Chapter 44. His lips touched the tip of his ear. ...
"careful!"
In the instant of losing his balance, Li Xinian suddenly exerted force with his arm!
Lin Suxing was pulled forward by that force and staggered, falling uncontrollably into Li Xinian's arms.
His arm flared helplessly in the air, eventually managing only to frantically grab the fabric of the other man's suit jacket, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He tilted his head back slightly, his eyelashes fluttering rapidly like startled butterfly wings, his pale lips opening unconsciously, but no sound came out.
Those eyes, which always held a smile, were now filled with panic. The flickering lights of the banquet hall reflected in their pupils, like the shattered reflection of a bird falling into the water.
Li Xinian stumbled from his somewhat disorderly movements and had to hold him tighter on the shoulder. But in that instant, his lips accidentally brushed against Lin Suxing's sensitive earlobe.
Lin Suxing's senses were amplified to an extreme degree in that instant.
The whole world seemed to shrink suddenly, leaving only the soft and warm touch that brushed against my ear.
Like a feather, or a faint electric current, it suddenly rushed through, triggering countless tiny shivers beneath the skin, which quickly spread to every part of the body.
What followed was the crisp scent of cedar and fir emanating from Li Xinian, which became richer and more aggressive due to the sudden closeness, forcefully penetrating his nostrils as the other's breathing seemed to become disordered for a moment.
The arm around his waist tightened suddenly like an iron hoop, the force penetrating the thin fabric, conveying an undeniable heat and solid muscle definition, almost making his legs buckle.
"...Mr. Li, I'm sorry, I...I made a mistake." His apology, which came out of his mouth, was filled with undisguised panic, and his voice was trembling slightly.
His cheeks and ears burned rapidly as if they were on fire, the heat was astonishing, but it wasn't because of embarrassment, or because he had caused trouble for Li Xinian.
That unintentional touch made his heart race far faster than any intentional intimacy. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, completely out of control, making his eardrums buzz.
He didn't even dare to think whether Li Xinian had sensed his sudden change in demeanor, or whether he had heard...
His heartbeat was like the pounding of a war drum, as if it were about to burst through one's chest.
And Li Xinian was also disturbed by this sudden contact.
The lips touched the fair and delicate skin of the earlobe, carrying a slightly cool body temperature and an indescribable softness, like the finest velvet, or like flower petals covered in morning dew. The touch was fleeting, yet it left behind a lingering, itchy numbness.
The subtle trembling of the person in his arms was clearly transmitted through their pressed bodies; her long eyelashes fluttered rapidly like the wings of a startled butterfly, as if brushing directly against his heart.
"...It's nothing." He heard his voice was much lower and hoarser than usual, and his attempt to maintain a calm and composed tone was clearly different from his usual self.
He had to use almost all his self-control to stop himself from pressing the soft, warm body in his arms closer to himself to confirm whether the captivating trembling and heat were real.
This kind of contact gave him a much more real sense of the other person being right beside him than when he used to have physical contact with the "ghost" in the past.
Li Xinian looked down at the young man in his arms, whose face was as red as a peach blossom and whose ears were flushed, and thought: If only I could hold him like this every day.
A real embrace.
It wasn't through that system; I could truly feel Lin Suxing's warmth, and when I opened my eyes, I could see him holding me with his amber eyes.
Perhaps... he's just getting greedier.
After all, didn't he originally think that as long as the "ghost" could stay by his side, that would be enough?
At the other end of the dance floor, Lin Siyi and Wang Shunyue danced gracefully to the music, but his gaze kept following his younger brother and Li Xinian in a seemingly unnoticed direction.
“Sorry,” Lin Siyi suddenly realized her distraction, bowed to her dance partner, and her magnetic voice melted into the music of Shostakovich’s Second Waltz, “I was a little lost in thought.”
Wang Shunyue was wearing a light pink dress. She had a pure and sweet appearance, but a very lively personality. Instead of being angry, she winked mischievously, followed Lin Siyi's gaze, and said in a low voice with a smile, "Brother Siyi, are you worried that Su Xing will be 'kidnapped' by President Li?"
Lin Siyi was slightly taken aback by her blunt words. Before she could respond, Wang Shunyue continued to ask curiously, her gaze shifting between them and the eye-catching dance partners: "Seriously, Siyi, do you know what the relationship is between Su Xing and President Li?"
She gestured for Lin Siyi to look towards Li Xinian and Lin Suxing.
From their perspective, Li Xinian was slightly bowing his head, seemingly whispering something in Lin Suxing's ear, causing Lin Suxing's ears to turn slightly red. The man's hand around the young man's waist was full of protective intent, even carrying a domineering and possessive feeling that did not allow others to covet it.
"President Li!" Wang Shunyue exclaimed in disbelief, "Who doesn't know he never dances at these kinds of parties? Today, not only did he make an exception for Su Xing, but the two of them were even chatting and laughing together. Look at how close they are..."
She paused, searching for the right words, her eyes gleaming with gossip: "They don't seem like strangers or ordinary friends at all. The air around them feels much stickier than here. The way President Li looks at Su Xing, I've never seen him treat anyone else like that."
In Wang Shunyue's memory, Li Xinian always seemed to have a cold expression, and the occasional smile he showed was polite but also carried an undisguised arrogance.
As her brother just said, Li Xinian is definitely not the kind of person who would kindly agree to help someone just because they don't have a dance partner.
Thinking back to the murderous intent that flashed in Li Xinian's eyes when Lin Siyi pulled Wang Shunyu to introduce "this is your dance partner" to Lin Suxing, Wang Shunyue felt a chill for his brother.
Li Xinian's hostile reaction was as if... someone was trying to steal his treasure.
Lin Siyi followed her gaze and saw her younger brother standing next to President Li. Although he occasionally showed shyness and panic, he was generally relaxed, and could even be described as dependent.
He frowned slightly, his doubts deepening. He found himself unable to give a clear answer to Wang Shunyue's question.
Li Xinian's special treatment of Su Xing was so obvious that even Wang Shunyue, who was watching from the sidelines, saw through it at a glance.
Lin Siyi had no idea when Su Xing and Li Xinian had ever crossed paths, to the point where the two could dance so intimately while embracing each other.
After readjusting her posture and dancing to the music again, Lin Suxing was clearly still shaken. She focused all her attention on her steps, her eyes fixed on the ground, afraid of making any more mistakes. Her serious yet slightly frightened appearance was just like a student being called on by the teacher to recite a poem on stage.
However, compared to Lin Suxing, who was becoming more and more focused and dancing better and better, Li Xinian, who was known for his calmness, self-control and overall command, was unusually absent-minded.
His fingertips still seemed to retain the supple curve he had felt when he had gripped the other's waist, and the lingering, heart-stirring scent still lingered around his nose, making him restless.
The music reached another upswing, and the female guests on the dance floor twirled gracefully under the raised arms of the male guests, their fluffy skirts billowing out in beautiful, flower-like shapes.
Distracted, Li Xinian's strides widened slightly, and he paused, nearly stepping on the clean toe of Lin Suxing's shoe.
"I'm sorry." Li Xinian quickly composed himself, adjusted his breathing, and his voice returned to its usual calm.
Lin Suxing shook her head, and when she looked up at him, her doe eyes curved into crescent shapes with a smile, filled with glistening tears: "It's okay, were you daydreaming?"
“...Hmm.” Li Xinian looked down at him, and their gazes involuntarily met again in the flowing music, briefly touching before parting, both carrying a hint of haste and strangeness that they couldn’t hide.
Those unspoken ripples stirred by unexpected intimacy did not subside; instead, they silently spread and fermented within this seemingly normalized twilight dance.
The lingering notes of the first waltz had not yet completely faded when the strings gracefully glided towards the end.
Traditionally, guests embracing on the dance floor do not separate immediately, but rather, as the last few notes play, they naturally join hands to form a slowly rotating circle.
Many expectant gazes had already been fixed on Li Xinian and Lin Suxing in the circle, wondering who these two, who had been stealing the spotlight today, would choose as their dance partners for the second dance.
That way, they'll still have a chance to benefit from it, won't they?
As the waltz faded into the distance, the lights in the dance floor subtly shifted, signaling the imminent start of the traditional partner-changing ritual.
Lin Suxing noticed that his dance partners around him had let go of each other's hands and were preparing to find new partners, and his heart tightened.
He instinctively tugged at Li Xinian's sleeve as Li was about to take a step back, a gesture tinged with a dependence he himself was unaware of. "Wait," he said in a low voice, a hint of barely perceptible panic in his voice, "Oh no, the next dance… if my partner is a lady, I… I'll have to do the male steps, and I'm afraid I won't be able to lead her well…"
Although he can now dance the women's steps perfectly well, it is based on the premise that Li Xinian dances them well.
If the next song is even faster, he's definitely in trouble!
It's embarrassing to embarrass yourself and drag the girl down with you.
Lin Suxing's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, realizing that her demands might be a bit excessive.
At such a formal banquet, Li Xinian had already made an exception and danced for him for the first time. Now, for him to say this seems a bit unreasonable and unrealistic.
Li Xinian lowered his eyes, looking at the hand with distinct knuckles that was clutching his sleeve, then looked up at Lin Suxing's chubby face, which was wrinkled up with worry.
A fleeting, elusive emotion flashed across his usually icy face.
The man didn't answer immediately, but instead gently grasped Lin Suxing's wrist, stopping him from pulling away: "No need to change dance partners."
Li Xinian never imagined dancing with anyone other than Lin Suxing.
Lin Suxing's words, which he perceived as an excuse but were actually a way of saying she didn't want to be separated from him, reassured the man who was already prepared.
In the midst of the music fading and the circle dispersing, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Li Xinian made a move that surprised everyone.
He did not let go of Lin Suxing, waiting for the rules of the circle to lead him to another unfamiliar dance partner.
Instead, while holding his wrist, she gracefully spun him around, cleverly avoiding a gentleman who was supposed to walk towards Lin Suxing, and brought Lin Suxing back to the center of the dance floor, right where they had been at the start of the next dance.
The whole process was smooth and fluid, as if it were just a series of dance moves.
For a moment, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
The bank's heiress, who had been standing behind Li Xinian, suddenly froze with a confident, perfect smile. Her meticulously groomed fingers tightened unconsciously, clenching her palms.
Another handsome gentleman from a shipping family, who had already planned his steps and was about to extend an invitation to Lin Suxing, also stopped in his tracks, his face showing undisguised astonishment.
They looked at each other, seeing the same disbelief in each other's eyes.
"Did you see that? President Li... he didn't change his dance partner!"
"My God, he actually broke the rule of exchanging dance partners for that unfamiliar face from the Lin family?"
"I never imagined that someone as seemingly rigid and boring as Li Xinian could be so willful..."
"This...this is more than just simple appreciation, isn't it? Who has ever seen President Li treat anyone so specially before?"
"It seems the previous rumors weren't unfounded; their relationship is definitely not simple..."
"Now who dares to say there's nothing between them? I bet they're already in a romantic relationship!"
Quiet gasps and whispers rippled through the crowds of celebrities, gentlemen, ladies, and socialites.
Who would have thought that Li Xinian, the heir of the Li family who has always been regarded as rigid, meticulous and most compliant with the unspoken rules of the upper class, would so openly and even recklessly break this century-old ball tradition for the sake of one person!
“Rules are inanimate.” A hint of mockery flashed in his gray-blue eyes. “But I am one of the people who make the rules. If I say they don’t need to be changed, then they don’t need to be changed.”
Lin Suxing stared at him in astonishment, completely unexpected that Li Xinian, who always presented a cold and serious face, would say such a thing and do such an almost "cheating" thing.
This discovery, like a ray of light, unexpectedly shone into Li Xinian's always airtight and unfathomable image, carving out a vibrant crack.
At that moment, he seemed to glimpse a hidden, somewhat wicked side beneath the surface of this iceberg.
A faint smile crept onto Lin Suxing's lips.
He suddenly felt that the person in front of him was no longer the unattainable, perfect CEO Li, but a more vibrant person who seemed somewhat endearing because of the contrast.
This stark contrast, like a feather gently brushing against the tip of the heart, brings a strange, heart-pounding itch.
The melody of the second dance was more tender than the waltz, and the lights were dimmed, casting ambiguous shadows on the embracing dancers.
As Lin Suxing moved slowly under Li Xinian's guidance, the tension and fear she had felt earlier had quietly faded away, replaced by an indescribable sense of security.
He recalled how Li Xinian had defended him earlier, and how that contrasted with his composed dance steps now. He couldn't help but ask softly, "President Li, you dance so well, did you learn it from these banquets since you were a child?"
Li Xinian's steps faltered almost imperceptibly for a moment, and his deep gray-blue eyes seemed to see a very distant place through Lin Suxing.
“My mother sent someone to teach me.” His voice was low and carried the unique texture of reminiscence. “I was about ten years old at the time.”
As this somewhat taboo topic was brought up, he seemed to see the empty practice room in the old house, the smooth, mirror-like wooden floor, and the perpetually gloomy sky outside the window.
“I don’t actually have a talent for dancing,” he said calmly, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself. “I’m uncoordinated and can never remember complicated steps. At a family children’s dance, I kept stepping off the beat and bumped into people, which made the other children laugh.”
Those sharp yet childish laughs seem to faintly echo once again across the years.
Li Xinian has always been a man of few words and few smiles since then. His face is youthful but he is like a little adult. When he is ridiculed, he neither cries nor makes a fuss, nor does he argue with the other party. He just sulks to himself when he gets home.
“After I got back, I locked myself in my room and sat by the window all day, feeling depressed… I thought to myself, I will never go to that kind of place again.”
Lin Suxing held her breath, almost unable to imagine that the man in front of her, who controlled everything, had also had such helpless and aggrieved moments.
“When my mother noticed that I hadn’t eaten anything for dinner that night, she came into my room but didn’t ask me anything. She just hugged me.” A very faint, gentle tone, which even he himself didn’t notice, seeped into Li Xinian’s voice. “I took the initiative to tell her what had happened, and she didn’t treat it as a child’s tantrum. Instead, she seriously discussed with me that I could choose never to go again.”
"She told me that dancing is not about pleasing anyone, but about making yourself happy. If you're not happy, then don't dance."
Lin Suxing listened quietly, a certain part of her heart softening.
Li Xinian's gaze fell on Lin Suxing's profile, but it was as if he had traveled through reality back to the long-forgotten past: "I was unwilling to admit defeat. After my temper subsided, I started learning to dance. My mother would always accompany me to practice in front of the French windows at night."
The music then transitioned into a tender section, and Li Xinian led him through a smooth spin.
As they shifted their weight, Lin Suxing heard a whisper that was almost drowned out by the music:
"...I miss her so much."
The voice was so soft, as soft as a sigh, yet it weighed heavily on Lin Suxing's heart.
He looked up and saw Li Xinian quickly turn his face away, but the longing and melancholy in his eyes had already been fully seen by him.
Lin Suxing's gaze traced Li Xinian's well-defined profile, finally settling on his eyes, which were like the surface of a winter lake covered with a thin layer of ice, holding stars and an unknown past.
He blurted out, "Your mother... must be a very beautiful lady."
Li Xinian lowered her eyes to look at him, a very faint smile curving her lips. That smile briefly dispelled the icy layer in her eyes, but made the hidden loneliness even clearer.
He gave a soft "hmm," his voice so low it almost blended into the music: "She was beautiful, like Galatea stepping out of a Raphael painting. But... she's been dead for many years."
These words were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples of bittersweet emotion in Lin Suxing's heart.
He suddenly tightened his grip on Li Xinian's shoulder, a mix of heartache and frustration instantly gripping him.
Lin Suxing wanted to slap herself a few times for speaking so rashly.
He opened his mouth, but found that he could not make a sound. He could only focus more intently on following Li Xinian's dance steps, as if trying to convey a tiny bit of comfort through this silent companionship.
Niannian's background seems very similar to that of President Li!
***
In the southeastern corner of the Caribbean Sea, about 40 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela, on the northeastern tip of Isla Mujeres, a completely private cliffside villa stands overlooking the sea.
Here, you are isolated from the hustle and bustle of the island's main towns, with only the ceaseless white noise of waves crashing against the rocks.
The villa's interior features a distinctive Mexican decor, with hand-polished coral stone walls that gleam with a honey-like sheen in the twilight. The furniture is largely made of Zapote wood, and amidst the dark wood grain are sterling silver ornaments from Taxco and richly colored Oaxaca rugs.
The air was filled with the subtle aroma of tequila and the rich, sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine. Black ceramic lamps sliced the light into shapes resembling ancient totems, casting it onto the dark Zapote wood floor.
A pale, almost transparent hand was casually toying with a Colt Python revolver.
The .357 Magnum steel barrel gleamed with a cold, hard blue light, and the grip inlaid with black onyx twirled gracefully between her fingers. The well-maintained mechanical parts emitted a soft, smooth "click."
The fingers, which were loosely resting on the trigger guard, were long and slender, with neatly trimmed nails painted with matte nude nail polish.
Her wrists were slender and fair, yet possessed a strength that could not be underestimated. They extended upwards to the woman's graceful body, encased in a white linen oversized suit, with wide trouser legs that accentuated her incredibly slender waist.
Moving your gaze upwards, past the graceful lines of the neck, reveals a breathtakingly beautiful mixed-race face.
She looked to be only in her early thirties, with features that combined the delicate features of an Eastern woman with the three-dimensional depth of a European.
"...Young Master Xi has successfully overthrown Li Henan's faction and regained control of all mining and smelting industries."
As her subordinate bowed his head to report, she was gazing out the window at the setting sun sinking below the horizon. Her grey-blue eyes were tinged with violet by the afterglow.
A satisfied smile curved the corners of the woman's lips, her smile elegant and beautiful, like that of a mother who had just heard that her son had achieved good results.
In the depths of those grey-blue eyes, the tenderness that had appeared countless times when the woman looked at her child flashed across her face.
Time has passed and the two have not seen each other for several years, but whenever they hear about him in such detail from other people, it is as if they are still by his side and have never left.
"Well done." Her voice was soft and pleasant.
The subordinate continued to report on Li Xinian's movements over the past few days: "Li Qianliu secretly planted a trap in Young Master Xinian's Gulfstream G700, but it was immediately discovered by security. Now he has been caught red-handed, and Li Qianliu has been placed under house arrest by Old Master Li."
"This filthy thing actually dares to mess with Xinian, how presumptuous of her." The woman's voice was like moonlight shattered by the sea breeze, carrying just the right amount of languor.
The subordinate paused, his tone hesitant, "Also... it seems that the young master has been getting quite close to that young man from the Lin family who makes haute couture lately."
Li Xinian and Lin Suxing's first dance at the spring banquet had already attracted everyone's attention, not to mention their willful refusal to change dance partners, which had already caused quite a stir in the industry.
Many people even assume that there must be a romantic relationship between Li Xinian and Lin Suxing that crosses boundaries.
Instantly, the indoor temperature seemed to drop sharply.
The woman stopped playing with the revolver, her fingertips resting on the hammer.
The gentle smile on her face remained unchanged, but her eyes held a hint of helplessness, though no anger.
“Before I knew it, he had reached the age of falling in love…” she repeated softly, her tone calm, but it made her subordinate lower his head even further. “I’ve missed too many important moments in his life.”
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the boundless Caribbean Sea outside the window, where the sea and sky merged into one, just like the grand plan she had envisioned for her son.
“Miss, given the current situation, you can go back anytime you want…” The subordinate couldn’t help but look up and persuade her.
Over the years, Miss Ang Hilwyn has never stopped missing Young Master Xinian, and she checks his updates every day.
There were also many moments when she silently shed tears.
The woman shook her head, a hint of loneliness creeping into her smile: "After faking my death for so many years, perhaps he can't forgive my deception, and he wouldn't welcome me back there..."
The afterglow of the setting sun burned in her eyes, and in those gray-blue eyes that were exactly like Li Xinian's, emotions more turbulent than the Caribbean Sea were surging.
"We've reached the decisive stage. Once Xinian takes back the hotel, shopping mall, and other real estate sectors and integrates a larger business empire, it will inevitably face a desperate counterattack from them. Xinian needs helpers, more support."
"I think it's time to go back."
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Author's Note: Nian Nian's mom isn't a villain!!! [Hugs] Wives, don't misunderstand, she's just like Xingxing, a die-hard Nian Nian fangirl/fanboy ( ).
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