Chapter 464

Her four words were spoken with airy lightness, yet they forced those around her to show some respect; since she was seeking this bit of good fortune, the others decided not to contend with her for the pair of bracelets.

Moreover, "eight hundred eighty" was already a high price. While the bracelets were of good quality, they were small in size and only suitable for a lady with slender wrists.

If one were looking for an investment, a "jade plaque" would hold more value.

However, not everyone felt compelled to give her face, and Mrs. Li had no intention of letting Shen Ci have her way.

"Nine hundred!"

Mrs. Li slowly raised her paddle, adding twenty to Shen Ci's bid.

Li Wanchang hadn't even reacted in time; hearing his wife speak, he looked over in astonishment. Mrs. Li ignored the gaze he cast her way, saying to herself, "Husband, I truly like them."

Many eyes focused on them, making Li Wanchang feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles. He tapped his wife's leg gently under the table, only to have her turn her head and say, "Husband, I really do like them."

Given the occasion, Li Wanchang couldn't lose his temper, so he could only wear a fake smile and use his eyes to signal his wife, indicating she should not deliberately make things difficult for Shen Ci.

"One thousand."

Shen Ci glanced toward Mrs. Li and raised her paddle once more, adding a full hundred this time.

Seeing Shen Ci bid with such grandeur, Su Zheyuan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, a playful smile spreading across his lips.

Mrs. Li ignored Li Wanchang's warnings entirely. Seeing Shen Ci raise the price, she raised her paddle without hesitation: "One thousand twenty."

Shen Ci: "One thousand one hundred!"

Mrs. Li only added twenty each time, clearly intending to annoy Shen Ci without wanting to spend too much money herself.

Shen Ci, however, rounded up to the nearest hundred each time, clearly gaining the upper hand in momentum.

Mrs. Li added another twenty.

Shen Jingjing hurriedly pressed down on her daughter's hand, shaking her head: "Forget it, A-Ci, it's too expensive!"

While the items were good, there was no need to be so impulsive; besides, if the other party was determined to have them, there was no need to keep driving up the price, as it would only lead to misunderstandings.

She was unaware of the history between her daughter and Mrs. Li; this was simply her instinctive reaction.

Su Zheyuan, sitting to the side, also leaned over slightly and whispered: "Miss Shen, the bid has already far exceeded the actual value of the bracelets. Even though the money goes to charity, there's no need to be a sucker."

Secretary Xiao Gao also chimed in: "Miss Shen, our boss is an expert on jade. You can trust his judgment."

Su Zheyuan's face showed a hint of pride upon hearing this—men really couldn't handle being praised; his reaction was written all over his face.

Shen Ci raised an eyebrow and nodded lightly.

Since Boss Su was an expert, she could just ask him for advice later if she wanted to buy some jade jewelry for her mother. There was truly no need to throw money away here.

Besides, she had no intention of bickering with Mrs. Li. They were just two bracelets; what would she gain by winning them?

With that, she slowly lowered her paddle, signaling her withdrawal from the competition.

The host on stage began the countdown: "One thousand one hundred twenty, going once!"

"One thousand one hundred twenty, going twice!"

"One thousand one hundred twenty..."

"One thousand one hundred fifty!"

Just when everyone thought the bracelets would be sold to Mrs. Li, a calm, powerful male voice rang out through the hall.

The crowd was stunned, craning their necks to look. The price of the bracelets had long since peaked; no one expected anyone else to bid.

Paddle number 5 was raised slowly—it was Chairman Fei! The host exclaimed excitedly: "Number 5, Chairman Fei of the 'Rui'ang Group,' bids one thousand one hundred fifty. Are there any other distinguished guests who wish to increase the bid?"

Most people were baffled by Chairman Fei's move. He didn't have a wife; why was he buying two jade bracelets?

Yet, some caught a hint of something unusual.

Boss Yang glanced sideways, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Li Wanchang frowned. It was hard not to connect Chairman Fei with Shen Ci's mother. He hadn't spoken up until now, and bidding at this moment seemed intended to vent frustration on Shen Ci's behalf.

Jiang Yuanliang also looked at Chairman Fei; knowing the man's usual restraint, this move was clearly out of the ordinary.

Shen Ci smiled to herself. Chairman Fei raising his paddle at this moment seemed quite pointed. It wasn't that she was being narcissistic on her mother's behalf, but the man's approach was so straightforward and blunt, without any beating around the bush.

This decisive style suited her taste. When it came to relationships, one should be crisp and efficient—especially for middle-aged people, who had no time for hesitation or testing.

With Chairman Fei's intervention, Mrs. Li immediately backed down.

In any case, her goal hadn't been to get the bracelets, but simply to make things unpleasant for Shen Ci.

In the end, the bracelets were sold to Chairman Fei at a high price.

"Stop making a scene," Li Wanchang warned his wife while everyone was applauding.

Mrs. Li glared at him but said nothing, merely glancing past the crowd toward Shen Ci, who didn't even bother to look her way.

The pair of bracelets was delivered to Chairman Fei, feeling heavy in his hands.

Boss Yang teased: "Chairman Fei, I'm afraid these bracelets won't fit your thick wrists!"

Those around them laughed, but Chairman Fei carefully put them away and said to the crowd: "They're obviously not for me to wear. I'm saving them for when I find a wife."

"Oh? Is Chairman Fei planning to let his heart bloom again?"

"It's about time. Everyone knows how loyal you are, Chairman Fei, but there's still a long life ahead, isn't there?"

The old had passed, but one couldn't live in the past forever.

His friends all supported Chairman Fei in finding a second spring.

The third item was a set of out-of-print vinyl records from the last century, preserved in perfect condition.

The auction was quite interesting; while the items weren't priceless antiques, they were all suited to the tastes of those present.

Listening to vinyl was a hobby for many elegant members of the upper class, so the competition for this item was particularly fierce.

Shen Ci had little interest in this and had originally intended to just watch the fun.

When the bidding reached one hundred fifty, she caught a glimpse of Mrs. Li sitting at the front table, and an idea flashed through her mind.

With a slight curl of her lips, she raised her paddle: "One hundred sixty!"

Sure enough, just as she had anticipated, the moment her voice rang out, Mrs. Li straightened up as if triggered, raising her paddle immediately: "One hundred seventy!"

Shen Ci: "One hundred eighty!"

Mrs. Li: "One hundred ninety!"

Shen Ci: "Two hundred!"

Mrs. Li remained relentless: "Two hundred ten!"

(End of chapter)