Chapter 78: Be My Boyfriend

Li Huan was admiring the beautiful waitress walking past him. Looking at the girl, who appeared to be about twenty, with her full, rounded chest, he couldn’t help but click his tongue in awe. Truly, what a deadly weapon—if even the waitresses were so attractive, it spoke volumes about the grand scale of the Imperial Tower.

Li Ruotong exited the elevator but did not enter the banquet hall. Instead, she turned to glance at Li Huan, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Noticing that Li Huan was completely oblivious to her gaze and was brazenly ogling the waitresses right in front of two stunning women, she grew indignant.

"Have you seen enough?" Li Ruotong said irritably, her tone growing impatient. This guy was infuriating—how dare he ignore her?

"Uh?" Li Huan quickly turned his head, running a hand through his hair to cover the embarrassment of being caught staring at the staff. How disgraceful—he’d been caught red-handed.

Ignoring his pretense, Li Ruotong hesitated, as if struggling to say what was on her mind. After a long silence, she finally spoke. "Hey, could you do me a favor?"

"What do you need me to do?" Li Huan was taken aback, staring in disbelief at Li Ruotong, who, for once, looked a bit shy. Wasn’t this usually fiery-tempered boss lady suddenly being sweet and gentle?

Sun Feifei, standing nearby, also turned to look, thinking that something seemed off about Li Ruotong today, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Then it dawned on her: at large events like this, if Li Ruotong attended alone, she’d likely attract unwanted male attention. But if Li Huan acted as her boyfriend, that would spare her a lot of trouble.

As expected, after a moment of internal struggle, Li Ruotong made up her mind. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and steadied herself. "Pretend to be my boyfriend," she said.

Her tone was less a plea and more a command—a matter to which Li Huan had no room to object. At that moment, Li Ruotong revealed a hint of her imperious, boss-like bearing, her beautiful eyes fixed on Li Huan with an unmistakable threat, as if to say, "If you don’t agree, you’re fired!"

So much for not bending to power or wealth—now Li Huan truly understood what that meant. But he knew he was powerless to refuse. How could any man reject such a request from a beautiful woman? To do so would be an insult, a blow to her dignity. So he nodded in agreement.

Li Ruotong had expected Li Huan to play coy and then make some shameless demand, but to her surprise, he nodded immediately. That left her a bit at a loss, and she quickly added, "I mean, just pretend to be my boyfriend for now. After the banquet, we’re back to being strangers."

"So you're just using me as a shield?" Li Huan realized her intent. First Sun Feifei, now Li Ruotong—did he have some kind of fake boyfriend aura today?

"Shield your head! Are you helping or not?" Li Ruotong could hardly contain herself. In front of others, she could maintain her composure and grace, but facing Li Huan, she could never keep her cool.

"Why wouldn’t I? Being the boyfriend of a wealthy beauty is something to brag about!" Li Huan, of course, wouldn’t refuse, though leaving Sun Feifei alone made him feel guilty. Fortunately, Sun Feifei didn’t mind—she didn’t know many people here, and compared to Li Ruotong, it was easier for her to fend off advances.

"Come on!" Li Ruotong took a step forward, only to find Li Huan still rooted in place. Was he having second thoughts, or did he want to negotiate terms?

Li Huan shot her a look, exasperated. "Have you ever seen a couple walk in separately?"

Li Ruotong frowned slightly—he was right. If they were to pretend convincingly, they’d have to act like a real couple, close and affectionate. Otherwise, who would believe it? She couldn’t exactly go around telling everyone, "This bumpkin is my boyfriend."

"So what do you suggest?" Li Ruotong returned to his side, uncertain how to proceed. She couldn’t very well take his hand herself.

"It’s not about what I want. Haven’t you seen it in movies? Couples enter together, arm in arm... Like this—stand up straight!" Li Huan, sounding like an old hand at this, guided her, placing his hand at the small of her back, right where her waist met her hips.

The pose was intimate, and Li Ruotong could feel the heat of his palm and the quiver of excitement that ran through her at his touch, as if a faint current had surged through her body. She shivered involuntarily. It was a sensation she had never experienced before, and it was the first time her waist had ever been held by a man she wasn’t very familiar with.

Li Huan’s act was convincing enough to fool Li Ruotong into thinking he was just being professional, but Sun Feifei, watching from the side, was full of disdain. Clearly, he was just taking advantage of the situation. Although she felt a pang of jealousy, she couldn’t say anything—after all, one was a flirtatious junior, the other a friend whose relationship with her sometimes crossed the line.

The three entered the banquet hall. As Li Ruotong walked, her swaying hips and shapely figure moved under Li Huan’s hand, and he could feel the softness of her smooth skin shifting beneath her dress. Unable to resist, he gently pinched her waist with two fingers.

"Mmm..." Caught off guard by his touch, Li Ruotong let out a small gasp, quickly covering her mouth before anyone noticed. "What are you doing?"

"What? Did I do something?" Li Huan turned to her, feigning innocence. Even he was a little dazed—he’d already regretted it the moment he did it. She was a tigress, after all, and though he hadn’t grabbed her backside, the result was likely the same.

"Keep your hands to yourself, or I’ll crush you!" Li Ruotong raised her heel and stomped the floor, the sharp sound echoing in warning.

Li Huan’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly averted his eyes, trying to distract himself, lest he lose control again with this stunning beauty in his arms.

The banquet featured both seating and a circular bar, with top-tier bartenders in attendance and an array of fruit and desserts laid out on both sides. At the front, a small runway had been set up. Just then, a handsome man in a suit, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, ascended the stage. He exuded the charisma of a mature man, his smile charming enough to captivate any young woman—a true lady-killer.

"That’s Qiu Ze," Li Ruotong explained to the others. "He’s hosting this banquet. There’ll be a live jewelry show later—Feifei, if you see something you like, feel free to bid on it!" Judging by the scale of the event, with so many resources invested, the jewelry must be incredibly valuable; otherwise, just the cost of the party itself would be a huge loss.

The three found a four-person table. Li Ruotong sat close to Li Huan, the two of them side by side, with Sun Feifei on his other side. To the onlookers, it looked as if Li Huan was enjoying the company of two stunning beauties, drawing envious glances from all around.

Li Ruotong and Sun Feifei were each striking in their own way—by Li Huan’s humble standards, both scored at least 95 out of 100. Yet their temperaments were vastly different: Li Ruotong was icy and untouchable, radiating a noble aura that kept most at bay, a goddess high above the crowd. Sun Feifei, on the other hand, exuded a seductive, commanding presence, her every glance laced with a hint of irresistible allure—most men would fall for her at first sight.

Two such extraordinary women, together with one man—it was only natural that others would feel envious and jealous. But Li Huan’s face was unfamiliar to them; he didn’t seem to be a member here, though many recognized Li Ruotong. Given the lack of close connections, no one approached them, but there was plenty of whispered speculation.

Unaware that he had become the focus of so much attention the moment he sat down, Li Huan was still basking in the memory of the pleasure he’d felt from Li Ruotong’s soft waist. Now that they were seated, she was close but there could be no further intimacy. Still, the fragrance drifting from her was enough to content him.

Onstage, Qiu Ze gave the usual welcoming speech, explained the event’s schedule, then scanned the crowd until his gaze landed on Li Ruotong. His eyes lit up, and after a few more words, he handed the microphone to a sexy hostess in a sheer gown and walked over.

"Ruotong, you’re here!" Qiu Ze greeted her with a gentle smile, the picture of a gentleman.

"Of course I had to come to your first jewelry show since returning to the country. After all, no woman can resist the allure of fine jewelry," Li Ruotong replied with a polite smile, making no move to stand—sometimes a goddess is even more reserved than a lady.