"Beautiful scenery, isn't it?"
Only when they were halfway there, walking along the cobblestone path by the edge of the park's great lake, did Wei Ge softly ask.
The lake's surface shimmered with reflected lights. Looking up now, they could already see the illuminated banquet hall of the Charity Banquet in the distance. The magnificent building, bathed in light, somehow suited the tranquil night view of the park remarkably well.
"Yes, it's beautiful here."
Shade replied quietly, as though afraid of disturbing the atmosphere:
"I've been to many cities and seen spring in many cities, but not even the springtime city nights of Spring City—Randall River Valley—are as beautiful as this park."
Wei Ge revealed a gentle smile. After getting out of the carriage just now, she had looped her arm through Shade's in accordance with social etiquette. In her heart, she felt that tonight's invitation had been entirely the right choice:
"If you like it, we can come here for a walk by ourselves in the future. I like tonight too. Yes, very much."
The calm waters of the park lake reflected the lights of the clubhouse standing on the shore. Ripples formed in the shimmering reflections with the night breeze, like flowing fragments of gold. The outline of the distant clubhouse gradually became clearer, its white stone walls glowing softly in the night. Shade could even see the velvet curtains hanging inside the windows and the warm gas lamp light behind them.
Before the clubhouse was a gently slanted uphill path, with neatly trimmed lawns on both sides. At the entrance at the top of the slope stood the Duchess, host of this banquet, ready to welcome the guests.
Under ordinary social conventions, it should have been the Duke and Duchess welcoming guests at the entrance to the