Chi Xue knew he was angry, so she moved a little closer in a somewhat ingratiating manner and said softly, “It really was nothing. Don’t be angry anymore. I promise I won’t have anything to do with the Gu family again, all right...”
Lan Bei never fell for this act when he was angry, so he merely pushed the breakfast toward her, his tone showing no sign of softening. “Eat.”
When Chi Xue looked over, her gaze froze slightly. Pushed over along with the breakfast was a box of contraceptive pills.
It was as though the most unbearable Scar in her heart had been exposed in full. Her lashes trembled. “What do you mean?”
“You were like that last night. Don’t tell me nothing happened.”
Lan Bei paused after speaking, his dark eyes growing even more somber. “You know what I used to do, so you should understand that I’m no gentleman, nor do I have any bottom line. If he was the one who provoked you, I can’t say what methods I might use to make him stay away.”
Chi Xue’s heart gave an indescribable jolt, but in the end she bit her lip and said self-mockingly, “You’re mistaken. He didn’t touch me.”
Lan Bei slightly raised his dark eyes, and a trace of imperceptible surprise flashed through them. Before he could speak, his phone rang. She did not know what was said on the other end, but moments later, the man hung up and glanced at her. His tone was calm and no longer as stern as before.
“I have something to deal with. Eat your breakfast and get some rest.”
Lan Bei left after saying that. Chi Xue had little appetite, so she took only a couple of simple sips of porridge before going back to sleep.
After leaving the hospital, Lan Bei went directly to Gu Corporation. Gu Cishen was stopped in the parking lot by Lan Bei’s men. As soon as Lan Bei arrived, he clenched his fist and swung it at Gu Cishen. “Gu Cishen, I’m going to kill you.”
A vicious light shone in his eyes, making him look terrifying.
Gu Cishen failed to dodge in time and was struck in the face, immediately tasting blood at the corner of his mouth.
Lan Bei looked ferocious and showed no mercy.
Gu Cishen roared sharply, “Lan Bei, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“What do you take Chi Xue for? What gives you the right to bully her like that?” Lan Bei had held in his anger all night. If he did not vent it now, he would go mad.
He was jealous of Gu Cishen to the very bone.
If he were not afraid of hurting and saddening Chi Xue, he would have dealt with him without mercy.
“Ha!” Gu Cishen sneered. “You think Chi Xue is some kind of good woman? It was nothing more than playing around. No big deal. Don’t you play with her that way too?”
Lan Bei lunged straight at him. Gu Cishen dodged, his words remaining vicious. “What? Are you angry because you’re embarrassed? Is a woman like her worth it?”
“Shut up,” Lan Bei growled, his eyes nearly splitting with rage. He wished he could kill Gu Cishen with one punch.
“Am I wrong? Isn’t everything fine as long as there’s money to sleep with her? Oh, I know. She must have thought the money I offered was too little...”
“Gu Cishen, shut your mouth!” The two grappled with each other. Lan Bei was trained in martial arts, and Gu Cishen was no weakling either. Neither was willing to yield.
In the end, their two assistants had to separate them together.
But whether Lan Bei or Gu Cishen, both had been punched in the face. Their mouths were bruised and purple, with spots of blood still visible.
“Gu Cishen, don’t provoke Chi Xue again. Otherwise, I won’t let you off.” After leaving him with that threat, Lan Bei departed.
Gu Cishen raised a hand and wiped the corner of his mouth, smearing it with blood.
The corners of his lips curved slightly, his eyes deep and unfathomable. No one knew what he was thinking.
Two days later, there was an Auction at Shangnan Mansion. Yu Jinnan informed Chi Xue that she needed to attend, so she found an antique at Lan Bei’s place and handed it over.
That afternoon, she changed into a simple, graceful formal dress, applied delicate makeup, and went out.
By the time she arrived, the Auction had just begun. After finding Yu Jinnan’s seat, she quickly walked over and sat down.
“President Yu, why was I invited to this charity auction?” Logically speaking, as a newcomer without even a single work and with little popularity, she should not have been invited.
“Assistant Director Lü sent over the invitation, saying it could help raise your profile and restore your rapport with passersby. At the same time, it can build momentum for 《Cicada》, serving as early publicity.”
“Assistant Director Lü?” Thinking of what happened at the last meal, Chi Xue felt that things could not be so simple.
“What is it? Is there a problem?” Yu Jinnan looked at her, his face showing confusion.
Actually, Yu Jinnan was not particularly comfortable with Chi Xue. If not for giving Lan Bei face, he would not have signed Chi Xue personally.
But as long as Chi Xue could make him money, he could tolerate all her imperfections.
Chi Xue smiled lightly and shook her head. “It’s nothing.”
“Five hundred thousand, once!” The host’s voice rang out with force. As Chi Xue sat down, her gaze turned toward the lot on display. It was a calligraphy-and-painting piece. Although she had not heard the introduction at the beginning, she could tell at a glance that it was a work by Ni Zan. Unfortunately, the painting was not famous.
“Five hundred thousand, twice!”
The host called out the bid once more. No one below responded, so he raised his voice again. “Five hundred thousand, thre—”
“Six hundred thousand.”
Someone suddenly interrupted him this time. Everyone turned to look in unison. Chi Xue also found the voice somewhat familiar, and when her gaze landed there, her beautiful eyes widened slightly.
Xia Mian sat at a round table on the left side of the first row. Her dazzling black sequined dress was almost excessively eye-catching. The thin straps accentuated her fair, bony shoulders, making their delicate shape even more striking. Her ample breasts were faintly visible, extremely alluring.
She held her bidding paddle steadily aloft, her red lips curved in a smile that was not quite a smile, looking as though she was determined to win.
Chi Xue frowned and subconsciously swept her gaze around Xia Mian. Only after confirming that the man was not beside her did she breathe a sigh of relief. When she returned her attention, the piece had already been successfully purchased by Xia Mian for six hundred thousand.
As the staff wheeled out the next lot, the host said, “What a coincidence. The next lot is a pair of Jade earrings from our Miss Xia Mian.”
After briefly introducing them, the host continued. Chi Xue seemed lost in thought and did not hear a word until he spoke again.
“The starting price is one hundred fifty thousand, with each increase no less than ten thousand. The bidding starts now!”
After saying this, he abruptly pulled away the black cloth covering the lot. When Chi Xue’s gaze fell upon it, her pupils suddenly contracted.
The pair of Jade earrings was translucent throughout, their color lying between ink green and emerald green. There were only two jade pendants and a few small diamonds set as accents. The whole piece exuded an antique simplicity and was extremely understated.
Xia Mian was currently a hugely popular leading actress. Although everyone was only moderately interested in the earrings, many business tycoons still began bidding one after another to win the beauty’s attention, with the prices becoming increasingly outrageous each time.
Yu Jinnan glanced at the person beside him. Ever since the pair of earrings appeared, Chi Xue’s gaze had seemed glued to them, unmoving.
“One million five hundred thousand, once! One million five hundred thousand, twice! One million five hundred thousand, three times!”
After the host called out the final bid, just one second before bringing down the gavel, Chi Xue suddenly raised her paddle. Her voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally firm. “Two million!”
Yu Jinnan was completely bewildered by her move. He stared at her in astonishment and said in a low voice, “Are you crazy?! Where are you going to get two million to bid on this thing? We came today just to show our faces. You...”