Song Zilin was speechless.
What was supposed to be an enjoyable gathering turned awkward the moment Celia appeared and left. The mood plummeted.
Madam Su, Su Changrong, and Li Lan were fuming, visibly contorting with suppressed anger. Meanwhile, Rosalie's eyes lit up as if she'd just remembered something. A triumphant smile curled on her lips.
"Wait, Celia, I've got some good news for you," she called out.
Celia paused. "Oh? What good news?"
Rosalie straightened her back, emphasizing each word with pride. "I've been accepted to join CC as a perfumer."
Gasp.
The entire room inhaled sharply.
Rosalie… joining CC?
The luxury brand CC was globally renowned for its exclusivity.
Madam Su immediately jumped to her feet. "Rosalie, is that true? You're joining CC?"
Rosalie nodded, the picture of modest brilliance. "Yes, Grandma. My mentor in France thinks highly of me—said I have exceptional talent and academic performance. She recommended me directly to the CC studio, and I've been accepted as an official perfumer."
"My goodness, Rosalie! How many surprises do you plan to give us? You're truly outstanding!"
Rosalie accepted the praise with practiced humility, then turned to Celia with a soft, deliberate smile.
"Celia, becoming a perfumer requires natural talent. There are only a few thousand certified perfumers across the country. As far as I know, I'm the only Chinese perfumer CC has ever accepted. Aren't you happy for me?"
Celia studied her for a moment, the corners of her lips lifting into a cool smile. "Congratulations. Actually, I have some good news to share as well."
Rosalie's expression tensed, but she quickly chuckled. "What could your good news possibly be? Don't tell me… you're also joining CC? Ha!"
Celia's eyes sparkled. "That's exactly it. I'll be working at CC too."
Silence.
All laughter died on the spot. Eyes widened in disbelief.
"You must be joking," someone finally scoffed. "What could you possibly know about making perfume? You're just a girl from the countryside who doesn't know Chanel from a citrus note."
"CC taking you? You must be dreaming. Did they confuse you with someone else?"
But Celia didn't argue. She simply blinked slowly and said to Rosalie, "I'll see you at CC."
With that, she turned and left, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.
As soon as the door shut behind her, the whispers resumed like wildfire.
"She's out of her mind. Saying she got into CC? Delusional."
"Forget her. Rosalie is clearly the best."
Rosalie didn't take Celia's words seriously. In her eyes, Celia was still that ridiculous stand-in from the countryside, a joke trying to play a leading role.
Mrs. Song didn't question anything either. In her mind, Rosalie was King, the legendary perfumer, the real founder behind CC. Of course she belonged there.
Outside the venue, Lin Jiaojiao clung to Celia's arm. "Celia, you really let Rosalie walk right into the trap?"
Celia replied lightly, "She's already taken the bait—why not let her run with it?"
"Okay, okay," Lin grinned. "Let's talk about something happier."
"Like what?"
"Like the two years you spent being his stand-in."
Celia fell silent. "… I'm leaving."
"Celia, wait!" Lin called after her, laughing. "You've become so stingy lately. I saw Mr. Fu—he's as handsome and elegant as they say. Honestly, being his stand-in wasn't the worst fate! Come on, spill something juicy. They say he's not into women. Ever test that rumor yourself?"
At the Su residence.
Although Celia had disrupted the celebratory dinner briefly, it ended smoothly. Back in her room, Rosalie scrolled through her photos and picked one taken earlier: a radiant image of her surrounded by Mrs. Song and a group of high-society ladies.
She added a caption and posted it to social media:"Tomorrow marks my first official day at CC as a perfumer."
The post went viral almost instantly. Fans flooded the comments:
"My goddess Rosalie is incredible! The first Chinese perfumer at CC!""Rosalie's living like the heroine of a top-tier romance novel. I'm obsessed!"