My Virtual Wife Stepped Out of My Phone to Find Me - Chapter 29

“Hey, A-Ying.” Shi Yu stood behind Qi Ying with a smile. “I brought some friends this time. They loved the dresses I posted on my social media, so I specially brought them to check out the store. Show them all the designs you’ve prepared—I guarantee they’ll spend generously. You won’t be working for nothing.”

Qi Ying glanced at the group of girls. They were all very young, looking like recent college graduates, but their makeup was heavy and mature. They wore low-cut tops, crop tops, and one even had on hot pants that revealed half her buttocks—quite the bold display.

Shi Yu nudged Qi Ying. “These are potential clients. Aren’t you going to greet them?”

Qi Ying turned back to Shi Yu, frowning slightly. “You didn’t have to do this.”

Shi Yu waved her off. “I’m not trying to win you over. I genuinely loved the dress you made for me, so I wanted to bring friends to support your work. Even if it wasn’t your design, if I liked it, I’d still bring people here. So don’t overthink it.”

Then, with a playful glance, she leaned in closer and coughed softly. “But if you want to thank me, I wouldn’t say no.”

Qi Ying caught the faint scent of jasmine from her newly applied perfume.

“Miss Shi,” Qi Ying said quietly, “we—”

“You said last time that even if we can’t be lovers, we can still be friends, right?” Shi Yu cut her off, avoiding her gaze. “Let’s not talk about that now. Just show my friends the autumn collection first—don’t keep them waiting.”

As Shi Yu walked away, Qi Ying’s frown deepened.

It was clear Shi Yu hadn’t given up. She was still finding ways to get close, and that was becoming a problem.

Shi Yu’s friends were all from wealthy families, and at an age where they loved dressing up. They were particularly drawn to Qi Ying’s new autumn line, and the store quickly sold over a dozen outfits—even the usually hard-to-sell fur coats and overcoats moved seven or eight pieces.

Just as Qi Ying was helping a tall girl try on a coat freshly taken off a mannequin, the doorbell chimed loudly.

Xia Ruoxin barged in, shouting, “A-Ying, I’m here to save you!”

Qi Ying: “…”

Every customer in the store turned to stare at the entrance.

“Who’s that?” someone whispered.

“No idea.”

“Must be the owner’s friend?”

“Looks like it…”

Xia Ruoxin scanned the room, spotting Qi Ying’s strained expression and Shi Yu’s curious gaze from the sofa. Awkwardly, she straightened up and announced, “Uh, hello everyone! I’m the store’s other designer.”

The stares didn’t let up, though someone stifled a laugh, making the moment even more uncomfortable.

Qi Ying suddenly remembered she’d forgotten to retract her earlier message to Xia Ruoxin. She hurried over, pulling her behind a clothing rack. “Sorry, I meant to tell you everything’s fine—you didn’t need to come.”

Xia Ruoxin was particularly curious. Tugging at Qi Ying’s sleeve, she pointed at the large crowd outside and asked, “Who are all these people? Why are there so many customers?”

“They’re all Shi Yu’s friends,” Qi Ying sighed. “She bragged about her dress on social media and brought some interested girlfriends over to the shop for custom orders. Look, these are the outfits they’ve chosen and the deposits they’ve paid.”

Xia Ruoxin’s eyes lit up at the sight of money. Seeing several new deposits recorded in the account book that day, she practically glowed with excitement. Cradling the ledger, she whispered, “Wow, coats… furs… and haute couture dresses. These are all ordered by Shi Yu’s friends?”

Qi Ying nodded.

“She’s like the Goddess of Wealth!” Xia Ruoxin said to Qi Ying while holding the account book. “Look, you don’t want to date her, yet she’s still sending business your way. What a wonderful person—how can you say no?”

Qi Ying rolled her eyes at her, snatched the account book back, and decided to cut ties with this money-grubbing woman for five minutes.

Unfazed, Xia Ruoxin happily emerged from behind the clothing rack to attend to the customers trying on outfits, even enthusiastically helping them coordinate their looks. Meanwhile, Qi Ying went to discuss designs with the girl who had just placed a custom order.

Shi Yu sat on the sofa, her gaze following Qi Ying through the crowd. That day, Qi Ying wore a black sleeveless tank top paired with loose, wide-leg black pants. Her long hair cascaded casually down her back as she lifted a measuring tape and draped it around her neck—the black strands starkly contrasting against the beige tape.

Qi Ying had beautiful shoulders and a slender waist. When she lowered her head slightly to look at a client, her eyes softened with warmth, and the gentle nod and smile she offered were so captivating that Shi Yu couldn’t look away. She stared blankly at Qi Ying bustling through the crowd, completely unaware that someone had sat down beside her.

“Miss Shi, have some water,” Xia Ruoxin said to her. “Staring won’t do you any good—she doesn’t like you.”

Shi Yu turned her head, glanced at Xia Ruoxin, and huffily looked away.

Both were designers, but this one was a bit of a mess.

Qi Ying’s style was sharp, minimalist, and polished—black tops and pants, or solid-colored professional wear—exuding the aura of an elite designer. Xia Ruoxin, on the other hand, was loud, colorful, and all over the place, with none of a designer’s sophistication.

Shi Yu didn’t even want to engage with her.

Undeterred by the cold shoulder, Xia Ruoxin set the water glass on the coffee table and continued, “You can’t force feelings. I think it’d be better for you to move on, Miss Shi. You’re young and beautiful—I’m sure admirers line up from the South Gate all the way to the overpass. There’s no need to fixate on Qi Ying.”

Shi Yu frowned and shot her a glare. “Have you ever been in love? Do you even know what liking someone means? If I gave up on A-Ying just because she rejected me once, that wouldn’t be love—that’d be fickleness.”

But Xia Ruoxin stated firmly, “I just don’t think A-Ying will ever like you. She prefers pretty, cute girls. You’re not her type.”

Shi Yu glared at her furiously.

Xia Ruoxin continued, “A-Ying was already very popular back in school. Her admirers would come to our dorm every day, bringing gifts and helping fetch water. But A-Ying just wasn’t interested in any of them. Eventually, it even got reported to the counselor—that girl cried so bitterly.”

“So you see,” Xia Ruoxin chuckled lightly at her, “If she doesn’t like someone, she just doesn’t. Even if you stripped naked and lay on her bed, A-Ying still wouldn’t like you.”

Shi Yu sprang up from the couch, her cheeks flushed with anger as she glared at Xia Ruoxin. “That’s nonsense!”

The commotion drew the attention of other customers in the shop.

“Are you okay, Shi Yu?” someone asked.

Still red-faced, Shi Yu glanced toward Qi Ying, who was also looking her way. Meeting those dark eyes, she suddenly recalled Xia Ruoxin’s words—”even if you stripped naked and lay on her bed”—and was overwhelmed with shame, as if she were already standing there bare.

Furious and humiliated, Shi Yu kicked Xia Ruoxin in a fit of rage, then grabbed her bag and stormed out without another word.

The customers exchanged bewildered looks as Shi Yu left. Many hurried after her, and even the girl who had been getting fitted stepped down from the platform, gathering her things to leave.

The lively shop emptied in an instant after Shi Yu’s departure.

Frowning, Qi Ying turned to Xia Ruoxin, who was lounging on the sofa sipping sparkling water, and walked over.

“What did you say to Shi Yu just now?” Qi Ying asked.

Xia Ruoxin swirled her drink, an arm draped over the back of the couch, legs crossed. “Just helped you get rid of a nuisance, that’s all.”

Qi Ying’s brow furrowed. She knew Xia Ruoxin meant well, but she worried her bluntness might have offended Shi Yu and her friends.

Offending people wasn’t the real issue—Qi Ying was more concerned about wasting an entire afternoon’s work.

Annoyed, she yanked the measuring tape from around her neck and flung it at Xia Ruoxin, her expression cold. “Let’s see how you handle it if those customers cancel their orders.”

Xia Ruoxin laughed at her. “You call me a money-grubber? Look at yourself—willing to sacrifice your dignity for a few orders. Reflect on who the real money-grubber is here.”

Qi Ying didn’t take kindly to that and immediately lunged at her, the two tussling playfully.

Fortunately, though Shi Yu had stormed off in anger, none of her friends canceled their orders, and Qi Ying quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Qi Ying had assumed Shi Yu wouldn’t return to the shop anytime soon after being angered, but to her surprise, the girl showed up again the very next day. This time, however, Shi Yu didn’t approach Qi Ying directly—instead, she sought out Xia Ruoxin first.

After a brief, inaudible exchange, Shi Yu soon skipped over to Qi Ying, beaming brightly, her earlier hostility toward Xia Ruoxin completely gone.

“Qi Ying,” she said cheerfully to the designer, who was sketching a draft, “My birthday ball is in a few days. I saved you a spot—you absolutely have to come!”

Qi Ying kept her eyes lowered. “I’m sorry, but I’m quite busy these days. I might not be able to attend your ball, but I’ll make sure to send a gift. Thank you for the invitation.”

But Shi Yu wasn’t about to let her off the hook. She clung to Qi Ying, saying, “You’re the designer of my gown, so of course you have to come. I’ll even introduce you on stage. And… I know you wouldn’t want to come alone, so Xia Ruoxin has already agreed to accompany you.”

Hearing this, Qi Ying frowned, glancing at Xia Ruoxin who stood nearby looking smug, then turning back to Shi Yu’s excited face.

“Fine then,” Qi Ying reluctantly conceded. “Ruoxin and I will attend your birthday ball. Is there any particular gift you’d like us to bring you?”

Shi Yu beamed at her, “Your presence is gift enough for me. As for presents… anything from you would make me happy.”

Qi Ying opened her mouth to say more, but Shi Yu immediately cut in, “It’s settled then! You must come to my place that evening. I’ve got other matters to attend to now, so I’ll take my leave~”

With an enthusiastic wave, Shi Yu dashed off as if afraid Qi Ying might suddenly change her mind.

Xia Ruoxin approached, resting an arm on Qi Ying’s shoulder as she studied her. “Shi Yu told me that if by the end of the birthday ball you still don’t like her, she’ll never bother you about being your girlfriend again. She seemed quite serious about it. I think this is a good way to handle things—what do you say?”

After a long silence, Qi Ying nodded in agreement.