Chapter 30 – Dragging Qin Chufeng Into the Trap

Just as the auctioneer’s gavel was about to fall, Qin Chufeng suddenly raised his paddle again.
“Thirty million!”

Sheng Qiye immediately followed.
“Thirty-five million!”

Qin Chufeng refused to back down.
“Forty million!”

At this point, it wasn’t just about winning the stone anymore—it was about saving face in front of Su Rong.

Su Rong wanted to tell him it was enough, but Sheng Qiye raised his paddle once more. Since they were playing, he might as well play big. His voice was domineering, like he was determined to win:
“Fifty million!”

Su Rong’s forehead broke into a cold sweat. She had asked him to bid, but not like this! If Qin Chufeng didn’t dare to continue, wouldn’t that mean Sheng Qiye would lose a fortune? How many times would she have to go to the black market to pay him back?

Qin Yu tugged at her brother’s sleeve.
“Brother, we can’t raise it anymore. This is way over our budget.”

But at that moment, Qin Chufeng only wanted to save face. Gritting his teeth, he shouted:
“Sixty million!”

This time, Sheng Qiye set his paddle down.

Su Rong finally let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Sheng Qiye hadn’t been trapped by this.

The crowd murmured in astonishment.
“Young Master Qin really has guts—sixty million for a single stone!”
“Maybe it’ll reveal something priceless. He might have the eye for jade.”
“Or maybe he’s just a complete fool.”

Liu Xu gave Su Rong a big thumbs up.
“You’re amazing!”

Su Xue’er, on the other hand, was thrilled.
“Brother Chufeng, sixty million! You could buy a villa with that money—you’re so handsome!”

Qin Chufeng’s face turned pale. Even he was stunned. How had he let it escalate to sixty million? He had practically branded himself a fool. Could this stone really reveal jade worth sixty million? His head buzzed, and in his panic, he shoved the blame onto Su Xue’er.
“I only did this to give you a bracelet and a gemstone necklace. This was the only raw stone I had my eye on. For you, no matter the cost, it’s worth it.”

In truth, he had simply been jealous of how close Su Rong seemed with Sheng Qiye. He wanted to compete with Sheng Qiye, but at the crucial moment, Sheng had stepped back and left him hanging.

“You’re so good to me.” Su Xue’er leaned against him sweetly.

Su Heng noticed and immediately guessed that Qin Chufeng had been tricked by Su Rong.

By the time the fifth stone came up, Sheng Qiye started bidding. This was the one he had been watching for, and he wanted to test his judgment. The opening price was three million. Sheng Qiye directly called out:
“Five million.”

But Qin Chufeng was deflated now, sweating all over, and didn’t dare raise his paddle again. The Qin family was a wealthy clan, but they were already on the decline. They could still handle tens of millions in cash flow, but spending sixty million on one stone? If it wasn’t worth it, the loss would be devastating—and humiliating.

Su Heng raised his paddle.
“Six million.”

Sheng Qiye countered.
“Eight million.”

Others joined in the bidding, but Sheng Qiye eventually set his paddle down.

Su Heng continued, raising it to:
“Nine million.”

Su Rong quietly moved closer and whispered,
“Don’t bid anymore. This piece of Mo Xisha rough has a grayish-white skin without veining—it won’t even cut ice jade.”

But the more she said so, the more Su Heng wanted to go against her. He raised his paddle again.
“Ten million!”

The fifth stone was considered a hot favorite by many, especially since the second stone had already been sold for sixty million. People thought this one might also produce top-grade jade.

Su Rong had no choice but to stop him.
“Don’t bid, Brother!”

That one word—Brother—made Su Heng’s heart tremble. Since she had returned, it was the first time she had called him that. For the past two days, she’d only addressed him coldly as “Young Master Su.”

He lowered his paddle and stopped bidding.

Su Rong leaned closer and whispered again,
“The rest aren’t worth bidding on.”

Then she went back to her seat. No matter their quarrels lately, she still remembered how her brother had doted on her for nineteen years. That love had been real.

After all the lots were sold, payments were collected and stones cut on-site.

Qin Chufeng had no choice but to wire over sixty million. This was a proper auction house; if he didn’t pay, the Qin family’s reputation in business would be destroyed. Since he had already won it, he couldn’t afford to show weakness. Maybe, just maybe, the stone would reveal a hidden treasure. Otherwise, why would Sheng Qiye have fought him over it?

Su Xue’er clung to his arm, brimming with excitement.
“President Sheng, thank you for conceding. We’ve won the most expensive stone of the night. Too bad you’ll be leaving empty-handed.”

She was already fantasizing about the billion-yuan necklace she would wear once the stone was cut.

Sheng Qiye didn’t even bother to respond.

Su Rong walked over to the display table and picked out a stone from the big crate of leftover rough, placing it in Sheng Qiye’s hand.
“President Sheng, you didn’t bid on a single lot. Take this one as a gift from me. Maybe it will reveal something.”

The crate contained “blind stones,” priced at a flat ten thousand each. The socialites present disdained touching them, thinking it beneath their status.

Sheng Qiye accepted the stone and played with it in his hand.
“You treat, I’ll pay.”

Leng Xiao immediately transferred ten thousand.

Su Xue’er covered her mouth and laughed.
“Su Rong, you’re hilarious. You think this kind of scrap could reveal jade? And you dare gift it to President Sheng? Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at him?”

But Su Rong had already noticed something unusual. Not all the crate stones were worthless.
“What if I do cut jade from it? Or what if the ten-thousand-yuan stone I chose turns out to be worth more than the one your fiancé spent sixty million on?”

Su Xue’er laughed so hard she nearly cried.
“Are you kidding me, Su Rong? You think some random stone you picked up could be worth more than our sixty-million bid? Are you saying everyone else here is an idiot, and only you are the genius?”

Qin Yu’s heart was pounding with dread. Sixty million was no small sum for the Qin family right now. Spending hundreds of thousands or even tens of millions was manageable, but sixty million at once? It was reckless. Still, it was too late to turn back. If Su Rong’s cheap stone really did turn out to be more valuable, she’d probably faint from fury.
“Su Rong’s just broke and afraid of being laughed at. She’s pretending to be impressive to save face.”

But Liu Xu trusted Su Rong’s eye.
“What if her stone is worth more? What will you say then?”

It wasn’t just Qin Yu and Su Xue’er. Everyone else thought Su Rong was bluffing, and they were all eager to watch the show.

Qin Yu stiffened.
“What do you want then? No matter what, we’ve already won.”

Su Heng walked over and interjected.
“Stop making trouble. We’re family. What’s the point of fighting?”

But Su Xue’er, convinced of her victory, wasn’t about to pass up the chance to humiliate Su Rong.
“Brother, don’t interfere. This is between Qin Yu and Su Rong. She’s gotten far too arrogant. It’s time to teach her a lesson, so she knows better than to side with outsiders.”

Su Heng hesitated. She had a point. Su Rong had been acting arrogant today. And besides—he was here, yet she had chosen to sit with Sheng Qiye instead of her own family. Who did she think her real relatives were? On top of that, she’d even gifted Sheng a stone! Maybe letting her stumble a little would be good for her.

“Just… don’t make it too ugly,” he said at last.

Su Xue’er’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Don’t worry, Brother. I know exactly what I’m doing.”