Chapter 271: Dance Partner

Lin Qingyan explained to her that venues where one can dance Social Dance are already few, and these suppressed youths, when they learn there is a ball today, will try to pull strings to get in.

So Qin Shou being able to come is not surprising.

Qin Shou came through the carpeted corridor and clearly also noticed Lin Qingyan.

Only because Lu Ying beside him was too conspicuous; others ate pastries holding small plates, elegantly taking a tiny bite and chewing slowly.

Lu Ying, however, ate as if no one were there, taking one whole bite without any grace.

Qin Shou had intended to look away, but when he saw Lin Qingyan in a pristine long dress, clean as an elegant jade magnolia, his heart fluttered.

In all these years he had never seen a woman more beautiful than Lin Qingyan; as she aged, she shed her childishness and gained a poised, elegant aura.

This made him unable to forget her for years.

Qin Shou couldn't help feeling regret, not for Lin Zhenfeng's incident, but for having been drunk and impulsive that day, which led to what later happened.

Had those later events not occurred, Lin Qingyan would already be his now.

Seeing no acquaintances nearby, Qin Shou took a few steps forward and said to Lin Qingyan.

"You're here too? Who did you get in? Surely you pulled some strings. In the future, just tell me if you want to come to places like this; given the old face‑to‑face between our families, I could help you a bit, no need to ask others."

Facing Qin Shou's condescending words, Lin Qingyan was expressionless: "You dare help me? Aren't you afraid of the repercussions?"

Qin Shou was momentarily choked, inhaled, and forced out: "Whether it matters or not? Getting you into a ball is fine; just don't meet me in other settings…"

Qin Shou was speaking when Lu Ying pulled him aside: "Go, go, go, a good dog doesn't block the road, no need for you to lead. Qing Yan works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; if she wants to come, she can, if she wants to leave, she can!"

"Works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?" Qin Shou was stunned; his first thought was that Lin Zhenfeng had been rehabilitated? Otherwise, how could the daughter of a criminal work there?

But that's impossible, right? If Lin Zhenfeng had been rehabilitated, why hadn't he heard the news?

"Hey Lin Qingyan…" Qin Shou wanted to ask properly, but when he turned his head, Lu Ying had already pulled Lin Qingyan to a seat by the dance floor.

Qin Shou just stood there, thinking that when he got home he should ask his father about this; if Lin Zhenfeng truly had been rehabilitated, the two families could renew their old ties.

With the Qin family's influence, even if Lin Zhenfeng were rehabilitated, his position wouldn't be secure; only by aligning with the Qin family could Lin Zhenfeng advance further in his official career.

When that time comes, Lin Qingyan will ultimately belong to him.

Thinking of that, he cast his gaze toward Lin Qingyan at the edge of the floor, a smile tugging at his lips.

In the center of the floor, men and women embraced, slowly turning their steps to the gentle music.

Seeing Lu Ying's gaze fixed on others' steps, Lin Qingyan couldn't help laughing: "Why don't you go up and dance? I know you're good at it."

Lu Ying propped her chin and shook her head: "I do want to go, but I have no partner. That stinky kid Lu Cheng ran off to eat with someone; otherwise he could have taken me."

Hearing Lu Ying mention Lu Cheng, Lin Qingyan's face showed a hint of sorrow.

She didn't know why, but she longed for Lu Cheng to attend the ball.

She could only blame herself for loving dance, and since her father's incident she hadn't danced for years; it's rare to have such a public occasion today.

Thus she tried to console herself… but couldn't, because the floor clearly had other partners available; if she wanted to dance, she could just pick anyone.

But she didn't want to find any.

She shrugged: "Hmm? Then let's dance, just the two of us."

"Us two?" Lu Ying pursed her lips and shook her head: "Two women together is boring! This is Social Dance, it has to be a man and a woman to feel right."

Lin Qingyan let out a giggle.

"So what to do? Why don't you find a male comrade as a partner? Anyway I see plenty of single men."

Lu Ying still shook her head: "How can I take the initiative? One must keep composure; for dancing, a male comrade must invite us… Hmm? Actually I'd rather have a foreigner invite me."

"How? You like foreigners?"

"What? Like? I'm just curious. Though we see foreigners in the Capital City, I just don't know what it's like to dance with them; I hear they're very gentlemanly."

Lin Qingyan nodded slightly: "Hmm, then you could find a foreigner to marry."

Lu Ying instantly recoiled: "Nonsense! I said I'm just curious; marrying a foreigner? I'd never marry a foreigner."

"Even if language weren't a barrier, our habits and mindsets are on different channels; dancing is fine, but marrying a foreigner is out of the question, otherwise my father could kill me…"

Listening to Lu Ying's chatter, Lin Qingyan couldn't help a light laugh: "Not that bad, not that bad…"

"How is it not? My dad, you know, he's an old‑fashioned man; he never even looks at foreigners properly, and when he does, he hums 'foreign devil'…"

As Lu Ying spoke, a hand suddenly reached out in front of the two.

"Lady, may I ask you to dance?"

Hearing the slightly halting Mandarin, the two looked up.

Standing before them, slightly bent, was a foreigner, looking quite young, in his twenties, wearing a white suit, one hand behind his back, the other politely extended.

The outstretched hand was toward Lu Ying.

Lu Ying was clearly surprised, because sitting with the beautiful Lin Qingyan, the invitation should have been for her.

"You invited me to dance?"

When she asked with a puzzled tone, the foreigner again gestured toward her, confirming the invitation.

Lin Qingyan, smiling, leaned on Lu Ying and whispered: "Well, your prince charming is here, hurry up."

Being teased, Lu Ying felt embarrassed: "Then, I really will go, can I leave you alone?"

"What's wrong with that? This is my own unit, who can bully me?"

Seeing Lu Ying still hesitating, Lin Qingyan pushed her: "Alright, since we're here, have fun, go ahead."

"Then I'll really go, I'll see how gentlemanly a foreigner is, and tell you later."

"Mm‑hm." Lin Qingyan nodded, watching Lu Ying leave with the foreigner into the floor; she unconsciously shifted her gaze toward the corridor entrance.

Meanwhile, not far away, Qin Shou swayed a glass of red wine, searched around for a suitable partner but found none, and finally looked at Lin Qingyan.