Chapter 163: Always Inspect the Goods Before Marriage
Seven o'clock in the evening.
Luxury cars pulled up to the building's entrance, one after another.
A red carpet stretched from the doorway all the way down the steps.
Countless members of the media stood by, taking pictures.
Besides the various socialites of the Imperial City, many celebrities were also attending tonight's banquet.
The media had flocked to the scene, and the incessant flash of cameras lit up the surroundings as if it were daytime.
A black Maybach slowly came to a stop.
The driver got out first, jogged to the back, and respectfully opened the rear door, even remembering to shield the top of the doorframe with his hand.
Xiao Ye got out of the car, glanced back, and started walking ahead.
Wang Qiaoqiao, who had been waiting for him to offer a hand, cursed under her breath. She had no choice but to get out by herself and jog a few steps to catch up to Xiao Ye.
Her hand was just about to take Xiao Ye's arm, but he dodged away.
"Don't touch me."
Xiao Ye couldn't muster an ounce of goodwill for this scheming woman.
Besides, there were already enough misunderstandings between him and Lin Chuyue.
Surrounded by the media, he didn't want to show any form of intimacy with her.
Wang Qiaoqiao was about to explode with anger, but she had to maintain her smile to avoid being photographed in a compromising way.
She lowered her voice. "Xiao Ye, do you have any sense of propriety? We're engaged now!"
Xiao Ye glanced at her elaborate dress. "Just hold your own skirt."
The corner of Wang Qiaoqiao's mouth twitched. She said nothing more, struggling to keep her smile in place as she held her dress with both hands.
Normally, she loved lingering on the red carpet, but now she couldn't be bothered. She hurried into the building, terrified that someone might notice something was wrong.
As for Xiao Ye, he had gone inside long ago.
The banquet hall was magnificently lit.
Guests dressed in lavish attire were gathered in groups, chatting.
Xiao Ye's gaze swept across the room, but he didn't spot anyone out of the ordinary.
Zhuo Qinglin spotted him at once. Using the excuse of getting a drink, he came over and said in a low voice, "Master Xiao, we've finished investigating that matter with the assistant."
"He doesn't know who the mastermind is. He only did it for the money."
"We have him in custody. If you need him, we can deliver him to you at any time."
Xiao Ye gave a slight nod. "You can handle it."
The assistant knew almost no useful information; there was no need to waste time on him.
Someone was approaching, so Zhuo Qinglin didn't dare to linger. He nodded at Xiao Ye and walked away.
This was a grand banquet attended by many household-name celebrities, first-tier families, and even top-tier families.
But there was no sign of the reclusive families.
It was as if they had truly hidden themselves away completely.
Wang Qiaoqiao was like a social butterfly, flitting endlessly through the crowd.
However, the Wang Family she came from was nothing special, she herself was not favored, and while she was reasonably pretty, she was by no means a great beauty.
Especially when compared to the various celebrities present, she didn't stand out at all.
So most people paid her little attention, which made Wang Qiaoqiao furious.
Then she looked at Xiao Ye, and her anger boiled over instantly.
Unable to lash out, she could only drown her sorrows, drinking one glass after another.
The banquet went on for a full two hours before finally drawing to a close.
Wang Qiaoqiao's mission was to attend with Xiao Ye, but aside from arriving in the same car, the two of them hadn't shared a single intimate moment the entire night.
Reeking of alcohol, Wang Qiaoqiao stumbled in front of Xiao Ye.
She was about to berate him, but when she saw his face, she swallowed her words.
Under the influence of alcohol, Xiao Ye's already handsome features seemed even more dazzling.
Sharp brows, star-like eyes, a cool and noble air.
Wang Qiaoqiao felt her body growing hot. She lunged at him instinctively.
Who would have thought that Xiao Ye would dodge her completely?
If there hadn't been a table right in front of her, Wang Qiaoqiao would have fallen flat on the floor.
Seeing this from a short distance away, Xiao Wenbin's expression turned ugly. "Xiao Ye, what do you think you're doing? Have you no gentlemanly grace whatsoever!"
"Qiaoqiao has had too much to drink, and the banquet is almost over. You should take her home."
"Remember, you two will be husband and wife, a community of shared interests. I don't care what you do in private, but in public, you must be a considerate and good man!"
Xiao Wenbin waved his hand impatiently. "Now, go!"
Xiao Ye glanced at Wang Qiaoqiao and walked ahead. "Keep up."
Although Wang Qiaoqiao had drunk a lot, she wasn't drunk and could still walk on her own.
The two of them left the banquet and got into the car.
Wang Qiaoqiao immediately shouted in dissatisfaction, "Xiao Ye, we were supposed to be together the whole time today!"
"But what did you do? You left me all alone!"
Xiao Ye couldn't be bothered to respond, simply turning to look out the window.
The sight of his exquisite profile made Wang Qiaoqiao's voice trail off.
She swallowed. She had always known Xiao Ye was handsome, but he looked exceptionally different today.
This suit, in particular, accentuated Xiao Ye's tall and slender figure.
His long legs, with nowhere to go, were spread slightly apart.
Wang Qiaoqiao felt even hotter. She haphazardly pulled at her skirt, letting the cool air blow in, which made her feel a little better.
After a long hour, the car finally arrived at the entrance of a villa.
This was Wang Qiaoqiao's private residence.
She got out of the car, accidentally stepped on the hem of her dress, and pitched forward toward the hard stone steps!
Her eyes went wide, her body stiff with fear.
Just as she was about to have an intimate encounter with the ground, she suddenly stopped.
Xiao Ye grabbed her arm and pulled her upright. "You should go inside."
"Wait, come inside with me first. I have something to say to you." Wang Qiaoqiao licked her somewhat dry lips.
Xiao Ye frowned slightly but followed her in.
'This Wang Qiaoqiao is the person Xiao Wenbin chose, and she's also part of the mastermind's plan. Maybe I can find a clue from her. If not for that, I would've cut off all contact with her long ago.'
The villa was very tidy.
Wang Qiaoqiao took off her high heels and went into a room to change into a silk nightgown.
Under the lights, Xiao Ye looked like a noble young master, exuding an ascetic aura that made it impossible to look away.
Wang Qiaoqiao felt her mouth go dry. She drank a large glass of water, but her body still felt hot.
She looked at Xiao Ye, her eyes glistening as if filled with water.
"Even though ours is just a marriage of convenience, we'll still have to have children after we get married."
"As for the rest of the time, we can do whatever we want."
With that, Wang Qiaoqiao walked up to Xiao Ye and grabbed his collar. "How about... we give it a try tonight?"
"You always have to check the goods before marriage, don't you think?"
Xiao Ye was merciless. He brushed her hand away and took a step back. "If you want to 'check the goods,' go find someone else."
Without another word, he turned and left, not looking back.
Wang Qiaoqiao followed, chasing after him for a few steps before boldly hugging him from behind.
"No, you can't leave!"
"You've made me feel... uncomfortable. You have to stay and keep me company!"
The closer she got, the more intense the heat in Wang Qiaoqiao's heart became.
Her little hands also began to wander.