Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 264: A Delicate Moment

This woman was undoubtedly the one Chu Tianyu saved that night—the mysterious woman named Xue, who had suddenly left the dance hall.
While Chu Tianyu was stunned, Ning Shuang had already stepped forward. Seizing the opportunity due to the crowd, she stepped on Chu Tianyu, who was still holding Ou Yang Ziyi tightly.
Although Chu Tianyu’s mind was preoccupied with Xue, he noticed Ning Shuang’s trick. He didn’t move at first. But the moment Ning Shuang’s white high heels touched his feet, he let out a loud scream. Before she could pull back her foot, he bent over, clutching his foot and hopping around in pain, as if severely injured.
Ning Shuang was also taken aback by Chu Tianyu’s reaction. Though she had always disliked this playboy, her kick had been impulsive and casual, without any real force. She hadn’t felt much impact either, so it shouldn’t have been that strong. Why would this annoying guy react like this?
Especially since his loud cries drew everyone’s attention. Her shoe was clearly visible before she could pull it back. Then he started jumping around exaggeratedly, acting very painful. This not only confused Ning Shuang but also made her wonder if she had accidentally used too much strength in her kick, as ordinary people couldn’t possibly withstand such force.
Thinking of this, Ning Shuang saw the displeased expressions on the faces of the women, including Ou Yang Ziyi, as they gathered around Chu Tianyu, pretending to care for him. She felt aggrieved, especially about Ou Yang Ziyi’s attitude toward her. She stood there stunned, her eyes reddening, as if it were she who had been stepped on.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I think my sister didn’t mean to!” Seeing this, Xue, who was behind Ning Shuang, slowly stepped forward and spoke.
Without stopping, she went straight to Chu Tianyu’s side and helped him up. As he stood up, Xue pretended casually and whispered in his ear, “Stop pretending. Do you remember what I said? I’m best at reading people’s eyes. Their eyes never lie!”

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone saw the woman who claimed to be Sister Ningshuang whisper something in Chu Tianyu’s ear. Immediately, Chu Tianyu, who had been dancing on tiptoes moments before, froze in place, as if he had heard something shocking. He stared at her in disbelief, his expression strange enough to arouse curiosity in those around him.

At that precise moment, the host at the center of the hall announced that the banquet would officially begin. As planned, Miss Xue Feifei and Miss Xue Ning’er would take the stage first to perform a song for everyone.

To Chu Tianyu, this announcement sounded as beautiful and timely as celestial music. He quickly adjusted his expression, recovering from the shock of having his identity revealed, and chuckled at the crowd. “Hehe, Feifei and Ning’er, it’s your turn to go on stage. Don’t keep everyone waiting. Let’s go. As for these two ladies… hehe, we’ll talk about them later!”

With that, Chu Tianyu hurriedly pulled the girls away, leaving Xue and her sister behind, and headed toward the center. The people on both sides, seeing them, gladly cleared a path for them, as if welcoming them.

Ningshuang had originally intended to follow Ouyang Ziyi and the others, but seeing this situation, she gave up the idea and turned her attention to her sister.

“Sister, what did you say to that annoying guy just now? Do you know him?”

“Annoying guy?” Although she had been shocked by Chu Tianyu just now, Ao Xue was also extremely excited. She hadn’t yet recovered from the thrill of seeing Chu Tianyu’s true face, so she replied absentmindedly when her sister asked.

“Of course it’s that guy I stepped on. A grown man who cries out loudly just from being stepped on—no dignity at all. I get angry just looking at him. Why does he always stick around Sister Ziyi? I hate him!” Ningshuang, not noticing her sister’s odd behavior, spoke angrily.

As her sister spoke, Ao Xue gradually came back to her senses. However, Chu Tianyu’s image kept flashing in her mind, especially those expressions from earlier, which she couldn’t shake off. A voice in her heart kept repeating, “Is this his true face?”

After finally calming down, Ao Xue tried to change the subject. “Ningshuang, is that Sister Ziyi you mentioned last time—the pretty girl standing to his right?”

“Mm, yes, there are a few others as well—those I met at the bar that night while waiting for you. Although they don’t possess the natural aura like Sister Zi Yi, their temperament is really great!” Ning Shuang replied.
Hearing Ning Shuang say this, Ao Xue seemed to remember something, frowning deeply in thought.
“Sis, what’s wrong? Is there a problem?” Noticing her sister’s unusual behavior, Ning Shuang asked anxiously.
“Ning Shuang, I know about your special ability—to naturally sense the aura of all things in the world. But are you sure you only felt that aura on Zi Yi?” Ao Xue asked, as if trying to confirm something.
“Of course. That’s why I can only say their temperament is good. It’s not like Sister Zi Yi—her natural aura made me feel like I wanted to get close to her and be immersed in it, as if I’d found a family member… or… well, it’s just that indescribable sense of closeness!” Ning Shuang described.
“Mm…” With that, Ao Xue fell silent, letting Ning Shuang pull her toward the central stage—apparently still determined to find Sister Zi Yi.
Meanwhile, Chu Tianyu was also under the intense gazes of Qin Nianran and the other girls. Though they didn’t speak directly in this noisy crowd, their staring was enough to make Chu Tianyu feel extremely uneasy.
“Well, let’s discuss this question after Fei Fei and Ning Er finish singing, okay?” Under the girls’ “careful” attention, Chu Tianyu took the initiative to ask for their opinion.
By now, they had arrived at the stage. The entire hall was filled with eager spectators, all waiting for the Xue sisters to perform. It really wasn’t the time to question Chu Tianyu. So, despite women’s strong curiosity—especially that of four women—Chu Tianyu had to be put aside for now. Xue Fei Fei and Xue Ning Er needed to compose themselves, put on smiles, wave at the enthusiastic audience, and slowly walk onto the stage…
Once everyone’s attention was focused on the stage, Tai Nianran and Ouyang Zi Yi immediately “forced” Chu Tianyu away from the center. Clearly, they didn’t agree with his suggestion to talk together after Fei Fei and the others finished singing!
“I think my identity has been exposed!” Forced into desperation, Chu Tianyu could only start with a sudden, explosive topic.

Before Tai Nianran and Ouyang Ziyi could react, he repeated what Ao Xue had said earlier and recounted in detail how they had met before, how they had tracked each other, and how they had saved one another. Of course, the specifics, exact conversations, and those intimate moments were all kindly ignored by Chu Tianyu, who seemed to have something to hide.

However, Tai Nianran and Ouyang Ziyi didn’t delve into the inconsistencies in Chu Tianyu’s words. With their intelligence, and considering the ambiguous attitude of the woman toward Chu Tianyu after seeing him—despite his repeated claims that he was definitely wearing a mask—Tai Nianran and Ouyang Ziyi still guessed something was amiss. A mysterious smile appeared on both their faces as they looked at Chu Tianyu, as if trying to read something from his eyes as well…

But soon, both Qin Nianran and Ouyang Ziyi turned away simultaneously. Qin Nianran spoke first, “Ziyi, why do you think Ao Xue left suddenly? It seems like she had some kind of mission too. Could it be that she gave up so easily?”

“Who knows? Maybe she had urgent matters, maybe someone’s gaze was too piercing, or maybe someone else’s eyes were too charming. Anyway, it must have scared that girl!” Ouyang Ziyi replied nonchalantly.

“Oh, do you think it’s possible that the girl, upon seeing those eyes, feared she might fall in love with someone and couldn’t escape, so she left in a hurry to avoid the temptation?”

“Hmm, who can say for sure? Only the person involved knows for sure. But from today’s incident, it seems her impression of him was really deep. Even if she rushed away at that time, her heart might still belong to him.”

“Well, what if that person claims he’s innocent, that he’s just strong and can’t control if others like him?”

“Ah, flies don’t land on unbroken eggs. If he does good deeds without seeking recognition and just leaves, or if people don’t see those charming eyes of his, then there would be no problem at all.”

Faced with Qin Nianran and Ouyang Ziyi’s excellent acting, with their vivid voices and expressive performances, every word they spoke sounded like a narration. Although there was no direct accusation, their words carried subtle sarcasm, leaving Chu Tianyu utterly confused. Just as he was about to raise his hand in surrender and confess to get a lighter punishment, someone pushed through the crowd and, looking at Chu Tianyu, said loudly, “Classmate Chu, may I talk to you?”
Chu Tianyu glanced over and saw it was Gu Yu. Immediately, he cheered as if he had found rain after a long drought. He stepped forward quickly, hugged Gu Yu warmly, and said emotionally, “That’s, that’s great! Thank you, Classmate Gu. You came at just the right time. Go ahead and talk freely—I have time now!”