Chapter 154: The Beauty Party (Part 1)

The river was calm, its surface reflecting the moonlight like a polished mirror.

A gentle breeze carried waves of moisture, bringing a refreshing sense of comfort. This river, maintained well over the years, was a rarity among big cities—a clean, clear stream. Yet to Shui Miao, whose senses were heightened by his mystical powers, the water carried traces of monstrous impurities—waste from factories upstream. In such a river, he wondered whether the Chinese giant salamanders could still survive, or whether they might regret leaving their unpolluted underground streams behind.

Shui Miao waited by the riverside for a while, but seeing no sign of them returning, he shook his head in frustration and, with a sigh, turned to walk away with Zhang Hanya.

“I, I brought that plug…”

Suddenly, Zhang Hanya’s phone rang.

“Xiaoya, where are you? There are so many classmates and hot guys and girls here at the hotel—the rich kid Qian is hosting, and there are already over a hundred people! It’s super lively. Oh, and guess what? Qian even asked about you—he seems interested in you, you know…”

“Xiaobo, stop talking nonsense. I have a boyfriend. We’ll be there soon,” Zhang Hanya replied, hanging up with a scoff. “Rich kid? More like he’s too poor—poor in character! He should take a look at himself in the mirror before he starts dreaming about me. Hmph!”

Clearly, Zhang Hanya held no respect for this “rich kid.”

Shui Miao walked silently, not responding to Zhang Hanya, his mind occupied with the mysterious Heaven Gate he had sensed earlier. How could he fully open it?

Zhang Hanya knew Shui Miao had things on his mind and didn’t bother him, thinking instead about how awkward it would be if she arrived by walking and was laughed at. Among her friends, the only one who had a luxury car was Chen Meiling, whom she had just met today. Since they were all young, why not give her a call and invite her to come along?

“Hello, Meiling jie…”

Zhang Hanya was quick to act, never one to hesitate.

At the mention of “Meiling jie,” Shui Miao snapped back to reality.

“Yes, this is Zhang Hanya. I’m with Shui Miao right now. Some classmates are having a party, so…”

Before she could finish, Shui Miao grabbed the phone.

“Jie, it’s like this—Zhang Hanya’s classmates are having a gathering, and she doesn’t have a boyfriend. I’m just here to help her save face. Since you’re so busy, maybe you shouldn’t come. It’s just a bunch of kids playing around… Yeah, okay, bye.”

He hung up and handed the phone back to Zhang Hanya.

Zhang Hanya grabbed his arm, clearly upset. “What do you think you’re doing? You think I called her for fun? I was borrowing her car—to give you some face!”

“Let me be honest. I don’t care for fake appearances, and I’m not interested in those superficial parties with your so-called friends. If you think I’m embarrassing you, just say so. I don’t need a materialistic little sister like you anyway.” Shui Miao was blunt, revealing his true feelings without holding back.

His words were harsh.

Zhang Hanya, who had never heard such words before, was stunned.

But she loved him, so she swallowed her anger and grabbed his hand. “Xiaoshui…”

“Don’t call me Xiaoshui. I’m your older brother.” He shook her off impatiently. “I’ve already told you—I don’t like you. Get over it. Agreeing to come here today was a mistake. Don’t you understand what just happened by the river? Do you really still want to come here and party? What do you gain from indulging in luxury except to fall further into decadence?”

“I’ll call you Xiaoshui Ge from now on, okay?”

Zhang Hanya forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. “I understand how you feel, so I won’t get angry. But these are still my classmates, you know? I don’t have your abilities. I’m just a normal person, living in this circle. How can I be as independent and self-assured as you are? Friends are still important, right?”

Shui Miao was about to reply with more criticism.

But after hearing her words, he paused and thought. Perhaps growing up in this big city, surrounded by such people, it was only natural she had been influenced. If he kept pushing her to change, maybe he was being too harsh. Perhaps he should first meet these friends of hers and see how Zhang Hanya reacted before making any judgment.

“Ah, I was too hasty. I’m sorry…”

Shui Miao quickly adjusted his mood.

“It’s okay. I know you’re a genuine person, and that you only want the best for me. I understand that,” Zhang Hanya replied understandingly.

In truth, her family background had indeed shaped her. Among her classmates, she was already seen as a righteous, tough girl.

※※※

A taxi pulled up in front of the Sanya Grand Hotel.

Unlike typical hotels, this one featured a vast open space instead of a towering building as its entrance. In the distance, lights twinkled along the beach, with bonfires marking clusters of partygoers. Surrounding these were rows of seaside villas, each enclosed by fences that stretched all the way into the ocean. These private villas were the perfect venues for extravagant parties.

Normally, wealthy young men would arrive in luxury cars, parking them in the shining, prominent spots inside the villas to flaunt their status. Zhang Hanya had visited a few times before. To avoid embarrassment, her father had even bought her a Mercedes-Benz after much insistence from her.

But today, the two arrived on foot.

Zhang Hanya, familiar with the place, led Shui Miao to the villa entrance. As soon as they entered, Shui Miao saw a crowd of young men and women gathered under dazzling lights. On white tables beneath the colorful lights lay a spread of fruits, delicacies, barbecues, and European pastries. A few violinists played romantic tunes while young bartenders swayed to the music, mixing drinks. The stylish, attractive youth mingled in pairs or groups, chatting and drinking, clearly enjoying themselves.

As soon as Zhang Hanya entered, someone shouted, “Xiaoya’s here!”

Instantly, many eyes—familiar and unfamiliar—turned toward her.

Shui Miao, though looking young, stood out with his white hair.

A group of Zhang Hanya’s female classmates quickly surrounded them. A few rich kids glanced at Shui Miao and smirked, then casually approached with wine glasses in hand.

“Wow, Xiaoya, this must be your boyfriend?”

“He looks handsome, but seems a bit… young?”

Several girls chimed in with teasing smiles.

The girls were friendly, clearly having a great time. But in terms of looks, they weren’t particularly attractive—nowhere near Zhang Hanya’s level.

“Yes! He’s my Xiaoshui Ge.”

Zhang Hanya introduced him proudly, flashing a charming smile.

“Hello, Xiaoshui Ge!”

“Hehehe…”

The girls, seeing how young Shui Miao looked, couldn’t resist teasing him. One even reached out to shake his hand.

Shui Miao’s hand, refined by his immortal energy, was unusually soft and smooth—perhaps even whiter and warmer than the girl’s.

“Wow, his hand feels amazing!”

After shaking his hand, the girl exclaimed excitedly.

Hearing this, the other girls rushed forward, jostling to shake his hand, even pushing aside the rich kids.

Shui Miao was speechless. Being treated like a cute toy by a bunch of girls was not a pleasant feeling.

“Alright, alright, stop flirting with my boyfriend!”

Zhang Hanya quickly stepped in to block the excited girls.

At that moment, three rich kids pushed through the crowd. One, with a thick face and a slightly menacing gaze, smiled at Zhang Hanya and extended his hand. “Xiaoya! Welcome!”

Zhang Hanya hesitated, not taking his hand. Instead, she moved closer to Shui Miao and nodded politely. “Sorry, this is my friend, Chen Shuimiao. He’s my Xiaoshui!”

With a playful tone, she changed his nickname to “Xiaoshui,” causing a chorus of envious squeals from the girls.

Shui Miao frowned slightly.

The rich kid didn’t withdraw his hand but instead turned to Shui Miao, who smiled and extended his hand.

But as soon as the rich kid grabbed it, he began gently squeezing and caressing it. Shui Miao saw the expression in the rich kid’s eyes change rapidly—from disdain to lustful admiration.

What the hell!

Shui Miao felt a wave of disgust and tried to pull his hand back, but the rich kid held on tightly, then moved closer, wrapping his arm around Shui Miao’s shoulder. “Bro, first time meeting is awkward, but second time we’ll be close friends. Tonight, you must enjoy yourself to the fullest, hehe!”

Shui Miao quietly channeled his immortal energy, then suddenly tightened his grip, causing the rich kid to wince in pain.

“Sure! I’ll definitely enjoy myself to the fullest!”

Shui Miao smiled sweetly, giving the rich kid’s hand a squeeze. The pain contorted the rich kid’s face, but he had to endure it in front of everyone.

After letting go, Shui Miao smiled again. “Oh, forgot to mention—I have natural strength. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

The rich kid’s five fingers were already twisted and motionless.

Only now did everyone notice his hand.

“N-no problem, everyone, let’s drink, drink!” the rich kid quickly hid his hand behind his back, forcing a bitter smile.

Shui Miao shrugged and casually walked toward the bar counter and the bartenders…

No one had expected that this young, quiet-looking guy could twist a rich kid’s hand like that. Everyone was now intensely curious about him. The group of girls swarmed around Zhang Hanya, begging her to reveal who exactly this Chen Shuimiao really was.