Especially this arch full of balloons! Whatâs with Sienna and Lisaâs tastes?
Isnât it weird to be dressed in traditional clothes in such a modern setting?
The tea party was crawling with guests by now. Ashlyn went in and noticed how many men there were.
She suddenly remembered Sienna mentioning that there would be lots of young and charming men in attendance.
Gazing at these chaps holding wine glasses while engaging in conversations with upper-class women, she couldnât help but frown.
This is a rather strange atmosphere.
Rather than a Haddock Charity event, this seems more like a function for these lonely rich women to find their next toy boys.
Ashlyn was dumbfounded.
Sienna sat on a white European-style wooden chair, chatting away with several ladies.
âDid Ashlyn not invite Ms. Saunders here?â
âMs. Berry is especially tight-lipped. Maybe she doesnât trust our charity foundation enough,â Sienna replied with a smile.
âSpeak of the devil,â a woman remarked cynically.
Everyone looked up to see a slender and graceful figure walking over.
Ashlyn wore a loose-fitting floor-length dress with pink flowers embroidered on it.
Her slender waistline had been accentuated using a pink brocade belt embellished with jade.
A section of her long hair had been styled into a loose bun and fastened with a jade hairpin.
The hairpin was paired with a traditional jewel-laced ornament, which dangled as she walked.
The rest of her hair rested over her shoulders, making her skin look especially smooth and bright.
Everything about her face was perfectâ her eyes, nose and lips. A scarlet bracelet danced around on her wrist.
From afar, the woman looked just like a lady-in-waiting from the olden days. She was absolutely captivating.
All the noblewomen here were dressed in traditional attire, and each lady was beautiful in her own right.
Yet, none of them looked as enchanting as Ashlyn did.
Her arrival instantly captured everyoneâs attention.
Many young men began to stride toward her.
âHey there, Miss. Would you be interested in a chat? Iâm in a bit of a rough patch now, which is why Iâve come to the charity event. Iâve been teaching in the countryside all this while. The students in my school have no choice but to use old desks and textbooks, and the school itself is in terrible condition.
It gets really dangerous for the building whenever it rains. Sigh⦠Would you be so kind as to give us a donation of five hundred grand?â a young man dressed in a traditional costume pleaded.
Ashlyn glanced at this man. The look on his face seemed to imply that he was deeply concerned about the children.
But for some reason, Ashlyn could vaguely notice a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. He didnât seem very much like an honorable rural school teacherâ¦
Suddenly, another man spoke up. âAs if youâre worse off than I am. Iâm the secretary of a rural mountain village. All the youngsters have moved out and only the elderly remain. These poor old folks donât get proper food or clothes. Some are even sick or canât walk well. The entire village relies on me, but I canât hold the fort any longer. Then, I heard about this charity event organized by Haddock Group.
Iâm begging you, kind lady⦠Please save us! Even a hundred thousand will be more than enough!â
The two menâs eyes had turned red by now.
A few women glanced at the men after hearing their narratives. The lads looked rather charming and full of vigor. They didnât seem like bad people at all.
âYour stories touched me,â said one of the rich women. âIâve decided to donate five hundred thousand to each of you. Letâs set up a charity program.â
Upon hearing the womanâs declaration, Sienna instantly grinned. âYouâre beautiful on the outside and inside, Mrs. LeClair. I thank you on the childrenâs behalf.â
Lisa immediately brought over the charity agreements and proposals.