Chapter 1: It Was Actually Him
In the late hours, inside the imperial palace's dressing room, Lin Sa was applying lipstick while gazing into the mirror. Her exquisite face appeared bewitchingly alluring under the flattering lights. A few minutes later, cradling an electric guitar, she had changed into a tight wine-red dress adorned with metal chains, looking sexy and bold. The dress was so short that it revealed the tattoos on her thighs.
In the waiting area, she casually scanned the noisy customers in front of the stage, when suddenly a voice reached her ears: "Hey, Mr. Shen is here!"
Mr. Shen...
Lin Sa's previously vacant gaze instantly focused. She immediately locked onto the source of the voice. Amid the crowd, the imperial palace's lobby manager was nodding and bowing to a man.
The man, clad in a dark suit, exuded an unapproachable aura that Lin Sa could sense even from a distance. Shen Lingyan!! She would recognize him even if he turned to ash.
Hatred surged within her, and Lin Sa's hand tightened fiercely around the electric guitar, her knuckles turning white.
"Sa Sa, it's time for you to go on stage," urged Tao Tao, Lin Sa's accompanying best friend, snapping her out of her daze.
Regaining her thoughts, Lin Sa nodded and carried her guitar to the front of the stage.
"Third Brother, where have you been all this time?" A teasing voice greeted Shen Lingyan as he took his seat. "Don't tell me you've taken a liking to some..."
Shen Lingyan gave the speaker a cold glance. Gu Beicheng, realizing the awkwardness, quickly changed the subject: "Nonsense, you think Third Brother is like you?"
Shen Lingyan remained silent, his powerful aura seeming out of place in the imperial palace.
He lifted his cocktail glass, gently swirling it, deep in thought.
"Hey, this resident singer is really something tonight!" Gu Beicheng exclaimed.
Shen Lingyan paid no heed and took a sip of his drink.
Noticing Shen Lingyan's unusual demeanor, Xue Bin asked, "What's wrong? Did your nephew cause trouble again?"
Without answering, Shen Lingyan's gaze turned towards the woman on stage. He was seated in the front row, only about two or three meters away from her.
After observing her for a moment, Shen Lingyan, despite his extensive experience in judging people, had to admit that the woman on stage was a rare beauty. Her figure and face were both top-notch.
Her singing voice had already begun, and it was much lower than other women's, even carrying a touch of huskiness. Yet, it was precisely this huskiness that added an alluring sensuality.
Shen Lingyan watched her intently, sipping his drink. Her waist swayed gently. The back of her dress exposed a portion of her lower back, and with his keen eyesight, he could vaguely make out a tattoo there.
Shen Lingyan gripped his glass tighter. He was no stranger to beautiful women and had built up an immunity, rarely feeling moved even by deliberate seduction attempts.
But this one... Just by looking at her from a distance, he felt a certain urge.
Shen Lingyan took another sip to suppress the sudden restlessness in his heart.
The night's performance lasted nearly two hours, during which Lin Sa's gaze collided with Shen Lingyan's many times. In those moments of eye contact, Shen Lingyan's eyes conveyed the feeling of a hunter on the prowl.
Although beautiful, Lin Sa didn't believe she possessed the power to captivate Shen Lingyan with just a glance.
After finishing her performance, Lin Sa prepared to leave the stage. But after a few steps, a young man blocked her path.
"Come, have a few drinks with me and my brothers," he said, grabbing her wrist.
Lin Sa was often harassed while on shift due to her beauty, but she usually didn't engage. However, today... Lin Sa narrowed her eyes.
