NOVPUBYue Ran and Mu Chen's slow waltz was undoubtedly the most dazzling performance from the couples. The pair turned rhythmically round and round as they progressed around the dance floor.
The two contrasting auras of these two protagonists—one cold and distant like ice, the other sweet and charming like fire—unexpectedly matched when placed together.
Everyone was amazed.
"Yue Ran is worthy of being the noble young lady of Yue's family; her temperament and appearance are all first-class!"
"If you marry Yue Ran, you will not only get a beautiful wife but also the whole Yue family as a dowry!"
Both Yue Ran and Mu Chen subconsciously ignored the chatter from the crowd and only focused on one another.
Dancing in sync, the moment Yue Ran turned her head to the side, she smelled the familiar fragrance on him.
It was cold and elegant, with a woody scent and a hint of mint.
"Let us enjoy a wonderful night together," Yue Ran murmured; her words and warm breath were brushed by Mu Chen's ears, melting into the rhythm of the melody. "Mu Chen."
The sound of his name on her lips makes him shiver.
Mu Chen chuckled.
Yue Ran twisted her body and left his embrace, with only their fingers touching. The ends of her gown fluttered with her movements. Mu Chen's eyes gleamed as she looked at him with a smile.
Though they are a distance apart, she can still feel the burning passion in his eyes.
It was fiery hot—a contradiction to his temperament.
"This dress matches you very well, Yue Ran."
With those words, he pulled her forcefully back into his arms, as if catching an escaping bird.
Yue Ran's skirt flourished around her like a blooming blue rose as she returned into his embrace. Her gaze returned to his as smooth fabric brushed her ankles in silky waves.
"You cleaned up yourself very well too, Mu Chen."
Through his tuxedo, Yue Ran could feel the warmth of his body as well as his pounding heart.
Only now can Mu Chen really feel the charm of this dance for the first time.
"I wonder if I could have the honor of being Ms. Yue's boyfriend." Mu Chen had a smile on his face, but his thundering heart against his chest said otherwise.
Yue Ran looked up into his expectant eyes, her eyes reflecting the shining crystals overhead.
"That depends on Mr. Mu's performance in the future." A teasing smile escaped her lips, and the heels on her feet tapped against the marble floors as she danced. "I'm not such an easy woman to get."
"Then I need to put in more effort to wait for the blue rose to bloom."
Mu Chen compared Yue Ran to an enchanting and mysterious blue rose. But he should also know that wanting a blue rose is to attain the impossible.
"Then I will wait and see." Yue Ran smiled. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
Mu Chen shared the same smile as he dipped her, the symphony ending with a flourish.
The music came to an end, and all bowed to their partners. As the music changed, Yue Ran slipped out of Mu Chen's grasp like sand and soon joined another person on the dance floor.
He loses sight of her elaborate blue gown in the dancing crowd as he stands smiling to himself.
Mu Chen's heart beat quickly in his chest, warmth clawing up against it as he laughed quietly to himself. Yue Ran certainly had him on his knees for her as he now stood alone in the middle, with people soon starting to chatter again.
☼︎ ✵ ☼︎
Yang Chi was Yue Ran's next partner.
He had thoroughly convinced himself that Yue Ran's first dance didn't have any special meaning to it before inviting her to the next one with a smile on his face.
One thing that he cannot deny is that Yue Ran's beauty dazzlingly shone today. It was a beauty that he had never seen before.
She was charming, mature, and not at all cute like she usually was.
Despite lying to himself that he was fine and didn't feel anything when Yue Ran didn't dance with him in their first dance but instead with that savage Mu Chen, there was still an endless bitterness in his heart.
It was a lie to say that he was relieved and not jealous at all.
Looking at the intimacy between the two while dancing, the uncomfortable feeling in Yang Chi's heart seemed to grow stronger.
Some men are just that cheap. When no one is fighting for a girl, she is tossed aside like worthless trash. However, if someone swooped in and snatched her up, she would instantly become attractive and appealing in their eyes.
For now, Yue Ran is weaving a love web for each of the male protagonists and the only villain in the plot. Until their favorability scores reached a hundred, she would not refuse any request from them within the scope of her acceptance. But sometimes, these also depend on her mood.
The moment the music began, Yang Chi led Yue Ran into another waltz—now the sunrise waltz.
Familiar words came into Yue Ran's ears again as she effortlessly kept up with the energetic movements of the dance.
"You look very beautiful today." Yang Chi praised Yue Ran a little awkwardly.
"Thank you; you look great too." Yue Ran laughed happily, and there seemed to be stars in her eyes. "Just the sight of you makes my night better."
Yang Chi also laughed, feeling joy bouncing in his heart. The awkwardness that he previously felt disappeared just like that.
Following the rhythm of the song, he dipped Yue Ran quickly before pulling her back up.
While chatting with Yang Chi, she was also locking eyes with both Jin Yao and Jiang Yi so that none of the male protagonists would feel left out.
"I like the beach too." Yang Chi grinned at Yue Ran as the music began to slow down. "Shall we go to one together?"
"Sure, let's go to one together someday." Yue Ran smiled.
And with that, the music ended with a flourish.
