Chapter 71: Beautiful and Love to Watch It

Willow Avery had only taken a few steps.

The butler's voice traveled out through a megaphone.

"Today we gather here to celebrate Old Mr. Kingston's sixty-seventh birthday. But this is not a simple birthday banquet. Old Mr. Kingston cares deeply about the younger generation and specially prepared this venue for everyone to chat and develop their feelings."

"Please move to the back garden, have your meal first, and then we will proceed to the final, spectacular interactive segment."

A question mark popped up in Willow's mind.

It just so happened that the butler passed by her side.

She asked curiously: "Uncle Liu, what is the interactive segment?"

"You'll know when the time comes," the butler smiled mysteriously, "I poured all my effort into creating it, and it will absolutely stun everyone's eyes."

Willow: "..."

She had a bad premonition.

"Miss Avery, shall we go eat first?"

The butler smiled and said: "You ate very little at noon, so eat a bit more in a while."

Willow cast a glance toward the direction where Julian Kingston was located.

Seeing him being forced by Sterling Kingston to walk toward the garden, she nodded: "Okay."

Very soon, everyone arrived at the back garden.

Willow saw that the lawn here had been turned into the likeness of a ceremonial hall by the butler.

In front of the neatly arranged tables and chairs was a high stage.

It was covered with a red cloth, looking exceptionally mysterious.

Could it be that there was going to be a performance?

"Miss Avery, you sit next to the Master."

The butler led Willow to sit down in the position next to Sterling.

In the next instant, a shadow fell beside her.

A familiar scent drifted into her nasal cavity.

Without looking, Willow knew it was Julian.

Just as she was about to speak, the man suddenly caught her hand beneath the table.

His force rubbed against her palm, neither light nor heavy.

Willow's heart instantly accelerated its beats.

With so many people around, it was very easy to be noticed.

If it were previously, she would definitely choose to escape and hide.

But this time, her fingers lightly pinched the pad of the man's finger.

Perceiving it, Julian was stunned for a moment, and consequently turned his eyes to look at Willow beside him.

The young girl looked at him with a pair of curved almond eyes.

Her cheeks carried a flush, and even the makeup on her face couldn't conceal her bashfulness.

His breathing grew heavier following it.

The question he had restrained for an entire day almost blurted out.

However, this place wasn't a venue for speaking.

He flipped his wrist around, locking his fingers together with hers in a ten-finger clasp.

Feeling his force, Willow lowered her head slightly.

It was just... very tense.

Very soon, Sterling took his seat.

The feast began.

Julian released Willow's hand to let her eat her meal.

From time to time, he also peeled shrimp and crab for her.

Watching from the side, Sterling nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, not bad, already possessing the appearance of being a father to a child."

The moment he thought about being able to have a daughter-in-law tonight, he felt a bit happy.

After drinking several glasses of alcohol, he instructed Julian: "Join in the performance Uncle Liu prepared in a bit."

Julian was silent for a moment before asking: "What performance?"

"I don't know," Sterling said, "Uncle Liu said it's something I love."

Julian thought carefully about the things the old master loved.

Traveling, composing poetry, antique collectibles.

Adopting granddaughters at random.

Playing matchmaker at random.

Synthesizing them together, the last possibility was the largest.

Willow speculated: "Could it be having people go up onto the stage to perform?"

Previously her grandfather had also held a massive birthday banquet. They had invited people over to perform.

Just as her words fell, the butler instructed people to pull down the red cloth on the high stage.

Ten podiums with lights.

There was also a long walkway, looking like it was used for a fashion runway.

No matter how one looked at it, it looked familiar.

Holding a microphone, the butler stood onto the stage: "Hello everyone, welcome to the Kingston Estate version of If You Are the One."

Willow: "..."

Julian: "..."

Sterling clapped his hands: "Beautiful, love to watch it!"

The butler: "Next, we invite Miss Avery and nine female guests onto the stage! Interested gentlemen please be prepared. Missing this opportunity, there's no telling when the next time will be, so everyone actively come up onto the stage!"

Willow was dumbfounded.

She truly hadn't known that the butler possessed this much showmanship.

While she hesitated, Julian leaned close to her ear: "Go ahead, you have me."

Possessing his words, Willow felt as though she had taken a reassuring pill. Walking onto the stage, she selected a position and stood still.

Julian tidied his suit, stood up, and walked toward the stage.

Catching sight of Julian, the butler was filled with thousands of degrees of excitement. Hurriedly asking:

"Third Young Master, do you have a female guest of your choice?"

"Mm."

Julian lifted his feet, walking straight toward Willow's position.

Sterling was exceptionally happy down below the stage. If he had known it would be this smooth, he would have prepared this kind of performance much earlier. He shared his happiness with the people beside him: "Oh my, I’ve been looking forward to this brat finding a girlfriend all along, and today he finally lets me see hope. When the time comes, everyone come to drink the wedding wine, ha."

"Excellent, excellent, congratulations Old Mr. Kingston." "Congratulations, congratulations."

The butler on the stage had hot tears filling his eyes. Finally seeing this day! It was just that the direction the Third Young Master walked seemed a bit incorrect. How come he went toward Miss Avery?

...

Willow looked at the man slowly drawing close to her.

A height approaching 1.9 meters, broad shoulders and a narrow waist, a tall and slender posture. Inside the deep black suit was a bare-pink tie of the exact same color as her gown. Further up was a cleanly contoured, meticulously sculpted face.

The lights on the stage lit up from behind him. At this exact instant, he seemed to come stepping through the light.

Willow clenched her hands tightly, clearly hearing the sound of her own heart beating frantically. Time seemed to pass for a very long duration, yet also seemed to pass for a very short one.

He finally arrived in front of her. Extending his hand toward her like a gentleman: "Willa, shall we go?"

Willow looked at the man's palm. Distinct knuckles, slender and powerful. Her fingertips couldn't resist moving a bit.

In the next instant, Julian stepped straight forward, locking around her hand, and carried her down the stage without allowing for any explanation. To him, that fraction of initiative from her was quite enough. She only needed to take a single step, and the remaining ninety-nine steps, he would walk them.

An uproar broke out beneath the stage. Old Mr. Kingston had spent a long while arranging things for the two of them, yet in the end they paired up with each other?

The matter of Sterling divorcing his ex-wife was already something from several decades ago, so these people didn't know Willow's identity. They merely treated her as a younger generation member Sterling cherished. Therefore, very soon someone huddled to Sterling's side.

"Old Mr. Kingston, this adopted granddaughter turning into a daughter-in-law is quite good too, keeping it all in the family." "Yeah, yeah, the two look like a very matching pair."

Sterling pinched his wine glass. This blending brat simply didn't do a bit of proper business! He thought of ways and methods to keep Willa in this city, yet he was great, not retaining a single trace of nostalgia. Heartless one!

...

The sound of the crowd gradually distanced itself.

Willow was brought to the adjoining garden by Julian.

"Wait a bit," she halted her steps, "will Grandpa Sterling be angry at us acting like this? How about you wait for me a bit, and I'll go back to explain?"

Previously Sterling had even gone to the hospital to inhale oxygen, so she was a bit uneasy.

"It's fine, I understand him; in all likelihood he will feel like I'm sabotaging his venue."

As Julian spoke, he bent his waist to lift Willow up. The latter let out a soft cry, frantically encircling his neck.

Seeing the man bring her forward, Willow asked: "Where are we going?"

"The room."

There was no one all along the way back to the main building. The servants were all busy looking after the guests, and other people wouldn't lack a sense of boundaries to come toward the main building side either.

Julian carried her into his own room in a perfectly open and upright manner. The room door sealed shut into a stretch of darkness.

Willow instinctively went to grope for the light on the wall, but her finger was kissed by the man a step ahead.

A crisp, numbing sensation immediately traveled to her heart.

"You..."

"Willa," Julian changed to a different posture, bracing her entire body against the wall, "Do you want me?"