Shen Yuxun has been busy lately with a cross-border merger. After seeing Wanyi off that day, he headed straight to the airport and flew to London.
Even in first class, the long flight left him exhausted.
Because of the urgency of the matter, as soon as the plane landed, Shen Yuxun plunged into a 12-hour negotiation. His phone had been left with his assistant, Jin.
By the time he saw Wanyi’s holiday greeting, it was already the next day.
Back home, it was still the middle of the night. After a moment’s thought, he decided not to reply.
In the hotel’s top-floor suite, he worked with his team of secretaries, reviewing plans and new evaluation reports. Only thorough preparation could give him leverage at the negotiation table.
When the work finally ended, he realized it was already late.
Sitting alone on the sofa, rubbing his temples, he picked up his phone and dialed that familiar number.
Wanyi was on the balcony hanging up laundry when the call came. She was about to go to bed.
Seeing the caller ID, her fingers paused for a moment. Then she took the phone and quietly stepped out of the dormitory.
She found an empty stairwell.
“Hello.” His voice, rough and slightly hoarse, carried a hint of fatigue—it sounded like he hadn’t rested in a long time.
“Are you busy?” Wanyi asked uncertainly. After all, it had taken him 24 hours to respond to her message.
“I’m in London. I just saw your message.”
“Mm.”
“What about you? What are you doing?” Shen Yuxun took a cigarette from the pack. He rarely smoked, but at that moment, hearing her voice stirred something he couldn’t suppress. He lit it.
“I’m doing laundry.” Wanyi heard him exhale—he was probably smoking.
“Mm. Such a diligent and sensible girl.”
“The shared washing machines at school are really dirty,” she explained.
“You could bring your clothes over and have the housekeeper wash them,” he said, referring to the maid at his home.
“It’s okay.” She didn’t want to go to his place too often. “I’m going to sleep. Good night.”
Afraid the corridor lights would go out if they kept talking, Wanyi quickly said goodbye and hung up.
Looking at the phone in his hand, Shen Yuxun smiled silently.
She was the first person who had ever dared to hang up on him.
He wasn’t annoyed. If anything, it made him even more eager to return home.
After ending the call, Wanyi hurried back to her dorm.
She was afraid her roommates might notice something and didn’t dare linger in the hallway.
The next day, at the art museum.
Wanyi was studying the Impressionist style for the upcoming exhibition when the museum director walked over and knocked on her desk.
“Wanyi, come with me for a moment.”
She followed the director into the office.
“Director,” Wanyi greeted.
“There’s an auction in Hong Kong next week. I need you to come with me.”
“Of course.”
“Familiarize yourself with the auction procedures in advance. You’ll need to participate in the bidding,” the director instructed.
Auctions weren’t unfamiliar to Wanyi.
Her field of study was actually related to auctions, so the task itself wasn’t difficult—she just lacked experience.
Back at her desk, Xiaoyou leaned over and whispered,
“What did the director want?”
“Nothing much—just asked me to go on a business trip with her next week,” Wanyi replied vaguely, not going into detail.
After work, Wanyi returned to her dorm and immediately turned on her computer.
Before leaving, Anna had given her a catalog of auction items, asking her to carefully study each piece—certificates, age, flaws, and so on.
The items included jewelry, watches, traditional Chinese paintings, oil paintings, and many porcelain pieces.
There was a 4-carat natural Colombian emerald diamond jewelry set, a diamond bracelet designed by Mario Buccellati, a Bulgari gold evening clutch, and a Van Cleef & Arpels rose gold diamond-enamel “Lovers’ Bridge” watch.
But the piece that captivated Wanyi the most was an exceptional porcelain from the Qianlong imperial kiln—something she had once seen in a cultural relics book: the “Doucai ‘Azure Dragon Teaching Its Son’ Moon Flask.”
The moon flask shape actually first appeared in early Ming blue-and-white porcelain, though back then it was only about 25 centimeters tall. It wasn’t until the 18th century, during the Qing dynasty, that larger versions were produced.
The name “moon flask” comes from its shape, resembling a full moon hanging in the sky—but its production process is extremely challenging.
Its broad, heavy body must stand on a narrow base, and the entire piece must remain perfectly balanced during firing, making it very difficult to produce.
This particular piece uses the doucai technique: outlines are first painted in underglaze blue on the porcelain body, then covered with a transparent glaze and fired at high temperature.
After firing, overglaze enamels are added, and the piece is fired again at a lower temperature—a complex and delicate process.
At present, only two such moon flasks exist in the world.
One is housed in the capital’s museum. The other appeared briefly at an auction in 1995—then vanished without a trace.
This was its first reappearance in nearly thirty years.
The motif of “The Azure Dragon Teaching Its Son” stirred something in Wanyi. Emperor Qianlong, for all his glory and indulgence, had faced countless hardships when it came to choosing an heir.
The two sons born to his beloved Empress Xiaoxian both died young. Yongqi, another favored prince, passed away at twenty-five. It wasn’t until 1773 that Qianlong secretly designated an heir. By his later years, he had almost no sons left to choose from. In the end, he reluctantly selected the fifteenth prince, Yongyan, who would later become the Jiaqing Emperor.
This piece would likely be the most valuable item in the entire auction.
Just the thought of seeing it with her own eyes filled Wanyi with quiet excitement.
That night, Shen Yuxun didn’t call.
Wanyi found herself feeling… unsettled.
Still, he was far away in Europe. He was probably busy. She didn’t send a message to disturb him.
The next morning, she went to the museum as usual.
Everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming exhibition. Wanyi had to juggle exhibition arrangements while also getting ready for next week’s auction trip. By the end of the day, she was so overwhelmed she hadn’t even taken a sip of water.
After using the restroom, she headed toward the break room, hoping for a short rest.
Before she stepped inside, she heard voices whispering.
“Did you hear? The big boss is going to Hong Kong next week for the auction,” Xiaoqi said excitedly.
“Then the director must be going too, right?” someone chimed in.
“I heard not only the director—she’s bringing an assistant as well.”
“Wow, that’s definitely Mengmeng.”
“No way. The exhibition’s next week—if the director leaves, Mengmeng has to stay.”
“Then who gets to go? So lucky… going in person and with the big boss. Honestly, for a chance like that, I’d work overtime for a month,” another girl said dramatically.
“Have you seen the auction items? I heard the boss is going for that moon flask—the most expensive piece. Qianlong imperial porcelain. It’s valued at 70 million.”
“Wow… if he actually gets it, our museum would gain another crown jewel. Not that we’re lacking in treasures already.”
“So who is going, exactly?”
Wanyi stopped in her tracks.
Then quietly stepped back.
Better to stay away from unnecessary trouble.
It wasn’t that she cared about what others thought—but if they found out the person they were discussing was her, things would only become more complicated.
So next week, she wouldn’t just be accompanying Anna—
She would also be traveling with Shen Yuxun.
And to an auction of this level.
She had to be fully prepared. There was no room for mistakes.
By the time she returned to her dorm that night, exhaustion weighed heavily on her body.
After a shower, she was just about to lie down when her phone rang.
Glancing at the screen, she grabbed a jacket, took her phone, and stepped outside.
Again, she found a quiet, empty corner.
Then answered the call.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Miss Song.”
It was Shen Yuxun.
She stood by the window. The autumn night carried a slight chill. A soft breeze drifted through the corridor, laced with the faint fragrance of osmanthus blossoms. The trees below the dormitory were in bloom.
“I finished my meetings late yesterday, so I didn’t call,” he said. His low voice, deep and smooth, carried a subtle pull—something almost irresistible.
“Oh.” Wanyi didn’t know how to respond.
He didn’t need to explain himself to her.
That wasn’t the kind of relationship they had.
“Doing laundry again?” he teased lightly.
Hearing his voice seemed to wash away the fatigue of her entire day.
“I’m chatting with a junior,” she replied casually.
It wasn’t entirely untrue. Before her shower, Chen Yihao had messaged her on WeChat, asking about academic questions. Ever since she started working at the museum, they rarely saw each other in person. Most of their communication was through messages.
He often asked for her guidance, and she always answered seriously.
“Chatting?” There was a faint edge of danger in his voice now.
“Mm… just helping him with some academic questions.”
Silence followed.
She could almost hear him breathing… perhaps smoking again.
Just as she thought he might hang up—
“Wanwan.”
His voice came softly, tinged with a husky rasp after the cigarette.
“I miss you.”
Outside the window, the moon was only a thin crescent, hanging quietly in the night sky.
Below, near the dormitory flowerbeds lit by streetlights, a few couples stood entwined in each other’s arms, reluctant to part.
In the past, Wanyi had never understood scenes like this. They could see each other every day, so why such reluctance to say goodbye?
But now… she understood.
Some people, once they appear in your life, make you want to stay by their side every moment.
Longing.
It was the first time she had truly felt it.
A feeling she had lost since the age of eight.
Back then, she used to long for her parents. But over time, she grew used to their absence. There was no one left to miss… and no one to rely on.
And now, that long-forgotten emotion has returned.
Yet she didn’t know how to express it.
“It’s late. I’m going to sleep,” she said simply.
Then she hung up.
Only she could feel it—
her heart pounding wildly in her chest, as if it might break free at any moment.
All because of that one sentence.