Returning wealthy individuals develop their hometowns and become rich in the 1980s

As the lights dimmed, spotlights on both sides of the runway lit up one after another, their warm white beams intertwining on the stage. Music began to play, not the guzheng or pipa that Milia had envisioned, but a minimalist electronic piece with a slow tempo, deep bass, and a rhythmic feel.

"It's starting! It's starting!"

Little Chen Hui excitedly wiggled his bottom in his seat, and Little Rong Guo followed suit, excitedly saying, "It's starting! Let's see who falls!"

Elena chuckled wryly and pinched the cheeks of her two mischievous children, saying to them in Tuocheng dialect, "Can you please stop expecting others to fall on the catwalk? These are your mommy's company models!"

"But Aunt Elena, my brother and I came here to see if other people would fall down!"

"Yes, Elena's mother," Xiao Rongguo tilted his head and looked at Elena.

Milia, who was standing next to her, couldn't understand the Tuocheng dialect. She was holding a camera and focused on the exit of the catwalk. As the music became more and more soothing, a beam of light shone on the exit, and the first tall, blonde, blue-eyed model walked out with a cat-like gait in high heels.

The model was wearing a set of black lace lingerie, all embroidered with a blooming red peony, made of dark red silk thread. The petals were layered, and under the light, it was not flamboyant but rather understated and serene.

The model walked very slowly, expressionless, with only the peony flower on her chest swaying gently with her steps. The peony flower seemed to come alive, swaying on the catwalk.

Milia quickly snapped photos of the models' various poses. She even noticed that the high heels the models wore had an angel wing logo, and they were also wearing jewelry on their hands and necks. She turned to Zhang Yi and asked, "Moni, are these all products of your company?"

"Of course, for our company's runway shows, the models will only wear our own company's products," Zhang Yi whispered in Milia's ear. "Choose carefully, and if you see one you like, I'll give it to you later. These were all designed by Elena!"

Milia covered her mouth and laughed, "You're so generous, I'm too embarrassed to say anything bad about you guys in 'Fashion Frontier' magazine."

As more models walked out with their hands on their hips, the second model wore a moon-white dress with orchids embroidered on the chest, outlined with extremely fine silver thread, and a small pearl adorning the center of the flower, which shimmered briefly when the light swept across it, like an orchid glistening with dew.

The third one was a light pink color, embroidered with lotus flowers. The petals were made of different shades of pink silk thread, with the transition from deep pink at the tips of the flowers to light pink in the center, so natural that it looked like a real flower. Milia was mesmerized by it.

The fourth, the fifth, the sixth...

The venue was ablaze with flashes of light. Some of the invited reporters from local newspapers and television stations in Huadu were seeing an underwear fashion show for the first time. Some male photographers couldn't help but adjust their camera positions and snap photos like a machine gun.

"Old Liu, this is the first time I've seen such an explicit performance in Huadu. It's so exciting," a middle-aged reporter in the audience whispered to a fellow reporter from another newspaper. "I think the station probably won't approve these videos. I'll make a copy for myself and keep them for later viewing."

"Yes, yes, yes, art should be appreciated properly!"

"Wow! This is gorgeous! Seriously, it's practically just hanging by a single string. And they call this lingerie? They really go all out abroad!"

"Of course it's flowery! Aren't the embroidered flowers on it?"

Each set of lingerie was embroidered with different flowers: plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, chrysanthemums, peonies, camellias, jasmine. Each flower was different, yet they all seemed to have grown from the same soil. Milia's camera clicked the shutter rapidly, but in her heart she thought, "This trip was worthwhile. These flowers are not embroidered on clothes, but rather planted on them."

"The next set is for outerwear," Zhang Yi said softly from the side.

The lighting changed from warm white to cool white, and the music changed too, with a faster tempo and a metallic feel from electronic music. The models filed out, no longer in lace and silk, but in leather, sequins, and asymmetrical cuts.

A black short jacket features a silver eagle embroidered on the back, its wings spread, almost covering the entire back. As the model walks quickly by, the eagle behind her seems to be taking flight with the movement of her body. There is also a dark blue coat with fine silver vines embroidered on the collar and cuffs, extending from the shoulders to the hem, as if climbing all over the entire garment.

When the last outfit came out, the whole place fell silent, and the music changed from electronic to soothing flute music. It was a white robe, without a waist or crinoline, the fabric cascading down from the shoulders like mercury spilling onto the ground.

But from the neckline to the hem, it was embroidered with white flowers, not roses, not lilies. Milia couldn't recognize what kind of flowers they were, but she felt that they were very dense and fine, as if someone had drawn them on with the tip of a pen, stroke by stroke.

The model walked to the end of the runway, struck a pose, and then stopped. The lights shone down on her head, making the flowers appear to float on the fabric. Isa was mesmerized.

Suddenly, Isa grabbed Jeff's arm, her voice trembling, "This one, I want this one."

"This is one of Ms. Cao's most satisfying works," Zhang Yi said softly. "She spent four months embroidering it using twenty-three different colors."

Isa's gaze remained fixed on the dress, unwilling to waver for even an inch. After taking a few photos, Milia whispered to Zhang Yi, "How much does this cost?"

Zhang Yi held up his index finger, and Milia tentatively asked, "Ten thousand... dollars?"

Zhang Yi shook her head and said something that astonished Milia: "It's $100,000 per piece, plus a complete set of jewelry and a handbag from our Angel Company, all limited editions worldwide!"

Jeff, standing between Isa and the dress, was somewhat surprised. This one dress cost $100,000. Even with his wealth, he felt a pang of regret at the thought of buying it. But seeing his wife's pleading gaze, he gritted his teeth, put on a slightly relaxed expression, and nodded.

The music stopped, and the entire venue was silent for a few seconds before applause broke out. Milia put down her camera and joined in the applause. She saw Zhang Yi sitting next to her, her face expressionless, simply watching the stage and clapping along.

Xiao Rongguo slipped off his seat at some point, ran to the edge of the catwalk, and looked up at the models, forgetting to chew the snacks in his mouth.

Little Chen Hui followed behind, tugging at his sleeve, "Little brother, come back, it's almost over."

"But they don't fall down, it's not pretty at all," Xiao Rongguo said, somewhat disappointed. Why don't they just fall down and show it to others?

The lights came back on, and the models came out from backstage again, lined up on the catwalk, and smiled and waved to the audience. The applause was even more enthusiastic than before.

Isa stood up and clapped, her movements elegant and small, but sincere. Jeff stood next to her and clapped as well, but his eyes were fixed on Zhang Yi, as if he were re-evaluating the Chinese woman in the white dress.