Chapter 28: You Look Like a Heartbreaker

"That won't be necessary; I don't know how to dance anyway," Sang Fuying said, taking out a tube of lip glaze to touch up her lips.

Girls seem to be born with an innate mastery of applying lipstick.

After stepping down, Yuan Feiye opened the door for Sang Fuying, following her into the venue like a personal attendant to a young lady.

Dael and Mer arrived at the imperial palace together. As the siblings locked eyes, they exchanged looks of nothing but mutual disdain.

"You absolute elementary schooler! Anyone who didn't know better would think I’d just snatched you from the gates of a primary school! Don't stand so close to me, stay away. Having you by my side only makes me look tacky!" The first thing Dael did upon disembarking from the flight ship was to put some distance between herself and Mer.

Mer was dressed as casually as one could possibly be, wearing a light blue plaid shirt over a white T-shirt and jeans. He exuded a relaxed, collegiate vibe, and even his dazzling blonde hair looked remarkably well-behaved.

In stark contrast, Dael’s attire was at the opposite extreme. She looked like she was cosplaying, with heavy, elaborate makeup, a perm of large, voluminous curls, smoky eyeshadow, and a flamboyant, puffy dress...

Without his sister needing to say more, Mer consciously stepped aside.

His sister thought he dressed childishly, and he, in turn, couldn't make heads or tails of her aesthetic.

Just as they were walking toward the palace banquet hall with a distance between them wide enough to span a galaxy, a graceful and extraordinary figure in light purple effortlessly caught his eye.

The young girl in the light purple gown walked ahead of him. Her supple black hair fell to her waist, and the sash of her dress cinched a waist so slender it looked narrower than his palm. Her silhouette swayed, the hem of her dress rippling gently with her steps, and he found he couldn't look away.

It was just that the guy in the pink shirt next to her was quite an eyesore.

A violent shove to his shoulder sent Mer flying forward unexpectedly. Before he could recover from the sight of the light purple figure in front of him, he stumbled and fell to his knees in public, his face pressing against that impossibly slender waist, his hands clutching the girl's hem...

The sudden turn of events terrified Sang Fuying, who leaned against Yuan Feiye in alarm. Yuan Feiye hurriedly wrapped an arm around her shoulders to shield her, retreating vigilantly to put distance between them and Mer.

"Mer?" Sang Fuying turned around and was met with that familiar, handsome face, startled once again.

Yuan Feiye’s expression darkened as he looked at the embarrassed Mer.

What the hell was this kid doing? Taking advantage of a female in public, was he?

Judging by his looks, one would have thought he was some untouchable "high-mountain flower," but he was just a little rogue, a wretched dog!

Mer looked up into Sang Fuying’s terrified eyes. His cold, noble face was filled with utter humiliation and embarrassment; his ears burned uncontrollably, the heat spreading across his face.

"Listen, let me explain, I didn't mean to..." His voice was full of brokenness, and beneath his bangs, his malachite-colored eyes looked like shattered stones.

His kneeling caused passersby to turn and stare.

"Is that the eldest son of the Lesterin family?"

"The Lesterin heir? Isn't he the pride of the Ninth Star, the untouchable flower of the Lesterin family? What is he doing? This doesn't match my perception of him at all!"

"When pursuing a female you like, you should be bold and show your sincerity by lowering your status, right? What’s the point of keeping up an image? He’s kneeling right in front of that little female—can’t you see? He’s proposing!"

"Sigh, who is that little female? She’s too beautiful. How have I never seen such a gorgeous girl before?"

Seeing that the situation had spiraled unexpectedly, Dael didn't quite dare to go near Mer at first.

How embarrassing...

But fortunately, it was her younger brother’s reputation being ruined, not hers.

After much hesitation, she chose to stand by Mer’s side and silently hauled her brother up.

When she saw the girl who had been accidentally caught in the crossfire, Dael’s eyes widened, unable to hide her amazement.

What a beautiful girl!

Dael dragged Mer back a step and bowed to Sang Fuying. "Beautiful female, please accept my apologies for my foolish brother."

Mer looked at Dael with tears in his eyes. "You should be apologizing to her, because you were the one who pushed me!"

Dael slammed a fist into Mer’s shoulder and offered a sheepish explanation to Sang Fuying: "Children are just a bit vain; please forgive him."

Sang Fuying and Dael exchanged a look, both sizing each other up.

So this was Mer’s sister, the failed blind-date partner of Yuan Feiye?

She certainly had a unique personality.

Yuan Feiye pulled Sang Fuying closer and answered for her: "My Yingying is magnanimous and won't hold it against him. Please keep a better eye on your brother in the future. Yingying, let’s go."

Only then did Dael notice the flamboyant male standing next to the beautiful young female.

"Yuan Feiye! You stop right there!" Dael held up her skirt and chased after Yuan Feiye, fuming.

Mer followed Dael.

The onlookers were confused. "What’s going on now?"

"Maybe the beautiful girl is with young Master Yuan, and Miss Dael is jealous? I heard the Lesterin family and the Yuan family wanted to arrange a marriage between Miss Dael and young Master Yuan to see if they were a match."

"So, who exactly is that beautiful girl?"

The four of them entered the banquet hall almost together, with Dael looking like a furious tigress ready to pounce and tear into Yuan Feiye.

Mer tugged at the large bow on the back of Dael’s dress. "Sister, act normal. You said you didn't like Yuan Feiye and wouldn't let him be added to my list of potential brothers-in-law."

He had never said much to Dael before, mostly out of fear that she would lose her temper and cause trouble for Sang Fuying.

"Of course I won't let him be your brother-in-law!"

Yuan Feiye’s face turned even darker. "So? Do you want to fight? I refuse to fight with females."

Sang Fuying had been worried that Dael was angry because she was by Yuan Feiye’s side and was just calculating how to explain, when Dael grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Yuan Feiye toward Mer.

Dael pressed her hands onto Sang Fuying’s thin shoulders and stared into her eyes earnestly. "Beautiful girl, let me tell you, don't be deceived by a fickle old male like Yuan Feiye. Look at my brother—even if he is a bit foolish, he just turned eighteen this year, he’s pure in body and mind, and he’s quite good-looking..."

"What are you saying!" Mer interrupted Dael’s sales pitch with a bright red face.

Sang Fuying was bewildered, and Yuan Feiye felt he had been maliciously slandered.

Not wanting to argue with Dael, he looked helplessly at Sang Fuying. "Yingying, don't listen to a stranger’s nonsense. I don't even know how I’m supposed to be fickle..."

Dael retorted mercilessly: "You look fickle! Unlike my brother, he looks obedient the moment you see him!"

"Whether your brother is obedient or not, as his sister, don't you have any idea?" Yuan Feiye countered.