"Lia!" Lin's voice was unmistakably urgent, and Lia rushed towards her, heart still floating somewhere in the haze of meeting Li Wei. Lin pushed her way in before Lia could even greet her.
"Details!" Lin demanded, eyes alight with excitement as she closed dragged Lia to the side. "I've been waiting for hours. Don't you dare hold back."
Exactly two hours.
Lia laughed, still half-dazed. "Oh, no. Is this what I think it is?"
"Yes, absolutely," Lin said, unabashed. "I'm giving you a chance to come clean about the dashing man who was in the ballroom with you all night. And don't think I didn't see you two disappear onto the balcony!"
Lia's cheeks reddened at the memory, but she tried to play it cool. "I was just… meeting people. Like you told me to."
Lin narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced. "Nice try. I practically saw sparks flying from across the room. Who is he? What did he say? And what happened out there?"
Lia sighed, leaning back on the bed, unable to fight the grin creeping across her face. She could still feel the lingering warmth of Li Wei's touch, the scent of his cologne on her skin, and it was impossible not to let herself enjoy the memory, even if Lin was practically vibrating with anticipation.
"Well…" she began, her smile widening as she recounted the evening. "His name's Li Wei. We met on the balcony, and he… well, he was charming-"
Lin's eyes widened. "Charming?" she echoed, barely containing herself. "And?"
"And we talked," Lia said, trying her best to sound casual. "He's surprisingly easy to be around. "
Lin clutched her chest dramatically. "Comfortable, she says! So when did the first kiss happen?"
Lia's face flushed, and she swatted Lin's arm, embarrassed but laughing. "You're terrible!"
"Oh, come on," Lin insisted, shaking her head. "Don't keep me hanging here."
After a sigh, Lia relented, filling her in on the balcony conversation. Lin listened with rapt attention, sighing dreamily at all the right parts and gasping with exaggerated shock at the kiss.
"And then he gave you his number?" Lin asked, her face lighting up with excitement. "This is amazing! Have you texted him yet?"
Lia nodded, feeling a small thrill at the memory of their exchange. "I did. Just a little something to say 'thanks.' He replied pretty quickly, actually."
Lin clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "Lia, you're going to have to marry this man. Unless he's poor. Then you can keep him as a mistress."
"Lin!" Lia protested, though her heart fluttered at the idea. "We just met!"
Lin gave her a knowing look. "That's all the more reason to enjoy it. Now, come on, you have some 'networking' to do."
"Wait," Lia said, eyes narrowing as she realized what Lin was getting at. "What does that mean?"
"Oh, don't worry," Lin replied with a mischievous smile. "You'll love it. It just so happens that there's a group of ladies who would love to meet you. Think of it as a bit of… reputation-building."
Before Lia could protest, Lin grabbed her hand, practically dragging her out of the room. She led Lia through the hallways, expertly weaving between hotel staff and other guests until they reached a grand lounge, where several elderly ladies were seated on plush sofas, chatting animatedly over tea and pastries.
"Are you serious?" Lia whispered, half-amused, half-terrified.
"Dead serious," Lin replied, giving her a wink. "It'll be good for you, and besides, they're sweet. They'll eat you right up. Come on!"
Lin wasted no time in introducing Lia to the women, who looked delighted to meet a "young, bright face" in a sea of familiar socialites. Lia found herself being settled on one of the couches, offered tea, and promptly drawn into a conversation about the state of modern relationships, much to her amusement and horror.
"I hear young people are barely dating these days," one of the ladies, Mrs. Huang, said, adjusting her pearl necklace as she eyed Lia curiously. "All those dating apps and whatnot. I can't imagine meeting my husband on something like that."
Another woman, Mrs. Li, nodded knowingly. "It's a different world now. My grandson's constantly on his phone. Poor boy can barely look up long enough to have a conversation!"
Lin leaned in, whispering to Lia, "This is where you shine. Just nod and agree, they'll love it."
Lia stifled a laugh, doing as Lin suggested. "Oh, I agree. There's something special about meeting someone in person, isn't there?"
Mrs. Huang patted her hand approvingly. "Exactly! That's the spirit, my dear. These days, people rush into things so fast. Why, back in my day, my husband and I courted for two years before we even talked about marriage."
"Two years?" Lia asked, wide-eyed, genuinely intrigued. "That sounds so… romantic."
"Oh, it was," Mrs. Huang sighed, a dreamy look coming over her. "But of course, times were different. And speaking of romance, young lady, don't think we didn't notice you disappearing from the ballroom. Madam Qin here was losing her mind looking for you." She wagged a playful finger, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Lia flushed, feeling Lin's gaze burning into her from the side, obviously thrilled to see her squirm. "Well, I, um…" Lia stammered, not sure how to respond.
"Oh, don't be shy, dear," Mrs. Li chimed in, leaning forward with a conspiratorial grin. "If you've got someone special, we'd love to hear all about him. You know, my granddaughter met a very nice young man recently. Quite wealthy and very polite."
Lin stifled a laugh, and Lia gave her a helpless look. But she found herself smiling, relaxing into the conversation. "Well, I did meet someone. He was very kind. We talked, and… he's very sweet."
"Oh, a charmer!" Mrs. Huang said, her eyebrows shooting up. "Well, do be careful, dear. Charmers have a way of sweeping you off your feet before you know it!"
"Yes, yes," Mrs. Li added, waving her fan for emphasis. "They're good for a bit of fun, but it's the steady ones you settle down with. And does he have good family connections? Family is everything!"
Lia laughed, enjoying the attention but feeling a little overwhelmed. "I'm not sure," she admitted, glancing at Lin, who gave her an encouraging nod. "I'm still getting to know him. But he's… different. In a good way."
The ladies exchanged approving looks, nodding knowingly as if they understood exactly what Lia was talking about.
"Keep us updated, dear," Mrs. Huang said, patting her hand. "We love a good romance. But don't be afraid to take your time."
They chatted a little longer, with the ladies giving her advice on everything from fashion to marriage to the best way to keep one's posture upright. Lia found herself laughing along, actually enjoying the conversation in a way she hadn't expected.
Just as they were finishing up, she caught sight of a familiar face near the doorway. Zhang Chen stood there, her arms folded and her expression less bitter. Her watchful eyes made it clear she'd noticed Lia's interaction with the elderly madams.
It was obvious she hadn't expected Lia to be there at all, let alone with the inner circle of the night. The most influential people one could network with in the room.
Chen grinded her teeth for a few seconds before storming off.
That bitch probably got lucky, she fumed.
Lia felt a twinge of irritation, knowing Chen would probably start some gossip over this later.
Lin, sensing her discomfort, laughed, winking at her before turning to the ladies. "Well, we'd best be off. Thank you all for letting me and my daughter join you!"
The ladies said their goodbyes with a chorus of affectionate waves and reminders to visit again, and Lia followed Lin back into the hallway, relieved but also surprisingly touched by the encounter. They hadn't talked about anything monumental, but the ladies had been quite sweet, especially compared to Lia's stepmother.
"So," Lin said, grinning as they walked. "What did I tell you? Not so bad, right?"
Lia laughed. "Not bad at all. I think I might actually enjoy hanging out with rich madam's."
Lin linked her arm through Lia's, guiding her back toward the main hall. "Just wait until they start sending you invitations to their social clubs. You'll be the belle of the ball in no time."
Lia shook her head, amused but feeling a new kind of confidence.
"Don't threaten me with a good time." she chuckled.