The Billionaire's Hidden Affection

Chapter 685 - 682: The Barefooted Brawny Man Appears 8_1

Zhou Ting was playing a piano piece, her expression focused, the music flowing smoothly from the keys. As she slightly lifted her head to look at Huang Xiaojue, the gentleness in her eyes was a stark contrast to her carefully diplomatic persona of the past.

Tonight, she looked like a fairy.

Yan Xixi and Xu Xiaoya paused at a distance.

Tonight, they weren’t the protagonists, nor were they there to upstage Zhou Ting, so Yan Xixi’s attire was very understated. She stood in the crowd, casually scanning for any subtle signs. Habitually, she hoped to spot some unexpected characters so she could report their activities on her chat platform, telling him what everyone in this circle was up to.

Otherwise, she would not have bothered to attend such a suffocating gathering.

After making a few rounds without spotting any suspicious individuals, not even the likes of Liang Sheng or Wang Xiaohao, she thought, These people aren’t exactly respectable; Zhou Ting probably wouldn’t invite them to her own birthday party.

Suddenly, her gaze fell upon a man—she didn’t know him personally, but she had looked up his profile—one of Mr. Zhou’s men.

With each appearance of a new face, she would make a new discovery.

She instinctively took a photo of him unnoticed.

At that moment, the musical piece concluded. Deafening applause erupted all around, and gifts were piled high like a mountain. Yan Xixi also presented her gift.

Seeing them, Zhou Ting said courteously, "Thank you both for coming."

Yan Xixi smiled back, "Happy birthday to you."

Huang Xiaojue stood next to Zhou Ting, his expression calm. Gradually, their status as a couple had become widely known within their circle.

The music for the opening dance began. Zhou Ting took his arm unreservedly and said, "Let’s dance."

The two entered the dance floor.

When someone invited Yan Xixi to dance, she graciously declined, opting to sit with Xiaoya and eat instead.

Everything was calm, no different from other gatherings.

After a while, Yan Xixi saw no point in staying any longer. On the dance floor, figures flickered; Zhou Ting and Huang Xiaojue remained at the center. They were both superb dancers, their dance moves enchanting. Even Xu Xiaoya had to whisper, "They look so well-matched."

Yan Xixi found them well-matched too.

However, she felt drowsy. She’d had a sleepless night. That morning, Yang Wei had threatened her, and she had spent the entire day in a daze. After a few sips of red wine, she was on the verge of nodding off. She didn’t even have the energy to walk, let alone dance; she just wanted to stay slumped in her seat.

Someone came to invite Xu Xiaoya to dance again. This time, Xiaoya couldn’t refuse and entered the dance floor.

Yan Xixi sat alone, eyes closed. The air, thick with the scent of women’s perfume, made her even drowsier.

Suddenly, she snapped open her eyes. It was a primal instinct, like that of a hungry wolf that had been prowling through the snow for a long time, suddenly becoming aware of an approaching, fiercer predator.

A glinting knife stabbed towards her. The wielder sneered, "Wench... I will ruin that vixen face of yours..."

The knife slashed directly towards her face.

Yan Xixi was completely unprepared. With a chair and a wall behind her, even if she leaned back, she couldn’t avoid the sharp blade.

Despairing, she closed her eyes.

A hand suddenly shot out, shoving her aside so swiftly that no one noticed.