Chapter 12 Big Gamble

The New Year's cocktail party held by the Atobe Zaibatsu every New Year's Day is not something that ordinary people can casually attend.

Although the original purpose of holding the party was the same as other companies' cocktail parties, it was just a form of annual summary and awards and new year prospects, and a platform for managers above a certain level within the company to communicate and gather; but with the current monopoly of the Atobe Zaibatsu in the financial world, the New Year's cocktail party on New Year's Day often brings together many political celebrities and business tycoons, making it a major event in the financial world.

At six o'clock in the evening, the cocktail party had not yet begun, but the guests had already entered one after another, greeted each other, held their glasses, and laughed loudly.

Atobe Keigo stood on the podium in a white suit, with a light purple diamond-patterned shirt underneath, and a unique firework in his chest pocket. He just stood there casually, but his eyebrows and demeanor showed a leisurely demeanor that looked down on the world.

The New Year in Tokyo this year was extremely cold. It seemed that snow had already begun to fall when we arrived, but the heating in the banquet hall was already on high

. Among the dazzling cups and plates, exquisitely cooked food and gorgeous flowers, men and women in gorgeous clothes shuttled back and forth, and the flowers were in full bloom, and the singing and dancing were prosperous. The Ice Emperor of that year suddenly raised his eyebrows and smiled coldly.

"How is it, Jingwu, how are your preparations?"

His father walked over here, looking more energetic than usual.

"Leave it to me, is there anything you are worried about?" Atobe pulled the corner of his mouth, arrogant but not offensive.

It was not the first time that Atobe Keigo hosted such a New Year's party. Since his debut, Atobe Jingyi, as the president, has generously handed over many affairs to his outstanding son, and the facts have proved that Atobe's means of handling various business transactions and even disputes and competitions will never be inferior to his first-class tennis skills back then. But this year was a little different. It had been rumored for a long time that the president of the Atobe Zaibatsu, Atobe Keiji, was going to retire due to poor health. According to the family rules, he could not officially take over the family business until Atobe Keigo got married. The next president of the Atobe Zaibatsu seemed to have changed due to these factors. There was even a saying that the current vice president, Atobe Yuichi, was very likely to temporarily serve as the president. Of course, most public opinion still favored Atobe Keiji, a young but resourceful financial upstart. But if he could take over his father's baton in the near future, then would the candidate for the future young lady of the Atobe family have been quietly settled?

This was the reason why this New Year's party had to be a little subtle, right?

Atobe Keiji smiled. Although he was a little willful in some things, the fact was that this son had never let him down: "Almost everyone has arrived. Can we start?"

Atobe looked at his watch and glanced at the entrance of the venue.

"Wait a little longer, father." He said, "I want to invite you to meet someone later. I hope it won't surprise you too much."

When Terajima Yuuki got off the black classic Porsche, it was snowing in the sky. It wasn't big, just small and crystal snow, falling endlessly in the vast sky, turning into crystal water drops and sinking into the graceful mink tail at the collar of the coat.

In front of her were high steps and bright red carpets, extending far away. She could faintly hear gorgeous and melodious ritual music and noisy laughter.

She stood by the car in a long dress, stretched out her hand to receive the tiny ice crystals falling from the sky, watching it slowly turn into crystal clear dewdrops in her delicate lace gloves and then disappear in the jacquard texture. She was absent-minded for a moment.

There were scattered car horns behind her.

Oshima Yuushi's Lexus and Hasegawa Shu's Spyker stopped almost one after another. The two walked out one after another, looked at each other, and smiled a little bit without knowing the meaning.

As soon as he raised his head again, his eyes met the cold woman wrapped in an elegant black coat, and he was stunned for a moment.

In less than a second, Yuushi Oshitari restrained his overly rude expression of surprise and showed his signature lazy smile.

Hasegawa Shu frowned slightly.

She turned her head and took in the expressions of the two.

Tonight, it won't be just these two people who are surprised.

She sneered secretly in her heart, and her clear and cold eyes fell on Hasegawa Shu, as if she was pondering.

"What are you looking at, huh?"

A familiar and gorgeous voice came from the side, and she regained her senses. The man with purple-gray hair was standing on the nearby steps, his handsome features were close, the lines were clear and sharp, but there was a hint of cold charm.

She was stunned for a moment, and raised the corner of her lips lightly: "Nothing."

"It's beautiful tonight." Atobe raised his eyebrows nonchalantly, his eyes passed over her shoulder, and he slightly signaled to the two people behind him, then retracted his gaze, "Let's go, it's time to go in."

He stretched out his hand to her, his slender fingers, delicate joints, and full of strength.

The posture of a knight waiting for the favor of the princess, elegant but clearly not to be disobeyed.

She sighed in her heart, and a light and indifferent smile emerged. She handed her hand over, letting him take it elegantly, sinking into his palm, and stepped onto the bright red carpet side by side.

Hasegawa Shu stood still for a long time without moving, his brows furrowed more and more.

"It seems that tonight's cocktail party is really a lot to look forward to, don't you think, Hasegawa-kun?"

Oshitari Yuushi's smile was mixed with unpredictable cunning, and he brushed his shoulder and stepped onto the stairs.

The music in the hall gradually subsided, and the young heir of the Atobe Zaibatsu stepped onto the podium, and the woman beside him followed only half a step away, and their interlocked fingers seemed to hint something to the world.

"Thank you all for your presence, and let's enjoy this beautiful evening together!" After a brief speech, Atobe Keigo raised a gorgeous and arrogant smile, raised his left hand to the air, and snapped his fingers crisply, "Showtime begins!"

In an instant, the champagne sprayed out fierce white foam, and colorful satin fell from the high dome, filling people's sight.

Warm applause, the crisp collision of wine glasses, and the melodious waltz, intertwined together, embellishing a magnificent peace.

Even standing in this place where business elites gather, Atobe Keigo is still a dazzling existence.

Atobe Jingyi stood at the side of the podium, glanced at the dignified and beautiful woman beside him, and smiled calmly.

"It's really rare. Jingwu has never brought a woman to such an occasion." A chuckle came from behind. The vice president of the Atobe chaebol stood beside him with a glass of red wine. Although he was over 50 years old, he was in good spirits. His light smile concealed the sinister color that flashed across his eyes.

"Then she should not be an ordinary woman." Atobe Jingyi smiled without comment, and the indescribable expression in his eyes became deeper and deeper. Did

even he notice it?

Perhaps because she was brought into the venue by Atobe Jingwu, this woman attracted everyone's attention from the beginning.

Her exquisite figure was wrapped in a black exquisite coat, revealing the high collar of a white sweater, with elegant makeup and clear eyebrows.

The whole person looked low-key, but classic.

Even standing next to the dazzling Atobe, she was still an extraordinary existence.

She gave him a sense of déjà vu. Although she was a beautiful girl from a small family, she had the bearing of a lady from a wealthy family. Standing under the light, she smiled gently, yet unintentionally revealed a hint of coldness, like a beautiful white plum blossom, desolate and lonely.

The president of the Atobe Zaibatsu subconsciously clenched the cold wine glass in his hand, closed his eyes, and waved away some inappropriate memories.

When he opened his eyes again, everything was calm.

"Atobe, don't you want to introduce the lady next to you?" Seeing that Atobe had come down from the podium with the beauty, Atobe Jingyi smiled slightly.

"Ms. Terajima Yuki, a lawyer at AE Law Firm." Atobe Jingwu glanced at the beauty next to him and raised his sharp eyebrows, "She is also the niece of President Hasegawa Kenshin."

As if to supplement, he raised his head and glanced at Hasegawa Shu who was not far away: "Hey, Shu?"

Shu was stunned for a moment, pressed his thumb on the cold wall of the glass, and twitched the corner of his mouth unnaturally: "Ah, she is my cousin."

A sigh came from the side.

The name Hasegawa Gardenia seems not old enough to be forgotten by the Japanese industry. Terajima Yuki didn't know whether to be relieved or sad. She raised the corners of her lips slightly and bowed to the people present: "It's our first meeting. Please take care of me."

The uncreative lines were slowly spoken by a clear and indifferent voice. With an inadvertent side glance, Atobe Keigo had unconsciously held her hand. The palm was slightly cool, and his deep eyes looked at her with a smile, mixed with true and false feelings.

The night of luxury and debauchery was gorgeous and prosperous, but empty and void.

Terajima Yuki hid in a secluded place on the balcony, leaning against the railing, boredly admiring the snowflakes floating in the sky. The heating in the hall and the coldness in the open air blended together, sober and intoxicated.

"Isn't it cold standing here?"

Someone walked over on the carpet, stretched out his arms, and skillfully circled her waist. The smell of men's cologne mixed with the fragrance of red wine, and the ambiguous breath invaded.

"But quiet." She frowned slightly and gave up the pointless struggle.

Atobe smiled, narrowing his narrow eyes: "Are you unhappy with what I said just now?"

"Why?"

"I know you don't like to be associated with that surname, but unfortunately, you have to face those people." He looked at her steadily in the snow, "I thought you should have such awareness before you made this decision."

But even so, he still felt unhappy.

Obviously hating to the bone, but having to smile at each other, humans are really the most hypocritical creatures in the world.

Terajima Yuki laughed at himself and slightly curled the corners of his lips as an answer.

"Maybe we should find a time to visit your uncle." The casual tone was firm and calm, as if he had planned for a long time.

"It's up to you."

She just said lightly, but the smile in his eyes deepened a little.

"I wanted to give it to you in front of everyone, but after thinking about it, I decided to give the elders of the family some time to digest it." Atobe reached into the inner pocket of his suit and took out a delicate red box. He pushed the lid of the box with his thumb. On the blood-red velvet base, the clear light of the diamond ring instantly shone into her eyes.

The woman's eyes were a little sluggish.

"The old man seems to like you very much, so you don't have to worry. You can slowly ask people to prepare for the wedding." As if he didn't notice her distraction, Atobe just spoke slowly, took out the exquisitely designed ring, and held her white hand.

"I think the way he looks at me is like looking through me to see someone else." Mumu watched him put the silver ring on his slender fingertips. The cold touch made her tremble slightly. She almost wanted to escape, but he firmly sank his fingertips into his palm, and the thin and hot temperature came, and the cold light of the diamond stung her eyes.

"The ring means to encircle a woman's lifelong happiness." She sighed helplessly, "But Atobe Keigo, my youth has been destroyed by you."

She was no longer a young girl who yearned for a dreamy fairy tale, but just sighed.

"Maybe you can try to fall in love with me or let me fall in love with you." Facing her accusation, his smile became even more intense, "This way our game will be more interesting."

He increased his strength as they held hands and looked at each other, and took her into his arms, then clasped his index finger around her chin.

He lowered his head and held her cold lips, and was about to probe in, but she dodged without a trace.

"I will cooperate with you in front of others, but in private, I don't want to fulfill that obligation." She

stated the facts with her eyelids lowered, not hiding her refusal.

Atobe Keigo frowned, and the tear mole under his eyes glowed darkly at the junction of light and shadow.

Then he raised the corner of his lips suddenly: "I can give you time, but only before your patience runs out."

It was really a meaningless promise.

Terajima Yuki sighed, but then again, except for a marriage certificate, all other contracts would not have legal effect.

In this gamble, she had too few chips to rely on.

Fine snow fell to the corners of her lips, seeping into the slightly dry lips, breeding a slight chill. She subconsciously wanted to purse her lips, but he held them in his mouth in an instant. The moist and warm breath brushed across the cold corners of her lips and overflowed between her lips and teeth.

"If you want to act, you have to act more realistically, huh?" Feeling her stiffness, he left her lips, and his hot breath wandered around her earlobes and neck. The arm around her waist tightened more and more, and when the kiss fell again, it was already dense and woven.

He was neither a qualified husband nor a perfect lover, but he would never be stingy with the opportunity to indulge when necessary.

The world is a theater, with gorgeous curtains rolling up and down, and registered actors coming and going, but they are performing plays without authors according to unknown scripts.

The beautiful woman sighed and closed her eyes, and crystal snowflakes fell from the sky, emitting a glittering silver-blue light in the night sky.