Chapter 142
Feeling Xuan Yuan Qingya’s warm breath against his skin, Li Tian’s breathing became labored.
He bit the tip of his tongue hard; the sharp pain jolted him back to a semblance of clarity.
He swallowed with difficulty and looked at Xuan Yuan Qingya’s exquisitely beautiful face. He let out an utterly helpless sigh.
Every second spent near these female leads is the ultimate test of willpower.
“The banquet is about to start, right?”
“Mm.”
“You still need to do your makeup and change, don’t you?”
“Mm.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
“Li Tian, can I hug you?”
“…Mm.”
Ten minutes later, Xuan Yuan Qingya walked out of Li Tian’s room with a sweet, satisfied smile on her lips.
However, the smile lasted less than ten seconds before she reverted to her supremely aloof self.
Tenderness, girlish demureness, dependence, and trust—these precious emotions were reserved for Li Tian alone.
To everyone else, she was the haughty and unapproachable queen, the direct descendant of the Xuan Yuan family.
Those ten seconds of unguarded, girlish expression were precisely what Ji Xin witnessed as she emerged from her room cradling a small fox pet.
The two women locked eyes in the corridor for a moment. A cool, composed smile touched Xuan Yuan Qingya’s lips.
“Miss Ji, isn’t it? Welcome to the Xuan Yuan family castle.”
A flicker of curiosity passed through Ji Xin’s beautiful eyes. She smiled faintly and asked softly,
“What is your relationship with Li Tian?”
Xuan Yuan Qingya shook her head and spoke calmly.
“There’s no relationship between him and me.”
“Oh?”
“Of course. And what about you, Miss Ji? What is your relationship with Lin Tian?”
“I’m his girlfriend.”
“Heh.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“Before, I only knew you as the direct descendant of the Ji family who has been in charge of the Ji intelligence network since childhood—a formidable woman. But now, it seems you also have a talent for telling jokes.”
“…”
After their brief exchange, Xuan Yuan Qingya gracefully walked away, clearly having gained the upper hand in this confrontation.
Lin Tian was at the heart of their dispute, but through his inner monologue, Xuan Yuan Qingya knew that he and Ji Xin were not actually related. In that case, no matter what Ji Xin said, she would look foolish.
Of course, from start to finish, Ji Xin had merely been curious about Lin Tian. She didn’t care about others’ opinions at all.
Xuan Yuan Qingya’s inexplicable hostility seemed beneath her notice as well.
When had the princess of the Ji family ever needed to compete with ordinary women like these?
Yet, as Ji Xin watched Xuan Yuan Qingya walk away like a proud peacock, an inexplicable discomfort stirred within her.
She didn’t know where this feeling came from.
“I was just joking. It’s not like I actually think of myself as Lin Tian’s girlfriend.”
Ji Xin told herself this, yet she only grew more agitated.
She never considered that if she didn’t have distinct feelings for Lin Tian, why would she joke about being “girlfriend and boyfriend” with a stranger?
That brief encounter between her and Lin Tian in the grove that night had already left an indelible mark on her heart.
…
By around seven in the evening, the time had come.
The banquet was about to begin.
Shang Chan, Zhao Mengmeng, Bai Bing’er, Xuan Yuan Qingya, Li Yunqiu, Xue Xue, and Meng Xiaoling had already gathered in the Xuan Yuan family banquet hall.
For this birthday celebration, the Xuan Yuan family had spared no expense.
The banquet hall rivaled the most ornate and grand ancient Western palaces in its splendor.
Countless exquisite and luxurious decorations were meticulously arranged, and the delicacies made one’s mouth water just from looking at them.
Although the most important event of the evening was the celebration of Xuan Yuan Qingya’s great-grandfather’s birthday, dining itself was not the main focus. Thus, the delectable foods were merely accompaniments, placed around the periphery.
The center of the banquet hall was left largely open with only a few tall cocktail tables scattered about for guests to place their champagne glasses.
Even before the official start time, the hall was abuzz with conversation. At a glance, there were at least four to five hundred people present.
The most eye-catching among them were naturally the seven female leads, including Xuan Yuan Qingya.
Like luminous pearls, their beauty radiated a glow that captivated all and made them the center of the banquet hall.
Many young, distinguished talents gathered around them, but it was clear that these gentlemen were having little success.
Shang Chan and Zhao Mengmeng’s eyes wandered restlessly as if searching for someone.
Bai Bing’er and Meng Xiaoling whispered to each other, occasionally glancing around. Clearly, there was someone they hoped to see here.
Li Yunqiu stood with Li Yangqiu; both were dressed in classical attire. The traditional garments suited them perfectly, without a hint of incongruity, complementing their inherently refined, antique temperament.
In those classical robes, the two seemed naturally set apart, carrying an air of quiet distinction.
As for Xuan Yuan Qingya and Xue Xue, one was the epitome of aloofness and the other was the embodiment of shyness.
For ordinary young talents hoping to interact with them, there was little chance.
However, a young, handsome man was standing beside Xuan Yuan Qingya at that moment. He held a glass of champagne and smiled courteously as he spoke with her.
This man was Feng Jiu, a member of the Feng family, a clan on the same level as the Xuan Yuan family.
According to the Feng family tradition, each generation produces nine sons: eight mediocrities and one true dragon. Feng Jiu was the “dragon” of his generation in the Feng family.