Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 131 The Ball (Part 1)

At six o'clock in the evening, Akizuki Makoto and Hime Yuki left the main room and went to other Japanese-style rooms. They first took a bath to clean their bodies and then changed their clothes.

Makoto Akizuki's formal attire is a classic tuxedo, with a simple yet elegant black and white color scheme.

The suit was custom-made for him in the last few days, and it fits him perfectly, giving him the air of a refined young nobleman.

Even the servants waiting outside couldn't help but cover their mouths and widen their eyes when they saw Akizuki Makoto, who had changed his clothes, walk out of the Japanese-style room.

Clearly, they were stunned by Akizuki Makoto's handsome and elegant appearance.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man and a saddle makes the horse. Although Akizuki Makoto is indeed very handsome, formal attire enhances his personal temperament and overall image.

Previously, Akizuki Makoto gave people the impression of a cheerful and sunny handsome guy, but now he seems like a prince.

With his elegant and noble attire and gentle smile, he could probably become an overnight sensation and the dream girl of countless young women if he debuted as an artist.

After changing his clothes, Akizuki Makoto returned to the Japanese-style room and waited for Himeyasu.

Compared to him, Ji Yexue had much more to prepare. She needed to dress up and do her makeup, which would probably take about half an hour.

"Oh my, what a handsome young man, just like a prince."

Mrs. Himeya watched as Akizuki Makoto entered the Japanese-style room and nodded in satisfaction. If she were twenty years younger, she might have been captivated by this young man who possessed both talent and good looks.

"Auntie, you flatter me."

Akizuki Makoto laughed somewhat embarrassedly. Being praised like this by an older woman made him feel a little awkward, as if he were being teased by an older sister.

After all, Mrs. Ji Ye is very well-preserved and looks quite young, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. The phrase "still charming" is no longer enough to describe her.

If he hadn't already known that Mrs. Ji Ye was Ji Yexue's mother, he would have thought she was Ji Yexue's older sister.

"Hehe, you don't need to be so modest, Akizuki-kun."

Mrs. Ji Ye covered her mouth and chuckled softly, saying in a gentle voice, "This is the first time I've ever seen a man as talented and handsome as Mr. Qiu Yue."

"Yes, yes..."

Qiu Yuecheng scratched his head and subconsciously said, "I also think you are very beautiful, Auntie, and very elegant and dignified."

The term "Yamato Nadeshiko" perfectly describes Mrs. Himeya; she and Himeya Yuki are two completely different types.

Ji Yexue has a proud and cold demeanor, but Mrs. Ji Ye is gentle, kind, and approachable.

She always had a faint smile on her face, spoke softly and gently, and her demeanor was very elegant.

Although Ji Yexue's behavior at home was very proper and polite, it was all an act and couldn't compare to the naturalness of Mrs. Ji Yexue.

Mrs. Hime winked playfully and said with a smile, "Hehe, I'm very happy that Mr. Akizuki praised me so much, but you can't let Yuki hear this, okay?"

Fortunately, Ji Yelongjun is not in the main room right now. He seems to have gone back to the backyard to enjoy tea and read books. Otherwise, if he saw his daughter making such a playful gesture towards a young man, he would probably be furious and scold her for being childish and rude.

Akizuki Makoto seemed to understand what Mrs. Himeya meant, and gave a wry smile without replying.

Given Ji Yexue's personality, she might actually be jealous of her mother.

"To be honest, I really didn't expect Xiaoxue to do something like that to you."

Mrs. Ji Ye's sudden remarks puzzled Akizuki Makoto for a moment, but he immediately understood. She was referring to Ji Ye Xue's misbehavior towards him after she gained invisibility.

"I'm sorry, Akizuki-kun, my child has caused you trouble."

Mrs. Hime lowered her head in shame and sincerely apologized to Akizuki Makoto.

Ever since hearing Ji Yexue's account, she had wanted to talk to Qiuyue Cheng about this matter and apologize to him.

No matter how you look at it, it was her failure as a mother that led her to ignore Ji Yexue's inner feelings, causing her to develop an antisocial personality.

“It’s all in the past, you don’t need to apologize to me anymore.”

“When I heard Xiaoxue tell me her story, I was shocked and saddened. It was my fault. As her mother, I failed to discipline her properly and failed to pay attention to her inner thoughts, which led to this incident.”

"You don't need to think that way. After all, you can't read her mind, so it's normal that you don't know what she's really thinking."

"Hehe, Akizuki-kun is so gentle. With your comfort, I feel much more relaxed for some reason."

Mrs. Ji Ye covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her slender phoenix eyes narrowing slightly to resemble crescent moons, making her look extremely beautiful.

After that, the two chatted for a while until the screen of the Japanese-style room was pushed open, and Ji Yexue, dressed in a gorgeous dress and carefully made up, walked into the Japanese-style room with a dignified demeanor.

The burgundy off-the-shoulder evening gown, worn by her, made her look like a rose in full bloom, beautiful and alluring, full of fatal temptation.

Her already pretty face, accentuated by light makeup, gained a touch of maturity.

Her usually flowing black hair was now tied up with a hairpin at the back of her head, revealing her flawless white neck.

"It suits you very well, Xiaoxue."

As Mrs. Himeya watched her daughter walk into the Japanese-style room and stand in front of Akizuki Makoto, she couldn't help but stroke her face and chuckle.

She had absolute confidence in her daughter's beauty, believing that even the most popular celebrities couldn't compare to Ji Yexue.

Unfortunately, Akizuki Makoto isn't someone who cares about appearances; otherwise, Himeyasu would have been a sure winner in the battle.

Akizuki Makoto had to admit that Ji Yexue was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Those picturesque eyebrows and eyes, flawless skin, and round, delicate oval face are all undoubtedly the work of the Creator and the abundant favor of God.

"How about it?"

Ji Yexue stood in front of Qiu Yuecheng, arrogantly raising her chin and looking down at him.

"Well, it looks good."

Qiu Yuecheng nodded, acknowledging Ji Yexue's beauty. He had never denied Ji Yexue's appearance, always believing that she was more beautiful and charming than anyone else.

"That's all the evaluation you've got?"

Ji Yexue pouted, slightly displeased, and complained, "Aren't you a famous writer? Can't you think of more adjectives to praise me?"

"Hehe, Xiaoxue, that's because you're short-sighted. Qiuyuejun means that any adjective pales in comparison to you, so he'll only use the most direct words to praise you."

Mrs. Ji Ye smiled and tried to smooth things over, but inwardly she was smiling bitterly.

This child starts to become increasingly demanding and willful if you're not careful.

"is it?"

Hearing her mother say this, Ji Yexue's expression softened, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a beautiful and charming smile.

"Alright, now that you've changed your clothes, let's go." Mrs. Ji urged the two to leave, wanting to create more time for them to be alone.

She had already said everything she wanted to say to Akizuki Makoto, so there was no need to disturb them any further.

"Well, let's go."

Ji Yexue nodded slightly and extended her hand to Qiuyue Cheng, as if she were gesturing to something.

Seeing this, Akizuki hesitated for a moment, but still politely shook her outstretched hand.

When their hands met, he immediately felt a soft warmth.

Ji Yexue's delicate and smooth skin contrasted sharply with his slightly rough skin texture.

After shaking hands, Ji Yexue then took Qiuyue Cheng's hand and left the Japanese-style room in step with him.

Mrs. Ji watched the two figures leave, her eyes tender. She thought the two were truly a perfect match; the phrase "a handsome man and a beautiful woman" was insufficient to describe them.

"It's just a pity that Xiaoxue is still the same, liking things without any restraint..."

Mrs. Ji sighed softly, deeply feeling that Ji Yexue still had a long and arduous road ahead on the path to happiness in life.

……

The ball was held in Minato Ward, specifically at a manor house adjacent to Tokyo Bay.

The journey from Jiye Mansion takes about ten minutes by car. During this time, Akizuki Makoto is thinking about the etiquette of the ball.

At gatherings of the upper class, elaborate etiquette is indispensable.

Although Ji Yexue said it didn't matter if they didn't follow etiquette and no one would dare to say anything to them, Qiuyue Cheng's motto has always been to do things to the best of his ability and to do them perfectly.

As the car entered the manor, its speed gradually decreased, eventually stopping in the middle of a line of luxury cars. Akizuki Makoto got out first and walked around to the other side of the car, next to the seat where Ji Yexue was sitting.

He bent down and reached out his hand to Ji Yexue inside the car, extending an invitation.

"Hehe, it's rare to see you being so gentle."

Ji Yexue was surprised for a moment, then laughed, placed her hand on Qiu Yuecheng's hand, and got up and got out of the car while smoothing her skirt.

After getting out of the car, she took Qiuyue Cheng's arm and walked into the brightly lit and magnificent manor.

Those who arrived at the venue at the same time were immediately captivated by the stunning good looks and elegant demeanor of the couple upon seeing them at the entrance.

Upon entering the manor, Akizuki looked at the living room, which resembled a hotel lobby, and thought it was truly magnificent, befitting a place used to host banquets for high society.

The living room features large floor-to-ceiling windows that offer stunning views of Tokyo Bay at night, as well as a brightly lit back garden adorned with blooming flowers.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, which is about three or four stories high. The warm yellow light is incredibly soft, bright but not glaring.

Those who had arrived at the venue earlier were already toasting and chatting in a pleasant atmosphere.

Attendants dressed in black suits and vests moved around the venue, adding drinks and food to each table.

When Akizuki Makoto and Ji Yexue entered hand in hand, all of them stopped talking and clinking glasses and looked at them.

Ji Yexue ignored the gazes of these people and led Qiu Yuecheng straight to the depths of the venue, where their home turf was.

Those on the periphery are among the least powerful in every respect; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them insignificant figures. Therefore, there is no need for them to engage in conversation.

As the only daughter and heir of the First Consortium, it would be perfectly reasonable for Ji Yexue to look down on them, especially since she was known to most people as aloof and superior.

It would be strange if she could greet everyone with a smile and a friendly demeanor.

However, this time, most people's attention was focused on Akizuki Makoto, wondering who he was, what his identity was, and why he was able to accompany that icy young lady.

Their questioning and inquisitive gazes made Akizuki Makoto feel slightly uncomfortable, and this feeling did not lessen as he entered the inner area; on the contrary, it increased.

Halfway through, people started coming up to say hello, both men and women. But after a brief greeting and a few pleasantries, they tactfully left.

During this process, they also got to know Akizuki Makoto, and learned that he had no special background and was just accompanying them as a dance partner.

After all, people in high society know each other very well, and no one has ever heard of a celebrity with the surname Qiuyue.

"Huh? Akizuki-kun looks so familiar, I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."

As they walked deeper into the venue and greeted the second-generation attendees, a woman in a light yellow dress, who appeared to be a few years older than them, suddenly gasped in surprise.

"Moreover, the surname Qiuyue looks familiar, as if I've seen it before."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yexue smiled and looked at the woman who was a few years older than her, asking casually, "Is she trying to flirt with my dance partner, Ms. Sato?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant!"

Sato Ayana quickly shook her head in denial. How could she dare to compete with the eldest daughter of the Himeya family for a man? Wouldn't that be courting death?

The fact that she could attend a banquet hand in hand with this aloof beauty who never gets close to men speaks volumes.

Moreover, when others praise Akizuki Makoto as handsome or compliment them as a good match, Hime Yuki always reveals a hint of pride.

Anyone with eyes can see that Ji Yexue regards Qiu Yuecheng as her man.

"Haha, Ms. Sato, your words sound like you're trying to pick me up."

"Exactly, isn't that the usual excuse when striking up a conversation: 'You look familiar, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before'?"

The others, eager for a good laugh, joined in the teasing, causing Ayana Sato's cheeks to flush slightly and her head to start spinning.

"I... I really think Akizuki-kun looks familiar, but I wasn't trying to flirt with him!"

After awkwardly retorting, Ayana Sato suddenly had a flash of inspiration and exclaimed, "Ah! I remember now, isn't that the up-and-coming genius writer who penned 'Snow Country'!"

"Ms. Sato knows about the Snow Country?"

Akizuki Makoto was somewhat surprised, not expecting to run into one of his readers here.

"I haven't seen it myself, I just heard about it from a friend, and she even showed me the photos that Akizuki posted on Instagram."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yexue finally understood that Sato Ayana wasn't trying to pick her up.

She is exceptionally sensitive, even neurotic, when it comes to guarding against philanderers.

"I never knew Akizuki-kun was a writer! Amazing! He's not only good-looking but also incredibly talented."

"I think I've heard of 'Snow Country' before, but I didn't expect it was written by Akizuki-kun."

The people around echoed, even though they didn't know what kind of literature "Snow Country" was, they just wanted to praise it.

(End of this chapter)