An hour ago.
Lu Jingyan had just gotten off the plane and hadn’t even had time to change his clothes before Lu Daiqing dragged him into this dance party.
She even claimed it was to let him experience the joys of the world without risking his life.
Utterly boring.
He looked down at the dancing crowd, his expression cold and weary.
Until, amidst the sea of monotonous gray, he caught a glimpse of a different color.
So he descended the stairs and casually followed the girl.
Her sapphire-blue gown was slit all the way up to her lower back, revealing the delicate wings of her shoulder blades, as she moved through the overwhelming sea of gray.
He knew she was looking for someone.
“…Gu Zhiyan?”
Lu Jingyan leaned in slightly, his brow lifting beneath the mask.
After a moment of silence, a slender, pale hand indeed reached out, and soon after, her slender waist fell into his palm.
Shen Nanyin had had a bit to drink, and the delicate lower half of her face was tinged with a faint blush.
She wasn’t particularly skilled at waltzing, and after a few spins, she was already breathless, tired, and dizzy.
She leaned almost entirely into his embrace.
He glanced at Gu Zhiyan’s figure passing by on the second floor, then lowered his head closer to Shen Nanyin, his cool lips brushing lightly against her earlobe.
His tone was understanding. “Need a break?”
Shen Nanyin struggled to hold onto his shoulder, trying to steady her ragged breathing.
Her slender, pale fingers slightly wrinkled his suit jacket as she gave a light nod.
Assuming she wouldn’t have the energy to dance with anyone else, Lu Jingyan supported her waist and led her to a nearby sofa to sit down.
Returning to the second floor, Lu Daiqing shook her head teasingly.
“You said it was boring, but you looked like you were having fun dancing! And you said you didn’t want to come!”
Lu Jingyan took a sip of his drink without responding.
His gaze remained fixed on the girl downstairs, who was leaning on the sofa drinking.
Shen Nanyin… was indeed far more interesting than anything else.
Not far away, Gu Zhiyan, who had just finished sending a text message, recognized the Lu siblings on the balcony.
Remembering his father’s instructions, he immediately pushed Shen Nanyin to the back of his mind and stepped forward to invite Lu Daiqing to dance.
Lu Jingyan stared at him for a long moment, until cold sweat began to form on Gu Zhiyan’s back.
A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips, but he didn’t say anything.
Lu Daiqing loved to have fun, and he saw no need to stop her.
Besides, she was clever and perceptive, well aware of the kind of person standing before her.
Sure enough, Lu Daiqing immediately took his hand with a smile, her tone light. “I’m off, brother. Enjoy your solitude up here.”
He withdrew his gaze, but in the blink of an eye, that splash of color was gone.
The sofa was empty. Frowning, he scanned the dance floor, his eyes sweeping across it inch by inch.
Light footsteps sounded behind him, but Lu Jingyan paid no mind, assuming it was just another student coming to invite him to dance. He didn’t even bother to turn around.
Until someone poked his lower back.
Frowning, he turned to dismiss the person casually, only to come face-to-face with Shen Nanyin.
Her vintage-inspired metal mesh mask was exquisite and elegant, with silver bead chains dangling across the center, partially obscuring her face.
She seemed even more intoxicated now, her fair skin from her neck to her chest flushed with a light pink hue.
Lu Jingyan’s throat tightened slightly, and he averted his gaze, taking another sip of his drink.
But the next moment, he was tugged forward, bending slightly as her warm, soft lips crashed directly into his.
Never expecting things to unfold this way, Lu Jingyan froze completely.
Whether it was the second when the race car barely scraped past the edge of the cliff, or the thrill of crushing an opponent to the brink of death in a collision of flesh and blood, none compared to this moment…
Adrenaline surged.
Darkness churned in his eyes, his breathing heavy. Before he could no longer restrain himself from making a mistake, he raised his hand and removed the mask.
Lu Jingyan recalled that debate competition, where he sat on the judges’ panel as the sponsor.
The girl with her hair tied in a low ponytail spoke concisely, with clear logic and sharp, piercing arguments.
But now, that face—which had remained calm and composed even when besieged during the free debate—was completely shattered.
“Miss, you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
He figured Shen Nanyin could no longer hear these words, given how frantically she had fled.
“Remember now?”
Lu Jingyan withdrew his hand.
Shen Nanyin truly felt too embarrassed and gave a casual, resigned “Mm” in response.
He thoughtfully changed the subject.
“Is the household register at the Shen family home?”
“No.” Shen Nanyin shook her head. “I took it out and hid it in my dorm room.”