13

Lin Shen drives me to the studio, where Xiao Bei and the others swarm me.

"Spill! Why did Lin Shen drop you off this morning?"

"Did you two… last night!?"

They tease, winking.

I sigh. "Don't overthink it. I've known Lin Shen since high school. He's like a brother."

"No wonder he worked with us! You should've told us!"

They nod, then whisper, "Do you know who ‘QL' is?"

I dodge. "No idea."

Someone muses, "Wait, your initials are QL, Lu Lu!"

I nearly choke on my water.

"No way it's me. Enough gossip—let's work!"

Lin Shen's been trending since last night.

His concert looks went viral.

Our studio's exposure skyrockets, my resume dug up online.

[Qiao Lu, London College of Fashion grad, Vela's founder, blending Eastern aesthetics with modern Chinese style.]

The studio's phone rings nonstop.

My face goes viral too.

[OMG, her beauty is unreal!]

[Her eyes are like a deer's—so lively!]

My socials gain hundreds of thousands of followers.

But overnight, the tide turns.