Chapter 64: The Game Begins
The air in the ballroom had shifted. Though the music played on, the atmosphere had become a silent battlefield where glances held more weight than words, and alliances were silently formed or broken.
Leng Qingxue remained unaffected. Sitting with the utmost grace, she lifted her teacup, her silver-blue eyes unreadable. Beside her, Leng Qiuhan exuded an aura of quiet dominance, his presence alone enough to deter anyone from approaching recklessly.
But their silence did not mean ignorance.
They were well aware of the subtle moves being made around them.
Gu Zeyan was watching, calculating.
Li Shen was amused, intrigued.
Leng Ruolan was seething, barely holding her carefully crafted image together.
And their brothers?
They were merely waiting for someone to make a mistake.
Leng Yuxian, the eldest, set down his glass. His sharp gaze swept across the room, taking in the reactions with practiced ease. "It's amusing," he remarked lightly. "They were so certain of their own importance, yet the moment Qingxue and Qiuhan stepped forward, the entire game changed."
Leng Zhaoyan smirked. "The best part? They didn't even need to try."
Leng Haoyu adjusted his sleeve. "The problem with people like Ruolan is that they think effort alone can close the gap between themselves and true brilliance."
Leng Yichen chuckled, his tone lazy but dangerous. "But that's not how the world works, is it?"
Leng Jiuhan, the youngest of the elder brothers, tilted his head, his silver-blue eyes gleaming mischievously. "Should we make it worse for her?"
Jiang Yuixen, who had been observing quietly, finally smiled. "Now, now," she said, sipping her tea. "Let's not be too cruel."
"Why not?" Jiuhan blinked innocently. "She hates Qingxue. And I hate people who hate Qingxue."
Leng Zhen chuckled, reaching out to ruffle his youngest son's hair. "Patience," he said. "The more desperate they become, the more mistakes they'll make."
Meanwhile, across the room, Ruolan's nails dug into her palm.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
She had planned everything. Her dress, her words, the way she interacted with people—it had all been calculated to ensure she shone tonight.
And yet, Qingxue had taken everything without even lifting a finger.
Gu Zeyan hadn't looked at her.
Li Shen was interested in Qingxue.
Even the other elite families were murmuring about the Leng twins, their admiration clear.
She had to do something.
Slowly, she smoothed her expression, her mind racing. She needed an opportunity. A way to make Qingxue look bad.
Her chance came faster than expected.
A waiter passed by, carrying a tray of wine glasses.
Ruolan's lips curled.
She subtly shifted, her movements so natural that no one would suspect a thing. As the waiter walked by Qingxue, Ruolan "accidentally" bumped into him, causing the tray to tilt—
The wine glass tipped over, heading straight for Qingxue's pristine white dress.
Gasps echoed through the room.
But before the liquid could stain even a thread of Qingxue's outfit—
A sudden burst of force halted its fall.
The wine stopped midair.
Frozen.
Suspended in glistening droplets, reflecting the shocked expressions of the guests.
And then—
Snap.
With an almost lazy flick of his fingers, Leng Qiuhan sent the wine crashing to the floor, shattering the glass into pieces.
Silence.
The crowd could only stare, stunned, as Qiuhan slowly lifted his gaze, his silver-blue eyes meeting Ruolan's.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
Ruolan felt her breath hitch.
She had made a mistake.
A very, very big mistake.
Qingxue, still seated, finally lowered her teacup. She regarded Ruolan with the faintest of smiles. "Cousin," she said, her voice soft yet cutting, "you should be more careful."
Ruolan trembled, her lips parting as if to protest.
But before she could say anything—
Leng Zhen finally spoke.
"Enough."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a weight that silenced the entire room.
Everyone turned toward the head of the Leng family, their expressions tense.
His gaze was on Ruolan. Calm. Indifferent. But there was no mistaking the warning in his eyes.
Ruolan swallowed hard.
"Father," Ruolan's mother, Chen Meiyu, stepped forward with a strained smile. "It was just an accident—"
"Was it?" Jiang Yuixen interjected smoothly, still smiling. "How unfortunate."
Meiyu paled.
No one dared to breathe.
Ruolan, under the weight of countless gazes, forced a small laugh. "I-I didn't mean to. It really was just—"
"Enough," Leng Zhen repeated, his tone final.
Ruolan flinched.
The tension remained, thick and suffocating.
Until—
"I'm bored."
All eyes turned to Qingxue, who had gracefully risen to her feet. She stretched slightly, as if completely unaffected by the commotion.
"Shall we go, mother?" she asked lazily. "I believe we've spent enough time here."
Jiang Yuixen smiled. "Yes, let's."
And just like that, the Leng family turned to leave, their presence fading from the room as effortlessly as it had commanded it.
Leaving behind only the echoes of their untouchable dominance.
And the suffocating weight of Ruolan's failure.