The next afternoon, Charisse got her wish and became Zhou Yi's companion, heading with him to the banquet hosted by the Ashford Family.
Using all her ultimate techniques—including throwing tantrums, rolling around, acting cute, and feigning innocence—Charisse easily persuaded Zhou Lan. As a devoted mother, Zhou Lan immediately decided that Charisse would be Zhou Yi's companion. Facing his mother's assertiveness, Zhou Yi was left utterly speechless.
Zhou Lan spent the entire day employing the most professional makeup artist under her care to doll up her beloved young daughter. Thick foundation was used to conceal the unique markings on her face, and colored contacts were worn to hide her somewhat strange eye color.
To hide her pointed ears, Charisse usually wore a beret. However, for a formal banquet like this, wearing a hat was out of the question. Therefore, they spent the longest time arranging her hair to conceal the difference in her ears.
Finally, they settled on a slightly unusual updo. The hair coiled at the back was slightly pulled down on both sides, forming exquisitely braided small plaits that created a slight cover over the ears, perfectly blocking the distinguishing features. Afterward, delicate golden leaf hair accessories were pinned on both sides of the bun. Once this step was complete, Charisse's unique features were entirely invisible.
What was even more miraculous was that when Charisse finished all her preparations and put on the evening gown Zhou Lan had long since prepared as an adulthood gift for her daughter, her entire person underwent an astonishing transformation, becoming so stunning that even Zhou Yi felt surprised.
All along, as his younger sister, Charisse always appeared lively and childish in front of him. This demeanor often caused Zhou Yi to overlook her age; it seemed that in his eyes, Charisse would forever be that clever little imp hiding behind him, tugging at his coat, and whining for this and that.
But now, when a gorgeously dressed Charisse appeared before him, he suddenly realized that the beloved younger sister he had protected for so many years had truly grown up—she had blossomed into a stunning young woman capable of captivating a city.
Her wine-red long hair was coiled into a noble and elegant bun, and the golden leaf accessories on both sides added an air of inviolable purity and sanctity. The makeup, which would be considered heavy for an ordinary woman, complemented her face perfectly. After all, being a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, her fair and healthy complexion was not at all overpowered by the cosmetics.
Thus, this makeup, besides making her look much more mature, transformed her originally bright youthful vitality into a cold, glamorous, and noble demeanor. That magnificent face possessed a charm capable of captivating one's Divine Soul, especially when those emerald eyes glanced and gazed. It was exactly like an extremely beautiful goddess from mythology looking down upon you.
And the crystal-clear, snow-white gown designed by Zhou Lan seemed to drape the goddess in brilliant starlight. The pure white, snow-like silk long dress worn by Charisse outlined the most exquisite figure possible for her age.
The faux-Greece style single shoulder strap exposed one side of her collarbone and her delicate arm. Her dazzling snow-white skin was no less radiant than precious snow silk, and perhaps even more brilliant.
The deliberately drawn sash further highlighted Charisse's extremely slender waist. This intentional design compensated for her youth, making her curves indescribably beautiful.
The long skirt, featuring a slit, constantly revealed the delicate lines of her snow-white legs. When she put on the peep-toe high heels, those captivating legs possessed a beauty capable of charming any gentleman.
However, faced with such breathtaking beauty, it was likely difficult for many to harbor any profane thoughts. Especially given Charisse's height—nearly 1.8 meters in her high heels—they could only look up, as if gazing at a goddess. Furthermore, the light refracted by the scattered diamonds on the gown, like countless stars, was so dazzling and piercing that it prevented any trace of impure thought from mixing in.
No one could have imagined Charisse would become this beautiful after being dressed up. Her friends were utterly stunned, completely losing the ability to speak. Ororo and Jean Grey were also full of admiration, their eyes showing unconcealed praise and envy.
As for Zhou Lan and the makeup artist responsible for the look, they were like artists who had completed a perfect masterpiece, their eyes filled with infatuation, unwilling to shift their gaze even slightly.
Even Charisse herself hadn't expected to look like this. She held the corner of her skirt, examining herself closely in the full-length mirror, uttering a sound of complete disbelief.
"Oh my goodness, is this me? It's truly amazing! I feel like Cinderella, who was just enchanted by a fairy to attend the prince's ball. I don't even recognize myself."
"Yes, Darling. Of course, it is you." Zhou Lan gently wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. Looking at Charisse, she felt as if she were sending her Child off to her wedding carriage, her heart swelling with the bittersweet emotion and happiness of her Child growing up.
Hugging his mother's shoulder, Zhou Yi also remarked with emotion.
"Yes, Charisse, you look fantastic. I'm certain that if you appeared on any stage, you would overshadow everyone else to the point of making them completely invisible. You look just like a goddess descended to the mortal world."
Hearing this, Charisse grinned proudly, heedlessly pulling at her gown as she rushed over to her brother, shouting, "Really, really? You're not lying to me? No way, I want you to loudly proclaim to everyone here that Charisse is the most beautiful girl! Did you hear that, you bad guy?"
Her charmingly naive tone and coquettish mannerisms were entirely those of a young girl, and when she behaved like this, she seemed to revert to the naughty and lovable little sprite she usually was. Seeing her like this, almost everyone burst into laughter.
The laughter made Charisse a little shy. She hid next to Zhou Yi, tightly clutching his arm. A blush that she couldn't hide appeared on her delicate face. Everyone simply assumed she was embarrassed by her own performance and had no other thoughts.
However, Charisse's best friend and close female companion knew perfectly well that Charisse was not shy because of her performance, but because of her brother's praise. No one knew better than her how deeply Charisse was infatuated with her own brother. She desperately wanted to advise her good friend but had no way to do so.
Looking at the handsome and beautiful sibling pair, who resembled deities, Kitty took a deep breath. She suppressed the thoughts in her heart. She didn't want to hurt her friend or be disliked by Charisse, so she could only remain silent. She could only pray to God now, begging that Charisse wouldn't fall too deeply. But God never listens to human words.
After saying goodbye to his mother and Ororo, Zhou Yi held Charisse's slender hand and boarded the exclusive car heading to the ancient estate belonging to the Ashford Family in the suburbs. The Ashford Family had made extremely meticulous arrangements to invite this financial magnate from the United States.
Servants and maids had arrived early to take care of everything: delivering the guest list, arranging dedicated transport vehicles, and presenting precious accessories and exquisite gowns prepared for Zhou Yi and his companion. They even dismissed the hotel chef and specifically arranged for a top-tier chef to prepare lunch and dessert. While Zhou Yi was pleased with this display, he secretly grew wary.
This was because the Ashford Family's behavior was too formal. It completely exceeded the scale Zhou Yi had anticipated; it wasn't like inviting a business acquaintance, but rather like inviting a leader whose status surpassed their own.
This kind of hospitality, from inside to out, demonstrated abnormality and strangeness. Even if the Ashford Family was declining, they shouldn't have acted this way.
He carefully considered the Ashford Family's anomaly and their recent situation, but no clues pointed to anything unusual. Although Alfred did not possess much power, he had consistently managed to maintain the Ashford Family's reputation. He shouldn't have reached a point where he was utterly desperate and forced to seek help from outsiders.
Unable to figure it out, Zhou Yi could only abandon this useless speculation. Circumstances derived from suspicion were never as real as what he saw himself. His status meant he no longer feared the schemes of a minor noble Family, so he decided to step right in and see what awaited him.
Thinking this, Zhou Yi looked at Charisse beside him. At the moment, she was squirming strangely, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
His sister's condition was far more important than a Family's conspiracy. Zhou Yi quickly grabbed Charisse's hand and asked, "What's wrong, Charisse? Are you feeling unwell?"
"A little bit, yes!" Charisse asked somewhat bashfully. "Yi, why is it that celebrities who walk the red carpet every day don't seem bothered at all wearing clothes and high heels like this?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yi understood. It turned out his sister was unused to formality, and suddenly putting on such a formal outfit made her feel uncomfortable and awkward.
He tried hard to suppress his amusement, doing his best to keep his expression normal.
"Darling, they have undergone countless hours of training. How could they show their most beautiful side in front of others without enduring some hardship?"
"Is that so?" Charisse murmured doubtfully. "Do I really have to look like this whenever I meet people from now on? Good heavens, that would be truly miserable."
"You're overthinking it, Darling." Since he couldn't risk messing up Charisse's hairstyle, Zhou Yi simply held his sister's hand and comforted her with a gentle stroke. "It's not as serious as you think. You only need to dress up like this for the most formal occasions after you come of age. Normally, you can be exactly as you are. No one will criticize you."
"Do you think I look prettier like this, or how I usually look?" A faint blush appeared on Charisse's face as she linked her arm with her brother's and asked sweetly.
"You look wonderful like this. When I saw you, I was absolutely stunned. I didn't see my sister at all; it was like seeing a goddess. Of course, you are also beautiful normally. No matter what, you are my dearest and most important person." Zhou Yi expressed his undisguised admiration for his sister. In his heart, no amount of praise was too much for her. However, he did not realize that some things should not be said carelessly.
"Is that so?" Charisse's eyes held a hint of confusion. "Alright, I must work hard. I must become the most beautiful Charisse Ferguson."
"You already are the most beautiful," Zhou Yi patted her hand, but his gaze was fixed outside. The Ashford Family estate was already close at hand. Regardless of what happened, a scheme was about to unfold before his eyes.