A Billion Dollar Exchange

186 Hello Beautiful

\'\'So on behalf of X-Dynasty, we present this award to…

At this point, everyone\'s eyes were wide opened, waiting for the name of the winner to be called.

…Lee Liling!\'\'

Liling felt her whole world become quiet. Her eyes were transfixed on the stage as her whole body froze at the mention of her name. She thought she was dreaming until she felt xin yong scream into her ears.

\'\'LILING! I TOLD YOU! OH MY GOD! LILING! YOU DID IT\'\'

Xin Yong hugged the living life out of her as she screamed excitedly. One watching them would think that Xin Yong was the winner and Liling her friend..

Liling slowly slipped back into consciousness as she realized that everyone was clapping and the cameras were focused on her. Her eyes briefly locked in Liu Wei\'s. He was smiling elegantly at her, his eyes bore a deep fondness which only she could see.

\'\'Miss Liling, please come up to the stage and collect your award.\'\'

He was staring right into her eyes as he spoke, Liling could not help but blush slightly as she slowly stood up, amidst deafening ovation from the crowd.

She calmly walked up to the stage, her hands were a bit shaky but she tried to maintain her stance. As she climbed up the stage, the people stood up and gave her a standing ovation.

Liling, who was quite nervous couldn\'t help but break into a smile as she approached Liu Wei, stings of tears gathered up her eyes as she collected the award from him. They stared into each other\'s eyes for a brief moment, but realizing that they were in public, withdrew their gaze.

\'\'Miss Liling, would you mind telling us how you feel receiving this award, and what do you have to say to your fellow upcoming artists who are seated here?\'\'

Liu Wei asked professionally.

Before Liling could organize the question in her head, the microphone was already on her hand. She took in a deep breath and slowly turned to look at the audiences.

Her lips fluttered but she couldn\'t let any words out. This was her first time receiving an award before so many people, and her first time addressing a crowd not to talk of people of such caliber who were sitting in front of her! She had every right to be scared.

After a brief moment of breathing in and out, she felt her tensed up body suddenly calm down.

Taking in a deep breath and with the most perfect smile ever, she spoke:

\'\'Wow! If someone had told me yesterday that I would be winning this award today, I would have told the person to tell a better lie!\'\'

The audience burst out laughing at her mild joke. Liling took a peek at the golden trophy that was in her hand and couldn\'t help but smile again.

She paused for a while and giggled, shaking her head as her mind went back to the past, she blinked severally, fighting the tears which were threatening to fall.

\'\'To my fellow artists, I want to say that this is just the beginning for all of us. Everyone sitting down there can be up here tomorrow. We\'re not the best out there, but that won\'t stop us from doing our best. Thank you X-Dynasty for having me, I promise I won\'t let you down.\'\'

As she concluded her speech, a round of applause followed. She handed the microphone back to Liu Wei, and walked down the stage gracefully.

…

Liling was already tired from smiling and shaking the people who came to congratulate her at the end of the party.

She had to put up a smile for everyone, even when she could see the clear jealousy written in some of their eyes. Her hands ached from numerous shaking but she couldn\'t stop given that it would seem rude.

Xin Yong was with her the whole time, smiling to the people who came around and always commenting on each of them as they left __You couldn\'t expect anything less!

Liling exhaled, finally seeing that no one else was coming. As she was about to scan the place for Liu Wei, a young man in his twenties walked up to her.

He was smiling at her and staring right into her eyes.?To be truthful, he was good looking and had a good body structure. Feeling that he was coming to congratulate her, she let out a sweet smile.

He approached her and smirked, took her hand in his and kissed it, all the while maintaining eye contact.

\'\'Hello Beautiful\'\'

As soon as his lips came in contact with her hand, Liling withdrew it and frowned slightly. The man in front of her was smirking mischievously and his eyes staring deep into hers, in a way that was not normal.?Not normal

Liling immediately stepped back and forced a smile to her lips. Xin Yong pinched her slightly, clearing her throat.

\'\'I\'ll be waiting for you outside, nice to meet you!\'\'

She looked over from Liling to the man and fake-smiled.

Liling couldn\'t believe that her friend was about leaving her alone with a total stranger! What kind of a best friend is she!

She stared daggers at her friend, who intentionally refused to look at her face.

There was a brief silence after Xin Yong left. Liling was beginning to get uncomfortable from the way the stranger gazed at her; she earnestly prayed that someone would call her, so she could have a reason to escape. After a moment, he finally said something.

\'\'Congratulations Beautiful, I look forward to seeing you some other time…\'\'

The stranger smiled at her and walked away, leaving Liling dumbfounded at a spot. Almost at that moment, her phone began to ring, she nearly cursed beneath her breath.

As she took out the phone, her frown turned into a mild smile.

Swiping across the screen, she answered the call.

\'\'Liu Wei…\'\'

\'\'Where are you?\'\'

Liling could spot the uneasiness in his tone, she was sure that Xin Yong must have said something to about the stranger to him.

\'\'I\'m heading out of the hotel right now.\'\'

She replied and started walking towards the exit.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a brief moment before he spoke up.

\'\'Wang Feng would be waiting for you at the exit.\'\'

There was a brief silence before the call was disconnected. Liling suspected that he wanted to ask her about the stranger but he couldn\'t bring himself to say the words.