Chapter 26, "Do you want to dance with him?" (Viewed as...)
Business went smoothly, and it wasn't even dinner time yet when it ended.
After getting into the car, Cheng Hexi took the document from Tang Ying, but before she could open it, she received a message from Jerry.
Jerry had a good relationship with both her and Xu Zhumeng. Although they didn't chat often, they were never awkward when they met. However, Cheng Hexi was somewhat surprised that they didn't frequently use social media to contact each other.
The message boxes loaded one by one, and just as she opened one, a photo was sent from the other end.
It's a vinyl record of a female singer that Jerry likes.
Cheng Hexi was somewhat confused.
The car drove along the Champs-Élysées.
Jerry was talking to her like he was pouring out beans.
[Your husband initially looked at me like I was a love rival, but today someone brought him an umbrella and also gave me this.]
Cheng Hexi's focus was different from his.
She asked, "Does he know which singer you like?"
Jerry: [We only talked about it briefly during our chat.]
Cheng Hexi chuckled softly and asked him if it was convenient for him to take the call.
After the call connected, before she could even speak, Jerry took a deep breath and repeated what he had just said.
She first clarified for You Yue: "He doesn't see you as a rival in love. That's just his personality. Don't take it to heart."
Cheng Hexi herself didn't realize how much familial her words were.
Jerry was extremely surprised when he heard this.
Even though that person's eyes never left Cheng Hexi when they hugged!
But he still chose to believe Cheng Hexi and said it from a different angle: "When you answered the phone, your husband and I were chatting at the bar. In just a few words, he knew which singer I liked and was able to send me a gift accordingly. Amazing!"
Cheng Hexi wasn't particularly surprised by this.
For You Yue, this was something that required absolutely no effort.
He can handle so many investors and big shots in the business world, so dealing with a kid like Jerry is really too easy for him.
As for why she gave this gift, she thought she could guess.
When You Yue asked Cheng Hexi if she wanted to try his cocktails, he didn't actually intend to borrow the bar that day; such a request would have been offensive. However, Cheng Hexi was already quite familiar with Jerry in New York, so she didn't feel the need to worry about it.
Later, Jerry gave them a lot more wine.
Jerry was her friend, but You Yue didn't know him well, so it wasn't appropriate to just let it go like that.
However, this really resembles a middle school student who tries to bribe the friend of the person they like instead of pursuing them. Isn't You Yue making a mountain out of a molehill?
In any case, her proper demeanor in front of her friends strengthened her relationship with Jerry.
Jerry should have a pretty good impression of him now.
really.
He said happily, "Next time you come to New York, I'll treat you to drinks again!"
Cheng Hexi smiled.
-
Louis's grandfather recently acquired a beautiful suburban estate, situated along a river.
After sunset, the evening glow adorns the horizon, and the river shimmers with light under the setting sun.
The garden lawn stretches from the manor gate all the way to the villa entrance.
Cheng Hexi got out of the car at the central fountain and was led by a waiter into the magnificent hall.
The host of the banquet was quite old, but he was still in good spirits and looked radiant.
It's clear that he still has a high level of enthusiasm for life.
He was a wealthy businessman in his youth, and his family has many branches, now spanning four generations.
From the moment she entered the manor until now, every detail of the set design and furnishings she had seen was meticulously crafted. Cheng Hexi went over to greet them, feeling quite moved.
Her maternal grandfather and the owner of the manor were classmates for many years and later became neighbors, sharing a deep bond. Even with so many visitors, he recognized Cheng Hexi at a glance and did not overlook her.
Cheng Hexi heard from her maternal grandmother when she was in college that when her mother was in college, this wealthy businessman had tried to match her mother with his son, but ultimately it did not work out.
Grandma was an open-minded person who rarely looked back, but she once lamented that her daughter might have been happier if she hadn't married He Chongguang.
Cheng Hexi felt at that time that love meant exposing one's vulnerabilities and selling oneself.
But my maternal grandparents, who were classmates and lovers throughout their lives, grew old together and passed away only two days apart, their love was unwavering.
Having witnessed so many love stories and so many bitter separations, she naturally knew that there were many kinds of love in the world.
This love is real, falling on tiny individuals, clear and moving.
During one of her college years, the Before trilogy was re-released, and she and Xu Zhumeng watched it again in the theater. When they came out, they were caught in a rainy New York night.
Rainwater formed a natural mirror on the road, the streetlights shone brightly, and cars sped by in the distance, splashing water everywhere. The two shared an umbrella, watching the city reflected in both reality and illusion.
Xu Zhumeng suddenly asked her, "Do you believe in love?"
Xu Zhumeng studied film and was always sensitive to external emotions. She was very empathetic, and her understanding and performance of love often appeared in class.
But before this, Cheng Hexi could honestly say that she had never thought about this.
She pondered for a long time, and Xu Zhumeng didn't urge her. She was thinking about whether to have croissants or salad for breakfast tomorrow, as if she didn't necessarily need to get an answer.
Cheng Hexi heard herself answer, "I believe."
Voyager 1, looking back from space, captured images of Earth that resembled a speck of dust, a pale blue dot. And on Earth, a vast sea of people stretched out.
The world is both too big and too small. She believes in love, but she doesn't think love will fall on her, nor does she want to fall in love with anyone.
-
The banquet was a gathering of celebrities. Cheng Hexi accepted the favor but did not disturb them too much. She withdrew to the side to observe proper etiquette.
Having grown up surrounded by sensual pleasures and fleeting fame and fortune, Cheng Hexi still disliked such occasions.
However, none of this had much to do with her. She didn't do any business or negotiations here, and not many people knew her. She was content to be a leisurely spectator.
Attending such a large private banquet requires formal attire as a sign of courtesy, but Cheng Hexi hadn't brought suitable clothes, so she had to prepare an expensive gown on the spot.
The dress has a cinched waist, is exquisite and beautiful, and Cheng Hexi's temperament makes it perfectly suited to carry it off.
She thought of You Yue a lot while changing her dress.
These past two days, she's had to button up all the buttons on her shirts to carefully cover up the tiny hickeys. But the dress was too revealing, so Cheng Hexi had no choice but to wear a black suit jacket with sequins over it after changing.
However, it would be inappropriate to say that You Yue was the culprit.
That night they were both so engrossed that they didn't think much when leaving marks on each other's bodies, completely forgetting their usual deep considerations, and were not even in a state of clear-headedness.
Beautiful Asian faces always attract attention.
She was approached twice shortly after entering the banquet, which completely interrupted Cheng Hexi's leisurely mood. She then switched to holding the glass with her left hand, which was adorned with her wedding ring.
The effect is obvious.
Many French women wear multiple rings as accessories, but Cheng Hexi has long, slender fingers and only wears a top-tier full-diamond ring on the ring finger of her left hand, which has special significance.
Since their marriage, the "prop for casual flings" that You Yue gave her has helped her ward off a lot of messy romantic advances.
She curled her fingertips slightly, and just as she was thinking, she received a message from the man.
Qi Xuan said you asked him for my suit size.
Cheng Hexi stood by the window waiting for nightfall, a slight smile playing on her lips as she replied: "I specifically told them to keep it a secret."
[I even contacted him personally.]
Having spent so much time together, You Yue could already discern her true feelings from the details, but he still asked: "Are you unhappy?"
She replied to him in return: "No."
If any of us would be unhappy, it should be you.
You Yue: [Hmm?]
Because there were no more surprises?
Cheng Hexi pursed her lips, her attitude ambiguous: "More or less."
But in reality, she came up with this idea mainly because You Yue looked really good in a suit. It's hard to say who she did it for, and it wasn't exactly a surprise.
I think so too.
[I've already spoken to Qi Xuan; I'll tell him to listen to you next time.]
Why are we talking about next time again?
Is there a next time?
You Yue's tone remained unchanged: 【Is there nothing more in the future?】
Cheng Hexi smiled.
Looking back at today's chat history, the ambiguity was practically overflowing.
She stopped talking to You Yue about these things and changed the subject:
It's past midnight in China, and you're still awake?
[Just finished a meeting.]
He asked, "And you?"
It was a bit complicated to explain, so I just sent a voice message explaining why I came to the dinner party, but the main focus was on praising the scenery.
You Yue continued typing: 【How beautiful is she?】
Cheng Hexi happened to be standing by the window and took a picture of the exterior.
He sent a voice message: "I can't see it very clearly, but it does seem very beautiful."
His tone was languid, perhaps because he was sleepy.
"Can't you see clearly?" Cheng Hexi paused. "Then shall I show you the video?"
As she spoke, she put her wine glass aside and leaned against the window, where a gentle evening breeze blew by.
In the blue hour, the horizon blends blue and pink, the Venus Strip stretches out in the distance, and the sky is vast. Bright, radiant evening lights gradually illuminate the estate, adding a soft-focus filter. Not far away, the shimmering waters of the gently flowing river reflect the swaying shadows of the trees.
Both she and Youyue use the default front-facing camera.
You Yue had indeed just finished a meeting, and he was using a laptop to answer video calls.
He had already showered and was wearing a bathrobe, the collar still wide open, with a few stray hairs falling casually across his forehead.
After the video call connected, he moved forward a little, and his aggressive, thick face suddenly appeared in Cheng Hexi's line of sight.
His deep gaze was fixed on her.
Cheng Hexi stood tall in a formal gown and black suit jacket, bathed in the light of a crystal chandelier. Despite the breathtaking Parisian night view behind her, You Yue could only see her.
My gaze swept over her neck, where her sexy collarbone was prominent, adorned with a dazzling necklace.
A moment later, Cheng Hexi turned around and turned on the rear camera to show him the view of the manor.
You Yue's interest wasn't in the scenery at all; after admiring it for a while, his voice came from the other side.
"It's very quiet around you, are you hiding from people and enjoying the scenery?"
“Hmm,” Cheng Hexi said, feeling tired from holding her phone, and switched the camera back to the front view. “It’s been too long since I’ve been back to Paris, and I don’t really want to socialize, but it would be impolite not to come.”
He asked slowly, "You just said, who invited you here?"
“Louis,” Cheng Hexi said simply, not thinking it was important, “was my neighbor when I lived in Paris.”
You Yue hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions, as if it had just been a casual remark. He then asked, "What made you decide to have a suit made for me?"
“Didn’t I tell you that day?” Cheng Hexi took a few slow steps, her earring swaying slightly with her movements. “Don’t you remember?”
“I remember,” You Yue raised an eyebrow, “I thought what you said in bed didn’t count.”
Cheng Hexi suddenly stopped and looked into his eyes.
There were very few people around, and no one understood Chinese.
But this man is really too outrageous.
After calming herself down, she casually asked, "And what about you? Do you keep your word in bed?"
The man smiled and said, "I always keep my word."
Before Cheng Hexi could say anything more, a gentle male voice called out to her from behind.
You Yue could hear it, but he couldn't understand French.
Cheng Hexi looked away from the screen and turned to him to respond to his words.
She held her wine glass in her left hand, and the ring on her ring finger shone even brighter under the bright crystal chandelier.
Louis hadn't seen it last night, but noticed it because of this action. His gaze sharpened slightly, and he complimented her on how beautiful her wedding ring was.
Cheng Hexi smiled and thanked her.
You Yue leaned back in her chair, even though she knew she would soon be taken back to the bright and dazzling banquet lights, she didn't want to be the one to hang up first.
He didn't say anything to disturb her, and quietly watched her smile at others.
As he expected, after exchanging a few words with Louis, Cheng Hexi turned her gaze back to him, indicating that she wanted to return to the banquet hall.
You Yue smiled slightly and said that she was going to sleep.
Just before hanging up, he lowered his eyes slightly and asked her, "Do you want to dance with him?"
Cheng Hexi didn't understand why he suddenly asked that question.
She knew that You Yue didn't understand French and wouldn't have understood what she and Louis had just said, so she raised her eyebrows and asked, following his lead, "Do you mind?"
-----------------------
Author's note: Still in a tug-of-war.
Sorry for being late! Here's an update on compatibility questions!
7. What are the other person's fashion preferences?
Xi: He likes ties and cufflinks, and his walk-in closet at home is filled with four drawers.
Yue: She often wears suits and formal wear to work, and doesn't like wearing formal dresses. She feels happy when she goes out to relax in pretty clothes. She likes high heels and earrings.
8. What do you like to see your partner wear the most?
Xi: Suit, shirt, black shirt.
Yue: Hmm?
Xi: What about you?
Yue: I like them all.
Xi: ...Why didn't you read the question carefully?
9. What is the other person's most sensitive spot?
Xi: Adam's apple
Yue: waist
Thanks for reading! [kiss]
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