The Fall

With the thought of humiliating her and letting her face death, Lian Hua deliberately slowed down her steps with the excuse of her foot hurting and paved the way for Wei Feng to go ahead of her.

Zhan Yu Xuan, who is sharp-witted and observant, instantly caught onto her intentions. He knew there was more to her excuse than met the eye. Yet, his curiosity about this enigmatic lady overruled any suspicion. He watched her closely as she passed him, his thoughts momentarily drifting to someone else.

The woman whose memory was still vivid in his heart is known for her unique blend of elegance and nonchalance, bounded yet unrestrained, aloof yet mischievous, sharp-tongued yet a sweet talker, held a certain fascination for him. His lips curled into a subtle smile as he considered her contradictions. This lady whom he saw for the first time is reminding him about her. No, to be precise, she is reminding him about two women who are living in his memory. Even her face shows a resemblance to their faces.

"Ah Lu, Ah Lu… Where are you?" he wondered to himself as he continued walking. He had missed her and her antics immensely over the past few years. Among all of them, she had been the lively and lovely one. They had spoiled her so much that their little red fox had run away from home at the tender age of fifteen, leaving traces and erasing them when they near her. If it weren't for that, they would have undoubtedly embarked on a quest to bring her back.

As his thoughts swirled in chaos, they neared the end of the red carpet. It was customary not to walk past the person who had arrived before them on a red carpet. Consequently, Zhan Yu Xuan and Lian Hua found themselves standing behind Zhan Wei Feng, who came to an abrupt halt just as Wei Wan Qing was about to step onto the signing board.

Lian Hua, positioned behind Zhan Wei Feng, inadvertently stepped on the hem of her dress's lace overlay. This sudden movement caused Wei Feng to lose her balance, and she began to stumble. In a split second, she assessed her predicament, realizing that a fall on the red carpet would be a grave embarrassment.

With graceful agility, she shifted her weight to the side, enabling her to turn her body around and avoid the collision. She promptly removed the over-lace, allowing her to maneuver more easily. Using her left hand to steady herself against the ground, she managed to prevent a full-blown tumble. She was determined not to lose face, especially on the red carpet.

The entire sequence of events unfolded in mere seconds, leaving those around her too stunned to react. Zhan Yu Xuan, who had been poised to offer a helping hand, found his attention drawn to the black lace bracelet on her left hand, which emphasized against the fair skin on the hand that she had used to balance herself. His tense expression softened into a smirk, and he tilted his head in mock amusement. His face radiated playful mockery.

Simultaneously, Wei Wan Qing, who was supposed to play a supporting role in Lian Hua's little theatrical performance, reacted with lightning speed the moment he detected the commotion behind him. He initially attempted to dodge, but upon realizing that the lady behind him was about to fall onto him, he extended his arms, swiftly caught her right wrist, and reduced her momentum.

The grace and precision of her movements impressed him. Time seemed to stand still as his eyes roamed over her figure before settling on her tightly shut eyes. He didn't release his grip yet refrained from pulling her up completely. Her actions had given the impression that she expected a harsh fall, and her closed eyes only added to her vulnerability. His lips curled into an even wider grin as he observed her. His guess was right.

The atmosphere crackled with a mixture of tension and intrigue, leaving everyone present captivated by the unexpected turn of events on the red carpet. The time seemed like it had frozen. No one knows how to react. The only thing that happened there was expectation over someone's fall and humiliation. But the sudden turn of events which went in the opposite direction of the expectation made people gasp. They were frozen. They couldn't think of how they should react whether to the way Wei Feng avoided the fall or the fact that Wan Qing is holding Wei Feng in his hand and he is actually smiling.

As Wei Wan Qing continued to hold onto her wrist, his gaze locked onto hers. He could feel her rapid pulse through the contact of their skin. The girl had closed her eyes tightly when she was ready to accept her fate tonight. This shows that she is not that confident about the output. She just acted without thinking. Wei Wan Qing doesn't want to lift her to her feet yet. He decided to wait for her to open her eyes.

Zhan Yu Xuan, standing a few steps away, watched the unfolding scene with keen interest. He had expected Wei Feng to cause a spectacle, but this unexpected twist added a layer of intrigue to the evening. His thoughts raced as he wondered if this encounter was part of a carefully orchestrated plan or if it was purely coincidental.

Meanwhile, Lian Hua, who had inadvertently caused the initial stumble, stood frozen in place, her heart pounding. She had never expected her actions to lead to such a dramatic chain of events. She felt like an outsider in this unfolding drama, unsure of whether to intervene or stay on the sidelines.

As the seconds ticked by, the crowd surrounding them began to murmur with speculation and excitement. The red carpet, meant for glamorous arrivals, had become the stage for a captivating impromptu performance. Cameras flashed, capturing every moment of this unexpected encounter.