Chapter 176: Ye Chong’s First Soirée (1/2)
Chapter 176: Ye Chong’s First Soirée
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
”The what?” Ye Chong did not seem to compute it, ”The main event?” In his perspective, when a meal had ended, it meant everything had ended, a finale where people should leave, the place should be cleaned.
”Yes, the main event, habitually there would be Soirée after dinner - a social event exclusively for the gentries of course. Technically members of the upper social class would take the opportunity to interact with each other. But well, in comparison to a table dining course, Soirée is freer in the methodologies, also much more colorful. You would not be sealed on the dining table and restricted by table mannerism.” And Ye Chong thought he had mastered the worst kind of jargons in his mech studies. Apparently, ”Soirée” was a suave, fancy term to call a private social function held between the men and women in wealth.
”At this place…,” continued Shang, signaling Ye Chong to take a look, ”they usually would exchange certain information of their backgrounds. Most of them would not converse with each other about serious businesses on this occasion. Precisely saying, this is known as a kind of recreation, solely for enjoyment. To some youngsters however, such function appeared to be an important stage to spotlight their appeal. And… this is also the social circle for the Madame, you know, the ladies, the dowager. Sigh, I don’t think you understand a word I’ve said! But just watch and learn, you’ll know soon enough!” sounded like an expert from the Great Britain, Shang gave a lengthy lecture about life.
”Whatever…” Ye Chong responded uninterestedly, as he clearly knew such lifestyle was not what he desired. Thus his current objective would be listening to Shang’s advice so that he could stay low in this party, especially when he knew nothing about the lethargic mannerism of this alien society. It would not be good if he made a joke out of himself, though he was pretty curious the fact that Shang actually had interests in these meretricious things.
The dining tables were soon removed by the butlers. A few coffee tables with sliced fruits, wines and sweets were placed instead. The center of the hall was emptied and couches rested at the corners. The servants hurried their works like a fast-forwarded renovation. The premium hologram music player formed the classy atmosphere with the quality music the whole time.
The relaxing music wafted through the hall, as everyone entered the hall one after another.
”Ye, don’t just stand there! Go grab yourself a glass of wine. Hold it in your hand, even if you don’t feel like drinking,” reminded Shang.
And Ye Chong reached one of the glasses of red wine on the table nearby. ”Now…,” added Shang, ”you shall walk slowly around the hall. Gently lift your glass whenever you bump into people. If they lifted their glasses before you, you lift your glasses too to signal your friendliness. The whole point is to act naturally and good-natured.”
”B-o-r-i-n-g!” Muttered Ye Chong in his head, ”You mean we are doing this for the whole night?”
”Heh!” Laughed Shang, ”Ye, you call this ‘boring’? Don’t be such a hasty man, the more boring part comes after this.” His laugh sounded more like a steady snicker.
A small crowd flooded into the hall after that, with each man having a lady by his side. Shang Zhangming was obviously occupied at the moment, as he walked around to send his loving greetings to acquaintances with glass in his hand.
Mr. Robert walked to Ye Chong, also with a glass in his hand, ”Wang my brother, what’s up with that Pokerface? There will be beauties coming to us after this! You can’t be spending your youth without some spices of lovemaking! Too bad the beauties missed the chance to witness your strength or you would be drowned by their cuddles and smooches. Hahaha!” he chuckled as he lifted his glass.
”It’s nothing, really,” flatly he replied, as Ye Chong was never reactive towards such kind of comments, he just mimicked Mr. Robert’s gesture as he briefly lifted his glass.
”Good,” complimented Shang in his head. ”That action you took was great!”
”Really?” Seeing through the expression of Ye Chong, he laughed his way out.
The hall was getting more crowded over the night. To make this function much fulfilling, Shang Zhangming actually invited almost every public figure on Rique planet.
Ye Chong walked around aimlessly with that glass of wine wrinkling his fingers. Hardly there was anybody lifting their glasses for him. Pleasing it was to our hero, although he kept sensing strange stares coming from the females around him… ”Ugh.” It was discomforting. He wanted to know why but he failed to, as suddenly the flock of females would evacuate themselves the moment he turned his head over them. ”Ugh!” Ye Chong was not delighted.
I give up. Stares won’t kill me anyway!
”Isn’t this lonely man Mr. Wang?” The sweet voice rang from his back. Ye Chong turned to his back and he saw Shang Xin, holding her glass of wine, walked towards him fashionably with a man in white suit. One of the young man’s eyes were veiled by that silvery white hair of his, which gave off a kind of obscurity to his expression. The corners of his lips were hazily raised and lowered, on that fair smooth face of his. He was truly handsome. And that was when Ye Chong felt the sights he collected were suddenly all shifted to that man in split seconds.
It was relieving to Hermit Ye Chong.
The young man bowed, expressing courtesy towards Ye Chong, in grace and humbleness.
”Ugh! Ye! This kiddo is more striking than you! Dammit!” Shang sounded bad-tempered.
”Striking? What you mean?” It was the first time he heard of such adjective.
”Yes, a man is called ‘striking’ when he’s good-looking,” Shang gave a concise explanation.
”Good-looking? The heck I could do with being ‘good-looking’? Not like I could get a meal with it. If this is also an advantage, it is an empty advantage!” indifferently he replied.
Ye Chong returned a bow at the young man, ”Yes, Ms. Shang, what do you want from me?” and he spoke to Shang Xin.
?
??
Both of their expressions turned stale right before Ye Chong.
”Wrong! Wrooong!” Shang sounded absolutely annoyed, ”Ye, don’t you use that Mu style here! It’s only a recreational activity! You know? Leisure? Relax? I can’t believe there would be someone asking what the counterpart wanted him to do upon the first greeting on a Soirée! Oh my Rique! Save me! This is too much!”
”What in Rique do I say then?” asked Ye Chong.
”Say anything! Like a simple ‘hello, Ms. Shang. Nice weather tonight isn’t it?” Or an expressive ‘Ms. Shang you look gorgeous tonight.’ There’s nothing you can’t say, except for something like that Mu’s signature ‘what do you want from me?’!”
”Nonsense. Aren’t those gibberish?” muttered Ye Chong.
”This *is* a place for people to spit gibberish!” accurately Shang concluded.
Even for an adaptive lady like Shang Xin was shut down for a moment by that striking line she heard for the first time of her life on a Soirée from Ye Chong. She was muted. The atmosphere got awkward. Ye Chong feared delivering a critical blow without notice again, so he shut up completely. The silence lasted till that young man came to break the stunning spell, ”I heard from Sister Xi that you were actually able to snipe an enemy 60 meters away with a dagger. This is seriously amazing to me!” A charming smile he lobbed as he spoke.
”Oh! This is Shang Ling!” Shang Xi introduced hastily, ”He had heard of your stories and became really determined of seeing you to express his admiration.”
”Oh, thank you. But that was mere luck,” another flat response from Ye Chong. Frankly speaking, that blow was indeed with a little factor of luck. He was not confident to say that he would be able to produce the same satisfying result as before.
Hmm?
Shang Ling drew a lifting curve on his face, ”You can’t gamble if you don’t have the strength to begin with! Mr. Wang, stop being so humble! You deserve it!” Somehow there was some underlying meaning heard from his words.