While the two were chatting, someone took a big dance step and bumped into He Yuan’s back from behind.

He supported Gou An firmly and they did not fall. He just took a wrong step but stood steadily. When he looked up, he saw Gou Xun dancing with Lu Wan with an expressionless face, passing by them.

With a spin, Lu Wan’s long, black hair drew a perfect arc under the lights of the banquet hall.

Thanks to Lu Wan, most people’s attention at the scene were not on this pair of ‘scrap and rag-picker’. As the heroine of book, Lu Wan, who had changed into a little dress, gave people the feeling of Cinderella wearing crystal shoes when she appeared on the stage.

The moment she stepped into the spotlight holding Gou Xun’s hand, many people’s eyes were focused on her.

Gou Xun did not look proud or have any other emotions. He kept a slight frown on his face and a serious expression throughout. Occasionally, he would hear laughter coming from someone chatting happily next to him, but he would restrain himself from turning around to look—even though that annoying voice was calling someone else’s sister ‘jiejie’ in such a disgusting way.

Gou Xun guided Lu Wan. She had been forced to learn the dance for a few days prior and was not very familiar with it.

Lu Wan’s dance steps were awkward, but she had a certain grace that most beginners didn’t have, which made her awkwardness endearing.

Sometimes when Gou An danced past the edge of the crowd, she would hear people discussing who she was. With such a beautiful female companion, it was no wonder that Gou Xun gave up the opening dance with Gou An…

It was no wonder that Gou An hastily accepted the scraps given by the He family.

As  the dance wore on, Gou An watched coldly as her foolish brother and the smiling Lu Wan embraced each other, becoming the most eye-catching couple on the floor. Perhaps this was the only highlight in the entire book for Gou Xun, a character who was not even a stepping stone.

He was simply a ticket for the heroine to enter the upper class deck for the first time with a decent identity.

Gou An didn’t bother to care.

She withdrew her gaze, performed the final gesture of greeting with He Yuan, and holding the hem of her skirt, she let out a long sigh amid the various gazes of the people around her.

“Let’s take a break.”

Dancing was a physical activity, and dancing a song seriously was quite tiring. Although He Yuan looked perfectly composed, Gou An was a little out of breath.

The boy politely released his big hand from her waist, and Gou An headed to the bathroom.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

There was no more inexplicable person mounting an ambush at the door of the bathroom, but Gou An still heard similar things to what Gou Xun said earlier, and she knew that he did not mean to spread rumors maliciously.

People were indeed very interested in the fact that she and He Yuan appeared together and immediately showed that they were working well together. They were so interested that they didn’t forget to gossip even when they were answering the call of nature in the bathroom.

“What’s going on between Gou An and that He Yuan?”

“What’s going on? You saw it too. It’s just dancing! But at this juncture, it shouldn’t just be about dancing, right? After Gou An and He Ran broke off their engagement, there should be someone to take over the engagement agreement between the two families. If it’s not He Ran, then it must be someone else. Didn’t you yourself say this before?”

“Ah, but from He Ran to this person! Gou An is so competitive, can she swallow this?”

“What can she do? Her words don’t count. She has to swallow her anger even if it means breaking her teeth and bleeding.”

Sitting on the toilet seat inside the cubicle, holding her skirt up with one hand, Gou An touched the tip of her nose and thought, Really, the whole process of me accepting He Yuan was not as bloody as you imagine—

It was quite pleasant, in fact.

“But that He Yuan… I’ve never heard of him before.”

“Who says you have?”

“Now Miss Gou’s status is going to plummet.”

“Who told her to accept everything? She should at least resist… She asked for it.”

Ah? What are you saying? Even though my status has plummeted, I am still Gou An. What do you mean, if I retire, my parents can become your parents and let you take over my spot?

“She probably can’t stand the grievance of such rumors.”

It’s good that you know that you are just gossipmongers.

“If she is with He Yuan, she should go abroad, right? After all, He Yuan has been abroad all the time.”

“Hm?”

“What are you ‘hmm’ing about?”

“She’s even going so far as to leave the country? She really shouldn’t have accepted that He Yuan.”

Ha?!

Going abroad?!

Who arranged this for me?!

“Ah?”

“Hey, after all these years of bickering, if she really leaves and there’s no one to quarrel with, I feel like I’m a little reluctant to let her go. If you really think about it, she’s not that annoying. Wasn’t she pretty cool when she made such a big effort to deal with Xu Ke for that brat He Yuan?”

“…No, didn’t you hate her to death before? Do you have Stockholm syndrome?”

“Oh, yeah. Well, in comparison, I think the woman Gou Xun brought is more annoying. She always looks at you with cautious eyes, as if you will bully her if you just speak a little louder. There’s something wrong with her.”

Gou An was almost stunned by what she heard. She didn’t know which two rich girls outside had turned their hatred for her into love, and actually imagined that she was leaving Jiangcheng and was now reluctant to let her go…

I just danced with He Yuan!

How come these people are now imagining me married and living abroad…

Don’t you think you’re overthinking this??

… …

Gou An came back from the bathroom and looked around for where He Yuan had gone. She planned to rest for a while and then dance with him for a few more songs.

It wasn’t that she was stubborn and going through a rebellious period.

Anyway, bad things have already been said; she’s been ridiculed and speculated on. At this time, acting reluctant and trying to avoid suspicion and separating immediately would only play into the hands of those boring people.

Gou An’s thoughts were very clear, so as the music was changing, she quickly and smoothly moved through the crowd towards the dessert table, ready to replenish her physical strength and then fight to the end.

As she was about to reach the dessert table, she set her eyes on a glass of ice-cold, freshly squeezed orange juice.

Before she could reach out her hand, someone grabbed her wrist from behind and dragged her back without any explanation.

Ah, here’s He Yuan.

This kid is really clingy.

“My dear little brother, let me catch my breath for a while before we—“

Gou An turned around as she spoke, and found that the height of the person who caught her seemed to be a little off.

Originally, He Yuan was only a head taller than her, but now the person standing behind her was like a door panel, casting a shadow that covered her tightly.

The surroundings suddenly became eerily quiet.

Gou An raised her head and looked blankly at the man’s perfectly curved jaw, his usual smile hanging on his thin lips.

Even though he knew that everyone around them was looking at them at this moment, his smile did not change at all.

With her lips unable to close due to shock, Gou An was dragged back to the center of the dance floor with a dazed expression on her face.

Ah.

No—

Ah?

Gou An looked back in the direction of the dessert table.

Her chin was touched. The man’s fingers had calluses on them, which were different from those of a teenager, probably from years of holding pens. He just held her chin casually and easily turned her face back.

“Where are you looking?”

He Jinxing’s voice sounded close above her head, his voice calm.

“Orange juice……”

The moment the music started and her waist was grabbed by someone’s warm hand, Gou An’s mind went blank.

“Mm.”

The man responded, lowered his eyes, and glanced at the little miss who subconsciously leaned into his arms because of his firm hand on her lower back.

“After we finish this dance, I’ll let you go back and you can drink anything you want.”

A new song started, but the person in his arms almost stepped on his foot because she was distracted. He Jinxing had to pick her up and move her. This secret effort actually brought the distracted person’s attention back.

Gou An looked up again and felt as if the entire roof of the banquet hall was spinning.

Her waist was held in He Jinxing’s hand, and she was dancing with He Jinxing—

This plot development was too magical.

Everything else was losing its sense of reality.

Swallowing, she regained her ability to organize her language.

“That…”

“Mm.”

“Can I ask you what you are doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

The voice coming from above was still calm and gentle.

The corners of his lips always maintained the most perfect curve, even though what he said at this moment has nothing to do with such a gentle expression.

“I’m making those outsiders shut up.”

From the Day the Engagement was Broken translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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T/N: Aieeeee! 🥰

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Chapter 41.1 —Let’s Play the Borrowing Game!
Chapter 41.2 —Let’s Play the Borrowing Game!
Chapter 41.3 —Let’s Play the Borrowing Game!
Chapter 42.1 — The Bow at Her Waist
Chapter 42.2 — The Bow at Her Waist
Chapter 42.3 — The Bow at Her Waist
Chapter 43.1 — Missing Button
Chapter 43.2 — Missing Button