Chapter 106: The So-Called Saint, My Foot

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Mo Qi wore an apologetic expression. "Sorry, I keep stepping on your feet."

"It's nothing. Let's keep going. Here, step to the left, not the right. Ouch."

"Sorry, I stepped on you again." Mo Qi apologized verbally, but inside she was nearly dying of laughter. Stepping on He Shuai so openly today was even more satisfying than the time she beat him up in the bathroom.

"Don’t rush, we’ll take it slow."

"Okay."

Mo Qi finally decided to quit while she was ahead and stopped stepping on He Shuai. She obediently slowed her pace, and although her dancing was still terrible, at least she didn’t step on his feet anymore.

When the song ended, He Shuai let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief and, almost for the first time, took Mo Qi’s hand to lead her out of the dance floor. "Tired? Take a break." He thoughtfully handed her a drink.

"Thank you," Mo Qi said, accepting the drink.

"At private parties, dancing is casual, but at a ball, it's more formal. Actually, in our circle, there are quite a few balls. Learning to dance is beneficial. You don’t need to know much—just the waltz or tango will do." He Shuai gently encouraged Mo Qi to learn dancing.

Mo Qi sighed with some frustration. "I have no talent for dancing. It’s probably hard for me to learn."

"Every beginning is difficult. As long as you’re willing, you won’t fail," He Shuai comforted her. Then, spotting Sun Feifei approaching, he waved and said, "Feifei, why aren’t you on the dance floor?"

"Didn’t you notice, Ah Shuai? I’m waiting for you to invite me," Sun Feifei said, raising her slender, fair wrist. "I wonder if I have the honor of dancing with you?"

"The honor is mine, Your Majesty," He Shuai smiled charmingly, stepped forward to grasp her fingers, and naturally slipped his arm around her slender waist. "You’re free to do as you please. I’ll dance with Feifei."

"You guys have fun. Don’t mind me," Mo Qi nodded with a smile, watching them walk away.

"Would I have the honor of inviting Miss Mo for a dance?"

No sooner had Mo Qi settled than Liu Yi approached with a refined smile.

Mo Qi replied, "I’m afraid I’ll disappoint Editor Liu. I can’t dance."

"We don’t have to waltz. We can dance however you want." Liu Yi was unfazed by her immediate refusal.

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"Freestyle?" Mo Qi raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing.

"Freestyle," he confirmed.

Unexpectedly, Liu Yi agreed without hesitation. Now Mo Qi felt embarrassed to refuse.

"Alright, I hope my dancing won’t scare you, Editor Liu." Mo Qi set down her drink and smiled as she stood.

"Don’t worry. My leather shoes are thick; it won’t hurt if you step on me." Liu Yi took her hand and gently led her onto the dance floor.

Mo Qi glanced at him with a faint smile. "I didn’t expect Editor Liu to have been watching me all this time."

"Of course," Liu Yi’s arm slid lightly around her waist. He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and teasing. "Because you’re so charming."

A flicker of impatience flashed in Mo Qi’s eyes, but her smile remained unchanged. She retorted, "Editor Liu isn’t bad himself."

Liu Yi arched an eyebrow. Then Mo Qi said, "If this were ancient times, I’d be willing to be your concubine."

Liu Yi was momentarily stunned, then suddenly chuckled. He had deliberately teased Mo Qi earlier, not expecting her to turn the tables and tease him back—comparing him to the top courtesan in an old-time brothel. What a cunning little fox.

"You’re even more interesting than I imagined," Liu Yi said as he drew her into the dance.

"What did you imagine me to be?" Mo Qi asked.

"Smart, a good actress," Liu Yi answered honestly. "And, of course, beautiful."

Mo Qi sighed silently and decided to ignore him, instead glancing with the corner of her eye for He Shuai and Sun Feifei.

Meanwhile, Xie An sat on the sofa, occasionally glancing at Mo Qi on the dance floor. Lin Zheng sat beside him, her feelings a mix of jealousy and bitterness.

"Mo Qi handles these kinds of occasions better than both of us. What are you worried about?" Lin Zheng said, tilting her head back as she finished the wine in the glass.

Xie An awkwardly looked away, lowering his head. "No matter how smart she is, she’s still a girl. If anything happens, she’s the one who would suffer."

"Xie An!" Lin Zheng snapped angrily. "If you care so much about Mo Qi, why did you agree to be with me? What do you take me for?"

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Lin Zheng’s outburst drew the attention of those nearby. Xie An embarrassedly grabbed her hand. "Sorry," he said, leading her outside to the garden.

"Let go of me!" In the garden, Lin Zheng shook off his hand. "Let’s get this straight today. Why did you agree to be with me? Just because we slept together once?"

Xie An looked at her, unsure of what to say.

"Xie An, don’t you think you’re selfish?" Tears welled in Lin Zheng’s eyes. "Is this fair to me? You obviously like Mo Qi but are with me. It’s made me feel terrible. I can’t even look Mo Qi in the eye anymore. It feels like I shamelessly stole what’s hers. We were such good friends, so why are we avoiding each other now? *Sob, sob.*" Lin Zheng began crying.

Xie An couldn’t bear it. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. "A girl’s chastity is important. I’m sorry. I’ll be careful and keep my distance from Mo Qi. I won’t... I won’t like her anymore."

"Really?" Lin Zheng looked up at him through her tears.

Xie An gritted his teeth and resolved, "Yes. Whatever I promise you, I will keep."

"You fool," Lin Zheng whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist. She knew pushing him to forget Mo Qi was cruel, but love allows no sharing—only possession.

Mo Qi danced slowly with Liu Yi, her gaze searching the dance floor.

Liu Yi understood immediately. "Looking for He Shuai?"

Mo Qi rolled her eyes. "Why would I look for He Shuai? I’m looking for my friends."

"Lin Zheng and Xie An?" Liu Yi said. "They just went to the garden. Other couples whisper sweet nothings under the moonlight. You don’t want to be a third wheel."

Mo Qi was momentarily taken aback. She had actually been searching for He Shuai and Sun Feifei, but when asked by Liu Yi, she gave a casual excuse. She hadn’t realized Xie An and Lin Zheng had quietly gone to the back garden.

Late at night, couples in the garden—there’s plenty of room for imaginations. These two are still under public scrutiny; surely they wouldn’t do anything inappropriate back there.

Mo Qi’s mind raced. Suddenly she looked up. "Editor Liu, if you’re a chief editor writing stories, you wouldn’t just make things up, right?"

Liu Yi understood what she meant and grew curious. "In this circle, I’ve seen all kinds of relationships—best friends, sworn brothers—turning on each other over interests. But someone like you? This is a first. I noticed as we came in. Lin Zheng seems to be deliberately distancing herself from you. Why do you still consider her in everything? Isn’t there a term for this in online novels? Saintly complex?"