Ball (Part 2)

After completing the transaction, Wei Chenglong returned to the ballroom, feeling a bit uneasy. When he saw Qin Yue sitting quietly in the corner, he quickly walked over.

"Qin Yue, why aren't you dancing?" Wei Chenglong asked as he approached her, glaring at Ye Qian before addressing Qin Yue.

Ye Qian ignored Wei Chenglong's hostile look, leisurely sipping his red wine, seemingly oblivious to the tension.

"I don't feel like dancing," Qin Yue replied coldly.

"Young Master Wei, do you want to invite Yue-jie for a dance? That depends on how well you perform," Zhao Ya teased with a slight smile. Qin Yue shot her a warning look, clearly trying to stop her from encouraging the situation, but Zhao Ya pretended not to notice and continued.

Wei Chenglong, recognizing Zhao Ya as Qin Yue's close friend, knew he might need her help if he wanted to pursue Qin Yue. Smiling ingratiatingly, he said, "Please, Zhao Miss, give me some guidance!"

Zhao Ya wasn't genuinely interested in helping Wei Chenglong; she simply disliked Ye Qian and saw this as an opportunity to mess with him. "Alright, listen up. Yue-jie isn't just the most beautiful woman in Shanghai but also the most talented. She's skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. If you want to dance with her, you need to impress her. There's a piano over there; why don't you two compete? The one who plays better gets to dance with Yue-jie," Zhao Ya suggested with a mischievous grin, glancing at Ye Qian. She clearly didn't believe that someone like Ye Qian would know how to play the piano.

As expected, Ye Qian found Zhao Ya's proposal amusing and said, "You're setting me up, right? Do I look like someone who can play the piano?"

Although Wei Chenglong wasn't an expert pianist, he had learned some basics during his school days and felt confident that he could outplay Ye Qian. Hearing Ye Qian's response, he felt even more confident and sneered, "What? Are you scared? If you're afraid, you can admit defeat, and we don't have to compete."

Ye Qian had thought Qin Yue might step in to stop this, but she remained silent, leaving him uncertain about her feelings. However, he was sure that even if Wei Chenglong won, she wouldn't dance with him. As for himself, he wasn't clear on what Qin Yue felt towards him.

"Is someone chickening out?" Zhao Ya taunted.

"Don't try to provoke me; it won't work. Even if I don't compete, Yue-jie will still dance with me. There's no point in doing this," Ye Qian said, then leaned in and whispered to Qin Yue, "Please help me out here; I don't want to embarrass myself."

Qin Yue smiled slyly and said, "I don't feel like dancing today, so it doesn't matter who wins; I won't dance with either of you."

At this point, it wasn't just about dancing with Qin Yue. For Wei Chenglong, it was a chance to humiliate Ye Qian, and he didn't want to miss it. "How about we make another bet? I don't think Mr. Ye would want to embarrass himself in front of Qin Yue," Wei Chenglong suggested.

"Alright, since it was Zhao Ya's idea, let's make her the prize. Whoever wins gets a kiss from her," Qin Yue said, turning the tables on Zhao Ya.

Zhao Ya was stunned. Was her first kiss really going to be given away so casually? If Ye Qian won, she would have to kiss this rogue? Although she found Ye Qian annoying, he seemed better than Wei Chenglong. Still, the thought of Ye Qian possibly mocking her forever made her hesitate. "No, no, why use me as a bet? That's not fair," Zhao Ya protested.

Ye Qian chuckled and said, "Are you scared? I don't really care about your kiss. If you're not willing, forget it."

Feeling provoked by Ye Qian's dismissive attitude, Zhao Ya bit her lip and said, "Fine, a bet's a bet. Whoever doesn't dare is a coward."

"Let's not do this; it would put you at a disadvantage. You're a proper young lady, and if word gets out, it could damage your reputation," Ye Qian said.

Hearing Ye Qian, Zhao Ya became more determined. Even if it meant taking a risk, she wanted to see Ye Qian embarrassed. She thought, if Wei Chenglong won, she could find an excuse to back out. "What? Are you afraid? Just admit you're a coward," Zhao Ya taunted.

"Alright, let's do it. Just don't cry when you lose," Ye Qian replied.

"You'll be the one crying," Zhao Ya retorted. "Young Master Wei, don't let Yue-jie down."

"Don't worry, Zhao Miss. I'm not a piano master, but I'm confident I can beat him," Wei Chenglong said smugly.

Throughout the conversation, Hu Ke watched with a smile, silently observing. She had heard about Ye Qian from Zhao Ya and was curious about his relationship with Qin Yue, especially since he was supposed to be Zhao Ya's fiancé. From the auction to now, Hu Ke had been carefully watching Ye Qian, trying to discern his true nature.

"Who goes first?" Wei Chenglong asked.

"I'll go first," Ye Qian said, setting his wine glass down and standing up. He didn't mind going first, as he already had a plan in mind.