Chapter 295: Eyes Meeting Across the Crowd
At dusk, warm light filtered through the glass window and fell into the room, pooling at the feet of two overlapping silhouettes.
With the soft POP of lips parting, the shadows were disturbed by a pair of slender high heels. A delicate figure leaned back, only to be caught by a young man’s elegant hands, which wrapped securely around her lower back to steady her.
Jiang Qingli’s breathing was slightly ragged. Supported by his hands, she took the opportunity to sit down on a high stool.
In the full-length mirror of the walk-in closet, her cheeks were flushed pink, and her breathing was still uneven.
Behind her, the white-haired, pink-eyed young man bent down and reluctantly kissed the corner of her lips before finally getting to business.
Gu Nian’s long, slender fingers deftly gathered her hair. He held it up to approximate a style and asked in a gentle voice, "Sister, how about this?"
Jiang Qingli nodded, and Gu Nian began to gently style her hair into an updo. He was meticulous, his expression serious and focused, as if undertaking a monumental task.
After finishing her hair, Gu Nian picked up a tube of lipstick and a small brush, concentrating on touching up Jiang Qingli’s lips.
The moment his exams were over, Gu Nian had enrolled in an advanced makeup course, determined to one day make professional makeup artists obsolete.
In the mirror, the girl’s face was like a hibiscus flower in bloom, so beautiful one couldn’t look away.
As Gu Nian watched, a sour feeling bubbled up inside him, and his gaze turned resentful.
Ten minutes ago, Gu Nian was supposed to be helping Jiang Qingli get ready, but the moment he saw her, his mind had started to wander, and he had ended up luring her into a kiss.
It was really hard to resist.
’Sister is all dolled up so beautifully, yet she’s going to the Xie Family’s home to see that shameless old fossil.’
’And I have to pretend I don’t know anything while I fix her hair and make her look stunningly beautiful for him.’
The thought alone made Gu Nian’s stomach churn with jealousy. He even viciously wished for Xie Youchen to be impotent for the rest of his life.
’No, impotent in the next life too! In fact, may he be a eunuch for all eighteen of his reincarnations!’
Jiang Qingli, oblivious to the little bunny beside her endlessly cursing his rival, stood up and examined her overall look.
The dress was pure white satin interwoven with silver thread. Crystals and intricate embroidery adorned the waist, every stitch a testament to its custom, handmade quality. The hem was soft and light, like moonlight rippling on a lake, shimmering with every step in a dreamlike dance.
Jiang Qingli loved it, twirling back and forth a few times.
Gu Nian watched from the side, recalling how he had hacked a certain designer’s computer a few months ago and seen the design sketches for the gown Xie Youchen had commissioned.
In the original design, the back featured a crisscross cutout, but Xie Youchen had someone sew it shut. He also had the neckline raised by ten centimeters.
Thinking of this, Gu Nian couldn’t help but roll his eyes internally.
’The gown I prepared for her wasn’t revealing either, but that doesn’t stop me from complaining about Xie Youchen being so conservative he might as well be a relic dug up from the last century.’
’It’s only because Sister is a natural beauty that this dress’s stuffiness doesn’t ruin her look.’
’If it were anyone else, they probably would have punched that tasteless guy long ago.’
’Sigh, Sister is just too kind!’
-
The elevator doors opened, revealing Ye Linyuan.
Ye Linyuan raised a hand to loosen his tie. His eyes met Jiang Qingli’s, and he froze for a second, a flash of astonishment in his gaze. Realizing this, he looked away, but a few seconds later, his eyes snapped back, scanning sharply over both of their lips. "You’re too slow," he said, his voice laced with displeasure.
"It’s still early. We’re not going to be late," Gu Nian retorted, a deliberate smirk on his lips. He added with a sigh, "I suppose patience isn’t a virtue of the elderly."
Ye Linyuan let out a cold laugh, but when his gaze fell on the girl’s face, he was once again rendered speechless. He decided not to say anything more and simply pressed the button.
In the garage, Yuan Shimo and Baili Jing, dressed in light-colored suits that gave them a gentle and scholarly air, were in the middle of a conversation. Hearing the commotion, they turned to look at her, and clear astonishment flashed in their eyes.
Baili Jing walked over, took her hand, and praised her with a smile.
Surrounded by sweet nothings, Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but feel a little smug. The nervousness she had felt moments ago had long since vanished into thin air.
For the first time, all the Beast Husbands were gathered together. As they sat in the back row, the spacious flying vehicle suddenly felt a bit cramped.
With Yi Nuo in the driver’s seat, she was completely surrounded by handsome men. The sight was almost too easy on the eyes.
Jiang Qingli felt her eyes were truly blessed today.
The only shame... was that Qin Muye wasn’t here.
She missed her little puppy. If he were here, he would definitely be fidgeting uncomfortably in his suit while begging for compliments.
Seeing the girl lost in thought, Gu Nian immediately guessed who was on her mind.
Normally, Gu Nian would have been jealous by now.
But right now, he actually felt a bit of sympathy for Qin Muye.
Because after Jiang Qingli had tried on the dress, she had sent a picture to Qin Muye.
When Qin Muye heard that the dress was a gift from Xie Youchen, he had replied with what he must have thought was a very mature comment: [Brother-in-law has good taste. As long as he’s looking after you, I can rest easy.]
’Rest easy about what?’
’The man is practically digging a tunnel into her bedroom, and Muye is just over there doing... whatever that is.’
’He’s so stupid it’s almost innocent.’
-
Night fell, and the lights lining the road began to switch on, one by one.
The Beast Husbands had no common topics of conversation, so the atmosphere inside the vehicle was quiet. On the surface, it almost looked harmonious.
Jiang Qingli gazed at the night scenery outside the window.
In the distance, the lights of the Xie Family’s estate were already visible.
Her heart began to beat uncontrollably faster.
She deliberately slowed her breathing, but she still felt nervous.
The last time she’d felt this nervous, she recalled, was when she confessed her feelings to Baili Jing...
Jiang Qingli secretly glanced up at Baili Jing, who was sitting beside her.
The young man was resting his chin on one hand, his face turned towards her. His light golden eyes were fixed on her, filled with a sweetness like honeyed adoration.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Jiang Qingli averted her gaze.
Baili Jing leaned in close and whispered with a light chuckle, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Nervous?"
Her gaze swept guiltily over the other Beast Husbands before she let out a tiny, soft "Mhm."
Baili Jing was incredibly persuasive. Just two days ago, he had coaxed Jiang Qingli into revealing her entire plan.
Of course, the main reason she’d told him was that Jiang Qingli knew in her heart that Baili Jing would support her, no matter what she decided to do.
Now, too, he spoke in a gentle voice, smiling as he said, "Everything will go just as you wish."
A soft kiss landed on the side of her ear. "Whatever our baby wants, she should get."
"Don’t get my hopes up too much," Jiang Qingli said. "What if it doesn’t work out?"
’That would be so embarrassing.’
This was Jiang Qingli’s biggest fear—that they wouldn’t even be able to be step-siblings anymore.
Her fingers were enveloped in a large, warm palm that caressed them soothingly.
Baili Jing’s eyes curved into crescents. His tone was as tender as if he were whispering the most passionate words of love. "If he dares to say ’no,’ I’ll tie him up and torture him with the most vicious punishments I can devise until he submits... How does that sound?"
-
「Ten minutes later, in the Xie Family’s banquet hall.」
Under lights as bright as day, socialites gathered, their glasses clinking as they mingled.
The moment they stepped into the hall, Ye Linyuan vanished.
After the banquet began, the current Family Head of the Xie Family, Xie Zhengliu, appeared alongside Xie Youchen and rambled on for a good while.
It was nothing but the usual clichés—reminiscing about the past, looking toward the future. The words went in one of Jiang Qingli’s ears and out the other as she stared intently at a certain figure.
Her gaze must have been too intense, because Xie Youchen pressed his thin lips together, an unnatural red tinting the tips of his ears.
After Xie Zhengliu’s long-winded speech ended, the crowd stirred, and the tedious socializing began.
A few of Gu Nian’s classmates called him over to discuss whether they would return to the Lower District for the holidays. Several academic leaders crowded around Yuan Shimo to consult him on scholarly matters. Baili Jing walked with her for a short while, offering a few words of advice before leaving.
The center of everyone’s attention, the young man descended the spiral staircase, his gaze finding hers across the crowded room.
Their eyes met.
For a few seconds, the noisy chatter seemed to fall silent.
Jiang Qingli cut through the crowd and walked quickly toward Xie Youchen.