Chapter 351: The Date and the Price
"My lady, you're truly beautiful!"
The young man's compliment caused Belinna's face to flush slightly.
Her gaze wandered, avoiding direct eye contact with the young man.
Seeing Belinna's alluring expression, Li Meng grinned widely.
Under the moonlight, in the flower garden, something subtle was quietly happening.
Time flowed by bit by bit, and everything was left unspoken.
"What am I even doing?"
On the grassy ground within the flower garden, Belinna's eyes held a trace of confusion.
She stared blankly at the young man teasing her.
How did it come to this?
She had only intended to invite the young man to dance for her daughter's sake.
Yet now, she found herself engaged in such a ridiculous situation with him.
Why hadn't she refused?
She could have refused.
Belinna herself couldn't understand what had come over her.
She passively accepted everything, as if powerless to resist.
Even when she occasionally realized what was happening, she had no desire to stop it.
The young man was as strong as a savage bull.
Belinna felt like a lone leaf in a storm, helpless and adrift.
She could only remain silent, praying for it to end quickly.
The deed was done, and all she could do was accept it.
She only hoped the night's absurdity would end soon.
"Father, you must be mistaken. Mother isn't over here."
Just then, a familiar voice echoed from outside.
A father and daughter appeared on the dimly lit path outside.
It was Orlando and Nara—Belinna's husband and daughter.
Hearing her daughter's voice, Belinna's expression changed drastically.
She covered her mouth and looked pleadingly at the young man, who was still venting his energy like a savage bull.
If her husband found out, how could she face him and Nara?
Yet the intense stimulation also brought a hint of excitement to Belinna's eyes.
It had been many years since she had felt this way.
The young man made her feel young again.
Seeing Belinna's pleading gaze, Li Meng lowered his body.
Though Li Meng feared little, he occasionally considered others' feelings.
Belinna looked at the young man with immense gratitude.
She held his hand tightly, afraid he might stand and be spotted by her husband outside.
After a while, the footsteps outside gradually faded.
Not until they disappeared completely did Belinna breathe a sigh of relief.
She shot Li Meng a reproachful glance.
"I... I should go back."
Tonight's absurdity should be treated as if it never happened.
She would force herself to forget everything.
What had happened was wrong—she couldn't betray her husband.
And Nara... if Nara found out, how could she ever face her daughter again?
Li Meng leaned down, capturing Belinna's flushed lips with his own, silencing her words of escape.
In the flower garden, the blush-inducing events continued.
Occasionally, a man or woman would walk past the garden, but no one discovered the pair hidden inside.
Half an hour later, two figures finally stood up in the flower garden.
Belinna, her face red, adjusted her slightly disheveled dress.
Li Meng, meanwhile, stood with a satisfied look, admiring the beautiful woman beside him.
"There's nothing on my dress, right?"
After tidying herself up a bit, Belinna turned her back to Li Meng.
It would be humiliating if anything was left on her dress and noticed when she returned to the ball.
Li Meng gave her a once-over.
"No, nothing."
Belinna took a deep breath, grabbing the young man's hand.
She pulled him quickly out of the garden.
Only after leaving the garden did she finally relax.
"L-Let's go back!"
Li Meng chuckled softly, extending his arm to wrap around Belinna's waist.
With his arm around her, they walked back toward the direction they had come.
Feeling her smooth waistline under his hand, Li Meng's eyes narrowed slightly.
For any male, a beautiful woman was indeed irresistibly alluring.
Belinna's face reddened further as she glanced around nervously.
Orlando and Nara might still be searching the courtyard.
If they bumped into them, it would be a disaster.
"Relax, they've already returned to the hall," Li Meng said, as if sensing her worries, reassuring her softly.
Belinna lowered her head, her face flushed.
She subconsciously touched her abdomen, a flicker of concern flashing in her eyes.
What if she got pregnant?
The young man was in his prime, and the chances were very high.
As they walked, the mansion's entrance came into view.
Li Meng released her waist obediently as they approached.
"Belinna!"
As soon as they entered the hall, a voice called out.
It was Orlando and Nara.
The father and daughter were waiting near the entrance.
Seeing her husband breathing a sigh of relief as he approached, Belinna smiled faintly.
"Li Meng and I were taking a walk in the garden. Sorry, Orlando, I didn't mean to make you worry."
Orlando shook his head with a smile.
"As long as you're back, that's what matters."
Li Meng bowed slightly, placing a hand on his chest.
"Then I shall not disturb you further. Let's talk again sometime."
Orlando and Nara returned the gesture.
As Nara looked on in disappointment, Li Meng made his way toward the lounge area.
Belinna watched his retreating figure with a complicated expression.
After tonight, she didn't know if she would ever have the chance to meet the young man again.
"I do like balls," Li Meng murmured as he settled into an empty seat in the lounge.
His eyes wandered to the men and women dancing in the center of the hall.
There were so many women who fit his aesthetic tastes.
The noblewomen's gowns were stunning—form-fitting waists and low necklines seemed to be the standard.
Almost every woman revealed a hint of cleavage.
"If I took them all home, how many children would that result in?"
Li Meng chuckled to himself, letting his mind run wild.
Glancing sideways, his eyes fell on the ball's host and main guest.
Earl Mors and his wife were mingling with the other nobles.
The Earl was currently mobilizing his army to attack him.
Because of a prior oath, the Earl's forces wouldn't take the route through Garrison Fort to enter the Goblin Forest.
Instead, they would follow the river path, as the Pioneer Corps had done before.
Thanks to Xiaobai's split body inside Sandra, everything Sandra knew, Li Meng also knew.
Initially, Li Meng had planned to scare Sandra tonight, to make her realize how foolish her actions were.
But now, he had changed his mind.
To secure a stable rear base for himself, Li Meng decided to occupy the border territories of the Irisis Principality.
"Sandra, though I quite enjoy your body, disobedience comes with a price!"
Rising to his feet, Li Meng began walking toward the exit at a leisurely pace.
Tonight's ball would end here for him.
He needed to return to the Throne Tribe to rally his army and launch an attack on the Irisis Principality.
Garrison Fort would be his first target.
"Right, I can't miss my date with Gloria. I'll have her give me a child."
As he stepped out of the mansion, Li Meng suddenly remembered something.
The thought of Gloria brought a sly smile to his face.