Zhang Xiaoling forgot where she was and failed to control her facial expression due to the shock
At first, she thought that she must have been mistaken with the image her eyes captured given the distance.
But when the guests moved out to toast with the members of the Fang family, she also moved out with her husband, and that was when she saw the face of the young woman with a familiar side line clearly.
That was her stepsister Zhang Liling, and there was no doubt about it.
At that realization, Zhang Xiaoling's feet froze in her steps as she felt her heart beat come to a stop.
The chattering voices from the people around her seemed to fade into the distance as she stared at the little woman wide-eyed.
'That's Zhang Liling? S-She is Mr. Fang's girlfriend? No this can't be! There must be a mistake somewhere.'
'Mr. Fang can never date someone that was once his student. It's not possible.'
With her mind saying something else while her heart remained in fear because of the truth she was consciously trying to avoid, she became even more determined and concluded their relationship in her head.
Tang Enlai was smiling from ear to ear while stepping forward when he noticed that the woman walking beside him had stopped.
He was forced to stop in his steps and tilt his head to the side and called for her.
"Xiaoling."
"Xiaoling."
The second time he called out to her, while forcing a smile, he saw her jolt back to consciousness.
Realizing that she had spaced out in the middle of the room, Zhang Xiaoling hurriedly collected her acts together before continuing in her steps with a forced smile that was more uglier than a cry.
As soon as she got back to his side, she heard him ask as they walked toward the Fang Family's table together.
"What were you thinking about?"
"Nothing that concerns you." She whispered back and then silence ensued between them till the rest of their journey.
At the Fang family's table, a few guests crowded them while exchanging pleasantries and clinking glances with them.
Fortunately, none was crazy enough to spend more than a minute there. As long as they were done clinking their glasses they would turn around and leave, giving a chance to the others as well.
Zhang Liling was there whispering something to the man that lowered his height just so she could reach his ear.
A small smile graced her lips unaware of the stares hitting her back or maybe she felt them, but didn't think there was a need to react to them.
She didn't need a anything that would keep her on her toes. Her peace of mind was very important.
Just as Mr. Fang was saying something to her, Zhang Xiaoling and Tang Enlai appeared at their table and first clinked glasses with the old lady before going into the remaining members of the Fang family.
Since no one mentioned anything about Zhang Xiaoling and Zhang Liling's relationship, it was obvious that no one recognized her even after Tang Enlai briefly instroduced her as his wife.
Zhang Xiaoling just stood by his side and let him do the talking, but her gaze was staring intently at someone as her fingers clenched the side of dress with her glass of Champagne in her right hand.
Seeing how close they were, she felt her heart wringing out blood. 'Are they really together?'
'This is not a show?'
She was still finding it hard to believe her eyes and yet doubt filled her mind again even in the midst of the glaring truth.
It's not like she was blind, was she?
Finally unable to bear how close they both were, she didn't wait for Tang Enlai to finish exchanging pleasantries with the men of the Fang Family before going over the table to the other side.
Approaching Zhang Liling's side, she fixed the most pleasant smile on her face and called out to the man while raising her glass to him, "Mr. Fang,"
Because the little woman was backing her, she took it to advantage to pretend as if Fang Bingwen was the only one she could see at the moment.
Hearing her voice and seeing her figure, Fang Bingwen immediately looked up and recognized her and politely raised his glass to her.
Receiving his response, Zhang Xiaoling forgot about her heart aches in that brief moment and hurriedly moved her glass forward to clink glasses with him, before slowly bringing the rim to her mouth.
Just as her lips were about to touch the sweet-scented wine, she heard Zhang Liling call out to her, and that was the end of her ever drinking from her glass.
Zhang Liling who propped herself with her left arm, heard the feminine voice and saw the glint that changed in Mr. Fang's eyes as he raised his glass to toast to the woman.
Wondering the woman who seemed like she knew her man so well, she tilted her head to side only to see her stepsister standing beside her with a delicate smile on her face.
'Huh?'
Seeing Zhang Xiaoling standing there reminded her of her expectations earlier when she had stepped into the hall.
She had been thinking about the possibility of her Zhang family being in attendance, but as soon as she took a seat at the Fang Family's table, she forgot all about everything.
Seeing her sister reminded her of them, but seeing her smiling so brightly just because of clinking glasses with her man, stirred a different kind of emotion in her.
"Zhang Xiaoling," she called out softly in a voice that only she and Fang Bingwen could hear.
There were still other guests surrounding their table, so her voice couldn't be any louder than this.
Immediately, Zhang Xiaoling's fingers paused in midair as her gaze slowly shifted to her face.
Now, she could no longer pretend that she hadn't see her.
Instantly, she switched into character as she lowered her glass. Her eyes flashing in shock as she took a step back.
"Zhang Liling?" She called out a tone higher, instantly attracting a few attention from the members of the Fang Family and the few guests that surrounded them.
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