"Never mind then, let them wear whatever they want, it's none of my business." Draco adopted an indifferent attitude.
"Pfft." Trillian covered her mouth and laughed. Hermione rolled her eyes, but she had already anticipated Draco's answer.
"But young master, don't slander my clothes. I'm being sexy, not revealing. Only underwear counts as revealing, right? I'm all covered up," Trillian emphasized.
"... That's true, your approach... is alright, I guess." Draco continued, "But your approach..."
"What, young master? You're also captivated by this outfit? You don't want to let go of it once you've put it on?"
Trillian subtly indicated that,
It goes without saying that she was referring to the time Draco repeatedly placed his hand on her shapely buttocks outside the casino.
"Well..." Draco's expression stiffened slightly. Afraid that Hermione might overthink things, and even more afraid that Trillian would bring up the past again, he could only pretend to be nonchalant and change the subject. " Trillian, have you had dinner? The ball will be tiring, don't go on an empty stomach."
Trillian was taken aback by the sudden show of concern, but she knew why Draco was doing this, so she smiled even more playfully and teased, "It's rare to see you showing concern for a nobody like me today, young master."
"What are you saying!" Draco, somewhat embarrassed.
"That's exactly right," Trillian jokingly added.
"Young Master only has eyes for his mistress; he's shown me concern only a handful of times," Trillian said self-deprecatingly after counting on her fingers. "No, not at all. Today is the first time."
"Alright, alright, it was my oversight. I'll pay more attention to you from now on, okay? Let's hurry to the ball." Draco readily compromised, eager to move on.
"It's a deal." A sly smile gleamed in Trillian's eyes. "Young Master, you can't go back on your word. I've got it."
"Okay, let's go." Draco put his arm around Hermione's waist and walked ahead, with Trillian following Draco.
The three walked side by side along the brightly lit corridor toward the farewell ball venue in the center of the cruise ship. The path ahead was shimmering with light and shadow, and the melodious sound of dance music drifted in from the wind. The grand finale of the cruise ship's banquet and ball had begun.
Inside the ballroom, crystal chandeliers shone brilliantly, a band played soothing jazz, and guests chatted in small groups, their elegant attire and clinking glasses creating a lively atmosphere.
The three had barely stepped into the venue when they ran into an acquaintance.
The four ladies— Becky, Susan, Kate, and Mary— whom I had previously interacted with on the tennis court, and the three gentlemen— Tom, Jack, and Barty —all changed into formal attire, a stark contrast to their sportswear on the court.
" Draco, Hermione!" Becky, dressed in a sequined fringed dress and holding two glasses of sparkling wine, waved to them with a smile, followed by several men and women.
The group met, and the atmosphere was warm and lively. Draco introduced them to each other, starting with Trillian to Becky and the others:
"This is Trillian."
She then introduced the seven people to Trillian: "These are my tennis friends: Becky, Susan, Kate, Mary, and Tom, Jack, and Barty."
The seven men nodded to Trillian, their gazes lingering on her red dress for a moment, a hint of amazement flashing in their eyes.
" Lian looks stunning in that red dress! The halter style is both beautiful and chic, perfect for a ball!" Kate exclaimed with a smile.
"Very eye-catching, I noticed her immediately, she has a great presence!" Mary exclaimed, noting that it was a great way to start a conversation.
"Thank you everyone, I'm so glad you like my outfit." Trillian accepted the compliments with composure and confidence.
Then, in return, he replied:
"Your dresses are all unique, and each person's style suits them perfectly; they all look very pleasing to the eye."
" Hermione, you look so gentle and beautiful in this outfit! The nude pink satin suits your temperament perfectly," Becky praised generously.
Susan nodded in agreement, "Yes, the bow design is also very clever, and the waistline is so beautifully cinched."
Hermione was a little embarrassed by the compliments. "Your dresses are beautiful too, Becky, your dark green suit suits your skin tone perfectly, and Susan's jewelry is exquisite."
The girls complimented each other, creating a harmonious atmosphere like a girls' tea party. Meanwhile, after exchanging a few pleasantries with Draco, the three men, Tom, Jack, and Barty, all had their eyes drawn to Trillian.
After exchanging glances, the three of them moved closer to Trillian, Tom wearing a fawning smile.
" Miss Cui, I didn't have a chance to say it earlier, but your red dress is absolutely stunning; you'll definitely be the center of attention at the ball."
"Yeah," Jack quickly chimed in, "When I first saw you, I thought some celebrity was at the ball."
Not to be outdone, Barty added with a smile:
"This red dress suits you perfectly. I wonder if I would have the honor of asking you to dance?"
Hearing Tom and his two companions' fawning over them, the four women rolled their eyes simultaneously. "Men are all the same!"
Hearing Tom and his two companions fawning over Trillian, Becky shook her head and muttered to the women around her, "Men are all the same; they can't resist pretty girls."
Susan covered her mouth and chuckled, "That's right, it's always like this at every ball, like they've never seen a beautiful woman before."
Kate and Mary exchanged a smile; they were clearly used to this fine tradition among the three.
At this moment, Draco raised his hand and made a "stop" gesture. "Wait a minute, are you going to kill me with one blow? I'm not!"
"Really not?" Becky asked skeptically.
"Of course not," Draco said firmly.
" Hermione has the most to say on this. Hermione, tell me, isn't your husband the same kind of person?"
Mary turned to Hermione for answers.
"Of course," Hermione said casually.
"Wife, you can't slander me for no reason! My reputation is ruined by you!" Draco clutched his chest, feigning heartbreak.
Hermione asked with a half-smile, "On your first day here, who was it that was staring at the swimsuit-clad beauties on deck through binoculars? They were so engrossed, I called their names three times and they didn't respond."
"Oh~" The four women murmured in unison, their voices carrying a meaningful undertone.
"I never knew Draco was like this," Kate teased, and Mary chimed in, "I never would have guessed!"
Becky was even more direct. Arms crossed, she sized up Draco, and clicked her tongue twice. "You actually have this kind of refined taste?"
Draco felt his scalp tingle under the four pairs of eyes staring at him, and protested, "No, it's just human nature to eat and sex. Taking a look isn't illegal."