The most beautiful space

85 A close call

Seeing that Su Tong was about to embarrass herself, everyone backstage knew that those who left a way out were secretly watching the show. Some couldn't contain themselves and were already casting sidelong glances at Xie Chengjing, Su Tong's assistant. The models were all a little jealous of Su Tong's sudden appearance as the final model, and now they were all overjoyed, wishing that Su Tong would fall face-first to the ground and break her face.

Some people even picked up a strand of their hair and played with it, saying, "Haha, you've already revealed your true colors so quickly—!" But before they could finish their sarcastic remarks, they saw the astonishing performance of the person on stage, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets!

Hilt and Archer, who were guests in the audience, sat together. When they saw Su Tong fall forward, even the usually composed Hilt couldn't help but frown. The straightforward Archer, who actually had feelings for Su Tong, immediately slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Shit!"

But before the words were even finished, the situation on stage took a dramatic turn. A man on Archer's other side let out a soft gasp, and Sirette's lips curled into a wide smile. He patted Archer on the back, raised an eyebrow, and chuckled, "You have so little confidence in Sue? Look up and see for yourself!"

Everyone noticed that the stunning model stumbled and fell forward, and everyone's hearts were in their throats. Many men wished they could rush to her aid, while the models backstage were all hoping that Su Tong would make a fool of herself. The organizers regretted choosing this inexperienced model while praying for a turnaround. The various media outlets that were filming were already sighing and planning the big news they would report tomorrow: "Newly minted stunning female model falls on her debut, beauty loses all face."

Just then, the graceful model on the stage seemed to have been prepared all along. She cleverly twisted her body using the force of her fall, touched the ground with the heel of her other foot, and the white skirt of her wedding dress drew an extremely beautiful arc in the air. Her long hair at her temples fluttered lightly, like a pure white butterfly spinning in the air. Miraculously, she reversed the momentum of her fall, then spun slightly halfway around to finish, and stood steadily in front of the catwalk.

For a moment, the photographers frantically pressed their shutters, and the flashes were as bright as day. Despite being in such a bustling and noisy place, everyone felt that the woman's radiant smile, which unfolded in an instant, revealed an extreme, quiet purity, a beauty that made everyone forget everything around them. Everyone was captivated by this beautiful woman's every smile and gesture. Such a smile, such a beautiful pose frozen in time, appeared even more beautiful and composed after the recent close call. No photographer wanted to miss such a moment with their lens.

The editor-in-chief of the famous fashion magazine Vogue sat two seats to Sylder's left. He smiled and said to Sylder, "Hey, bro, maybe I should take back what I said earlier. You were right! This is a really charming girl. Maybe Vogue needs some beautiful new faces like this."

Hilter smiled back, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by the smug Archer, who seemed to be the one who had just gracefully spun around on stage to overcome the crisis. His handsome face was full of pride: "Of course, Sue was trained by me, Archer. She can't be that bad."

After a graceful spin, Su Tong had already regained the standard smile Archer had required. Her once perfectly styled long hair was slightly disheveled, and a charming blush rose to her cheeks. She stood gracefully and perfectly at the front of the runway. Seeing Hilter and Archer below the stage, who had just been worried for her, she smiled even more brightly and charmingly, her smiling eyes sparkling with a light more dazzling than starlight.

Then, as if nothing had happened, after completing the design movements at the very front of the runway, she turned back with the standard model walk, leaving only her back view in the minimalist wedding dress in the sight of Sylphyn and the others.

The guests on both sides of the runway saw that Su Tong's smile upon returning was even more beautiful than when she was on stage. The lines of her profile when she smiled were as beautiful as a painting, and every step she took was as precise and graceful as if it had been measured, giving people an infinite enjoyment of beauty. They couldn't help but marvel at this up-and-coming Oriental model, who was not only as beautiful as a goddess who had stepped out of Eastern mythology, but also had excellent professional qualities.

However, in Su Tong's eyes, none of the foreign faces on either side of the runway entered her field of vision. She selectively ignored them, whether they were quiet or chatting. She only saw Xie Chengjing's quiet, aloof face behind the dense crowd at the backstage entrance. She thought, "So, as I walked forward, he was always quietly watching me like this. He's always like this, seemingly serious and aloof, yet always there where you can see him the moment you turn around." The mundane Su Tong thought, rather unromanticly, "This is warmer than a cup of hot tea in the dead of winter, and as reliable as a hand that's always there to support you."

As soon as she stepped backstage, the staff rushed up to congratulate Su Tong. Su Tong's good looks were obvious, and with the support of her mentor, Selter, her performance today proved her own strength. It was almost predictable that she would become popular. Some people who were initially indifferent were now noticeably more enthusiastic towards Su Tong.

The stylist said, "Sue, this ordinary wedding dress looks so beautiful and ethereal on you!"

The stage assistant exclaimed, "Oh my god! You look so beautiful on stage, you're my muse, darling!"

A tall female reporter holding a microphone backstage said, "Sue, many people are amazed by your beauty and agility. That spin was so quick and beautiful, like a ballet dancer. It's astonishing, my dear. Are all Eastern girls as charming as you? Luckily, I'm not a man, otherwise I would have a hard time keeping myself calm while interviewing you here today. It seems you might have some dance background?"

Su Tong glanced at Xie Chengjing, who had already retreated to a more secluded spot and found a seat. Su Tong smiled at Xie Chengjing, indicating that she needed to deal with the reporters first. Seeing Xie Chengjing nod, she then said with a smile, "Yes, your guess is completely correct. I do have several years of dance training experience, but not ballet or Latin dance, but rather classical Chinese dance from my motherland. Today, I really have to thank my mother for her foresight in sending me to study dance; otherwise, I might have already fled in panic, instead of chatting here with such a beautiful lady as you."

The female reporter laughed: "Sue, you're so funny. I thought a beauty like you would be very aloof."

Su Tong originally wanted to go to Xie Chengjing's side immediately, but she had to deal with a lot of reporters and colleagues. By the time she finally squeezed through the crowd and reached Xie Chengjing, her forehead was already covered with a thin layer of sweat. Xie Chengjing was her assistant today, and he had a towel in his bag. He didn't say anything when he saw her, but looked at her with gentle focus in his dark eyes. Then he took the towel and wiped the sweat off Su Tong's forehead rather gently in a few strokes.

Then Xie Chengjing paused for a moment. He felt a soft, cool hand gently grasp his other hand. He looked down and saw two hands naturally clasped together: his own tanned hand and Su Tong's fair, jade-like hand. This was the first time Su Tong had taken the initiative to hold his hand like this, and it felt so natural and comfortable. So he smiled slightly, took Su Tong's hand in return, and said, "You did very well today."

Su Tong had just been "besieged" by a group of friends from Country A, and while her English was now practically perfect for communicating with them, she still needed a moment to process fast-paced spoken English. Being surrounded like this was exhausting, and she instinctively grabbed Xie Chengjing's hand when she saw him. Having already taken Xie Chengjing's hand, Su Tong didn't intend to let go immediately, but she still felt a little awkward. However, after seeing Xie Chengjing's reaction, she relaxed. If you don't seize what you need, no one will wait for you—a truth most people understand after a few years. So Su Tong tightened her grip on Xie Chengjing's hand, tilted her head back, and joked with a touch of smugness, "Of course! Aren't you watching? Of course I have to perform well, to let you know that although you're excellent, I'm not bad either!"

Xie Chengjing pulled her towards the lounge, saying, "Whether someone is excellent or not isn't really judged that way."

"Then what's your opinion?" Su Tong really wanted to hear Xie Ershao's perspective firsthand.

Xie Chengjing frowned. He was never one for empty talk. He lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and carefully crafted his words. When he spoke, he was decisive and utterly logical, and his serious expression gave him an air that made people involuntarily convinced: "For example, no matter how successful I am in other people's eyes, if you don't like me, if you find my words, actions, temperament, and personality repulsive, then to you you are not a good person at all. Whether someone is good or not is just a matter of perception." He looked into Su Tong's eyes, his tone calm yet possessing an indescribable power: "You are the same to me." Whether you are famous or not, whether you are good or ordinary in other people's eyes, it doesn't affect whether you are good or not in my heart.

Su Tong smiled and couldn't help but say frankly, "In my eyes, you are much more outstanding than others."

When Su Tong returned to the hotel that night, she browsed the news online for a little while before going to bed. She saw that "sue" was trending on various websites. When she woke up the next day, she realized that she had become famous overnight in country A.

Su Tong, a pure Chinese woman, was already attracting attention by being a main model at such a major fashion show in Country A. Then, a minor incident involving a near fall occurred. However, with the support of Sylphy's network of connections and likely the covert protection of Xie Chengjing's friends in Country A, the next day, print, television, and online media in Country A extensively reported on "Sue, the ultimate beauty from the East" and "Sue—the fairy of the fashion show." Su Tong quickly rose to fame in Country A as "the most beautiful woman in the East," sparking heated discussions among netizens and rapidly becoming, in many people's eyes, second only to Audrey Hepburn in her prime.

This year, Chinese media has been heavily influenced by the fashion trends of country A, with many people paying close attention to the direction of the fashion scene there. News, photos, and videos about Sue quickly appeared on the front pages of several major Chinese portal websites. Many young people in China have always been enthusiastic about celebrities who have gained fame in countries like country A, and Su Tong was immediately identified as the previously wildly popular "ancient dance goddess." Su Tong was fortunate, as there weren't many major news stories within the first few hours of this announcement; the simple English name "Sue" became the first suggested keyword on many Chinese search engines.

Hilter planned to strike while the iron was hot and decided to hold a press conference the next day to announce the launch date of his new collection and to officially introduce Su Tong, the main model for this season's designs, to the media. This immediately filled Su Tong's schedule with various commitments. Xie Chengjing himself was also very busy. He was never a particularly clingy person, and originally, he intended for Su Tong to go to work while he simply packed his bags and left. It was only after Su Tong's request that he was allowed to see her off.

Both knew they wouldn't be apart for long. Su Tong would return to China after finishing her work on the Hilter fashion show. Besides, neither of them were that kind of person, so they didn't linger or show any reluctance to part. Su Tong waved and said, "Bye-bye, I'll come back to China to see you as soon as I'm done here. I know my limits, so don't worry about me. But you, don't treat yourself like a machine. Overworking yourself will make you age faster."

Xie Chengjing simply pulled Su Tong closer, gently kissed her forehead, and said, "Okay, take care of yourself." Su Tong had barely recovered from that incredibly innocent forehead kiss when Xie Chengjing had already strode towards the boarding gate. Su Tong touched her forehead and surprisingly smiled slightly. The Second Young Master was quite adorable these days! (166 Reading Network)