Warm light from the side hall shone through the glass curtain wall, casting dappled patterns of light on Yu Jiuyuan's white dress.
She was watching Yuan Xu feed an aurora butterfly with dark wing veins, her fingertips hovering above the display case, as if comforting a fragile treasure.
“It’s the temperature fluctuations that are affecting its luciferin.” Yuan Xu’s voice was a little nervous. The nutrient solution she was holding with tweezers shone amber under the light. “I’ve adjusted the thermostat, it should be fine soon.”
Yu Jiuyuan watched as the butterfly's wing veins gradually regained their luster, then suddenly turned to look at the doorway.
Xie Zhecheng stood there, his black suit making him appear even more upright, his gaze fixed on her profile illuminated by the warm light, as if observing a star that had strayed from its orbit.
“President Xie’s piano playing is very moving.” Yu Jiuyuan met his gaze, her smile as faint as a thin layer of ice. “Miss Tang said it’s even better than the musicians at the Royal Concert Hall in London.”
Xie Zhecheng's fingertips curled slightly at his side, his voice remaining calm and even: "It's just playing according to the score."
He looked at the butterflies in the display case, the fluorescence of their wing veins shimmering in his eyes. "These... are they species brought back from Changbai Mountain?"
“Yes, Yuanxu has been nurtured for three months.” Yu Jiuyuan stepped aside, revealing the display case behind her. “They are very sensitive to sound waves. The frequency of the nocturne you just played made them very active.”
[Xie Zhecheng: Favorability 17 (unchanged), Emotional fluctuations - Negative 0/Neutral 5/Positive 105 (Positive +3)]
The system panel notification sound mingled with the soft rustling of butterfly wings, and Xie Zhecheng's gaze lingered on the hem of her dress for half a second.
The silver thread embroidery pattern resembled star trails, strikingly similar to the star map of Changbai Mountain in his astronomy club's archives.
He suddenly remembered the pressure of her fingertips tracing his tie during their second kiss, as if she were measuring the distance between two stars.
"After the concert, may I take a look at the observation data?" He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze returning to the butterflies. "Perhaps it can provide a reference for the analysis of star orbit frequencies."
Just as Yu Jiuyuan was about to answer, a commotion suddenly broke out in the banquet hall.
Tang Nianzhi's laughter pierced through the glass curtain wall, mixed with Rong Shenghan's gentle response, like a fine needle gently piercing the tranquility of the side hall.
In the center of the banquet hall, Rong Shenghan was helping Tang Nianzhi tidy her curly hair, which had been messed up by the wind.
The burgundy skirt swept across his black trousers like a flowing flame, while his gaze passed over the crowd and landed on the white figure at the entrance of the side hall.
Xie Zhecheng was talking to Yu Jiuyuan, and the angle at which she tilted her head back was exactly the same as when she kissed him for the second time.
"Brother Shenghan, look at Senior Yuanxu's butterfly!" Tang Nianzhi pulled his hand and pointed to the side hall, her eyes shining with excitement. "The veins on its wings glow, like the Milky Way is draped over its wings!"
Rong Shenghan withdrew his gaze, followed her finger, and smiled gently as always: "She is indeed very beautiful. Even the professor praised Yuan Xu's talent in the field of biology."
He picked up two glasses of champagne and handed one to Tang Nianzhi, saying, "Why don't you go and say hello to President Yu? She probably wants to hear your opinion too."
Tang Nianzhi was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I haven't properly thanked her for the preparations she made for the banquet yet."
As the two walked toward the side hall, Rong Shenghan's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the rim of the cup.
The coolness of the champagne seeped through the glass, but it couldn't suppress the subtle ripples in my heart.
He saw Xie Zhecheng's fingertips almost touch Yu Jiuyuan's dress sleeve, but she didn't back away, she just tilted her head slightly, as if she was talking about some intimate secret.
Rong Shenghan: Favorability 64 (unchanged), Emotional fluctuations - Negative 1 / Neutral 8 / Positive 92 (Positive +2)
His positive mood rose again, carrying a hint of anticipation that he himself was unaware of.
He suddenly wondered what kind of expression Yu Jiuyuan would make when he walked up to them.
Is it with the same cunning as with Xie Zhecheng, or with the same gentleness as with Yuan Xu?
Lin Yanran was taking off her gloves in front of the mirror at the registration desk.
His newly changed white gloves accentuated his long, slender fingers, but the redness at his knuckles betrayed the force he had just exerted.
A student council member jogged over to bring a cup of hot cocoa, her tone carefully ingratiating: "The president said this temperature is perfect for warming your hands, so I added your favorite sea salt caramel."
Lin Yanran took the cup, and the warmth of the hot cocoa wafted through the ceramic, soothing the coolness in her palm.
He glanced at the center of the banquet hall, where Tang Nianzhi was talking to Yu Jiuyuan, Rong Shenghan was standing to the side, his gaze never leaving Yu Jiuyuan's profile, and Xie Zhecheng had walked to the piano at some point, his fingertips lightly pressing the keys, but no sound was made.
[Lin Yanran: Favorability 3 (unchanged), Emotional fluctuations - Negative 24 / Neutral 10 / Positive 0 (Negative +1)]
The hypocrisy of this group of people is really annoying.
Lin Yanran took a sip of hot cocoa; the sweetness of caramel mixed with the saltiness of sea salt was just like Yu Jiuyuan herself.
On the surface, they appear innocent and harmless, but deep down they possess an unfathomable sharpness.
He recalled his father's words that morning: "In Saint Sakura Academy, the one person you absolutely cannot offend is the eldest daughter of the Yu family. She holds more pawns in her hands than you can imagine."
At the time, he dismissed it as mere idle chatter, but now, looking at those figures in the banquet hall, seemingly close yet distant, he suddenly realized that his father's words might have some merit.
"President Yu, the butterflies are so beautiful!" Tang Nianzhi's voice was filled with heartfelt admiration as she gently tapped the glass of the display case with her finger. "Senior Yuan Xu is amazing to be able to cultivate such magical creatures."
Yu Jiuyuan smiled and nodded, but her gaze lingered for half a second on the pearl necklace around Tang Nianzhi's neck. It was a gift from Rong Shenghan, and the luster of the pearls complemented the silver threads on her dress, creating a meticulously designed look.
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