The Ballroom Encounter

Part One: The Ballroom EncounterSu Yao stood in the corner of the ballroom, her cheeks flushing deeper with each passing moment. The cold, mocking remarks from the socialites hit her self-esteem like waves crashing against a shore. They were born into privilege, exuding arrogance with every gesture, and their gazes seemed to scrutinize her as if she were an intruder in their world of elegance. Each cutting remark felt like a barbed arrow piercing her heart. She wanted to retort, but her throat felt constricted, and she couldn't utter a single word.Li Yi, who had been engaged in conversation with a few business associates, glanced over and saw the scene unfolding. His expression darkened instantly. Without hesitation, he strode purposefully towards Su Yao and gently took her hand. His touch seemed to convey an immense sense of strength. With a voice as gentle as flowing water, he said, "Su Yao, don't pay them any mind. Dance with me.""I... I'm not very good at dancing," Su Yao replied, her eyes wide with uncertainty as she looked up at him."It doesn't matter. Just follow my lead," Li Yi said, a reassuring smile playing on his lips. With that, he guided her towards the centre of the dance floor.Li Yi stood tall and moved with an effortless grace, leading Su Yao through each step. Initially, she was nervous and stumbled a bit, but under his patient guidance, she gradually found her rhythm. Her movements became more elegant and graceful. Together, they danced as if they were a perfectly matched couple, capturing everyone's attention and becoming the most dazzling presence in the room. The socialites' mocking laughter was instantly drowned out by the astonished murmurs of the crowd.As the dance came to an end, the room erupted into thunderous applause. Su Yao's cheeks were rosy, her eyes filled with gratitude and delight. She whispered to Li Yi, "Thank you, Mr. Li. I don't know what I would have done without you tonight.""Don't mention it. They just can't stand to see others succeed. We shouldn't waste our time on them," Li Yi replied with a smile.At that moment, Zhang Feng, standing in the corner and watching Su Yao and Li Yi steal the spotlight, had a dark look on his face, like a stormy sky before a tempest. He was contemplating how to sabotage them when the ballroom door was abruptly kicked open. A group of men dressed in black, wearing dark sunglasses, stormed in. The leader, with a brutish face and a thick gold chain around his neck, exuded an air of menace and malevolence.The sudden intrusion sent the guests into a panic, with screams filling the air and chaos erupting throughout the room. The socialites, who had been so poised moments earlier, were now terrified. Some stared wide-eyed, their champagne glasses slipping from their hands and shattering on the floor, the spilled wine soaking their dresses without a care. Others clung to their partners, trembling like frightened deer, eyes wide with fear and helplessness, repeating, "What do we do? What do we do?" A few tried to hide deeper into the crowd, nearly twisting their ankles in their high heels as they stumbled.The other guests were equally panicked, whispering nervously among themselves. Some men instinctively shielded their female companions, eyeing the intruders warily, though their hands shook slightly at the sight of the overwhelming numbers. Others ran about aimlessly, knocking over tables and chairs, the clattering of falling dishes adding to the cacophony of chaos. A few stood rooted to the spot, eyes vacant, as if they had been stunned into immobility.The men in black marched straight towards Li Yi and Su Yao. Zhang Feng's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, as if his scheme was about to succeed. Li Yi sensed the danger immediately and quickly moved to protect Su Yao, standing in front of her with a vigilant gaze fixed on the approaching men."Who are you people? What do you want?" Li Yi demanded loudly.The leader sneered, his voice dripping with malice, "Li Yi, you've messed with the wrong people. Today is your end." With a wave of his hand, his men lunged forward like ravenous wolves.Li Yi showed no fear, moving with the agility of a striking leopard. He swiftly dodged a punch from the first man, the wind from the missed blow ruffling his hair. In an instant, he delivered a powerful high kick to the chin of another man, sending him flying backward with a thud.However, the attackers were numerous and gradually gained the upper hand. One of them managed to strike Li Yi from behind, and he took a solid punch to the shoulder. He grunted, a trace of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. But he didn't flinch, his eyes becoming even more resolute. Seizing a moment when his opponent was off-balance, he lunged forward, his right fist clenched tightly, and delivered a forceful blow to the man's abdomen, causing him to double over in pain.Su Yao was frantic with worry, looking around desperately for help, only to realize that everyone else was struggling for their own safety. In her panic, she spotted a vase and, without hesitation, grabbed it and smashed it over the head of a man who was about to attack Li Yi. The man groaned and collapsed to the ground."Su Yao, watch out!" Li Yi shouted, kicking away another assailant who was closing in on her.Just as the situation seemed to be spiralling out of control, the side door of the ballroom burst open, and a group of men rushed in. Leading them was Qin Wu, Li Yi's personal bodyguard. A former elite member of the special forces, Qin Wu had remained loyal to Li Yi after his discharge, protecting him with his formidable skills. His massive frame, taut with muscles, resembled a towering mountain. His cold, piercing gaze swept across the battlefield, and as soon as he entered, he charged like a tiger among sheep.With a roar that seemed to shake the very air, Qin Wu rushed towards the nearest attacker. His right fist swung upwards, whistling through the air, and landed with a solid thud on the man's temple. The attacker fell without a sound.Another man, seeing this, swung a club at Qin Wu from behind, hoping to catch him off guard. But Qin Wu seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He easily sidestepped the attack, then kicked out at the man's wrist, sending the club flying through the air. Seizing the opportunity, he grabbed the attacker by the collar and threw him across the room like a rag doll. The man crashed into several tables and chairs before coming to a stop.Under Qin Wu's and his men's fierce counterattack, the group of attackers began to falter. The brutish leader's face turned ashen as he realized they were losing. He glared at Li Yi and Qin Wu with pure hatred, as if he wanted to devour them alive. Then, with a fierce wave of his hand, he shouted at his men, "Retreat!" The attackers scattered like startled birds, fleeing in disarray.In their haste to escape, one of the attackers tripped over a chair and fell face-first, a dagger slipping from his grasp. Ignoring the pain, he scrambled to his feet, grabbed the dagger, and ran after the others. Another one, in his panic, collided with the door frame, his glasses flying off, but he didn't dare stop, clutching his head and running out with a string of curses.The leader, retreating with his men, threw out a menacing threat, his voice shrill and piercing, "Li Yi, you'll pay for this! This isn't over! And you, Su Yao, don't think you'll be safe just because he's protecting you. You'll both pay the price eventually!" His words hung in the air, filled with malice, sending a chill down everyone's spine.The ballroom was now in ruins. Chairs and tables were overturned, broken dishes and spilled wine were strewn across the floor, and the once-luxurious carpet was trampled beyond recognition. The shaken guests began to regain their composure. The women were still sobbing with fear, while the men whispered among themselves. The violent incident had shattered the elegance and luxury of the gathering like a bomb.Li Yi, ignoring the blood on his lips, quickly turned to check on Su Yao. He grasped her shoulders firmly, his eyes filled with urgency and concern, as if she was the most important person in the world to him. His voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Su Yao, are you hurt anywhere?"Tears welled up in Su Yao's eyes, but she shook her head firmly, "I'm fine. Thank you, Mr. Li." She looked up at him, their eyes meeting, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. The relief of surviving the ordeal and the care they had for each other made the air around them thick with emotion.