Chapter 81
81 Stop fondling yourself in public
“.... Behold this marriage has been legalised by the Onyx Federation in the year of Sirius and all have bore witness. May you share in the joys of their love....”
“Ouch, grandpa,” mumbled Zi Han having been pinched awake. He had been resting on Auntie Sheila’s shoulder when his grandfather did the unthinkable.
Oh yes, auntie Sheila had indeed made a comeback if not then this wedding would turn into a circus with the federation’s elite police officers budging in causing a big scene.
Zi Xingxi chuckled heartily as she gently pulled his head towards her. “Shh, let my baby sleep. He has had a rough day. Not only did he wake up early, but he also went through grievous tribulation for you,” she said pampering him like the little prince he is.
“You know this is the hunting grounds. If he behaves improperly then I would surely lose this bet,” whispered Zi Feiji while glancing around. Within the audience, he spotted old man Wayne who smirked at him while pointing at his granddaughter before mouthing,
“You are going down,” in a taunting manner.
Zi Feiji’s lips twitched before he turned back around and said, “Fuck, he is taunting me now... She looks better than her images. Did they do something to her face?”
“Dad it’s not like you are really going to marry Hanifa off so what’s the problem?.... Wait, what exactly did you bet with?” asked Zi Xingxi a little concerned. She knew that they usually gambled with things like antiques, mechs and sometimes rare stones but she had never seen him this determined to win.
“It’s not about what is used in the bet but what I stand to gain so Hanifa has to work hard with that charm,” he said pulling up his grandson to sit upright.
.....
“I am not Hanifa, please stop calling me that,” whispered Zi Han tugging at the sophisticated clip-on star earrings, “these things are irritating... and my chest feels so sweaty. Is that what having boobs feel like? Its torture.” As he said this he squeezed his chest only for his grandfather to smack his hand away.
“Stop fondling yourself in public,” complained Zi Feiji in a low voice but the people sitting in front of them heard him. They turned back curiously only for Zi Feiji to block their view with his arm, “What do you think you are looking at. Eyes up front.”
Lucky for Zi Han the ceremony ended soon after. His torment was halfway done with only the reception left. He excitedly walked into the reception hall only for his grandfather to abandon him.
That’s because the old man had begun his campaign like a door-to-door salesman. He wasn’t the only one. Even Mr Wayne was introducing everyone and anyone to his granddaughter.
“I am going to the bathroom. Do you want to come along?” asked Zi Xingxi but in truth, she wasn’t going there. She was scouting the place for that disturbing line of sight that had been following them hence she intended to use her son as bait.
Zi Han refused. That’s because if he were to go into the male bathroom he might give people a scare. So he could only sit alone and wait.
Just as his mother left a gorgeous girl dressed in a deep-cut maxi dress with a slit suddenly sat next to him with a smile as graceful as the goddess of beauty.
She stretched out her slender hand towards him and said, “Hello, I am Farida Wayne. Our grandfathers are friends.”
Zi Han wasn’t too thrilled meeting his competition and with good reason. She wore a beautiful smile on her face but Zi Han could sense the disdainful atmosphere that she brought along with her.
“Zi Han,” he said shaking her hand which felt really soft to the touch. The direction of his thoughts thereafter wasn’t like those of regular boys. He was thinking if he were to squeeze that hand a little harder would it crack like porcelain. He suddenly wanted to try it.
“I didn’t think your grandfather would really go through with it. I didn’t even think you would agree to such a ridiculous idea..... I can tell that your outfit was put together last minute. It does look nice on you though,” she said lightly pinching the sleeve of his cold shoulder dress with that fake smile.
Zi Han dodged her fingers and asked a passing waiter for two glasses of champagne. Farida thought he would hand her the other one but Zi Han didn’t make a move instead he down the first one in one go before saying,
“Miss Wayne, please remember that I am a man. Not some little girl you can speak some mean words to and they run off crying in shame. You can either walk away now and save your face or you can sit here and I will begin to nitpick at every insecurity you have on your body. I will strip you bare and you won’t be able to recover from it.”
Farida’s face turned ugly as she clutched at her dress tightly. She was about to grab the other champagne glass and pour it at him in anger but before she could touch it someone took it and asked, “Strip who bare?”
Zi Han’s entire body stiffened hearing that voice. He couldn’t fathom why Yi Chen was here. This wasn’t the sort of place one would find someone like Yi Chen but here he was.
Zi Han was about to open his mouth when the overly enthusiastic Miss Wayne beat him to it. “Yi, Yi Chen. You.... you are also he-here,” fumbling through her words.
One wouldn’t think that she was the same woman mocking Zi Han just now. She was shyly lowering her head while picking at her dress with her fingers. Her ears and cheeks were painted red with a natural glow making her even more beautiful.
Yi Chen didn’t respond to her. He just sat next to Zi Han while slowly drinking the champagne. Knowing that this glass of champagne was personally picked by Zi Han he felt his blood rush to his head. He even had the delusion that Zi Han had picked it up for him hence it was meant for him from the very beginning.
As the sparkling wine flowed down his throat it left a warm fuzzy feeling in his body. When he wanted to converse with Zi Han he was all sorts of choked up and he could barely speak. Internally he was an emotional mess but outwardly he was calm and collected as usual which was a great skill in itself.
Unable to bear the silence Farida spoke up again saying, “Ah, please don’t misunderstand. We were talking about something pure... nothing, nothing bad.”
Zi Han was silently watching Yi Chen take a sip of his glass of champagne feeling irritated and slight resentment when he heard the girl speak.
Recalling that they weren’t at school and if his mother sees them chatting it up he might get an earful he got up abruptly intending to go outside. Yi Chen who hadn’t expected him to run away at this point got up as well but he was a step too slow.