Chapter 7

In front of her was Xie Xunzhi.

Yi Siling felt her vision blur, her mind freezing. She had never expected to be so… unfortunate! Not only had she foolishly walked into the trap, but she had also exposed herself, all while disrupting everything!

Beijing was not her turf; her luck seemed sealed.

Clutching her glass tighter, her five delicately pink fingers drained of color, she straightened her spine even more, the two snowflakes on her ears swaying lightly. How long had she been stuck like this before she managed to relax her stiff expression? “Are you Xie Xunzhi?”

“I am.”

Those calm two words sent Yi Siling’s blood pressure skyrocketing. She forced herself to stay calm, not to lose control. At the same time, she was compelled to observe, to assess.

This was the man her parents had painted with such flowery praise. This was Xie Xunzhi, who had troubled her for a whole week. She even had to tilt her chin slightly upward to meet his gaze.

He was tall, much more imposing than she had imagined.

Far from being unattractive, he was remarkably handsome. Yi Siling had to admit, she had completely misjudged him.

His features were chiseled, his nose especially straight, not the rugged Western type but with a refined elegance, like a precious folding fan kept calmly closed. One glance at him in Hong Kong was enough to make her remember. Such men were truly rare, proving that the phrases “handsome” and “well-bred” were not empty.

Suddenly hitting the nail on the head, why did Xie Xunzhi go to Hong Kong?

After a moment of silence, Yi Siling’s gaze, embarrassed, eventually looked directly into his eyes and said, “You know me.”

How could he not? They were engaged an unspoken understanding. If she could test him in Beijing, he could also go to Hong Kong to check on her.

With the tip of her toe, she could think of it as her pictures, there lot more easily.

Even had heard.

A man of such noble birth, barely past his twenties, yet possessing such refined elegance, was indeed a rarity in their circle.

Yi Siling’s mind was in even more disarray, considering whether she should treat him differently and start over, when she heard him ask, “Miss Yi, what brings you to Beijing?”

What was she doing here?

Naturally, she was testing you, secretly observing you, looking for your faults, picking apart your flaws, and tearing through your hypocritical facade.

Yi Siling’s heart skipped a beat in panic. “…I’m on vacation in Beijing.”

Thinking that coming here for no reason would be too suspicious, she added naturally, “I came with friends to escape the heat in Hong Kong; it’s been too hot there lately.”

Xie Xunzhi naturally wanted to extend hospitality. “Do you need any help with accommodations or dining? I can arrange some local specialties.”

“No need!” Yi Siling refused quickly, realizing her reaction was too intense. Her tone suddenly turned sweet again. “Um, we’ve already booked a hotel.”

She pretended to be calm, smiling without showing her teeth.

Letting you arrange it would be too much. You’ll be arranging it clearly and plainly.

Xie Xunzhi caught her sudden intense tone and squinted his eyes. If he guessed correctly, she must have come with her boyfriend who was in love.

He smiled unchanged, only a cold shadow in his eyes, stepping back half a step, was the prelude to leaving.

“Then Miss Yi, please enjoy yourself, along with your friends in Beijing. I have something else to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

“?”

Yi Siling had never encountered this situation before, where a man had taken the initiative to say goodbye to her.

Goodbye means you don’t want to continue talking with her and you’re looking for.

A man like Xie Xunzhi couldn’t help but notice Yi Siling. She was simply too eye-catching, both in appearance and style.

In just three brief encounters, she was always splendid, flamboyant, dazzling. He thought of her  like a jewel in a shop window, with passersby staring through the glass, enraptured, daydreaming of one day owning and admiring her.

A futile and empty daydream.

It was truly ridiculous. Those e-Lite men who were usually so dignified in the workplace turned into dogs in front of her, trying to gain favor.

Yet she effortlessly navigated through the hot, lustful gazes, her slender waist swaying elegantly in the cinched waist gown, her toenails peeking out from under the skirt, their golden polish strikingly bright, almost gaudy, yet on her, it seemed alluring.

Yi Siling was indeed too beautiful. It was difficult for a beauty like her not to become a sought-after prey in the world of fame and fortune. Especially here in Beijing, where few knew her and all assumed she was some unknown yet eye-catching starlet.

Xie Xunzhi gestured for a waiter to refill his drink. It was whisky without added mixers, not a sweet cocktail.

Even Chi Huanli did not dissuade him from drinking less, seeming to detect a cold sulk in his mood.

The dinner was progressing nicely, the main lights dimmed, replaced by warm ambient lamps that created a relaxed and slightly ambiguous atmosphere.

Guests began to dance, a star performer took the stage to entertain, several pop songs ended, and the band played accompaniment for everyone, the gentle melodies of the Blue Danube flowing softly, making the air fragrant and magnificent.

As night fell, neon lights were cold and gorgeous, and the hotel was bustling with continuous traffic of carrying and deliverymen delivering things to the front desk, often looking at those parked next to the fountain, catching a glimpse of the back of the world.

“Excuse me, can I ask you to dance?” A suave man approached Yi Siling, palm up, extending an invitation.

Yi Siling politely declined, “Sorry, I’m not very good at dancing.”

She danced very well. At the age of seventeen, she danced the opening dance with the younger son of a British duke at a debutante ball in Paris, and the photos from that time are still being reviewed by major marketing accounts.

“It’s okay, I can teach you. Provided that I have this honor,” the man didn’t lose heart.

Xie Xunzhi looked away, now that Yi Siling did not accept that man’s invitation, he had nothing to do with it.

He decided to make it clear to her that the engagement was off.

Yi Siling had never been so bored at a dinner party before, eating desserts, flipping through group messages, the Blue Danube’s gentle velvet flow passing gently over her earlobes, she naturally did not accept the invitation of the man just now, not all men can and easy to dance.

The name of the guard team was not exciting, all was he talking easy

Yi Leling: “You don’t know your future brother-in-law?”

Qiong Ling: “??”

Within three seconds, Qiong Ling exploded: “Yi Siling!!! Explain to me why they both know, and I don’t! Yi Silingiāiā!”

The much-awaited heroine finally appeared, lethargically typing: ” Little piggy, study well. Can talking about these things help you get offers from Oxford and Cambridge?”

She continued: “Yi Siling’s brain, Yi Siling’s iron fist—what future brother-in-law? Speak properly!”

Every time in their group chat, Yi Siling was left speechless by these weird names.

“One brain, one iron fist, one mouthpiece.” That’s what they called themselves, one for giving advice, one for fighting battles, and one for arguing on her behalf.

They were insane.

They refused to change even when she asked.

Qiong Ling rolled her eyes: “Stop changing the subject! Who is Xie Xunzhi?”

Yi Siling snorted: “Just a blind old fool.”

They didn’t get it, acting like they didn’t understand the situation.

They simultaneously exclaimed: “?”

Yi Siling briefly recounted what had just happened, then grew increasingly incensed: “He told me to take care of myself? He let the most beautiful woman at the party go?!”

Yi Xinling didn’t know how to comfort her and silently sipped her hot milk tea. Yi Leling frowned deeply. Only Qiong Ling was laughing at her.

Yi Siling: “I strongly suspect he’s pretending. The more public the setting, the more he acts ho Lier-than-thou.”

“I don’t be Lieve he doesn’t have ulterior motives for me in private. If he has inappropriate thoughts about a woman he barely knows, doesn’t that mean he’s not as gentlemanly as his parents say? Is this his idea of success?”

The more she thought about it, the more right she felt. Fingers tapping rapidly on the screen, her nails clacked against it, making a crackling sound: “As long as I take the initiative to seduce him when we’re alone, his true colors will show.”

Xin Ling nearly sprayed her milk tea. What kind of thought process was this? Was this woman going mad?

“Can you be a bit more sensible!”

“He’s a man. You, a beauty like you, seduce him, and who gets the pleasure? Him! Are you giving him pleasure for free?”

“Yi Siling’s brain, where’s your brain? Brain, can you please try to talk some sense into her!”

But when Yi Siling got worked up like this, Yi Leling couldn’t handle it.

Yi Siling wasn’t about to listen to reason. Xie Shuzhi ignoring her twice was enough to stoke her competitive spirit, just not in a good way.

Turning off her phone and tossing it into her bag, she looked up again to find tonight’s prey.

But Xie Xunzhi wasn’t there, even though he’d been talking to someone just five minutes ago.

The party lights inside were dim, making it difficult to find someone. The clicking of her high heels on the carpet was silent, while the diamond bracelet around her ankle cast deep and shallow spots of light, reflecting on her fair skin.

Finally, Yi Siling saw that tall figure by the side door. The waiter pulled open the heavy soundproof wooden door, and the clean corridor lights streamed in. Xie Xunzhi loosened his tie as he walked out, leaving behind a slightly impatient figure.

Seeing him leave, Yi Siling didn’t hesitate and followed him.