Chapter 68 - Good as Dead

As they were not the main focus for tonight, Feng Xuan did not see the need for a hairdresser and a make-up artist to help her. Two days ago, she and Wang Yimin rented dresses (which Wang Yimin ended up slicing through and bought them anyway). Having lived alone for a few years, Feng Xuan knew a thing or two with what to do with her face and hair.

She let her hair flow down and twisted several locks and pinned it behind her head. For her make-up, she kept it simple—just to make sure she would not look pale in the camera.

"I can't believe your father is doing this," she said as she stepped down the limousine. She clutched on Qing Chen's arm as they entered from the back entrance, there was an elevator there that would lead them to their floor.

"Well, he's going to buy that one percent back in about three years, so it's not really much of a loss."

"But it's still one percent," she reasoned, eyeing the multiple men in black suits with earpieces plugged in their ears. Everywhere she looked, they were there. "Qing Chen," she tugged on his elbow.

"Yeah?" he asked as they waited for the elevator.

She turned down her voice to a whisper. "Is it really safe to be here?"

Qing Chen turned to her and held her hand. "It's going to be fine." The elevator arrived and the doors opened. Qing Chen let her in first and she clutched his hand tighter when they started to go upwards.

She had not been in the hotel ever since the murder happened. She did not give it much thought. She felt like she would have been at ease. It had been a few days since it happened and no new dead body turned up (not that she was waiting for another one).

"Hey," Qing Chen said softly and ran a hand down her arm. Her dress had a straight neckline, leaving her arms bare as it flowed down to a skirt that were shaped like flower petals. "Look at me."

Just like from the first time she had seen him in probably the same elevator, his eyes looked brown in this light—maybe even black. He cupped her cheeks. "I'm right here with you. Nothing's going to happen."

Feng Xuan slowly nodded. Although it did not really take out her fear but it added a wall of assurance that nothing could go wrong tonight.

"Okay?" Qing Chen asked.

"Yes," she answered and breathed out, pulling his hands off her face. "You're taking my blush off," she smiled.

"I'm pretty sure I can always make your cheeks red."

Feng Xuan gave him a soft glare but she kept the smile on her face. The red carpet started just as they stepped out of the elevator. It was loud and the lightboxes almost blinded her. She raised a hand to shield her eyes from it as they walked.

Reporters, journalists, photographers were making a ruckus over the people currently on the carpet, screaming their names and asking quick questions they hardly got answers to.

She heard Qing Chen took a deep breath before they enter their field of view. As soon as they were in their line of sight, cameras and microphones popped up in every possible corner. Feng Xuan kept the smile plastered to her face, tilting her head to different sides and stopped on the points.

Questions were flying towards her but they were too many that she could not really hear them. So she just smiled and went back to Qing Chen's arm as she finished the red carpet.

Qing Chen waved off the reporters coming from both sides with a polite smile as the guards held them off by their muscular arms. The blow of cold air when they entered the function room felt like a blessing. With all those lights, Feng Xuan felt like her make-up already melted.

An emcee was already on top of the stage, hyping up all the other guests on the event that was just about to start. Unlike their wedding party—which felt light and airy—this party felt crowded with all of its dark colors and heavy curtains that surrounded the whole place. Circular tables were placed in the center and people were already seated.

"What is it with auctions?" Feng Xuan asked as she recollected that she had attended one not long ago.

"It's to make sure that the price would rake up to impossible heights," Qing Chen smiled.

"What about the one percent of the share? Are they going to auction it, like with the pedals with the numbers on them?"

Qing Chen shook his head. "No. It is going to be a silent bidding. People would turn in little envelopes before the night ends. They would not know if they bid lower or if they bid too much."

Feng Xuan felt horrified. "So you don't know if you're going to win?"

"The highest bidder will be announced once all the envelopes are already checked."

"What if you bid too much but you're not really prepared to buy it?"

"That's why you should only put a number you're comfortable with."

"Are you not going to bid?"

"No," he answered. "I already have ten percent of the shares. Lok has five in his name. My father has forty-one—forty, after tonight. Majority shares are still in our family. We have nothing to worry about."

Feng Xuan suddenly felt tired knowing that they were just decorations for tonight. She leaned her head on Qing Chen's shoulder and she circled her hand on his arm. "What do you think about Gretel's?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think I'll be able to pull it off?"

"Of course, Feng Xuan. Your baking is amazing. We'll use all possible resource and promotion we could get to help spread the word."

If anything, it was just the thought of opening her own cake shop that kept her mind off the murder for a few days. She honestly thought this would affect her opening. But she guessed this would have been a good way to ensure the safety of the hotel.

Feng Xuan looked around and saw Wuming three tables away from them. "Who's that girl?"

Qing Chen craned his neck and found exactly what she was looking at. "I do not know," he answered. Then applause erupted as Qing Zihao entered the room. Guests started to flock to him, shaking his hand.

"Why is Wuming not sitting with us?" she asked.

"We can't really risk people knowing he's here. He's good as dead to others." Qing Chen looked at her and massaged her hand with his warm ones. "I have to talk to the head of security for a moment. Go and say hi to your father, he just arrived. I'll be right back."

Feng Xuan nodded and waited for a few seconds before she left the table and made her way to greet her father.

Qing Chen was probably most anxious about everything that was happening. He felt like his eyes were scanning every possible inch of the room. There were about a dozen men in suits standing guard as some of the richest people in Chengshi gathered in one place. Even the mafia were assembled in on the floor below, some were disguised as one of the guards.

While looking through the room, his eyes found Detective An whispering on the ear of the floor manager. He made a beeline for him. "How is it looking?"

"Everything is looking great, Mr. Qing," he said. "The CCTV room is well-guarded and men are standing guard in every possible corner that we could place them. So far, nothing suspicious."

"Okay, great," Qing Chen said. "I want the media gone as soon as we start."

"Yes, sir. Most of them are already packing up."

"Let me know if something happens." Qing Chen quickly ducked under the spotlight as he made his way back to their tables. His father eyed him all the time and he gave him a nod before taking his seat.

For another measure of protection, emergency exits were marked and on the closest parking garage, a whole lot of cars were prepared to take the guests away if something happens.

All night, Feng Xuan could feel Qing Chen's body next to her. He was warm as usual, however, she could feel him tense. When she squeezed his arm, his muscles felt hard.

She flicked hair off his forehead to subtly check his temperature. "Are you alright?"

He turned to her and lightly chuckled. "Yes, I am fine."

"But you are so… stressed."

"No," he said and tapped her knee. "I'm just a little intimidated to seat next to you. You look so beautiful tonight."

She did not want to buy it. Clearly, there was something he was not telling her. But the way his eyes melted when she said she looked beautiful, it made the butterflies in her stomach soar. Fine, she would take that lame excuse. "You're going to tell me all about this later."

"Trust me," he grinned at her. "You're going to forget about this."

"Why?"

But he could no longer answer as the most prized item for the night was finally having its time on the stage. It was suddenly so loud in the room as people cheered and clapped when the winner was announced. Qing Zihao clapped gleefully. Qing Chen whispered to her that the one who got the one percentage was the person who had the lowest stock. No threats at all.

Before the party was even concluded, Qing Chen disappeared again for a minute before tugging on her arm, pulling her off her seat.

"Where are we going?" she asked as Qing Chen dragged her to a corner and swept the curtain to reveal a door.

Qing Chen just smiled at her. "You will know when we get there."

"What?" she asked before he pulled her after him down a staircase. A hidden emergency exit. After a few flights, he pushed open the nearest metal door and they were out in the parking lot. "Where are we going?" she tried again once they were inside the limousine.

"I'm not telling you," Qing Chen said.

Feng Xuan smiled, loving the little mystery. Even the curtains in the car were drawn. "You're not going to take me to some forest and take my body apart to feed to piranhas or something. Right?"

"Aw," Qing Chen cooed. "Sorry to disappoint. Maybe next time."

During the first minutes, she managed to keep her mouth shut but she could not contain her excitement. She kept asking Qing Chen questions on where they would go to which he answered "possibly", "could be", "that could be on our to-do list", "close", and the like.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the car finally halted. "Well, Feng Xuan," Qing Chen said with a grin. "Seems like we're here."

The first thing that she noticed was the wind and how it swept her skirt. Then the gray road the lead to nowhere. Then her eyes landed to a small plane. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed and laughed. "Where are we going?!"

"Who said we're going to ride that? Go back in the car now, we're going home."

Feng Xuan squeezed Qing Chen's arm, this time his flesh felt normal. "Oh come on!"

Qing Chen only chuckled beside her. "Come on, we got somewhere to be."

Feng Xuan completely forgot she was going to ask Qing Chen some questions.