59: The Fifth Noble Male Supporting Character 20

Waiters holding silver trays wove elegantly through the crowd, the wine glasses on the trays filled with full-bodied red wine.

Chu Yunting casually took a glass from a waiter's tray and handed it to Qiao Chuxia:

"Taste this; you can't buy this wine even if you have money."

Qiao Chuxia didn't know much about wine, but since there was so much of it at home in Yujing Mountain, she had learned to look for the gold-stamped vintages and labels.

Of course, she understood without looking that each bottle of red wine here was worth as much as a house in a second-tier city.

Yet here, they were treated like ordinary drinks, consumed casually.

After grabbing some desserts and red wine, Qiao Chuxia began to wander around.

Her gaze swept past the crowd of people mingling and clinking glasses, searching.

Where could that man be?

Chu Yunting was right; the desserts and dishes here were indeed "things you couldn't eat even if you had money."

With top-tier ingredients and exquisite culinary skills, they were less like food and more like edible works of art.

That was why Chu Yunting was weaving between the various food stations, excitedly tasting delicacies he had only ever seen in gourmet magazines.

But Qiao Chuxia was clearly distracted; she symbolically took another small piece of mousse cake and then lost her appetite.

She hadn't found Meng Zhu.

Furthermore, after careful observation—having learned from Meng Zhu for a long time—she noticed something else.

In this magnificent hall, there seemed to be invisible boundaries.

The crowd in the hall was actually quite clearly divided.

Some obviously more extraordinary figures stayed closer to the central stage, chatting and laughing, their every gesture carrying the composure and aura of those who had long held high positions.

Guests like Chu Yunting's mother, on the other hand, mostly gathered in the relatively outer areas, their words and actions noticeably more cautious.

As for young people like Chu Yunting and Qiao Chuxia, they only gathered around the desserts and tables on the periphery.

Most of them didn't take the initiative to talk to anyone, quietly eating their food while trying to lower their presence.

Chu Yunting felt this was how it should be, was comfortable with it, and was even enjoying it.

But the anticipation in Qiao Chuxia's heart was fading with every passing second.

This really wasn't an ordinary banquet.

But she was also a bit unwilling; since she hadn't seen Meng Zhu, she also wanted to see Meng Zhu's mother. She didn't even know what she looked like.

Ordinary big shots were also public figures, so there would definitely be many photos of them online.

But top-tier powerful families like the Meng Family were naturally different.

The internet was also their territory.

Even Meng Zhu only had one or two photos out there because of the Tianhai Group.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at Chu Yunting on the side.

"Chu Yunting."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Chu Yunting looked up, a small piece of chocolate sauce still on the corner of his mouth.

Qiao Chuxia looked at his carefree appearance and inexplicably felt like he was a child.

But she still composed herself and asked seriously:

"Do you know Her Royal Highness the Princess? Point her out to me, what does she look like?"

"Oh, I thought you weren't curious."

Chu Yunting realized and then tilted his chin in a certain direction.

Qiao Chuxia looked in the direction he pointed.

Surprisingly, she wasn't in the very center.

At a position not too far and not too close, several noble ladies were chatting.

"Ah? The one with blonde hair?"

Upon receiving Chu Yunting's affirmative reply, Qiao Chuxia was momentarily stunned.

The lady was wearing a vintage-style platinum brooch on her chest.

It was exactly their family crest; this couldn't be faked.

But to say she was Meng Zhu's mother, Qiao Chuxia still found it hard to believe.

She was wearing a very simple blue long dress. The fabric was soft and gentle, without any extra decoration, only embroidered with subtle iris patterns in silver thread at the neckline and cuffs.

Her bright blonde hair was pulled into an elegant and dignified bun, her skin delicate and fair. From any angle, she looked like an elegant woman in her thirties.

Except for the deep wisdom and experience settled in her azure eyes.

For a moment, Qiao Chuxia even fantasized that perhaps the Princess's bloodline was truly extraordinary, allowing her to remain forever young.

She really wanted to take out a loan and sue Nüwa at any cost.

How could a 50-year-old woman look like this?

After being dazed for a long while, she threw away those messy thoughts.

For the rest of the time, Qiao Chuxia tried to focus her attention back on the desserts in front of her.

But that elegant and noble figure was like a magnet, firmly attracting her attention.

Her gaze kept uncontrollably drifting in that direction.

She saw the Princess chatting and laughing with several ladies who were clearly of noble status; the smile on her face was appropriate and gentle, neither appearing overly enthusiastic nor making people feel alienated.

When she went to a dining table to get new desserts, Qiao Chuxia couldn't help but look back again.

Yet at this moment, as if sensing her gaze, the Princess suddenly tilted her head slightly, her beautiful blue eyes meeting Qiao Chuxia's gaze precisely.

Perhaps she was mistaken, but she actually saw a hint of joy in the Princess's eyes.

Boom.

Qiao Chuxia's heart skipped a beat for no reason.

She immediately looked away, pretending nothing had happened.

However, a glance from the corner of her eye revealed something even more shocking.

Princess Elizabeth gave an apologetic smile to the ladies beside her, whispered something, and then...

She actually lifted her skirt and walked straight toward the direction where she was.

She didn't walk fast, her posture was calm, but every step felt like it was stepping on the tip of Qiao Chuxia's heart.

Qiao Chuxia froze on the spot, her feet seemingly nailed to the ground, unable to move.

She could only watch as that figure got closer and closer...

A scent of elegant iris flowers drifted through the air.

Finally, Princess Elizabeth stopped in front of her.

"Sweetheart, I thought I was mistaken. I didn't expect it to really be you. It's Qiao Chuxia, right?"

A melodious voice rang out, and Qiao Chuxia met the other's gentle gaze.

She was momentarily stunned.

Her brain was a jumbled mess, forgetting the proper etiquette, and it took a long while for her to come back to her senses.

"Yes, I am Qiao Chuxia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

Qiao Chuxia's throat felt a bit dry.

A smile bloomed on Princess Elizabeth's face, as if she hadn't noticed her embarrassment.

She actually leaned forward voluntarily and gave Qiao Chuxia a hug.

"Wonderful, you are truly beautiful. I have wanted to see you for a long time."

Her azure eyes were like gentle seawater.

Qiao Chuxia finally regained her wits. It seemed that as Meng Zhu's "disciple," this Princess clearly knew her and had even investigated everything about her.

"Thank you. You are the one who is truly beautiful; time seems to have forgotten you."

Elizabeth covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"You certainly know how to talk. I know you live on Yujing Mountain. I was just planning to go see you in a while. Are you getting used to living there?"

Confirmed. She really did know everything. Since that was the case, Qiao Chuxia felt inexplicably relaxed.

"Yes, Your Highness. Yujing Mountain is very nice, and I am very comfortable living there. Thank you very much for the care from Aunt Wen and the others."

"That's good. I didn't expect you to come to the banquet today. I hope you have a good time."

"Of course, I am very honored to be able to attend this banquet!"

Princess Elizabeth's azure eyes were full of approval, and she looked Qiao Chuxia up and down again.

"I often hear my son mention you. You are indeed very spirited and very beautiful."

"You are too kind. I am also very grateful for Mr. Meng's appreciation of me!"

When Qiao Chuxia said this, she couldn't help but bow slightly.

Elizabeth covered her mouth and chuckled softly:

"Is it just gratitude?"

"Ah?"

"It's nothing, sweetheart. Actually, today is Meng Zhu's father's birthday, so it counts as a family banquet. You can be more casual."

"Meng Zhu's father's birthday?"

Qiao Chuxia was stunned. She never expected that the theme of this banquet, unknown to outsiders, would actually be this.

"Yes, every year at this time, that child Meng Zhu locks himself in the study. However, he still comes to see me. You can wait for him with me."

"Oh, wait, look, he's already here."

Qiao Chuxia swallowed back the words she was about to say, looked in the direction of Elizabeth's finger, and her breath immediately hitched.