The hotel ballroom glittered with chandeliers and crystal glasses, but Jiang Yue barely noticed the opulence. She was still floating on the soft aftertaste of last night's dinner at her parents' house, the warmth of her mother's fussing, her father's gruff blessing, and the strangely domestic picture of Li Zhenkai eating homemade stew at her family table.
But tonight was different. Tonight was business mixed with society chaos, an art and literature gala meant to showcase young talent. Jiang Yue had been invited as a rising star. Tessa, of course, tagged along as her shield, wingwoman, and occasional chaos-bringer.
They had barely entered when Tessa snagged two glasses of wine from a passing tray.
"Tonight," she declared, clinking glasses with Jiang Yue, "we are the queens of words and wardrobes. Zhou Meili can choke on her envy."
Jiang Yue chuckled, shaking her head. "You've been watching too many dramas again."
"And you," Tessa pointed at her dramatically, "are too modest. You trended worldwide last week, Yue. That means you need someone to brag for you. You're welcome."
Jiang Yue was about to retort when the atmosphere shifted. The crowd seemed to part, voices dipping as a tall man with too much confidence and too little shame strolled into view. He was immaculately dressed in a designer suit, his smirk already grating.
Tessa froze. Her grip on the wine glass tightened. Jiang Yue didn't need the system to tell her this was bad news.
"Don't tell me—" Jiang Yue began.
"Yeah." Tessa's voice was clipped. "That's him. My mistake of a boyfriend."
The man spotted them and smirked wider, striding forward like he owned the room. "Tessa. Long time, no see. Still dragging around strays?" His eyes slid disdainfully to Jiang Yue.
Jiang Yue stiffened, but before she could react, Tessa moved. She stepped forward, her tone icy. "Funny. I don't remember inviting trash to tonight's gala."
The man chuckled. "Still sharp-tongued. But honestly, Tessa, you downgraded. Hanging around… what is she, a wannabe poet? You could have stayed with me, had real money, real prestige. "
CRASH!
The sound of glass shattering silenced the room. Tessa's wine glass, no, half of it, was now embedded in her ex's hair, crimson liquid dripping down his forehead like a crown of humiliation.
The entire ballroom gasped.
"You son of a. " The ex staggered back, clutching his head.
Tessa smirked, tossing the broken glass aside. "Oops. My hand slipped. Guess I'm still clumsy around trash."
Jiang Yue covered her mouth, torn between horror and applause. The system's faint text blinked in her mind:
[Event Triggered: Best Friend Loyalty +100]
A warm voice brushed her ear, startling her. Li Zhenkai had appeared at her side without her even noticing. His sharp suit gleamed under the chandelier, his expression unreadable as he watched the chaos unfold. He leaned close, his words soft enough only she could hear.
"I see why she's your best friend," he murmured, amusement flickering in his tone.
Jiang Yue's lips twitched. "Loyal and violent," she whispered back. "That's Tessa."
Meanwhile, the ex was sputtering, furious. "You crazy !!, Do you know who I am?!"
"Yes," Tessa snapped, folding her arms. "You're the man who cheated on me with your secretary. The man who lied, begged, and then cried when I dumped you. And now, you're the man with wine dripping down your face in front of half the city's elite. Congratulations. You've finally achieved relevance."
The crowd chuckled, whispers sparking like wildfire. Jiang Yue almost pitied him. Almost.
Security moved in, but the man's pride refused to let him back down. He lunged forward, but before he could get anywhere near Tessa, Li Zhenkai's friend Xu Jianyu, who had been loitering nearby purely for entertainment and gossip stepped in.
"Careful," Xu Jianyu drawled, blocking him with a lazy grin. "This is a literary gala, not a wrestling ring. Unless you want your career obituary published tomorrow, I suggest you leave."
The ex glared between them, humiliated, but the murmuring crowd was already snapping pictures. He realized his reputation was bleeding out faster than the wine dripping from his hair. With one last hateful look, he stormed off, shoving past security.
Silence hung for a beat, then the room erupted in applause.
Tessa gave a little bow, as if she'd just performed on stage. Jiang Yue groaned, covering her face with both hands.
"You didn't," Jiang Yue muttered.
"Oh, I absolutely did," Tessa said proudly, adjusting her dress. "What? No one insults my best friend and walks away unscathed. He's lucky it was wine and not my stiletto."
Xu Jianyu laughed so hard he nearly choked. Even the stoic Li Zhenkai's lips curved just barely into a smirk.
Later, as the crowd settled and the gala resumed, Jiang Yue found herself tucked into a corner with Li Zhenkai, watching Tessa bask in her newfound fame as "the girl who smashed wine on her ex."
"She's going to trend by morning," Jiang Yue muttered, rubbing her temples.
"Good," Li Zhenkai replied smoothly, sipping his drink. "Better her than you this time."
Jiang Yue gave him a sidelong look. "You enjoyed that way too much."
He didn't answer, only glanced at her with a faint gleam in his eyes, the kind that said he was already planning a hundred ways to shield her from whatever chaos came next.
And Jiang Yue realized, with a strange ache in her chest, that maybe… just maybe… she wasn't alone in this battlefield after all.