She tossed the measuring tape aside and slowly reported a string of numbers. “Is there anything else? How long will it take to finish?”
“Nothing, nothing at all!”
The designer, still with a lingering desire, sneakily glanced at Tong Sui behind him and flattered, “Your Excellency, your proportions are truly magnificent. It is an honour for me to have you wear my clothes. Even if I have to forgo sleep tonight, I will make sure your outfits are ready for you both.”
Bai Xingluo spoke coldly, “Karl, see him out.”
Reluctantly, the designer left, turning back three times as he walked, still mumbling, “Your Excellency Tong Sui, you are truly the most beautiful male creature I have ever seen. You are my muse; I—”
Bai Xingluo’s expression darkened. An unprecedented annoyance and possessiveness swirled within her.
She knew very well how attractive his partner was to others.
This designer was one of the few masters in the fashion industry, eccentric and somewhat aristocratic. Many noble males could not even afford his clothes and often had to part with a fortune for a simple basic piece.
Seeing his partner made the designer act shamelessly.
She felt a weight in his chest as if his treasure was being eyed greedily by others. She really wanted to clear out these annoying distractions.
“Luo Luo.”
At Tong Sui’s soft call, Bai Xingluo immediately suppressed his violent thoughts and returned to his usual calm demeanour. “Your Majesty, I slept too late. I will go cook for you right away.”
“No, that’s not urgent.” Tong Sui handed him the open invitation. “This is an invitation from the Tribunal, inviting us to the gala banquet.”
A gala banquet?
Bai Xingluo took the invitation.
He indeed received such invitations every year but always found these pretentious and boring gatherings tiresome. If it weren’t for the show of loyalty, he wouldn’t even want to appear.
In the past, he always went alone, but now, this invitation had another name before his own.
“Tong Sui and his female attendant Bai Xingluo.”
His name was now listed alongside his partner’s.
His fingers couldn’t help but trace over those words, a subtle tingling sensation dancing on his fingertips, stirring his heart.
“Your Excelency, would you like to attend with me?”
His tone was soft, laced with an expectation he wasn’t even aware of.
Upon seeing Tong Sui nod, he began to feel a sense of anticipation he couldn’t fully comprehend. Just the thought of being together with his partner excited him.
“Yes, let’s go together.”
Time passed quickly until the evening of the banquet.
Under the night sky, the white palace was opulent and extravagant. The light from the crystal chandeliers reflected off the champagne-colored marble floors.
Groups of guests gathered together, chatting.
Among them, the most eye-catching were a group of noble males led by Lu Yuanzhao.
Many female nobles or wealthy women cast shy glances in their direction.
Despite this group of males having a questionable reputation and numerous scandals, they were still considered the best options by the females.
Sensing the attention from around, one of Lu Yuanzhao’s companions smugly declared, “Your Highness, your charm is truly great; ninety percent of the females in the room are looking at you.”
“Ha ha ha! Isn’t it true? A D-class male can only rely on his looks online to fool naive civilian females. In reality, it’s males like you, with wealth and power, who are truly sought after.”
“Speaking of which, Lu Ting is quite popular on StarNet as well.”
One of the males purposely steered the conversation toward Lu Ting, his tone laced with malice.
Lu Ting was indeed different from these males; his mere appearance stole the spotlight.
Lu Yuanzhao lazily turned his gaze over.
“Is that so?”
Lu Ting lowered his eyes, pretending to be humble. “Your Highness will soon be marrying an aristocratic female monarch and becoming the emperor; those females on StarNet can only look up to you from afar, naturally, they wouldn’t dare joke about you.”
Lu Yuanzhao chuckled lightly, seeming very satisfied with his response.
His words weren’t wrong.
Lu Yuanzhao looked around for the most outstanding female in the room.
That female was the only unmarried daughter of the biggest financial conglomerate in the empire—Payne Warner.
Due to her being the sole daughter, she was deeply favoured by her male and female parents, enjoying the best of everything. As for her wealth, it was unmatched.
If he could marry her as his female monarch, it would mean he had secured the support of the entire Warner family.
After all, development relies on financial backing.
Sensing their gazes, Payne Warner, surrounded by admirers, looked over in their direction.
A female next to her whispered, “Payne, that’s the heir to the royal family! It seems he’s looking at you; does he have feelings for you?”
“How enviable! If only I could be his female monarch, wouldn’t that make me the queen?”
Payne felt no delight in their envy. Compared to hollow fame, he yearned for a truly beloved partner.
Lu Yuanzhao clearly did not meet her standards; the one beside him, Lu Ting, was marginally acceptable.
In the end, none satisfied him completely.
She couldn’t help but recall a video she had been watching several days ago on StarNet.
In the video, the male emerged in pure white against the light, like a dream, his expression incredibly alluring. When he bent down to drape a garment over a female, Payne’s heart raced uncontrollably.
She had watched that video countless times, the empty feelings becoming increasingly stronger, even invading her dreams.
When she woke up, her pants were in disarray.
That peculiar feeling lingered until now, and recalling it made her legs ache subtly.
Payne would never voice these shameful, cryptic thoughts.