She Lost Memory Before the Divorce
Chapter 272 - Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Cast a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish

Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Cast a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Cast a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish Mu Lan was no fool, and after thinking it through, she realized something was amiss.

No matter what the other party’s intentions were, she chose to hold her forces and not alarm them; startling the snake could bring more trouble and traps, so on one hand, she quietly sought out factories to make the fabrics while on the other, she negotiated with the agent.

Liu Ai spent two hours in the studio taking the measurements for her gown, meticulously recording the data back and forth.

“You’re being too thorough,” Mu Lan remarked.

The tape measure rested on Mu Lan’s neck as Liu Ai held a pen and diligently scribbled down notes, taking her task very seriously.

“Since I’m doing this, I have to do it the best I can,” Liu Ai said with a smile.

“It looks like I’m going to take the prize for best dress that evening. Hmm, even though I’m just a supporting actress in the movie, if I can steal the show on the red carpet, it’s worth it,” Liu Ai was saying.

Mu Lan looked up at Liu Ai.

“You have so much confidence in me?”

Liu Ai nodded.

“Of course. If I don’t have confidence in you, then who should I have confidence in?

Just go all out, and you’ll surely make a name for yourself in one battle.”

Becoming an overnight sensation wasn’t something Mu Lan had in mind; after all, such high-profile award ceremonies saw actresses putting in a lot of effort, and luxury sponsorship would hardly be lacking. She would be happy simply to make the Lan brand more familiar to everyone.

Skyscrapers rise from the flat ground, so it’s better to be steady and make solid progress, rather than flying too high and drifting away. Even if she won an award, Mu Lan always maintained her composure.

“Are you walking the red carpet with the cast? I’ve seen online rumors about you and the lead actor lately. Is someone afraid you’re too stunning and stirred this up?”

Liu Ai was startled, not expecting Mu Lan to guess so accurately.

“Don’t get me started. The little tricks in the modeling world are nothing compared to the entertainment industry.

After the movie’s release, my character got a good response because of a favorable persona, and the lead actress wasn’t pleased. So, she came up with this scheme to target me.

That day, a bunch of us were dining together, and they just happened to photograph me with the lead actor, creating some sort of scoop.

Even though I’ve issued a statement now, there are still many who think I’m deliberately creating hype, considering the lead actor’s status.

I’m truly an innocent party smeared by scandal. Isn’t that pitiful?”

Mu Lan couldn’t help but sigh upon hearing this; indeed, no circle was easy to navigate.

“Anyway, you don’t want to get involved in showbusiness, so don’t think too much about it.

You’ve clarified the situation; the fans will understand and won’t keep harassing you forever.”

Liu Ai sighed.

“If only it were that easy. You have no idea how crazy those fans can be. They’re almost ready to brand me as a ‘femme fatale’ and a ‘sly fox’ and then denounce me.

I’m really baffled; why would I be interested in their beloved idol?”

Mu Lan raised an eyebrow, unaccustomed to seeing Liu Ai react this way.

“So, who could you possibly be interested in?”

“I could be interested in…”

Mid-sentence, Liu Ai realized something was off, clearly recognizing an attempt to coax more out of her.

“Ah, you’re truly wicked. I’m not interested in anyone; right now, I just want to focus on my work. The day after tomorrow, I have a photoshoot abroad. After that’s done, I’ll come back to try on the gown, alright?”

Mu Lan did not deceive her either, sharing her own situation candidly, so that Liu Ai could be prepared.

Liu Ai was sharp and quickly grasped the implication: someone was envious and looking for an opportunity to undermine Mu Lan.

“No worries, just get me any dress you win an award for, make it my size as a backup, and when I step onto the red carpet, will anyone else even have a presence?”

Mu Lan liked this supermodel’s confidence.

“You, just keep such thoughts to yourself when you’re around me, and make sure not to let anything slip in front of others, otherwise…”

Liu Ai nodded quickly.

“You’re right, I must be more careful with what I say, especially now that I’m someone with rumors surrounding them.”

Mu Lan helplessly shook her head; this person really knew how to make fun of himself.

Several days later, the third batch of fabric sent by the distributor was still substandard, yet simultaneously, the factory Mu Lan found through Vincent managed to produce perfect molds on their first try without any need for adjustments–she had a rough idea what was going on.

However, she chose to keep the third batch of fabric from the distributor and paid for them.

Tang Xin did not understand Mu Lan’s actions at all; even she could tell there was something wrong with the fabric.

“Ms. Mu, are you really planning to keep this batch of fabric? But… it’s obviously not what you wanted.”

Mu Lan looked at Tang Xin, her gaze filled with an emotion that was hard to read.

“Do you think this fabric isn’t good enough?”

Tang Xin pursed her lips and, risking it all, spoke her mind.

“Yes, the softness and density you required are not met, not to mention there’s a problem with the pattern arrangement. Ms. Mu, I really don’t understand you.”

Mu Lan smiled.

“Tang Xin, do you want to play a game?”

Tang Xin felt utterly confused and didn’t understand what her boss was up to.

“A game? What game?”

“Of course, the game of… cat and mouse.”

“…???”

Tang Xin thought her boss might be under too much work pressure recently, feeling that there might be something off with her emotions, but she didn’t dare to say or ask.

On the day of the final payment, Mu Lan did not give money but instead a quality inspection report.

“Ms. Mu, what does this mean?”

Mu Lan looked at him with a calm nonchalance.

“It’s written there, should be very clear and explicit. I suppose I don’t need to repeat myself.”

His face went from pale to flushed, clearly not having expected Mu Lan to have such a move up her sleeve.

“My fabric is nearly finished production, and now you tell me there’s a problem? Isn’t this deliberately sabotaging me?”

Mu Lan feigned innocence.

“How can you say that? I refrained from quality checks initially because of trust, hoping to get the fabric I desired from you, but that doesn’t mean you can just fool me.

Everything is clearly stated in the contract, and luckily, my staff caught the issue in time; otherwise, it really would have delayed my important matters.

I haven’t claimed compensation, which is already beyond generous. You just need to return three times the deposit as per the contract.”

Triple the deposit? The representative’s face fell.

“Being new to the circle, you might not be aware of the agency rights I hold. If you’re trying to exploit the situation, I won’t just sit back and do nothing.”

Mu Lan curled her lips, a hint of sarcasm in her eyes.

“In that case, shall we see each other in court?”

He clearly hadn’t expected Mu Lan to be so tough. He knew she had powerful backing, but the fashion industry was not the same as real estate; different fields, different rules–he didn’t believe Huo Tingxiao’s reach extended everywhere.

Besides, he was not without his own backers, so there was nothing to fear.

“We’ll see in court then. Let others witness how you try to cheat your partners. Let’s see who would dare to work with you then.”

Mu Lan snorted coldly, picked up the quality inspection report, and stood up to leave. The big fish behind this, she would reel in slowly! Now to see who was so keenly focused on her, resorting to such despicable tactics.