Chapter 71 - The Ball Pt. 2

A/N: First time trying out something like this, but I feel that I did pretty well all things considered. Feels bad though that Inkstone doesn't have the italics option. Chapter would have been a lot better if I could use it.

At that, everyone was snapped out of the beautiful illusion that they had been entrapped by before they all went back to their own business.

"Wow!! The two of you look so good!" Xu Xiaoyan exclaimed as she bounced toward Huang Yu and Gu Yue.

Xu Xiaoyan pulled on Gu Yue's free arm. "Big Sis! How did you do it? You actually made him comb his hair! He looks even more dashing than usual!"

A wry expression appeared on Huang Yu's face. He felt that his natural spiky hairstyle looked pretty damn good.

"Yeah, you look very handsome," Ye Xinglan complimented.

Hearing this, Huang Yu naturally thanked her. However, he couldn't help but have a strange feeling about Ye Xinglan.

Was she interested in him as well?

If that was the case, it was unfortunate, but Huang Yu probably wouldn't ever return the feelings she had for him. He already had someone he liked, and his heart wasn't big enough to fit more than that one person inside of it.

"Big Sis Yue, you let him dress up like this, some girls from the table over there are staring at Huang Yu like a meal. Aren't you worried that they will steal Huang Yu away?" Xu Xiaoyan reported in a small voice as she pointed towards the group of girls.

Gu Yue chuckled when she heard this. "They will try. But, I'm not worried. They won't be going after him for long."

A shiver went down Xu Xiaoyan's spine. 'Big Sis is really too scary when it comes to him. I pity whoever gets in their way.'

If Huang Yu or Gu Yue were to hear her thoughts right now, they would think that it was rather ironic.

"Hello. I'm the Captain of the Imperial Star Luo Academy's students sent on this trip, Luo Qinghan."

Those words that were spoken interrupted the conversation between those in the Shrek Academy group. Slightly unhappy, they turned to look at the speaker.

They were met by a tall young man about nineteen years old along with his posse with Imperial Star Luo Academy. His hand was outstretched towards Huang Yu asking for a handshake.

"Sorry. I'm not the Captain. Our Captain is… hey, where is Wulin anyways?"

A wry expression appeared on Xie Xie's face. "Captain didn't have a suit so he went and tried to borrow one. The guy he tried to borrow from took him aside and I don't know what they're doing right now."

Hearing this, a look of realisation appeared on Huang Yu's face. Before he could reply to Luo Qinghan in front of him, the speakers in the banquet hall suddenly sounded loudly.

"Excuse me, everyone! My name is Sima Lanxiao. We will now start preparing for the contests. The method we'll be using to choose participants is simple. Both delegations will nominate five talented individuals. Once ten people have been nominated, all of us will vote on them for five categories: most handsome gentleman, most beautiful lady, best-dressed man, best-dressed lady, and best dance couple. We're currently lacking some dancers on the dance floor, so please go up there and make some memories for your youth! Don't bottle up that passion of yours! Have fun!!!!"

At this, more or less everyone in the banquet hall turned towards Huang Yu and Gu Yue. Well, everyone knew where four of the awards were already going to.

The only thing that anyone else could compete in would be the dance-off. However, it was unknown whether Huang Yu or Gu Yue could dance.

Luo Qinghan excused themselves after this since it was time for the competition. He had come with his group to test out the waters against the Shrek Academy group, but now clearly wasn't the time to continue with that.

The night was still young. They could still come back later after the competition was over.

As more and more people began going on to the dance floor, he took a glance at Gu Yue who was looking at him expectantly.

"Shall we dance?"

"You know how to dance?" Gu Yue asked curiously. She wasn't looking down on him, but she really didn't expect like Huang Yu would spend time learning how to dance instead of train.

Huang Yu chuckled hearing this as he took a few quick glances to those dancing on the dance floor. "Ye of little faith. Of course, I know how to dance."

Gu Yue smiled brightly. She accepted his invitation as the two most attention-catching persons in the entire banquet hall made their way onto the dance floor.

"When did you learn how to dance?" Gu Yue asked as they went up.

"Right now."

Gu Yue laughed, thinking that it was a joke. However, if she found out that Huang Yu's words were actually the truth, she would probably turn red with anger.

Most people spend many hours practising to learn how to dance well, and Huang Yu just learnt it in under five minutes?

Life was really unfair sometimes.

(Play Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran) (The dance incorporated in the MV is my headcanon for how the dance would more or less go)

— — — —

As the plucking of guitar strings sounded in the hall, a beautiful ballad resounded throughout the room.

The wonderfully baritone voice of a man began singing lyrics that invoked different feelings within the hearts of everyone within the room.

Initially, the dance was slightly awkward. Both sides were a bit nervous being in such close proximity to one another. However, Huang Yu and Gu Yue were no exception to the singer's invocation of emotion as everything and everyone else slowly faded away until it felt as if it was only the two of them there.

The duo began dancing beautifully as passionate love filled their gazes. The two of them started slowly, enjoying each other's embrace as they burned each and every part of each other into their minds.

The music slowly began picking up, their dance moves to pick up in intensity as well. Gu Yue became like a tempestuous whirlwind, her silver dress billowing outwards as they spun, blossoming like a flower.

Huang Yu complemented each and every one of her moves with his own stunning grace. He exuded a sense of grace in his movements, that couldn't help but draw the eyes of all the females in the room.

As the lyrics stopped briefly to give way for a spectacular guitar solo, Huang Yu and Gu Yue's turned more sensual as they read each other's intentions perfectly.

No one could keep their eyes off the couple as they slowly stopped their own dances to watch the two of them perform inside a world of their own. It was simply too beautiful, akin to something that shouldn't be in this world. The emotions and feelings contained within each one of their moves were so raw that it began bringing out the emotions that had been long buried by many of the spectators.

Tears began spilling from their eyes as all their memorable events about their loved ones, whether they be good or bad.

Wu Zhangkong, standing at the side, despite his natural cold persona, couldn't help the flow of theirs from leaking from his eyes. In spite of this, he simply couldn't turn away from the dance. There seemed to be a natural attraction that forced all of them to keep watching.

The lyrics soon returned, and the song slowly began to reach its end.

With it, came an end to the trance that Huang Yu and Gu Yue had been entrapped in. The lyrics that they had drowned up in their passion entered their ears as they looked at each other with burning passion in their gazes.

♫ Maybe we found love right where we are ♫

Huang Yu pulled Gu Yue deep into his embrace at the beat of the song.

♫ Maybe we found love right where we are… ♫

Gu Yue wrapped her arms around Huang Yu's neck with the stunning grace of a beautiful fairy.

♫ Maybe we found… ♫

A smile appeared on Huang Yu's lips as he placed his lips next to Gu Yue's ear.

"Love right, where we are…"