fashion show side doesn't need that many people; the others can go elsewhere to find some fun.

Xi Rensheng eagerly poked his head out from behind him, "What about me?"

Ying Duo glanced at him, "First pick up the drafts on the ground."

Xi Rensheng gave an "oh," obediently squatted down and picked up the design drafts.

"...... What do the people on the fashion show side say?" Ying Duo glanced over; he wasn't very sensitive to these things and couldn't judge how Xi Rensheng's designs were.

"They said it's stunning, wants to be the main promotion item." Xi Rensheng muttered quietly.

"Main promotion item." Hua Jian Lei repeated those three words, his tone giving no hint of emotion.

Xi Rensheng squatted on the ground, his face showing guilt, defiance, and the stubbornness of "I know I was wrong but I'll dare again next time."

Hua Jian Lei didn't flare up; he simply snatched the stack of drafts from Xi Rensheng's hands, turned, and put them back on the bar.

Since it's already the main promotion item, let's not waste it.

Xi Rensheng froze.

Upon hearing that, Ying Duo also nodded, "We still need to send people to the fashion show side, but we must first finish the work we promised the authorities.

"In that case the skirt has to go on as usual," Hua Jian Lei ignored Xi Rensheng and discussed seriously with Ying Duo, "but Xi Rensheng's model can only be replaced.

Xi Rensheng sprang up from the ground immediately, "Who to replace with?"

Hua Jian Lei finally brought himself to glance at him, "Replace him with someone who doesn't need 'two steamed buns.'

This is another big problem.

Hua Jian Lei went through the usable people in their mind, then shook their head.

"I'll check first and then talk; this kind of occasion isn't something you can just pull anyone onto—looks, figure, on-the-spot reaction... missing any one is a loophole."

Ying Duo nodded, without asking further.

He didn't care much about the fashion show side of things; having a backup plan was enough, and he didn't mind specifically who would wear that dress.

"What about the official side?" Hua Jian Lei shifted the conversation, looking at Ying Duo, "You said you wanted to join the operation—how exactly would you participate?"

Ying Duo leaned against the bar, his Ying Guang Lu hair flickering under the neon lights.

"One person is enough for the fashion show side; the others can go straight to Dome Headquarters—the main stage will definitely be livelier."

Xirensheng jumped up from the ground, his grass-green head approaching Ying Duo, "Main stage! I told you, my partner gets me—"

Ying Duo reached out and pushed his face to the side, "You're going to the fashion show."

The light on Xirensheng's face instantly went out.

"On what basis!"

"Because you already sent out the dress design, the lead designer for the main promotion suddenly disappeared—do you think those people won't be suspicious?"

"Don't worry, I'll leave you some toys to kill time at the fashion show; after you finish the plan, just come find us to regroup."

Only a world in which Xirensheng is isolated came into being.