Chapter 37 Exclusive Release Chapter 37 "Elijas, rise..."
During her freshman year, Yuan Ning worked as an unpaid intern at the Fabric Preservation Lab of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Her job was to assist in organizing and archiving historical fabric samples.
She has personally touched and studied a large number of antique European fabrics from before and after World War II, and has an intuitive understanding of their composition, characteristics, and common ways of damage that goes beyond what is learned from books.
This is why she dared to accept the challenge proposed by Marta.
It's not that she's overconfident; no, you could say that she has an unfounded confidence in herself.
Marta emailed her several photos of the stains on her dress.
Yuan Ning clicked her tongue.
The red wine, mixed with the wrong cleaning agent, created a complex stain on the antique silk that resembled fungal spots and mineral salt crystals, which bonded firmly to the fibers and the original hand-painted pigments.
If you use chemical solvents to dissolve or physically peel it off, you will either damage the silk or cause the original pattern to peel off as well. The craftsmen were right; removal means destruction.
"This is Madame Olivia's wedding dress, and also the dress her mother, Miss Grace Vanderbilt, wore to the last grand ball before the fall of Paris in 1940."
In the body of Marta's email, with a calm and restrained touch, she reveals the weight behind this seemingly ordinary, stained silk garment.
Paris, spring of 1940.
Grace Vanderbilt, the daughter of an American steel tycoon known for her rebellious nature and impeccable taste, refused her family's request to return to the safety of New York City and chose to stay in Paris, which she loved.
At the last ball before the storm had completely descended upon her, she appeared wearing a silk crepe gown hand-sewn by Lucien Lelong, a young designer who was not yet famous but had already shown his extraordinary talent.
The hand-painted wisteria pattern on the dress was said to have been sketched by Leron in her family garden. Shortly after that night, German troops marched into Paris. Grace later cleverly escaped, and this dress became the only material evidence of her courage, taste, and the end of an era that night.
Lady Olivia, Grace's daughter, inherited her mother's rebellious spirit and astonishing wealth, yet she never experienced the same legendary love and freedom as her mother. This dress represents the deepest and most contradictory emotional connection between her and her mother.
Looking at the brownish stains deeply embedded in the silk fibers in the photo, Yuan Ning seemed to see the romantic figure of Mrs. Grace in her flowing skirts back then, and felt a deep sense of regret for this lost beauty and unfulfilled emotion.
Marta told her, “I serve the upper class. You have to understand that these top clients are not short of money, but the emotional weight they carry cannot be measured in money. Wynne, not all deals and collaborations can be completed on the basis of profit alone.”
“Listen, little girl. I’ve seen the reports from those workshops in Europe. Their solutions are essentially either to dissolve the stained area with solvent and replace it along with three centimeters of good fabric around it, or to take the entire front panel off and re-embroider it. Technically feasible, but do you know what Mrs. Olivia said?”
She said, "Is the repaired dress still my mother's?"
So the problem is simple: when dealing with these people, you have to appeal to their emotions.
The email ended abruptly here.
Yuan Ning was confused; what Marta was teaching her seemed to be the complete opposite of what Elias was teaching her.
But there are also some similarities.
Elias taught her: self-interest is the eternal driving force, rules are made by power, and everything can be calculated.
But when she presented her financial statements and logical models to win the negotiation with him, it became clear that he wasn't after profit.
Yuan Ning's fingers hovered over the keyboard. She had originally planned to reply with a meticulous email, listing the experts she could find, possible technical ideas, and estimated success rates. Now, she deleted all drafts and prepared to start from scratch.
During final week of the semester, Yuan Ning's academic pressure increased dramatically.
Although I received an A+ for the final project, final papers, design drafts, and presentations for other courses followed one after another.
With her final year of university, whether she could maintain her straight A's became a hot topic on campus.
Meanwhile, during the Christmas season, a time of revelry in New York's social circles, party invitations surged, and Yuan Ning, the newly crowned "rumored girlfriend of the prince," received a deluge of party invitations.
To maintain composure, Yuan Ning could only gulp down three cups of black coffee in a secluded corner where no one could see her, sleep in the morning, rush to meet deadlines at night, and go to parties in the evening.
In the afternoon, Yuan Ning was working on her thesis at the library when Wang Zi sent her a message: "Wynne, don't forget the party tonight! I've already told my mom I'm bringing a female companion."
Yuan Ning snapped out of her reverie, picked up her phone, and cheerfully replied, "Received! Prince, what dress did you choose?"
"Dior by John Galliano"
The prince only replied with this one sentence.
The two exchanged a knowing smile across their phone screens. Yuan Ning was already thinking that Dior under Galliano's leadership was an ultimate blend of romance, drama, and historical elements, with gender ambiguity. It was a mixture of luxury and rebellion, subverting the classic definition of elegance with extremely gorgeous language.
So, would he wear an ivory white silk stand-up collar lace shirt under his burgundy embroidered suit?
Yuan Ning replied to him:
"OK, see you tonight."
She chose an emerald green antique velvet fishtail dress for herself, paired with a ruby necklace.
Thanks to Meng Qingyuan, she is now richer than when she was making a living in the Meng family—Meng Qianyue would not give a college student so much spare money.
She can practically buy any jewelry she wants now, as long as it's not too extravagant.
Therefore, the emerald green velvet gown she chose was both appropriate for the occasion and complemented the prince's attire perfectly.
Besides, she is currently in the rising phase of her life and has already gained some leverage, so she no longer needs to be so cautious.
That evening, Esposito drove to the school to pick her up.
He leaned against the car, his dark brown curly hair slightly ruffled by the evening breeze; unlike Elias, he didn't like to comb his hair back meticulously.
His collar and cuffs, peeking out from the edges of his burgundy velvet suit, were covered in layers of intricate silk, creating an almost feminine and luxurious feel.
Like a young aristocrat who stepped out of a Rembrandt painting but mistakenly entered the digital punk era.
Yuan Ning got into the passenger seat and turned to him in amazement: "Prince, you are so...so beautiful. But...a little too rebellious. Are you sure they won't point fingers at you dressed like this?"
Federico started the engine.
“Wynne, darling,” he drawled, with the dramatic flair typical of Italians, “what’s the point of me wearing this if they don’t point fingers?”
The car smoothly merged into traffic, and he continued, "I guarantee that, apart from me, all the men tonight will be in standard three-piece suits. I can't help but laugh just thinking about it."
Yuan Ning, for some unknown reason, actually laughed.
What she left Elias yesterday was a standard three-piece suit. She didn't know if he wore it today, or if he had some other ideas.
“Wynne, you have to be yourself in front of those people, because anyone can see right through you.”
The car turned into a quiet street lined with ancient trees. Yuan Ning had never been here before. It turned out that these people chose such a private place for their gatherings.
In the distance, a brightly lit but somber-sounding townhouse came into view.
Esposito parked his car, turned to her, and extended his hand, palm up, in an inviting gesture.
Are you ready?
*
Yuan Ning had always been very curious and longing about what the world beyond Elias looked like.
From the moment she first set foot in the Van der Berg mansion, she was captivated by its time-honored authority.
However, the things she longed for seemed so insignificant to Esposito: old-fashioned, antique, and uninteresting.
She was a little scared at first, but the prince simply put her hand into his arm.
She saw several faces she had only seen in Town & Country or in family portraits.
So this is the upstream of Elias's world.
Older, more closely connected, and more exclusive.
Unlike the nouveau riche circles that flaunt wealth and energy, this place is extremely quiet.
"Prince Esposito, you have finally arrived."
Esposito greeted her: "Hello, Mrs. Palmer."
"This is my companion, Miss Wynne."
Esposito introduced them, and Yuan Ning smiled as she watched Elias walk in through another door.
A young woman with blonde hair stood next to Elias, and her mother appeared to be standing beside her; the three of them were talking.
Most people here form a few stable small circles and speak in low voices.
It wasn't until the servants came up to announce that dinner was ready that the group went into the dining room.
Yuan Ning stayed with Esposito the whole time.
The long dining table was covered with a snow-white linen tablecloth, and the silver candlesticks and Venetian crystal glasses were arranged solemnly, reflecting the warm light of the chandelier.
This was indeed the first time Yuan Ning had ever been to such an occasion.
She took Esposito's arm and sat down, her gaze inevitably meeting that of Elias van der Berg across the long table.
He sat to the left of an elderly silver-haired gentleman, while the blonde woman next to him was being ushered down to sit beside Elias by her mother.
It's clear that Elias and that woman have some unusual relationship.
“Federico, my son, won’t you introduce your lovely companion to us?” The lady seated at the head of the table was Princess Annabella Esposito, Esposito’s mother.
“Of course, Mother. This is Wynne Meng, my good friend.”
Yuan Ning stood up, slightly curtsied, and lifted her skirt to give a proper greeting: "Good evening, Your Highness. It is an honor to receive your invitation."
"Please sit down, child. I hope you enjoy the dishes tonight."
As Yuan Ning sat down, she realized that her seat was diagonally opposite Elias.
The blonde woman beside him was very beautiful and had a classic, reserved elegance in her demeanor.
Dinner proceeded at a slow and refined pace. The conversation ranged from the upcoming Christmas charity auction to the weather during the Somerset fox hunting season, and then to congratulating a distant European relative on receiving a new medal.
Meanwhile, the prince kept whispering amusing stories in Yuan Ning's ear.
As Yuan Ning listened, she secretly chuckled, unaware that her gaze had silently fallen upon someone.
Seemingly sensing her gaze, Elias suddenly looked up.
Ice-blue eyes peered through the long dining table, the sparkling crystals, and the rising steam from the food, landing on her.
Just then, the prince finished telling her another amusing story. Yuan Ning avoided Elias's gaze and turned to look at the prince. Both of them had drunk some wine, and the sweet aroma filled the air. Their eyes met lightly amidst the wine and laughter, and they were both somewhat stunned.
To outsiders, the two seemed completely absorbed in their whispered conversation, and that unintentional glance from earlier was merely a fleeting, insignificant shadow passing through the window.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the air diagonally opposite became icy and stagnant because of that deliberately ignored glance.
The blonde woman beside Elias, Bailey Winthrop—yes, Jasper Winthrop's aunt, who was still unmarried—was quietly asking him about next week's horse race.
Meanwhile, Esposito said something again, and Yuan Ning turned her back, her shoulders trembling slightly. The two of them got so close that they were almost kissing.
The prince is pursuing her.
Everyone at the table was talking about serious matters, except for those two... Christmas trees.
Bailey Winthrop's gentle questioning continued, about the racecourse's dress code and details about the pedigree of a certain favorite to win.
Elias's answer was concise and accurate.
Wynne, having heard some joke from the prince, suddenly looked up, covered her mouth, and laughed at him.
Bailey seemed to notice his slight distraction and asked softly, "So, what do you think of 'Northern Star's' chances of winning next week? My father is very optimistic about it."
Elias turned his attention back to providing a comprehensive probability analysis based on odds, track conditions, and jockey history.
The conversation at the dinner table continued, with the ladies discussing the charity auction catalog and casually asking Elias, "Elijas, which item do you think has the most investment potential?"
The question was asked by an elderly noblewoman sitting to the right of the princess, whose gaze swept gently over Elias and Belle as she asked the question.
Elias placed his knife and fork parallel to the edge of the plate, and answered in a low, rational, and restrained voice: "From an investment perspective, I suggest looking into that Edwardian ruby and diamond floral tiara."
Bailey Winthrop added, "Yes, last time at Christie's, a crown with similar craftsmanship commanded a premium of over 30%."
Yuan Ning sat up straight, her conversation with the prince temporarily over. In truth, in such a setting, how could she not be well-informed? Using every opportunity to climb the social ladder was simply her nature.
However, after looking around, she realized that there were few people among the people present who could be considered helpful to her.
The guests present have power and resources mainly concentrated in areas that Yuan Ning can hardly or does not need to influence at this stage.
They talked about land and hereditary wealth, and even resorted to outdated marriage strategies. To be honest, Yuan Ning found it extremely boring and thought it better to just treat it as a day trip, as the prince suggested.
Just as Yuan Ning was about to be overwhelmed by those tedious topics, the princess gently put down her dessert spoon.
“I’m reminded of something,” the princess said with a nostalgic smile, her gaze slowly sweeping over the young faces around the table. “The last time I hosted a traditional ball was for Federico’s coming-of-age ceremony. He was a clumsy boy then, always stepping on his female companions’ skirts.”
Esposito immediately protested with a laugh: "Mother! That was almost ten years ago."
“Time flies,” the princess remarked, then her eyes lit up as she added, “The musicians are all here. Why don’t we continue this tradition after dinner?”
The suggestion quickly garnered enthusiastic responses from the young people, and Yuan Ning's eyes lit up.
I had only ever seen Western aristocratic balls on TV before, and I imagined myself wearing a long skirt and twirling in the center of the dance floor. I never thought I would actually experience it in person this time.
“Wynne, you have to be my first dance partner. I have to make up for my bad reputation from back then for always stepping on people’s skirts,” Esposito said to her.
Yuan Ning glanced at the person diagonally opposite her and accepted Esposito's invitation.
The group moved into the blue living room, a more spacious and magnificent hall in the mansion than the dining room. It was decorated in 18th-century French blue, with a floor-to-ceiling mirrored wall and a music performance area on one side, and was used to host small balls and concerts.
The moonlight outside the window was perfect, and the princess was in a good mood.
The ladies, accompanied by a gentle fragrance and the rustling of their dresses, made their way to the adjacent lounge to tidy themselves up.
The men, in twos and threes, either chatted quietly or followed the guide into the already decorated ballroom.
As Yuan Ning walked in, the hem of her emerald green velvet skirt brushed against the dark hallway carpet. Even though she was somewhat prepared, she still felt a slight sense of breathlessness as she stepped into the blue living room—
A huge crystal chandelier hung from the high dome, and she subconsciously looked for Elias's figure.
Completely following his stylist's advice, Elias was wearing a dark blue three-piece suit today, with the bottom button of his jacket undone. He was sitting on a single sofa in the corner of the living room, leaning back slightly, his posture relaxed yet still upright.
Two elderly gentlemen sat beside him, seemingly uninterested in the elegant figures on the dance floor. They crossed their legs, lit cigars, and looked out the window.
On the small round table in front of them sat three glasses of amber-colored single malt whisky, ice cubes swirling slowly within. Wisps of pale blue cigar smoke rose between them, like a tangible barrier separating them from the music about to begin and the swirling skirts in the center of the hall.
"What are you looking at?" Esposito's voice rang in her ear.
Yuan Ning snapped out of her daze: "I didn't see anything."
Esposito followed her gaze and smiled knowingly: "Never mind them, a bunch of old fogies can talk about the stock market all afternoon by looking out the window. The music is about to start, we need to grab a good spot."
Yuan Ning let him lead her, and the melody of the first waltz, like a stream under the moonlight, poured from the fingertips of the musicians, filling the entire blue living room.
The lights seemed to soften and become more layered in sync with the music.
Encouraged by the older women, Bailey Winthrop approached Elias: "Do you remember the waltz steps? I just practiced them recently."
Elias looked up and saw the two "Christmas trees" occupying the very center of the dance floor, already in position:
The girl lifted her skirt and slightly bent her knees in a gesture of greeting, while the prince bent one knee, placed one hand behind his waist, and extended the other hand forward in an inviting gesture.
Looking around the entire venue, no one was more glamorous than the two of them.
Elias put down the whiskey, touched the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, and made an extremely elegant gesture.
“Dancing is one of the basic qualities of a gentleman, Miss Winthrop.”
He stood up, bowed, and made an inviting gesture to the other person, as a matter of courtesy.
Bailey gently placed her hand, clad in a long white lace glove, into his outstretched palm, a subtle and graceful smile curving her lips.
The musicians played "The Blue Danube," with Yuan Ning and Esposito opening with a spinning motion, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
The prince's dance was passionate and unrestrained, causing Yuan Ning's emerald green skirt to billow open like a strange flower suddenly blooming in the night, with rubies sparkling brightly on her chest. Their dance was full of youthful energy and undisguised allure.
Elias and Bailey's dance moves, on the other hand, represent the other extreme.
Standard, precise, impeccable.
The two maintained an absolutely polite distance.
Bailey's dance was graceful, and her posture of slightly tilting her head to look at her partner was exemplary; Elias, on the other hand, looked straight ahead, his jawline was firm and cold, and his leading gestures were firm and restrained.
The two dance partners, to the melodious strains of a waltz, seem to represent two completely different worlds. Reflected in the mirrored wall, they coexist and intersect in the same space and time, yet remain distinctly separate.
As Yuan Ning spun around, her gaze inevitably met Elias's briefly.
His icy blue eyes appeared even deeper and colder than usual under the dazzling lights of the ballroom, like a frozen lake reflecting a fiery light that didn't belong to it.
He was so elegant and meticulous, and Bailey was so graceful and charming; together, they were an impeccable pair. She and Federico, on the other hand, were a pair of savages dancing around a campfire.
The music then transitions into a melodious passage.
His gaze swept over her fluttering skirt, her cheeks flushed from exercise, and the radiant smiles she exchanged with the prince.
With another spin, the two brushed past each other.
Yuan Ning felt the hem of her green skirt brush against Elias's leather shoes, and he gave her a cold look.
She turned her face toward the prince, her smile growing even brighter. She hooked her arm around his and deliberately spun around dramatically, her skirt slapping heavily across Elias's legs with a loud "thud."
Then, with a graceful slide, they separated.
What a beautiful dance!
As the last note faded, the people on the dance floor stopped and greeted each other.
A polite round of applause rose from the edge of the dance floor, like gentle ripples on the receding tide.
Most of the guests had already left with their dance partners, heading towards the sidelines where champagne was being served again and quiet conversations were taking place.
Yuan Ning and her partner were clearly still enjoying themselves.
Esposito requested another performance of Por Una Cabeza: "On such a beautiful night, please give us something more passionate, a tango!"
After saying that, Esposito seemed to remember something and looked down to ask his dance partner, "Wynne, can you dance the tango?"
Yuan Ning smiled faintly: "I will, Your Highness."
The two walked hand in hand to the center, until the prelude, like a sharp blade being drawn from its sheath, began, playing the most magnificent and passionate chapter in the blue living room.
Elias had already returned to his seat on the single sofa in the corner, where Bailey Winthrop, who had just danced with him, was surrounded by several ladies, whispering to each other.
The spotlight in the center of the dance floor was a bit too bright, making it hard to look away.
The air scorching hot as it brushes against the skin.
Yuan Ning's body, nestled in his arms, displayed a completely different kind of flexibility and strength.
She is no longer a passively spinning flower, but a vine that actively entwines, advances, and then suddenly separates.
Her legs wrapped around his calves, and every pause in her dance steps seemed to be stepping on the gaps in his heartbeat.
It was simply the most unbridled conquest and display.
After Bailey finished talking with the ladies, she walked over to Elias and tried to invite him to dance another round.
"The prince and the oriental girl's dance is so beautiful, it's like a blazing fire! Mr. Van der Berg, would you like to dance with me again?"
Elias looked up at her, his expression belying the meaning behind his words: "Lady, you're being too forward; it makes me seem impolite."
Bailey was slightly taken aback, but Elias spoke very softly, so only she could hear him.
She understood what the other person meant. The first time he didn't refuse was a gentlemanly gesture, but the second time he still didn't invite her on his own initiative, so it meant he was refusing.
At first, she didn't understand, or pretended not to understand, the other party's refusal, but now, the refusal is made explicit by the other party.
The lady's repeated invitations to the gentleman to dance were indeed too unladylike.
Bailey Winthrop stepped aside, feeling somewhat regretful, but soon other gentlemen came to her and earnestly invited her to join them. Bailey accepted the invitation and glided back onto the dance floor.
Elias sat there alone, sipping his whiskey.
He was like a frozen sculpture, isolated from the surrounding glittering clothes, whispers, and gentle laughter. His very existence was a chilling silence.
Until, a patch of emerald green cloud, carrying the still lingering warmth, quietly drifted to the edge of his sofa.
Yuan Ning stood in front of him.
She was slightly out of breath, her dark eyes still gleaming with excitement.
To be honest, this was the first time Elias had ever been so popular with the ladies at a ball.
"Elijas, rise and dance with me."
Elias was still stunned by the girl's rudeness when she took his hand, her voice sweet and coquettish: "Hurry up..."
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Author's Note: Elias: Red and green together are utterly awful. [Cracks]
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