Volume 1, Chapter 43: The Two of You Are the Center of Attention Here

She had almost forgotten that Huo Xiaohan was also a single senior cadre, and indeed the one with the highest rank among them all.

She pursed her soft, moist red lips and glanced around, looking to see if there were any male comrades switching dance partners midway.

Meanwhile, Secretary Jiang was shooting her frantic looks from the side. Sensing her sluggish reaction, he walked straight through the crowd and pulled her up from her chair, asking, "Tingting, what are you doing?"

Just as Su Wan was about to say that she actually knew Huo Xiaohan, Secretary Jiang leaned in and whispered a warning in her ear, "You absolutely cannot drop the ball on this. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to dance."

With that, he gave Su Wan's shoulder an encouraging pat and walked away.

Su Wan still had a piece of milk candy in her mouth, her right cheek puffed out in a cute and coquettish manner, leaving her unsure whether to swallow it or spit it out.

She had assumed that Huo Xiaohan would recognize her, but the truth was she was dressed in city style today, the upper half of her face obscured by a little rabbit mask, leaving only her water-clear, dawn-dew-like crystal eyes and her glistening, tender cherry lips exposed.

Added to the fact that they were not well-acquainted, Huo Xiaohan genuinely did not recognize her.

Furthermore, this was a matchmaking social for military district cadres, hospital nurses, and school teachers.

The name list had been pre-approved, so Huo Xiaohan certainly wouldn't have suspected anything else.

Both organizers, Secretary Jiang and Political Commissar Liu, were watching their movements closely.

Political Commissar Liu stood opposite Huo Xiaohan, using his eyes to signal him to take Su Wan's hand.

Secretary Jiang, on the other hand, was worried that Su Wan might make some mistake. If her disguise fell apart and the military district personnel found out she was a substitute, she would undoubtedly be held accountable.

Huo Xiaohan pressed his thin lips into a tight line and extended his right hand with a somewhat rigid stiffness.

Su Wan hesitated whether she should tell Huo Xiaohan the truth, but considering his upright, cold, and unyielding personality, doing so might only cause trouble for Secretary Jiang.

She decided she would just dance this song out, switch partners afterward, and avoid him entirely.

Thus, she placed her small hand into his palm without any psychological burden and followed him to the center of the dance floor.

Huo Xiaohan gently clasped Su Wan's soft, delicate hand in one of his, while placing his other large, warm palm lightly on the small of her slender waist.

The delicate and tender sensation transmitted straight from his palm.

For Huo Xiaohan, who was having such close physical contact with a girl for the very first time, every muscle in his body tightened and stiffened awkwardly. His spine was as straight as a pine tree, and his chest rose and fell slightly.

Yet his expression remained unchanged, cold and stern as ever.

He knew very well that this was just his body's normal, awkward reaction stemming from his lifelong lack of contact with women.

Much like how his mind had occasionally wandered off to thoughts of her lately—it was simply because he had reached the age for marriage, brimming with youthful vigor.

And since Su Wan was the very first girl he had ever