The banquet officially ended, yet the air still hummed with excitement long after most guests had left. The hall was quieter now, softer around the edges, like a candle that continued glowing after a storm. Staff cleared tables in the background. The orchestra players packed their instruments quietly. Only a few clusters of people remained, lingering for final conversations.
Gu Anqi stood near the window again, hugging her clutch as if it could guard her from the exhausting whirlwind of the evening. The moonlight spilled over her brown hair, softening her already gentle features. She exhaled slowly, finally able to breathe without dozens of eyes tracking her every move.
A quiet voice approached.
"You did well tonight," Li Feng said, stepping closer with a warm smile.
Anqi nearly jumped. She had thought everyone important had left. She composed herself and smiled politely.
"You are kind to say that. I was a disaster. I nearly kicked your knee during the dance."
"You were charming," he said, tone light. "And far more interesting than anyone else I spoke to tonight."
She blushed instantly. Her hands fumbled with her purse. Compliments always knocked her balance off more than gravity ever could.
"Do not flatter me. My heart is too weak."
Li Feng chuckled. "Then I will try to flatter you gently."
His tone was playful, but there was a genuine interest in his eyes. Anqi swallowed hard. She was not used to this kind of attention. Especially not from someone handsome and confident.
She opened her mouth to respond, but her voice caught when she sensed something familiar.
A presence.
Cold.
Still.
Watching.
She turned her head slightly.
Shen Zhi stood across the hall, standing near a marble column, but his eyes were unmistakably on her. Even from a distance, his presence felt sharp, quietly intense. He looked composed, but something in the tension of his posture betrayed him.
Xu Chen lingered beside him, looking like a man silently praying to survive the night.
Li Feng did not notice. He continued talking. "I know this may seem forward, but I would like to see you again. We could have coffee or lunch. Something simple."
Anqi blinked rapidly. Her pulse skipped. Someone actually wanted to see her again. Someone asked her out voluntarily. Someone who was not forced by pity or backhanded family obligations.
It felt unreal.
"Ah. I. I do not know," she stammered softly. "I am not very… dateable."
Li Feng smiled kindly. "Let me decide what you are. I think you sell yourself far too short."
She looked down at the floor, heat blooming across her cheeks.
From across the hall, Shen Zhi's gloved hand tightened around the rim of a champagne glass. His expression did not change, but a ripple of displeasure moved through him like a shadow under ice.
Xu Chen noticed. He whispered nervously. "Sir, you are squeezing the glass. It may break."
Shen Zhi did not loosen his grip.
"Why is he near her again," he said quietly.
"He is just talking, sir."
"He is too close."
Xu Chen winced. "Sir, he is speaking at a normal human distance."
"I do not like it."
Xu Chen sighed internally. He knew enough now to recognize the truth. Shen Zhi was jealous, genuinely and unmistakably, even if he had no idea what jealousy felt like.
Back by the window, Li Feng stepped a little closer, voice lowering slightly.
"Miss Gu, you seem like someone who does not receive the attention she deserves. I mean that sincerely. You have something bright about you."
Anqi covered her face with her hands. "Please stop or I will melt like the ice sculpture."
Li Feng laughed softly. "You really are adorable."
That word.
Adorable.
Shen Zhi heard it from afar. His jaw tightened further.
Xu Chen whispered, "Sir, please, your expression is frightening the catering staff."
"I am not doing anything."
"Your eyes are doing something."
Li Feng continued gently. "A girl like you should not stand alone in corners. You deserve to be seen."
Anqi blinked rapidly. The sincerity in his tone caught her off guard. She had spent so many years being told to be invisible. The idea of being seen felt both terrifying and strangely comforting.
"I do not know how to respond to that," she whispered.
"Then let me make it easier," Li Feng said, stepping halfway into her space. "Would you allow me to walk you out tonight?"
Before she could answer, a calm voice spoke behind them.
"Miss Gu has other arrangements."
Anqi jumped and turned. Shen Zhi stood there, closer than she expected, tall and composed, silver hair gleaming under the dim lights. His eyes were fixed on Li Feng rather than her.
Li Feng straightened politely. "President Shen. I apologize. I did not realize you had plans with Miss Gu."
Shen Zhi did not blink. "You did not need to realize it. She is still under the Gu family's responsibility tonight. It would not be appropriate for her to leave with anyone else."
His tone was measured, but the meaning was unmistakable.
Li Feng studied him briefly. Then he looked at Anqi. "Is that what you want, Miss Gu? If you have other plans, I will not impose."
Anqi's throat tightened. She was not used to choosing for herself, especially in front of witnesses. She felt nervous, flattered, overwhelmed and embarrassed all at once.
Shen Zhi waited silently.
Li Feng waited patiently.
The hall felt too quiet.
"I… think it is better if I stay with my family," she said finally.
Li Feng nodded, polite and understanding. "Then I will not keep you." He gave her a friendly smile. "But I hope we meet again."
He stepped away. Shen Zhi watched him go with calm intensity until he disappeared from sight.
Only then did Shen Zhi turn to her.
"You should not entertain men like him too easily."
Anqi blinked. "Men like him? What does that mean?"
"He approached you without knowing anything about you. He asked to see you again after barely ten minutes."
"You approached me after zero minutes."
Shen Zhi paused.
She continued. "He was kind. He did not do anything wrong."
"He was too close."
"Maybe you are standing too close too."
He stepped back slightly, even though he clearly did not want to. His composure cracked for half a second before returning.
"You should be cautious," he said quietly. "People may not always have good intentions."
Anqi tilted her head. "You think he has bad intentions?"
"I do not know. But I do not trust him."
"Because he talked to me?"
His silence said everything.
Anqi stared at him for a long moment. Then she smiled. A small, warm, silly smile that caught him off guard.
"You are acting strange," she said softly. "You look calm, but your eyes are doing something dramatic."
"I do not know what you are talking about."
"You look like a cat staring at someone who stole its food."
He blinked slowly. The comparison assaulted whatever dignity he had, but he did not argue.
She took a small step toward him.
"Thank you," she said gently.
"For what?"
"For… caring. Even if you are pretending not to."
He looked at her as if she had said something completely unreasonable. But he did not deny it.
As the last guests left, Shen Zhi walked her toward the exit. They kept a careful distance, but his posture angled protectively on instinct, as if guarding her from anything unexpected.
"You should go home and rest," he said quietly.
"I will. Thank you for tonight."
He hesitated before speaking again. "I would like to meet again."
Her heart skipped. "Why?"
He looked puzzled that she even asked. "Because I want to."
She smiled, bright and soft. "Then… maybe we can."
A rare softness passed over his eyes.
"Good."
He watched her leave until she stepped into the Gu car. She turned back once and waved shyly. Shen Zhi's chest tightened in a way he could not explain.
Xu Chen approached nervously. "Sir. Should I prepare transportation?"
Shen Zhi kept his eyes on the road where her car had gone.
"Yes," he said. "And tomorrow. Clear my morning schedule."
"For what, sir?"
"I will decide tomorrow."
Xu Chen swallowed. "Is this about Miss Gu?"
Shen Zhi finally looked away from the road.
"Yes."
There was no hesitation.
Xu Chen's soul left his body for a moment.