Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Guan Heng’s body temperature was low; his long, slender fingers were cool and strong, and his palms were dry but not quite icy. If not for the soft texture of skin and flesh, Ning Qiuyan would have felt as if he were being held by something more akin to cool jade.

That large hand held his, pulling him along the dimly lit corridor covered in a patterned carpet.

Ning Qiuyan was indeed less afraid of the unknown now, but his palms were burning, and he was sweating more than ever.

They passed one lamp after another.

Music drifted from somewhere, penetrating the walls and entering his ears. After another dozen steps, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

The banquet hall was actually underground.

Guan Heng stopped, holding Ning Qiuyan’s hand, and stood behind a railing looking down.

The hall was brilliantly lit, filled with people in various evening gowns and suits, clinking glasses and chatting. At a glance, the women were exquisitely made up, and the men were impeccably dressed. Whether young or old, everyone was in full formal attire.

The hall was a large circle, with dining tables and bars arranged around the perimeter. A band occupied the back, and the most brilliantly lit open space in the center was the dance floor, which also served as the social hub.

This banquet wasn’t as decadent as Ning Qiuyan had imagined, nor was it noisy or frenetic. Aside from the music and low-voiced laughter, the entire venue was quite elegant and quiet. If anyone spoke loudly, they would surely draw the attention of the entire room immediately.

Sure enough, someone first looked up and whispered something into the ear of the person next to them.

In just a few seconds, the word spread from one person to the next. Everyone looked up, casting their gazes toward Guan Heng standing above, and toward the human boy beside him.

The venue suddenly became extremely quiet, and even the band stopped playing.

Among the hundred or so people below, it was impossible to tell how many were humans and how many were Vampires.

Just as Qu Shu had said, Vampires had a strong tendency to admire the powerful. Those gazes held worship, longing, and even adoration. The emotions they emitted were too direct; the aggression of predators was undisguised, released wantonly.

However, this collective silence was eerie, enough to make one’s skin crawl.

Ning Qiuyan felt like a rabbit that had fallen into a wolf’s den. If not for the protection of the alpha wolf, it would be nearly impossible to leave this place unscathed.

Under such intense scrutiny, Guan Heng squeezed Ning Qiuyan’s hand and said softly, “Don’t look at them. Let’s go down.”

There was a spiral staircase at the other end of the corridor.

The two walked down step by step. When they were halfway down, the band seemed to snap out of a dream and resumed playing beautiful music.

Despite being told not to look at the people below, Ning Qiuyan couldn’t control his eyes. His gaze swept over the men and women, near and far, trying to find something in them similar to Guan Heng, but there was nothing.

Those pale-skinned Vampires were neither like the deeply human Guan Heng nor like the bloodthirsty and evil Chi Yang. They spoke in soft whispers, wearing human skins, yet the sense of being a different species-a threat-filled the entire banquet hall beneath those skins.

Those who entered this banquet hall were the truest, purest Vampires.

A year ago, Ning Qiuyan never would have imagined such an encounter in his life.

Guan Heng led Ning Qiuyan to a round table and they sat down.

Beautiful fresh flowers were placed on the table, and in front of each seat was a small scented card. The cards were printed with a silver camellia and gold-embossed English words that translated to “Camellia Night.” Below that was a line of small text that read “V. Jones,” likely as a memento. In addition, there were crystal-clear wine glasses and the cutlery required by humans.

Not far away was a buffet counter where the human companions brought by the guests could eat, or they could place orders with the waiters at the banquet.

Just as they sat down, someone came over to ask Ning Qiuyan what he would like.

“Give him a glass of warm water,” Guan Heng said. “Nothing else.”

The person paused slightly, glanced at Ning Qiuyan’s ear, and then respectfully withdrew.

Ning Qiuyan leaned closer to Guan Heng and whispered, “Why are they all looking at me?”

Vampires all had excellent hearing. As soon as he spoke, those who were sizing him up turned their gazes away one after another.

Guan Heng told him, “Because this is your first public appearance.”

Ning Qiuyan didn’t quite understand Guan Heng’s meaning. “Me? First time?”

This was a banquet for Vampires; how could it have anything to do with him?

Guan Heng was always radiant at night. He leaned lazily against the back of his chair, his eyes hooded as he said, “They all want to see what the human who entered into a Blood Contract with me looks like.”

Ning Qiuyan let out a small “ah” and understood immediately. He was wearing the earring Guan Heng had given him, signifying that he was Guan Heng’s Blood Bag and that there was a subordinate relationship between him and Guan Heng.

Guan Heng hadn’t left Du Island for so many years. Now, he had suddenly appeared in Sujing, thousands of miles away, and had even signed a Blood Contract with a human. As an elder and a powerful figure among the Vampires, people were naturally curious about his affairs.

Hearing this, Ning Qiuyan immediately straightened his back, feeling a bit regretful that he had taken off his bowtie earlier.

Seeing Guan Heng looking at him with a smile, he felt a bit embarrassed, silently hoping he hadn’t embarrassed Guan Heng.

Ning Qiuyan asked, “Do you know everyone here?”

“Of course not.” Guan Heng also scanned the venue and told Ning Qiuyan, “There are some familiar faces, but I haven’t seen them in many years. Lu Qianque attends these kinds of occasions more often.”

From Chi Yang, Ning Qiuyan had learned that Lu Qianque worked for Guan Heng and could represent him on many occasions.

Rarely having such an opportunity to sit with Guan Heng with nothing to do, Ning Qiuyan said, “I’ve always been a bit curious, how did you and Lu Qianque meet?”

“One year, I needed a licensed lawyer abroad, and a friend recommended Lu Qianque,” Guan Heng spoke of the past nonchalantly. “In those days, there were very few Chinese people who could study at a famous law school abroad and establish a firm foothold after graduation. I admired his ability.”
Capable people never lack appreciation. Ning Qiuyan nodded and asked, “Then how did he later…”

Guan Heng said, “Lu Qianque has a very sharp mind and a clear sense of pros and cons. Back then, he was an egoist focused entirely on climbing the social ladder. The more challenging a task was, the more fruitful the rewards were to him. But in the second year after our cooperation ended, something happened to him.”

Ning Qiuyan frowned, unable to help but feel worried for the Lu Qianque of that time.

“Eager for success, he fell into a trap and was transformed by a fledgling of the Vampires,” Guan Heng said. “One day, I received a telegram from Lu Qianque, begging me to send someone to pick him up and take him to Du Island. Before then, we had never even met; we had only spoken on the phone once regarding business. Perhaps knowing I wouldn’t pity him and knowing I needed someone with his talents, he said in the telegram out of desperation: ‘I will spend the rest of my life in obscurity, willing to serve you like a dog or a horse.'”

Ning Qiuyan listened with a racing heart, but he felt a deep admiration for Lu Qianque.

In the banquet ballroom before his eyes, there were surely many who had shared Lu Qianque’s fate, but not everyone possessed Lu Qianque’s ability, nor did everyone have his courage.

To be turned into one of the Vampires while full of ambition, never to appear under the sunlight again, was equivalent to falling from the clouds at the height of a beautiful dream and being shattered to pieces.

Under such circumstances, Lu Qianque made a choice that fit his character perfectly-Guan Heng had a formidable reputation, and rather than being a useless Monster who could never see the light of day, Lu Qianque chose to follow Guan Heng and gain a rebirth in another way.

“Lu Qianque lived on Du Island for five years,” Guan Heng said. “I continued my deep sleep in his third year there and never taught him anything. By the sixth year, he couldn’t restrain himself anymore and left Du Island. Since then, he has been working for me.”

That was the entirety of Lu Qianque’s story.

Ning Qiuyan let out a long breath.

Not far away, someone tried to walk toward them but was stopped by security.

As the person was being led away, they kept looking back at Guan Heng, their eyes filled with longing.

Guan Heng seemed not to notice the commotion and asked Ning Qiuyan, “What else do you want to know?”

Ning Qiuyan naturally had many things he wanted to know. It wasn’t just about Lu Qianque; what he actually wanted to know most was Guan Heng’s story.

There were no natural-born Vampires in the world. Every Vampire had once been human before being transformed. How Guan Heng’s identity had changed remained a mystery. What Ning Qiuyan had learned before was only the part of Guan Heng that was still human, and even that was just scratching the surface.

Just as he was about to speak, the waiter from before arrived gracefully again, interrupting his question.

“Please enjoy,” the waiter said to Ning Qiuyan.

He set down a glass of water but did not leave immediately. Instead, he maintained a polite, bowed posture. “Mr. Guan. Mr. Jones requests your presence.”

Guan Heng tapped the table lazily, looking disinterested. He hadn’t intended to stay long in the first place.

The music changed. At the other end of the ballroom, people in pairs began to circle and step to the rhythm.

There was a long silence at their table.

Guan Heng remained quiet, and Ning Qiuyan didn’t speak either, though he showed some curiosity. He wondered who this Mr. Jones was. Could it be the “V. Jones” written at the bottom of every card? So it was a person’s name.

Then what did “Camellia Night” mean?

The waiter didn’t leave, waiting humbly and saying almost pleadingly, “He only wishes to catch up on old times. It would be an honor if you would grace him with your presence.”

Guan Heng glanced at him and changed his mind. “Very well. But I must bring my partner.”

The term “partner” gave Ning Qiuyan a start.

However, he quickly realized it was likely just a formal title applicable to anyone invited to accompany someone to a banquet, similar to a male or female companion.

Because Guan Heng’s expression didn’t change when he said “partner,” as if he were stating something perfectly natural.

Under the waiter’s guidance, the two left the table, drawing another significant wave of attention.

After entering another corridor, they finally shook off those gazes.

It was much quieter here, and the sounds of the banquet hall were mostly blocked out. The underground portion of this building was so vast it seemed endless. After walking for a full two minutes, the faint sound of a piano drifted over, and they arrived at a massive drawing room.

The drawing room featured a vaulted ceiling with a uniquely shaped crystal chandelier snaking down from a height of eight or nine meters, creating a large halo of light on the carpet.

In the center of that halo, a young woman was playing the piano.

Her skin was as white as snow, and she wore a long, bright red dress. Her cascading black hair draped behind her like a blooming rose.

“This way,” the waiter signaled.

They looked ahead to see three or four figures at the other end of the drawing room. Among them, a white-haired man sitting on a long sofa was the most eye-catching.

Ning Qiuyan’s intuition told him that was “Mr. Jones.”

Upon seeing them, the man raised his glass toward them from a distance.

“Ning Qiuyan.” Guan Heng stopped and called his name. “Stay here.”

This meant he didn’t want Ning Qiuyan to go over. Guan Heng had a clear aversion to the upcoming “reminiscing.”

Ning Qiuyan understood immediately. “Okay.”

Guan Heng gripped the back of his neck, his fingers tightening slightly. “Stay where I can see you.”

It hurt a little, but Ning Qiuyan suddenly wasn’t afraid anymore. He said obediently again, “Alright.”

As if he had given some kind of dangerous response, Guan Heng’s gaze lingered on Ning Qiuyan’s face for a moment before he let go and walked away.

Watching Guan Heng’s retreating back as he walked in that direction, Ning Qiuyan suddenly understood why Guan Heng was unwilling to leave the island.

Guan Heng did not want to associate with these creatures of the underground.