Chapter 174: Let Me Introduce You, My Girlfriend

On the lawn, where elegant dresses and suited shoulders brushed past one another, Cheng Xingye held Lu Qingyue's hand, intending to get her something delicious.

Before they even reached the dessert table, a man who knew Cheng Xingye came over to strike up a conversation.

The other man was dressed in a formal suit jacket and a white shirt, complete with a boutonnière pinned to his chest—clearly a member of the host family for today’s wedding banquet.

"Brother Xingye, your girlfriend?" Luo Kai’s gaze landed on Lu Qingyue with a look of intrigued appraisal.

Cheng Xingye pulled Lu Qingyue closer, his tone casual as he spoke, "Mm. Let me introduce you. My girlfriend, Lu Qingyue. This is Luo Kai, Grandpa Luo’s youngest grandson."

Lu Qingyue raised her hand to her chest and gave a small, polite wave. "Hello, Brother Kai."

The girl’s voice was soft, sweet, and endearing.

The large hand Cheng Xingye had rested on the small of her back paused slightly. He tilted his head with a casual, indifferent air, tasting the title on his tongue with mild disfavor.

"Brother Kai? There's no need to be so polite. Just call him by his name."

Come to think of it, although Luo Kai was a few years older than her, he was notorious in their circle for his wild and untamed ways. He changed girlfriends faster than he changed clothes; he hardly warranted such polite deference.

Yet Lu Qingyue widened her eyes in slight astonishment.

"Call him by his name? Wouldn't that be impolite?!"

Not only was the man older than her, but he was also the host of today's banquet. Lu Qingyue couldn't help thinking that the boyfriend she had chosen must be aged like fine vinegar—why else would he constantly stare at her with such sour jealousy over what she called other people?

Luo Kai, however, seemed quite pleased with the title. He arched a brow, looked her over a few more times, and chuckled with a teasing, playful undertone.

"Not bad, Brother Xingye! With such a gorgeous little beauty falling into your hands, you'd better not keep her on too tight of a leash!"

Even though it was just a joke, Lu Qingyue relied on a woman's inexplicable sixth sense to acutely perceive that he was looking at her as if she were merely a plaything.

After all, for people in their social circle, swapping girlfriends was an everyday occurrence. When Cheng Xingye introduced her as his girlfriend, the other man had inevitably assumed it was just a passing whim, and therefore didn't take her seriously.

She felt somewhat uncomfortable right away and wanted to leave. But another young man walked over and struck up a conversation with Cheng Xingye.

Lu Qingyue quietly glanced left and right, noticing the dessert table was close by, so she gently tugged on Cheng Xingye's sleeve and whispered, "I want to get something to drink!"

Cheng Xingye paused his conversation at the sound, turned back, and gave a soft murmur of assent as he gently grasped her fingertips. "I'll go with you."

Chatting idly with Luo Kai and the others was merely a matter of social etiquette; they weren't actually that close.

However, noticing that the area around the dessert table was crowded with girls, Lu Qingyue figured that if Cheng Xingye went over, he would inevitably become the center of visual attention once again. She quickly said, "No, no! I can go by myself."

Luo Kai and the other man watched their lingering, ambiguous interaction with expressions of genuine surprise and amusement.

Given the young Master Cheng’s background and status, what kind of girlfriend couldn't he have? Was it really necessary to guard her so closely that he couldn't bear to let her out of his sight?

Yet since Lu Qingyue herself had put it that way, Cheng Xingye figured she would be safe enough right under his nose. He gave her head an affectionate pat. "Don't go too far. I'll come find you in a bit."

Lu Qingyue: "Okay!"

Before Cheng Xingye could offer any further instructions, she had already caught sight of the various exquisite and dainty little pastries on the dessert table and darted away in a flash.

Cheng Xingye: "..."

......

The ocean breeze blew gently, carrying a few lingering notes of rose fragrance.

The dessert table was dazzlingly arrayed, surrounded by several young girls who were enthusiastically holding up their phones to snap aesthetic photos of the floral cakes.

Lu Qingyue bypassed the crowd, ran over to grab a cup, and prepared to pour herself some juice.

The juice was housed in a transparent glass pitcher, garnished with ice cubes and mint leaves that added a breath of freshness to the early spring breeze.

Just as Lu Qingyue reached for the juice pitcher, she suddenly heard a girl's voice ask from beside her, "Are you the one Xingye brought here?"

Though bright and clear, the voice was unmistakably laced with hostility.

Lu Qingyue froze in the middle of pouring the juice and raised her head in puzzlement.

The moment their eyes met, the sluggishly flowing air seemed to freeze. Both of them caught a glimpse of hostility and vigilance in the other's gaze.

Standing beside her was a girl who looked not much older than herself. Her face was exquisitely made up, and she wore a pale pink knee-length tulle dress. A head of chestnut-brown wavy curls fell lazily over her shoulders, and tucked into her hair with calculated design was a small tiara encrusted with shimmering crushed diamonds.

To dress up with such exaggerated, grandiose flair at someone else's wedding simply reeked of desperate attention-seeking—both gaudy and pretentious.

Still, what had she just called him?

*Xingye-ge?*

Lu Qingyue turned the endearment over in her mind.

Although she didn't know what kind of relationship the girl shared with Cheng Xingye, she suddenly felt that this scoundrel of hers was truly in dire need of some strict discipline.

Why were there little admirers of his lurking around every corner?

Displeased, she decided not to dignify the girl with a response, set her cup down, and turned to leave.

To her surprise, the other girl suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her back, preventing her from leaving. "Hey, I'm talking to you! Are you mute?!"

The people around them caught the commotion and let their gazes drift over intentionally or otherwise.

Seeing that He Mengting was giving a hard time to a girl who looked somewhat unfamiliar, the onlookers were hardly surprised. Given that the second young miss of the He family was notorious for her willful and overbearing nature, they simply assumed it was a petty spat between girls and gathered around to watch the spectacle.

Lu Qingyue's wrist throbbed with sharp pain, and a surge of anger instantly flared in her chest. Putting force into her wrist, she suppressed her voice and said coldly, "Let go!"

She didn't exactly have a gentle temperament to begin with; she had merely been mindful of the Luo family's banquet today and wished to avoid making a scene. Yet the other girl refused to let up, pulling her back with even greater force. "I won't let go. What can you possibly do about it..."

Before the sentence could even finish, Lu Qingyue violently wrenched her wrist free.