Chapter 53

After finishing the meal, Ling Yue was at the Ye family, guiding Ye Yilin on how to get along with Gou Dan's family.

Maine Coon cats look cold and aloof, but they are actually a very gentle breed. Cui Hua is a prime example; Gou Dan, as the head of the household, has a temper, but this was forced upon him by his previous owner to protect his family.

The previous case of Gou Dan's owner abusing cats spread all over the internet; how could Ye Yilin not know? She felt sorry for Gou Dan's family, and after learning she could adopt, she secretly prepared a large cat nest.

In front of the cat nest hung a fluffy snowball ball; when tapped it swayed, easily attracting cats' curiosity. Inside was plush fabric, feeling very smooth and soft.

But when it came time to ask Gou Dan's family to go inside, Ye Yilin was a bit dumbfounded.

Cui Hua went in, Gou Dan went in, but the few kittens outside dared not enter, meowing.

"What's going on?"

Ling Yue hearing the cats' cries was also taken aback.

The leading kitten was the one that had previously fallen, leading its siblings outside, hesitating to move forward.

Ling Yue asked why they weren't going in; the kitten tilted its head: "Meow~"

"Mom and Dad are inside, wanting to… go into the two-cat world, I don't dare."

This is, Gou Dan poked his head out from inside: "They're already a month old, starting to learn skills; how could we still live together?"

"Husband, what nonsense are you spouting!" Cui Hua rarely scolded him; as soon as she spoke, Gou Dan retracted his head, and from inside came faint sounds of the big cat begging for mercy.

Ling Yue turned her head; Ye Yilin was waiting for her reply, and she couldn't help but sigh: "No, you should prepare another cat nest."

Ye Yilin didn't understand, her heart sank: "What's happening? Ling Yue sister, tell me quickly, I'm feeling anxious."

She fussed with the fluff on her collar, her hands and feet seeming to have nowhere to go.

Ling Yue: "???"

Had she just said something serious?

Ling Yue directly explained: "Gou Dan's possessiveness is too strong; he doesn't want the kittens to disturb his and Cui Hua's two-cat world, so I told you to prepare another cat nest, just place it aside, and these kittens will go in on their own."

She thought: "When these kittens grow up, you can give them to friends; just make sure they're well taken care of."

Ye Yilin shook her head repeatedly: "No, I won't give them away!"

As she spoke, her eyes sparkled: "I finally managed to get these adorable kittens; how could I send them away? At most I'll have them spayed later; being able to raise kittens already makes me very happy."

Ling Yue listened, stunned, didn't ask, and Ye Yilin poured out like a bamboo tube: "Ling Yue sister, you don't know; in our family, besides my grandfather, basically no one keeps pets."

"My grandfather's pet is the one you just saw, Bao Bao, brought back by my older brother."

Ling Yue frowned slightly, eyes showing doubt: "Old Master Ye, what happened?"

Ye Yilin covered her mouth in shock, eyes wide, almost blurted out: "Ling Yue sister, you already know?"

Ling Yue shook her head: "I guessed."

From the moment she entered, she noticed that certain things in the yard seemed to have owners, but because they weren't often used, they were set aside; some gardening tools were placed in a convenient yet conspicuous spot.

In the garden there was also a small vegetable plot, planted with seasonal vegetables; some had grown old and begun to seed, indicating that the person who usually tended them might have been delayed.

Moreover, to this day she herself hasn't seen the old master, which is unlike the Ye family's hospitality; even the most unrestrained Ye Yilin knows etiquette and rules.

Whether Ye Yilin guessed or not, she nodded listlessly; it was clear she had something on her mind, until today when Ling Yue's words laid it bare.

"Actually this isn't much of a secret; my grandfather suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized a while ago."

At the same time, in the Ye family's second-floor main building, the well-lit windows were opened, sunlight poured in, a gentle breeze blew, and the light tapping of a keyboard could be heard from the room.

Ye Xiu Lan wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, sitting upright, his gaze scanning, sweeping over the computer screen, rows of English letters moving with the scrolling wheel at a speed of ten lines at a glance.

These are the documents piled up at the company; if grandfather were awake, Ye Xiu Lan could handle them more easily, but now grandfather is critically ill and unconscious, so he has to take over.

Ye Xiu Lan is extraordinarily talented, handling these matters with ease; however, because the backlog has been building for too long, although he's only been in office for less than half a month, there's still a pile of urgent issues awaiting resolution.

If it weren't for this trip home, he would probably have to stay at the company tonight.

This document was single-handedly decided by the old master a few months ago; it's said to need revisions, but Ye Xiu Lan doesn't know what needs changing; asking the assistant only yielded a few points, mainly because he's unfamiliar with this material.

He rubbed his sore brow, instinctively picked up the water cup, only to find it already dry, whether coffee or hot water; Ye Xiu Lan rubbed his sore brow again and got up to leave.

He had taken just a step when he stepped on something soft; the man's brow twitched, surprised: "Bao Bao?"

Da Jin Mao Bao Bao wagged its tail, didn't lift its head, rolled its eyes as if looking at him, lazy as it is now, making Ye Xiu Lan want to laugh.

He clenched his fist against his lips and coughed a few times, then took the water cup to get water.

Bao Bao is a dog raised by Old Master Ye, also the family's only pet before, a lively golden retriever, though lately he hasn't liked exercise much and has become quite gluttonous.

Earlier, worried something might happen to him, Ye Xiu Lan took him to the hospital for a checkup; he turned out very healthy, and the doctor speculated: "Maybe the owner isn't around, so he can't see the owner's gloom?"

"It could also be that the dog is getting old; at seven or eight years old, already adult, compared to its puppy playfulness, it naturally becomes more steady now."

Ye Xiu Lan listened seriously to those words, but ultimately it wasn't a big problem.

Steam rose from the hot water, Ye Xiu Lan stared blankly, dazed; he couldn't understand: Old Master Ye's physique is clearly robust, how could such a healthy person suddenly fall unconscious?

He was lost in thought, not noticing the water overflowing the cup, until a soft sound made Ye Xiu Lan startle, turn his head— that direction… seemed to be his office!

Ye Xiu Lan hurried over, only to see a chair knocked over, and the computer keyboard seemed to have shifted.

Ye Xiu Lan's gaze dropped, landing on the sole living creature present—the golden retriever dog Bao Bao.

"Is it you?"

The golden retriever blinked, innocent eyes wide, tail wagging, its tightly tucked tail giving everything away.

Ye Xiu Lan watched as the document was printed in Chinese font: "Grandson, your grandfather I… the rest is just a few strings of gibberish," Ye Xiu Lan raised his eyebrows, thinking of the news he'd seen—could this be… the dog becoming a spirit?

He expressionlessly prepared to delete that nonsense, when suddenly he heard the dog barking frantically, wagging its tail and scratching its legs, impatient.

Ye Xiu Lan helplessly rubbed his forehead: "Want to go out and fetch the ball again? I'll have the butler accompany you."

He said this as he rose, not wanting the dog to interfere with his work, he led it to the butler, still able to hear the dog's whimpering; his gaze returned to the computer screen, he deleted the extra gibberish from the document, his fingertips tapping, then suddenly stopped.

Ye Xiu Lan sprang up, incredulous at the page; it was as if he'd encountered something incomprehensible, his brain this processor shutting down on the spot.

"How could this be…"

After a moment, a man's low murmur sounded in the room.

On the stairs, the butler uncle frowned, patted the dog's rear: "Bao Bao, behave!"

Saying this, he scooped it up in one motion, not seeing the dog's terrified gaze as it stared at him—it, it had just been slapped on the butt by someone?

My old face, completely lost!

The butler carried the stubborn dog downstairs: "Baby, be good, let's go out to play."

The golden retriever Baby went rigid all over: "!!! Don't come over!"

Yet it was still carried downstairs, starting a boring tennis game. Thinking boredom, but seeing the suddenly thrown cautious tennis ball, it couldn't control its four legs!

Wanting to bite, wanting to pick up, tongue out, it was praised by its owner.

The dog's face full of disbelief, its uncontrolled limbs happily running on the lawn, head down biting the tennis ball, wagging its tail, elatedly carrying it back.

The butler rubbed the dog's head: "Baby, great job, again!"

Golden Retriever Baby: eyes full of "life is hopeless". JPG

Only then did it realize that in certain specific situations, it could not control the dog's body at all.

In the small garden, inside the pavilion.

Ye Yilin finished telling the whole story, concluded: "... I don't know either, my grandfather's health had always been excellent, he got up at seven every morning to walk Baby, how did he suddenly fall ill and get hospitalized?"

"Grandfather still hasn't woken up; all household matters have fallen on my brother's shoulders. I know why I can't keep a cat, but with grandfather ill and the company under huge pressure, I can only work twice as hard with my brother."

"Ling Yue sister, for the cat I paid a painful price, afterwards I have to work a whole year in the design department, but I still think it's worth it!"

She said this, then began to console herself: "Although I have to work hard, I got the cat!"

Ling Yue admired her optimism, but when hearing of the sudden severe illness, she thought of that listless golden retriever, which had both a weary air and vigor, full of energetic complaints, just like a little old man.

Maybe it's that the dog follows its owner?

Ling Yue always felt something was off, she suppressed her doubts, carefully putting them in her heart.

She and Ye Yilin agreed to stay in touch via WeChat, then Ling Yue left, never imagining they'd meet again so soon.

Haiyue Auction.

Ling Yue was personally welcomed in by Manager Zhang, dressed modestly yet politely, led straight to a private room, with 180-degree one-way vision glass, and also a tall young man about 1.8 meters.

He looked a bit like the pretty boys on TV, his face pale and greasy, nothing like she imagined.

Ling Yue tried, but couldn't accept service from a stranger; it was more embarrassing than celebrating her birthday in college at Haidilao, she furrowed her brows: "You can go now."

The other party paused, about to leave, suddenly hearing Ling Yue's voice: "Wait—"

The male waiter immediately stopped, striking his most handsome pose; Ling Yue glanced at the fruit platter in his hand: "Leave the things."

Male waiter: ⊙﹏⊙

He had never heard such a plain request before.

Previous nobles always complained the service wasn't enough; this one was the opposite, but recalling the private room owner's face, just sitting there made people dare not show the slightest disrespect, let alone touch her.

Actually, it's just because it's her first time at such an occasion, she unconsciously restrained her expression, making Ling Yue appear aloof: "..."

She was handing nuts to Xunbao Shu Duo Duo; its row of little white teeth wasn't just for show—"crack—crack—"

Even the hardest fruit shells would be crushed into dregs.

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo hugged a pecan, eating it fragrant and sweet, not forgetting to offer Ling Yue one: "Owner, you want some too?"

Ling Yue: "... I prefer to do it myself." Absolutely not because I dislike Duo Duo's saliva, absolutely not!

The auction officially began, the veteran host's words were extravagant, various rare treasures appeared one after another, Xunbao Shu Duo Duo watched and felt it truly had broadened its horizons.

Ling Yue also felt, watching others bid, she silently anticipated her own auction item, wondering how much it could sell for.

As the finale, the auction house gave the Sky Eye Sapphire Crown the biggest promotion and publicity; even when the Imperial Green bracelet appeared, it only sold for eighty million.

This price isn't low, but compared to the upcoming Sky Eye...

The auctioneer first told the story of the Sky Eye Sapphire Crown, then presented their auction house's certification jointly signed by dozens of masters, absolutely genuine!

The crown was displayed, a single beam of light shone on the dove-egg-sized blue sapphire main stone, the rolling, swaying deep blue like tidal changes, the delicate branch-and-leaf roses represented the highest level of craftsmanship of the time, thousands of diamonds set in, plus richly colored blue sapphire accents, each sparkling as if letting one glimpse a corner of that decadent dynasty.

Its beauty struck straight to the heart.

In Private Room No. 2, Ye Yilin was clinging to her brother, she covered her red-hot face, the moment her eyes met the crown, her gaze turned sticky, her whole body trembled incessantly.

"Brother, I want it!"

Ye Xiu Lan glanced at her: "Do you really like it that much?"

She was like a dragon locking onto treasure, spouting a string of professional terms: "... Seeing it, my whole body's inspiration wants to explode; with it, I can definitely design even better drafts, brother, please~"

Ye Xiu Lan hadn't spoken yet when he felt his trouser leg wet; looking down, he saw Da Jin Mao biting his trouser cuff; seeing him look over, it wasn't afraid but barked loudly.

"Hey, my grandson, just buy it for her!"

"For our family's finances, it's just a drop in the bucket. Linlin is our Ye family's little princess; what's a crown to her?"

For some reason, Ye Xiu Lan looking at the golden retriever whimpering, seemed to hear the old man's earnest admonition; he clenched his fingers, his body tensed, his voice low: "Buy."

He looked meaningfully at the excited golden retriever: "If grandfather were here, when the time comes I'd have to face not just you, but two people."

Ye Yilin, who had thought she'd need to act cute a few more times, upon hearing this immediately shut her mouth, looked around guiltily, making people unable to hold back laughter.

The golden retriever Baby was both happy and worried: "He won't find out, will he? As my grandson, he's impressive; the worry is, once he knows, how will we resolve it?"

The golden retriever lay on the blanket, its gaze dim.

After all, he only believed such strange things after experiencing them himself; previously he dismissed them, and in turn taught his grandson Ye Xiu Lan the same steadfast belief.

The auctioneer announced the start, each bid increase one million.

The competition began; in the quiet private room only faint breathing remained.

No one noticed Ye Xiu Lan's gaze on the golden retriever, filled with disbelief and deep suspicion.

How could that be?

His sister poked him: "Brother, it's starting!"

Ye Xiu Lan responded with a sound; his tumultuous, complex feelings meant his attention had long left the crown, and he found the frequent bidding paddles tedious.

Another paddle raise, he directly increased the bid: "Five hundred million."

The auctioneer beamed, unable to close his mouth, holding the small hammer and looking around: "Anyone want to bid higher? The Sky‑Eye Blue Sapphire Crown worth 530 million, a royal jewel once worn by a queen—anyone else?"

"Once…"

"None? Twice!"

"Three times, sold—congratulations to the guest in Box No. 2, this crown is now yours."

In the box, Ye Yilin hugged her dog, almost jumping with joy; she was truly thrilled.

Besides her, Ling Yue was also happy; the 530 million auction proceeds, after deducting a three‑percent commission, remained an astronomical sum, meaning most of her future ventures wouldn't be blocked by money.

The auction ended, in the lounge.

Ling Yue, who had the money, and Ye Yilin, who had the crown, met in the lounge; just as they were about to speak, Song Xi, sporting a spiky blond lion‑mane, ran over holding a wooden box: "Streamer!"

He wore a full‑face smile, uncaring of others' gazes—what did it matter to him? Besides, the Song family's young master was famous for his carefree nature.

But his smile faded the moment he saw Ye Yilin; at a glance he knew this person was here to steal his lackey position!

Song Xi: "Streamer QAQ"

Ling Yue felt his mournful gaze, as if she'd done something wrong, and shivered involuntarily.

She coughed lightly: "Song Xi."

Song Xi chuckled: "I'm here to give a thank‑you gift."

As he spoke, he opened the wooden box; Ye Yilin couldn't help glancing inside—the gift's packaging alone showed it was valuable.

When she truly opened it, she was stunned; a flash of green crossed her eyes, and she covered her mouth, whispering: "An imperial‑green bracelet?"

Ye Yilin was utterly shocked—what huge favor would justify sending such a precious gift?

Ling Yue repeatedly declined, but Song Xi grew crafty, whining: "Don't you like it, streamer?"

Also, we'd originally planned to return that crown to its rightful owner, but who knew someone would butt in—streamer, waa‑waa‑waa~

Ling Yue: "…"

You're such a drama queen—do your parents know?

Beside her, Ye Yilin exclaimed repeatedly—no wonder, growing up in a family that runs an entertainment company, she's picked it up effortlessly.

Immediately, she realized the key point: "The… the crown is yours?"

Ling Yue glared at Song Xi, then heard Ye Yilin's voice: "That crown… it seems… to be with me."

Three seconds later, everyone froze.

Then, in unison silence, on the ride home Ye Yilin still marveled: "…I really didn't know—there's also Song Xi; I saw him buy the imperial‑green bracelet and thought he was giving it to her mom, but it turned out to be for Ah Yue Sister, saying he was repaying a favor."

Ye Yilin's eyes glittered with gossip as she looked at her brother: "Brother, do you know what's happened to the Song family?"

"Brother?"

Ye Xiu Lan snapped back to attention, nagged by his sister's nonstop chatter, saying he now didn't even care about his own words—he felt hurt and miserable.

Ye Xiu Lan: "…Say it again."

He really had zoned out; that matter clung to him, dealing a huge blow to his already‑formed worldview, and to this day he's still dazed.

Ye Yilin snorted, but she was simply too curious, so she nagged on.

Ye Xiu Lan's eyes flashed: "The Song family?"

"The Song family really has had an incident."