"Lin Ying," the busking woman walked along what she described as a cobwebbed alleyway. The streetlights dimly lit, the ground uneven, Su Ziceng inadvertently stepped into a puddle.
Hearing the woman in front introduce herself, Su Ziceng quickly replied, "Su Ziceng."
"Why come to Paris?" At the end of the alleyway, the woman’s voice halted in front of a rare three-story white building on a Parisian street.
"For... survival," Su Ziceng gave the quickest excuse that crossed her mind.
The woman named Lin Ying shrugged at this strange response, then walked to the side of the building. There was a small door that led to the basement of the white building.
The damp and dark basement was perennially devoid of light, no wonder Lin Ying’s skin was so unnaturally white.
Su Ziceng dared not speak and followed her down, preferring the basement with a ceiling over a roofless square. She hadn’t hoped for accommodations like a suite at the Hilton, so there was nothing to criticize about where Lin Ying had settled.
At this moment, inside the Eve Hotel, which rivaled the Hilton, a luxurious limousine from the hotel had just stopped in the magnificent lobby.
Hang Yishao, accompanied by Hang’s father, got out of the car. The development project at Mo City Beach had been approved, and at Hang’s father’s invitation, they had come to France to consult with the renowned architect Jean-Peter, hoping that his touch would turn the Mo City Resort project into a globally recognized star plan.
In the past few months, Hang Yishao’s adherence to norms had amazed both Hang’s father and Hang Mu, so when a beautiful Gallic woman threw him a flirtatious glance as she approached, he merely nodded politely.
Hang’s father looked at his son beside him, feeling reassured. Young people must go through a period of absurdity to not live in vain. But it’s just a rebellious phase every young person must go through, and it passes.
"Are these the photos left from the last Eve Ball?" A few women waiting in the lobby were pointing and discussing the photos of the girls.
Each edition of the Eve Ball leaves a photograph of the selected attendees, and prominently displayed were the photos and some striking snippets of the latest edition’s socialites.
Hang Yishao’s gaze landed on several photos. On them were a few familiar Eastern faces, a cluster of fiery figures quickly capturing all his attention.
"Isn’t that Ziceng? I had heard she also attended the ball, but I didn’t expect to see her photo from the event here," Hang’s father said, surprised, discussing with the translator beside him.
"Last year’s Eve Ball was the most special edition, speaking of which, two young girls from Country Z were selected, which is a great honor," beauty always sparks endless topics of discussion.
Used to blond and blue-eyed foreign beauties, those two slender figures were like elves, igniting the French enthusiasm.
The black-dressed Wen Maixue stood at a distance, just like her in the photos, living up to the consistently graceful and pure reputation given to her.
The fiery Su Ziceng, on the other hand, displayed a demeanor starkly different from usual. Under Pello’s lead, her turned body and frantic gaze never escaped Hang Yishao’s eyes.
"Ziceng really has changed a lot," on one side was Hang’s father’s praise, and on the other, was the translator’s agreeable response.
"She’s like a turkey dyed in color, all messy," Hang Yishao said insincerely, not attributing his effort to come on this work trip with Hang’s father to the increasingly unrecognizable Su Ziceng.
He kept his eyes as wide open as possible, pushing away Su Ziceng who was now in the arms of the man he detested the most. The elegant dance steps and those two figures getting farther away constantly reminded him, not to lag behind Su Ziceng.
Under the same night sky, the two individuals were divided. Without a comfortable fireplace or clear windows, Su Ziceng was still captivated by the sight upon entering the basement.
The basement did not have the usual dankness and chill, Lin Ying had crafted a completely different atmosphere from its external appearance.
A dehumidifier was working on the side, a squishy bean bag rested against the cornerof the wall, and underfoot were candy-colored assorted plush carpets, it’s unknown which fabric store Lin Ying had scavenged them from.
Flags from around the world covered the unpainted old wall, hiding the mottled peeling surface behind. There was also a huge poster featuring a tall, thin model.