For a heartbeat, the entire banquet hall seemed to hold its breath.
Warm fingers pressed into the fabric of Shen Zhi's coat, trembling ever so slightly. Her touch should have felt wrong to him. It should have sent discomfort crawling under his skin the same way it always had whenever anyone came too close. Instead, it only brought a quiet stillness that confused him so deeply he forgot to move.
Gu Anqi did not realize she was clinging to him with both hands. Her fingers curled slightly, gripping the firm material for balance. Her eyes were wide and dazed, soft brown shimmering with panic. Her lips parted in an attempt to apologize, but nothing came out. Her breath fanned lightly against him, warm and uneven.
Shen Zhi was not used to warmth. Not from anyone. Not on his skin. Not in his space. Not this close.
Yet he remained perfectly still, holding her just long enough that the world seemed to blur around them.
His gloved hand rested on her arm, a barrier that normally kept him safe from the discomfort of touch. But in this moment, even that barrier felt too thin. She was close enough for him to see the faint shimmer of her lip tint and the way her eyelashes trembled.
He felt something unfamiliar. Something that almost resembled a pull.
He searched for panic. He searched for irritation. He searched for the automatic recoil he had lived with all his life.
Nothing came.
His voice broke the silence, low and steady.
"Are you hurt."
The words were simple. Yet when spoken by a man who rarely looked directly at anyone, they felt intimate.
Anqi blinked rapidly. Her cheeks flushed a rosy color that matched the warmth of her eyes. She stammered like someone learning language for the first time.
"I am not. I mean I think I am not. I might have crushed your ribs but I promise it was not on purpose."
Shen Zhi's gaze dipped to her hands on his chest. She followed his stare and jerked her hands away so fast she nearly stumbled again. He reached out as if to steady her once more but caught himself midway and let his hand fall.
People noticed.
They noticed everything.
The hall erupted with whispers that grew louder with each second.
"Did you see that. He did not back away."
"He let her touch him. That has never happened."
"I heard he cannot bear physical contact. Is this girl somehow the exception."
"Look at him. He is actually looking at her."
"He looks almost human right now. That is terrifying."
One older businessman leaned close to his wife and whispered with exaggerated seriousness.
"I think we are witnessing a historical event. Someone write this down."
Another person chimed in.
"Who is she. Is she famous. Why does she look so startled."
A soft laugh came from a young socialite.
"I would be startled too if the coldest man in the city stared at me like that."
The attention made Anqi shrink. Her shoulders curled inward. Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the edge of her skirt. Her brown hair brushed against her cheeks each time she moved, hiding her expression in soft waves.
She felt exposed. Seen. Uncomfortably noticed.
Shen Zhi saw every detail. He noticed the way her hands shook slightly. He noticed how she avoided the eyes of the crowd. He noticed how her breathing turned shallow under the weight of so many stares.
Gu Mother pushed through the spectators, her expression a perfect mask of grace layered over annoyance.
"President Shen. Please accept my deepest apologies. She has always been careless. I promise she did not intend to disrupt your evening."
The familiar sting settled in Anqi's chest. She lowered her gaze immediately, bracing herself for more humiliation.
Shen Zhi turned his head slightly toward Gu Mother. His voice remained calm.
"She did nothing wrong."
The hall froze for a second time. Conversations halted. Even the soft clink of glasses seemed to pause.
People whispered with renewed intensity.
"He defended her."
"Gu Mother looks shocked."
"Now this is getting interesting."
"Is this girl really Gu Mother's illegitimate daughter. Imagine the scandal."
"She is prettier than her sister in a softer way. No wonder he noticed her."
"Gu Yuwei must be furious."
Gu Yuwei stepped forward right on cue, her silver dress catching the light. She plastered the sweetest smile on her face, although her eyes were filled with irritation.
"President Shen, we hope you are not upset with her. She tends to cause accidents. Please allow us to make it up to you."
Shen Zhi did not look at her. His attention remained on Anqi, who was slowly trying to shrink into the floor.
"I already said there was no fault."
Gu Yuwei's smile flickered.
Anqi wished a hole could open under her and swallow her whole. Her hands pressed flat against her thighs, her posture stiff with embarrassment. She forced herself to speak, even though her voice trembled.
"I truly did not mean to bump into you. I am very sorry. I am usually more careful. Actually perhaps I am not. I keep saying it out of hope."
Shen Zhi lowered his gaze to her again. The warmth in her voice. The honesty. The flustered panic. Every small detail etched itself into his mind.
"You should watch your footing. This area is uneven" he said.
"I will avoid this area for the rest of my life" she replied earnestly.
A few people nearby stifled their laughter. An older lady whispered behind her fan.
"She is adorable. Look at her expression. I want to take her home and feed her."
A young man muttered to his friend.
"He is staring at her like he discovered fire."
Shen Zhi held her gaze for a moment longer. His eyes softened again, barely noticeable but unmistakable to the people watching closely.
A servant approached respectfully.
"President Shen, the chairman is waiting to greet you."
Shen Zhi did not turn immediately. He continued studying Anqi with an expression that looked strangely contemplative.
Finally, he spoke softly enough that only she heard him.
"We will continue this conversation another time."
Her heart skipped.
"Why. I mean what conversation. I do not know if we had one."
He did not answer. Instead he gave her one last deliberate look. Then he turned away and walked toward the chairman with quiet confidence. His silver hair glowed faintly under the chandelier as he moved.
The whispers followed him like shadows.
"He said they will talk again."
"This is not normal. Something is definitely happening."
"The girl looks like she is about to faint."
"This is the beginning of a story. I know it. I can sense it."
Anqi stood frozen in place, hands clasped tightly together. Her heart raced so loudly she could barely hear anything else. She felt as if she had accidentally opened a door she was never meant to touch.
Shen Zhi did not look back. He did not need to.
He had already memorized her face.
He had already felt her warmth.
And for the first time in his life, someone else's touch had not brought fear.
It had brought calm.
Something had begun.
Something neither of them understood.
Something the entire room would not forget.