Chapter 16 I Won’t Beg Him

• The Viennese Waltz was divided into the quick waltz and the slow waltz. The style of the dance could be discerned from its name. The quick waltz was a happy dance, with a fast pace and many turns.
• My gown looked beautiful when I made a turn. It flared like a blossoming purple iris. I was mesmerized by its beauty.
• I hadn’t been to the dance studio for ages, but there were some things that you never forgot. I could feel the moving spotlight finally shining on me. My steps quickened. I felt like I was about to take off into the air at any moment.
• Xi Qingchuan held me in his arms as he twirled me around. I caught a hint of admiration in his eyes.
• I was panting slightly when the first dance ended and I performed a perfect curtsy. The host’s voice sounded slightly off-pitch as he spoke excitedly.
• “That was beautiful. What a perfect performance the young master Xi and this lady has given us. It was perfect. Flawless!”
• Xi Qingchuan seemed like he hadn’t had enough of dancing. He wasn’t a bad dancer himself. Outstanding people are like treasure troves, filled with endless treasure. He must be quite something, to be able to take time out of his busy schedule to learn dancing.
• He held my hand and led me to the side of the dance floor. The floor was now open for everyone to start dancing.
• He leaned into my ear and whispered.
• “Seems like you’ve been playing a fool to catch the wise. Your trick worked. You should check out the look on my mother’s face though.”
• He left with a smile. I turned and took a look. The expression on my mother-in-law’s face didn’t look good. She hadn’t wanted me to dance at all. I had taken Xiao Shi’s face and stolen the limelight.
• What should I do now? Should I go over and apologize?
• Qiao Yi came running over. She grabbed my elbow happily.
• “Xiao Sheng, you dance really well.”
• “Let go, it hurts.”
• She had been a student athlete back in the days, and was a natural in every sport. High jump, shot put, you name it. She had an unnaturally strong grip.
• She loosened her hold on me.
• “Didn’t I tell you? Why didn’t you want to dance when you can do it so well? Why give up such a good chance to be in the limelight to someone else?”
• “What’s the point? We’re going to get a divorce sooner or later,” I muttered.
• “I shouldn’t have let you sign that contract,” she said, leaning in.
• “He doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him either. What’s the point in making things difficult?”
• “You never know. The future’s unknown. Things change. Hey,” she said, pinching my arm again, “do you see that? Xiao Shi is dancing with Xi Qingchuan. Isn’t she supposed to be cold and distant? Why is she trying to seduce Xi Qingchuan when she knows that he’s already married?”
• My eyes followed Qiao Yi’s. Xiao Shi and Xi Qingchuan were gliding across the dance floor.
• A handsome young man dancing with a beautiful young woman. What a pleasing sight. I wasn’t jealous at all. I turned away after the brief look.
• “Let’s go get something to eat. I’m hungry.”
• Someone suddenly appeared before me and stretched his hand towards me.
• “Miss Xiao, or should I call you Madam Xi?”
• I looked up. I knew this person. He was Kang Zitai, Xiao Shi’s boyfriend.
• “Call me Xiao Sheng!” I said.
• “May I have the pleasure of dancing with you?”
• “Erm.”
• I really wasn’t interested. It was going to be very awkward for both of us, anyway. I was struggling to come up with a reason to turn him down when Qiao Yi placed my hand in Kang Zitai’s and whispered in my ear.
• “Since Xiao Shi is dancing with your man, you can jolly well dance with his.”
• This nosy girl. I really wished I could give her a hard slap right now.
• The deed had been done though. There was nothing else I could do but follow Kang Zitai onto the dance floor.
• They were playing a slow waltz, which was something I was good at too. After a few steps into the dance, I realized that Kang Zitai wasn’t very good at the slow waltz.
• I knew that because he had stepped on my foot.
• “Ouch!” I cried out softly.
• “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful the next time,” he apologized immediately.
• He had no intention of stopping the dance though, so I could only continue dancing with him. He seemed intent on leading us nearer Xi Qingchuan and Xiao Shi. He must be doing it on purpose. Perhaps he wanted to make a statement to Xi Qingchuan. Perhaps he wanted to keep an eye on Xiao Shi.
• They saw us. Xiao Shi gave us a brief glance before turning her face away. Xi Qingchuan, on the other hand, kept staring at us. His stare made me feel very uncomfortable.
• Maybe Kang Zitai was distracted by something. This time, he not only stepped on my shoe, he had stepped on my gown as well. I heard a loud tear, then felt a sudden breeze on my waist. I reached out, touched my waist, and felt the rip in my gown.
• The gown’s fabric had been stitched together by design. If someone were to step on the gown’s hems, it would rip the gown at its waist.
• Being the unlucky jinx that I was, I could never catch a break. I had had my clothes ripped twice in a day.
• I hugged my waist and said softly to Kang Zitai, “I’m not dancing anymore.”
• “I’m really sorry, Miss Xiao.”
• I kept my head down and left the dance floor in a hurry without sparing a look at Xi Qingchuan and Xiao Shi.
• I tried searching for Qiao Yi amongst the crowd, but she couldn’t be found at all.
• My purse was with her. My mobile phone was in my purse.
• Even if I wanted to leave the ball now, I couldn’t. I didn’t even have the money to hail a cab.
• Let’s head for the garden first. There’s no one there. It was cold outside though. I sneezed as soon as I stepped outside.
• I had left my coat in the car. I couldn’t return to the hall now. I was just going to embarrass my mother-in-law further if she were to see me like this.
• There was a swing in the distance. I sat on the swing, but I dared not move. It was cold outside. Any slight moment of the swing would send the cold wind stirring and make everything feel colder.
• I bent my head low and curled tightly into myself. Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching me.
• I looked up in surprise. I didn’t expect to see Xi Qingchuan.
• The hotel had begun the fireworks the moment he came walking towards me. Colorful fireworks exploded in the sky above his head.
• Some people were born to be accompanied by special background effects when they make their entrance. People like Xi Qingchuan, for example.
• I stared at him in a daze. He stood before me, a seeming smile on his face.
• “What happened?”
• “Nothing happened.”
• He had seen my gown being stepped on and getting ripped. He already knew what had happened.
• “Is that so? Good then,” he said, and turned away, ready to leave.
• I sneezed again. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand.
• “Xi Qingchuan.”
• “Yes?”
• “I…” I didn’t want to beg him. I shoved my words back down my throat instead. “Nothing.”
• He strolled away. Hardly the behavior of a gentleman at all.
• Couldn’t he have given me his clothes without me asking for them? So, he had followed me outside just so I could ask him for help?
• Well, I wasn’t going to.
• My stubbornness caught me the flu. I had felt unwell on the ride back home that night. My head had felt woolly, like I was on the verge of a fever.
• I had leaned my full weight on Xi Qingchuan. It hadn’t been out of my own accord. I had seen the scornful look on my mother-in-law’s face and the mockery in my sisters-in-law’s eyes then.
• “Xiao Sheng, where were you during the auction? We couldn’t find you,” my eldest sister-in-law had asked me.
• I had lifted my head then weakly and given her a brief smile.
• “I was outside, enjoying the breeze.”
• “Is that so? You’re just full of mysteries. Who could have guessed that you’d be such a great dancer, and that you’d stay outdoors on such a cold, windy night? You’re a special one!”
• “You had quite a bit of fun during the auction. Aren’t you tired yet?”
• My mother-in-law turned and gave my eldest sister-in-law a look. She immediately looked down.
• I heard she had spent a few million on a jade bracelet. Xi Qingchuan’s mother had been furious. She thought that my eldest sister-in-law knew nothing about valuating items and had only wanted to show off.
• Then, I had shut my eyes and leaned weakly against Xi Qingchuan silently.