Chapter 8: The Vampire’s Prey (08)
Yu Jiao’s makeup was light, her expression serene, as if she were completely unbothered by the gazes coming at her from all directions.
She wore no jewelry at all, her long hair simply gathered in a loose bun held by a wooden pin. A few strands had escaped, a testament to the carelessness of the one who had styled it.
She wore only a high-necked, form-fitting grey dress. The cut wasn’t quite right, and the fabric was overly smooth from being cheap, yet when this dress enveloped her superb figure, it exuded a subtle and graceful beauty.
She was as delectable as an uncut, runny-yolked egg.
“Dressed so shabbily. Is she trying to make the Xie family a laughingstock?”
Several young masters and ladies from the Xie branch families shot sidelong glances at Yu Jiao, pointing and whispering, “She looks just like one of the specially-admitted students. How embarrassing.”
Hearing this, the nearby specially-admitted students were both ashamed and indignant.
It was true that they didn’t have the means to dress up like the wealthy young masters and ladies. Most of them wore simple shirts and skirts, and they couldn’t help but feel inferior because of their attire, moving about the banquet hall with great unease.
Now, seeing Yu Jiao dressed similarly to them yet appearing so elegant and composed, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration and envy.
As the young masters and ladies over there continued their sarcastic remarks, one of the specially-admitted students couldn’t help but mutter under his breath, “Even dressed so shabbily, she looks far more noble than any of you. A bunch of sour grapes, beautiful on the outside but rotten on the inside.”
“What did you say!?” The young masters and ladies from the Xie branch glared at the student.
“I said you’re jealous that her nobility is innate! Jealous that she’s the daughter of the family head! Even as an illegitimate daughter, her status is far higher than yours!”
“Say that again, you bastard!”
One of the young masters, his sore spot having been poked, rushed over and grabbed the student by the collar. Veins bulged on his neck as he raised his fist, ready to strike.
“That’s enough.”
The cool, faint command failed to stop the violence.
Yu Jiao crossed her arms. “Are you trying to ruin Xie Yanchuan and Xie Zhenye’s coming-of-age banquet?”
Hearing this, the young master from the Xie branch resentfully lowered his hand. He suppressed his anger. “Yu Jiao, get it straight whose side you’re on. What’s the meaning of this, protecting a specially-admitted student?”
“She’s only fit to associate with them,” Yu Jiao’s roommate sneered. Standing among a group of young masters and ladies seemed to have emboldened her.
“She went out yesterday with her clothes in disarray and came back in the middle of the night wearing a boy’s school uniform. She was probably fooling around with one of these specially-admitted students!”
She deliberately raised her voice, drawing the attention of many.
“Don’t measure the integrity of others by your own lack of it,” Yu Jiao said, casting a casual glance at her.
Before her roommate could retort, Yu Jiao continued leisurely, “After all, someone who fawns on those above and feigns compliance to climb the social ladder, while selling out family secrets to outsiders for personal gain, would naturally see everything as dirty.”
Her attitude was frank, her words pointedly suggestive.
The lecherous gazes that had been fixed on Yu Jiao now turned towards her roommate, becoming suspicious and contemptuous.
“What family secrets did you sell?” a member of the Xie family demanded of the roommate.
The roommate’s face went pale, her eyes darting away. What was once only a thirty-percent suspicion was now seventy-percent confirmed.
Before, she had taken advantage of the fact that “Yu Jiao” had just returned to the Xie family and knew nothing of its affairs, so her actions had become increasingly reckless.
Now that she was exposed, she still tried a last-ditch effort, snapping at Yu Jiao, “Don’t think you can sling mud to change the subject! I saw you go into the boys’ dormitory last night with your clothes all messy! And you came back with a hickey on your neck!”
Several Xie family members surrounded the roommate. “You’re the one trying to sling mud to change the subject! Spit it out, what have you done!? If you don’t, once this is reported to the family head…”
Watching them argue and shove each other, Yu Jiao picked up a glass of wine and took a small sip, gracefully fading from the center of attention.
Although most people were focused on the family’s internal power struggle, a small portion of the greedy gazes lingering on Yu Jiao grew even more blatant.
Taking advantage of the Xie family’s internal conflict, a young master from another clan grew bold. He approached Yu Jiao with a flirtatious swagger. “Second Miss Xie, care for a dance?”
“No, thank you,” Yu Jiao said without even looking at him.
But the man didn’t know when to quit. “Come on.” He reached a hand towards her with malicious intent.
Yu Jiao lowered her eyes, seemingly defenseless, like a flower waiting to be plucked.
Even if they’re angry I didn’t wear their gowns, the Xie twins should be stepping in by now.
She counted silently in her head.
Five, four, three…
The hand reaching for Yu Jiao was suddenly caught.
“She already refused you.”
A clear, bright voice rang out.
Yu Jiao looked back in surprise, meeting a pair of clean, bashful, star-like eyes.
—The one who had come to her rescue was the same timid boy who had helped her hide last night.
The boy’s hair and eyes were both a light chestnut color. He wore a cream-colored satin suit, looking as sweet and gentle as a glass of sparkling honey water. He gave Yu Jiao a reassuring smile, then flung the other man’s hand away, his gaze sharp.
When the boy appeared, the other covetous onlookers knew he was a direct heir from a major family they couldn’t afford to offend and had already scattered. Only the audacious young master remained. He shot the boy a glare and muttered, “Just a discarded son of the Lin family…”
Having had his say, he also scurried away.
The boy’s expression didn’t change. When he turned to Yu Jiao, he rubbed the back of his neck, his face blushing as he stammered, “A-hem, are… are you alright?”
He had the bashful look of a young man experiencing his first crush.
In her peripheral vision, Yu Jiao saw Xie Zhenye’s steps falter. His scrutinizing gaze fell upon the boy.
A dark glint flashed in Yu Jiao’s eyes. The next moment, she curved her lips into a surprised and delighted smile. “It’s you.”
“It’s me,” the boy replied with a shy smile, his gaze earnest. “Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Lin Qiuzhe. It’s nice to meet you.”
After exchanging names, Yu Jiao also looked at him seriously. “Thank you. And… thank you again.”
They shared a knowing smile, an invisible, gentle rhythm flowing between them, creating a small world of their own that no one else could enter.
Watching this scene, Xie Zhenye’s expression darkened. He turned and walked away without a word.
Yu Jiao’s eyes curved into crescents.
A good dog should learn to protect its master at the first opportunity. Otherwise, it will have to taste what it’s like to be replaced.
As the newly appointed knight-and-guard-dog, Lin Qiuzhe was very tactful. He didn’t ask about the reason for her pathetic state the previous night. He simply chatted with her nervously and cautiously about safe topics, and Yu Jiao was happy to play along with the shy, sensitive boy.
Just as the two were getting along splendidly, a wave of jeering voices approached.
“Whoa! I told you I wasn’t seeing things! Lin Qiuzhe, playing the hero rescuing the damsel in distress.”
A group of young masters who might as well have had the words ‘dissolute silk-pants’ written on their faces strolled over.
The one in the lead had an ordinary face, but he possessed a pair of amorous, glistening peach-blossom eyes. His devil-may-care aura was particularly strong, making the other dandies around him seem like orbiting bees and butterflies.
The group of young masters threw their arms around Lin Qiuzhe’s shoulders and playfully punched his chest. “Look at you, all grown up. Are you hoping the young lady will promise herself to you in gratitude?”
Lin Qiuzhe’s head turned bright red. He quickly waved his hands. “Don’t talk nonsense. Miss Yu and I are just friends.”
“You little prude, a girlfriend is still a friend, isn’t she…” the dandies jeered, nudging him playfully.
While they were roughhousing, the leader with the peach-blossom eyes leaned in close to Yu Jiao.
“Miss Yu?”
He drew out her name, his voice low and slow. His eyes were deep, as if complex emotions were swirling within them, but when one looked closely, they had already calmed, becoming like a bottomless, dark pool.
For some reason, this person gave Yu Jiao a very dangerous feeling. She frowned. “Can I help you?”
The man with the peach-blossom eyes extended a well-defined hand. “May I have this dance?”
He bowed slightly, his gaze fixed on her. He was like an all-encompassing spider’s web, and an aggressive, invasive aura closed in around her.