Chapter 312 : What's with the Name Apple
“This should be… the place, right?”
Ling Ning looked at the building in front of her, then double-checked the address on her phone. She nodded to herself—this was definitely the place for today’s gig.
Last night, not long after she got home, she’d received a call from Qin Qing asking if she had time for a commercial fashion show today. Of course, Ling Ning was happy to accept. She’d done a few runway shows during her time off and was getting more comfortable with it—though a bit of nervousness always lingered.
Just to be safe, Ling Ning called Qin Qing, who arrived at the door shortly after.
“Sorry to ask you on such short notice,” Qin Qing said with a slight frown. “This show was originally scheduled for a few days from now, but for certain reasons, it had to be moved up to today.”
“No worries! I’m on vacation, so I have plenty of time. But I have noticed lately that you seem really busy, Qin Qing,” Ling Ning replied, a bit curious. She’d been calling Qin Qing frequently to chat, but most of the time, Qin Qing was too occupied to talk for long.
“That’s because… I recently started my own company!”
“Oh, you started a company? No wonder you’re so busy… Wait, a company?” Ling Ning stared at her in surprise. “Didn’t you say you wanted a stable, quiet life? What happened to make you suddenly dive into business?”
Qin Qing chuckled. “Turns out, a quiet life just isn’t for me. Relaxing at home felt nice at first, but I quickly felt like something was missing. So, I thought it over and decided to start a small company. It’s in the early stages, but we’re off to a good start. Interested in joining as my official model?”
“Sure!” Ling Ning agreed without a second thought.
“W-what?” Now it was Qin Qing’s turn to be surprised. She’d only been joking, but Ling Ning had accepted immediately. It was unexpected.
“Most of my funds are going into the company, so there’ll be plenty of work but maybe only a small paycheck. Joining me would be a real financial loss for someone of your caliber.”
“Caliber? I’m just an amateur model! Besides, you were the one who helped me get into modeling in the first place. I may not have money, but I can definitely give my effort,” Ling Ning replied, patting her chest earnestly.
Honestly, if Qin Qing hadn’t given her that initial push, she’d probably still be scraping by with her café and novel earnings. She hadn’t forgotten how much she owed Qin Qing for that.
“Well, don’t come crying if you change your mind! I’m not letting you go once you’re in,” Qin Qing said with a playful smile. Then, as if remembering something, she added, “Have you noticed how your appearance fees have been going up?”
“Uh… what?”
“Did you not realize that recently more people have been asking for your photos and shows? And your fees have gone way up.”
Thinking about it, Ling Ning realized it was true. She’d been getting a lot of requests for shoots and runway gigs lately, with increasingly attractive pay offers. Even a few supposed talent scouts had approached her, suggesting she had potential as an idol and asking if she’d like to debut.
She’d turned them all down. Modeling was her limit; singing and dancing on stage? No way.
“Do you know what Shui Shui Shui Shui Shui told me? She said that the magazine issue with you on the cover sold nearly twenty percent more copies than usual. Do you know what that means?”
“Uh, what?”
“Not only that, but with Hana magazine, every issue with you on the cover saw a massive boost in sales. You’re practically a legend in the industry—‘get Ling Ning for the cover, and sales skyrocket.’”
“No wonder so many magazines keep asking me for covers… But I’m just an amateur! This doesn’t make any sense.”
“Well, who knows why? Anyway, let’s talk about it more later. Right now, let’s head inside. This is a big event for launching our company’s brand.”
“Hold on—what’s the company’s brand name?”
“Apple.”
“Apple?” Ling Ning blinked at her. Why Apple? It’s not a tech company. Shouldn’t a fashion brand have a classier name? Like… Mary Sue or something.
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Backstage, Ling Ning spotted someone familiar—Wang Yan. Lately, they’d crossed paths at several runway events, though they hadn’t interacted much.
Noticing Ling Ning, Wang Yan gave a respectful nod. Despite their lack of a personal connection, she admired Ling Ning’s talent.
Ling Ning, a bit surprised, nodded back politely.
“Yo, Ling Ning!”
Hearing someone call her, Ling Ning turned around to see He Miao Miao standing behind her with a big grin.
“Sister Shui Shui Shui Shui Shui! What are you doing here?”
“Could you stop with the ‘Shui’ thing? Call me normally! Why do you keep imitating Qin Qing’s weird habit? You’ll end up learning all her bad habits! I’m here to cover the event, of course.”
“Oh, right. By the way, when are you free? My magazine wants you for another cover shoot.”
“Huh!? But I just did one two issues ago!”
“Yeah, but having you on the cover makes a huge impact!”
“Alright, next week then.”
“Perfect, I’ll reach out closer to the date.”
Hearing their conversation, several models nearby shot them envious looks. The cover of Goddess magazine was a highly coveted spot, one that many people dreamed of but never achieved. And here was this young woman, already set to appear for the second time. How could they not be envious?
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Author's Note:
Guess no one will figure out why I chose the name “Apple”~
Last night, I made another impulse purchase, and guess what… Newton, I love you.