Foster Son, Don’t Be So Crazy (33)

Song Jia handed over a thick ivory card to the attendant, her invitation to the grand ball.

The attendant gave it a quick glance. Once he was satisfied, he nodded.

"Thank you. Enjoy the ball."

Up ahead, a pair of large double doors stood open, letting out a pleasant mix of voices and orchestra. The three of them walked in.

As expected from the royal family, the room they entered was enormous. The ceiling arched far above them, with glittering crystal chandeliers throwing light into the room. Just by sweeping a glance, Song Jia counted almost fifty candelabra. A double balcony ran the circuit of the walls, where guests with a higher status could hide behind the railings and look down at the spectacle below.

Su Liang was not as reserved and secretive as Song Jia, so she had many friends in the capital. She quickly found her friends and bid her farewells to them.

Song Jia had not involved Su Liang in her plans, so she let her go without hesitation. Putting her hand lightly on top of Nian Shou's offered arm, they made their way to the dance floor.

Song Jia calmly observed other men and women that they passed, all of them wearing expensively tailored evening wear. Nian Shou lowered his head and murmured to her in a low voice, "We should take this chance to see what Her Highness actually looks like."

Song Jia nodded.

The rumors about Princess Bai Xue's beauty were far and wide, but there were actually only a few people who had seen her face. Because they were too far in the south, Song Jia had great difficulty in finding a portrait of the princess. Even when they managed to find a portrait of her, the quality was so bad that Song Jia could hardly tell if it was the fairest face in the land or the depiction of a wild boar.

Finally, the two of them reached the dance floor.

The band was a sinfonietta. They were playing a slow song, which was great for whispered conversations. Nian Shou took Song Jia's right hand in his left hand and raised it. Song Jia put her other hand on his shoulder.

Looking around, Nian Shou saw that there were many eyes watching them. He knew it was because of the woman he was holding in his arms. Her sky-blue eyes, her long golden hair that was like the sun tumbling over her back, her smooth and fair skin...she was slender and delicate, her beauty almost ethereal. He tightened his grip on her hand and used his body to block most of their gazes.

Even when she was wearing a simple white dress, she could attract the attention of most people in the room. For this part of their plan, it was sure to be a success.

Nian Shou gradually led her to the edge, where the royal family sat and watched them. Their chairs were mounted on a podium, and knights surrounded them from all sides. Song Jia's information that came from Princess Jin Jia's memories were useless, having nothing on the Bai royal family. If not for Nova's own information that they were a family of witches, the Queen's benevolent face would have surely made Song Jia lower her guard and mistake her as a kind and ordinary monarch.

Quickly, she flicked her eyes to the side.

Song Jia locked gazes with Princess Bai Xue, who was also watching her.

Suddenly, both girls stiffened in shock.

Princess Bai Xue straightened in her seat, her hand dropping the sliced apple that she was about to eat. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the foreign-looking girl wearing a white dress.

She saw that her eyes were blue, as blue as the summer sky.

As blue as the summer sky that he frequently looked at in a daze with a longing expression on his face.

This girl...was she the woman that he had been missing so much?!

Song Jia was also feeling stunned. She grabbed Nian Shou's wrist, quickly pulling him away from the dance floor. Her face was pale.

"Jia?" Nian Shou shot a look at the crown princess, who was still staring at them. He was wondering what happened between the two of them during that short time for such a strange reaction to occur.

"Jia, are you okay?"

Song Jia bit her lip and shook her head. She looked at Princess Bai Xue again, unable to believe what she was seeing. Even though there were some minor differences and this face was definitely more beautiful...

Song Jia did not expect Princess Bai Xue to have such an identical face to the previous host that she had transmigrated into, Li Jia!

How could there be such a random coincidence in the world?!

"I need to go outside for a moment and get some air. Can you keep an eye on the princess until I return?" Song Jia asked.

She needed some time to think, and the ball was too noisy.

"I'll go with you," Nian Shou quickly replied.

"No, one of us needs to watch over Su Liang and make sure that our plans go smoothly tonight. I'll be quick."

Nian Shou paused, and reluctantly nodded. Besides, he knew more than anyone else that she could take care of herself.

Song Jia lifted her skirts and exited the double doors, her slender figure quickly disappearing from view.

Princess Bai Xue coldly stared at the spot where she disappeared. After a second, she leisurely clenched her hand into a fist and propped it under her chin, staring straight ahead.

Immediately, five shadows that were hiding behind thick pillars darted forward and followed Song Jia.

The hand signal was so subtle and casual that Nian Shou, who was carefully watching Princess Bai Xue from time to time, had no way of knowing it.

He took a glass of wine from the waiter and took a sip with a worried expression. Inside his mind, he urged Song Jia to quickly come back.