Chapter 1548: Start the Party II

The moment Zhao Li Xin stepped into view, eyes turned toward him as if drawn by instinct, especially those of the women. Gazes widened, cheeks flushed, and whispers rippled softly through the gathering, excitement barely concealed behind polite smiles.

Zhao Li Xin ignored it all.

Such attention had followed him for most of his life; repetition had dulled its impact until it barely registered. Furthermore, his focus had been fixed solely on the beautiful woman at his side, Lory.

Lory, however, felt everything. She sensed the attention converging on him like circling vultures, sharp-eyed and calculating, already measuring their chances.

Irritation flickered beneath her calm exterior. Without hesitation, she slipped her arm through Zhao Li Xin’s, claiming him with quiet finality as she exchanged pleasantries with Myra and Derek.

Her gesture did nothing to deter them.

A group of young women soon approached, their smiles eager, impatience poorly disguised. One stepped forward, her voice light but deliberate.

"Good evening, Mrs. Worthington. Why don’t you introduce us to this handsome gentleman?" Her eyes greedily ogling Zhao Li Xin as if she wanted to eat him.

Myra, more than happy to use Zhao Li Xin as social currency, brightened immediately. After all, that was precisely why she had invited him.

"Oh, of course—let me introduce you—"

"Let’s go," Zhao Li Xin interrupted flatly. "I’m thirsty."

Without waiting for permission, he slid an arm around Lory’s waist and steered her away from the cluster of women. Lory offered Myra a polite, helpless nod, allowing herself to be led off without sparing the heavily made-up woman a single glance.

For a brief moment, silence fell.

Myra’s smile stiffened, a faint flush creeping up her cheeks. The group of women exchanged awkward looks before forcing out soft, embarrassed laughter, each of them acutely aware of the rejection they had just experienced.

Lory took two glasses of wine from a passing servant and handed one to Zhao Li Xin. He took a single sip, frowned faintly, and leaned closer to her.

"Too sweet," he grimaced, then, in haste, placed the glass back onto the servant’s tray as they passed.

"Did they make you uncomfortable?" Lory asked, her expression apologetic. She lifted her own glass for a cautious sip—then promptly spat it back into the glass.

"...Bitter." Her face twisted in open disgust before she smoothly returned the item to another servant’s tray, not a trace of hesitation in her movement.

Zhao Li Xin let out a soft chuckle at the sight. Amusement flickered in his eyes, followed almost immediately by sympathy, for he knew better than anyone how deeply she despised bitter flavors.

His gaze drifted across the garden, scanning the tables and passing servants alike, quietly searching for something, anything, that might spare her from enduring it again.

Spotting a glass of orange juice on a nearby table, he picked it up and pressed it into her hands. Lory accepted it eagerly and took a long drink.

"Feel better?" Zhao Li Xin asked, gently stroking her head as though coaxing a child.

The gesture immediately drew several sharp, envious looks from the surrounding women.

Lory didn’t care. She let out a long sigh as the sweetness washed away the lingering bitterness. "Yeah. I’m fine now." Then she looked at him, concern flickering in her eyes. "What about you? Do you want something else? Mineral water, maybe?"

"I’m fine," Zhao Li Xin replied, a slow, faint smile touching his lips.

Normally, he carried a cold, oppressive aura, one that made people around him instinctively tense, as though standing too close to an unsheathed blade.

However, when he was with Lory, that overbearing aura automatically decreased significantly, and today, it faded more than usual. Perhaps because of how beautiful Lory looks today, in addition, he also sees another side of her he never seen before.

Whatever the reason, the lethal edge around him dulled. Perhaps because of that, people dare to approach him.

"Don’t smile," Lory scolded softly, shooting him a reproachful look. "Look—half the women here are swooning just because of that one smile."

Lory glanced around, and sure enough, more than a few pairs of eyes gleamed, openly captivated by him.

Zhao Li Xin’s brows drew together slightly, obviously unbothered by the attention he got. "So?" he said calmly.

"Why should I care?" A faint scoff escaped him as his gaze returned to Lory, unwavering. "Should I stop smiling in front of my wife just to spare them? Not a chance." His smile turned wry and unrestrained, worn with effortless confidence and quiet defiance.

Zhao Li Xin lifted his thumb and brushed away the faint trace of juice at the corner of Lory’s lips, then casually licked the sweetness from his skin. "Too sweet," he murmured, his smile sexy, yet playful.

Even in a world where public displays of affection were generally ignored, more than a few onlookers still found themselves blushing at Zhao Li Xin’s intimate gesture.

Lory felt as though her heart might leap straight out of her chest, her entire face burning red like a boiled crab. She hastily averted her gaze from Zhao Li Xin—only to catch the expressions of the people around her. The women were flushed, the men no better, all of them staring as if they had just witnessed something scandalously delightful. Lory could have sworn she heard a few women barely suppressing excited squeals.

Lory could only lament to her heart that she should know, this man is a walking pheromone, and the glasses did little to dull his charm.

But what could she do? The only solution was to cover his face completely, like in the past... Unfortunately, she couldn’t do that here, or they would have a problem with the authority, and people would think he was a weirdo.

"Do you think how many enemies are hiding among these people?" Zhao Li Xin asked, seemingly oblivious to the reactions surrounding him. Even if he noticed, he clearly did not care in the slightest.

It took Lory a few seconds to recover. She shook her head lightly, as if physically trying to pull her thoughts back into order. 𝖋𝙧ⅇ

"Um... I’m not sure," she admitted, lowering her voice. "But they must be here. Somewhere."

She patted her cheeks once, then again, willing her racing heartbeat to calm. Inwardly, she cursed Zhao Li Xin’s atrocious timing. How could he seduce her now, when she needed to focus?!

"Should we’lure them out?" Zhao Li Xin said, folding his arms across his chest. His gaze slid back to her, sharp and perceptive, a faintly dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. "I bet you already have an idea, don’t you?"

She tilted her head and replied casually, "Pretty much."

Zhao Li Xin’s smile widened, then froze halfway. He looked at her more carefully, suspicion creeping into his expression. "Wait," he asked slowly, "am I going to like this plan... or am I going to hate it?"

Lory shrugged nonchalantly. "You’re going to nag," she said. "That’s for sure."

"...," Zhao Li Xin narrowed his eyes at her, then let out a resigned sigh.

Amid the hum of polite laughter and clinking glasses, Lory’s attention was suddenly captured by a small table arranged with exquisite care. Rows of cupcakes sat atop tiered stands, each one delicately frosted, crowned with fruit, chocolate curls, or edible gold leaf. They looked almost too beautiful to eat, well, almost.

Her eyes lit up with unmistakable delight. Forget intrigue, enemies, and hidden threats; this was serious business. She strode over with barely contained excitement, picked up a porcelain plate, and began selecting cupcakes one by one, arranging them with thoughtful precision as if curating a personal masterpiece.

Just as she reached for another, a female catering staff member approached her with a professional smile.

"Would you like me to take that to your table, miss?" the woman asked smoothly.

Lory glanced up and returned the smile, warm and polite. "No, it’s okay. I’ve got it."

The servant inclined her head politely and stepped aside, allowing Lory to pass. But as Lory walked away, content, unsuspecting, and focused on her spoils, the woman’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly.

A faint, unreadable glint flickered through her eyes.

She lifted her gaze toward the other staff stationed behind the cupcake counter. For the briefest second, their eyes met. No words were exchanged, only a silent understanding passed between them.

Unaware of any of it, Lory returned to one of the garden tables where Zhao Li Xin was waiting. With a bright smile, she set the plate piled high with cupcakes between them and immediately began enjoying the sweets with visible delight.

Zhao Li Xin shook his head, an amused smile tugging at his lips. He didn’t touch any food or drink himself; it had always been his habit at gatherings like this.

Then, suddenly, Lory’s hand pressed against her chest. Her expression tightened, color draining from her face.

Zhao Li Xin noticed at once. "What’s wrong?" he asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

Lory didn’t think much of it. She shook her head lightly. "I’m fine. I think I ate too fast," she said. "I feel a bit nauseous."

His hand closed around hers instinctively. "Do you want to go back home?"

She shook her head again. "No, no. I just need to use the bathroom." Rising from her chair, she added with a reassuring smile, "I’ll be right back."

Zhao Li Xin watched her as she headed back into the villa, the faint smile fading from his face as his eyes darkened with unease.

Lory moved through the villa and into the restroom, the distant sounds of the party fading into a dull murmur behind her. She slipped into a bathroom for the guest and immediately leaned forward over the toilet, one hand braced against the cool porcelain.

After that came the retching, loud, echoing sharply against the tiled walls.

At that moment, the restroom door creaked open. The same female servant stepped into the bathroom, the door closing softly behind her. Her gaze snapped at once to the figure bent over the toilet, shoulders trembling, breath uneven.

She did not hesitate. From beneath her uniform, she drew a concealed handgun and leveled it at the back of Lory’s head.

Her finger tightened, ready—

Before the shot could break the silence, a violent gust of wind came out of nowhere. She was hurled into the oval mirror above the sink, the impact shattered the glass in a shrill, violent spray.

Shards burst outward in a glittering storm as her body crashed down onto the tiles and rolled hard across the floor, leaving chaos and broken reflections in her wake. Pain erupted through her senses, white and searing.

Soon after, realization dawned on her, it turned out it had all been a trick to lure her in. Who would have thought she had been deceived like a mere amateur?

She forced herself up on shaking arms, teeth clenched so tightly they ached. "You..." she snarled, rage boiling in her eyes.

Lory stood upright now, calm and unshaken, her earlier weakness gone as if it had never existed. Her posture was straight, composed, and her gaze—cold, sharp, merciless—cut straight through her.

"Come on, now," Lory said coolly. "I expected more from a professional."