“I’m going to the ball by myself, of course I won’t drink.”
“No way—someone’s bound to ask you to dance!”
A Li didn’t believe everyone at the event would be blind.
“There’s another little mask in the bag, just in case this one gets ruined.”
She wouldn’t let Zhu Zhu get caught in an awkward spot!
***
Yue Yajun held her birthday banquet this time at one of the luxury hotels owned by the Song Corporation.
With her family background, she wouldn’t normally attract top-tier socialites, but since everyone knew she was close to Song Second Young Master, they all accepted the invitation.
Rumor had it that she invited Mr. Song Huaixu, and while the other heiresses scoffed, they secretly hoped he would really show up.
The banquet started at seven, but by six thirty, some guests had already arrived.
Men and women mingled in the hall, dressed in vibrant colors and heavy perfumes.
With masks hiding their faces, everyone seemed more mysterious, and conversation became easier.
“There really are a lot of people here.”
“Most of them are here for Mr. Song. Too bad—they’re all going to be disappointed.”
A few people chatted idly, wine glasses in hand.
Someone caught sight of a woman entering from outside the hall and said, “Hey, do you know her?”
“No idea… Her mask covers half her face—I can’t tell. But she’s pretty.”
“This masquerade theme of Yue Yajun’s has its pros and cons.”
Miss Xu Nanyin had attended plenty of banquets in Port City and wasn’t nervous.
She went straight up and handed Song Huaixu’s invitation letter to the usher.
The usher opened it and gasped.
He didn’t know why a girl had Mr. Song’s invitation—this had never happened before—but he let her in without a word.
Many eyes followed her as she moved.
Miss Xu Nanyin saw nothing but masks—she couldn’t tell who was who—so she quietly moved to a corner where three or four people had gathered.
Before long, this side of the room grew lively as well.
She refused several people’s attempts to chat her up, picked up a drink and pretended to sip, and after a while, the atmosphere suddenly got more animated.
“Tingchuan’s here.”
“How could Song Second Young Master miss Yue Yajun’s birthday?”
Miss Xu Nanyin watched as Song Tingchuan appeared in the center of the crowd.
He hadn’t changed much in six years.
Compared to Mr. Song Huaixu’s restrained maturity, he was more roguishly playful.
She’d seen plenty of young masters like him in Port City.
“I wonder what gift he’s giving Yue Yajun this year. Last time it was a five-carat pink diamond necklace.”
Miss Xu Nanyin frowned.
She remembered she’d also received a pink diamond necklace of that size for her birthday last year.
Could it be the same style?
That wasn’t just perfunctory—it was downright disgusting.
Miss Xu Nanyin glanced at the people next to her and quietly asked, “Excuse me, are they very close?”
Fang Heng heard the unfamiliar, melodious voice—like pearls falling on a jade plate—and turned to see that the beauty who’d ignored him earlier was now speaking to him.
“Of course.”
He answered everything.
“They’ve never publicly said they’re a couple, but it’s pretty much the same. Wherever he is, Yue Yajun is there too. It’s no secret in Ning City. You really didn’t know?”
Miss Xu Nanyin blinked, then asked deliberately, “But doesn’t he have a fiancée?”
Fang Heng was surprised.
“He does?”
Others joined in, “I think so.”
“Song Second Young Master mentioned it once or twice.”
“I remember… Her surname’s Xu? She used to be from Ning City, then moved to Port City and never came back.”
“Maybe they broke off the engagement already?”
Someone grinned suggestively, “So what? Having one in Ning City and one in Port City—totally normal.”
“Which one’s the main and which is the side?”
“Song Second Young Master never goes to Port City, so obviously this one’s the main…”
Miss Xu Nanyin was disgusted by what she heard and put her wine glass back on the table.
Fang Heng noticed her expression.
“Don’t tell me you’re here for Song Tingchuan?”
“……”
Miss Xu Nanyin, annoyed, burst out in Port City dialect, “Sorry, I’m not interested in garbage recycling.”
Then she glared at the group from earlier.
“You’re all scum!”
The guys were stunned—she even sounded pretty when cursing, and wanted to flirt more, but she picked up her dress and left without looking back.
Miss Xu Nanyin left the banquet hall and sent Miss Xu Mother a message in the corridor: [I don’t want to get married anymore!]
There was no reply—she was probably busy.
Miss Xu Nanyin’s face was flushed with anger.
Thank goodness for the pre-marital investigation, or she’d have lost her mind marrying someone blind.
Outside the hotel, a torrential rain had started without her noticing.
A waitress came up.
“Miss, the lounge is upstairs. Would you like me to take you there?”
Miss Xu Nanyin nodded.
To her surprise, it was the president suite.
She guessed it was probably related to Song Second Young Master.
Otherwise, why would even the guest lounge be the most luxurious room?
“There are clean pajamas in the wardrobe, and makeup remover on the vanity. Do you need anything else?”
“No, thank you.”
Once the waitress left, Miss Xu Nanyin was alone in the vast, empty room.
It had been so long since she’d been alone in such a big space.
It was so quiet—utterly silent.
She couldn’t help feeling anxious, so she messaged A Li and sent her the room number.
***
Secretary Jiang Chen wasn’t on site, but he was keeping tabs on the banquet.
After all, gossip is human nature, especially when the people involved are acquaintances, and even connected to his boss.
“Miss Xu called Second Young Master garbage, then called those guys scum, and stormed back to her room. She hasn’t come out since.”
Yes, that’s what people told him.
They even imitated her, and Secretary Jiang Chen copied it too.
Mr. Song Huaixu chuckled softly.
He could easily imagine her cursing like that.
“The manager called to ask if Miss Xu wanted anything to eat. She refused. She sounded a bit off—maybe she cried.”
Secretary Jiang Chen said, “Second Young Master went too far.”
She really was prone to tears.
“She’s still in the room?”
Mr. Song Huaixu frowned.
Catching his boss’s expression in the rearview mirror, Secretary Jiang Chen replied, “She is. Miss Xu came all this way alone—it’s understandable she’s upset…”
He ventured, “Maybe you could go comfort her?”
Mr. Song Huaixu looked up. “How long?”
Secretary Jiang Chen had already calculated.
“Ten minutes!”
The hotel staff, hearing the group boss was coming, thought he must have taken a rare interest in attending Yue Yajun’s birthday banquet, their minds racing with speculation.
But the man said nothing—he simply took Secretary Jiang Chen straight to the top floor.
Manager: “Miss Xu is in this room.”
Secretary Jiang Chen waved him off, signaling for him to step away, and asked about Miss Xu Nanyin’s situation.
Mr. Song Huaixu knocked twice with his knuckle.
Miss Xu Nanyin was feeling miserable.
She’d even put the lace mask back on, hoping it would ease her discomfort and longing, if only a little.
“Coming.”
Hearing a voice, she got out of bed barefoot, her round toes sinking into the plush, dark-patterned carpet, making her skin look like porcelain in contrast.
Thinking it was A Li, she couldn’t help but throw herself into an embrace as soon as she opened the door.
“I’ve been waiting for you for so long…”
She instinctively acted soft and sweet with A Li.
So comfortable.
It was like rain falling on a parched desert.
Miss Xu Nanyin snuggled closer, letting out a sigh.
Only then did she realize something felt off—the body she was hugging was too firm, and her face was pressed against something hard. A Li wasn’t this big.
She snapped back to herself, her lashes fluttering.
At first, she only saw a black shirt, then looked up.
The man’s handsome face was all too familiar.
Mr. Song Huaixu lowered his eyes, looking at the girl in his arms.
Slim, soft, with the lace of her mask so fine it barely concealed her beautiful eyes.
He smelled the scent of peaches again.
Her warm breath seeped through his shirt, and the hand he’d meant to push her away with paused.
“Let go.”
His eyes were dark and deep, his voice low, betraying no emotion.
Miss Xu Nanyin realized she’d hugged the wrong person and curled her toes in embarrassment, wanting to pull away.
But her body was reluctant to let go of his heat.
For some reason, a wild thought took root.
She was wearing a mask—he’d never seen her before.
Besides, Zhijun and the others always said she sounded completely different when acting coy.
So, he shouldn’t recognize her, right?
Then she…
The thought blazed through her like wildfire.
Secretary Jiang Chen had sent the manager away and stayed nearby.
From this angle, he could see the tall man standing at the doorway, with the petite girl in his arms.
The girl’s pale arms were wrapped around the man’s waist, her skirt pressed against his trousers, her face hidden by her mask.
“Hug me…”