Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

Dress code: Formal attire.

— Cesare Gattuso

"Fingal! Is this thing real?" Lu Mingfei shook the invitation. "Caesar invited me?"

Fingel peeked out from behind the sofa, half a pizza dangling from his mouth: "It couldn't be more true! You're an S-rank now, and the president of the 'Mage Guild,' you've got a lot of influence!"

Lu Mingfei scratched his head: "But I can't dance."

"What are you afraid of!" Fingel patted his shoulder and pointed to the bathroom. "Anyway, you brought someone who can jump."

Lu Mingfei turned his head and looked towards the restroom. Frillie had already changed into her dress and came out.

The silver-haired elf wore a long, dark green dress embroidered with vine patterns on the hem. Her pointed ears were partially hidden by her hair, and a crystal pendant hung around her neck.

Lu Mingfei was stunned: "You, when did you get clothes like this?"

"Nono ordered it yesterday," Frillie said, turning slightly in a circle. "It should meet the 'formal wear requirements,' right?"

“It’s more than just fitting,” Lu Mingfei swallowed, “it’s like it stepped out of a fairy tale.”

Where is your dress?

Lu Mingfei looked down at his wrinkled shirt and jeans, and chuckled awkwardly, "I, I'll go change right away!"

Two minutes later, he appeared in a rented black suit, his tie hanging crookedly around his neck.

Frillie sighed and reached out to help him tidy up.

"Have you ever been to a dance before?" Lu Mingfei asked curiously.

Frillie paused, her gaze drifting into the distance: "Yes, it happened not long ago."

The carriage wheels made a dull thud on the muddy road. Frillie gazed out the window at the darkening sky, rubbing her empty purse.

Filon sat opposite him, a thick etiquette manual spread out on his lap, his brow furrowed.

"Are we really going to do this?" Philon closed the book.

"The pay is good, enough for three months' travel expenses."

Philon sighed, "But Shutark doesn't even know the most basic etiquette."

The carriage entered the Orden family manor, and Shutark awkwardly tied his bow tie.

"Shutark," Philen said one last time before getting out of the car, "you will play the role of Wilt who died in battle."

Shutark swallowed hard; the brand-new suit made his neck itch. "What if I get caught?"

"Then prepare to be homeless."

----

The Amber Pavilion was brightly lit, with crystal chandeliers illuminating the hall as if it were daytime.

Waiters carried champagne and moved about, while the student council members, all dressed in white suits, resembled a flock of elegant white doves.

Caesar stood in the doorway, his blond hair meticulously combed. Beside him, Nono wore a striking red dress, as flamboyant as a flame.

"Happy birthday, senior sister!" Lu Mingfei handed over a gift, a box of "elf-themed jam" made by Frilian.

Nono raised an eyebrow: "Can you eat this?"

Frilian: "It won't kill you."

Nono laughed and put her arm around Frillie's shoulder: "I like your personality!"

Caesar smiled and looked at Lu Mingfei: "Don't be shy tonight, relax and have some fun."

Fingel had already rushed to the buffet area, muttering "Lobster! Foie gras!", looking like a refugee who hadn't eaten for three days.

As the band played the first waltz, Caesar led Nono onto the dance floor. The red dress and white suit twirled under the lights, like roses blooming in the snow.

“Let’s go too,” Frilian said, pulling Lu Mingfei’s hand.

"STOP! I really can't dance."

“Follow my lead,” Frillie said, brooking no refusal.

Lu Mingfei followed her with a stiff upper lip, stepping on her feet several times, but Frilian had anticipated this and nimbly avoided them.

Gradually, he found his rhythm and was even able to manage to spin around.

"By beginner's standards, you jumped well," Frilian commented.

Lu Mingfei smiled wryly: "Don't try to comfort me."

“This isn’t just consolation,” Frilian said, raising her eyes. “He’s better than Shutark; he’s trampled on Philon many times.”

What kind of comparison standard is this?!

As the second dance music began, Lu Mingfei noticed Zero, the blonde girl in the band.

She played the violin with focused concentration, her icy blue eyes lowered, the notes flowing from her fingertips as cold as the Siberian wind.

As the music ended, Ling put down her bow, her gaze sweeping across the dance floor, and she briefly met Lu Mingfei's eyes.

He walked over as if possessed.

"That was a really good performance," he said dryly.

Zero nodded: "Thank you."

silence.

Lu Mingfei racked his brains to find a topic of conversation: "Um, want to dance?"

Zero put down her violin and extended her hand: "Okay."

Wait a minute! She actually agreed?!

The music in the center of the dance floor changed at that moment, becoming a slow waltz.

Lu Mingfei heard gasps from those around him, and only then did he realize how many eyes were on him and Zero.

Lu Mingfei placed his hand on it; Zero's fingers were very cold and soft to the touch.

“Follow me,” Zero said, then pulled him toward the center of the dance floor without further ado.

Lu Mingfei felt like a leaf caught in a whirlpool, helplessly following Zero's movements.

The crowd automatically parted to make way for them, whispering among themselves.

His ears were burning, and his palms were sweating profusely; he could barely hold Zero's hand.

"Relax," Zero said softly. "Put your right hand on my waist, not there, a little higher."

Lu Mingfei awkwardly adjusted his hand, his fingertips accidentally touching Ling's back, and he immediately recoiled as if electrocuted. "Sorry!"

Zero sighed, took his hand, and placed it back in the correct position: "Don't think too much, just follow my steps. Left, right, left..."

The music flowed like water, and Lu Mingfei tried his best to concentrate on Zero.

At first, he made almost every wrong step, and several times he almost tripped Zero, but Zero never showed any impatience.

She was like the most patient teacher, guiding him.

"Look into my eyes, not my feet."

Lu Mingfei looked up and was caught off guard, stumbling into a patch of icy blue lake.

At such close range, he could see Ling's silvery-white eyelashes and smell the faint scent of cedar on her body.

Lu Mingfei never imagined he could dance like this. Zero led him through one complex movement after another, and he was able to keep up with them all.

As she spun, Zero's skirt unfurled like black petals.

The music stopped abruptly, and applause erupted. Ling straightened up and released Lu Mingfei's hand.

The fleeting warmth and intimacy vanished, and she returned to her cold, aloof self.

After the ball, Fingel was slumped drunk on the table, still clutching half a bottle of champagne. It took Lu Mingfei a while to wake him up.

On the way back to the dormitory, the night breeze was slightly cool.

"Are you happy today?" Frilian asked.

Lu Mingfei thought for a moment, then said, "Hmm."

Do you like that girl named Zero?

"Huh? Pfft cough cough cough, I've only known her for a few days!" Lu Mingfei couldn't catch his breath.

"Really? I always felt like she'd known you for a long time," Frilian patted Lu Mingfei on the back to help him catch his breath.

Chapter 16 Old Tang

Lu Mingfei gripped the mouse and drew a sharp arc on the mousepad. The machine gunner squad on the screen immediately scattered, perfectly avoiding the attack from above.

His left hand flew across the keyboard, switching shortcut keys as smoothly as playing the piano.

"Old Tang, I've seen this trick of yours three times already," Lu Mingfei said into his headset, a smug smile on his face.

He was the only one in the dorm now; Fingel had gone off somewhere to freeload again, which gave him the freedom to play games to his heart's content.

Through the earpiece came Old Tang's heavily accented New York Mandarin: "Damn! Lu, are you cheating? How did you manage to dodge that?"

The battle on the screen has reached a fever pitch.

Lu Mingfei's human forces held the enemy at the front, while two transport planes quietly circled around to the rear of Lao Tang's Zerg base and airdropped eight marines.

Old Tang's main force was all at the front line, leaving the hatchery and the Queen in the rear completely unprepared.

"GG." Old Tang typed these two letters in the game chat box. Lu Mingfei's airdrop troops had destroyed two-thirds of his buildings.

Lu Mingfei released the mouse and stretched his slightly sore fingers. "Old Tang, you rely too much on routines. You should have known I'd be on guard when you used the same tactic for the third time."

"Lu, you are truly a god of StarCraft," Old Tang said with admiration. "I had never met a worthy opponent in the internet cafes of Brooklyn, but you crushed me for half a month."

Lu Mingfei scratched his head sheepishly: "Not at all. Actually, Lao Tang, your skills are quite good, it's just that your tactics are too easy to predict."

"Come on, I'm a dedicated player, I can see the skill gap between you and me." Old Tang sighed. "Lu, when are you coming to visit me? I'll treat you to authentic New York pizza and drive you around Times Square."

"How's Brooklyn?" Lu Mingfei asked casually.

"Hey buddy, Brooklyn is awesome!" Old Tang exclaimed excitedly. "Some people think it's chaotic here, but I've lived here for twenty years and I love it."