Free Web NovelChapter 367: That was what I was thinking as well
The air behind him seemed to thicken, turning cold and heavy. Mark stiffened instinctively before slowly turning around. freewebnσvel.cѳm
Fu Jingrong stood several steps away, tall and composed, hands resting casually in his pockets. His expression was calm.
Too calm.
But his eyes—
If looks could swallow someone whole, Mark was certain he would already be gone.
He coughed nervously. "President Fu. I—I didn’t realize you were here."
Fu Jingrong didn’t respond immediately. His gaze drifted past Mark, settling on the golden field where Hua Jing was still running, her laughter carried faintly by the wind.
Only then did he speak.
Low. Even. Controlled.
"She likes it here."
Mark swallowed.
"Oh—yes! That’s actually what I was thinking," he rushed to say. "I believe the campaign would work beautifully if we held the shoot here. The flowers match the theme perfectly. Would that be acceptable, President Fu?"
For the first time, Fu Jingrong’s eyes shifted to him.
"Whatever she wishes."
The words were simple.
But final.
Mark nodded quickly, sensing that he had overstayed his welcome. "I—I should leave then. I’ll arrange everything and contact Jing Entertainment regarding the details. We’ll finalize schedules later."
He didn’t wait for a reply.
He bowed slightly, then practically bolted toward the gate, moving with the urgency of a man who had narrowly escaped a predator’s territory.
Behind him, the garden grew quiet again.
Hua Jing continued running between the rows of yellow blossoms, lifting her skirt slightly to keep it from catching. The petals brushed against her fingers, and she laughed softly to herself.
Then she felt it.
The subtle shift in air.
The familiar presence.
Without turning, she smiled faintly.
Fu Jingrong moved soundlessly behind her, arms lifting to catch her around the waist—
But she sidestepped at the last second.
He grasped nothing but empty air.
Hua Jing turned, laughing brightly. "Too slow!"
She darted away again, light on her feet.
Fu Jingrong remained standing where he was, staring at his empty hands.
Something inside his chest tightened.
He didn’t understand it fully, but the sensation was sharp.
A strange, irrational fear.
As if something precious — something irreplaceable — might be taken from him without warning.
In his previous life, he had lost too much.
And the memory of helplessness still lingered in the deepest corners of his mind.
Not catching her just now made that emotion surface far too clearly.
His jaw tightened.
Without hesitation, he strode forward swiftly. This time, when she tried to slip away again, he anticipated her movement.
He caught her firmly.
Pulled her back into his arms.
Held her close, very close.
His embrace was tight — not painful, but almost desperate.
Hua Jing felt it instantly.
Her laughter faded gently as she placed her hands against his back, smoothing slow circles between his shoulder blades.
"What is it?" she asked softly. "What’s wrong?"
He lowered his face to her neck, breathing her in. For a moment, he said nothing.
Then, quietly—
"I just wanted to hold you."
She smiled faintly.
She understood.
Fu Jingrong had been carrying more than anyone realized. His father, Fu Sheng, was still hospitalized. The detoxification process was slow and unpredictable. There were days with improvement, and days that left the doctors silent.
In the other life... he had not made it in time.
This time, he was doing everything possible to rewrite fate.
Hua Jing tightened her arms around him.
"It’s okay," she whispered against his shoulder. "I’m here."
He exhaled slowly, grounding himself in her warmth.
When Indigo Beauty officially released the announcement of Hua Jing as their global ambassador for "Eternal Bloom," the internet erupted as expected.
Support flooded in first.
Then criticism.
Then chaos.
Fans of other celebrities who had recently collaborated with Indigo Beauty began posting accusations.
@GoldenIrisFanClub:
"Why invite Luo Anya and Zhang Rui if you were going to give the ambassador title to someone else? We already pre-ordered their posters!"
@BlueSkyStar:
"This feels like a bait-and-switch. Indigo Beauty should clarify!"
But Hua Jing’s supporters were equally relentless.
@JingRadiance:
"I’ve never seen anyone more suited to this campaign. Have you even watched the video? She is Eternal Bloom."
@LinQianForever:
"Stay mad. Talent speaks for itself."
The comment sections became battlefields.
Defend.
Attack.
Defend.
Attack.
Hua Jing had anticipated this. She had once feared public backlash. Feared missteps. Feared the cruelty of public opinion.
But now?
Now she felt calm.
If she had learned anything from both lifetimes, it was this—
You cannot bloom while worrying about weeds!
...
The following evening was the official gala hosted by Indigo Beauty.
Though the announcement had already been made, this was the formal celebration — an elegant event to unveil the new product line and introduce Hua Jing in person as the face of "Eternal Bloom."
Earlier that day, Indigo Beauty delivered her gown.
It was custom-made.
Designed exclusively for her by the renowned couture designer Adrien Vale, who had collaborated with Indigo’s luxury line.
The dress was breathtaking.
It was a soft golden-cream base, crafted from layered silk organza that caught light with every movement. The bodice was delicately structured, contouring her waist and accentuating her silhouette without appearing overly dramatic.
Hand-embroidered floral patterns cascaded from one shoulder diagonally down to the hem. The flowers were stitched in varying shades of muted gold and pale saffron, each petal outlined with the faintest thread of silver that shimmered under light.
Some blossoms were three-dimensional, made from fine silk petals that seemed almost ready to drift off the fabric.
Tiny crystal droplets were sewn into the center of select flowers, mimicking morning dew.
The neckline was asymmetrical — elegant, exposing one collarbone while the other side draped softly into a sheer sleeve that fluttered like a petal when she moved.
The skirt flowed into a gentle train, light enough to sway naturally behind her like sunlight trailing her steps.
She looked—
Radiant.
Fu Jingrong had chosen to match her in subtle harmony rather than exact duplication.
He wore a tailored ivory suit with a faint golden undertone woven into the fabric, paired with a crisp white shirt and a slim champagne-toned tie. On his lapel rested a single golden floral pin — minimal, but perfectly coordinated with the embroidery on her gown.
Together, they did not merely look coordinated.
They looked deliberate.
Like a painting.
Before leaving, Hua Jing stood in front of him and adjusted his collar carefully.
Her fingers brushed lightly over the fabric.
He watched her, gaze darkening.
She leaned up slightly and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
"You look handsome," she murmured.
The gown swayed gently as she stepped back.
The movement alone was enough to tighten something in his chest. freewebnøvel.com
He stepped closer.
His voice dropped lower, intimate and roughened at the edges.
"If we didn’t have to go out tonight..." he whispered near her ear, fingers brushing lightly over the curve of her waist, "do you think you would have left this house wearing that dress?"
