Chapter 41: A Step Together...

Jiang Yuyan wore light makeup as her baby-soft skin was inherently glowing, and the apples of her cheeks blushing naturally. She had a small pointed nose, delicate rose petal-like lips, and her golden-brown eyes shined brightly, which had long eyelashes that made her look enticing.

When Lu Jinhai introduced them, Lu Qiang didn't mention that they had met before. He preferred to go with a flow and the Jiang siblings did the same.

After a couple of moments, the MC came on stage, and the celebration started. He called the couple on the stage and gave a funny speech, which made everyone laugh. The hotel staff carted in a five-tiered cake, which the couple cut and received the wishes from the guests.

Soon, the MC announced that the dance floor was open for couples and whomsoever was interested could go forward with their partners. Elder Lu and grandma Zhao Shuang looked adorable on the dance floor, swaying with the music. The other couples from Lu family joined in, as well.

The party hall's ambiance was romantic, leaving the people curious about who Lu Qiang would pick to dance with him. There was a chance that, like other times, he would sit silently and not offer his hand to any lady in the room and ask for a dance. Lu Feng, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found.

A woman in her early twenties came forward and asked Lu Qiang for a dance. She was the daughter of one of his father's friends and a major investor in Lu Corporation's current project in country Z.

An Bixun, the girl in question, was interested in Lu Qiang, and the latter knew of this.

"May I have the honor to dance with you, President Lu?" An Bixun asked politely. She was an attractive woman who could make anyone fall in love with her.

"I don't know how to!" Lu Qiang declined in a cold voice as he took a sip of wine from the glass. He didn't even look at her.

His sight was still fixed on Jiang Yuyan, who was standing near the dance floor with her brother, admiring the dancing elderly couple. She had a beautiful smile on her face that made the dimples on her cheeks even more visible.

An Bixun left without uttering another word, knowing that she had been coldly rejected. She stood far away from the man but noticed his gaze lingering on the girl in the pink dress, and bitter jealousy arose in her heart.

On the other side of the room, Jiang Yang had asked his sister for a dance. The request was accepted, and they entered the dance floor. Even their parents were gently moving to the music.

Lu Qiang observed Jiang Yuyan as he swirled the wine in the glass. He put the wine aside when he saw something unusual and stepped towards her direction.

As if fate was on his side, Jiang Yang's phone buzzed. It was an important call, so he had to leave the dance floor to attend it.

Jiang Yuyan shifted on the dance floor, contemplating if she should leave when Lu Qiang appeared in front of her. He offered his hand to her, gesturing her to dance with him.

She was stunned by his presence. Understanding what he was asking for, she couldn't say no in front of all these people that curiously looked at them. She accepted his invitation and was led into the dance floor yet again, it's being their first step together.

This was the first time Lu Qiang had asked someone to be his dance partner, who was not his family, and it obviously surprised everyone. This girl in the pink dress was unknown to the people there. An Bixun looked on, anger and jealousy apparent on her face.

The bright lights in the hall depleted as they stood face to face, gazing at each other. The dim glow from the chandeliers glittered against the walls, changing the atmosphere. The music slowed, and a romantic piece came on.

Jiang Yuyan shifted awkwardly as she stepped towards Lu Qiang. She didn't dare look at him. Instead, her head was lowered, and her heart thumped against her ribcage.

Lu Qiang understood her hesitation. Moving closer to her, he held her right hand in his left and gently placed the other hand on his chest as he slowly moved his right hand to her back.

Jiang Yuyan didn't know what to do. She was just following his lead. There was a gap between the two as she hesitated to get closer to him. He gently pulled her to him, closing the distance between their bodies. Her heart pounded in her chest so hard that she could hear it in the back of her head.

When he held her hand, it made her shiver. When he pulled her close to him, it gave her goosebumps all over her body. She could feel the warmth of his body and the scent of his perfume that made her inhaled deeply, not understanding what was happening to her.

He donned on his usual cold expression, but his eyes spoke words that nobody could see. She couldn't gaze at his eyes being short in height, but it could also be blamed on her need to keep looking down.

They started to move along with the music, his body guiding hers with ease. After dancing for a few minutes, they glided to the other side of the dance floor where the lights were dimmer. The concentration of the crowd had been diverted by then.

Lu Qiang moved his hand from the curve of her back to slightly upwards, startling her. Her body stiffened as she looked up at his face as if asking him what he was doing.

She was about to move away when he heald her steady and leaned in to whisper into her ear, "Stay still."

Feeling his warm breath on her earlobe, her breathing quickened, and she was unable to utter a single word. She opened her mouth to take a deep breath to calm herself down. His words acted on her like a command. She didn't try to move away from him any longer. In her stiffened state, he moved slowly with her pace.

Lu Qiang's hand grazed the zipper of her dress, slightly drawing circles. When he reached the top of the zipper, he stopped moving his hand as his fingertips touched her bare skin. Jiang Yuyan immediately understood what he was doing.

Placing her other hand on his chest as well, he covered her body with his, almost in an embrace. Nobody would notice the changes as it was quite dark as the other couples were busy in their own world. The few who saw the shift, chalked it up to intimacy while dancing.