Chapter 35: Lavish Wealth and Grandeur

Mu Yiran certainly had no regrets about rejecting Chen Lishi’s pursuit. If she were a woman who loved money, Chen Lishi would never have had the chance to chase after her! With Mu Yiran’s beauty, there were countless wealthy heirs who wanted to court her. In this life, all she wished for was a heart that belonged to one person, to grow old together and never part—that was enough.

As for Chen Lishi, he wasn’t sitting alone in the front row; he had brought along a young woman and a man in his late twenties. The woman was attractive, her figure quite eye-catching, and she seemed to be a minor celebrity. Unfortunately, in Ling Xiao’s eyes, she was nothing but a pile of bones, entirely uninteresting. It was the young man who piqued Ling Xiao’s interest somewhat—a martial artist, and one at the peak of the Tenth Level! Still, it was only a passing curiosity.

That young man seemed to sense Ling Xiao’s gaze. He turned and looked, only to find Ling Xiao staring calmly ahead, and with a faint, uncertain hum, he turned back.

Mu Yiran asked softly, “Ling Xiao, what’s going on?”

Ling Xiao smiled faintly. “Nothing. The auction is about to begin.”

As he finished speaking, an elderly man of about sixty walked onto the stage, accompanied by several enchanting young women. The old man mounted the dais, bowed to the audience with a kindly smile, and said, “Thank you all for honoring us with your presence at this charity auction. I am Yu Ji, and I wish to thank you all for your contributions to the charitable endeavors of Jiangzhou.”

Applause broke out. Yu Ji smiled, waved his hand for quiet, and continued, “First, I must thank the Chen Group of Jiangzhou for their sponsorship! Without their support, this auction would not have been possible, let alone so successful. Here, I must especially thank the Chen Group, and Young Master Chen Lishi, who has graced us with his presence today!”

Chen Lishi stood up, looking exceedingly pleased with himself, hands behind his back, smiling loftily at Yu Ji. “Old Master Yu, you are too kind! My Chen Group, as a member of Jiangzhou, naturally cares for the wellbeing of its people. Besides, it’s the Chen family’s tradition to help others! So, when it comes to charity, the Chen family will never shy away from its duty!”

At those words, thunderous applause erupted.

“Well said!”

“Young Master Chen speaks truly! Worthy indeed of the Chen family name, a man of great character!”

The flattery was as loud as the applause, making Mu Yiran frown in distaste.

“Disgusting.”

Xiu’er hid a smile. “Isn’t that just the way of the world? People love to flatter and ride the waves of power! I’ve seen it all, following our young master around.”

Mu Yiran shook her head. “Such people are petty and small—you must warn your young master not to get too close to them.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Mu, our young master has high standards. Even if they wanted to be his lapdogs, he would hardly give them the time of day!”

After the round of applause, Chen Lishi basked in his own glory. It was clear that, after today, the Chen family’s stocks would surely soar! The profits from this kind of reputation would far outweigh what they donated to the charity auction. Most importantly, Chen Lishi’s own fame would rise another notch!

At this point, Yu Ji finally turned to the main event. “For security reasons, all items for today’s auction are stored at Jiangzhou Bank. Once you win your bid, you may collect the item at the bank with our official certificate. This is to avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention. We hope you understand. Now, let the auction begin.”

“First up is a redwood carving of an eagle, dating back to the Tang Dynasty. The craftsmanship is extraordinary, and the wood’s luster has deepened over hundreds of years. It symbolizes a roc spreading its wings, an omen of good fortune! You can all view the item on the large screen.”

Yu Ji gestured, and an attendant switched on the display, revealing a picture that drew admiring glances.

Yu Ji’s lips curled in satisfaction as he adjusted his reading glasses and announced, “The starting price for this carving is three million, with a minimum increment of one hundred thousand. Ladies and gentlemen, please begin bidding.”

“I’ll offer four million!”

“Four and a half million!”

“Five million!”

...

The bids rose in waves, making Mu Yiran frown. “Is it really that valuable? Aside from being old, it doesn't seem worth much. The design isn’t even that exquisite. Why do they all seem so keen on it? Have they lost their minds?”

Ling Xiao smiled calmly. “Not necessarily—perhaps they’re just building up the atmosphere.”

“Building up the atmosphere?” Mu Yiran was puzzled, but even as she wondered, Yu Ji brought down his gavel.

“Very well! If there are no further bids, the redwood eagle goes to Young Master Chen for eight million! Thank you, Young Master Chen, for your contribution to Jiangzhou’s charitable cause!”

“So that’s it!” Mu Yiran sneered coldly. She had suspected as much—how could those people be so foolish as to compete for something so worthless? It turned out to be a little trick orchestrated by Chen Lishi. In this way, his reputation would once again climb higher!

The Chen family had orchestrated this charity auction to perfection. Though today’s attendees were not the city’s wealthiest elite, they were certainly the backbone of Jiangzhou.

And with this modest auction, the Chen family had managed not once, but repeatedly, to enhance their own name. At their level, reputation was of utmost importance—a rare and precious thing. After this, the Chen family would surely become even more renowned in Jiangzhou.

Chen Lishi stood, clasped his hands in thanks to all, and declared, “Thank you all for your kindness! Let this first item of the charity auction go to me, Chen Lishi. Let the Chen family do yet a bit more for Jiangzhou’s charitable cause!”

Those in the back, unaware of the scheme, were moved to tears. “This is the true nobility,” they thought, “men who care for their city and country, with hearts for the world!” Countless young women looked at Chen Lishi, stars in their eyes, as if he were a prince on a white horse.

But just then, a calm voice cut through the air like a stone shattering the still waters.

“Ten million.”

The entire hall fell instantly silent. Chen Lishi, in the midst of his grateful bow, froze with his hands suspended in the air.

Mu Yiran stared at Ling Xiao in disbelief for a long moment before exclaiming, “Are you mad? Spending that much money on that thing?”

Ling Xiao’s lips lifted in a faint smile. “It’s charity—the more, the better.”

Mu Yiran’s mouth twitched. “I know you’re rich, but isn’t this a bit reckless?”

“It’s all right. Money is no object.”

Such a statement, so utterly extravagant, left Mu Yiran speechless. Only Xiu’er grinned mischievously. With her keen intuition, how could she not see the truth? Ling Xiao was simply displeased with Chen Lishi. How dare he covet Mu Yiran, and even try to bully the Yi Ren Group?

He was courting death!