Chapter 47: Bestie Arrives, Gothic Rose

She had come to stake out Song Mo.

An Yinuo had set aside her usual lazy princess demeanor.

Today she had even arrived early.

She knew Song Mo's parents were on the invitation list, and figured that even if Song Mo didn't want to come, he'd very likely be required to.

Sure enough, she'd finally caught sight of Song Mo.

After spotting Song Mo, she didn't tip him off.

Instead, she kept watching Song Mo, observing what he was about to do. In this super-rich young lady's boring, tedious life, a new time-killing game had appeared.

It was called "Observe Song Mo."

An Yinuo's curiosity had been lit in a rather crooked direction.

After seeing Song Mo take the cocktail shaker, An Yinuo seemed to realize something. She immediately opened her phone to record, and sure enough, collected a piece of footage.

She believed she now understood Song Mo a little better.

But An Yinuo always felt that the Song Mo she understood was still just the tip of the iceberg revealed above the surface—she couldn't predict the "massive volume" hidden beneath the ice.

Even though they were classmates.

He was still so mysterious.

Unfathomable, unpredictable—truly irresistible bait for a cat's curiosity.

Even when she smelled danger in the air.

She still couldn't resist creeping closer to explore.

……

Song Wanrou looked at Song Mo in surprise.

She took a small sip of the azure-blue liquor in her glass.

The alcohol content really was very low.

But unlike many poorly mixed cocktails.

It hadn't lost the taste of alcohol—it was more like a mixed drink.

"Sis, just have this one glass."

"Even though the alcohol content is low, you'll still get drunk if you drink too much."

Song Mo reminded her.

Song Wanrou obediently nodded and took small sips.

Song Mo didn't drink any himself.

"Why aren't you drinking?"

Song Wanrou tilted her head and asked, puzzled.

【Tilting her head like that is so cute.】

【At times like this she actually looks like a little sister.】

Song Mo complained inwardly.

"I don't really drink."

Especially not out in public.

Song Mo mainly didn't want to get drunk, didn't want to lose his clear-headed mind out in public, because he always felt the world was full of dangers lurking on every side.

Only by staying sober could he be his family's pillar of support at all times, and also ensure his own safety.

Song Wanrou heard his inner thoughts and her mood grew even more cheerful.

"If you're not drinking, then don't. Big Sis still needs you to protect her."

She contentedly savored the Sky Dream in her hand.

An Yinuo suddenly felt a twinge of envy.

Envy for the Song Wanrou by Song Mo's side.

She had never received a kind attitude from Song Mo—always only his disdain and dislike, let alone any reliance or protection.

Unfortunately, An Yinuo overlooked one thing…

Her mother and Song Mo were not in a marital relationship.

In other words, Song Mo wasn't her dad.

Why on earth would he indulge her?

After mixing one cocktail, Song Mo didn't mix any more.

Clearly, that had just been a tentative try.

He had never mixed a single drink before; he had only, while previously grinding the 【Culinary Mastery】 skill, read a lot of books related to food and drink on the side.

Beverages naturally were among them.

A casual try, and unexpectedly Culinary Mastery worked on cocktail mixing too.

……

It was already nearly 7 p. m.

More people were entering the hotel.

The tycoons and second-generation heirs each had their own circles.

"Yinuo!"

An Yinuo heard someone calling her.

She turned to look.

It was Uncle Tang's daughter, Tang Xiaowan.

The Tang and An families have been longtime friends with deep cooperative ties, so An Yinuo and Tang Xiaowan interact frequently.

She is her very, very close friend.

The only difference is that An Yinuo is the only daughter in her family, while Tang Xiaowan has an older brother.

It's just this small matter.

Their social statuses are clearly different.

In their equal interactions, Tang Xiaowan usually takes the initiative to approach An Yinuo; she really wants to build a good relationship with her.

"Did the sun rise from the west? You're here so early today!"

Tang Xiaowan winked and made faces at An Yinuo.

She gestured toward Song Mo in the distance.

"Or have you developed a crush?"

"What are you talking about, Xiao Wan!"

An Yinuo instantly blushed and raised her hand to hit Tang Xiaowan.

Tang Xiaowan laughed and dodged playfully.

Her teasing made outsiders think she and An Yinuo were very close.

"Alright, alright, no more!"

Tang Xiaowan simply couldn't handle it anymore.

An Yinuo's little fists really hurt when they hit!

How could she have forgotten this?

The girl was already strong, and she was a real Taekwondo Black Belt!

An Yinuo wouldn't let up.

Tang Xiaowan had to beg: "I was just joking! I was just joking! Miss An, please spare me!"

An Yinuo finally let out a "Hmph."

She glared at Tang Xiaowan with a warning look.

"You can joke about anyone, but not him!"

"Why?"

Tang Xiaowan instinctively asked.

This question left An Yinuo stunned.

Yeah, why?

She stammered for a long time, then finally blurted out one sentence.

"Why? There's no why! It's just not allowed!"

Tang Xiaowan sensed something odd; she studied An Yinuo from head to toe, then glanced again at the cold, handsome boy in the distance.

"No way!"

Tang Xiaowan exclaimed: "An Yinuo, you're serious?"

"Do you like him?"

"I don't!"

An Yinuo reflexively denied it.

But the moment the words left her mouth, a strange regret rose in her heart.

Tang Xiaowan became genuinely interested.

"Yinuo, tell me—who is this guy?"

"What do you like about him?"

"Or…"

"How far have you two gone?"

An Yinuo frowned in distress.

"I already said I don't like him."

"Who would like someone so arrogant and disrespectful?"

Besides, Song Mo always insults her in his mind.

She's not a masochist!

How could she possibly like him?

She originally hated him the most!

Tang Xiaowan's mind was far sharper than An Yinuo's; she quickly extracted the truth from fragments of conversation.

"This guy doesn't like you?"

The resentment in An Yinuo's voice was unmistakable!

Not hatred!

It was the pouting resentment of a young girl!

It's girlhood pining, folks!

Tang Xiaowan instantly felt united against the common enemy.

"Yinuo, this guy is way too much!"

"How could he not be interested in someone as ethereal as you? Is he blind?"

Tang Xiaowan's words were sincere.

An Yinuo was the kind of girl who looked pure and clean at first glance, as if she had been preserved atop the summit of Mount Everest.

At the very least, she had always envied girls like that.

Tang Xiaowan's looks weren't bad either, but she and An Yinuo were two completely different styles; she wore black eyeliner and black lipstick, a somewhat dark gothic-rose aesthetic.

It had nothing to do with purity or freshness.

It was a different kind of bewitching beauty.

An Yinuo felt a little guilty.

"Actually, between him and me, there's a bit of a misunderstanding…"

"What misunderstanding?"

Tang Xiaowan felt she had already grasped the key point.

(End of Chapter)