Chapter 2 (1/2)

The Other Kind of Compromise

Dai Wei Fan and his friends sat down on the corner part of the restaurant, He was surprised to see two people who were coming in, it was somebody who he knew. The tall man with cold expression was someone he met in the airport half- month ago and last week. The woman beside him was Xin Di's cousin, Xin Chen. Xin Chen was computer designer free-lancer, here she was quite famous, some time they were engaged in some advertis.e.m.e.nt project.

That day in the airport, there was someone who picked up Lu Fei, and a.s.signed to send him hurriedly to the meeting, Lu Fei apologized to Xin Di: ”Today I cannot send you home, Xiao Di, in the evening I will go to your house to chat with you.”

Xin Di laughed and nodded: ”Take care of your business first, let's arrange the meeting later.”

Lu Fei nodded toward Dai Wei Fan, and went out who one who picked him out. Dai Wei Fan asked Xin Di: ” It appears that you both haven't meet for a long time.”

”It can be said like that, it's been two years, I didn't expect to meet him here, it's a good thing.”

”Have you know each other for a long time?”

”I knew him since I entered the kindergarten, do you think it's long?

Dai Wei Fan didn't expect that they were childhood sweetheart. He looked at Xin Di's face, she looked in much better mood than before, but he still will not give up the chance, ” Xin Di, I want to explain a bit that night matter.”

Xin Di laughed, ” No need, I think I can understand.”

Dai Wei Fan knew that Xin Di alway proud of herself, and it was backed with her good quality of skills. She has an outstanding art talent, at her school days, she started at once to join all categories of designing compet.i.tion and always gets an award, until she said that her hands hurt from carrying those awards. At 28 years old, she has become the chief of designer in biggest fas.h.i.+on company, her alma mater design school was very proud of her and had invited her for several years to give a talk show students' there.

The night he absurdly ran away, he felt very upset, he recalled that day how intimately she snuggled in his hug, how soft and sweet her lips when they were kissing hotly. How her small and delicate body trembled under his touch. That was a really good feeling.

He thought, this one proud girl willingly put down her arrogance, surely she had special feeling toward him, her past cold att.i.tude toward him should be a some type of self-defense mechanism, his action of running away was really hurting her ego. He determined to make up with her, moreover when rethink about it, having a relation with this talented girl probably was a good thing.

Out of his expectation Xin Di looked very understanding regarding that night's situation, he simply can't believe what he heard.

”It's good that you can understand it, we can start slowly…”

Xin Di raised up her head to look at him, her eyes full of mockery, simply not waiting until he finished his word, in deadly earnest, she cut his word: ”Though I don't have that kind of experience, but I heard, man sometimes has also some period of difficulty. You are still young, don't be discouraged. You need to face the reality, now medical industry is thriving fast, they should be able to cure it.

Hearing Xin Di's word, Dai Wei Fan's handsome face was showed a mixture of different kind of expression. There were feeling of astonishment, amazement, resentment, embarra.s.sment .. It was really a wonderful sight. Xin Di tried hard to restrain her laugh, with low voice said, ” Don't worry, your secret and illness were safe with me, I will not tell anyone, bye.”

She picked up all her things and collected her suitcase then went out of the airport.

Looking at her shadow, Dai Wei Fan just stood there and felt both embarra.s.sed and funny, after a moment, he opened and laughed.

Xin Di's way of expressing it made his pride hurt. In the past Xin Di never spoke with him encouragingly, and he didn't care about it, because there were a lot of women around him, what always bothered him was how to make excuses. In his early age he was used to public attention, occasionally when there will be girls who try to act cool in front of him, and with his great tolerance att.i.tude level, he simply thought that was not his loss.

But now, Xin Di's explanation regarding his action that night, made him to realize, that this woman's cold att.i.tude was not an act, and it was probably hard for him to get the chance in proving his dignity and honor, in short, he was completely humiliated.

Just returned to work, Dai Wei Fan accepted the call from Manager Li, the head of Mei Suo's department of planning: ”Chief Dai, please send over this season's promotional samples, our boss just set some rules that after we approved it. It still need to send over to Director of design, before you be able to continue to production and distribution process.”

Dai Wei Fan astonished, Suo Mei was a big company that beside had premiums brand, they managed many small brands. Currently the design department was supervised by two people, and one of them was the one he was a little be scared to meet, Xin Di, ” Manager Li, is this the matter of department of planning? How can department of design want to intervene?”

”Don't mention it, when Xin Di went to the market, she noticed that last season poster was different in color tone with the prior design, it was only her eyes could notice it, she went back to company and made fuss about it. Director Ceng also put much attention to detail, I was criticized rudely. Ai, in short, later our final plans need to be investigated throughly by director of design before being valid.”

Suo Mei's promotional material was fas.h.i.+on advertis.e.m.e.nt's company important project, Dai Wei Fan had exerted his talents before getting this project. He complained to his friend and partner, Zhang Xin. Zhang Xin was still busy, he didn't really care about him but he also not brave enough to negligent. When it was the deadline of the project, he brought samples to Suo Mei. The other director was Hong Kong people, he was also a newbie, so in reality still Xin Di's signature that was valid. Dai Wei Fan was there for a long time, but Xin Di still not yet come out.

Manager Li didn't have any choice and said: ” Just wait, Chief Dai, she is this kind of person, we need to be accommodative to her time.”

Dai Wei Fan secretly felt furious, said to oneself repeatedly: ”Only woman and villain hard to raise”. He thought that this time he was falling under her control, and fell by her. Finally about time to get off the work, Xin Di hurriedly came out with her enormous bag, looked at him and be dumbfounded, ” Why are you here?”

Dai Wei Fan thought how can her question heard so innocent, Manager Li busily said: ”Xin Di, Chief Dai came to let you inspect the sample.”

Xin Di just nodded, without any greeting, she sat down and examined the sample carefully. Among of them pulled out the model of ”POP”, ”This color is not right, you will know when compare it to the picture alb.u.m.”

Dai Wei Fan nodded and made some mental notes, prepared to accept her severe critics. Only to see her, lifted the handbag sample and frowned, ” Who's idea is this? Using this kind of material, it looked cheap.”

Manager Li timidly said: ” Last season the paper, A Ken said its too dark that it let people feel gloomy.”

A Ken was that design director from Hong Kong, also a hard to pleased man, Xin Di had a good relation with him, just twitched her lips and said: ” I recommend to lower the luminance level of material, the other are okay.”

She pulled the doc.u.ment and signed to confirm, and wrote all the comments down, then nodded to Manager Li: ”Let's get off work, I will go first.”

Dai Wei Fan didn't imagine it will pa.s.sed by like this, cannot help but to say he was a petty person. It was raining outside, he considered to escort Xin Di home as forgiveness for his wrongdoing. Not caring about Manager Li who was busily tidied up the samples, he hurriedly went down. As expected Xin Di was standing in the office building lobby with other workmates, seemed that she was waiting for taxi. When he about to come over, he saw Audi Q7 car with Beijing license stopped in front of the lobby. One man got off, held a big umbrella came over. That is Lu Fei, he greeted Xin Di: ”Xiao Di, get into the car.”

She went down the stairs, and he held the umbrella to cover her from the rain, took her bag, and opened the car door. After a while, the car started to move.

Looking at this, the other female workers and the Suo Mei's workers were gossiping: ”Yi, is that' your director of design, Xin Di?” ”That man is a good quality, is that Xin Di's boyfriend?” ”Yes, Yes, they look very intimate.”

Da Wei Fan thought that maybe his embarra.s.sing act in Hong Kong that time had helped them as a childhood sweetheart to reconcile. But no matter how he tried console himself by finding excuses, there were indescribable feeling inside his heart that he can explain.

Next their company took hold of Suo Mei's spring fas.h.i.+on show, it was high percentage that he needed will run across Xin Di again so he pushed the project to his partner, Zhang Xin. Zhang Xin felt strange: ” It's clearly you are more familiar with this project.”

He just waved his hand, ” Old Zhang, this is the chance I give to you so you can look at charming women on stage? There's no way your girlfriend will not be jealous.”

At this moment in the restaurant, he looked at Lu Fei and Xin Chen togetherness, though there were no any intimate act, but when Xin Chen took the menu and examined carefully, Lu Fei just leaned on his chair and looked at Xin Chen, that eyesight clearly focus and gentle, it brought mood that can't be expressed by words. Xin Chen turned her head from the menu as if to ask Lu Fei's opinion. He restrained his emotion, slightly nodded.

Dai Wei Fan felt he was about to fly into rage and felt sorry to Xin Di when he saw the interaction between Lu Fei and Xin Chen. This thought made him surprised as it was not really his business. But, Xin Di was his junior, seeing that his junior's boyfriend was not honest and genuine toward her, made him mad.

Dai Wei Fan asked his friends to leave first, then went out of the restaurant. He drove his car straightly to the five star hotel where Suo Mei's spring fas.h.i.+on show held, at this the models' rehearsal should be started by now. He went to the second floor function room, looked around and saw that the stage were already set, everything was well.

Xin Di held her both arm stood on bottom of the stage while she raised up her head, she wore eccentric unsymmetrical cut ivory- colored clothes which the sleeves were pulled up, a pencil skirt and a pair of open-toe shoes, she appeared to be a pet.i.te figure. Under the different kind of stage lighting, her expression looked weary and helpless, obviously she didn't really satisfied with the rehearsal.

The agency of the model manager was shout loudly: ”Stop, stop!” The music stopped, in rage he yelled at one girl, ”It's you, it's you, please focus, no need to give flirtatious glance. The one who will watch the show are clients, they want to look at the clothes not you.”

That girl was tall and beautiful, though she wore a heavy make up, but one could still that she just a 17 or 18 years old girl. Without any fear, she innocently responded, ” Just now I was very focus and you said that I'm too rigid, what exactly do you want?”

Over period of time to be in this industry, Dai Wei Fan knew that this town after all is not a fas.h.i.+on center so there was not many professional model. Even, in the car show usually use same model from time to time. Most of the model were art school students who did a part-time job, so when there were graduated or won a contest, they will not stay in that model agency and moved straight to Beijing or Shanghai's contest to take a chance. Every years those who walked on the spring fas.h.i.+on show will be newbies, that was why the result was not satisfying.

That manager finally looked at Dai Wei Fan, laughed: ”Old rules, Xiao Dai, go up and give her example.”

Previously Dai Wei Fan was a head model of school of art, not only his body looked perfect, his experience was rich, that time a lot of people recommended him to pursue modeling career. Yet he had his ambition somewhere else, after graduation he gradually quit that industry. But every time he help to held fas.h.i.+on show the experienced show director will ask him to guide.

Today he was really not in the mood, but looked a while at Xin Di, still he came up to the stage and walked back for a few steps. The model director asked turn on the music, Dai Wei Fan prepared himself, he turned his body, and went to the front of the stage. His head turned slowly, swept glances to the audience, as if he looked at each one of them, yet in reality he didn't see any, and at the end randomly posed.

The model director shouted, ”Good job! Get it right, Miss!”

The models on the stage stared at Dai Wei Fan, their eyes full of admiration.

With design major, Xin Di clearly understood that model needs have expression power, it seem to be mysterious, actually there were guides to this. First, a model should control their stop point at certain scope within nothing more than T stage line of sight. They needed to look straight ahead, but not exceed 15 meters. When they turn their head, it should not be to sudden and not more than 90 degrees; when they raised their chin, they need to be able look the audience for around 20 meter, but could not only put her attention at one point. They need to maintain their empty meaningful glance, use the lighting to look toward two sides; When you are at the spotlight, matched the subtle movement of the head, blinked your eyes for the moment to convert the visual direction.

Of course when it looked easy, but to do it is not easy. Because of that, she knew modeling was not only concerning the body shapes and qualities but also skills. When there was a girl with good figure, but her eyes' expression couldn't be controlled precisely from the beginning, the show will be lacked of what is called atmosphere (Qi field).

A moment ago when her gaze met Dai Wei Fan briefly, unexpectedly there was a little fall in love feeling, couldn't be help but to admit this playboy who is usually always playful, indeed had a natural talent to appeal people around him, stood there on the stage, he looked mysterious and restrained, he completely looked different from his appearance of stage. At the some time, she couldn't help to think that event happened in Hong Kong, and involuntary her face flushed.

Xin Di never want complication, she focused her attention on designing and never considered other thing, these days she never thought of Dai Wei Fan, this moment her heart were slightly puzzled, a bit worried. She indicated show director to continue, ”It's not early anymore, let's use the best of our time, until now we haven't even finish the first rehearsal.”

The music was starting again, the show director on the other side gazed attentively to the stage, the other side he talked to Dai Wei Fan: ”Xiao Dai, it was a waste of talent of modeling that you are not in this industry, you are wasting your qualification. Next month will we have premium brand of suits fas.h.i.+on show, you definitely need to come to appear on stage for a while.”

”Just let it go, I don't have that kind of skills, moreover, I felt trouble to be yelled come and go by you.”

This time show rehearsal were relatively smooth, Xin Di only pointed out two arrangements that she considered not fluent enough. Hearing the Xin Di's suggestions, the show director didn't dare to neglect, he directly modified it.

Surveying the flow of the fas.h.i.+on show was good enough, Xin Di wanted to take a rest for a while, she went out and asked one of the waiter to give him one cup of coffee. Then she sat down on the sofa near the door and slowly drank the coffee. After a while Dai Wei Fan came out and without notice, he sat down beside her on the sofa.

”Don't be stressed out, clients will not recognized the models' level of professionalism, they will focus on the clothes. Those who are not serious only will look at the beautiful women on the stage.

Xin Di shook her head: ”It's nothing more than spring fas.h.i.+on show for clients so they can order material, I also didn't hope for supermodels for this fas.h.i.+on show.”

” Speaking of the truth, this fas.h.i.+on season is unlike your style of design.”

Xin Di was surprised, Dai Wei Fan accurately stated what's on her mind, although it was very reasonable for her to dislike this man, but she know he also studied a field that connected with design plus he had done a lot of modeling job, and for a long term do fas.h.i.+on business, he had seen a lot of different show, so he had knowledge and experience regarding to this matter.

Of course her worries were not only limited to models' professionalism, she would not compared the local model to the well known models from big model agency, even though she was not satisfied, she still can tolerate it. However just stood off the stage and observed the clothes that worn by the model, she felt this spring collection's was too bland, tended to accommodate market's demand, boss' way of thinking, A Ken's ideas, so the results were not producing the same as what she was hoping and original design.

In this local business world, she was famous for being strong and powerful boss who always sincere took things into her own hands for 6 years of being designer, she clearly knew that the designers in the office was like group of dancer who was tied with shackles, all along everyone was restricted to have their own s.p.a.ce, so they often helpless and powerless, and this time she began to feel this kind of striking emotion.

With slightly discouraged, she spoke: ” Maybe I can only end up of being styleless.”

Dai Wei Fan didn't expect his comment could attacked Xin Di, who he thought always full of self- confidence, ” Hey, I didn't criticize you, I only said your style is changing.”

Xin Di thought about her own worry and didn't mutter a word back, Dai Wei Fan just continued casually said: ” Just before I was having a dinner, I met your childhood sweetheart.” Hearing that Xin Di just said O, not answered back.