11 1.8
Luckily, a bell ringing sound soon came to save Xu Jiaqi's sanity. It marked the start of the party's main event, which consisted of several exciting shows boasting popular entertainment figures as the hosts.
Although the party was disguised as a sophisticated ball, it was actually nothing more than just a modern gathering. Everyone was in their formal getups, wearing gorgeous dresses and suits. And yet, the contents of the party leaned more towards the wild side.
The speakers blasted loud music, and the people started to gather around the empty space to dance. Attendees could freely mix with each other and have their fun, showing their party tricks and mingling with the crowds. Everyone was young and filled to the brim with vitality, the jovial scene could go for hours without rest.
Being under the influence of alcohol, parties like this could even incite relationships between the many influential youths.
Everyone was here to have a good time, and Xu Jiaqi also had similar purposes. She came here to adopt a man to fulfill her mission.
She came to find someone to love her!
In this vast sea of highly qualified young masters and misses, wouldn't there be someone she could reel in?
The original Xu Jiaqi actually ran away from this party even after telling her parents that she would be attending. She stayed in her room until the party passed.
But she obviously wasn't going to do that.
Xu Jiaqi looked at Qin Zicheng, who never took his eyes off of her. Their eyes met and Xu Jiaqi shuddered out of fear.
Xu Jiaqi: Old mister, can you not?
Some might say that Qin Zicheng's stares are romantic, and that this is a novel worthy scene, but when you are the person receiving these uncomfortable stares, it was not great!
"Mister Qin, I'm about to go down to the dance hall, are you fine with me leaving?"
When asked a question like this, what should your natural response be? Obviously, you couldn't say no, right?
Wrong. Qin Zicheng's mind worked differently from normal people.
"Not fine," he said.
Xu Jiaqi suppressed the frustration inside her heart as she faced Qin Zicheng, who had a serious expression plastered on his face.
"Mister Qin.. I have to go," Xu Jiaqi pouted, making a wronged face.
"Let me accompany you, we can walk down together."
That way, she still wouldn't leave his side, but could do what she desired.
After thinking about it, Xu Jiaqi decided to acquiesce since the man was known to be as stubborn as a rock.
"Forget it, getting to know Mister Qin is my blessing, let us go down ba."
"You like getting to know me?"
"Mister Qin doesn't go up to just anyone, right? Those who know you personally are little in numbers, how could it not be a fortunate thing?" Xu Jiaqi answered.
Qin Zicheng's lips subtly curled up into a smile, increasing his handsomeness even more.
"Then, do we know each other now?" he asked.
"..It seems so. Or did I think wrongly?"
"No, but.." Qin Zicheng coughed. "If we are well acquainted, can we drop the formalities? Stop calling me Mister,"
The title had bothered him. They were around the same age, but Xu Jiaqi used that title and created a distant feel.
However, Xu Jiaqi was troubled.
Well acquainted? They just met, but they could already be classified as that?
Furthermore, what to call him if not Mister?
"Then what should I call you..? Zicheng ge?" Xu Jiaqi carefully called, imploring Qin Zicheng's reaction.
"En, Qiqi."
Xu Jiaqi's eyes trembled when she heard the nickname, not expecting the man to be so steadfast in this change.
Qin Zicheng gently smiled, grabbing Xu Jiaqi's hands and supported her as they stood up.
He led her to the dance hall without saying anything.
His face was overflowing with warmth, breaking the character he was supposed to possess in the storyline.
The man who was known to be as cold as an iceberg actually smiled to her multiple times, and talked quite a lot. He didn't like it when she called him with a distant nickname. He also wanted to follow her.
She thought that Qin Zicheng would surely leave her anytime soon, but the man actually kept following her like a baby chick. Whenever she went, the tall man would always trail behind her footsteps.
Whenever she went to strike a conversation with people, the man would always tower behind her back with a frightening expression, causing the ones she approached to awkwardly leave in fear.
She grumbled in distress as another young master made up excuses for him to leave.
However, when she turned around and looked at Qin Zicheng, the man wore an innocent expression, as if he didn't know what happened.
Xu Jiaqi was starting to suspect that the man liked her even with her dense head in the romance department.
'System, does the second male lead secretly like Xu Jiaqi? It couldn't be, because the original body didn't go to this party, he didn't meet Xu Jiaqi and it resulted in them never crossing paths? Is there a secret backstory between them?' Xu Jiaqi questioned the System.
[Rather than the a secret backstory, isn't it just you, Host?]
'Me? What about me?'
[Think about it. The original body was shy and reserved, she also wouldn't keep up a conversation with Qin Zicheng for this long. You altered your appearance to your white lotus aesthetic, which made him recall his deceased pet. I'd say that the current you attracted him and not because of a backhanded plot.] The System analyzed.
'..That might be the case, but how can he be attracted in such a short time? There's no logic, ah.'
[Characters originally have to fall in love in a short time because of the plotline force. Although us entering this world could trigger changes and humanize the interactions, it will still be more unreasonable than the hard reality. Furthermore, Host has an exceptional status, is beautiful and smart, don't you think he can be attracted?]
'I know that I'm very attractive, but he's the second male lead, right? Won't the plot collapse if he's not by the female lead's side?'
Xu Jiaqi was worried for her mission. The System told her that this first world is akin to a tutorial. If she were to fail this, wouldn't she be terribly embarrassed?
