"What a beautiful dance!" Gu Qiqi exclaimed in admiration. "I've never seen such graceful movements!"
Zhou Yi was surprised to hear this and glanced at Qiqi, finding it unexpected—her praise was so sincere, nothing like the insincere flattery women typically used to win a man's favor. Moreover, her gaze was pure, filled with genuine appreciation and admiration from the depths of her heart. But wasn't she an admirer of Lu Wei? How could she be so magnanimous?
Still, he merely nodded calmly and said, "Her name is Wu Xianxian, an artist under Huaming Entertainment. She's professionally trained in dance, so naturally, she's skilled at it."
So that beauty is a celebrity! No wonder she dances so well!
Qiqi nodded. Although she hadn't paid much attention to this not-so-famous star before, she occasionally came across news about Wu Xianxian in the entertainment sections of major websites. This realization made Qiqi sigh once again—tonight truly was a gathering of social elites!
Just then, the pair on the dance floor finished their performance, and enthusiastic applause erupted around them. Wu Xianxian removed her mask, took Lu Wei's hand, and smiled seductively as she thanked the crowd. She was indeed a stunningly alluring beauty.
Gu Qiqi felt a twinge of unease—Wu Xianxian's dance was so elegant, her collaboration with her senior brother seemed like a match made in heaven. So when it was her turn to dance with him, wouldn't it ruin everyone's enjoyment? It was like sitting in the grand National Theatre, having just enjoyed a high-level ballet performance, only to have a group of elderly men and women in flashy outfits come on stage to perform a pure Northeast Yangge dance. Not that Yangge was bad—it was lively and healthy, one of the common people's favorite pastimes—but those who truly appreciated it were still the working class, weren't they? Asking these pretentious noble ladies to twist and groove to Yangge with you, and enjoy it, was basically impossible.
Gu Qiqi felt a bit down, thinking she was like Cinderella crashing a royal ball. But at least Cinderella had her glass slippers—what did she have?
She looked down at her outfit and noticed the crystal bracelet on her wrist. It sparkled brilliantly under the lights, like a friend's enthusiastic encouragement. So Qiqi pulled herself together, mentally fortifying herself—no fear, no fear, it's just dancing! Cinderella had glass slippers; she had a crystal necklace! And it was Swarovski! According to Zhuang Ruotong, it was Princess Sisi's favorite! Worth several thousand yuan! Well, she had her own little talisman.
Wu Xianxian's dance ended, but she seemed unsatisfied, holding onto Lu Wei's hand without letting go. Lu Wei, however, appeared distracted, smiling politely at her as if explaining something. Gu Qiqi saw this from the lounge area and, in a moment of self-absorbed fantasy, thought that maybe her senior brother was thinking of her, planning to ask her to dance for the next song.
Just then, the music started again, this time a softer tune perfect for couples to dance close and face-to-face. The lighting was dim, but from the elevated lounge where Qiqi sat, she could see the entire dance floor—and she spotted Qin Chen there.
Qin Chen was wearing a black suit tonight, making him look tall and slender, with a hint of mature masculine charm that Qiqi had never seen before. She had known him since their humble beginnings, their families in similar circumstances, and in her memory, he had always been a warm, neighborly older brother. She never imagined that the neighborly brother would one day grow up, and that when that day came, she could no longer be by his side.