34. Chapter 34: The Shackled Dance Steps

She felt neither love nor hatred for this man; he was no different from a stranger. Back then, Su Xi had schemed to make her lose her virginity to him. After their one-night affair, the man left before she even woke. After that, he appeared only once more—at their wedding, and only for the ten minutes it took to complete the ceremony.

Ten minutes. That was the entirety of their relationship: a marriage of convenience lasting ten minutes. From then on, she remained the nominal Second Young Madam of the Lu family, while he continued living abroad. Until the day she died, he never showed his face again.

“What exactly is Second Young Master Lu doing?” Xia Rusheng asked, staring into his eyes.

His eyes were striking. Deep-set, they always carried a probing, profound quality. At their wedding, she had once met that gaze for a fleeting moment and felt her heart stir. In the end, however, she had been the one to look away.

Their encounter had begun in error. No matter how dazzling that single glance had been, it could not move the heart of a woman who was then in despair.

Besides, she had known perfectly well that Lu Siyang had a woman he loved—and that woman was not her.

“It seems Miss Xia is not unfamiliar with me.” A trace of gentleness suddenly appeared on his inscrutable face, and his eyes seemed to hold a hint of tenderness, utterly at odds with his usual icy presence.

Xia Rusheng thought she must have been mistaken. But he was facing her directly, and every flicker of his eyes was etched clearly into hers. It was certainly no illusion.

Even though this was Xia Rusheng’s face, he ought to have been just as unfamiliar with her as she was with him. And even if he was not, their reunion should not have been met with such tenderness.

While Xia Rusheng was still dazed, Lu Siyang had already walked slowly aboard the yacht. The guests followed him back into the banquet hall, eager to watch the spectacle unfold.

Lin Yichen’s fiancée looked exactly like Xia Rusheng, while Xia Rusheng’s former husband had made such a dramatic entrance and presented her with a birthday gift so extravagant and suggestive. Every guest felt certain that the party was about to become far more interesting.

Just as everyone expected, the moment he reached the center of the banquet hall, Lu Siyang abruptly pulled Xia Rusheng into his arms. His grip was domineering and forceful, leaving her no chance to resist—and he showed no concern whatsoever for Lin Yichen, who was present.

“Dance with me.”

With one hand restraining her and the other clasped around her waist, his tone allowed no refusal, just like his actions. Xia Rusheng had no opportunity to reject him. And with so many people watching, if she struggled and failed to break free, she would only be the one humiliated.

So, with a cold smile, she said, “Of course.”

The icy light in Lu Siyang’s eyes softened for an instant, even taking on a hint of amusement. His hand tightened again, landing precisely on the exposed skin of her back. Then his arm drew her closer until the distance between them became almost unnaturally intimate.

“Hiss—”

Xia Rusheng suddenly drew in a sharp breath. The gown left her entire back bare, and she had already bruised one spot when she struck the liquor cabinet earlier. Concealer had made it difficult to notice, but that did not mean touching it would not hurt—especially when Lu Siyang was using such force, and had happened to press directly on the bruise.

Lu Siyang clearly sensed something was wrong. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but in the next instant, he increased the pressure of his hand, making Xia Rusheng inhale sharply once more.

He was doing it on purpose. He was absolutely doing it on purpose.

Xia Rusheng was certain of it.

But she could not understand why. His expression remained as cold as ice, giving no indication whether he was merely tormenting her for amusement or had some other intention.

“Pay attention.” Lu Siyang had already begun moving, drawing her into the dance.

Xia Rusheng adjusted her emotions and decided to get through the dance first. As they moved, she asked, “Mr. Lu, what exactly do you mean by this?”

The corner of Lu Siyang’s thinly pressed lips moved slightly, but he did not answer. The dance was a long one, and he led her throughout in a controlling grip. Xia Rusheng had no autonomy whatsoever, forced to follow wherever he took her.

When the song finally ended, Lu Siyang released her with practiced courtesy, without the slightest hesitation.

Only then did Xia Rusheng feel the air return to her surroundings. During the dance, his warm breath had brushed her nose, and heat radiating from his body had seemed to envelop every inch of her, leaving her unable to breathe.

She hated this feeling—the overwhelming, domineering sensation of being completely helpless before him.

Lu Siyang clearly had no intention of answering her question. The moment he released her, he turned and walked away. At the same time, Lin Yichen hurried over.

“What did you say to him just now?” Seeing how closely the two of them had stood, Lin Yichen felt deeply uncomfortable. Especially when Xiaxia had been speaking to him, her lips had nearly touched Lu Siyang’s face.

Xia Rusheng shook her head. Lu Siyang had given her no answer, so asking had been no different from not asking at all. She could not guess what he was trying to do.

Lin Yichen tactfully restrained himself from pressing her further. Then he and Xia Rusheng looked toward Lu Siyang as he left the banquet hall.

Several socialites had already gathered around him. Lin Yichen gave an enigmatic laugh, while Xia Rusheng suddenly narrowed her eyes.

She saw that Su Xi had joined them as well. Judging from her expression, she seemed far from unfamiliar with Lu Siyang. Yet his face remained cold and impassive.

Could it be that, during the two years since her rebirth, Su Xi and Lu Siyang had somehow crossed paths?

She desperately wanted to follow them and find out, but with so many guests and reporters watching, she did not want to provide everyone with another subject for gossip. She forced herself to stay where she was.

Until the banquet ended, Lu Siyang never appeared again.

He was like the surprise he had prepared that day: appearing without warning, dazzling enough to seize everyone’s attention, and then disappearing soundlessly, as though he had never shown up at all.

After the banquet, Xia Rusheng and Lin Yichen went to the hospital together. Xia Yu had already been admitted in an emergency, and everyone from the Xia and Tan families was running about in a panic.

The commotion was worlds apart from the time Xia Rusheng had been ill.

Naturally, Xia Rusheng had no intention of quarreling with someone she did not care about. While Lin Yichen went to inquire about the condition, she carefully observed Tan Xue.

Tan Xue was much younger than Tan Li and was currently at the delicate stage between youthful innocence and mature womanhood. Her bearing and allure surpassed Tan Li’s by more than a little. No wonder her womanizing father had taken an interest in her. On the surface, Tan Xue was gentle and mild-tempered—indeed, she had all the makings of an ideal mistress.

Since Tan Li’s most dangerous potential rival had now appeared, Xia Rusheng would no longer need to deal with Tan Li herself.

Tan Xue seemed to sense someone watching her. She turned her head and met Xia Rusheng’s gaze.

When she saw Xia Rusheng smiling at her, Tan Xue first frowned, then a trace of confusion appeared in her eyes. Xiaxia’s grudge against the Tan family was no secret, and Tan Xue could see no reason for her to smile at her.

But when she realized that Xiaxia continued smiling at her, she suddenly felt a shiver of unease. Pretending to remain composed, she looked away.