The melodious Nocturne echoed above the ballroom, as the young men and women below began inviting their desired dance partners. It wasn't long before many pairs were dancing in the dance floor, embracing each other and moving to the rhythm of the Nocturne.

In the corner, a blue-haired girl in a Wing Blue Gown, with exquisite makeup on her face, repeatedly surveyed her surroundings. The woman beside her seemed to notice her anxiety, and said:

"Little Sevia, this is your first time attending a family party, right? It's normal to be nervous. Once you get familiar with the dance steps, you can be just like them."

"That's not what I meant," Tang Xin said.

"Are you shy?" The woman smiled.

Tang Xin nodded slightly.

"It's just ballroom dancing. The young men in the family are all gentlemen; they won't do anything inappropriate. If you really don't want to, just refuse boldly."

Saying this, the woman was also invited; she smiled with her eyes and took the young man's hand, accompanying him to the dance floor.

The surrounding girls gradually received invitations too. Not long ago, these girls, dressed luxuriously and looking vibrant, were chatting with Tang Xin. They talked about fairly simple and easy topics, like games and jokes on the curtains, making Tang Xin feel they weren't so distant.

But now they all seemed to have changed, graceful and generous, confident and beautiful. Their dresses fluttered in the powerful yet gentle dance moves. Suddenly, she felt like an ugly duckling that had strayed into a flock of swans. Even with the boost of this gown, she was indeed the most outstanding and dazzling jewel of this party.

The young girl's awkward demeanor naturally caught the attention of a few playful youths on the other side.

"Look, that guy, Sevia. I remember she's the daughter of that woman, right? Recently she's been quite famous, called what, the daughter of Stars?"

"The woman who died after contracting a disease due to her lack of propriety? I heard the Lindong family lost a lot of face because of this matter. That guy Yain is still being laughed at, haha."

"But she looks pretty good, no wonder Yain was so enchanted by that woman."

One of them thought of something and said to his companions, "Want to play a prank on her?"

The others were intrigued and nodded repeatedly.

"Young Master Wen, what are you up to again?"

"Just watch me. Later, you guys just get your cameras ready."

With that, the young man patted his chest, drank his wine in one gulp, wiped his face casually, and took a few steps forward to stand beside Tang Xin.

Tang Xin was slightly dazed when she noticed someone approaching.

"Look, what a beautiful lady, Sevia. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

The young man deliberately raised his voice, which overshadowed the melody of the Nocturne for a moment, drawing the attention of many to this scene, making Tang Xin the center of attention.

"I remember that girl, Sevia. Has she grown so much already? She never received family etiquette education, probably doesn't understand the manners."

"I heard about her mother..."

"Tsk, don't mention it, the Lindong family absolutely doesn't recognize that woman's surname as Lindong."

"A woman with no propriety, how good could the daughter she raised be? Surely she's not well-bred..."

The whispers of those around fell into Tang Xin's ears. She looked up to see the young man with an ill-intentioned face, as if having taken the young girl for granted, he lowered his voice.

"In front of so many people, you wouldn't want to refuse me, would you, Miss Tang Xin?"

"Or is it that you're just like that woman, with no sense of shame at all?"

Tang Xin said nothing, the shadow fell across her face, hiding her expression in a certain angle of light.

It's always like this, always like this.

Nobody noticed, the girl's hands clenched tightly, her nails almost digging into her pale flesh.

She didn't understand, really didn't understand why someone would harbor inexplicable malice towards her, maybe because of that woman, maybe because of the so-called daughter of Stars, or maybe it didn't need any reason at all, just because she was weak and easy to bully.

Past experiences replayed continuously in her mind: the bullying in the band, the rumors spread by those roommates in the academy, the vicious curses from people on the curtain, and everything she was experiencing now.

Why should all the harm she suffered be dismissed by others with a joke?

Why should she have to submit to these unfounded malice?

And why is it always her experiencing all this?

"Hurry up, my patience is limited." The young man spread his hands indifferently.

Seeing the girl's shoulders tremble, her face darkened, he blinked slyly at his companions and whistled lightly.

But he found that his companions were staring at him in shock, he turned his head and opened his eyes wide.

The previously silent blue-haired girl raised her hand high towards him.

Slap—

The crisp sound echoed across the ballroom.

The people around looked in astonishment at the golden-haired girl who appeared at some point, her face expressionless, and the young man whose face now bore a red handprint, holding his swollen face.

"You hit me?" The young man looked at Xu Xiaoyou incredulously.

"What, want more?" Xu Xiaoyou raised her eyebrow, pretending to lift her hand, the young man was so frightened that he retreated again and again, accidentally falling to the ground.

"Does the Lindong family etiquette allow their own family members to bully a girl over trumped-up things and turn a blind eye?"

"Is this the gentlemanly manners you pride yourselves on?"

"Each of you thinks too highly of yourselves; in my view, you're no different from those hoodlums in small alleys who whistle at passing girls."

Xu Xiaoyou grasped Tang Xin's hand, calmly looked around, her voice resonating in the empty ballroom; the young scions who were just enjoying the scene suddenly felt their faces burn, as if they were the ones slapped.

"He's not one of the Lindong family! We Lindongs do not recognize his last name!" someone murmured from the corner.

Xu Xiaoyou curled her lips slightly, half-smiling:

"Oh, since you don't even acknowledge his last name, then I figure no one would mind if I discipline a dog that bites indiscriminately for your Lindongs?"

For a long time, no one spoke, the room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Seeing the Lindong family's fig leaf was about to be torn off by the young girl, a middle-aged man with some seniority and prestige in the Lindong family couldn't sit still. Just as he was about to get up, the voice of the noble lady beside him floated by.

"Let the younger generation solve their own issues. Are you trying to make us lose even more face by stepping in after she struck a child?"

Hearing the woman's words, the man's face darkened, his throat churned slightly, but he heard the woman's severe, melodious voice.

"Sit down."

"Got it, Theresa Madam," the man sat down honestly.

The lady called Theresa admired the golden-haired girl below; she hadn't forgotten this little girl who spoke nicely—her ballroom dancing was decent, she was calm and charismatic; she liked her more and more.

Tang Xin was momentarily dazed. All the eyes were focused on them, and beside her was the ever-familiar girl, holding her hand, exuding a comforting aura.

After a long while, Tang Xin finally said, "Thank you."

"It's great not hearing you apologize to me," Xu Xiaoyou sighed.

Tang Xin thought seriously and said, "Even if I had another chance to choose, I would still want to hit him, whether you came or not."

"I don't want to endure it anymore. Whoever provokes me in the future, I'll bite back."

"If it causes you trouble, that's what you deserve, because I'm sure you've done a lot of bad things behind my back."

Xu Xiaoyou nodded, raised the girl's hand high, letting everyone present see, at the same time, looking down at the young man in utter embarrassment on the ground.

"Sorry, I'm rejecting you on her behalf, because from the start, she already had an appointment with me."

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