As it was the end of the year, there were quite a lot of things to do in the company. Cen Xi was busy with work and she realized that she had not been in touch with Qiao Yanze for four to five days.
Every employee had to attend the annual year-end party in the evening. Cen Xi and her colleagues took the company’s car to the hotel. Along the way, she looked at her cell phone several times.
He had not contacted her in the past few days.
Her words that day must have really hurt him.
Lowering her long black eyelashes, found his WeChat and wanted to send him a message.
After typing out a line, she deleted it. She could not be soft-hearted or take the initiative to find him.
…
After arriving at the hotel, Cen Xi found her seat. There were performers invited by the company and talent show of the employees during the party. There would be awards for employees who have won first place in the talent show.
Qing Yan put up a piano performance. She was wearing a silver evening gown and her hair was curled in big waves. Sitting in front of the piano, her slender fingers danced around the black and white keys nimbly, playing melodious notes.
She was raised to be proficient in playing musical instruments, chess, calligraphy and painting. Most of the female colleagues could not match the noble and lady-like temperament on her.
As a female herself, Cen Xi was fascinated by Qing Yan on stage. It was not a surprise that Qing Yan won first place and received a reward of $10000.
Cen Xi was very happy for Qing Yan.
Before the party ended, there would be a lottery for the employees. Several female colleagues at the same table were discussing. “I heard that the company had spent a lot of money for this year’s grand prize. The person who can draw the prize must be very lucky.”
“God, I’m looking forward to it!”
“Please let it be me!”
Cen Xi did not care much about it. She looked down at the WeChat conversation she had with Qiao Yanze a few days back.
There was a sudden cheer in the venue. Cen Xi heard someone calling her name and she raised her head to look at the stage.
The host shook the small ball in his hand. “The winner of the grand prize tonight is Cen Xi.”
Cen Xi was confused for a moment.
Until the colleague beside her patted her arm. “Cen Xi, you won the grand prize. Hurry up to the stage to receive the prize!”
Although Cen Xi did not really care whether she would win the prize or not, she was still a little shocked and happy when the prize fell on her head.
Getting up from the chair, she went to the stage.
The host handed an exquisite bag to her and with a smile, asked Cen Xi to deliver her thoughts on winning the prize.
So Cen Xi said a few words.
Back in her seat, her colleagues gathered around her. Cen Xi did not want to spoil her colleagues’ pleasure so she took out an exquisite and gorgeous jewelry box from the bag.
“Oh my God, this is the international brand, LX!”
“The company has really spent a lot of money this year! Cen Xi, open it and see what’s inside.”
Cen Xi opened the jewelry box and there were exclamations all around.
“My God, I’m going to be blinded!”
“How beautiful! Cen Xi, why are you so lucky!”
The female colleague beside Cen Xi picked up the bracelet in the jewelry box and looked at it at all angles before reluctantly handing it to Cen Xi. “I’ll put it on for you! It’ll definitely look good on you, your wrist is so fair and slender.”
Cen Xi could not resist the enthusiasm of her female colleague, and admittedly, she also liked this star-shaped bracelet very much.
The female colleague put on the bracelet for Cen Xi and the people around exclaimed and were envious.
In such a happy atmosphere, Cen Xi’s mood improved slightly. Although she was unlucky in love, it seemed like her work and luck were not too bad.
…
When Cen Xi returned to the apartment, it was almost midnight. After entering the door, she took off her shoes and went into the living room.
Seeing the colorful lights on the balcony, Cen Xi walked over suspiciously. On the balcony, there was a rectangular table with a tablecloth over it, and on top of it was a bouquet of flowers, two plates of steak and red wine.
A tall figure sat at one end of the table. Perhaps he had waited for too long, he had fallen asleep on the table. Cen Xi’s butterfly-like eyelashes fluttered and she felt slightly choked up.
She went to her room to take a blanket and put it over the man.
The man slowly woke up. Raising his eyes that were still filled with sleep, he saw Cen Xi standing by the table and stood up from the chair.
“You’re back?” There was a flirtatious smile on his well-defined handsome face. It could be seen that he came tonight to make up with her.
Cen Xi felt the softening of his attitude and she naturally would not be unreasonable. Her lips lifted into a smile. “You cooked the steak?”
“I tried, but it didn’t taste good so I asked the five-star hotel to send it over.” Qiao Yanze pulled out the chair for her in a gentlemanly manner. “Give me a minute, I’ll heat it up in the microwave.”
“Okay.” Although she had eaten at the party, she did not want to disappoint him.
After a while, Qiao Yanze came with the heated up steak. He poured two glasses of red wine.
Under the illumination of the colorful lights, his slender eyes seemed to be filled with stars, bright and deep, gentle and charming.
Cen Xi seldom saw him showing such an expression, she did not know if it was because he had drunk wine.
But, it could be seen that he still cared about her because he was able to stoop down, prepared a candlelight dinner and waited the whole night for her even if she had hurt his pride with her words the other time.
A warm feeling flowed out of Cen Xi’s heart.
“What I said the other time in the car…”
“My attitude was bad at that time too. There are some things I have to clarify with you. The money from Zhizhi and my sister, I-”
Qiao Yanze wanted to explain to her that he did not spend the money from his sister and Zhizhi, but was shocked when he saw her raising her hand to brush her hair behind her ears.
The rest of his words came to an abrupt end.
What did he just see?
Qiao Yanze’s eyes turned blank.
He thought he had seen wrongly.
Cen Xi was slightly confused when she saw that Qiao Yanze’s eyes suddenly darkened with a complicated look before he finished his words.
Cen Xi opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Qiao Yanze’s tall figure suddenly stood up from the chair.
There was a chilling air all over him and Cen Xi clearly felt the change in his mood. The man strode over and soon was standing in front of Cen Xi.
Grabbing her right wrist, he pulled at it, making the bracelet on around her wrist visible to him.
He was right!
It was the Stone of Lovers he had seen in the LX jewelry store that day. There were only ten in the world and it was hard to find another one in the Capital.
Even if Qiao Yanze were to deny it and said that it was just a fake, the luster of the jade on it and the perfect cutting of the star shape showed that it was the genuine one.
Cen Xi’s wrist was tightly grasped by him and he was so strong that he almost crushed her bones. She tried to bear with the pain and looking at his cold expression and furrowed eyebrows, she tried to draw back her hand but failed to do so.
“What are you doing?”
He was fine just now, why was he behaving like this suddenly?
Cen Xi was sitting while Qiao Yanze stood. His tall figure cast a shadow over her body. The handsome outline of his face was tense and menacing.
