Volume 1 Chapter 21: Fatal Lip Color 3

  Put down the wine cup, Ming Xin handed the wine cup to Ling Mu Ye again: "I want more!"

  Ling Mu Yao filled the wine for Si Dou and said, "Our own wine, drink freely, but be careful not to let others see, after all, we are not yet eighteen, so let's eat a bit more." After finishing speaking, he handed the small pastry he had just picked out to Xian Ning.

  Xia Qian Ning still couldn't help herself, took a piece of mousse. Slightly raised her head, half-closed her eyes, ah, the wine mousse is really delicious!

  Mingde was stunned. Xia Xianying enjoyed the delicious food, Mingde enjoyed the beautiful woman, how can it be so beautiful!

  "Thursday! Look at Mingde, how can I have such a brother? Seeing beautiful girls makes him go silly!"

  Ling Mu smiled. He knew that Ming De only liked everything beautiful, people and things, pure liking, without any distractions or impurities. People like him were already on the verge of extinction. He also wanted to look at Xian'er in this way, but the shackles of life had brought him too many constraints, and he had lost such courage and purity.

  Xia Qian Ning heard Ming Xin's words, turned her face to Ming Xin and whispered in her ear: "Which beauty made Ming De become a fool?"

  Ming Xin saw Xia Qian Ning's serious expression and burst out laughing. Xia Qian Ning was even more bewildered, looking at Ming De and Ling Mu Ye in confusion.

  Ming De and Ling Mu Ye didn't know what Xia Xian Ning had said to Ming Xin that made him laugh so happily, they also looked at Xia Xian Ning with confusion written all over their faces.

  Finally, Ming Xin held back her laughter: "Thursday! Xian Ning asked me haha which beauty made Ming De silly? You guys say, haha is it funny?"

  Xia Qian Ning used her elbow to nudge Ming Xin slightly, her eyes fixed on the front: "Really beautiful ah——"

  Everyone followed Xia Qianying's gaze and saw that she didn't recognize him, but the three of them did - it was Lan Bei! The three of them almost said in unison: "Not as good as a certain someone!"

  Ming Xin had just put down his wine glass when he was hugged by Lan Bei: "You're all having fun, forgetting about me! Be careful you have nightmares tonight!"

  "I was just standing by the railing earlier, afraid that you would come and I wouldn't see you. You will blame me. Don't believe me? Ask Xian Rong."

  "Hello! Xia Wen Ning." Xia Wen Ning waved her hand at Xu Lan Bei and introduced herself.

  "Hello! I'm Xu Lanbei. Everyone calls me Bluebell."

  Ling Mu asked quietly, "Where's your older cousin?"

  "I'll be right back, don't leave."

  At this time, the party speech of Ling Kangnian came from the large hall downstairs. Everyone involuntarily stood in front of the railing. It wasn't until then that Mingde saw Ling Shuiyue, wondering how Yuel could be downstairs and even with 'Luan Ni'.

  Usually in such cases, Yue wasn't getting drunk alone in a secluded corner, but was playing games or doing other things in his own room. He once again cast a sidelong glance at Xia Qianying.

  ——————&&&——————&&&——————

  The very brief speech ended.

  "Once again, thank you for the past twenty years. Now, please let my youngest son, Ling Shuiyao, and Nian Shiluo, the beloved daughter of Zhong Rang, open today's dance floor!" As soon as Ling Kangnian finished speaking, the music started. Ling Kangnian gestured to Ling Shuiyao to invite Nian Shiluo. Ling Shuiyao usually disliked parties, especially masquerade balls. He hated those masks, people were already so hypocritical, and yet they insisted on covering themselves with masks.

  But he was especially grateful for these masks today, as they allowed him to change his appearance and stand in front of the people he disliked. Without needing expressions or language. He saw a mask that someone had left on a table, put it on, stood in front of Ni Shi Luo, and made an inviting gesture. Ni Shi Luo couldn't hide her inner joy and accepted Ling Shui Yue's invitation.

  Rise, fall, push out, after a few dance steps, other guests began to slide into the dance floor.

  Ling Shuiyue was holding Ni Siluo and sliding into the dance pool. Ling Kang's heart finally fell to the ground. Bad boy, still knows how to be tactful.

  Before long, the dance floor was filled with fragrant shoulders and elegant demeanor.

  Xu Lanbei led Li Ling to the second floor, and Xia Yanning saw Li Ling and cast her gaze towards Ming Yin. Ming Yin was very nervous. Also grateful to Lanbei, as a friend, knowing what she had in mind.

  "Xian Ning, I've made up my mind, you have to dance the first dance with me. If you refuse me, it means you're still holding a grudge against me for the ignorant mistakes I made when we were young, and that would make you the most petty person in the world." Ming De stood in front of Xia Xian Ning, his face exaggeratedly pitiful. This left Xia Xian Ning with no choice but to agree.

  Ling Mu said on the side: "Xian'er, accept it quickly! Otherwise, he will be crying like rain in a while and performing Shakespeare. None of us can bear it."

  Everyone nearby couldn't help but laugh. Xia Wenjing put her hand on Ming De's, which was suspended in mid-air, and the two went downstairs together. Ling Mu Ye also made a gentlemanly invitation to Lan Bei. Only Ming Xin and Li Ling were left.

  "May I have the pleasure?" Li Ling stretched out his hand to Ming Xin.

  Ming Xin half sweetly and half shyly put her hand in Li Ling's hand.

  "Ugly eight freaks! No! Xian'er, why haven't you ever asked where Yao is?" Ming De tentatively asked Xian Ning.

  "I just saw him with Ni Si Luo, what's going on?"

  "It's nothing, I thought you didn't know about it. Yao probably didn't know you were coming today, otherwise..."

  "Otherwise what?"

  "Listen to me finish, Ling doesn't like Luo Luo, I hope you don't misunderstand." Ling Shuiyue has been acting strange these days, and Ming De also didn't understand what was going on tonight.

  "How come you always talk to me about them? What does it have to do with me?" Xia Xianying seemed to have her secrets exposed, and quickly put on a poker face.

  "Why wear a mask?"

  "Carnival ball, wearing a mask is normal, you try it too, what did you choose?"

  "Do I still need to wear a mask when I'm already so beautiful? I am the embodiment of beauty itself."

  "You won't tell me you chose Narcissus, wow --- really, self-loving freak, suits you!" Xia Xian Ning laughed, and Ming De indeed chose narcissus!

  "What's wrong with being narcissistic? Everyone is narcissistic. If you're not narcissistic, how can you live? People who don't like themselves every day would have killed themselves long ago."

  This seems reasonable too, Xia Wen nodded: "Then where is your Yike?"

  "I couldn't have Yke, that would be too tragic! But if you really did Daphne, you're even more ruthless than me!" Mingde made an exaggerated expression to Xianying: "Are you ready?"

  "Uh-huh."

  Spinning and spinning again, Xia Wenjing and Ming De were dancing happily in the dance pool.

  ——————&&&——————&&&——————

  Ling Shuiyue hated that he had an injury on his leg. He couldn't speed up to shake off Ni Shi Luo, nor could he speak harshly to her.

  He finally stopped as he got further and further away from the crowd and whispered: "Let go quickly!"

  "Don't pretend! Didn't you specially come to welcome me at the gate?"

  "We agreed to just be ordinary friends. Let go quickly!" Ling Shuiyue forcibly pried open Ni Siluo's hand and walked towards the side door. He wanted to get rid of Ni Siluo by going around the front door.

  Nishiro caught up from behind and stood in front of Ling Shuiyue: "Am I that detestable to you?"

  "It's not that I dislike you. We didn't agree to just be ordinary friends, and I already have someone I like."

  Ni Shi Luo stopped him from saying anything more, she knew what he wanted to say, but she just didn't want him to say it out loud, she just wanted him to know how much she liked him.

  Ling Shuiyue angrily pushed Ni Siluo away, and because of her anger, she used a bit more force, causing Ni Siluo to fall and sit on the ground.

  "My patience has a limit." Ling Shuiyue threw down this sentence and hurriedly left, no longer caring about the injury on his leg.

  Nī Shīluò sat on the cold ground, a triumphant smile still on her face. Seeing Líng Shuǐyào walk away, she stood up and asked coldly: "Did you get it?"

  A man walked out from the corner: "Miss, don't worry, the effect will definitely satisfy you. I'll go back now, and next month's 'Celebrity' magazine will surely have your and Young Master Ling's photo together."

  "Can't you give it to me now?" asked Ni Shi Luo impatiently.

  "Miss! We agreed on this beforehand. The magazine can only be given to you after it's released. Please understand, we're not having an easy time either."

  Nishiro reluctantly said: "Alright then. If it's good, the reward will be doubled."

  "Thank you, miss. Wishing you a pleasant evening, I bid you farewell."

  Seeing Nieshilo walk away, the man in black smiled. How could he leave? Normally, it's hard to get in, but tonight's task is complete. As long as this card is protected, everything will be fine.

  He took out the memory card and replaced it with a larger one in the camera. After finishing his preparations, he took a deep breath, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp gaze like a hunter's, ready to capture the beautiful and private scenes of tonight.

  ——————&&&——————&&&——————

  In the rest room on the second floor.

  Lan Bei whispered a few words in Ming Xin's ear. Ming Xin understood, squeezed beside Ming De: "Ming De, we're all so beautiful today, how about taking selfies?"

  "Okay, okay" won't do. Ming Xin's expression was quite strange: "It doesn't seem right at this moment. The lighting is bad."

  "It's just for fun, what's the point of being so particular about lighting. We only get to see Lan Pei a few times a year, isn't it great to just have some excitement?"

  Yes, Ming Xin is right too. Besides, I quite like taking random photos. Seeing Ming De hesitate, Ming Xin gestures to Lan Bei: "Let's take a group photo first, and then take individual photos, see who looks uglier?"

  "Hey! What's with the shaky hands? You're off-center, and it's taboo to take half-face photos. Stop shaking your hand!" Ming De reached out to steady Ming Xin's phone.

  "It's you who moved, not me shaking. Otherwise, take a shot with Lan Bei and see if it's my hand shaking or you moving."

  "Admit you're not good enough! Won't you hit the wall until you die? Let me take a photo to see, who's actually shaking, you or me?"

  Seeing Ming De being deceived, Ming Xin was overjoyed in her heart and immediately made eye contact with Lan Bei.

  Mingde held his phone and seriously took pictures: "Look, am I moving at all? The photos I take with Lanbei are so good."

  "Right, let's take another one, we have to get it in one shot, wasting too many expressions. This time Lanbei is in the middle, you take the phone and snap it, you're more skilled at this, hurry up, Lanbei needs to head back early."

  Ming De looked at Ming Xin again, although he felt uncomfortable, but still couldn't see anything unusual on Ming Xin's face.

  "This one is a bit dark, let's take another look."

  "This picture of you isn't smiling."

  "This photo doesn't show me smiling well!"

  "This expression of yours is too silly!"

  Ming De thought Ming Xin was intentionally picking on him, he felt a chill run down his back, based on past experience, if he showed such symptoms, it must be Ming Xin playing tricks on him: "Enough! I'm going to take a photo with Xian Er!"