Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

The venue of the fashion show was all filled with lights and music. Models were lined up in the make-up room to give their best performances on stage except for one, who was basking herself in the camera flashes.

Wang Xia smiled. "Thank you all for taking out time from your busy schedule for today's fashion show. I promise you won't be disappointed."

"Miss. Wang, do you feel confident that today's show will open the doors for you to enter the entertainment industry?" One reporter asked.

"Of course," she grinned. "I have full faith in Miss. Ren. I have personally seen her designs and have been really impressed with it."

"Who has come to cheer you on from your family, Miss. Wang?"

"Of course, Mom, Dad and my big brother!" She grinned. "They have always supported my dreams."

"And what about your sister-in-law? Is Mrs. Wang Ningli not here?"

"Unfortunately, she fell sick and couldn't personally come to the show. But I am sure she is cheering me on from home."

"What about her relationship with your brother? Are the divorce rumors true?"

"Can you please speak more on your brother's scandal? Why did he cheat on his wife?"

"What about his enormous gambling debts?"

The barrage of questions left Wang Xia slightly anxious so she quickly wrapped up her interview.

"I am sorry, I won't comment on that. Those are my personal family matters. We are here for the fashion show. But I would just say that you shouldn't judge someone based on only half-truth and gossip."

Which led the reporters to think if she was indirectly pointing fingers towards Wang Ningli too for her failed marriage.

At the far side of the venue, Liu Hai, who was gobbling on some potato wedges, looked beyond Wang Xia.

"Isn't she the main star of tonight's show who will be wearing Alix's designs?"

When he heard no response, he threw a glance at Jin's side, who didn't seem to be in a good mood.

"Why has that grumpy mood been plastered to your face since these past few days?"

"I am looking normal."

"No, you are not. You are the sponsor. Look happy."

His gaze darkened.

How am I supposed to look happy when Alix has been behaving strangely these days?

Jin was clueless of what was going on but Alix had been working from the Liu Corps less and less these days. She worked mostly from home, which slightly irked him further, considering what they had just discovered about the vial and the strange medicine in it. He could also sense that Alix was working something in the background with her own plans but couldn't intervene much because she wouldn't let him on.

Ai said, "You look very anxious. Because you cannot find Alix?"

"Why will I be anxious because of that?"

"I don't know which is why I am asking you."

He grimaced and looked at Ai, who wasn't holding back upon eating her ice-cream.

"Why do I feel that your belly is getting bigger more because of the ice-cream and less because of the baby?"

She gasped dramatically. "Are you saying that I am getting fat?"

Liu Hai clicked his tongue. "That's not how you speak to your sister-in-law. And your grandfather too."

"Buzz off you two!"

Jin shooed them away and glanced around the venue again.

Where is she? Shouldn't she have already reached the hotel by now?

—

Alix had been quietly observing Jin, Ai and Liu Hai at a distance. She had been doing a phenomenal job of avoiding Jin for the past few days, which she could tell was short-circuiting his brain considering his string of angry messages.

The best plan is to nip anything unnecessary right off at its roots, she nodded to herself.

Feeling a poke at her leg, she looked down.

"Pastry aunt, why are you hiding?" Ailun scrunched up his brows.

Her eyes widened and she quickly pulled him behind the pillar.

"Quieter."

"Who are you playing hide and seek with?" He beamed.

"Nobody."

"Then why are you not meeting Uncle Jin? He is there with Mom and Great-grandpa," Ailun pointed in their direction.

"Yes, I see him."

"So meet him. He is in a bad mood these days," he sighed.

Alix paused. "Why?"

"He is saying it's because of the work but I know it's not. Uncle never gets so tense just because of work."

He then chirped. "But if he sees pastry aunt, he will be super happy!"

"He won't be. We are not even friends."

His nostrils flared. "Yes, he will. That day, he was seeing your picture with the cats and laughing. So you make his mood happy."

"...His mood was happy because of the cats, not me."

"I don't think so."

She froze upon hearing a very familiar and firm voice. She slowly turned and faced Jinhai, looking at her intently.

"Hello."

Alix strangely felt a vague tension in her body.

"Hello."

"You…You came to the fashion show too?"

Alix hadn't expected Jinhai to be a part of the show, for that matter even Liu Hai too.

"The Liu Corps is the sponsor so why not?"

"Yup, yup~" Jing grinned, who just joined his brother. "Alix!!! Are you ready for the show? I cannot wait for your efforts to shine on the stage!"

Alix smiled, albeit slightly uncomfortably. "It's all set. Thank you for your support."

He waved his hand in dismissal. "How can my protege thank me? You are way too reserved."

"Yes, yes, you shouldn't be so reserved!"

The twins came rushing by and almost squished her from both sides with the widest grin on their lips.

"Don't be so formal!" Jian and Nian said unanimously.

Alix stiffened.

Why is the entire Liu family here?

And they are going to leak my hiding spot!

She quickly said, "I will take my leave."

Ailun pulled her back. "Pastry aunt, let's play!"

"No, I have work to do."

"So I will help you," he chirped merrily.

"I am in a hurry so-"

"Why are you in such a hurry if I may ask?"

A crisp, cold voice resounded from her back, making the hair at the back of her neck tingle.

Ah damn! There goes my hiding spot!