She could enter the party, but what should she wear‽
Another cheongsam would not be appropriate. Furthermore, the few cheongsams Ye Shuang had specially made had shown themselves at the private clubhouse already. It was not that rich people did not wear the same clothes again, but wearing them again to a dinner party would cause others to talk. If Luo Ce was a famed agent, asking for a few dresses would have been easy, but he was not. On top of that, there was the jewelry to worry about.
Starting from 6 pm, Jing Hu City's Lu family mansion opened its doors to welcome the arriving guest. This kind of private party thrown by young second generation normally would not invite business partners; the main purpose of the party was to have fun and not to do business. The second generations who visited the private clubhouses would take turns playing host. Today, one would organize a party; tomorrow, another would book a saloon. The young people played together and could even make use of this chance to exchange information.
Of course, Mr. Lu's party was different. After all, he came from a special background. The bigger the background, the more people he had to make nice with. For example, he had to be cautious with the guest list because those whom he did not invite might get offended.
Others might just book a restaurant to host the party, so the size would be limited. However, the Lu family had airlifted the freshest ingredients from all over the world and hired a Michelin star chef to personally handle the cooking. They did not even need to rent the location; their private bungalow could hold most guests.
Therefore, based on all that, if other people's parties could be considered private, the Lu family's party was semi-private. Even reporters would be invited to host interviews, provided they came from respectable papers.
At the same time, because it was not a business meeting, in such an unofficial setting, it was easier for young people to get to know each other. Even though it was for the sake of business, the atmosphere would be lighter and the topic of conversation easier. There was no set theme or schedule to follow. Whether people talked to you or asked you for a dance depended fully on your popularity. If you were able, you might even end up brokering a large deal.
When Luo Mingxin arrived with his junior, it was neither early nor late. The guests had half arrived. However, the reporters were already there. Without getting permission, they did not dare to take pictures, so they wandered around the place, looking for food to eat.
After all, this was the upper society and not the entertainment circle. The latter might not have minded them taking pictures. In fact, they could take pictures of their slip-ups. After all, the celebrities might have been doing that on purpose. However, for the former, if they took a picture without the guest's permission, the reporter might get a visit from their group of lawyers.
People were hesitant to make enemies with rich people, not because money was everything, but because it could be used to buy lawyers and a fifty-cent army. Public opinion could be turned so easily and so fast that one would not even have the time to argue for one's innocence.
Therefore, while paparazzi would not hold back chasing after their stories, they knew better than to act out of place at such dinner parties unless they felt their lives were too boring and they wanted to find something to do. Furthermore, the press was hand-selected by the Lu family, so they knew what to do and what not to do.
They would be given their time to take pictures and ask questions inside the dancehall. However, private interviews should be fine. The few reporters were so obedient that they got bored. When Luo Mingxin arrived in his suit holding a woman, all of them instantly woke up like they have been given a shot of adrenaline.
Gossip! News! Headlines!
"Celebrity Luo!"
Before they rushed to Luo Mingxin, Luo Mingxin's heart also skipped a beat. The female company beside him smiled sweetly and took her pose, preparing to be interviewed. Suddenly, a female voice came from behind him. A woman in a faded yellow dress apologized at the crowd with a reserved smile. With stable yet graceful steps, she walked through the crowd.
Her soft face had a trace of friendliness to it—not overly friendly, but it would not make others feel that she was unapproachable. Even though the dress was not branded, it perfectly accentuated her curves. Her jewelry appeared simple, but from the styles and materials, each item cost way over five digits.
Wait a socialite! Hold the camera! The reporters came to the conclusion instantly and put their cameras down with a speed that was faster than when they removed them. In their hearts, they cried, Why isn't it dancing time yet‽
Looking at Sister Shuang and the retreat of the reporters, Luo Mingxin sighed in relief. Even though he had no idea how Sister Shuang got invited to this party and how she managed to secure this get-up, the girl had been a great help to him. If the picture of him attending the ball had been captured by the reporters, the public would have been interested in his partner, and Luo Mingxin believed that his agency would have used this opportunity to create some rumors.
Gaining a valid reason to abandon the unwilling junior, Luo Mingxin maintained a gentlemanly attitude as he accepted Ye Shuang's request to have a private talk. Now, the reporters did not even dare move. Taking Luo Mingxin's picture was fine, but if they accidentally caught the socialite he was with in the frame, the consequences could be unbearably bad.
After saving Luo Mingxin, Ye Shuang asked with wicked interest, "Do you think my appearance is a coincidence‽"
"…" Luo Mingxin had just sighed in relief, but now he was speechless. "Meaning you're here on purpose?"
Ye Shuang rolled her eyes at him. "Of course, I came to rescue so that you'll be in my debt. Did you think I've fallen for your good looks?"
So that you'll be in my debt… Luo Mingxin was confounded. Yes, it was normally for people to exchange favors, but normally, these things were kept under the table. This way, everyone's face would remain intact. Being explicit about it would make things awkward; a social exchange would become a sort of trade, which lowered the quality of everything.
"What kind of favor do you want in return?" Luo Mingxin asked.
Ye Shuang thought about it. "For now, I don't know, but it's probably related to your good looks. I'll tell you later."
The debt was not big enough for Ye Shuang to shove Luo Mingxin to Luo Ce. An agent that the star could not trust was no better than a personal assistant. In that case, Ye Shuang chose to bid her time. After hearing that, Luo Mingxin was scared, afraid that the girl might make some unreasonable demand.
In reality, his feelings for Sister Shuang were complicated. Initially, he had been willing to talk to her because of their shared interest and the link in Brother Shuang. Then, after meeting her in person at the private clubhouse, he had discovered that the woman was braver and more interesting than he thought. Now, he saw that the girl had managed to win over the upper society in just a few days and even managed to save himself from an awkward situation.
Luo Mingxin felt like it was him who helped her open the door to an incredible world, but when the girl came out from the door, she was a completely different person. Her growth was tremendous. Indeed, it was he who gave her the tips on acting and it was he who promoted the art of conning. Therefore, once in a while, Luo Mingxin would have this fatherly thought. That horrible child that I've taught is out creating trouble again.
Even though he also felt it was rather rare for him to pay so much attention to a girl that he had met just several times…
Calming down his emotions, Luo Mingxin changed the subject to lighten the mood. "That small talent won't be able to create any news on her own, and there are only so many reporters around. As long as I don't stray too close to her or be alone in her company, they won't be able to write anything. But you, how did you come up with this outfit‽"
Ye Shuang swirled the glass of wine in her grasp with ease. "It's nothing. Since today's weather was so nice, I decided to go out for a stroll. At the Go Association, I had a 'chance encounter' with a rather honorable looking elder who was playing. He invited me to play a few games with him, and I 'accidentally' missed the time to prepare the outfit to come to this party because I lost sight of time while playing Go with him. Then, the elder's granddaughter 'happened to be coming', and it was 'coincidentally' a girl whom I've met at the clubhouse before, so the girl lent me one of her dresses."
"…Haha." Luo Mingxin's lips twitched, and he did not know what to say. So many coincidences‽
This person's conning ability had improved to a level that he could not even understand anymore. Initially, she could only custom-make some cheongsams to trick others, but now, she was powerful enough to trick other socialites into lending her clothes.
"I didn't know you knew how to play Go." Celebrity Luo did not know what to say, so he landed on a rather empty topic.
"You're too kind. I just have slightly better memory and logic," Ye Shuang said humbly.
Go was indeed the best ability that she had mastered within the four skills, and she found it to be quite useful.
Playing Go was nothing more than logical speculation, and the rules were not that difficult. For Ye Shuang, this was something that she did not even need to learn. She just needed to memorize a few rule books, and that was it.
Furthermore, other skills required tools or had other limitations, but Go was something that did not need special preparation. When she felt like it, she could ask anyone to join her.
Most retired elderlies from great families had a penchant for playing Go, although some had more interest in Chinese Chess compared to Go. It could prevent Alzheimer's and raise one's standard.
It was literally the best skill to win the hearts of these old masters!
Ye Shuang and Luo Mingxin had shed their masks and were having a great conversation. Meanwhile, Mr. Lu greeted the whole room of guests and realized that the graceful beauty had disappeared.
"Ye Shuang‽" The girl from the Go Association who had lent Ye Shuang her dress answered after being asked, "Right, she ran into Celebrity Luo earlier, and they wandered off for a private chat."