Chapter 232: The Secret in the Corridor! The Queen of the Night!
Liu Qingyue pressed herself against the cold wall of the corridor, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.
The exquisite and beautiful face of the "White Moonlight" was pale, her expression twisted with a complicated mix of shock, embarrassment, and a strange, heavy disappointment.
From inside the VIP room, the faint, muffled sounds continued. The tender words were indistinct, but the tone was unmistakable—it was the intimacy of lovers sharing a secret world.
Click.
The lock turned.
Hearing movement from inside, as if someone was about to come out, Liu Qingyue panicked. She looked around like a thief caught in the act.
She quickly ducked into an adjacent service room, leaving the door open just a crack—a sliver of darkness through which she could peer out.
A moment later, the VIP room door opened.
A tall figure stepped out. It was Shen Anyu.
He looked impeccable, his suit smoothed out, but there was a looseness to his tie and a satisfied glint in his eyes that spoke volumes.
But what made Liu Qingyue's breath hitch was the person he was holding.
He was holding hands with an exquisitely beautiful young girl in a red dress.
The girl was breathtaking—fiery, stunning, and possessing a pair of long legs that were legendary. Her face was flushed with a lingering crimson tide, her eyes misty and unfocused, and her lips swollen and shiny. She leaned against Shen Anyu, her steps slightly unsteady, radiating the aftermath of intense passion.
It was Su Hongmian.
Liu Qingyue recognized her. She was the Eldest Miss of the Su Family, a famous figure in Magic City's high society.
But she was not Liu Mi.
"This... this is Mi Mi's birthday banquet..."
Liu Qingyue covered her mouth, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"Her boyfriend... is doing this with another girl right under her nose?"
"And that girl... isn't she supposed to be Liu Mi's friend?"
A surge of sympathy and pity for Liu Mi welled up in her heart. Liu Qingyue had long suspected that a man like Shen Anyu—rich, powerful, and handsome—was likely unfaithful. She had previously seen him being intimate with Qin Ningbing at a banquet.
But seeing it with her own eyes—seeing him betray Liu Mi on her most special day—left Liu Qingyue feeling nauseous.
"He is a scoundrel. A complete scoundrel."
"Should I tell Mi Mi?"
Liu Qingyue immediately became preoccupied with her thoughts, torn between the truth and the consequences.
In the corridor, Shen Anyu supported Su Hongmian by the waist. As they walked past the service room where Liu Qingyue was hiding, his steps paused for a fraction of a second.
His gaze swept over the crack in the door.
He didn't stop. But a playful, knowing curve formed on his lips.
He knew she was there. He wanted her to see.
...
Subsequently, Liu Qingyue returned to the main banquet hall. She walked like a ghost, her mind in turmoil.
"Sister Qingyue! You're back!"
Liu Mi's cheerful voice rang out. She waved from the center of the room, looking radiant and oblivious.
"Come here! Let me introduce you to some of my best girlfriends!"
Liu Mi pulled Liu Qingyue's cold hand and, smiling brightly, introduced the other girls.
"This is Jiang Linlin, my roommate and bestie. She's super sweet!"
"And this is Lin Shutong, my childhood friend."
Looking at the pure, sweet, and well-behaved Jiang Linlin, and the worldly, envious Lin Shutong, Liu Qingyue forced a smile. She responded with a few polite words, but her gaze kept drifting to Liu Mi.
She saw the pure happiness on Liu Mi's face. The excitement. The love.
Liu Qingyue hesitated.
'If I tell her... her smile will vanish. Her birthday will be ruined. She will be heartbroken.'
She couldn't bear to see Liu Mi devastated.
Furthermore... Shen Anyu had shown her family a great kindness. He loaned them 100 million Yuan without interest to save them from bankruptcy.
If she spoke out and caused trouble for Shen Anyu... if she ruined his relationship... would he retaliate? Would he recall the loan?
It would go against Liu Qingyue's principle of repaying kindness, and it would endanger her family.
Thinking of this, Liu Qingyue felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. Her conscience battled with her survival instinct.
Just at this moment, the crowd parted.
Shen Anyu and Su Hongmian walked over together. They had separated slightly, maintaining a "proper" distance, but the air between them still crackled with tension.
Liu Mi smiled and introduced them, completely unaware (or pretending to be).
"This is Shen Anyu, my husband! Sister Qingyue, you've met him before."
"And the other one is Su Hongmian. Well... she's also one of my good sisters."
Liu Mi winked at Su Hongmian. They were "good sisters" on another level—comrades in the harem trenches. Although they still bickered, they had formed a tacit understanding to share the burden of serving the monster named Shen Anyu.
"Young Master Shen..."
Liu Qingyue forced a stiff smile and greeted Shen Anyu, averting her gaze from his piercing eyes.
Then, she turned to Su Hongmian.
Her gaze turned cold. Unfriendly. Judgmental.
'You... you call yourself her good sister? Yet you sleep with her man at her birthday party?'
'Shameless. Morally corrupt. Despicable.'
In Liu Qingyue's traditional worldview, Su Hongmian was the worst kind of woman—a betrayer of sisterhood.
Su Hongmian noticed the hostility immediately. She blinked, bewildered.
Originally, she had a very good impression of Liu Qingyue. This cousin of Liu Mi was exquisitely beautiful, with a temperament like a secluded orchid in an empty valley—dignified and elegant. Su Hongmian respected beauty.
But instead of a greeting, she was met with a cold face and a gaze full of disdain.
Su Hongmian frowned. She was the Eldest Miss of the Su Family! She was arrogant and unruly by nature. Only in front of Shen Anyu would she act submissive. For anyone else? She would splash red wine on them without hesitation.
'What's her problem? Did I offend her?'
Since Liu Qingyue was unfriendly, Su Hongmian couldn't be bothered to respond. She lifted her chin, let out a cold huff, and simply walked past her, ignoring Liu Qingyue completely.
The atmosphere froze for a second.
Everyone present immediately showed strange expressions.
On Liu Mi's delicate face, a look of confusion arose.
'Why is Sister Qingyue, who is always good-tempered and polite, so rude to Su Hongmian?'
'Did they have a conflict before? I need to ask later.'
Only Shen Anyu knew everything in the entire hall. He saw the misunderstanding, the judgment, the righteous anger of the "White Moonlight."
He watched this scene with deep interest, sipping his wine.
He didn't rush to clear up the misunderstanding. Why should he?
This misunderstanding... was useful. It created conflict. And conflict created vulnerability.
Besides, seeing the virtuous Liu Qingyue silently judging the "mistress" while being unaware that she herself was the next target... it was a delicious irony.
...
The birthday banquet continued.
Under the envious gazes of the elite of Magic City, Liu Mi was the undeniable protagonist. She was like a princess, immensely favored by the Emperor.
Then came the highlight.
"Mi Mi. Close your eyes."
Shen Anyu snapped his fingers. The lights dimmed, leaving only a spotlight on them.
A waiter brought a velvet box.
Shen Anyu opened it.
Gasp.
A collective gasp echoed through the hall.
Inside lay a heart-shaped gemstone necklace. It wasn't a diamond; it was something far rarer. A [Star Heart Gem] obtained from the System lottery. It glowed with an inner light, shifting colors like the aurora borealis.
It was unique in the world. Priceless.
"What a beautiful necklace!"
Liu Mi's beautiful eyes sparkled with tears as she looked at it.
Even the preoccupied Liu Qingyue looked at this shimmering, extraordinary gem in surprise. She felt a pang in her heart.
'He treats her so well... he gives her the world... and yet he cheats on her.'
This duality made her even more confused. It made Shen Anyu even more dangerous. He wasn't just a scumbag; he was a scumbag who knew how to make women happy.
"Brother Shen... please put it on for me."
Liu Mi turned around, lifting her hair to reveal her neck.
Shen Anyu smiled. He stood behind her, his fingers brushing against her skin as he fastened the clasp.
"Mi Mi, this gem necklace is truly blessed to be worn by a great beauty like you. It pales in comparison to your radiance."
He praised her sincerely. And loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Although the praise was cheesy, it was devastatingly effective. Liu Mi's smile became sweeter than honey. She stood on tiptoe, basking in his love.
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Liu Mi's favorability +1!]
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Liu Mi's favorability +1!]
[Ding! Current Favorability: 99 (Max Limit Reached)!]
Unconsciously, Liu Mi's total favorability reached the threshold of 99. She was one step away from complete, irreversible devotion—a state where she would die for him without hesitation.
Everything Shen Anyu did for her—the club, the necklace, the public display—made Liu Mi fall even deeper into the abyss of love.
If there weren't other people present, Liu Mi would probably have thrown caution to the wind and given him everything right there on the table.
Su Hongmian let out a soft huff from the side, a hint of displeasure and jealousy in her beautiful eyes. But she said nothing. Shen Anyu had already "fed" her in the private room, so she could tolerate this public show.
Jiang Linlin smiled softly, happy for her friend, though a little lonely.
Lin Shutong, however, was dying inside. Her eyes were filled with intense envy and jealousy. She wished she could push Liu Mi aside and take her place.
'Why? Why her? God is unfair!'
However, Lin Shutong knew her place. Shen Anyu hadn't even looked at her. Compared to the goddesses present—Su Hongmian, Liu Mi, Jiang Linlin, and the elegant Liu Qingyue—she was just a background character.
After the cake cutting and the toasts, the banquet began to wind down.
Lin Shutong said goodbye reluctantly and left, posting one last jealous photo to her social media.
As for Liu Qingyue...
She watched the sweet, happy couple. Her gaze was complex. She felt like an intruder in a fairytale that was secretly a tragedy.
She still hadn't spoken out. She couldn't destroy this moment.
She sighed, preparing to say goodbye and leave. She needed to go home and forget this night.
However.
Just as she picked up her purse...
"Sister Qingyue?"
Shen Anyu's voice stopped her.
He looked at her with a warm, inviting smile. But his eyes... his eyes were dark and locked onto her like a target.
"It's still early. The night is young."
"Why don't we go upstairs to the VIP lounge and play some games? Just close friends."
He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming her.
"Sister Qingyue... you stay too. I insist."
Meeting Shen Anyu's gaze, which was seemingly a polite suggestion but undeniably forceful and domineering, Liu Qingyue felt her throat go dry.
She wanted to refuse. She wanted to run.
But the debt... the 100 million... and the dangerous curiosity in her heart...
She pursed her red lips.
"I..."
She nodded slowly.
"Okay."
A bad premonition rose in her heart for some unknown reason. She felt like she had just agreed to walk into the wolf's den again... but this time, the wolf was hungry.
[Akarin Note:
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