She quickly swiped through several more interfaces, and seeing only row upon row of top models and celebrities on the screen, the pressure in her heart instantly doubled.
These stars she usually only saw on her computer were now at her fingertips to choose from. Qiao Qiao felt a mix of excitement and helplessness, unsure who to pick.
Shi Xinxin raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Are none of these models suitable for that dress?"
"No, it's not that. It's these celebrities, their status is so high, I'm just not sure who to choose..." Qiao Qiao said slowly.
Shi Xinxin smiled. "Pick whoever catches your eye. If you're really stuck, pick a few more, and I'll help you decide."
Qiao Qiao nodded, then started looking at the screen with renewed focus, carefully selecting options.
She browsed through several screens of A-list stars and top models, but none felt quite right. Qiao Qiao's anxiety grew. She swiped through several more interfaces, but none of them produced the effect she envisioned in her mind.
Shi Xinxin noticed her rising panic and helplessness, and as she spoke, Qiao Qiao's hand, which had been swiping, suddenly stopped.
Her gaze fell on the second-to-last model on the interface, her eyes brightening. "Ms. Shi, I think this model perfectly matches the image in my mind!"
Shi Xinxin glanced at the interface Qiao Qiao had turned towards her, her expression thoughtful. "So you prefer this type of newcomer, and none of the big names or A-listers caught your eye before?"
Only then did Qiao Qiao have a moment to look at the name and status of the model she had chosen. It was Chen Yao, a newcomer model recently signed by CL.
Looking at the name, Qiao Qiao vaguely recalled this new model had been quite popular recently. Not only had she been ranked first in the modeling major at the art academy, but she had also broken all historical top scores. She had no background, no backing, only her exceptional talent.
It was precisely because of this that CL, a company that had previously only signed top-tier and A-list models, had made an exception to sign this newcomer.
However, this model had been with CL for less than two months and had not yet endorsed any CL products, so Shi Xinxin was not familiar with her.
On this interface, Chen Yao's photo was one she had uploaded during her interview. It was a shot taken by a stream, wearing a white dress. The white fabric made her skin appear even fairer, and her long, straight black hair cascaded down, with a few strands adorning her ears. Her bright, deer-like eyes, as if filled with the stream's water, were ethereally beautiful.
Several of Chen Yao's photos had gone viral online a while ago, even earning her the title of "purest girlfriend on earth."
"I remember this model, her photos even made headlines. I think she has a lot of spirit in this set of photos, and she should be very suitable for that dress."
Although Shi Xinxin didn't have a strong impression of this newcomer model, looking at these photos, she could see they could easily overshadow a large number of "pure" personas in the entertainment industry. The natural aura and purity of Chen Yao were something those others couldn't fake.
"Then I'll contact her right away and let her see your design draft to see if she's willing," Shi Xinxin immediately made up her mind.
Qiao Qiao nodded hesitantly, afraid that just one potential model wouldn't be enough. So she continued to swipe through several more interfaces, but none of the other options sparked the same surprise and excitement she felt when she saw Chen Yao.
By the time the car reached the bottom of Qiao Qiao's apartment building, she still hadn't selected any other backup models. They were either not pure enough or not spirited enough, always falling short of the image she had in mind.
"You don't need to worry about so many other things. Choosing just one model is enough. If Chen Yao doesn't agree, and there's no one else you like on this list, we can always find new models to scout."
Qiao Qiao nodded. "I'm just worried about the time for model training and fitting the clothes, especially since the models will have to walk the runway in the competition."
Shi Xinxin appeared completely unconcerned. She consoled Qiao Qiao, easing her nervousness. "Just treat this as an ordinary competition. Don't put so much pressure on yourself."
"Okay, then I'll head home now. Thank you, Ms. Shi, and... Mr. Sheng."
Qiao Qiao only dared to speak to the driver's seat, avoiding even a glance at the person seated beside her, inexplicably feeling an invisible pressure emanating from Sheng Chenjin.
Shi Xinxin smiled and bid her farewell. Sheng Chenjin merely responded lazily, with a hint of annoyance.
Qiao Qiao, her heart pounding, hurried upstairs.
Shi Xinxin leaned back, settling into a comfortable position, her eyes flipping through the model interfaces on her iPad as she casually gazed out the window.
The person in front, sulking quietly: ...
Sheng Chenjin finally couldn't help himself and spoke in a low, muffled tone. "Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"
Only then did Shi Xinxin shift her gaze from the iPad to him, seemingly contemplating. "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Sheng Chenjin gritted his teeth. "Why did you deny our relationship in front of that girl just now?"
Shi Xinxin stated frankly, "I don't like others discussing our relationship."
"Besides, you haven't even said what our relationship is. What relationship do you think we could be?" Shi Xinxin countered.
Sheng Chenjin was left speechless. He pretended to focus on driving, his mind in disarray.
Shi Xinxin returned her gaze to the iPad.
"We're married," he blurted out unexpectedly, causing Shi Xinxin's fingers to freeze on the screen.
She blinked in surprise for a moment, then looked at Sheng Chenjin, as if only now registering his words. "What did you just say?"
Asked again, Sheng Chenjin suddenly felt more confident, his voice rising slightly. "I said we're married. Is there a problem?"
Shi Xinxin's ears began to redden. She pursed her lips, remaining silent, feeling her cheeks burn.
She took a deep breath, trying to appear casual, and spoke in a level tone, "Whatever you think. Anyway, I'm still single."
"Oh, so you want me to take you to get the marriage certificate?" Sheng Chenjin smiled, but his words were serious. He pulled the car over to the side and looked intently at Shi Xinxin.
Shi Xinxin was startled by his sudden action and quickly turned her head away. Then she realized why she was avoiding his gaze. She hadn't done anything wrong, so why couldn't she meet his eyes? Thus, Shi Xinxin looked directly at Sheng Chenjin again.
Their gazes collided in the unusual atmosphere. The surroundings seemed to pause, and the silence was so profound that they could only hear the rapid beat of each other's hearts.
Shi Xinxin didn't know what was happening to her. She only remembered that her face felt like it was on fire, and she kept staring at the person opposite her, her gaze drawn into his deep, well-like eyes, forgetting where she was.