Yu Yuan sat next to Huo Wei and watched people come and go. In the not-so-long period they had been here, many people had come to offer greetings and exchange pleasantries. She glanced around the room. There were still many others discreetly observing them and waiting for the right time to come over.
Many of them, Yu Yuan recognized as leaders in their respective industries, but they were all eyeing herself and her husband waiting for an opportunity. She knew Huo Wei was very powerful and influential, but seeing it in person was more impactful.
Yu Yuan turned to watch her husband. With a cold expression, he handled the niceties and conversations with ease. A small smile appeared on her face before she turned to respond to a question directed at her. As the wife of the most powerful man in Country A, she also had to handle these niceties and conversations.
It was Yu Yuan's first official appearance as Huo Wei's wife. People couldn't help but take extra looks at her. Their lingering gazes made Huo Wei's mood plummet a little. He was starting to wish he hadn't brought her along. He knew that they were just curious about his wife, but the possessiveness and jealousy that erupted made a mockery of his self-control.
With a subtle but deliberate move, he slipped his arm around Yu Yuan's waist and pulled her closer to his side. Perhaps it served as a reminder. The curious eyes diminished a lot.
Yu Yuan glanced at her husband in amusement. She didn't need to ask before she knew what happened. But just for the sake of teasing, she leaned close to him and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, asked. "Jealous?"
"Very," came Huo Wei's curt reply. "I want to hide you away to a place where their eyes can't reach." As he said this, his grasp on her waist tightened.
Yu Yuan chuckled before leaning over to whisper into his ears. No one knew what was being said, but seeing their interactions, everyone knew that Huo Wei favored his wife. Hence, she couldn't be offended.
This scene fell into the eyes of Qin Huifen. She looked away and lightly turned her gaze to the person she was conversing with.
The lady in front of her felt unease instantly. She didn't know why, but she felt that Qin Huifen was smiling, but her eyes were dangerous. Their conversation had come to an end anyway, so she left.
Qin Huifen turned her gaze back to the couple. Huo Wei still had his hand around Yu Yuan's waist.
Qin Huifen looked down at the wine glass in her hand. Luo Chun said the plan would happen tonight. She wished it would come quicker. The more time she spent watching the couple, the more, the deeper a thorn Yu Yuan was in her flesh.
On the other side of the room, Yu Yuan and Huo Wei continued to socialize. Yu Yuan kept a slight smile on her face all along. At this rate, she feared by the time the banquet ended, the smile would become a permanent mask.
The upper class really didn't have it easy. They all had to put smiles on their faces, but who knew what they really thought? Each one had thoughts more unfathomable than the next, regardless of their smiles. Even Patriarch Luo, who was known to be as cold as a snake, could put on a warm and fatherly smile.
Yu Yuan was beginning to get tired of the endless conversations. She hadn't consumed anything but wine since they arrived, so she was hungry. She decided to get some food at the buffet table. She turned to her husband. "I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"
"You must be hungry," he said with concern in his eyes. "Go ahead and get something to eat. Don't worry about me. I'll wrap things up faster so we can leave."
Yu Yuan nodded before getting up and heading to the buffet. She picked up a plate before beginning to browse the food options. Everything looked delicious. She took her time filling her plate with what she liked.
With her plate in hand, she headed back to where Huo Wei was. Her stomach was starting to protest in hunger, so she quickened her steps with the thought that soon, she would be able to comfort her stomach. Alas, fate had other plans.
At that very moment, a waiter carrying a tray of crystal-clear wine glasses turned abruptly. The waiter halted his steps midway to avoid a collision, but due to the sudden movements, the glasses teetered dangerously. In a frantic attempt to regain balance, the waiter stumbled, sending the entire tray of wine pouring forward and, unfortunately, onto Yu Yuan's gown.
Gasps of surprise echoed from the people nearby. Huo Wei, who was still in the midst of other guests, looked over. He caught a glimpse of his wife covered in wine, and his expression changed almost immediately. The people who were around him fell silent before making way for Huo Wei, who walked over in quick strides to his wife.
When he arrived, the waiter had his head down and was apologizing profusely. "I'm truly sorry for the accident, madam."
"What happened?" he inquired, his deep voice carrying a protective and slightly angry tone.
Seeing that her husband had arrived, Yu Yuan explained, "It was just a little accident with some wine."
Yu Yuan called it a little accident, but the frown etched upon his brows didn't lessen.
The waiter, seeing that things seemed to have gotten even worse, bowed even lower. "I'm sorry! I really am. It's all my fault. I should have been more careful."
Yu Yuan glanced at him and replied, "It's all right. Accidents happen sometimes."
The body of the waiter stiffened unnoticeably, but he continued bowing.
Huo Wei didn't pay attention to the waiter. He looked at the dress his wife was wearing in distress. The wine had seeped through completely, so she must feel uncomfortable now.
Luo Hai, who had gotten the news, walked through the small crowd that had gathered at their side. "We are truly sorry for this blunder. I'll arrange someone to quickly take her to where she can change her dress."
He gestured to one of the female staff to lead her to a room where she could change.
Yu Yuan turned to her husband. "I'm fine. I'll go change my dress and be back soon."
The frown on Huo Wei's face eased a little, and he nodded.
Yu Yuan followed the staff out of the hall. As they walked, Yu Yuan couldn't help but notice the heady scent of the wine. It seemed to hang in the air, clinging to her. The scent was both alluring and slightly intoxicating. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of wine it was.
The female staff stopped in front of a door. "Madam, this is the room. The closet has multiple dresses you can choose from. I'll take my leave now."
Yu Yuan nodded at her. "Ok. Thank you."
She pushed the door open and walked in, the door closing softly behind her. She walked a few steps further into the room before pausing to examine her stained dress. Her actions seemed natural, but only she knew the alarm bells that were ringing in her head.
There were two people in the room, hiding. She could point out the direction in which they were hiding, and from the looks of it, they had been waiting for her. Even worse, she was starting to feel certain changes in her body.
A peculiar sensation seemed to wash over her, starting as a subtle warmth that coursed through her veins. Yu Yuan blinked, her focus momentarily wavering as her body responded to an inexplicable stimulus.
Yu Yuan's eyes went cold. She didn't need to think twice before she knew she had been schemed against. Her breath quickened as her heart raced with a rather familiar excitement, her cheeks flushed with desire. The clear effects of an aphrodisiac.
The effects were fast appearing, but Yu Yuan remained calm. She hadn't eaten or drank anything since she had arrived. It must have been the wine. No wonder it has such a strong and intoxicating scent. It must have been to cover up the smell of the aphrodisiac that could be ingested via inhalation.
She had to say, the person behind this must have thought highly of her. Such a method that was hard to guard against was used on her. What happened to the old ways of slipping drugs into wine that would be drunk?
What should she do now? At this rate, the aphrodisiac would weaken her limbs until she could only lay down weak and helpless. That was probably what the intruders were waiting for. She had to act quickly.
Yu Yuan straightened up from examining her dress. She asked out loud in a puzzled tone while running her hands across her hair that had been put in an updo. "Why do I feel dizzy all of a sudden?"
Her eyes seemed slightly dazed, but if one looked closely, they would discover that they were as cold as glaciers. The hand that just ran across her hair hid a thin but sharp hairpin. Her senses seemed to sharpen, and every sound in the room amplified. She scanned their hiding places and prepared herself for confrontation. She only had one chance.