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Silence filled the car.
Quan Xinya cautiously glanced at Song Qingyu. “Qingqing, I didn’t know this was going to happen. How about I ask the driver to take you back?”
If she had known that Lu Yanchuan was planning to propose here, she would never have brought Song Qingyu along.
“It’s fine.” Song Qingyu’s expression remained indifferent. “They were the ones who cheated during the marriage. Why should I be the one to hide?”
“Good, I’m glad you think that way.”
The car pulled into the hotel.
Inside, the hotel was brightly lit.
The concierge escorted them into the main hall. The banquet hall was spacious and dazzling. As soon as Song Qingyu stepped inside, she immediately recognized several big names in the film industry. Even the award-winning actor Mo Yanbai was present.
The moment Mo Yanbai spotted Quan Xinya, he picked up a champagne glass and walked straight toward her.
“Can we talk?” His gaze was fixed intently on Quan Xinya.
It was Song Qingyu’s first time seeing Mo Yanbai in person. His features were even more defined than they appeared on screen, his eyes deep and penetrating. Rumor had it that his gaze could make even a dog feel special. Seeing him today, she had to admit—it was true.
“Good, I’m glad you think that way.”
The car pulled into the hotel.
Inside, the hotel was brightly lit.
The concierge escorted them into the main hall. The banquet hall was spacious and dazzling. As soon as Song Qingyu stepped inside, she immediately recognized several big names in the film industry. Even the award-winning actor Mo Yanbai was present.
The moment Mo Yanbai spotted Quan Xinya, he picked up a champagne glass and walked straight toward her.
“Can we talk?” His gaze was fixed intently on Quan Xinya.
It was Song Qingyu’s first time seeing Mo Yanbai in person. His features were even more defined than they appeared on screen, his eyes deep and penetrating. Rumor had it that his gaze could make even a dog feel special. Seeing him today, she had to admit—it was true.
“The standards for Fiore’s banquet have dropped this year—any random nobody can get in,” Li Xianglan sneered the moment she spotted Song Qingyu.
“Mom, don’t say that. Qingqing is still a celebrity, after all,” Xie Wan’ning said with a smile.
“A celebrity? And what does that amount to? Look at all the stunning celebrities here tonight—aren’t they just decorations invited by the organizers to liven up the event? Even top-tier stars are nothing more than that, let alone someone like her, who isn’t even worthy of being called a third-rate actress.”
“You’re right, Mom. No matter what, the organizers value wealthy ladies like you who make purchases the most.”
Xie Wan’ning’s constant, sycophantic “Mom” made Song Qingyu feel sick.
She had no intention of engaging with them and turned to leave, only for Xie Wan’ning to block her way.
“Qingqing, at the end of tonight’s banquet, the organizers will be auctioning off the ‘Zhaoyi Star’ amethyst necklace. Yanchuan said he’s going to bid on it and propose to me. Since we’re friends, would you like to witness the happiest moment of my life?” Xie Wan’ning asked.
“Are you sure this will be the happiest moment of your life?” Song Qingyu smiled faintly at her. “Speaking from experience, let me give you a word of advice—what you think is a moment of happiness may very well be the beginning of a living hell.”
Xie Wan’ning’s expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly covered it up with a smile. “And what gives you the right to speak from experience? You never had a man’s love. You spent three years failing to warm Yanchuan’s heart. But I’m different—Yanchuan loves me so much that he’s stayed faithful to me for three years. Now, I’m even carrying his child. Who knows just how happy our future will be?”
“Save the celebrations for when you’re happy. Don’t pop the champagne too soon.”
“You’re just jealous!” Xie Wan’ning’s face was full of superiority. “You just don’t want to admit that I’m happier than you now.”
“I threw away the trash, and you’re scrambling to pick it up—if anything, I pity you. Jealous? Are you out of your mind?!”
“Trash? How dare you call my grandson trash!”
Li Xianglan flew into a rage, raising her handbag to strike Song Qingyu.
“Big Sis!”
A cold, steady male voice rang out, halting Li Xianglan’s movement.
Song Qingyu turned toward the voice and saw Li Huaidong and Huo Siqi.
Tonight, Li Huaidong was dressed in a black corduroy suit, exuding a vintage elegance with a refined gentleman’s charm. The emerald cuff links from Fiore added the perfect finishing touch.
It had only been half a month since she last saw him, yet he seemed even more handsome.
The sight of him immediately brought back memories of the night before his business trip. Who would have thought that beneath this graceful and distinguished exterior, the man could be so wild once the suit came off?
“Madam Lu, from the way you raised your hand just now, it looked like you were about to hit someone?” Huo Siqi smirked with a hint of roguish amusement. “The last time I saw a woman get physical was during a charity trip to a rural village. There was an old lady at the village entrance arguing with her neighbor over a goat. I never expected to witness such a similar scene here tonight—truly entertaining, truly entertaining.”
His words were an unmistakable jab at Li Xianglan, likening her to an uncivilized village shrew.
Li Xianglan’s face turned green with anger, but she dared not provoke Huo Siqi. He was infamous in their circles for his unruly and sharp tongue—so sharp that even the most powerful figures couldn’t escape his mockery.
“Young Master Huo, you must be mistaken. Why would I ever lower myself to hitting her? A woman of such lowly background—laying a hand on her would only dirty mine.”
Li Huaidong walked over and, under the pretense of conversation, naturally positioned himself in front of Song Qingyu, shielding her. “I heard Yanchuan is proposing tonight?”
Hearing Li Huaidong take the initiative to bring this up, Xie Wan’ning felt a surge of excitement. As long as she married Lu Yanchuan, this powerful man would officially become her uncle-in-law!
“Yes, Uncle,” Lu Yanchuan replied.
“Such an elaborate affair—who is the esteemed young lady you’re proposing to?” Li Huaidong asked.
Lu Yanchuan and Li Xianglan’s faces stiffened at the same time.
Xie Wan’ning was no noble young lady. Like Song Qingyu, she was merely the daughter of a servant in the Lu family.
Li Xianglan hadn’t expected that after just calling Song Qingyu a woman of lowly birth, the metaphorical boomerang would come spinning back to stab her in the heart.
Indeed—wasn’t the woman her son was marrying exactly the kind of “lowly-born” person she had just scorned?
**
“Uncle, the one I’m marrying is Wan’ning.” Lu Yanchuan pulled Xie Wan’ning to his side. “Uncle, let me introduce you—this is Xie Wan’ning. Wan’ning, this is my uncle, Li Huaidong.”
“Hello, Uncle! I’ve long heard of your great reputation.” Xie Wan’ning cooed sweetly, eager to flatter.
“I’ve heard of Miss Xie’s name as well,” Li Huaidong said.
“Really? When was that?” Xie Wan’ning had never even dreamed that the lofty and untouchable Li Huaidong would actually know who she was.
“Just a couple of days ago—online.”
A couple of days ago… online… wasn’t that when news of her affair during her marriage to Lu Yanchuan had exploded into a scandal?
Xie Wan’ning’s smile froze at the corners of her lips. Lu Yanchuan and Li Xianglan’s faces also flushed red with embarrassment. Why wouldn’t this wretched matter just go away?
“So the woman Young Master Lu is proposing to is that one from the internet? Well, that’s great,” Huo Siqi added with a smirk. “After all, Lu Yanchuan lost all dignity for her—at least now that they’re getting married, it wasn’t all for nothing.”
Lu Yanchuan and the others looked even more sullen.
Taking advantage of the distraction as Li Huaidong and Huo Siqi helped defuse the situation for her, Song Qingyu quietly slipped away.
She had no idea where Quan Xinya had gone. She searched the banquet hall but found no trace of her—or of Mo Yanbai.
Alone in the vast banquet hall, Song Qingyu suddenly felt at a loss for what to do.
So, she simply made her way to the lounge area on the terrace.
It had rained earlier in the day, and the railing was still damp. To avoid dirtying her gown, Song Qingyu leaned against it lightly, gazing out toward the distant lawn.
How unfortunate—of all the views this terrace could offer, the only thing in sight was Lu Yanchuan’s proposal setup.
He had certainly gone all out for this proposal. The fresh flowers had been flown in from overseas, and the entire arrangement was adorned with string lights, making it look like golden fireworks floating on the surface of the sea.
“Does it look good?”
A deep voice came from behind her—Li Huaidong.
Song Qingyu turned her head and saw that he had already walked up beside her. The wind carried a distinct scent of tobacco, drifting into her nose.
“Whether it looks good or not has nothing to do with me,” she said.
“Compared to this, my proposal that day seems rather shabby,” he said, mocking himself.
Song Qingyu lifted her gaze to him. For a brief moment, she thought she heard a hint of regret in Li Huaidong’s tone.
A thought surfaced in her mind—one that felt out of place: Love is often accompanied by a sense of indebtedness.
Did Li Huaidong love her?
No, of course, he didn’t.
She must have misheard.
“Let me tell you a secret,” Song Qingyu said, stepping closer to Li Huaidong.
Li Huaidong obligingly lowered his head, tilting his ear toward her to listen.
“I have a serious case of secondhand embarrassment,” she whispered. “If someone set up an extravagant scene like that, said a bunch of corny lines, and proposed to me in front of an audience, I wouldn’t find it romantic—I’d just feel unbearably awkward. So that day, in front of the civil affairs office, with the flowers in the trunk and just the two of us there… I thought it was perfect.”
Her tone and expression were so sincere—so sincere that it was almost endearing.
Li Huaidong couldn’t resist lowering his head and pressing a quick kiss to her red lips.
Song Qingyu immediately stepped back, glancing nervously toward the banquet hall. “What are you doing? We’re outside—someone might see!”
“So… you mean it’s fine as long as no one sees?”
It was phrased as a question, but he didn’t give her a chance to answer. Before she could react, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against the railing.
With his broad shoulders and tall frame shielding her, from any angle in the banquet hall, she was completely hidden from view.
Moreover, the hazy night casts a natural veil over their intimacy.
“Don’t…”
Before Song Qingyu could voice her protest, he silenced her with a kiss.
The kiss was like an intoxicating spell, luring her into a dreamlike trance. Closing her eyes was an instinctive reaction.
She had to admit—during their brief separation over the past two weeks, she had thought of that night more than once. She had recalled the fervor, the way she had surrendered beneath him, the taste of desire that once indulged only left her craving more.
The kiss burned with intensity before melting into lingering tenderness.
By the time they parted, Song Qingyu’s arms were still wrapped around Li Huaidong’s waist, her lipstick was smudged, and her breathing had turned uneven. Every reaction from her body warned her—she couldn’t let this continue.
Using the excuse of fixing her makeup, she pushed him away.
Li Huaidong walked over to the landscape lights, tilting his head slightly as he lit a cigarette.
Her face, bare of lipstick, carried a soft purity—like an innocent white flower. But the moment she reapplied her lipstick, she transformed into something intoxicatingly seductive, a dangerously alluring beauty.
From the mirror, Song Qingyu saw Li Huaidong watching her as she applied her makeup. She subtly shifted her posture, avoiding his gaze.
Just then, Li Huaidong’s phone rang.
It was a call from Huo Siqi.
Huo Siqi informed him that the auction for the Star of Zhaoyi was about to begin and told him to head inside.
Li Huaidong ended the call, walked up to Song Qingyu, wrapped an arm around her waist, and asked in a gentle voice, “Do you want the Star of Zhaoyi?”
Song Qingyu came from an ordinary working-class family and had never been materialistic. She never quite understood the significance of wealthy people spending millions on a single gemstone. In her view, wouldn’t it be better to save that money for a car or a house?
Moreover, the Star of Zhaoyi wasn’t something that could be won with just a few million—it was far beyond her reach. She neither had the means to ask for it nor the courage to say she wanted it.
“I don’t want it,” she replied.
Li Huaidong gently pinched her chin and lifted it slightly. “Be honest. Do you want it or not? Don’t worry about saving me money—your husband has plenty.”
Song Qingyu pressed her lips together, deep in thought.
She thought about Xie Wan’ning’s smug boasting earlier—how Lu Yanchuan planned to propose after winning the Star of Zhaoyi. Song Qingyu had no particular interest in the gemstone itself, but ruining Xie Wan’ning’s moment of glory? That, she was very interested in.
“I want it,” she said.
“Alright.”
Song Qingyu and Li Huaidong returned to the banquet hall, one after the other.
By now, the organizers had already placed the Star of Zhaoyi on the display stand. Under the dazzling lights, the purple gemstone gleamed with opulence and grandeur.
Many wealthy ladies and young socialites in the audience were eager to bid—after all, who wouldn’t want to be the owner of such a rare treasure?
Xie Wan’ning sat in the front row with the Lu family. Since Lu Yanchuan had promised to win the Star of Zhaoyi for his proposal tonight, she had already subconsciously regarded the necklace as hers.
The more others coveted it, the more triumphant she felt.
She imagined herself in the spotlight, wearing the dazzling necklace as Lu Yanchuan proposed, officially becoming a wealthy man’s wife—a true leap in social status.
“Across the vast realms, there is only one Zhaoyi. Ladies and gentlemen, the Star of Zhaoyi is the highlight of tonight’s Fiore Jewelry Gala. Let’s see who will claim this extraordinary piece. The bidding starts now at sixty million!”
One after another, guests began calling out their bids.
“Sixty-five million!”
“Sixty-six million!”
“Sixty-seven million!”
The price steadily climbed higher.
Lu Yanchuan raised his paddle decisively. “Eighty million.”
With a single bid, he instantly drove the price up by twenty million.
“One hundred million!”
Someone immediately followed with a higher bid.
Lu Yanchuan frowned and turned to look at the bidder.
The man was dressed in a black suit, but the fabric was of average quality. His face was unfamiliar—not one of the wealthy heirs in their circle. Judging by his demeanor, he was likely bidding on behalf of his employer.
“One hundred and five million.”
“One hundred and ten million.”
“One hundred and fifteen million.”
“One hundred and twenty million.”
The price kept climbing.
Although the room was filled with wealthy elites, many felt that spending such a high amount on a gemstone necklace was unnecessary. One by one, they withdrew from the bidding.
In the end, only Lu Yanchuan and the man in black remained in the competition.
“One hundred and fifty million!”
Lu Yanchuan clenched his fists in frustration.
His highest budget was 150 million. He had initially thought that 100 million would be more than enough to secure the “Zhaoyi Star,” yet an unexpected competitor had persistently driven the price up. Now, it had already exceeded his limit.
“Wan’ning, maybe we should—”
“No way!” Xie Wan’ning immediately tightened her grip on Lu Yanchuan’s arm, cutting him off. “Yanchuan, you promised to win the ‘Zhaoyi Star’ and propose to me. The entire venue is set up, and I’ve already told everyone. If you don’t win it in the end, won’t we become a joke again?”
Lu Yanchuan hesitated. “But that’s over the budget.”
“You’re the Young Master of the Lu family. What’s a few extra million to you?” Xie Wan’ning caressed her belly, her voice soft and coaxing. “Yanchuan, our baby is watching too. You can’t let us down.”
Seeing the expectation in Xie Wan’ning’s eyes, Lu Yanchuan gritted his teeth and raised his paddle. “One hundred sixty-five million.”
The man in black, seemingly losing patience with the slow five-million increments, lifted his paddle decisively. “Two hundred million.”