Serena Li and Alex Qi were chatting, applause broke out in front of them. A handsome man in a suit walked to the podium above the banquet hall, gestured with his hands, and the whole hall fell silent.
Victor Tan, the president of MD ,” Alex Qi said to her.
“Oh.” Serena Li was surprised that the head of this large conglomerate was so young. She suddenly remembered the gossip that Stella Jiang and Joyce Wu had talked about when she ran into them at the Dingtai Building that day. She looked towards the podium and saw Stella Jiang not far away from it .
She didn’t pay attention to what the person on the podium was saying. About 10 minutes later, the president of MD finished speaking, raised his wine glass, and signaled the official start of the party.
Soon the music in the banquet hall changed to a waltz. A cheer erupted from the front. Serena Li looked up and saw the MD president escorting a glamorous, graceful woman onto the dance floor—but that woman wasn’t Stella Jiang . Then, men and women began to dance.
Below the dance floor, men drank heavily, discussing stock prices and current events; women chatted about the latest fashions, complimenting each other and gossiping.
Serena Li and Alex Qi don’t like dancing. The two of them took two glasses of champagne from the waiter’s tray and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows to taste the wine.
When some familiar friends greeted Alex Qi , he went over to greet them. Serena Li felt bored and decided to go to the terrace outside the banquet hall for some fresh air.
Outside the banquet hall is a terrace resembling a long corridor, offering a panoramic view of the turbulent sea when the wind blows.
Unlike the bustling atmosphere of the banquet hall, the terrace offers a sense of tranquility amidst the vibrancy.
“ Serena .” Serena Li had just sat down in the wicker chair on the terrace when she heard someone greet her.
Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw Stella Jiang walking towards her.
Stella Jiang wore a red backless dress today, which made her skin look as white as snow. The diamond necklace around her neck was particularly dazzling, making her look beautiful and charming.
“Elegant, you look so beautiful today.” She had just looked around and if there were a dress code, Stella Jiang ‘s outfit today would definitely be in the top three.
“You look stunning today, so elegant and refined. I almost didn’t recognize you when I saw you at the event.” Stella Jiang’s gaze swept over Serena Li before she continued, “Wasn’t that Alex Qi , the former student council president , standing with you just now? Are you with him now?”
“No, my senior’s girlfriend had something to do, so I came to cover for him at the last minute.” Realizing that Stella Jiang had misunderstood her relationship with Alex Qi , Serena Li quickly explained.
Stella Jiang ran her hand through her long, wavy hair, looked at the distant sea, and smiled: “No wonder. I remember you don’t like attending banquets like this.”
The two chatted for a while in wicker chairs. Stella Jiang learned that it was Serena Li’s first time at the hotel, so she suggested taking her to the dining area to try the food served at the Michelin-starred restaurant.
As the two walked back to the entrance of the banquet hall, a man with a tall and straight figure walked out from around the corner. The man’s features, which were suddenly so close to hers, made Serena Li pause and momentarily forget to look away.
Stella Jiang also saw the newcomer and immediately put on an impeccable official smile, greeting him respectfully: “President Mo.”
Victor Mo nodded slightly to her, then looked at Serena Li . Stella Jiang noticed his gaze, and seeing it linger on Serena Li , she extended her hand, intending to introduce them, saying, “Let me introduce you…”
He stared at Serena Li , his eyes deep, his beautiful fingers gently stroking the cuff of his shirt on his other wrist, and said, “So you’re Miss Li. I know you.”
“Mr. Mo.” Serena Li nodded and greeted him, but she looked very uncomfortable.
Stella Jiang was quite surprised and didn’t understand the relationship between Victor Mo and Serena Li . She knew that Victor Mo was Alex Qi ‘s cousin, but it was Alex Qi who brought Serena Li to the party today , so she was a little confused.
“Mr. Mo, please go ahead with your work. Let’s go to the dining area first.” Serena Li said, taking Stella Jiang ’s hand and walking past him into the dining area.
After the two had walked a few steps, Stella Jiang spoke up from the side: “Are you very familiar with President Mo?”
“Not familiar with her.” No further explanation was given.
Stella Jiang remained expressionless, but Serena Li caught the surprise in her eyes.
On the banquet hall terrace, Victor Mo and Alex Qi stood by the railing smoking.
“What’s wrong with you?” Victor Mo asked Alex Qi , one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cigarette .
“What? What’s going on?” Alex Qi didn’t understand what he meant.
“ Serena Li .” He parted his thin lips slightly and uttered three words.
Alex Qi understood and said quietly, “I had a fight with Linna, so I asked Serena to help me out. Linna knows her, so she can explain anything.”
“Aren’t you afraid her boyfriend will misunderstand?” Victor Mo stared at him for a while, then raised an eyebrow and asked.
“What boyfriend? Serena is still single. I was even planning to introduce her to an engineer from Genting Tech. Serena likes science guys, so we’d have a lot in common,” Alex Qi said to himself.
“Is that so?” Victor Mo exhaled a smoke ring, his expression inscrutable.
In the dining area, the Michelin-starred restaurants offer a dazzling array of dishes, making it difficult to know where to begin.
Stella Jiang brought Serena Li over, she helped her choose a few desserts.
Stella Jiang barely ate anything, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the stage in the banquet hall. Serena Li immediately noticed her indifference, and recalling Joyce Wu ‘s words and the earlier dance, she understood. She didn’t say anything, but simply sat there silently with her.
A short while later, Stella Jiang received a phone call, then got up and told Serena Li that she had to go out for a bit.
After hanging up the phone, her mood was noticeably brighter than before.
Just then, Alex Qi also came over to the dining area looking for Serena Li . Watching Stella Jiang’s departing figure, he asked, “Was that Stella Jiang ? You still keep in touch with her after graduation?”
“I ran into her not long ago.” Serena Li knew that Alex Qi didn’t like Stella Jiang when they were in the student council , always thinking that she was too attention-seeking.
“Oh, I heard she’s opened a trading company in Pengcheng now. She’s quite capable!” Alex Qi said quietly.
“Senior, would you like something to eat? The desserts here are pretty good.” With that, Serena Li handed Alex Qi a cheesecake.
“I’ve been entertaining guests all day and I’m starving. Thank you!” Alex Qi accepted the gift after sitting down.
After the meal, her hands felt a little sticky, so Serena Li got up, told Alex Qi , and went to the restroom to wash them.
In the restroom stall, Serena Li straightened her clothes and was about to open the door when she heard the sound of high heels clicking on the floor and a woman talking outside.
“Amy, did you see Stella Jiang ‘s expression just now? Tsk tsk, she looked so pale! It was a sight to behold!”
“How come I didn’t see her? I told you long ago, how could President Tan possibly be interested in such a vulgar woman? She even dared to dream of climbing the social ladder, but now she’s been slapped in the face!”
Serena Li had no interest in eavesdropping, so she pushed open the door.
“Exactly, she wants to be Mrs. Tan, but she doesn’t even know what kind of person she is. Miss Huo is Mr. Tan’s rightful fiancée.”
As soon as the words were spoken, the sound of the door lock turning was heard. The two people outside looked over at the same time. Although the woman who came out had delicate features and a slender figure, they did not recognize her and continued to gossip.
Victor Mo from Huanyu earlier ? He didn’t seem to bring a female companion today. What do you think about me asking him to dance later?”
“Give me a break! I heard he doesn’t like women who have had plastic surgery. Your hyaluronic acid injections haven’t even gone down yet, so don’t try to win him over.”
…
Above the washroom is a lampshade woven from rattan, providing soft light. The half-length mirror has an arc-shaped edge, and its surface is free of dust.
Serena Li stood in front of the marble sink, her hands reaching for the faucet, the water gurgling as she focused on washing her hands, her expression as indifferent as ever, not even glancing at the two women beside her.
The two women next to her finished touching up their makeup and swayed as they walked out.
After leaving the restroom, Serena Li planned to go back to find Alex Qi , wondering if he still had social engagements.
Serena Li admitted that she was not as adept at interpersonal communication as Lynn Yan and Joyce Wu , and was even somewhat lacking in it, so she found the banquet rather uninteresting.
As I turned the corner, I was surprised to see Victor Mo standing there, seemingly waiting for someone.
With his upright posture, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, he looked even more outstanding than the top models in the fashion world, wearing a high-quality black suit.
Serena Li saw him, she intended to walk around him. However, as he approached her step by step, she instinctively backed away.
He stood in front of her, hands in his pockets, and looked down at her, saying, “Miss Li’s boyfriend is really generous, agreeing to be someone else’s date.”
His words caught Serena Li completely off guard. She bit her lower lip and whispered, “He believes me.”
His smile deepened, and he slowly extended his right hand, his broad palm open, offering it to Serena Li : “Then, I think Miss Li’s boyfriend wouldn’t mind if you danced with me!”
Serena Li’s eyes widened slightly, and she instinctively retorted, “I don’t know how…”
Victor Mo : ” Alex Qi said you led the waltz at Z University’s graduation ceremony, how come you didn’t know how to do it?”
Serena Li : “…” Senior talks too much.
She quickly glanced around; everyone around her was watching her. If she didn’t agree, wouldn’t she be embarrassing this man? That would be incredibly impolite.
After a moment’s hesitation, Serena Li reached out and placed her hand in his palm.
Victor Mo took her outstretched hand, smiled broadly, and his eyes sparkled.
He wrapped her tightly around himself and pulled her onto the dance floor.
A new waltz began, and he took her arm around her slender waist, and they danced gracefully.
Tonight, her evening gown had a long train, and she wore 10-centimeter high heels that just reached Victor Mo’s chin. She raised her head slightly, and he lowered his eyes slightly. Their eyes met, and what was close to them was not only their eyes, but also their lips.
“You look beautiful today.” Victor Mo stared intently at Serena Li .
The man’s gentle voice entered her ear, and Serena Li held her breath, not daring to look up.
However, the dance floor was an extremely ambiguous place, and at such close range, his breath was directly on her fair face. Serena Li’s cheeks involuntarily flushed, and she couldn’t quite bear his close breath and handsome features. Her heart raced, and she began to feel a little flustered.
The man in front of her clearly noticed her panic, and with a slight smile, he said softly, “Don’t be nervous.”
Serena Li tried to avoid his breath, but he wouldn’t give her a chance to escape.
She took a step back, he took a step forward; she took a step forward, he took a step back. He released her hand, spun her around, and she fell back into his sphere of influence.
To outsiders, the two just seemed to have great chemistry.