novelraw Chapter 55 : Attending the Banquet Alone
Chapter 55 : Attending the Banquet Alone
55: Attending the Banquet Alone
Saturday evening, in Yuyin's walk-in closet.
In front of the mirror, the fullness of her chest, which was clearly anything but holy, formed a stark contrast with the white dress she wore.
Even so, Yuyin still chose this pure white.
It wasn't because of the banquet tonight, but because Yuyin herself liked to dress this way.
It was just like the dream lover she had imagined in her previous life. People sometimes unconsciously imitate those they admire; it's a subconscious behavior. Plus, in her past life as a boy, Yuyin had been more interested in girly things than other boys. Combined with the subtle influence of the body's own memories in this life, she had, without realizing it, become so feminine in her dress and mannerisms.
"Is being feminine a bad thing?"
Yuyin's face flushed slightly as she smiled faintly.
"This is perhaps the reason I've adapted so well to a female body…" Yuyin looked at her beautiful self in the mirror, but she always felt there was another reason, something she couldn't yet grasp, but which seemed to exist…
"When I awoke, I was sitting in a sedan chair. But what about before that? What exactly happened? Why did the Ghost King choose me as his wife? And why did he send me here, instead of taking me away directly?"
"There must be a big secret behind all this."
As for marrying the Ghost King, no matter how well she had adapted to a female body, Yuyin would absolutely not accept it. But the key wasn't her own feelings, but whether she had the power to refuse.
She had to go to the banquet tonight. It was being held in her honor, with leaders from the Clerical Division and, supposedly, other celebrities and big shots from Lingdu Beach. She couldn't not go.
She would stop overthinking it. Today was an important event, so she might as well deal with it first.
She chose a pair of dark blue high heels that sparkled like a starry sky and a black purse, then set off.
Wearing high heels was one thing, but wearing them to a banquet full of men made Yuyin feel a bit complicated. Still, not dressing this way would seem too informal.
In the evening, Yuyin arrived at the banquet venue according to the invitation she had received.
"Grand World…"
There wasn't a single person in Lingdu who didn't know this place. It was one of the most classic interpretations of Lingdu's not-so-long history, a convergence of culture and color.
Today, one of its large banquet halls on the first floor had been booked out.
As Yuyin's high heels clicked across the carved marble floor of the Grand World, she suddenly wondered: if the top examinee had been a boy, would they have still chosen this place?
On both sides of the banquet hall were flower baskets, and above hung a banner that read: "Celebration Banquet for the Top Female Examinee of the Source Martial College Entrance Exam."
"Little Xia!"
A balding middle-aged man in a suit walked over. It was Principal Chen.
Little Xia? Fine…
"Come, come, you're… you're truly beautiful!"
Principal Chen was stunned by Yuyin's beauty, even though she was just wearing a simple, white dress.
"Hehe, you're the star of the show tonight. Let me show you to your seat. By the way, don't mind me, your old principal, for saying you're beautiful. Here at the Grand World, we're all friends, so just have a good time," the principal said with an easygoing smile, gesturing for Yuyin to enter, but not taking the opportunity to touch her.
He was a man who got along well with everyone, was easygoing, and was a proper principal.
Yuyin had arrived on time. When she did, many guests were already seated at the small tables in the banquet hall. They all stood up when they saw her, although Yuyin didn't know a single one of them.
Principal Chen led Yuyin to introduce her to a few tables of important guests, including the leaders of the Clerical Division.
"Little Xia, you are the pride of our Lingdu," said a middle-aged man with a square, refined face, wearing a Zhongshan suit. He was Director Lu of the Clerical Division.
"Not at all… I just happened to perform a little better," Yuyin said modestly.
In the banquet hall, a song was playing: "This is a city that never sleeps…"
On the stage, several beautiful women in qipaos were dancing. This was the Lingdu style. At banquets in the Grand World, no matter the occasion, a show of qipao-clad women displaying their beautiful legs was a must. This tradition had been going on for a century.
Yuyin was naturally seated at the head table, with the elders like the Director and the Principal. She felt a bit restrained, but these people all seemed decent. They laughed and talked freely, without deliberately sizing up Yuyin's figure.
The banquet was about to officially begin, and one after another, big shots with even more imposing presences arrived.
Just then, a man of about fifty, tall and thin, walked in. He wore a black satin jacket over a long gown, a sun hat, and round, black glasses. He walked very steadily but carried a cane, and was being supported by a stunningly beautiful woman in a qipao.
"Oh my!" Director Lu, the Principal, and the others immediately stood up.
"Mr. Du!"
"Mr. Du, your gracious presence has truly graced our humble banquet!"
The leaders all went up to greet him and shake his hand.
Mr. Du spoke with a bit of an accent from the east bank of the Pujiang River: "Not at all, not at all. I was just out for a stroll and thought I'd drop by to take a look."
"By the way, where is your top examinee? Lingdu has produced such a talent, and I'd like to meet her too," Mr. Du said very slowly and deliberately.
"This is Miss Xia Yuyin. She is not only the nation's top examinee, but her Primordial Energy score of 207 is also the highest in the history of the exam," Director Lu introduced.
Yuyin also stood up. From afar, she could sense that this Mr. Du was no ordinary man.
She walked over and stood before Mr. Du, unable to stop her body from trembling.
Although he wore sunglasses and looked thin and weathered, the fierce, murderous aura that Mr. Du exuded made Yuyin's mind reel, as if she were in a bloody city where hundreds were fighting to the death.
Mr. Du… this man was incredibly strong!
Yuyin felt it intuitively.
Her so-called number one Primordial Energy score in the exam, in front of this Mr. Du, Yuyin felt she had absolutely no power to resist, just like an ordinary girl facing a martial arts Grandmaster.
Was this what a true powerhouse was like? Yuyin couldn't help but be shaken inwardly. Seeing it with her own eyes was completely different from watching it in videos!
"Miss Xia, a pleasure," Mr. Du said, extending his rough hand to Yuyin.
She couldn't be sure about the others, but Yuyin sensed that Mr. Du was definitely a true big shot from Lingdu Beach. Yet he spoke to her quite casually, without any airs.
"Hello, Mr. Du," Yuyin said. Although she didn't really care for this kind of event, she had a genuine respect for this Mr. Du. She extended her hand without any reservation.
With a casual handshake, a terrifying fluctuation of Primordial Energy shot through Yuyin, almost making her lose her footing. Mixed in that fluctuation was a ghostly, fierce killing intent, but it wasn't aimed at her. It seemed to be a natural emission from someone who had seen countless battlefields.
"Hey! Isn't that Mr. Du? What brings you here?" A loud voice boomed from the doorway. It was Zhang Henglong, striding in with the wind at his heels, dressed in a sharp Zhongshan suit.
"Another powerful one!" Yuyin didn't recognize Zhang Henglong, but she could feel that this man walking toward them had an aura similar to Mr. Du's. She hadn't expected that at this banquet, which she thought would be a boring social obligation, she would meet two such truly powerful figures. Although she felt a bit of fear, Yuyin also felt that her trip had not been in vain.