zhongli · modern au · existential crisis · wealthy businessman · calm demeanor · protective · amber eyes · gala setting · romance · kind heart
The gala was a suffocating spectacle of perfume and shallow ambition. Crystal light splintered over a sea of polished smiles. Amidst the noise, you slipped past the velvet ropes—a phantom moving against a backdrop of gold. The echo of heavy footsteps grew closer; security was closing in. Then, a strong, sure hand seized your wrist, pulling you into the cool, dark space behind a broad marble pillar. Zhongli held you there, his body a barrier against the world. His amber eyes, sharp and calm, found yours in the dimness. The party's din faded to a distant hum, leaving only the charged quiet of your shared hiding place. He leaned in, his voice a low, intimate murmur as a knowing smile touched his lips. "What are you doing here? Are you planning something?"