The exhibition was proceeding in an orderly manner. Some people were speculating about the identity of the masked man, saying that he seemed to form a great CP with a certain national idol.
Some people in the fashion circle in the front row were even more shocked. They all knew something about who L was. They were already quite taken aback just by being invited to this exhibition, but they never expected to be among the first to see L walk on the runway, even though he was wearing a mask.
It was precisely because of that mask, the very one L had worn in the international design competition. That mask was truly a symbol of honor.
Lin Xian looked into Ye Erlan's eyes and almost lost her balance.
There was light in his eyes, as dazzling as the stars in the dark night.
After the last finale show was over, Ye Erlan led all the models in the front row forward and bowed deeply. "Thank you all for coming. I'm L, the chief designer of EL.
Next, I'd like to solemnly announce again that all the clothes displayed above will be available for sale in EL's physical stores. Meanwhile, for the two finale pieces, you can contact our CEO, Ning Qian, for high - end customization and modification.
I'm very glad to have received everyone's love. EL's development wouldn't be possible without any one of us. The Chinese - style series will continue to be launched in the future. Please look forward to it.
Hereby, I'd like to announce that EL's first Chinese - style exhibition has come to a successful end."
The applause from the audience was continuous. Ye Erlan was shining brightly under the spotlight.
After the exhibition, there was the customary wine - tasting reception. Ye Erlan never liked such occasions, so he decisively declined the subsequent social activities. Ning Qian had no way to persuade him. After all, this guy was the real big boss.
"It's amazing."
"Thank you for your compliment, Mr. Yu."
He had always admired Yu Jun. Although Yu Jun wasn't as famous as him in the international design circle, his way of dealing with people and things was always excellent. Moreover, if it weren't for him, Ye Erlan might not have quickly realized that he could walk on the runway himself. He usually didn't like such scenes.
Yu Jun checked the time. "The event over there is about to start. I have to go and socialize. Xiao Yan is still waiting for me there. I guess he must have taken a fancy to those two finale pieces. You must save one for me then, or I won't be able to handle him when he throws a tantrum."
"Sure, sure." Ye Erlan replied with a smile. He had promised to make clothes for Xiao Yan on the day when EL's physical store opened, but due to many subsequent things, it had been postponed again and again and finally got delayed.
Xiao Yan and Yu Jun...
They were really in love.
Yu Jun walked towards the gathering hall. Only Lin Xian and Ye Erlan were left in the backstage. The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward.
Ye Erlan walked towards the small garden outside. The sky was gradually getting dark, and the sun had already set.
Lin Xian followed behind him, as if stepping on his shadow, walking slowly.
"Yezi, I..." Lin Xian suddenly called out to stop Ye Erlan.
"Hmm?" He turned his head to look at Lin Xian. Under the setting sun, Lin Xian's overall outline became even more beautiful, like a work of art.
Lin Xian suddenly walked a bit closer, looking a bit coy. "I... Yezi, what I said that day was true. Can you consider it again?"
"That day?" Ye Erlan naturally knew what he was referring to. Wasn't it the day when the EL physical store opened and Lin Xian pulled him to confess his love? Was he going to play the same game today?
However, he did seem to be a bit tempted. He had never been able to resist Lin Xian. It was just that there were some things that he couldn't get over in his heart, so he had always been hesitant. But after the birthday incident last time, his attitude towards Lin Xian had obviously changed, and Lin Xian should have felt it too.
And Lin Xian's appearance today just saved him from a pressing situation. When the two of them walked side by side under the spotlight, with the cheers of the whole hall, Ye Erlan suddenly had an illusion, as if it were their wedding, and they had received the blessings of everyone.
Lin Xian was also thinking the same way, so he suddenly got carried away and wanted to confess his love again. Or rather, he wanted to ask for Ye Erlan's opinion again. If Ye Erlan still refused, he could work harder to deal with this matter. Nothing else mattered. As long as the final result was Ye Erlan, only Ye Erlan.
"I... I like you. I really like you, Yezi. I want to spend my whole life with you, just like Yu Jun and Xiao Yan. I will treat you well and make up for the years we missed. I really like you."
Ye Erlan listened to Lin Xian saying over and over again that he loved him, so firmly. There seemed to be some tears in his eyes.
He was shaken. He had been struggling between agreeing and disagreeing. He knew why. It was mainly because of the things from that year that had been disturbing his mind, preventing him from completely agreeing to Lin Xian. But his heart was gradually leaning towards Lin Xian and sinking deeper.
"Are you sure you like me?"
"But didn't you reject me so completely back then?"
"And what about that girl? Where do you put her?"
Yes, there was still that girl, Lin Xian's first love, a delicate and beautiful girl.
Most importantly, she was a girl, while he was a boy.
"Yezi, please listen to my explanation. That thing back then wasn't like that. I... I didn't expect you to say those things to me at first, so I was caught off guard and said some inappropriate things."
"That girl... She's not what you think. Yes, I admit that I was with her at that time, but..."
Ye Erlan interrupted him. "Don't say anymore. I'll think about it."
Then he turned around and left, leaving Lin Xian alone in place.
In fact, he almost agreed, just almost. But that girl was like a thorn in his heart, and the words from that year were also a thorn. Even after so many years, he still couldn't completely let it go.
Especially when he heard Lin Xian say with his own mouth that he was really with that girl back then.
What did this mean? It meant that his sexual orientation wasn't towards him at first.
The good days during this period had made him a bit lost. Whether it was the first encounter after returning to China, the subsequent drunkenness, or the birthday later, the sweetness and care that Lin Xian had shown bit by bit had really made him sink and become infatuated step by step.
He liked Lin Xian, and this was an unerasable fact for so many years.
Lin Xian liking him was a sudden thing, a thing that came on so strongly and was a bit hard to accept.
Should he agree to him? It seemed that his heart had always been attached to that person, but... but he was afraid of getting hurt and afraid that the things from that year would happen again.
Moreover, Lin Xian was such a well - known public figure, and he himself had also come into the public eye. Did he want Lin Xian to admit coming out of the closet publicly? If not, then this relationship would never see the light of day, never.
Should he not agree? But he was a bit reluctant.
Lin Xian, who was standing still in place, was also feeling sad. He didn't know what to do next. Wasn't the way they had been getting along during this period just fine? Did his actions today seem too hasty?
*
"Brother Ye, where have you been?"
Not long after the wine - tasting reception started, Ning Qian received a call from Lin Xian, saying that Ye Erlan seemed to be in a bad state and asking her to go and check on him.
At that time, Ning Qian was still wondering what could be wrong with Ye Erlan. The press conference had gone so smoothly. Moreover, according to the original arrangement, Ye Erlan should have been on his way home at this time.
Yes, on his way home.
If he was really in a bad state, how dangerous that would be. He had driven today.
"I'm in the store. What's up?"
"You're in the store. What are you doing there?"
Ye Erlan kept drawing on the notebook with the pen in his hand, unable to stop. "I suddenly got an itch in my hand, so I came to take a look."
Hearing him say this, Ning Qian thought that he was suddenly feeling emotional, looking back on the beginning when she saw EL's current status. At that time, although L had become famous overnight in the international design competition, without the support of capital, the future was still full of uncertainties.
When she followed Ye Erlan, the two of them were still crowded in a small rental house, drawing designs day and night and often going hungry. It was nothing like today's glory. Don't even mention holding an exhibition. Even those small exhibitions wouldn't invite this great designer who had actually won the second place.
In their eyes, the first place represented everything, while the second place was worthless.
Later, thanks to Yu Nian, they got the order from the Irish royal family, and they finally saw some light.
Ye Erlan seemed to be a very glamorous person. Ning Qian didn't know what he had gone through before she met him, but she could see a lot of sadness and fear in his eyes.
Just like now, Ning Qian thought that he was afraid that everything was like a fantasy, unreal and uncertain.
Fleeting.
She greeted the guests here, asked Aifuo to stay and take good care of the other guests, then turned around and drove towards EL's physical store. She had to go and see Ye Erlan, even if he was just drawing...
After Ye Erlan hung up the phone, he didn't stop drawing. The scenes from that year, the encounter after returning to China, and the scene just now kept replaying in his mind, entangling his thoughts.
Suddenly, the tip of the pen broke.
This was the first time in so many years that he had broken the pen in his hand due to excessive force. A designer's hand was supposed to be the steadiest, and such small problems never occurred. Their pens always flowed smoothly, and vivid designs emerged one after another, giving birth to excellent works.
He looked at the drawing in his hand, which was a side - view of a man under the light.
It was Lin Xian.