Xie Yuqi replied, “No need. I sent a message.”
As she spoke, a spark of anger flared in her heart. This was the first time Ning Che had ever completely ignored her message.
Could it be that because she refused to meet Ning Che’s parents during that phone call three days ago, the girl was throwing a tantrum?
Xie Yuqi inwardly curled her lips, a sneer of derision surfacing. If that was truly the case, then she had seriously misjudged her.
But it worked out fine. She had already intended to lay her cards on the table tonight anyway.
At 7:30 PM, the gala officially commenced. Ning Che still had not appeared.
By 8:00 PM, the opening ceremony concluded, and the venue transitioned into the ballroom dance segment. The atmosphere turned incredibly lively, voices humming, the DJ pumping up the crowd.
As the exciting, high-tempo warm-up track ended, the audio technician very thoughtfully switched to a soft, melodious piano piece.
Xia Li rose immediately, inviting Xie Yuqi for a dance.
Other students followed suit, finding their partners and joining the central dance floor.
Xia Li was roughly the same height as Ning Che, but she was a fully abled Alpha, a rare S-grade at that. Her presence was far more commanding than Ning Che’s, an invisible pressure wrapping around Xie Yuqi from all sides, making her feel highly uncomfortable.
She remained unaccustomed to such intimate contact with an Alpha. In particular, with Xia Li’s hand resting firmly against her waist, her focus was entirely anchored to that spot, her body tightening instinctively.
Fortunately, it was a slow dance. She maintained excellent composure and did not lose her footing.
Xia Li’s gaze remained locked onto her, and she suddenly murmured, “Is Xiao Qi nervous?”
Xie Yuqi countered, “Why would I be?”
The palm resting on her waist tightened slightly, and Xie Yuqi involuntarily leaned forward, nearly bumping against Xia Li’s chest.
Their eyes locked.
Feeling a bit flustered, Xie Yuqi glared at her with a hint of irritation.
Xia Li maintained her smile. “We’ve known each other since childhood. What is there to be nervous about in front of me? Do you think I’m going to eat you?”
Xie Yuqi pursed her lips. “Nonsense.”
Xia Li’s smile widened, a fond, indulgent tone creeping into her voice. “I didn’t know Xiao Qi was this cute when she’s nervous. I still remember back in middle school when you stormed aggressively up to my classroom door, looking ready to hit someone. Who knew a single question from me would scare you off?”
Unable to maintain her stern facade, Xie Yuqi shot her a glare. “Senior Xia, why don’t you mention how fierce you were being back then?”
Xia Li’s smile deepened, her eyes growing profound as if trying to peer through her. “Is that so? Am I very fierce right now?”
As she spoke, she suddenly raised one of Xie Yuqi’s hands, spinning her out before seamlessly reeling her back in by the waist.
The two came flush against each other.
Xie Yuqi instinctively took a step back.
She thoroughly detested this kind of flirtation.
Xia Li’s behavior wasn’t overtly inappropriate, most of the time she was polite and perfectly proper. However, she had frequented too many high-end banquets, witnessed all sorts of social dynamics, and seen firsthand the myriad of flirting techniques Alphas utilized when dealing with Omegas.
Xie Yuqi thought to herself: I have always hated being treated this way. I believe an Alpha who truly respects an Omega wouldn’t resort to this. I thought Xia Li would be different, yet now she is using the exact same calculated tactics other Alphas employ to win an Omega’s heart…
Is it that all Alphas are identical, shallow, superficial creatures who only know how to use affected, self-righteous tricks to gain affection? Or is it that these methods and techniques are perfectly normal, and I am simply being overly sensitive?
Xia Li had been watching the subtle shifts in her expressions. She immediately detected Xie Yuqi’s aversion, catching the fleeting furrow of her brow before it quickly smoothed over.
She realized she had been too impatient. Yet, Xie Yuqi’s reaction actually brought her a wave of pleasant surprise, because it indicated that she rarely interacted closely with Alphas.
She immediately released her grip on Xie Yuqi’s waist, looking at her with a mixture of apology and concern. “Xiao Qi, did I truly frighten you? If so, I apologize.”
Xie Yuqi’s expression softened. She didn’t have an answer in her heart, but Xia Li’s attitude made her feel somewhat better.
At least she wasn’t as arrogant as other Alphas.
“Senior Xia is being too polite. I simply haven’t danced in a long time, so my skills are a bit rusty.”
Xia Li said caringly, “Let us go rest then.” As she spoke, she leaned down to help lift the trailing hem of Xie Yuqi’s gown.
Xie Yuqi agreed.
Just as the two were heading back to their seats to rest, a commotion echoed from the entrance.
“Everyone, come out and look! There’s something happening in the plaza!”
“Wow!, so many roses!”
“Seriously, so many! The plaza is completely covered in roses!”
“Is someone proposing?”
“Quick, let’s go see!”
“Let’s go, let’s go, I want to see too!”
Right at that moment, a loud boom resounded from outside, followed by several more consecutive booms.
“It’s fireworks!”
“So beautiful!”
“Wow, could the school have prepared this specifically for us graduates? This is too romantic! I can’t take it, I need to go snap a photo right now.”
A large number of people were drawn outside, scrambling over one another to exit.
However, a few students who held themselves in high regard due to their noble backgrounds remained unmoved. Some continued dancing, while others conversed with friends, disdainful of joining the spectacle.
Suddenly, four students walked through the auditorium doors amidst the flowing crowd. Clad uniformly in black tailcoats, they marched straight up to Xie Yuqi and executed a polite, formal gesture of invitation.
“Senior Xie, Ning Che is waiting for you outside.”
Xie Yuqi’s expression shifted. She recognized the leader as Xu Fan, Ning Che’s classmate and roommate. Beside Xu Fan was Shen Qingzhi, and the two behind them were presumably Ning Che’s friends as well.
Before she could process this, the crowd suddenly grew rowdy. The congested doorway cleared a path, and the red carpet leading to Xie Yuqi’s table was also vacated by the onlookers.
A corridor cleared instantly, the crowds on both sides turning their heads to stare at her.
Someone suddenly clapped and shouted.
“Senior Xie!”
The rest of the crowd caught the fervor.
“Senior Xie! Senior Xie!”
Xu Fan seized the moment to urge in a low voice, “Senior Xie, Ning Che is right outside. She wants to say something to you in person.”
Xie Yuqi’s mind was in absolute turmoil.
Xia Li caught the undertone of the situation and smiled. “Xiao Qi, it seems Ning Che has prepared a surprise for you. Why don’t I accompany you out to take a look?”
The moment her words fell, a snide voice drifted over from an adjacent table.
“Looks like Eldest Miss Xie is about to steal the spotlight again. Come on, let’s go out and enjoy the show.”
Having spoken, Ye Lingyi sauntered out in a swaggering manner, a crowd trailing behind her to join the fun.
Xie Yuqi slowly stood up.
Her lips were pressed thin, her expression cold and severe.
The red carpet rolled out before her, flanked by rows of classmates whose eyes swam with envy, their mouths chanting her name to cheer her on. The waves of applause battered her eardrums.
Yet, Xie Yuqi found it nothing but noisy. Even the crimson carpet felt as though it were mocking her, filling her with revulsion.
She did her utmost to restrain herself, maintaining her usual icy, aristocratic poise as she took one step after another toward the exit.
Xia Li walked by her side.
Behind them walked Xu Ziwen and Lu Niansheng side by side. The two girls exchanged glances, entirely unsure of what was unfolding, but knowing their friend as well as they did, both harbored a sense of dread.
Xu Fan and Shen Qingzhi gallantly guided the way.
As Xie Yuqi reached the grand entrance, Xu Fan shouted toward the exterior. “Senior Xie is here!”
With three thunderous bangs, fireworks soared into the sky, and ribbons rained down through the air.
The brilliant light illuminated the entire plaza.
The red carpet outside had similarly been cleared of bystanders.
At the very end of the carpet stood Ning Che, clad in a pristine white tailcoat. She held a bouquet of bright red roses in her hands, a vibrant smile on her face, her expression deeply moved.
Surrounding her were sweeping fields of roses covering both sides of the red carpet, red and pink alternating to spell out two phrases under the glow of the fireworks:
“Yuqi”… “I love you”
The crowd pressed against the edges of the rose lined path, straining to catch a glimpse.
Xie Yuqi halted at the threshold of the grand entrance, standing atop the steps, locking eyes with Ning Che.
At this exact moment, she was consumed by absolute fury.
Anyone with half a brain knew what was about to transpire.
She had never imagined that Ning Che would actually harbor such presumptuous delusions!
Where did she get the audacity?
Who gave her this confidence, who gave her the courage?
A crippled Alpha from the lowest rungs of society actually possessed the delusion to propose to her?!
Alongside her rage, she found it utterly laughable, utterly absurd!
Right then, someone in the crowd took the lead to chant. “Ning Che! Ning Che!”
The rest of the onlookers joined the chorus, and within moments, Ning Che’s name reverberated through the entire venue. Within the crowd, Liu Xinxin and Ling Shiya looked both hideous and envious, staring at Ning Che, wishing desperately that they could take her place.
Amidst the synchronized chants, Ning Che set her feet in motion, taking step after step toward Xie Yuqi.
The fireworks continued to burst overhead as she clutched the roses, drawing closer to the woman she loved.
When she stopped at the base of the steps, gazing up at Xie Yuqi with eyes brimming with tenderness, Xie Yuqi’s wrath reached its absolute zenith.
In truth, if Ning Che hadn’t chosen to propose at this specific moment tonight, she might not have been this infuriated.
But tonight was simply too distinct.
Xia Li was here, representing the elite circle of wealthy clans.
Even more unexpectedly, Ye Lingyi was here, her adversary.
And not long ago, specifically to humiliate her, Ye Lingyi had driven a vehicle packed with cheap roses to the front of the Xie family estate to publicly confess to her.
She had even recounted this matter to Ning Che personally, expressing her utter hatred and disgust for it.
Yet how did Ning Che respond?
She actually brought a mountain of roses to confess to her as well! This inflicted upon her an insult that felt akin to a mockery!
She had always believed that Ning Che was unworthy of discussing marriage with her. She had also believed the girl was obedient and sensible, safely within her sphere of control. Yet she had never expected that Ning Che was not nearly as content with her station as she appeared, but was instead harboring wild fantasies, aiming for far more than she deserved!
She actually chose to propose to her right in front of Xia Li and Ye Lingyi!
What difference was there between this and Ye Lingyi’s act of humiliation?
This was arguably even more malicious than Ye Lingyi, because Ning Che’s identity as a lower-class pauper would only bring shame upon her!
Once word of tonight’s events spread, she would likely become the laughingstock of the wealthy social circles.
Everyone would say. “Have you heard? Eldest Miss Xie was actually proposed to by a crippled Alpha from the slums. How hilarious!”
The crowd on scene continued their frenzied chanting.
“Ning Che! Ning Che!!!”
Ning Che’s face was flushed with excitement, pouring her heart out into words of confession.
Xie Yuqi did not process a single word.
Nor did she berate her or cut her short.
She intended to watch her finish her performance, waiting until she uttered every last syllable before delivering the fatal blow.
This would be the price for bringing shame upon her!
Particularly at the thought of Ye Lingyi standing nearby watching the comedy unfold, Xie Yuqi’s gaze grew colder and colder.
Amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, Ning Che finished her speech. Overwhelmed with emotion, she shifted the bouquet of roses to one hand and reached into her clothing for the diamond ring.
Seeing this, Xu Fan quickly ran over, handing the ring box to her while relieving her of the roses.
Ning Che flashed her a grateful smile; she had been so agitated she had nearly forgotten.
With trembling hands, she flipped open the velvet lid, revealing a beautifully crafted diamond ring.
“Wow, what a massive diamond!”
“It has to be over ten carats, right?”
“Wrong, at least fifteen carats!”
“Good grief! It’s actually a pure purple diamond. I heard those are incredibly rare!”
“So beautiful, it’s dazzling! The quality is absolutely top-tier!”
“Isn’t Ning Che’s family background very ordinary? How can she afford such a massive diamond?”
“Shh… Senior Xie can afford it.”
Ning Che was entirely deaf to these scattered voices, her eyes containing nothing but Xie Yuqi. Holding the ring box in both hands, she took a step forward and dropped down onto one knee.
“Yuqi, I love you.”
“Will you marry me?”
The atmosphere suddenly tightened.
The gossiping students also tactfully fell silent, their collective gaze shifting toward Xie Yuqi.
Xia Li and the others also turned their eyes toward Xie Yuqi.
Even Ye Lingyi, who was there purely to enjoy the disaster, fixed her gaze on Xie Yuqi with a look of pure disdain.
Only now did the onlookers notice that from beginning to end, the Eldest Miss Xie had not uttered a single word.
Furthermore, her expression didn’t quite resemble someone experiencing joy or excitement…
The mood turned agonizingly strained.
Ning Che’s eyes were filled with anticipation, staring unblinkingly at Xie Yuqi. The moment her final words left her lips, her heart leaped into her throat.
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl.
Just as her heart hung on a precipice and the palms holding the ring box began to slick with sweat, a trace of change finally manifested on Xie Yuqi’s face.
She tilted her chin up slightly, the corners of her mouth flexing into an icy, deeply contemptuous arc. From her position on the steps, she stood dominant.
Looking down upon Ning Che from her high vantage point, she spat out a single sentence in a tone that was frigid to the absolute extreme.
“Ning Che, look at my status, and look at yours. Are you even worthy of proposing to me?”