Time quickly arrived on the day of Lin Zhao's maritime art exhibition.
An Ruo was agonizing over what to wear to look appropriate. Her wardrobe was filled with cheap Taobao finds—fine for daily wear, but unsuitable for an important occasion.
Just as she was struggling, Steward Xu carried an exquisite gift box. "Madam, this is a dress sent by the mistress."
"For me?" An Ruo pointed at herself uncertainly.
"Yes." Steward Xu placed it before her. "The mistress has certain dress requirements for those attending the exhibition, so she specifically picked out a dress in your size and had it sent over."
An Ruo recognized the logo immediately—it was worth a fortune, a world-renowned brand!
Full of anticipation, she opened the box to find a pale green gauze dress inside. She held it up against herself and instantly fell in love with it. Afraid of wasting time, she hurried to the fitting room to change.
A maid helped Shen Xiaoxing into his suit and tied a dark green tie for him. The man remained stern-faced, his cold, restrained aura radiating immense charm. Even the young maid who had attended him for years found herself flustered, her heart racing as she suddenly met his hollow eyes and lowered her head.
The fitting room door opened, and a figure in green emerged. Shen Xiaoxing glanced sideways, catching sight of the girl happily spinning in a circle, the hem of her dress swirling in the air like a fairy who had slipped out of the forest.
His eyes tightened sharply.
The girl wasn't wearing heels, and the dress was long, its uneven hem trailing on the floor. She loved the single-shoulder design.
She had to admit—the mistress, who had received a top-tier education and seen all kinds of beautiful things, had impeccable taste!
A rare sweet smile spread across An Ruo's face. "Steward Xu, does it look good?"
"Beautiful." Steward Xu praised repeatedly. "Madam is not only lovely but has an amazing figure. This dress seems tailor-made for you!"
An Ruo's dimples deepened. Her features leaned toward the cool and elegant side, but when she smiled, her eyes curved like crescent moons, making her look sweet and pure.
Even Steward Xu, a man of the world, found her smile a delight to behold—her beauty rivaled that of their young master.
Their back-and-forth banter irritated Shen Xiaoxing, who stood nearby. She could smile that brightly at an old man past sixty?!
"An Ruo!"
His sudden voice startled her, and she immediately turned to look at him.
"What is it?"
"Help me put on my watch."
An Ruo glanced at him. "Don't you have a maid right beside you?"
The man's voice dropped low, laced with coldness. "Mrs. Shen, have you forgotten your place again?" Tsk, here we go again...
An Ruo let out a soft sigh. Though reluctant, she didn't dare delay a second, kneeling on the carpet to fasten the luxury watch onto him.
Shen Xiaoxing lowered his gaze. The girl's voluminous dress spread across the floor, her fair, delicate baby-soft skin enhanced by the green, softening her usual cool and aloof demeanor.
As her arm moved, her elegant shoulder blades were revealed...
Suddenly, he recalled last night when she had lain on top of him, and his palm had burned as he touched that very spot.
"Done."
An Ruo's voice snapped the man back to reality. He responded with a faint hum, turning his face away to look elsewhere.
In Shencheng, night had fallen.
A brightly lit cruise ship floated on the sea, its majestic structure standing like an unyielding castle from a fairy tale.
In the night breeze, flags embroidered with the Shen family crest fluttered above the ship...
Uniformed doormen pushed open the double doors carved with golden dragon patterns, revealing an interior as resplendent as a palace! Only the elite from all corners of the world—distinguished figures with influence in the art and calligraphy world—could enter the venue.
A stretch limousine pulled up at the dock. A neatly dressed driver opened the door, one hand resting on the roof, gently calling the girl back to her senses. She blinked, then bent down to step out.
Han Chong pushed the man out in his wheelchair. An Ruo walked over and joined them as they entered the venue.
For a girl like An Ruo, if it weren't for the stroke of luck that had her replace An Qing in marrying Shen Xiaoxing, she would never have had the chance to witness such a spectacular scene.
She knew the Shen family was vast and wealthy, rivaling a nation in Shencheng and topping Asia's business rankings, but most of that was just information she'd looked up online. Now, seeing it with her own eyes, the Shen family was truly extravagant!
The exhibition hadn't started yet, so the venue manager led them to a private lounge filled with gourmet food and drinks, where a massive LCD screen played analyses of world-famous paintings.
An Ruo knew nothing about art, but anyone could appreciate beauty. After watching for a while, she found one or two pieces that caught her eye.
The man's dark eyes were deep and unfathomable. He glanced over, noticing her staring at the screen in admiration, and spoke softly, "There should be food in the room. Eat if you're hungry."
An Ruo was taken aback. The table was covered with an intricately patterned table runner, laden with fresh fruit and delicate pastries.
She didn't understand the tastes of the rich. At gatherings like this, there was always food available, but Steward Xu had told her to have a light dinner to tide her over, and she had flatly refused.
Who would have thought the exhibition would start so slowly? Now, famished, she threw aside all pretense of ladylike behavior and grabbed a pastry, devouring it.
Shen Xiaoxing caught a glimpse of her wolfing down the food, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he continued to feign blindness. "Is it good?"
An Ruo nodded eagerly. "Delicious."
Lin Zhao had put great care into this exhibition. The pastries and snacks at the venue were all crafted by world-class chefs, and international wines were available everywhere.