anwhile as the Hua Banquet was held, the first group of people who had ca and stepped in was none other than Su HaiTan and his family. He was dressed in a red suite, his inner shirt blue which matched with his youthful face. Every ti he walked, all the girls began to smile while looking at him, softly admiring his looks from afar but when they looked forward and saw Elder Hua’s cold gaze looking back at them, they imdiately turned their eyes away, nervous as they knew that soone could offend Elder Hua even by just looking to her eyes.
"Grandmother," Su HaiTan started, "This is such a beautiful banquet. Are you really sure that you would give all of this to ?"
Elder Hua redirected her gaze from the girls and then at her house which had draped in such luxurious tapestry, its golden embroidery catching the soft glow of the chandeliers above. The entire estate had been transford into a vision of wealth and power. The long banquet tables lined with crystal glasses, rich mahogany chairs, and a floor polished so well it reflected the grandeur of the event like a mirror.
Elder Hua’s fingers, adorned with jade rings, drumd lightly against the his hands as she had held his elbow to support her walk. Her expression remained unreadable, her gaze cool as she studied Su HaiTan.
"This much is nothing for you," she expressed, "If there is anything that made you upset around here, you can tell , I will change what you ask in less than a few seconds."
Smiling, Su HaiTan’s eyes crinkled in delight, "Oh grandmother, you really treat well. Whatever I want, I never feel that I lack anything when I’m with you." His voice was smooth, carrying the practiced ease of soone who had spent a lifeti perfecting the art of flattery.
Elder Hua’s grip on his elbow tightened just slightly, almost imperceptibly, but Su HaiTan felt it.
"You should never feel lack," she said, her voice soft yet firm. "A man who lacks grows desperate. And desperation leads to recklessness."
Her words were veiled, but Su HaiTan was no fool. He knew that behind every lavish gift, every favor, and every affectionate word, there was always expectation.
"Of course, Grandmother," he said smoothly, placing his free hand over hers in a gesture of respect. "I understand."
"That is why whenever you want sothing, or soone you have to tell ," Elder Hua tapped his elbow again before removing her hand from him and then making her way to her room. Su HaiTan followed wordlessly, smiling as he nodded to her words. "Your parents might have gone too early but you have and I will replace what you couldn’t have."
"But you do know grandmother, not everything can be easily replaced," Su HaiTan’s words made Elder Hua to frown. "Money, land, golds, and everything that could make us wealthy can be replaced but there are still things that would disappear forever the mont... it’s gone."
Elder Hua then turned and look at him, briefly holding her hand to the door knob but didn’t imdiately turn it around, "You can tell about it too. I can’t replace it perhaps, but I can fulfill it."
Looking back at her eyes, the youthful gaze Su HaiTan had was replaced with sothing cold and bleak as he uttered, "Grandmother, you know what I want."
Elder Hua sighed, saying nothing more as she turned the golden door knob and entered the room, leaving him alone. Su HaiTan chuckled seeing her entering the room and turned around, making his way over the party hall which was still waiting for more of their guests. When he reached the round pillar, he noticed the group of ladies gathering in their finest dress while muttering to each other.
"Poor Su HaiTan," one girl said his na which made his footsteps to stop.
"I know right? How would soone remain sane if they have to be beside Elder Hua twenty four seven?" The other chided. "Think about it, sure that Su HaiTan receive a lot of good benefit and luxuries by being beside Elder Hua but in exchange he never had a freedom does he?"
"True, I heard since the age of seven, after you know, his parent’s demise, he had to be beside Elder Hua every ti. He even moved to live with her, soone so strict and so unfeeling. I could tell it would drive anyone crazy."
"But maybe he’s crazy himself? Don’t you know about the accident where he just stood and watched as Elder Hua had slapped his uncle and aunts who had helped him grew up?"
"Elder Hua is crazy so it must have rubbed on him-"
"Ladies," Su HaiTan appeared beside the pillar, showing them a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. The girls stiffened, their whispered gossip cut short as Su HaiTan’s presence lood over them. His smile was charming, very friendly with his words and action, but there was sothing unnerving about the way he looked at them.
"I’m flattered," he drawled, his voice smooth yet laced with sothing sharp. "Truly, it’s rare to hear such concern for my well being. But you see," he tilted his head slightly, "if I were to go insane, wouldn’t that be far more unfortunate for those around ?"
The girls paled, exchanging nervous glances.
"Su- Su HaiTan, no, M- Mr Su... we were just—"
"Just speculating? Gossiping?" He chuckled before shaking his head, showing his disappointnt with his face, "You know, my grandmother always told that loose tongues have a habit of getting people into trouble. It would be such a sha if your families heard how carelessly you speak at such an esteed event."
The implied threat was clear.
One of the girls quickly bowed her head, her voice trembling. "W- we didn’t an any harm, Young Master Su."
Su HaiTan let the silence stretch, his unreadable gaze flicking between them before his lips curved into a more pleasant smile. "Of course you didn’t," he said lightly. "I do appreciate your concern but you won’t be happy if sothing were to happen to you because of your own words right?"
Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away, his steps unhurried, completely unaffected. But the girls? They stood frozen, their faces drained of color.
Because despite his polite tone, despite his easy smile, sothing about Su HaiTan felt far more terrifying than Elder Hua herself.
anwhile outside the luxurious house that appeared almost like a castle itself was Li ZiChen who had just stepped out of the car. He then reached out his hand, holding to AiLin’s as she walked out of the black luxurious car which imdiately sent everyone in a frenzy.
How could they not be in a frenzy?
While most of the Hua Family including AiLin’s own mother wasn’t invited to the expensive banquet, AiLin was here, making her first appearance close to her grandmother who is known to despise won, especially when they ca from her own lineage. Her appearance left everyone wondering if she had ca to test Elder Hua’s patience, to provoke her, or to nd their fractured relationship.
The guests feared that sothing dangerous could break but at the sa ti none decide to leave the party as they were far too curious of what could break apart in front of them.
Li ZiChen looked at her again who was dressed in dark blue sleeveless gown. Her hands gloved with a white satin glove that reached to her elbow, her hair tied into a clean bun and red pearls adorn her neck.
"You’re so gorgeous," he whispered, letting it known to her that in this party hall, she is the most beautiful individual. "I can’t stop my eyes from looking at you again and again, even though I have told myself that I shouldn’t ogle you for far too much."
She turned to him, her gaze steady and lty. "You’re so silly, then don’t look away, in this world there is only you who I want to ogle at . I actually dressed so well just to get your attention, you know?"
His fingers curled slightly at her words. She had a way of saying things that left him thirsty for more. He had let out a laugh while looking at how the light from the chandeliers reflected off her red pearls, casting a faint shimr against the pale skin of her collarbone.
"You say that," he muttered, his voice lower now, "as if I ever had a choice. These eyes can only look at you, oh dear, I might go blind now."
"Aw you’re so silly," she chuckled again, happily curling her toes slightly, "From my perspective, I think I am the one who is being blinded by you."
"Mhm?" He softly pressed his nose beside her ears, "Then I guess we both would simply beco blind and can only look at each other."
He exhaled sharply, watching the way she carried herself, poised, distant, and untouchable, just like the Queen she is. He reached out, his fingers barely grazing the silk of her glove before she pulled him over, effortless, as if she hadn’t even noticed.
Just the small move of hers had made him imdiately all smiley and seeing this, her lips curled at the edges, "Do you know if there are things I should keep in mind before eting the devil?"
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