Those eyes. In Luo Qian's memory, there were only those eyes! He had never seen her face. Xie Tang! Everyone else in the private box stared at the beauties performing onstage. The woman who might have been Xie Tang had already finished her dance without once showing her face. Even that glimpse of her lovely eyes had been as fleeting as a startled swan. She had begun her dance with her back to the audience and ended it the same way, striking a charming pose as she stood there. The next contestant had already taken the stage.
Luo Qian suddenly snapped to attention. "Young Master Du, where's the Flower Queen Ranking Booklet?" Du Lengning tossed him a copy. "I always carry it with me." Luo Qian hurriedly turned to Xiao Yan's page. Sure enough, it showed only the graceful back of a woman dancing. "Has no one ever seen Xiao Yan's face?" he asked. "Of course not. How else would she be one of the two most mysterious contestants?" Du Lengning replied absently, his eyes fixed on the beauty's flat stomach onstage.
Ling Xiaose suddenly said, "Brother Luo, Feier's about to come on. Aren't you going to watch?" Luo Qian had other things on his mind. He closed the booklet and answered perfunctorily, "Of course I am." Though he looked toward the stage, his thoughts churned. Xiao Yan reversed was "Yan Xiao"—characters formed from the components of Xie Tang's name. Who else could she be?
Ever since they had parted by the Star-Pattern Sea, Xie Tang had suddenly turned Pale toward him. Hurt, Luo Qian had gradually buried his hard-to-name feelings for the mysterious woman deep in his heart. One thing after another had kept him busy lately, letting him forget romance for a while. He had never expected to