Chapter 27: The Queen's Ball

Merle lowered his head to meet the child’s expectant gaze and pulled a card from his pocket. "Do you take cards?"

"Yes, we do, sir!" The child immediately produced a POS machine. "Ten credits a flower. I brought a hundred with me today, and since I just sold one, there are ninety-nine left. That’s a very lucky number, big brother! Would you like to buy them all for your girlfriend?"

"Sure." Merle swiped the card without hesitation.

Delighted, the child carried the basket over to Sang Fuying and tugged at the hem of her skirt. With the school gate crowded after dark, Sang Fuying hadn't even noticed when the child had approached her.

"Are you selling flowers?" Sang Fuying asked under the child's beaming gaze.

The child held up the entire basket and offered it to her. "Pretty lady, these are ninety-nine roses that the big brother next to you bought for you. May you two be together forever!"

Sang Fuying turned to look at Merle. His eyes darted around in a flustered, evasive manner, as if he had done something guilty. From her angle, she could just catch the sight of his slightly reddened earlobes.

After shoving the flowers into her arms, the child skipped away.

"You bought these?" Sang Fuying asked, holding the bouquet.

Merle gave a soft grunt of affirmation and said nothing more. She wasn't particularly slow-witted, nor was she the type to indulge in overly confident fantasies, but Merle buying her flowers—and roses at that—made it hard not to be suspicious.

"Why did you buy me flowers?" The basket of fresh blooms made her feel a bit self-conscious. She had once read that a romance begins with the first bouquet of flowers, and this was indeed the first she had ever received in her life.

"He came over and told me to buy you a bouquet, so I bought them all." Merle spoke slowly, his tone sounding slightly stuttered.

After a pause, he added, "If you don't like roses, you can throw them away. There are people selling daisies and sunflowers over there..." He gestured with his eyes toward other flower vendors.

"Would you like to buy daisies and sunflowers instead?" Sang Fuying asked, following his lead.

"If you like them, I’ll go buy some."

"No, that's alright. Thank you." Sang Fuying hastily declined.

The two were awkward in their conversation, neither daring to look the other directly in the eye.

Sang Fuying returned to Yuan Feiye’s home in a daze, cradling the basket of roses. She spent her time in the living room trimming the stems and arranging them in a vase. When Yuan Feiye arrived, he found her sitting at the coffee table, focused on pruning the red roses.

The roses were vibrant, but the young girl’s beauty was even more striking. In her earnest eyes and brows, there was a pure, captivating charm that could bewitch anyone.

"Good evening, Brother Yuan," Sang Fuying greeted him proactively.

"Good evening." Yuan Feiye placed a small gift box in front of her and sat down beside her. "Where did the flowers come from?"

Thinking that Yuan Feiye and Merle didn't particularly care for each other, she simply replied, "I bought them outside the school."

Yuan Feiye was skeptical. In his experience, no female would buy red roses for herself, though he didn't want to press the matter. However, he couldn't help but reasonably suspect that the brat Lestrange had sent them.

After finishing the arrangement, Sang Fuying looked at the small gift box. It was exquisite, adorned with a tiny rose, and likely contained jewelry.

"Is this for me?"

"Yes. I passed by a jewelry store on my way back. Since I couldn't pick you up today, consider this compensation. See if you like it." He wasn't sure if the little one would like it, but he had certainly purchased the most expensive item in the shop.

Inside the box was a bracelet, its pink gemstones flickering with iridescent fire in the light. She couldn't identify the jewelry, but based on Yuan Feiye’s spending habits, she knew it certainly wasn't cheap.

"Do you like it?" he asked, unable to hide his anticipation.

Sang Fuying nodded. "Thank you, Brother Yuan. I love it."

"If you like it, put it on. Let me help you."

Yuan Feiye took the bracelet and fastened it around her wrist. Even as he did so, his fingertips didn't so much as brush her skin. The girl’s wrists were slender, her skin as delicate and flawless as suet jade; the sparkling pink gems seemed like mere accessories to her elegant beauty.

"By the way, tomorrow is the Empress’s birthday, and there will be a birthday ball at the palace in the evening. Would you be willing to accompany me, Yingying? Your uncle will be there, too." He added the last sentence as if afraid she might refuse.

A ball?

Sang Fuying was actually quite interested. It wasn't that she cared to watch others dance, but she had never been to one. She had only seen scenes of royal balls—with their clinking glasses and decadent luxury—in movies, which were very different from the networking galas she had attended with her family as a child.

"Can we go without dancing?" she asked timidly. She didn't know how to dance.

"Of course. I never dance when I go." Yuan Feiye didn't mention the reason why he never took to the floor at these events.

"And what about my uncle?" Sang Fuying was curious if he could dance. Back home, her uncle had never participated in those networking dances either. When she asked why he didn't dance with the beautiful women, he had claimed his limbs were too stiff to move.

"I wouldn't know about that. If you want to see, you'll have to go and find out for yourself," Yuan Feiye said, drawing out his tone with a coaxing quality.

Sang Fuying accompanied Yuan Feiye to the Empress’s birthday ball. She chose a pale purple gown from her closet, leaving her beautiful, supple black hair loose. She wore only a simple, light makeup look; her attire was understated, but her lovely, stunning appearance made her impossible to ignore.

Yuan Feiye didn't wear a formal tuxedo either; he threw on a light pink shirt and didn't even bother with a tie. Compared to the opulent, grand style of the royal ball, their outfits appeared quite casual.

The makeup Sang Fuying used was something she had ordered via express delivery after cramming beauty tutorials on the StarNet the previous night. Back on Earth, after she fell ill with leukemia, she had never had the chance to properly enjoy the things girls usually liked. She had practiced for a long time before she managed to achieve a decent, subtle look.

Upon arriving at the palace, Sang Fuying looked around in curiosity. The palace was a blend of futuristic sci-fi aesthetics and Western retro style. The entire place was magnificent and gilded, with spiral staircases made of crystal-clear glass; it was a profound, tangible realization of a celestial palace.

As their flying ship docked at the square outside the palace, Sang Fuying caught sight of the gorgeously and extravagantly dressed people through the rearview mirror before even stepping out. She looked at her own reflection.

The girl in the mirror was peerlessly beautiful, yet her eyes held a hint of self-doubt, unaware of her own charm.

"Compared to everyone else, do I look too plain?"

The rearview mirror reflected another pair of smiling eyes. Those light pink irises, shimmering with a glazed brilliance, were gazing at her with gentle tenderness.

"Not at all. Be more confident. But if you want to outshine everyone else, I can take you to change into a gown and find a professional stylist right now."