Xue Guangli had prepared a dress; it was a deep garnet, almost like the colour of blood. It hugged the curves of her hips tightly, and it dipped like drapes around her legs like a mermaid dress. She had put on a ruby lipstick and topped her cheeks with blush.
Long Huojin waited in the living room of her home when she descended the stairs.
He was wearing all black, from his collar to shoes, with a waistcoat hugging his torso underneath his black jacket; she almost forgot that the colour black was her weakness.
Long Houjin appeared to be calm and composed when he began to walk towards the car. Xue Guangli trailed behind him, watching the silhouette of his back.
Long Huojin opened the passenger seat for her when she sat inside.
They both spoke about how they will scope the area, but Long Huojin suggested that they should stick together most of the time. Xue Guangli agreed.
When they arrived, Long Huojin handed in the invitation for him and a guest.
They both locked arms as they went in, observing the space around them.
The atmosphere was loud and lively; there were crowds of people in between dressed elegantly with pearls and jewels, ridiculously standing out.
Some people were familiar, but she didn't know everyone too well, but when eyes stared at her, she realized they knew Long Huojin. Their expressions were stiff and cautious as if they were afraid of him. But Xue Guangli could not understand.
His reputation was not the best around the business circle; he had shut down companies, bought them, or ruined them with his father. But what people didn't know was that his demeanour was soft when you know him personally.
Many eyes shot towards him, to both of them, together.
Xue Guangli suddenly felt like the attention shift towards her, and she wasn't sure what to think about it. She glanced up at Long Huojin, who maintained an expression of indifference, unbothered.
He gazed around, but she felt him tightened his lock on her when she began to slip her arm away. Xue Guangli kept on walking when they saw Yin Shou and Long Bolin; his parents were there, too, but they ignored his presence.
Xue Guangli stole a glance, and his expression hardened. She knew how he was feeling, so she then leaned against him, reassuring him that she was there, with him.
Long Huojin's expression softened, and she felt relieved.
Xue Guangli greeted his parents, and they greeted her back shortly. Both Mr. and Mrs. Long were beautiful, they were in their forties, but they looked like they were still in their early thirties.
Mrs. Long had long black hair and eyes that observed her.
Afterward, Long Huojin guided her to find a waiter and grabbed some glasses of champagne.
They spoke briefly when they heard someone behind them say, "So you two are now together?"
Xue Guangli froze. She hadn't seen him in weeks, and to think it slipped her mind the possibility of bumping into him here.
Xue Guangli let go of Long Huojin and turned. Her eyes widened. Wang Weimin wasn't alone; locking arms with him was Zi Yingtai.
Zi Yingtai kept a composed expression, revealing nothing. It had been years since Xue Guangli had last seen her.
In high school, Xue Guangli overheard Zi Yingtai speak to a group of girls, making fun of her and calling her names for being friends with a group of boys.
'She's trying to become one of them,' she said. 'It's pathetic, that she'll do anything to climb the social ladder.'
But it wasn't the first time she said something like that behind her back.
Xue Guangli then broke off her friendship with Zi Yingtai despite her trying to mend their friendship, begging for forgiveness. But Xue Guangli was unforgiving. How could she?
Wang Weimin approached Xue Guangli carefully, with Zi Yingtai by his side, but she didn't say anything; Zi Yingtai didn't even look at her.
Xue Guangli wondered about the true nature of their relationship. Zi Yingtai wasn't giving her any scornful looks even though she knew fully well that Wang Weimin was her ex-boyfriend.
"We're friends," Xue Guangli said to Wang Weimin about Long Huojin. "Nothing more," she clarified.
Wang Weimin smiled a cruel smile. "There's no surprise that you would do anything to climb higher. But to settle for someone who ruined families and businesses, Guangli, I didn't take you to be a cold one."
Xue Guangli's expression darkened.
She stared at him, unwaveringly, and said, "It's one thing to insult me, but to insult a friend of mine, I do not let it stand."
A flicker of surprise flashed in Wang Weimin's eyes, but it replaced with bottomless depths.
Wang Weimin scoffed, leaning in, whispering, "Did you two sleep together yet, slut?"
Xue Guangli gritted her teeth.
But within the next moment, Long Huojin had pulled her towards him, behind him. Long Huojin towered Wang Weimin by half a foot. "It seems you have moved on to lesser women," he glanced over at Zi Yingtai. "It's a shame that you didn't treat Guangli well, only for her to dump your ass," he added.
Wang Weimin sized him up, but Long Huojin's expression did not waver. It seemed that their dispute would worsen, so Xue Guangli took Long Huojin by the hand, dragging him with her along the hall. She did not look back at Wang Weimin or Zi Yingtai.
When they reached the hallways where there were fewer people, she finally let go of Long Huojin.
Xue Guangli knew that their night had taken a direction for the worst. Wang Weimin made her seem like a climber into people's beds, whereas others didn't like Long Huojin for his cold reputation.
What she now realized was that many people repulsed him; his parents, Wang Weimin, and others who have heard of the rumours find him to be ruthless and nonchalant. But Xue Guangli realized it was an act, a facade in a way that would make people not doubt him, or dare him.
Xue Guangli could see the strain in his face; the inner rage him that never felt accepted.
Xue Guangli found it ironic; she hated him too. But now things were different.
"Jin," she called out.
Long Huojin gazed at her, locking eyes. His eyes resembled a river paled with grey skies and rain.
"Why don't we go back and have some fun?" she said with a smirk.
Long Huojin smiled, by way of agreeing.