4. A Night They Kissed

Aslena really felt that the man before her had no conscience.

For a moment, Aslena was silent. He didn't expect to just listen to condescending words instead of sympathizing with the deceased. Aslena thought this strange man was really strange.

"How can you say a sentence like that?" asked Aslena with a sarcastic laugh.

"Why did grandfather have to ask me to do such a ridiculous thing?" Benny protested after Benjamin told him something he didn't expect. When he was still busy signing a cooperation proposal with the Hudge Group real estate company, Benjamin asked him to find a date.

"What do you think is ridiculous?" Benjamin looked at Benny through probing eyes. "The only ridiculous thing is you haven't had a date in years. Wouldn't you like to take your time a bit?"

Benny just shook his head briefly while laughing at Benjamin's question. He is still busy reading documents regarding the planning of the Anderson Group's largest home-hills development project.

"It's impossible, Grandpa. It's impossible to relax a little while I'm still working on a housing project," argued Benny who was no less stubborn.

After all for Benny, it's really troublesome to think about things like dating and love. Benny's work was piling up, and Benjamin shouldn't have recommended him to do something trivial. It's not that Benny isn't attracted to women at all, but he won't do anything that doesn't benefit him.

Love for him is a thing that will not be profitable.

"You," Benjamin growled, "can't you stop being so serious, even for a moment?"

Finished reading the document and closing it, Benny sighed. He raised his head and looked at Benjamin with a faint smile.

"I will stop being serious after my work is done, but at that time I will not date or find love," Benny replied seriously but still looked relaxed. He ended his words with a chuckle, causing Benjamin to sigh heavily watching his grandson's behavior.

Benjamin immediately supported his chin and massaged slowly. In fact, this wasn't the first time he had tried to persuade Benny to go on a date, even though there was no guarantee that he would end up being a good match. But unfortunately Benny always firmly refused.

In this year, Benjamin thought Benny would change his mind. Even though Benjamin deliberately gave distance to persuade Benny.

"Why do I feel so tired?" Benny said while stretching his neck muscles.

"Hey, Benny, grandpa won't let you this time." Benjamin suddenly straightened up and raised his index finger. "Today there's going to be the Amazingly Glitz Night party, the annual regular Anderson Group party. Do you remember?"

Benny seemed to think for a moment, then nodded with a short cough. "Uh-hum, so what?"

Benjamin leaned over in his seat and placed his intertwined hands on his thighs. Benny's eyes looked sharp and serious.

"You have to come there," Benjamin insisted.

Benny's eyes widened. "What?" he then laughed sarcastically, suddenly awkward. "That show is for those who want to find a partner. Grandpa told me—"

"Yes, I told you to come to the event. Too bad grandpa doesn't want to hear the umpteenth time rejection."

"Really?" Benny was stunned to hear what Benjamin said to him. Even though after two years in a row, Benjamin never again asked him to come to the Amazingly Glitz Night event. "Grandfather, don't joke with me. I won't come to such an event in my life."

Benjamin had an indifferent expression on his face. Casually, Benjamin sipped his hot tea before letting out a rough sigh.

"You didn't hear what I said?" he asked. "If you are stubborn, grandpa will become even more stubborn."

"But this is so unfair—"

"Nothing's unfair. You just need to come."

"What for?" Benny still sounded unacceptable and tried to persuade Benjamin.

Benny's reaction was actually expected by Benjamin. That's why Benjamin has also prepared his determination not to care about Benny's rejection.

"You are the CEO of the Anderson Group, why don't you want to come to the event just to meet your employees?" Benjamin purposely said implied sedition.

Benny didn't fully believe that Benjamin's reason for persuading him was because he wanted him to meet other employees. Indeed, while working as a CEO whose office was on a special floor and at the very top, Benny rarely saw employees face to face. Except for important matters.

"Grandfather would want me to find a partner on the show, right?" guessed Benny with a probing look at Benjamin.

Feeling challenged, Benjamin looked no less sharply at Benny. "Wuh, look at that look of yours. Are you starting to want to act on your own now?" he asked.

"It's not like that, Grandpa..."

"Grandpa doesn't want to know. Anyway, you have to come to the event tonight. Or else..."

Benny, with a worried expression on his face, waited for Benny to continue his words.

"Or what, Grandpa?" asked Benny impatiently.

"The home-hills project that you hold will be transferred to someone else's hands. So you don't have to handle it anymore."

"What?!"

***

"Okay, Ladies and Gentleman! All of you who have attended tonight's program, you must be looking forward to our opening session: Kissing Queen and King Party. Who will be the Queen and King tonightiiiiii?"

This is where Aslena is.

Honestly, Aslena had never been in a crowd at a party like this. If it wasn't for her reading the will from Joshua, her father, Aslena would not have come to the regular annual event held by the Henderson Group.

A few hours ago Halmey said that Benny would probably come to the party tonight. That's why Aslena came to meet Benny, but who would have thought that there would be a 'Kissing Queen and King Party'?

Kissing. What kind of ludicrous session was that?

"So, as has always been done before, every invited guest—namely everyone who is part of the Anderson Group and thirty selected general guests—will be given a secret envelope at the entrance..."

Aslena raised her eyebrows and saw an envelope with a silver pattern down the center of the flap. He watched for a moment, then shrugged. He didn't really care about this session.

The only thing Aslena noticed was Benny's presence. Aslena had been looking around for a while, but Benny wasn't there at all.

'Where exactly is he?' Asleena was curious.

"Inside the envelope, there will be the symbol of the King and Queen Party. Only two people, a couple, will get the emblem. If the contents of the paper in your envelope are blank without any symbols, then you are out of luck."

Boisterous applause. Everyone is enthusiastic. While Aslena still occasionally stood on tiptoe to look for Benny's whereabouts while turning her gaze around.

"Please open your letter!"

Aslena was quite jerked by the hand of the person next to her who was opening the envelope in a hurry. For a few seconds, Aslena watched. After opening the contents of the envelope, the expression on the face of the person beside Aslena immediately turned listless.

"Shit! There isn't a simbol!" She cursed annoyed. She suddenly turned her eyes to Aslena, then looked confused. "Hey, you didn't open your letter?"

"Huh?" Aslena was taken aback a second time. "This?" he asked, holding up the envelope. "Ah, this... I was just about to open."

Aslena then opened the envelope in her hand. The foreign woman next to him kept watching curiously.

After Aslena took out the paper and unfolded it, she saw a silhouette of a woman wearing a crown. Aslena was taken aback, but suddenly the woman next to her gave a startled shriek.

"THIS WOMAN GOT THE QUEEN SYMBOL!"

Then everyone turned to Aslena which made her flinch for a second.

The MC peered through the crowd, smiled broadly as he waved at Aslena.

"You! The one with the queen's crest, please step forward!"

'Shit! Why did I get this symbol?!' Aslena grimaced, biting her lip worriedly.

Feeling pressured by the stares of the crowd—especially since she couldn't escape, Aslena was forced to step forward. Everyone around her looked so enthusiastic the whole time Aslena walked past them.

"For the man to get the king's crest... oh? Wait! Was this not a dream?! Someone who got king symbol tonight is..."

Arriving at the end of the crowd and walking to the podium, Aslena looked to the side. How surprised he was when he saw Benny's figure coming out of the crowd to advance to the podium, just like himself.

"...Mr. Benny?!"

Aslena was dumbfounded, Benny was also flabbergasted.

Both of them didn't move for a split second because they both couldn't believe it.

"AN UNEXPECTED SURPRISE! Please Mr. Benny step up to this podium!"

As she walked, Aslena didn't take her eyes off Benny. Until finally Aslena and Benny climbed onto the podium long and wide enough for four people, standing with the spotlight shining on them.

"A very unexpected thing," said Benny almost in a whisper when he was in front of Aslena.

Aslena was stunned. Why is it like this?

"For tonight's King and Queen Party, you are required to... kiss each other!"

This is crazy. Aslena really couldn't move.

Everyone cheered urging them to kiss each other immediately. But Aslena and Benny couldn't do anything at all. The two of them just looked at each other, confused and doubtful.

Aslena would not start. He shook his head, signaling Benny not to kiss.

Unfortunately, unexpectedly, Benny suddenly stepped forward. One step..., two steps..., then Benny grabbed Aslena by the waist to close the distance between them.

Aslena didn't have time to fight back against Benny's sudden movement. When their faces were only two inches apart, it took three seconds for their eyes to meet.

'Don't do it,' Aslena thought pleadingly.

Too bad.

Benny pulled Aslena's neck until there was no more distance, then pressed his lips against Aslena's. It was only five seconds before Benny's lips began to pulverize.

All the female guests covered their mouths, stifling happy squeals.

While Aslena froze and glared in surprise. Wait, why her blood feel rippling?!