The dresses that were tailored for Xia Biming and Fang An Xi were delivered to the Xia Mansion on Friday, the day before the gala itself.
On Saturday, the girls woke up early to have breakfast together before they headed to the spa. Fang An Xi suggested that they might as well treat themselves while they great ready for the event.
They made reservations at a well-known Spa clinic that many celebrities and socialites visited. This was only Xia Biming's second time in the spa and Fang An Xi's fifth time. They reserved the VIP Suite and signed up for the most luxurious treatments.
They needed to be there by 11 am or else their reservation would be given to someone else. Arriving at 10:50 am, the attendant lead them to their room. They heard many last-minute guests arguing in the lobby about who should be let in.
The first treatment was a warm salt bath infused with honey and rose water to cleanse the skin and open the pores. It was therapeutic to the body and the mind. The girls were able to use the same bath since they were close and agreed on it.
"Uugghhhh, Ming. We made a great choice to enjoy ourselves today. This is just the start." An Xi was in pure bliss.
The second treatment was a full body exfoliation. Their bodies were scrubbed gently with a sweet-scented body scrub. The scrub was made of brown unrefined sugar, coffee grounds, honey, and a few drops of vanilla. It made the girls skin feel super soft and smell sweet.
"Xii Xiiii, I just want to eat this stuff. It smells so sweet."
The third treatment they signed up for was another full body indulging experience. They were given a massage by professional masseuse followed up with a hot rock treatment. It helped relaxed all the muscles in Biming's aching shoulders.
The fourth and last treatment they received was a series of facial masks. The first one was a mud mask to draw out impurities and toxins, the second one was to bring radiance and plumpness to their skin, and the last mask was to smooth the texture of their skin since they had been in a humid space all day.
"Ming, I swear, if Changmin isn't into you after you show up tonight then he must be blind."
"I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it for myself."
After finishing the four marvelous treatments, they were led back to their VIP room for lunch. It was just reaching 2 pm. Since they had an important event to attend, they chose a light option of a filling salad.
The salad was made of spring greens, cucumber slices, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, honey roasted almonds, and topped with grilled chicken breast. It was simply delicious.
Once they finished their lunch, the makeup artists and hair stylists came into the room to dress the girls up for the event.
Fang An Xi decided to go for a lighter look, highlighting her bold brows, tall nose, and full lips. Her black hair was left straight and sleek, and she wore a very expensive emerald necklace. She matched her profession very well, a rising model and actress. Her father, Fang Jianyu, owned one of the top entertainment industries. Despite this, An Xi worked hard for every opportunity she got.
Xia Biming wanted a more sultry look to go with her lively dress. She asked for her eyeshadow to be a light bronze smoky eye. She wore a pink nude lipstick with warm undertones and matched her accessories to fit the diamonds on the waist of the dress. Her hair was also left straight but volume was added, and half her hair was pulled back with her hair parted in a 2:3 ratio using a large diamond hair clip.
All dolled up, they thanked the artists with generous tips and made their way to the 6 Star Hotel. Xia Huanting said that he would meet them there, so they headed there to meet him.
The gala was to begin at 7 pm with cocktail hour followed by a quick dinner and then the auction would start.
It took them an hour to get to the Hotel and they arrived right on time. There were many reporters waiting outside to catch a glimpse of all the nobles in the country. Xia Biming had let him know how close they were, and he waited for them to enter together.
The driver stopped the shiny black Rolls Royce at the entrance of the hotel and Xia Huanting came to open the door. Somehow, Fang An Xi was sitting on the side facing the hotel so she got out first followed by Xia Biming. The three stood their together and Xia Huanting offered his arm to escort Fang An Xi to the short red carpet.
"Brother Ting, where are you going with An Xi? Wait for me!" Xia Biming didn't understand what was going on.
"Just wait right there Ming, I'm going to escort Xiao Xi in first. Someone will come escort you." He gave her a wink and walked away with An Xi.
Biming was still watching the two walk away when she felt someone's presence near her. Looking up at the person next to her, she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Mr. Xue, what are you doing here?" She was waiting for her brother to come back for her. Wait, is this why he winked?
She looked over Xue Changmin. "Hey, why are you wearing the suit I picked out for brother Ting? Did you guys trick me?"
Chang gave her a bright smile, "I'm wearing this suit so that I can match with you. I am escorting you after all. I guess you can consider me your date for the night." He took her hand and wrapped it around his arm and led her to the red carpet surrounded with reporters.
The reporters were amazed to see such a beautiful pairing. "Look over here CEO Xue and Miss Xia!"
"Are you two a couple?"
"What's your relationship with each other?"
"Are things really over with Yu Tianhao, Miss Xia?"
"CEO Xue, what about the rumors about you and Miss Han Roushan?"
Han Roushan happened to be walking in behind the two with her parents and overheard the reporters trying to fish out an answer from Xue Changmin and Xia Biming.
Xia Biming didn't know how to answer, she could only come up with a few words to say. "Mr. Yu Tianhao and I have gone our separate ways; I am here to support the kids from the orphanages."
Satisfied with her answered, Xue Changmin answered before heading inside, "I'm here tonight to support Miss Xia as her date. That is all."
The reporters were stunned with how bluntly Xue Changmin answered. Han Roushan was even more heated! She couldn't believe that her brother Chang just admitted to being someone else's date!