Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

Yang Sixue turned and exclaimed in surprise, "Qiu Jie? What are you doing here?"

Zhao Dong followed her gaze. The man who spoke was dressed in a white suit. He was tall with handsome features and flowing hair—a classic pretty boy who looked like a wealthy heir at first glance.

The man, Qiu Jie, paid no attention to Zhao Dong. His eyes were fixed on Yang Sixue, scanning her from head to toe as a trace of fervor ignited in his gaze. "Sixue, you're still as beautiful as ever. So much so that I almost didn't recognize you."

Yang Sixue offered a faint smile. "You're flattering me. You're looking quite the high-flyer yourself. Are you also here for the gala?"

Qiu Jie laughed. "I am. I never expected to run into you here. It must be fate."

Yang Sixue smiled, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "That's right, you aren't in the entertainment industry, are you? So how…"

Qiu Jie smiled slightly. "I'm an investor now. I'm good friends with a few directors who are here tonight, and they invited me to come along."

Yang Sixue's eyes widened in astonishment. "Good heavens! We're all still grinding away in the industry, and you're already an investor? Comparisons are odious. You must be the most successful person from our class by now."

Qiu Jie smiled humbly, but a hint of pride surfaced in his eyes. Naturally, showing off in front of a goddess like her felt incredible.

After a few more pleasantries, Qiu Jie smiled. "Sixue, let's go in together. I can introduce you to those directors."

Yang Sixue glanced at Zhao Dong before smiling at Qiu Jie. "You go on ahead, Qiu Jie. I brought someone with me, and I'll go in with him in a bit."

Qiu Jie's expression stiffened. He looked at Zhao Dong, his brow immediately furrowing. Sizing Zhao Dong up, Qiu Jie frowned. "Sixue, who is this friend of yours? I don't think I've seen him in our circle before."

Yang Sixue smiled lightly. "He's not in the industry. He's a personal friend who came to accompany me tonight."

Qiu Jie narrowed his eyes. "So he's your date for the evening?"

Yang Sixue simply smiled without answering. Qiu Jie's gaze swept over Zhao Dong from head to toe, a look of disdain and scorn appearing in his eyes. What a country bumpkin. That outfit makes it obvious he isn't from the entertainment world. He just looks like a regular guy.

Qiu Jie felt a surge of irritation. Back in school, he had pursued Yang Sixue many times, only to be gracefully rejected. He had been thrilled to see the goddess of his affections tonight, but now she had a date—and an unimpressive one at that.

However, Qiu Jie was smooth. He forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm Qiu Jie. A pleasure to meet you."

He extended his hand toward Zhao Dong.

"Zhao Dong." Zhao Dong returned the smile and took the offered hand. As their hands clasped, Qiu Jie covertly squeezed with all his might, but he saw Zhao Dong's expression remain unchanged.

Surprised, he squeezed even harder, but Zhao Dong's face was still a mask of indifference. Qiu Jie was stunned. This shouldn't be happening! I'm a disciple of the Hongquan Sect and I've studied martial arts for the past two years. On top of that, I work out constantly. I should be able to make any ordinary person yield with ease, so how can he not feel a thing?

A playful smile touched the corners of Zhao Dong's mouth. He had, of course, felt Qiu Jie's little trick but didn't mind in the least. In his eyes, Qiu Jie was... far too weak.

Qiu Jie quickly released his hand, his gaze on Zhao Dong shifting slightly. "Brother Zhao, may I ask what you do for a living?"

Zhao Dong smiled. "I'm unemployed."

Qiu Jie was taken aback, finding it hard to believe. "You've been jobless all this time?"

"I was in the army for a few years. I was just recently discharged."

Qiu Jie frowned. So he was a soldier. He might have some fight in him, but it doesn't matter. A single soldier can't stir up any real trouble. A few years ago, he'd had the good fortune to meet a benefactor and study under a master from the Hongquan Sect, so he had some skills of his own. He really didn't see Zhao Dong as a threat.

Glancing at Yang Sixue, Qiu Jie formed a plan and decided to play it cool for now. He smiled. "Sixue, since you have a date, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll head in first. See you in a bit."

"Okay."

Once Qiu Jie had taken his leave, Zhao Dong turned to Yang Sixue. "That guy likes you, doesn't he?"

Yang Sixue was taken aback, her expression flickering. "How did you know? He chased after me back in school, but I turned him down."

Zhao Dong smiled knowingly. "That explains it. No wonder he was so hostile. Looks like I'm here to be your target tonight."

A charming smile spread across Yang Sixue's face. She flicked her long hair back. "You still have a chance to back out. It's up to you whether you want to go in with me."

Zhao Dong shrugged. "I'm already here, so there's no room for regret. Besides, I'm curious to see what one of these entertainment industry galas is like."

Yang Sixue nodded, then added a word of caution. "No matter what happens tonight, remember to stay calm. There are a lot of influential people from the industry here. You absolutely can't afford to offend them. Just come along and enjoy the food."

Zhao Dong grinned. "Don't worry, I get it."

Yang Sixue took a deep breath, then took the initiative to link her arm with Zhao Dong's. Together, they walked into the banquet hall.

As Yang Sixue held his arm, they were in close contact—perhaps unintentionally. While they walked, his arm brushed against something soft. The sensation was… quite peculiar. He glanced at Yang Sixue. Her gaze was lowered, and her cheeks seemed tinged with red. He couldn't tell if she had felt it or not.

The vast banquet hall was already bustling with people when they entered, a long red carpet stretching across the floor. Handsome men and beautiful women mingled, each one of them looking radiant and full of spirit, creating an extraordinarily lively atmosphere.

Yang Sixue's arrival immediately drew a great deal of attention, as she was a diva-level celebrity. She, for her part, simply maintained a polite, detached smile. Zhao Dong was also perfectly calm, showing no signs of stage fright whatsoever.

After all, in his eyes, these people might be stars and online influencers, but in the end, they were all just performers.

As he walked into the hall with Yang Sixue, many eyes turned toward him, their gazes filled with surprise and confusion. They were surprised to see the diva Yang Sixue with a man by her side. They were confused because this man had no apparent fame and looked quite ordinary, aside from being reasonably handsome.

The seating had been arranged in advance. Yang Sixue's seat was at one of the tables near the front. She led Zhao Dong straight there, and they sat down together.

People looked away, but a murmur of whispered conversations began to ripple through the room.

"Look, who's that guy? You don't think he's Yang Sixue's boyfriend, do you?"

"No way. Yang Sixue is a diva. Her boyfriend would have to be on a similar level, right? I've never seen that guy before!"

"He doesn't seem to be from our circle. Could he be some hidden tycoon or a second-generation heir?"

"Hard to say. His background might be more impressive than it looks. We'll just have to find a chance to ask around later."

The guests whispered among themselves, their eyes occasionally drifting toward Zhao Dong. Compared to Yang Sixue, his identity and origins were far more intriguing.

As more guests continued to stream into the hall, Zhao Dong asked in a low voice, "What's the theme of tonight's gala?"

Yang Sixue smiled. "There might be an awards ceremony too—this year's Golden Statue Awards."

"Are you nominated?"

Yang Sixue pouted slightly. "I don't know, but I don't really care. At the end of the day, our careers depend on the audience."

"That's true."

Zhao Dong scanned the room again when suddenly, a woman at a table across from them caught his eye.

The woman possessed a perfect, classic, melon-seed-shaped face with exquisitely delicate features. Her beautiful eyes were long, narrow, and inky black, hinting at some hidden mystery. She had a proud, straight nose and thin, coolly elegant lips that were pressed lightly together. At a glance, she radiated an intense, cold arrogance. She wore an off-white, low-cut evening gown with lace cutouts. Her ink-black hair was draped casually over her shoulders, setting off her jade-like skin and a snow-white neck as elegant and proud as a swan's. Her delicate collarbones radiated a faint, alluring luster. Just by sitting there, her aura was overwhelming, overshadowing everyone around her.

As if sensing his gaze, the woman looked over at him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Zhao Dong's breath caught in his throat.

A woman this beautiful actually exists!

The woman merely gave him a cold glance before looking away.

Beside him, Yang Sixue pinched his thigh, her voice dripping with jealousy. "Still looking?"

Startled, Zhao Dong quickly turned his head and asked awkwardly, "Who is she?"

Yang Sixue glanced at the woman, then lowered her voice. "Her name is Song Qingwan. Her story is the stuff of legends. Want to hear it?"

Curious, Zhao Dong replied, "Tell me."

Yang Sixue looked at Song Qingwan one more time and began her tale. As she spoke, Zhao Dong's expression began to change.