Three weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and before anyone knew it, it was the day of Long Guangli's party.
The Yuan family, along with every other family in the county, was now in awe of the mansion before them. A long line spread, from the grand doors to the open iron gate of the estate, as the staff checked the invitations.
"The Yuan family," the staff member looked at the neat card in his hands. "It says here that there are only six in your family, why is there seven of you?"
All eyes fell on Bohai. In his expensive attire, he looked as if he belonged to the manor. Yet still, the staff were requiring him to give them his invitation. But instead of an invitation, Bohai gave him a cold glare. His lifeless black eyes stirred something inside the stubborn short man.
"We must've made a mistake." The staff member said with a frightened laugh. He proceeded to opening the door for the family of seven, and let them inside the mansion. Only when the doors had closed did he realize he had forgotten to breathe. He collapsed to the floor, struggling to regain the air that he had lost in the last encounter.
Another staff member relieved him of his position, sending him away to regain his composure. However, he had no time for that. Rather, he made his way through the intricate halls of the mansion until he reached the room in which the master of the house was waiting in.
"I wonder why that guy changed his mind?" Zhilan asked quietly. She was well aware of how strict the staff were at such events, yet that man had let them in without delay.
"He must've seen how good looking Bobo is," Xiaolian began sheepishly, "and mistook him for a noble!"
At her words, the Yuan family finally paid a close look to Bohai. It was indeed true. He looked like he could mingle with the higher ups in the place tonight, and his background would go unnoticed.
Donned in an exquisite blue suit, that he had bought alongside Heng three weeks prior, Bohai stood out like a sore thumb along the first floor. In fact, the whole family did. But the Yuan family's tanned skin betrayed their noble appearance for the night.
Only two people truly looked out of place alongside the common folk on the first floor. The charming Bohai, donned in three different shades of blue. And the lovely Zhilan in yellow. They shone compared to the others around them, like diamonds in the rough.
"He does look like one of them." Peng relayed his thoughts aloud.
Looking at the boy whom he lived with, but had not fathered, he was suddenly reminded of the first night he met him, again. It had been ten years since then, and he had nearly forgotten the unpleasant memory. However, as of recently, he had been thinking of the time he first laid eyes of the boy more and more.
On that night, the young boy had been wearing a similar outfit to the one he wore now. It was even the same blue color, but even more delicate and expensive. Although it's beautiful appearance, it had been stained by a red substance that had obviously been blood. Peng had taken the child to his home and never asked him anything about what had happened to him, or who he was. He could tell, by the scars on his back and chest, that the boy had been through a traumatic experience.
A familiar uneasiness spread throughout Peng's body as he saw the past Bohai in the present Bohai.
The feeling lingered, but the vision shortly after dispersed. And shortly after the Yuan family arrived, the place grew lively. All of the guests were preoccupying themselves with multiple different things. Some danced, including the sisters of the Yuan family, while others ate, like Heng and Bohai. Some chatted amongst themselves, while others ridiculed others. The latter was mostly being done by the people in the upper levels though.
"Tan Huizhong." Long Guangli whispered as an old man came into his line of vision. He had made his entrance to the party discreetly, dressed in an unsatisfactory maroon suit, all to see this old man. An excited scowl made its way on his face.
Tan Huizhong, who had just entered through the front entrance, was an old man. He was, no doubtfully, the eldest person in the premise. His white hair and long beard made him look almost magical, but the peoples' lack of imagination made his powerful appearance into a laughing matter. In truth, only a few knew of the actual power the magician-looking old man bestowed. One of them being Long Guangli.
Long Guangli watched the old man, knowing that he could sense his eyes on him, before making his move. He had extended an invitation to the man unknowing if he would accept it or not. He was beyond ecstatic that the man had come out of his own correspondence, and he didn't want to ruin it.
But Long Guangli was left in a daze as he watched the old man disregard the importance he urged on in his letter. Tan Huizhong, instead of approaching him, was leisurely heading towards the buffet on the first floor.
He couldn't believe his eyes. Annoyed at the old man's haughty attitude, Long Guangli overlooked the fact that this old man was his last hope, and approached him confidently. However, he ended up hearing something that may have him killed instead.