It Can't Be Anyone But You

Listen to the Heart Part 12

It had been four hours.

Four hours of endless women requesting a dance with him.

Some were polite and wished him a happy birthday while others couldn't stop talking about themselves. There were those that just stared at him, too nervous to speak. The worst were the handsy ones. The ones who couldn't keep their hands where they were supposed to be. Off of him.

Wei Ying was the only person he wanted to touch. The only person he wanted to be holding. The ladies in attendance had all been asked not to hold his hand. In fact it was plainly stated that there would be no touching at all. It was explained that he did not mean to be rude and that it was for his comfort.

All of them danced well considering the awkward no touching rule. Okay, well, almost all of them. There was one woman, Shannon, who didn't seem to know her left foot from her right.

All of them seemed very nice. Even Lilly who got so nervous halfway through their dance that she ran off, her face the color of a ripe strawberry.

All of them wore beautiful gowns. Except for one woman. What was her name? Oh yeah, Charlie. That woman had come dressed in a black and red flannel shirt and black baggy pants. When he asked her about her choice of apparel, she explained that if he couldn't love her like this, then he wasn't worth her time.

He liked Charlie and her refreshing confidence. He liked many of the women he danced with.

But Lan Zhan didn't love them. He didn't love them like he loved Wei Ying.

There must have been close to two hundred people at his party. Yet he didn't recognize most of them. His uncle had invited some of the wealthiest, most prestigious people in the country. Many were previous clients of GL Securities which was why the security was so tight.

Lan Zhan's heart clenched. Even if Wei Ying had found out where the party was, there was literally no way he would get past the guards. There was no way he would be able to fake an invitation or disguise his way onto the property.

As the night drew to a close, Lan Zhan could see his uncle getting restless. He was going to have to make a choice soon. His stomach twisted until it felt like he couldn't breathe. So many eyes were on him, waiting for him to announce who he would take as his future bride.

Why was it suddenly so hot? Lan Zhan's hands shook as he searched for his brother. Where was Xichen? He had been right next to him. His irritation at his brother for abandoning him soured his mood even more.

Just as he was about to walk out to get a breath of fresh air, his uncle grabbed his arm.

"Wangji, there are only a handful of women left. Have you not found any of them to your liking? I really thought the tall one with red hair, Deborah, was a perfect match for you. There was also Cynthia, the one with the green eyes. She was my favorite. There must have been one..."

Lan Zhan pulled his arm away. "I will decide soon. I need some air."

"Of course, of course. You've had a long night. I'm actually impressed with how quickly you learned so many dances. That dance instructor must be very good."

Lan Zhan couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips. "Yes. He's extremely talented. Very patient." His golden eyes softened. "He was..."

The last few words choked him. His heart was beating faster as the landslide of his emotions rolled over him.

"He?" his uncle asked. "I thought it was Miss Yanli who was your instructor."

Lan Zhan froze. Part of him wished he could just disappear. The other part wanted to yell out Wei Ying's name.