"Uhm, are you ready for the dance?" the girl robbed him of his line. A strange smile appeared on Han Zhou's lips when he looked at her extended hand.
He was not planning to dance tonight. He was in the mood to smile at everyone, socialize a bit and then leave without getting more attention. But this girl! When had she followed the script! He could already feel the narrowed eyes of her grandfather boring a hole behind his head.
"Of course, my wife." Xia Yu flinched when he pressed her hand tightly. This was going to leave a mark. But the smile on his face did not falter a bit as he pulled her toward the stage.
His grip on her waist was so strong as if he wanted to snap her waist into two. His smile and his actions did not match at all.
"Smile, or everyone would think you are not happy with me. How will you get all the attention of those rich families then?" his eyes were filled with ridicule. If only he knew that he found them only cumbersome. But the real Lei mei would have loved them.
She could only force a smile and continue. But slowly he frowned.
"You do not know how to dance!" Xia Yu stiffened as she heard it. She belongs to a poor family where she was busy earning with her mother. When would she have time to learn ball dancing!?? But she had learnt it for a week when she was given her sister's position.
The stick in that french man's hand had given her enough confidence that she could dance or she would not have asked him. But she also asked him because she had believed that he would refuse her. As she looked at the growing suspicion in his eyes, she gulped.
"I am just nervous." which was not a lie. "And it hurts." she added in a whisper earning a snort from him.
"If you know that it is going to hurt, you should not play with fire." he leaned closer to her and whispered in her ears. She could feel his warm breath on her skin that made her shudder. He softly smiled as he moved away.
The man was vicious. Earning his goal, he ended the dance quickly and left her with the excuse of greeting with other guests. Only then did Xia Yu breathe again. Her hand had a red mark. She stared at it with a sigh. But it was still better than last night.
"Lei Mei!" a soft feminine voice full of love and care called for her. But instead of feeling better, her heart sank.
"Aah, here you are. I thought i have missed you since i could not find the dress i have given you for the occasion. You did not wear it?" The girl looked at the dress Xia Yu was wearing with a grimace.
"That…. Zhou brought this one." Xia Yu blushed softly and tucked her hair behind her ears lowering her gaze to the girl's mirror heels. Damn that would be so expensive.
Xia Yu did not need to see her face to know it looked like coal.
"Oh is that so? Brother Zhou is so loving." the voice came out with force, but Xia Yu blushed more. If she did not develop this much acting skills, how was she going to pretend as his wife?
"But you did not go to greet aunt Jing. she is over there." Su Yan smiled brightly and before Xia Yu could say anything, she wrapped her arms around Xia Yu and dragged her. Xia Yu could only curse her luck and close her eyes as she was dragged for the second time.
"So you finally got the time to greet your mother in law when the dinner was already served. You sure are a princess." a shrill voice rang the moment Xia Yu stood in front of their table. Xia Yu saw it was a lady in her forties or fifties.
Mrs Han was talking to a lady while sitting on the dining table. The woman had turned to scold Xia Yu when she saw her entering alone. Hearing that comment, Mrs Han looked at Xia Yu with discontent and awkwardness.
There were a few more women in the room but they only stared at Xia Yu without saying a word.
Xia Yu was already warned about the possible dangers when she was getting trained. She knew the woman speaking was Mrs Su, one of the close friends of Mrs Han.
She wanted her daughter to marry Han Zhou instead. The girl had been working as Han Zhou secretary for a long time and already spread the rumors that they were dating. Xia Yu did not know if the rumor was true or a lie. But she did not care as long as her image was not sabotaged.
Xia Yu walked forward toward the table with a red face and fidgeting her fingers. She bit her lips as if she was too embarrassed to speak.
"Before I left.. I suddenly tripped and I got late because.." she scratched her neck intentionally showing the one hickey Han Zhou had left on her last night.
Their eyes went to that and the inchorrent embarrassed words of Xia Yu. Everyone was already forming a picture in their mind where Han Zhou noticed how beautiful her new wife was looking and he jumped on her before she could leave.
They all laughed with a knowing look on their faces.
"Aiya! It has been so many years since our marriage that we have completely forgotten how newly married couples are! No wonder you are late."