After Transmigrating, I Married the Male Lead’s Sister (GL) - Chapter 25
The horses raced, their hooves pounding the earth with a thunderous rhythm. Clouds of dust kicked up on the racetrack, mirroring the excitement in the stands.
“Hey, what’s the prize?”
“A lot of money!”
“I heard the first place winner gets to dance with Victoria!”
“Wow!”
“Victoria? I’ll take the money, haha!”
“Tch!”
Suddenly, a female voice asked, “A dance?”
The white man glanced at the young beauty beside him, his eyes wide with admiration. “Hey, Cinderella! Would I be so lucky to be your prince? May I have the honor of dancing with you at the ball tomorrow night?”
“I’m sorry,” Gu Linxi declined, hand to her chest.
“Hey, Cinderella!”
“It’s Cinderella! She’s so beautiful!”
Gu Linxi was soon surrounded by a crowd. The compliments and admiration lifted her spirits, making her feel dizzy and flushed. She was unaccustomed to such attention, and she had once thought she would stick out like a sore thumb at this kind of event.
But now, no one could tell she wasn’t an invited guest.
Gu Linxi pursed her lips. She wore a pair of icy blue silk gloves that matched her outfit, the fabric enveloping her long fingers. Her cheeks were flushed, and she offered her hand to the handsome white man who had invited her.
For this moment at least, she tried not to think about Qin Zhan.
Soon, a pure black horse won the first race, and the crowd erupted in applause! There were gasps, groans, cheers, and even some pounding fists. The atmosphere was electric.
Gu Linxi, with her arm linked with the white man’s, held her head high and a slight smile on her lips. She felt like she had transformed into the girl she had been when she first met Li Suimei, a girl who seemed to possess an innate sense of nobility.
“Cinderella has such great poise!”
Gu Linxi smiled. “Thank you, but please call me Gu.”
“Gu…”
No one wanted to be a real Cinderella, even if Cinderella had a perfect ending. The pain and suffering she endured had become ingrained in her bones. It was a past she was unwilling to acknowledge.
The atmosphere remained heated. Gu Linxi quickly realized something was amiss. The first horse race had already ended, yet the surrounding noise seemed to never stop.
The white man released her and excitedly tiptoed to the outer edge of the crowd.
Gu Linxi’s heart pounded. Following the crowd’s gaze, she saw Fu Yanxiao, dressed in a sunny orange outfit.
Gu Linxi breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hey?” Gu Linxi tugged at the white man’s sleeve, but his eyes were fixed on the center of the crowd.
“Victoria…”
Gu Linxi clenched her fist, finally turning her gaze to the girl beside Fu Yanxiao, the one dressed in moonlight.
“Li Suimei!”
The girl smiled sweetly, her skirt swaying as she gracefully approached. Her dress was like moonlight, and those who saw her instinctively made way for her.
The white man left, following the crowd to see Victoria.
Gu Linxi lowered her eyes, hiding the turbulent emotions in them. She needed to find Qin Zhan! Only Qin Zhan truly belonged to her! Only Qin Zhan…
*
*
Fu Yanxiao said with displeasure, “That old man didn’t tell me this dress was so long…”
Li Suimei laughed, “You didn’t try it on?”
“Huh?” Fu Yanxiao looked at Li Suimei in surprise, “Try it on? That old man is so eccentric! You don’t know? Did you try it on?”
Li Suimei smiled without speaking.
“…Really?” Fu Yanxiao leaned in, adjusting her skirt, “The old man doesn’t like others trying on his clothes. He said that clothes choose their wearer, and trying them on would ruin a dress’s spirit. Besides, the wearer would keep asking for changes, and after too many alterations, a designer can lose their way.”
Li Suimei hummed, “I wore it once, but it wasn’t finished.”
“You’re so amazing then,” Fu Yanxiao said, tugging at her skirt, “But it doesn’t matter. My dress looks good too. Sister Qin said today that I’m like the sun!”
Qin Qing is already here?
Li Suimei’s eyes flickered. The second horse race was about to begin, and the ladies were all heading to the special viewing platform. Soon, the girls would be like flowers blooming on the stage, in stark contrast to the galloping horses.
She wondered if Qin Zhan would see Gu Linxi.
Li Suimei adjusted her skirt and followed Fu Yanxiao to watch the race.
Today, the girl who won the hearts of the crowd would be crowned Victoria.
“How much is the Victoria prize money?” Li Suimei asked casually.
Fu Yanxiao rubbed her ears, overwhelmed by the noisy crowd betting on the horses, “There’s a trophy and a certificate. Money? You don’t care about that little prize, do you?”
Li Suimei choked, “…No, I was just curious.”
“Oh, I think it’s about a million?” Fu Yanxiao said.
Li Suimei: “…”
She did care. Li Suimei smiled. After buying a house, her pocket money was almost gone. Her car and house were in City A and couldn’t be cashed out. Li Enhua had sent her two million a few days ago, but that was just enough for a shopping spree.
“My allowance seems to have decreased quite a bit,” Li Suimei mused, rubbing her chin.
“Has anyone from the Han family arrived?”
“Who?” Fu Yanxiao asked.
“Han Zhou, the one who does raw material production.”
“I don’t know him.”
Li Suimei: “…”
“A small-time raw materials merchant? Why are you looking for him?”
Li Suimei didn’t speak. She thought to herself, how many people here at this fashion show weren’t here to expand their network?
If she used Qin Qing’s name, would she have trouble meeting Han Zhou?
She smiled, “Shall we go find Qin Qing and Qin Zhan later?”
Fu Yanxiao was eager, “Sure!”