Chapter 72

"Miss, we've arrived," Shen Xi's driver announced as they reached the venue for the masquerade ball.0Shen Xi eagerly peered inside, excited for this mysterious and free-spirited gathering.0

The ball was held outdoors in a vast camping area. The lighting wasn't overly bright; instead, strings of lanterns hung overhead, emitting a soft glow that made the evening feel incredibly romantic.0

It was quite an impressive setup.0

Jing Yi glanced around, observing the masked guests. Some were chatting with drinks in hand, while others had paired off and were dancing in the center of the dance floor.0

Shen Xi seemed to spot a familiar face and waved to a girl who approached them. "Xixi, you made it!"0

Shen Xi nodded with a smile, "Shu Man, thank you for inviting me to your ball! This is my friend; you can call her Little Yi."0

"Hello," Jing Yi politely greeted the host.0 Sёarᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Hi, your mask is beautiful," the girl commented, her gaze lingering on Jing Yi's exquisite mask for a few seconds.0

Jing Yi smiled and replied, "Thank you." She did indeed love her mask.0

Shen Xi didn't introduce Jing Yi in detail, as the masks made it impossible to identify anyone anyway. Given Jing Yi's status, she wouldn't have had a moment's peace all evening otherwise.0

"Well, Xixi, have fun with your friend. I need to go greet the other guests," Shu Man said.0

"Alright, go ahead."0

Shen Xi handed Jing Yi a glass of champagne, occasionally glancing at the passing guests.0

"Yi Yi, look at that one!" Shen Xi's eyes were fixed on a man wearing a tailcoat and black cape, with a deep red mask.0

"...Is he cosplaying?" Jing Yi wondered. Perhaps as a vampire.0

No wonder Shen Xi had spotted him immediately; he was the only one dressed that way.0

"Go talk to him," Jing Yi nudged Shen Xi's shoulder.0

Shen Xi shook her head, "No way, I brought you here. How could I leave you alone?" She wasn't that kind of person!0

Jing Yi couldn't help but laugh, "Don't worry, go chat him up. I'll wander around a bit." After all, they came to meet handsome guys, not to stick together the whole time.0

Shen Xi hesitated, then held up ten fingers, "Ten minutes! I'll come find you in ten minutes!"0

"...Alright."0

Jing Yi watched Shen Xi's retreating figure, noting how her dress sparkled in the light.0

Jing Yi looked around and walked to one side. Though she wasn't interested in the party itself, the night view of North river was breathtaking!0

She leaned against the railing, enjoying the gradually warming weather and the gentle breeze.0

It felt so nice!0

Jing Yi set down her glass, intending to walk further to see more of the scenery.0

However, instead of scenery, she spotted a familiar face! The man was reclining in a lounge chair, alone, holding a wine glass and gazing at the night view of North river.0

Who else would pose like that but Shen Huaichu?!0

Ever since seeing him at Hengjing, Jing Yi knew he was the newly appointed CEO of Huarui Group, the one Shen Xi said had shaken things up upon his return - Shen Huaichu!0

Seeing someone she'd rather avoid, Jing Yi was about to turn and leave when two girls approached him.0

Jing Yi's eyes darted around, her beautiful dark eyes glinting mischievously.0

Perhaps she could watch the drama unfold before leaving.0

The two girls had barely spoken a word when Shen Huaichu, who had been sitting quietly, already looked impatient. Whatever he said made the girls' expressions turn sour.0

It seemed there would be no drama after all; Shen Huaichu was completely frigid.0

Maybe she could cause him some trouble instead?0

Jing Yi's lips curled into a smile as she adjusted her mask. She deliberately chose a corner position to make herself look more lonely and pitiful, ensuring the two girls could see her without being too obvious.0

The two girls walked in her direction, still complaining about Shen Huaichu. "What kind of person comes to a masquerade ball with such a cold attitude?!"0

"Well, he is quite handsome though."0

"...I suppose he's not bad looking."0

As they walked, they noticed Jing Yi in the corner and stopped.0

"Miss, are you alright?"0

Jing Yi looked up, intentionally using a trembling voice, "I'm fine, I just... wanted to watch him from afar."0

The girls exchanged glances, their eyes full of curiosity. If they weren't mistaken, she was looking in the direction of the man they'd just spoken to!0

"Is that man on the lounge chair your boyfriend?" They weren't really trying to help; they just wanted to know Jing Yi's relationship with him.0

Jing Yi seemed hesitant but nodded, continuing as if confiding in them, "I know it's all my fault. I'm not elegant enough, not pretty enough, not virtuous enough..." Her voice grew increasingly sorrowful.0

The two girls looked Jing Yi up and down. She had flawless skin, a perfect figure, and though they couldn't see her whole face, she was clearly a beauty.0

Their expressions grew complicated, "...He's not satisfied with someone like you?"0

Jing Yi wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, hiding a smile as she painted Shen Huaichu as the perfect combination of a phoenix man, a PUA, and a toxic male.0

Shen Huaichu looked up, noticing the group of people who had been glancing at him with less than friendly looks for the past few minutes.0

Shen Huaichu didn't care until he spotted a familiar face.0

The person standing in the middle, gesticulating dramatically.0

"It's that man in the black suit."0

"What? He looks decent, but he's actually that kind of person!"0

"Exactly! He's such a scumbag."0

Their voices grew louder, and Jing Yi's smile widened. It was time for her to make her exit.0

At that moment, Shen Huaichu slowly stood up and walked towards them.0

Seeing Shen Huaichu approaching, Jing Yi instinctively hunched down, trying to sneak away. But whether it was due to Shen Huaichu's overpowering presence or not, the crowd quickly dispersed.0

Jing Yi cleared her throat, trying to boost her courage and act nonchalant as she attempted to leave.0

"Stop right there."0

Wait, why was she feeling guilty? Wasn't she wearing a mask?0

While Jing Yi was frantically thinking of how to escape, she didn't notice Shen Huaichu's long arm reaching out, about to touch her mask.0

In an instant, Shen Huaichu had removed her mask. He smirked and drawled, "Miss Jing, what a coincidence."0

Oh no, she'd been caught red-handed!0

Before Jing Yi could make her next move, Shen Huaichu leaned in closer. Jing Yi panicked and stumbled backward, tripping over a lounge chair and falling into it.0

"Next time you want to play tricks on someone, be more professional. Do you think a few slanderous words count as a prank?" His voice was low and tinged with danger, and Jing Yi could feel his warm breath as he spoke.0