Kyoto Auction House.
At this moment, this semi-circular, lavishly decorated auction house was brightly lit. Especially when the sky had just darkened, neon lights instantly illuminated the horizon. The entrance was packed with countless luxury cars.
This auction had been highly anticipated, with a full three months of promotion. Crowds gathered in droves, the attendees dressed extravagantly, representing the wealthy and noble. This auction house is the largest in Kyoto and even the entirety of China. Undoubtedly, the number one. Behind the auction house is the Wang family, one of the top ten families in Kyoto. The auction house is essentially one of the core industries of the Wang family, into which they've invested immense resources. The family has also dispatched their renowned young lady, the infamous "Night Queen" Wang Bingbing, to manage it.
While Wang Bingbing has moved away from the darker aspects of her reputation, she's known for her ruthless and cold-blooded demeanor. Even with the auction house teeming with many prominent figures from Kyoto, security seemed average. Simply put, no one dared to cause trouble.
As time progressed, the auction house gradually filled up. Everyone was engaging in conversation, as this event also represented a networking opportunity in the business circle, an opportunity no one wanted to miss. This included Su Chen and Fang Han. However, only Fang Han engaged with others. Su Chen remained aloof, with an air of indifference, completely disregarding others' opinions. He proudly portrayed himself as a young prodigal. "You didn't come just for that 'Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' painting, did you?" Fang Han, quite familiar with Su Chen's tastes, asked without hesitation.
"Of course. I must have that ancient painting, no matter the cost," Su Chen explained loudly, further emphasizing his playboy persona. Wanting to add more flair, he continued, "As long as Qingyan likes it, I'll buy it regardless of the price."
Though people around him dared not laugh out loud due to Su Chen's status, they ridiculed him internally. To them, Young Master Su was not just a prodigal but also thoughtless. He was unaware of the seriousness of his proclamation. While the Su family was indeed wealthy, being so transparent was a significant taboo in the business world. Now that everyone knew of Su Chen's determination to acquire the 'Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' painting, both the auction house and the Su family's enemies would undoubtedly exploit this to make a fortune.
All eyes on Su Chen were filled with contempt. These people clearly did not see him as any threat. However, a maid pouring tea was secretly observing Su Chen with tender eyes. "Finally, I see Su Chen again. Such a brilliant boy, still so good at pretense!" When Qin Luoyi saw Su Chen, memories from her past life flooded back, filling her with immense regret. She resolved to protect Su Chen in this life, ensuring he would not be harmed. She thought her every move went unnoticed by Su Chen. Little did she know, while Su Chen appeared indifferent on the surface, he had been secretly observing Qin Luoyi all along, just choosing not to reveal it.
At the moment, Su Chen was feeling agitated and restless. The storyline seemed to be deviating again. "What is going on? This is getting more ridiculous by the moment," he mused.
According to the expected course of events, Qin Luoyi should be approaching him by now, intentionally flaunting her youthful beauty in front of him. "Why is she still so far away from me? Doesn't she want to allure me anymore?" Su Chen wondered. He recalled that in the story, Qin Luoyi was superficially a maidservant of the Wang family, the best friend of Wang Bingbing. Yet, behind the scenes, she had significant ties with Qin Yu, often assisting him in various matters. She was Qin Yu's main assistant, especially now that he had garnered the support of Wang Bingbing.
At this moment, Qin Yu was already present at the auction house, discreetly observing everything. Due to Qin Luoyi's captivating beauty, Su Chen had some unsavory intentions. Qin Luoyi, in turn, would pretend to accidentally spill water all over him. Consequently, Su Chen, the arrogant young master he was, would be furious, demanding that Qin Luoyi kneel, apologize, compensate, or accompany him for a wild night out. The implications of such a night out with Su Chen were well-understood by everyone. And when Qin Luoyi appeared wronged, claiming Su Chen purposely tripped her, this perspective was generally accepted. After all, Su Chen was known for his notorious reputation.
The expected drama was that a hero would come to rescue the damsel in distress. Qin Yu would step forward, defending Qin Luoyi and fiercely rebuking Su Chen. Naturally, Su Chen wouldn't take it lightly, vowing to make Qin Luoyi's life miserable. This conflict would also antagonize Wang Bingbing, the legendary underworld queen, marking the beginning of a war with Su Chen.
Shaking his head, Su Chen grew increasingly anxious. "What's happening now? Clearly, Qin Luoyi recognizes me, so why is she indifferent? Has something gone wrong with her too?" Su Chen's anxiety was palpable.
However, Su Chen wasn't the only one feeling this way. Nearby, Qin Yu was also growing restless. Qin Luoyi was the ally he had painstakingly sought. They had made a pact to deal with Su Chen together. Yet, time passed without any developments. Qin Yu was puzzled by Qin Luoyi's behavior, wanting to approach her but fearing it might disrupt their plan. All he could do was keep sending signals to Qin Luoyi with his eyes. But she seemed to ignore him completely.
She remembered vividly that in their previous life, it was due to this water-spilling incident that not only embarrassed Su Chen publicly but also facilitated a collaboration between Wang Bingbing and Qin Yu.
In her previous life, Qin Luoyi was deceived by Qin Yu's lies, repeatedly harming the kind-hearted Su Chen. In reality, the true villain was Qin Yu; this seemingly kind and benevolent man was driven by his ambition for the highest status. In this life, Qin Luoyi was determined to prevent anyone from hurting Su Chen, even in the slightest.
Although she harbored immense resentment towards Qin Yu, she didn't let it show. After all, his power and influence were formidable. However, Qin Luoyi never spared Qin Yu a glance. Her focus was entirely on Su Chen, her heart fluttering with myriad emotions. "How did I never notice before? He's so handsome and such a kind soul. Despite enduring numerous injustices, he still can't bear to see others suffer," she mused. She yearned to get a closer look at him.
It seemed as though her body was acting on its own accord. Gradually, Qin Luoyi began to close the distance between herself and Su Chen until they were standing right next to each other. Witnessing this, Su Chen's heart soared with joy. "Finally, it's happening. I've waited so long for this moment," he thought.
However, after some time passed, Qin Luoyi didn't follow the script and spill water as expected, which made Su Chen anxious. Frustrated and thinking, "What's wrong with everyone? Can't they stick to the script?", Su Chen decided to take matters into his own hands. As Qin Luoyi was momentarily distracted, he stealthily moved closer and intentionally bumped into her. This caused her to lose her balance, and the plate and water glass she held were sent flying. Although Qin Luoyi tried desperately to prevent the contents from spilling on Su Chen, he made sure to lean forward, catching all the liquid on himself. His expensive suit was instantly drenched.
Enraged, Su Chen shouted at Qin Luoyi, "Are you blind? How could you spill that on me? Do you know how much this suit costs?" But inwardly, Su Chen was pleased. "Perfect," he thought. "I may need to change my strategy moving forward. I can't rely on these so-called leading ladies. Instead of passively waiting for things to happen, it's better to take the initiative."