Bo Wang was probably truly bored tonight. As he withdrew his hand and leaned slightly toward her, his dark eyes locking onto her face and his deep voice carried a trace of mocking malice as he spoke, “If that Wang fellow hadn’t been such a coward, you’d probably be even happier right now right.”
Fragments of glass cutting into such a fair face would surely make you look even more beautiful if he attack you in return.
“Oh.”
Lu Zhiling smiled as she replied, completely unafraid, her expression still openly joyful.
Bo Wang’s gaze froze.
For a brief moment, he was rendered speechless. Was she really that happy—for him to just be here?
The auction continued steadily on the other side as . Lu Zhiling calculated the order of the items in her mind. The sandalwood bracelet should be coming up soon.
She clenched her arm lightly and tapped it once—a subtle signal to Feng Zhen behind her to proceed according to plan.
As she moved, her sleeve brushed against Bo Wang’s shirt—the misty green of her fabric blending softly with his pale white silk under the dim lights. It was a gentle, lingering touch. Bo Wang lowered his eyes slightly, acknowledging the silent contact, while standing just behind them, Feng Zhen caught the signal. He raised his bidding paddle and announced calmly, “Four hundred and fifty thousand.”
The painting being auctioned was over six hundred years old. Anyone knowledgeable knew it was worth at least five million. Yet Feng Zhen’s bid of 450,000 instantly bewildered the room.
Ming Yi, who had mocked Lu Zhiling earlier, burst into laughter. “Even though there’s no reserve price, are you trying to humiliate this painting by bidding 450,000? Or are you hoping to snatch a bargain?”
Feng Zhen lowered his paddle without a word.
Lu Zhiling remained seated, quiet and composed, allowing Feng Zhen to continue bidding on the priceless items that followed.
Each time, he bid exactly 450,000. And each time someone raised the price beyond that, Feng Zhen would immediately lower his paddle.
“Next,” Gong Zihua announced from the stage, “is a priceless treasure that Mr. Feng has generously parted with for our Angels’ Fundraising Gala—a top-grade Qinan agarwood prayer bead bracelet (Qinan agarwood: the rarest and most valuable form of agarwood, often used in Buddhist prayer beads).”
Lu Zhiling’s breath hitched. The moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
She turned toward the stage. A beam of light illuminated the display area, where the bracelet rested quietly on its stand. Each bead was perfectly round, uniform in size. Even from afar, she seemed to catch the faint, calming fragrance of agarwood drifting toward her.
“Everyone knows that top-grade Qinan agarwood is extremely rare,” Gong Zihua continued, “and crafting such a bracelet is even more difficult—its value is immeasurable. However, Mr. Feng mentioned that when he acquired it, he noticed a small flaw, which slightly reduces its value.”
“What flaw?” someone asked.
“There’s a tooth mark on one of the beads,” Gong Zihua said, putting on white gloves and lifting a magnifying glass. “It was likely caused by improper handling from a previous collector.”
Under the magnification, the mark was unmistakable—a child’s bite, small but taken with surprising force, still clearly visible after all these years.
Lu Zhiling listened quietly.
When she was five, her sixth brother had lied to her, claiming this bracelet was the best chocolate in the world. So she had rushed over it , grabbed it, and bitten down without hesitation. Agarwood in general wasn’t especially hard, but she’d used the wrong amount of force resulting front tooth broke instantly, and she burst into loud, painful tears.
In the end, her sixth brother had been beaten, and her grandfather had summoned the entire family back home. One by one, they took turns coaxing and comforting her for most of the day.
She had thought that memory had long been faded. Yet now, gazing at the bracelet under the light, it resurfaced with startling clarity. She even remembered how her sixth brother had blown snot bubbles while crying after his beating, and how her third brother and the others had deliberately blackened their teeth to make her laugh.
A good object loses much of its value once it has a flaw—but fortunately, this was a bracelet. The flawed bead could simply be removed.
Everyone in the audience quietly calculated its worth. Two million would easily be acceptable.
“Four hundred and fifty thousand!”
Feng Zhen raised his paddle again, calling out the price crisply.
Here we go again.
They truly didn’t care about making fools of themselves.
Gong Zihua glanced at Lu Zhiling, then exchanged a look with her friend. Ming Yi immediately understood and exclaimed loudly, “So that’s what this is about! It’s not bargain hunting—it’s a sugar daddy trying to please his canary! But isn’t 450,000 a bit stingy?”
“That’s right. Lu Zhiling, if you’re going to find someone, at least find a sugar daddy who can really afford you. Shouting 450,000 every time—are you trying to make us laugh ourselves to death?”
“She’s blind. She should be grateful she found a sucker.”
Laughter rippled through the banquet hall. At first, it was restrained, but it quickly swelled into unrestrained, roaring amusement.
Bo Wang leaned back lazily in his chair, glancing sideways at Lu Zhiling. His lips curved faintly, indifferent, with no intention of intervening.
Perhaps provoked by the prolonged laughter, Lu Zhiling suddenly stood up in apparent anger. She groped for the bidding paddle in Feng Zhen’s hand and shouted clearly, “One million!”
Feng Zhen froze, then desperately tried to grab the paddle back.
Lu Zhiling held it tightly, refusing to let go.
Feng Zhen’s face turned pale. Anger and fear surged together as he glanced around frantically, hoping someone—anyone—would raise the bid and take it off their hands.
Bo Wang raised an eyebrow.
Seeing this, Gong Zihua nearly burst into laughter.
Did Lu Zhiling really believe that bidding one million would earn her respect? After her family’s downfall, her vision had shrunk to the mud. The old man behind her clearly didn’t seem capable of producing one million—and even if he could, he didn’t look willing to pay more than 450,000 for her sake.
What if she won the bid and couldn’t pay? Wouldn’t that be an even more ridiculous spectacle?
Thinking this, Gong Zihua picked up the microphone with a bright smile. “Zhiling is my old classmate. She’s faced many difficulties over the years. Since she wants this Buddhist prayer bead bracelet so badly, why don’t you all do the Gong family a favor and let her have it? Mr. Feng, what do you think?”
The old man disapproved of Lu Zhiling’s impulsiveness, but since the Gong family had spoken, he still gave them face. “Since I brought this bracelet out, I’m prepared to part with it. I only hope some people truly understand its value and don’t use it for any dirty purposes.”
The room erupted into laughter once more.
Lu Zhiling didn’t argue. She simply gripped the bidding paddle more firmly.
Behind her, Feng Zhen was sweating profusely, still trying to snatch it back.
Gong Zihua, unwilling to let the farce drag on, lifted the small golden hammer and brought it down.
Bang.
The hammer fell.
Lu Zhiling stood still, her long eyelashes lowered slightly. Her face was calm, expressionless—only the hand holding the paddle trembled faintly.
She had succeeded.
A method that could not afford even the slightest misstep had worked.
Afraid the drama might continue, Gong Zihua immediately paused the auction, turned on the main lights, and instructed staff to bring the exquisite agarwood prayer beads and the contract toward Lu Zhiling.
Under the bright lights, Lu Zhiling’s heart tightened as the bracelet drew closer and closer.
The staff bowed. “Ms. Lu, please sign here and swipe your card. Thank you for your contribution to the children in mountainous areas.”
They even brought over the card reader.
Everyone watched with amusement. Wasn’t this about to turn into a dramatic scene—a canary turning against her sugar daddy?
Holding the microphone, Gong Zihua tilted her head and smiled coldly.
Lu Zhiling, once so dazzling in school—now you’ve completely disgraced yourself in the Gong family.
Lu Zhiling stood calmly and said lightly, “Uncle Feng, please sign here.”
The gavel had already fallen. Feng Zhen stopped pretending. He smiled, bowed slightly, and replied, “Yes, Miss.”
There was none of the earlier panic.
He signed his name on the contract without hesitation, then took out his card and swiped one million at the POS machine on the spot.
Silence fell over the entire hall.
Gong Zihua couldn’t believe it. She rushed down from the stage to confirm the payment.
Could that old man really afford one million? Then why had he insisted on bidding exactly 450,000 every time? Why had he looked so nervous earlier?
Ming Yi stood up sarcastically. “Lu Zhiling, you should at least have some conscience. Spend only what you can afford. Don’t drain the old man you finally managed to latch onto.”
But Feng Zhen showed no anger.
He carefully placed the sandalwood box into Lu Zhiling’s hands and said, “This money was earned by Miss herself. It has nothing to do with me.”
Lu Zhiling hugged the box to her chest, her heart pounding violently.
She had retrieved the most precious thing her grandfather had ever treasured.
After steadying herself, she slowly lifted her face toward Gong Zihua, took two steps forward, and smiled gently. “I really don’t have much money. Thank you so much, MissGong, for adding 300,000 yuan and persuading everyone else to withdraw. Otherwise, how could I have bought this bracelet?”
Gong Zihua froze.
Only then did she realize the truth. “You… you were scheming about this bracelet from the very beginning?”
She had been completely played.
Lu Zhiling smiled honestly. “How could that be? I was just doing charity.”
She raised her hand slowly, revealing the ring on her ring finger. “By the way, Uncle Feng is only my elder. Miss Gong, you misunderstood me.”
Then, glancing toward the man beside her—whose presence was impossible to ignore—she cleared her throat. “I’m married and my husband is wonderful. He’s someone I love very much.”
She hoped by doing this Bo Wang wouldn’t cause trouble over tonight’s farce after going back.
Bo Wang’s fingers, which had been tapping lazily against the table the whole time , paused.
His eyes darkened by her sudden decleration of love.
Was she using him to cement her position as the Bo family’s eldest daughter-in-law in front of everyone? That status could bring her far more than a single string of prayer beads.
Gong Zihua’s vision swam with rage. She gritted her teeth. “Then I wonder—what prestigious family is your husband from? Do I know him?”
“You don’t,” Lu Zhiling replied softly. “I’m just making it clear that this is enough. I cherish my marriage. If you continue spreading rumors…”
Her smile faded. Coldness surged into her expression. “I will pursue this to the end.”
Despite Lu Zhiling being a fallen heiress with no money to her name, Gong Zihua was stunned into silence by that icy resolve.
Bo Wang pressed his tongue against his cheek listening this, lifted his wine glass, and took a slow sip. His gaze was deep and unreadable.
This woman… If it weren’t for her larger schemes, he might truly believe she was blindly in love.
Lu Zhiling on the other hand bowed slightly in farewell to everyone , than while getting the box from the table she leaned close to Bo Wang’s ear, and whispered, ” I’ll be leaving first.”
She didn’t look back. Straightening her back, she walked away with the steady, measured gait of someone who had known the outcome before the game even began. Behind her, the heavy silence of the room shattered into pure chaos.
“Stop her!” Gong Zihua’s voice cracked, the command coming a heartbeat too late to matter.
Bo Wang remained unruffled. He set his wine glass down—the crystal meeting the wood with a deliberate, soft clink—and rose with lazy elegance. He slipped into his suit jacket, the fabric settling perfectly over his shoulders, and walked out. As he passed Lu Zhiling, a faint, cool scent of sandalwood brushed against her, lingering in the air like a silent shadow.
Lu Zhiling lowered her eyes, her knuckles white as she tightened her grip on the head of her cane. Without a word, she turned and followed him into the night.
Outside, the streetlights cast a hazy, amber glow over the pavement. She hugged the box to her chest, the weight of it solid and real. A soft, genuine smile finally touched her lips; another fragment of the Lu family’s warmth had been reclaimed.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket, breaking the quiet.
“Fusheng,” she answered, her voice brightening. “Yes, it’s done. One million.”
On the other end, Jiang Fusheng’s voice erupted so loudly she had to pull the phone away. “You actually got it for one million?! Zhiling, you’re incredible! You’re a literal miracle worker!”
Lu Zhiling let out a rare, lighthearted laugh. “Are you jumping for joy over there?”
“Of course I am! I was certain Gong Zihua would bleed you dry just to spite you. This is perfect—I’m counting this as my birthday wish come early!”