Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Jun took slow, quiet steps closer inside the banquet hall, his brown eyes staring at only the two figures dancing in front of him. He stood on one side with the blanket of darkness sheltering him while Jin and Ai shone under the light.

He said nothing. He thought nothing.

He simply kept his gaze fixed at them, his expression impossible to decipher.

From his right end, he heard whispers.

"That woman…I saw her outside the mansion's gate," Qin Wen spoke in disbelief. "That one dancing with Liu Jin."

"Really? Who is she?" Her friend asked.

"I don't know! I don't even understand how she is dancing with someone like Liu Jin," the fury and jealousy in her voice was unmistakable. "Just look at her. Wearing such plain clothes and having no class…I treated her as a maid outside."

Those words finally earned a reaction from Jun. For the first time ever since he stepped inside the mansion, he tore his gaze away from Ai and turned his head to look at who was exactly talking.

Her friend giggled. "Maid?"

"Duh! Isn't it obvious? Does she look like an elite guest from any angle? I handed her my bag to take care of it, but she refused saying she wasn't a maid."

"Then what?"

"Then? Nothing. I advised her to get the hell out of here, or the guards will throw her out. People like her can do anything to cling onto such wealthy families," she sneered. "You should have seen her. She was standing like a dumb woman in front of the mansion gate, holding some stupid gift in her hand. Hah! As if just anyone could enter in a banquet like this just because she pretended to have a present."

Jun stared at her.

"Clearly, it was her first time seeing such a luxurious mansion. She looked like such a fool. Typical of a poor person. But I don't get it! Didn't the guards throw her out? How is she here then!? I am sure she has cheated her way in," she called her fist. "That bitch…"

A woman getting a chance to dance with the young master of the Liu family wasn't a small deal. Every socialite's eyes were on Jin and Ai, speculating about their relationship.

Jun tilted his head. His very presence leaked a sense of an incoming crisis. A strange iciness seeped in the air, making everybody shudder involuntarily.

He raised his hand and stopped a maid that was passing by him. She jolted, feeling a cold hand on her shoulder. She raised her head and gasped. Then the shock turned into terror as she observed his eyes.

"Y-y-y-young master Jun…" the poor maid could hardly speak under the mountainous pressure.

Jun whispered something to her ear that made her gulp.

"Understood?"

His tone indicated that her only option was to say yes even though she didn't understand how Qin Wen offended him.

"Yes, young master."

She hurried towards Qin Wen and dragged her in a corner. She urgently conveyed Jun's message that forced Qin Wen to freeze like a block of ice. Confused and panicked, Qin Wen desperately tried to convince the maid, but she only shook her head. Qin Wen turned pale and looked at all the guests, her face turning red in shame and her body trembling.

Defeated and afraid, she followed the maid into a room only to come back a few minutes later dressed in a plain maid's outfit. She carried a tray in her hand that served glasses containing cocktails and juices.

"Miss. Qin. Please proceed with serving the guests," the maid urged her.

Qin Wen bit her lip hard with tears in her eyes. "L-Look, there is a misunderstanding. We can still solve this. I cannot go dressed like this…"

"You have no choice. Those are young master's orders."

She wasn't allowed to reveal Jun's name.

"If you don't want your family business to go bankrupt by tomorrow morning because of you, you have to serve the guests in tonight's banquet as a maid until the end. If you don't adhere, then the Qin business will be wiped off forever."

As Qin Wen made rounds ducking her head to hide her ashamed face, some of the socialites recognized her nevertheless.

"Q-Qin Wen? That is you, right?"

"What…what the hell are you doing as a maid?"

"Oh gosh, this is hilarious! Just who did you offend so much?"

One woman chuckled. "Or maybe that is your fetish? I must say the maid dress quite suits you."

Qin Wen's face burned in shame. Everybody was stunned with her sudden appearance at first, but they didn't waste any time to laugh and mock her. Her reputation was tarnished forever. Some were sneakily clicking her pictures.

Jun didn't bother with her anymore. He showed Qin Wen her place, but it failed to extinguish the fire within his heart that arose from watching Ai dance with Jin. He felt it - the familiar burning rage that consumed him in his past life when he broke into Jin and Shui's wedding and killed Jin. His hand was twitching but strangely so, his countenance was dead calm.

He felt the presence of a soft hand on his shoulder. "Jun?"

Jun stiffened upon recognizing his mother's voice.

"Oh my God, it's really you Jun! I knew it. I didn't mistake you," Nana's beautiful face brightened by several shades. She hugged him, her eyes turning misty. "I thought you weren't coming. But I am glad that you did. Now, it feels complete," she sniffled.

"Big bro!" Nuo rushed and jumped into his hug too. She flicked his head. "Everybody was missing you so much! How dare you say you were busy?"

Siying smiled and relief washed over him. He knew Shui must be feeling disappointed by Jun's absence. But now, he had no reason to worry about his sister.

Jun said nothing.

Jinhai was watching his son thoughtfully. He was supposed to feel displeased by him coming here. But his conversation with Ai left him unsure about his feelings.

"Oh Jun is here too!"

Liu Hai joined in only to pull him away from the group. Nuo complained. "Grandpa, what are you doing? Bro has just arrived!"

"What else?" He rolled his eyes. "Look how Jin and my future granddaughter-in-law are dancing. Shouldn't Jun and Shui join them as a couple too?"