Under the dazzling crystal chandelier lights, numerous guests moved busily. Although the event was held in a venue larger than the previous Horizon reception, the attendance was much smaller than before.
As it was an invitation-only gathering, comprising only those who were personally close to Gibran or had a close collaborative relationship with Horizon, the attendees were likely more meticulously selected than during the last reception. The majority of them seemed to have some form of acquaintance with each other, perhaps due to shared interests or connections.
Riley, in reality, had thought that today’s gathering was not much different from the previous reception. However, today was undoubtedly different from the reception. Something felt unfamiliar. Wondering what it could be, the answer came quickly.
“Are you nervous?”
Riley’s gaze was fixed on Gibran’s stiff expression. Was it because of the buttons filled up to the neck, unlike usual? He seemed somewhat stifled and tense.
“Do I look like it?”
In response to Riley’s playful question, Gibran raised an eyebrow.
“This is a place for you, I didn’t think you’d be nervous.”
“Is this a place for me?”
“…?”
“For my ideal day, I just want to spend my birthday alone with my sister.”
“…Ah.”
“Even though it’s my birthday party, it’s still just another day for me.”
It was almost as if it were the first time seeing Gibran like this.
Since she had rarely seen him in a nervous state, his somewhat rigid demeanor seemed unfamiliar. Despite being seemingly good at everything, it appeared that he, too, could feel tense in certain situations.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because it’s fascinating.”
“Is it surprising that I’m nervous?”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen you like this.”
“So, what’s your impression?”
“Well, you’re a person too, right…?”
“What? Then, what did you think I am, if not a person?”
“…An inhumane human?”
With an expression of disbelief, he raised his eyebrows.
“Even after I put so much effort and sincerity into treating you well, you call me an inhumane human?”
“I didn’t mean it that way. You seem good at everything, perfect in everything… I just didn’t expect you to get nervous. You’re human, but somewhat unrealistic…? What should I call this?”
Smiling, Gibran lightly touched her ear.
“I get it; it was a joke.”
“…”
“You were overestimating me too much. I get nervous every moment. This is a place where I can’t afford to lose tension, especially in a gathering with so many people. I have to keep myself in check, especially in a place where so many people are gathered.”
“But everyone here is close to you.”
“Businesswise close, not personally close.”
Stay on your guard, or you might get eaten alive.
He said while looking directly at her. Riley stared at his face intently.
How was his appearance during the last reception? Perfect, flawless. Do other words need to be added? There, he shone alone like a diamond placed by the roadside, an existence impossible to ignore even if one didn’t want to be noticed.
How was the appearance of him at the last reception? Perfect, flawless. Is there a need for different words? There, he was a person shining brightly like a diamond, placed alone by the roadside, impossible to ignore even if one didn’t want to be noticed.
Even if you didn’t want to be noticeable, it was impossible not to notice, like a diamond placed by the roadside.
Was this always behind his unique atmosphere, composure, and seasoned attitude? Somewhere, he looked uneasy and anxious. More sensitive pupils than usual, tightly closed lips. The situation of monopolizing this appearance that others couldn’t see was not unpleasant.
Rather than the perfectly controlled appearance, the slightly disheveled current appearance was much more shockingly etched in the mind.
“Cool.”
“…”
“I find you really cool because you live diligently, striving. I want to emulate you.”
Gibran stared intently at Riley. In response to the reaction that seemed to have heard words that shouldn’t have been heard, Riley was bewildered, wondering if she had said something wrong.
“You’re the first person to say that to me.”
“…Huh?”
“No one has ever wanted to see me as I am.”
Gibran looked at Riley expressionlessly. At the end of his gaze, the guests gathered in the hall were visible.
“Not a single one.”
He murmured softly and reached out to Riley.
“Shall we go, Lady?”
Instead of answering, Riley gently placed her hand in his. Holding hands, they slowly started moving forward. The moment her foot reached out, Gibran transformed into a completely different person.
The uneasiness and anxiety that he had just shown seemed nowhere to be found on his face, as if wondering if he was the person who had been tense a moment ago.
He was as leisurely, elegant, confident, and beautiful as he was during the moment she first saw him at the reception.
With dignified and confident steps, as they moved forward, it felt like people’s attention concentrated more and more on them.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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