Chapter 3 - Qingming College

The banquet proceeded as soft music filled the hall, and pairs of attractive men and women moved to the center of the dance floor. An Zhi led Li Luyou by the hand onto the dance floor as well. Born to a wealthy family, she had been trained in various social dances since childhood. Although Li Luyou's steps appeared somewhat inexperienced, his innate talent shined through under An Zhi's guidance, preventing any missteps. Observing An Zhi's expression carefully, there were moments during more intense movements where her delicate brows would furrow slightly, evoking a tender feeling. Her steps occasionally faltered, likely due to the aftermath of their events from the night before, when Li Luyou had been particularly ardent. Ning Yingxue approached Luo Suohui, her voice coated with delight as she said, "Suohui, let's dance too." It was rare for her; without Luo Suohui's influence, she might not have had the opportunity to attend such an event. Watching other couples dance gracefully around them, Ning Yingxue was visibly eager to try. "Nah, it's boring," Luo Suohui replied without lifting his head, focusing intently on whatever game was on his phone. Ning Yingxue seemed unwilling to give up so easily, coyly tugging on Luo Suohui's right hand with a hint of a plea, "Come on, I really want to dance." Frankly, seeing such a beautiful woman leaning down with a coquettish air accentuated the seductiveness of her figure, evident even to onlookers. Particularly, the alluring cleft between her round, pert buttocks drew one's imagination, the way her tight skirt accentuated those full, ripe curves exuding a mesmerizing charm. With such a beauty pleading sweetly, most would find their resolve crumbling. However, Luo Suohui remained unmoved, dismissing her request outright and scolding, "Quit it, you're making me lose again." Crestfallen, Ning Yingxue released Luo Suohui's hand and returned to her seat. She glanced back at him, only to see him still engrossed in his game, not even sparing her a glance. She parted her lips slightly, as if wanting to say something more, but ultimately chose to remain silent, simply watching the dancers in the center of the floor, a glimmer of disappointment in her eyes. At the center of the dance floor stood today's protagonists, Zhao Qingshi and Qi Hemei. Qi Hemei held Zhao Qingshi's slender waist, their dance perfectly synchronized, a testament to their refined dance training. Zhao Qingshi moved with elegant grace, her every step radiating charm. They whispered to each other, and Zhao Qingshi's every smile and frown today seemed particularly enchanting. Qi Hemei's embrace grew tighter around her supple waist, his broad chest casually brushing against her shoulders. Gradually, he drew Zhao Qingshi closer, until their bodies pressed intimately together, one hand exploring her bare back while the other inched down toward her voluptuous, rounded bottom. Their actions became increasingly bold, to the point that I couldn't help but glance around at those still seated. Aside from Luo Suohui, a high-ranking official's son glued to his game, most remaining were ordinary guests. Yet, there was another exception — Young Master Wang, also from the capital like Qi Hemei. Without Qi Hemei, Young Master Wang would be the undisputed star of the banquet, the one dancing at the center with Zhao Qingshi. However, ever since Qi Hemei appeared, he'd been overshadowed. Even with Zhao Stone's lack of attention, Young Master Wang sulked at a table, drinking alone. Zhao Stone had even joined the dance with a mature, shapely lady, his rotund posture awkward on the dance floor, yet his face beamed with a smug smile as his hand boldly caressed the woman's rear. Many male guests arrived with partners. Initially, Young Master Wang intended to dance with Zhao Qingshi, but now that she belonged to someone else, even though single ladies were present, their quality probably deterred him from extending an invitation. Meanwhile, Young Master Wang, hailing from Beijing, found himself merely lingering at the venue. He surveyed the crowd and noticed Ning Yingxue sitting alone as well. Frankly, despite Luo Suohui's obliviousness, Ning Yingxue proved to be an exceptional beauty. Young Master Wang approached Ning Yingxue, courteously offering an invitation, "Beautiful lady, may I have the pleasure of this dance?" Ning Yingxue glanced at Luo Suohui, who was still absorbed in his game, unaware of another man flirting with his girlfriend. After a moment's hesitation, Ning Yingxue gracefully extended her hand to Young Master Wang, and hand in hand, they joined the dance floor. The music started slowly, and in the dim ambient light, it was apparent that some of the more intimate couples gravitated toward less conspicuous spots. For example, Young Master Wang led Ning Yingxue into a corner, his hand unabashedly grabbing her voluptuous rear, while his other hand encircled her slender waist, his arousal evident even through their clothing. Young Master Wang whispered something in Ning Yingxue's ear, and the two faded from sight. Not giving it much thought, I found being outside rather dull and headed back to the room. Mou was lounging there, the flush on her face having diminished somewhat. She looked my way and inquired, "Why are you back? Isn't it nice outside?" "Not really, they're all just dancing," I replied, sitting on the couch. "How can dancing not be nice? In such a formal setting, holding a beauty's waist, letting hormones ignite between you, that's the easiest scenario for things to escalate," Mou remarked. Her words resonated; indeed, in the dance floor's embrace, girls let their guard down. Both Zhao Qingshi and Ning Yingxue allowed their partners' hands to roam freely, particularly Ning Yingxue, despite Young Master Wang not even being her boyfriend. Pondering, I left the room and wandered aimlessly around the villa, feeling as if I were searching for something. Approaching a staircase on the second floor, an unusual sound caught my attention. Following the sound led me to a door. Just as I prepared to push it open for a look, my hand halted abruptly — inside came the unmistakable heavy breathing of a woman and a man, accompanied by rhythmic "thrusting" sounds. Cautiously, I pushed the door ajar to peek inside, and the scene nearly made me exclaim aloud.