Andrew Manor

Zoe invited Lu Zhiyu to a high-end ball in London, held at a manor in the suburbs. Lu Zhiyu had spent several years buried in experiments within Maria World; when he finally emerged, he had almost forgotten how to speak, his expression as wooden as a block of wood.

Lu Zhiyu felt that if he stayed like that any longer, he would truly turn into a robot. He accepted Zoe's invitation to go out, relax, and incidentally get a look at what a ball for the British upper class was actually like. He had only ever seen such things in movies before and was quite curious!

Lu Zhiyu changed into a formal suit and drove to the outskirts of London. Once the most polluted city in the world, London now showed no traces of pollution at all. The scenery in the suburbs was beautiful, the air fresh, and the views pleasant.

Driving along the way, he felt a sense of ease and comfort. Lu Zhiyu arrived at Andrew Manor, and from a distance, he could see a sprawling European-style building standing at the foot of the hill.

It seemed many people had already arrived. Lu Zhiyu drove to the manor entrance and found quite a crowd. After parking the car, he took out his invitation.

Several men in suits were standing at the entrance. They checked the invitation Lu Zhiyu presented, and he walked inside. The lawn in the garden was neatly trimmed, with various flowering trees complementing each other, along with fountains and angel statues. Several servants were busy tending to the garden.

Although the manor looked quite new, the main building was a castle, and one could sense its deep historical roots. It seemed the owner of this manor had some status, and not just immense wealth.

Pushing open the glass doors and walking inside, he saw that many people had already gathered in the hall, clustered in small groups. However, the moment Lu Zhiyu entered, a multitude of gazes locked onto him. His elven-like appearance and unique temperament made him the focal point wherever he went, and this place was no exception.

Immediately, several people present walked over, looking at Lu Zhiyu with curiosity. A woman in a long black evening gown approached first, eyeing Lu Zhiyu's attire: "Hello, I am Lisa. It is a pleasure to meet you!"

Lu Zhiyu shook hands with Lisa: "Anthony. It is also a great honor to meet you, Miss Lisa!"

As Lisa held Lu Zhiyu's hand, she asked with a hint of excitement: "Oh, excuse me, though it may be forward, I still want to ask—you are a man, aren't you?"

The corner of Lu Zhiyu's mouth twitched slightly, and he nodded. By this time, a crowd had gathered around them. Men and women alike were observing Lu Zhiyu with interest, and many let out exclamations of wonder. Lisa covered her mouth: "You look so... so handsome, it makes us women feel jealous!"

Lu Zhiyu didn't know what to say, so he could only reply: "Thank you for the compliment!"

Just then, Lu Zhiyu's hand was suddenly grabbed by someone who had pushed through the crowd. Lu Zhiyu looked over and saw it was Zoe. Zoe looked at Lisa: "Lisa, sorry, this is my friend. I have something to discuss with him!"

Lisa frowned and turned away. Lu Zhiyu was pulled by Zoe toward a corner on the left side of the hall. The two found a red sofa and sat down. A servant passed by with food and drinks, and they each took a glass.

Zoe clinked her glass against Lu Zhiyu's: "Did you come alone? You didn't bring a date?"

Lu Zhiyu shook his head: "No, I don't have any close acquaintances here. I mainly wanted to come and see what a European ball is like."

Zoe looked at Lu Zhiyu in surprise: "My god, you wouldn't happen to be... gay, would you?"

Zoe looked at Lu Zhiyu's appearance, seemingly having reached a conclusion. Lu Zhiyu quickly waved his hands: "No, no, no, Zoe, don't joke around. That joke isn't funny at all!"

Zoe looked into Lu Zhiyu's eyes, confirmed her suspicion, and nodded. She took Lu Zhiyu's arm: "Alright then, I'll be your date for today. You'll have to dance a song with me later!"

Lu Zhiyu nodded: "But I don't dance well. Don't blame me if I step on your feet!"

Zoe stood up and beckoned to Lu Zhiyu: "Anthony, let me introduce you to a friend!"

In the center of the hall stood a middle-aged man with a small mustache. He was thin but looked very spirited and full of vigor. He seemed very familiar with Zoe. After hearing Zoe's introduction, he looked at Lu Zhiyu with curiosity: "Hello, Mr. Anthony. I am Charlie Andrew. Welcome to the banquet I am hosting!"

Lu Zhiyu shook hands with Andrew: "It is a great honor!"

The entire banquet was quite interesting, featuring a professional orchestra performing and unique entertainment programs. Amidst the melodious music, moonlight shone through the castle windows. The castle was brightly lit, and with the glitz and glamour, the men in suits and women in long gowns made the atmosphere feel as if one had traveled back to the classical Middle Ages.

Holding Zoe as they entered the floor, Zoe suddenly wanted to play a prank on Lu Zhiyu and pulled him into a waltz. However, Lu Zhiyu accompanied Zoe through the entire piece, dancing along with the music.

Suddenly, all the lights in the hall converged on the two of them, and everyone took notice. As the music ended, the pair finished with a professional pose, and enthusiastic applause immediately erupted in the hall.

Zoe's face looked slightly flushed as she looked at Lu Zhiyu with excitement: "I didn't expect you to dance so well. You said you couldn't just a moment ago—is this the modesty of an Easterner?"

Lu Zhiyu wore a mysterious expression. Naturally, he wouldn't say it was his first time dancing, but by utilizing data from his Sub-Brain and his powerful physical control, his professional level in the details was no different from that of a professional dancer.

After chatting with Lu Zhiyu for a while, Lu Zhiyu said: "I'm fine on my own. You don't have to keep me company the whole time. I can walk around and take a look; I'm quite curious about this castle and the manor!"

Lu Zhiyu knew that Zoe had a purpose for attending this ball, primarily social networking. Her family was a business dynasty, and she wasn't the only child, so to secure more resources, she had to make more connections. This was an important reason why the ball was held!

Lu Zhiyu walked alone through the castle corridor, observing the oil paintings on the walls, the introductions of the castle's past owners, and the historical stories of the castle itself. It was all very fascinating.

"This is my grandfather, a staunch Christian."

Lu Zhiyu turned around and saw Charlie Andrew. He immediately asked: "Does Mr. Charlie also believe in God?"