Chapter 59: A Dance of Predators
The atmosphere in the grand hall had shifted, an unspoken tension settling like a heavy fog. Conversations softened, eyes trailed after the Leng family, and the invisible lines of power were drawn.
Qingxue remained poised, her expression as unreadable as ever. She had been raised in this world, trained to navigate the treacherous waters of high society, yet tonight, she felt as if she were stepping onto a battlefield.
Qiuhan stood beside her, ever the silent guardian. His icy aura kept most at bay, but it did nothing to deter those with power and ambition.
A waiter approached with a silver tray, offering glasses of champagne. Qingxue ignored it. She had no intention of indulging in anything served at an event where too many eyes lingered on her every move.
"Xue'er."
A deep, familiar voice.
She turned, silver-blue eyes meeting the intense golden gaze of Gu Zeyan.
He was dressed in a fitted black suit, exuding an air of restrained dominance. But what caught her attention wasn't his presence—it was the way he was looking at her, as if nothing else in the room mattered.
"It's been a while," he said smoothly.
She tilted her head slightly. "Has it?"
Gu Zeyan's lips quirked at her cold response, but before he could reply, another voice cut in.
"Young Master Gu, monopolizing her time already?"
Li Shen.
Dressed in an ivory suit with gold detailing, he carried himself with an effortless arrogance that made him both charming and dangerous. He stepped closer, his golden eyes flickering between Qingxue and Gu Zeyan, amusement glinting in their depths.
Qingxue didn't react, but she could sense the unspoken tension between the two.
Gu Zeyan's eyes darkened slightly. "You seem to be everywhere these days, Li Shen."
Li Shen chuckled. "What can I say? I have good timing." His gaze shifted to Qingxue. "Would you honor me with a dance, Leng Qingxue?"
The question was casual, yet the weight behind it was undeniable.
Across the room, Leng Yuxian raised an eyebrow, subtly glancing at their father, Leng Zhen, who remained composed but watchful.
Gu Zeyan's fingers twitched at his side. "She doesn't dance with just anyone."
Li Shen smirked. "Then I suppose I'll have to be the exception."
The hall seemed to hold its breath, waiting for Qingxue's answer.
She glanced at Qiuhan, who gave her a barely perceptible nod. Then, without hesitation, she extended her hand.
Li Shen's smirk deepened as he took it, leading her onto the dance floor.
As the orchestra swelled, the two began to move, their steps precise, fluid.
Li Shen's grip was firm, guiding but never overbearing. "Tell me, Qingxue, are you enjoying the attention tonight?"
She met his gaze, unbothered. "Attention is inevitable."
He chuckled. "True. But the real question is—who are you allowing to get close?"
Qingxue didn't answer.
Because, at that moment, Gu Zeyan stepped onto the dance floor.
And he wasn't alone.
Qiuhan had followed, his icy gaze locked onto them.
The tension was no longer just unspoken.
It was a battlefield.
And the game had only just begun.