"Su Ye."
The languid voice arose not far away.
Su Ye and Shen Qifeng halted their steps and turned around to see, Gu Yan approached with Su Wanqing in tow.
"Care to dance?" His gaze fell on her, laden with inquiry and a touch of displeasure.
Su Ye looped her arm through Shen Qifeng's, and in that instant, Qifeng stiffened slightly, subconsciously turning to look at her.
And in Gu Yan's eyes, a shadow of menace appeared, his snakelike stare locked onto her hand.
Su Ye didn't speak, but her actions proved everything.
Gu Yan's oppressive aura was exceptionally low, his jaded face screaming 'I'm not happy' in four big characters.
His brooding gaze fixated on Su Ye, disregarding Su Wanqing by his side, he said, "Su Ye, I'll dance this one with you."
Shen Qifeng raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Quite popular, aren't we?"
As the words dropped, the air filled instantly with the smell of gunpowder. Shen Qifeng stepped in front of her to confront Gu Yan, the tension between them evident to all present.
"Ah Yan, what are you talking about? Sister already has a dance partner, don't joke around!"
Su Wanqing struggled to maintain her smile, tugging at Gu Yan.
Gu Yan shot her a cold glance, "I've heard that Su Ye's dancing is quite good, I'd like to see for myself."
Su Wanqing, unable to save face, pulled at Gu Yan, "Ah Yan, stop teasing Sister, she can't dance, she's always been..."
Su Wanqing paused, leaving her sentence hanging with a veiled implication.
Everyone in Nanning knew who Su Ye was, a country woman of crude and vulgar origins, with nothing more than a pretty face to her name.
Su Wanqing, on the other hand, had been groomed since childhood to be the perfect lady, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and dancing was something she had known since youth.
The moment these words left her mouth, they took on a different meaning to the ears of bystanders.
Those who thought superficially would think Su Wanqing had misspoken, while those who thought deeply might suspect that Gu Yan was defending Su Wanqing, intentionally making Su Ye look bad.
Su Ye's eyes darkened as she looked at Gu Yan, uncertain of his intentions.
"I'm sorry, President Gu, I already have a dance partner."
Su Ye's bright refusal elicited a cold laugh from Gu Yan as he lowered his gaze.
His predatory gaze seemed to be laced with poison, locked fiercely on her.
Su Ye's heart trembled.
She knew Gu Yan well; when he looked at her with those eyes, Su Ye understood that he was angry.
What would a madman do in his rage?
"Then let's change partners!" At Gu Yan's words, he pushed Su Wanqing into Shen Qifeng's arms and, taking Su Ye by the waist, entered the dance floor.
"You're crazy!" Su Ye snapped, her hands pressed against his chest, her eyes sparking with anger.
"Su Ye, did you really think I was just talking to the wind?"
Gu Yan gripped her waist, her slender form barely able to withstand his grasp, pinching Su Ye painfully.
"I told you to stay away from Shen Qifeng, but you clung to him instead, didn't you?"
"Psychopath!" Su Ye was beyond furious. Would she go to Shen Qifeng over him?
"After this dance, wait for me in the back garden. If you don't come, I'll send the video of you in bed with me to your father, so he can see how you seduced me."
"Gu Yan!" Su Ye clenched her teeth, her eyes glittering coldly.
"Don't think I don't have it." Gu Yan knew what she was thinking, "Just do as I say."
Su Ye's grip tightened.
Just then, the dance ended, and Gu Yan pushed her away, heading straight for Su Wanqing.
"Just as I told you, your sister's dancing is terrible."