"Heh—Leah, you don't really know him, so you wouldn't understand. Shawn's got more luck with women than anyone I know. Even if he wanted to behave, he couldn't! Right, Shawn?" Vivian Fang looked at Shawn Young with a teasing smile, but she was tactful enough not to embarrass him. After all, as a sophisticated and worldly beauty, Vivian knew exactly how to read people.
Shawn Young blushed at her words and quickly changed the subject, asking, "Vivian, what brings you guys here tonight?"
"Why wouldn't I come? Tonight's charity gala is organized by Harmony Holdings and several major companies in Nanning City. I'm one of the people in charge! By the way, aren't you going to introduce these three gorgeous ladies and your friend to me?" Vivian Fang said with a laugh.
"Oh! This is Minnie Wang from Oceanic Holdings, this is Helen, and next to her is Mai Kanda! They're international guests, here with Minnie to attend the gala." Shawn Young hurriedly introduced.
"Wow, nice to meet you! Oceanic Holdings is one of the star companies invited tonight! If I'm not mistaken—Miss Wang, you're the beloved daughter of Mr. Quentin Wang, the chairman of Oceanic Holdings, aren't you?" Vivian Fang asked, surprised.
Minnie Wang laughed, "Haha, yeah, my dad's Quentin Wang, but he's retired now. Oceanic Holdings is run by my brother David and me. I know you, I've seen you on TV! You're Vivian Fang, Chairwoman of Harmony Holdings! Nice to finally meet you!" Minnie reached out for a polite handshake.
"Oh, right, nearly forgot. This is my good buddy, my dorm leader, Alex Easton!" Shawn Young pointed to Alex, who looked a little nervous.
"Hello, Mr. Easton! I didn't expect you to be Shawn's best friend and dorm boss! You guys are hilarious!" Vivian Fang laughed.
"Uh—yeah, that's right—this is our first time at an event like this, so we're pretty clueless. Chairwoman Fang, I gotta say, you're even more stunning in person than on TV!" Alex Easton said with a nervous smile. Vivian Fang was a famous businesswoman in Nanning City, often appearing on talk shows, so Alex recognized her right away. But as a regular college student, chatting with someone of her caliber made him feel extra nervous.
Vivian Fang's sharp eyes immediately caught Alex's awkwardness. "Haha—Mr. Easton, you sure know how to talk, but why do you seem to be all alone tonight? Is this your first time at an event like this? No date?" she teased.
"Yeah, that's right! School just let out for break, and this is the first time Shawn and I have ever been to something this fancy. I mean, I don't have his kind of luck with women, what can you do? Our Shawn's got all the charm!" Alex Easton joked, poking fun at himself.
Vivian Fang raised her elegant brows and smiled, pulling Leah Zhang over to introduce her to Alex. "Here, Leah's also missing a date tonight. You guys are all young—get to know each other and have some fun!"
"Oh, Vivian, I just wanted to come and see the world with you, but now it feels like you're trying to set me up!" Leah Zhang blushed, sneaking a peek at Alex. Her first impression of him wasn't bad at all.
Vivian laughed, "Leah, you're always busy at Harmony Holdings, working overtime and never really meeting any promising young guys. You're so pretty and gentle, the flower of our company—how can you not have a man to spoil you? So honestly, I brought you here tonight hoping to find you a good match! Mr. Easton seems like a great candidate!"
"Uh—Chairwoman Fang, you're too kind. I'm just a regular college student, nothing special, and compared to Miss Zhang, I'm way out of my league. How could I ever hope to win her over?" Alex Easton said honestly. He knew there was no point pretending in front of someone like Vivian Fang, so he decided to lay his cards on the table.
"Don't sell yourself short, Alex! You're still young—anything's possible! Look at Shawn, his family background isn't anything special, but he's confident enough to handle three ladies at once! You're his boss, so what are you worried about? Leah's not some shallow girl, and besides, I'm here to keep an eye on things. Shawn and I are close, and as he says—'Why let the good stuff go to outsiders?' Haha!" Vivian Fang joked.
"Vivian, please, don't put it like that!" Leah Zhang protested, her face turning even redder.
Vivian grinned, "I'm just telling the truth. Leah, trust my judgment—since Alex is Shawn's best friend, his future is bound to be bright! Come on, you two, get to know each other! You're young, be bold!" Vivian did her best to play matchmaker for Alex and Leah.
So Alex Easton and Leah Zhang shook hands, but thanks to nerves, both their palms were a little sweaty. The moment their hands touched, they could feel each other's tension. Still, Alex was no rookie when it came to women—he quickly noticed Leah's clammy hand, a sure sign she was interested. It was the perfect chance to make a move!
Feeling bold, Alex kept hold of Leah's hand, looked her straight in the eyes, and said with extra sincerity, "Miss Zhang, since everyone's rooting for us, maybe it's fate. So, I'm shamelessly asking—would you be my date tonight?"
"I—I—" Leah Zhang stammered, her face bright red as Alex held her hand, totally flustered and at a loss for words.
Vivian Fang jumped in to ease Leah's nerves, "Come on, Leah, what's there to hesitate about? Alex is inviting you sincerely, not just messing around. We're all friends here, so relax! Look at Minnie and the others—they're so poised and confident!"
"Okay—alright—I accept!" Leah Zhang finally managed, still a bit tense but secretly pleased. She let Alex link arms with her.
Leah Zhang came from a modest single-parent family. She’d been working at Harmony Holdings for two years, but she was a rookie when it came to romance. Back in college, plenty of guys chased her, but her strong-willed and studious nature always took priority. Growing up in a single-parent home, Leah dreamed of becoming an independent woman like Vivian Fang—someone who could carve out her own future through hard work. Now, at 25, she had a stable job, but still hadn’t really dated anyone seriously.
Vivian Fang knew all about Leah’s family situation—it reminded her of her own youth. That’s why she’d always looked out for her hardworking secretary and wanted to help her find a reliable man. Plus, Vivian knew Shawn Young’s hidden talents were extraordinary. If Alex Easton was close enough to be Shawn’s best friend, he’d have Shawn’s help in the future. As long as Alex wasn’t a total idiot, his prospects were sure to be bright!