1479: Ceremony Like No Other

Ceremony Like No Other

The news of Mu Feichi's attendance at the socialite ball soon travelled to Qi Siyu's ears from the organizers. 1

It was a coincidence that when Qiao Ximin had approached her to share her misery about the competition, the two had caught wind of the news in the middle of their venting. The news of the Young Commander's attendance had given Qiao Ximin a sudden boost of hope.

However, Qi Siyu eyed Qiao Ximin's naive excitement with condescension. "Did you know...?" she asked rhetorically, "...the first dance the Young Commander will have is with the number one first-class socialite?" She explained this to Qiao Ximin with a crooked smile. "What are you so excited about?"

Her words were like a hailstorm that had crashed down on Qiao Ximin's parade. "I..." Qiao Ximin froze, the smile on her face twisted into an unbearably sour expression as she bit down on her lips, her hands gripping so tightly onto the teacup in her hands that it almost broke.

There was nothing more humiliating to Qiao Ximin than losing the title as the number one first-class socialite. The reality of it felt like two heavy slaps across her face.

Not only her reputation, but the reputation of the Qiao family, had been deeply affected by her loss as well.

More important, she had lost her chance to share a dance with the Young Commander.

This was an event that had never occurred in all the history of the socialite ball. No one before had ever had the honor of sharing the first dance with the Young Commander. Even Qi Siyu had not had the honor.

The opportunity had slipped out of her hands, and this was the hardest thing for Qiao Ximin to internalize, much less to accept and move on.

How could she admit failure to Yun Xi? Impossible!

"If that girl did not have Second Master Jiang to support her, she would not have gotten that high a score. Who is she anyway? Just some daughter of some random official. She has nothing, yet she walked away with the title. How unfair is this?"

"But what can you do? She managed to network with the Jiang family. If someone as big and powerful as them were willing to stand with her, this is a win for her. If you had what it takes, you would have networked with the head of the Huo family. The results might have been different then."

Qiao Ximin looked up in frustration. She had heard about Qi Siyu's interest in the Young Commander. This was a common ground she could use between them. Qiao Ximin was certain Qi Siyu would not allow another woman to get ahead of her in obtaining the interests of the Young Commander.

"What can we do? She already got all the attention during lunch. There will be more guests that are coming for dinner. If...if she gets to dance with the Young Commander, it will be everywhere tomorrow: the news channels, the tabloids, even the internet forums!"

Qi Siyu carefully stirred the cup of coffee in her hands and raised her eyebrows as she regarded Qiao Ximin. Qiao Ximin's schemes and plots were child's play compared to those the experienced Qi Siyu had.

Qiao Ximin did not seek her out with the innocent intention of complaining, she wanted her help to take down Yun Xi. But Qi Siyu was no fool, and she knew it was better for her to stay away from any direct exchanges with Yun Xi.

Qi Siyu set down the teaspoon and gave Qiao Ximin a cold glare. "So what you mean is," she spoke slowly, each word adding tension to the next, "since the Qi family are the organizers this year, you want me to do something about her?"

This might not sound like a threat, but in the ears of Qiao Ximin, she was completely aware that this was a warning from Qi Siyu.

The Prime Minister's family had always been a pillar of support for the Qiao family. Qiao Ximin could provoke anyone else in Jingdu, but she must never step on Qi Siyu's nerves in any way.

"No, no, that's not what I mean, that's not it..."

"It isn't what she meant." A voice emerged from behind the door, and Qi Yichen pushed the screen door open and popped his head in casually. His arrival had given the two women on the balcony quite a scare.

Qi Siyu turned to face her brother who was grinning from ear to ear with a sinister smile, one that anyone could tell meant he was up to no good. "Why are you here?"

"I was wondering what two heartbroken women were up to in this room."

"..." Qi Siyu shot Qi Yichen a venomous glare. He knew where their wounds were, and he knew the right salt to pour into them.

"Guess what? Our dearly beloved Young Commander will not only attend tonight's banquet, but he's also turning it into a coming-of-age ceremony for that girl. Every elite in Jingdu is attending, everyone who's somebody will be there..."

Qi Yichen pulled a chair over and sat down beside the two, and he lazily ruffled his bangs on his forehead. "It will be a ceremony like no other!"

"Coming-of-age ceremony...?" Qi Siyu was stunned and grimaced at her brother in disbelief. "Are you kidding? This is the socialite ball. How can the Young Commander turn this into her coming-of-age ceremony? Is he..."

Qi Yichen scoffed as he continued to pour another cup of coffee for his sister, and he finished the sentence for her, "...crazy?"

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