10 The Prize

Sitting alone, Shao Lin thought of her earlier encounter with Long Yat-sen. She remembered the weight of his heated gaze, the warning in his tone, and the way his face neared hers when he spoke to her.

Still, he threatened her when all she wanted to know was the truth, and he seemed adamant about not giving her the answers.

Contemplating what she'd do next, Shao Lin felt a presence settle next to her. She glanced up, noticing the silver hair, the blue gaze. "Xia," she breathed harshly.

Xia smiled. "Well, it's nice seeing you too," she teased.

Shao Lin sighed. "I'm sorry—I'm just not in a good mood. I didn't mean to act surprised."

Xia shook her head. "No hard feelings taken. You're not the only one. I just spoke to Yat-sen, and he seemed…" she paused, searching for a word. "Rattled."

Shao Lin scoffed. She highly doubted a man like Long Yat-sen could ever look rattled. The man appeared as if he was made of pure ice and behaved as such.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Xia said.

Shao Lin smiled thinly. "I came in support of the auction."

"Me too," Xia told her, looking at the stage and other guests. "But also because I was encouraged to bid on a certain item. Don't really need or want it, but it will be competed for, and I'm a highly competitive person."

Shao Lin chuckled, her mood softening. Xia seemed like an easy person to be around with.

The auction began, and the guests placed a bid for each of the valuable items.

A woman in an orange dress had competed for nearly most of them, and Xia had countered those offers. They managed to battle it out, splitting a few each, and there seemed to be some unspoken rivalry between them.

"One year, that woman had bought this necklace that I wanted badly, but she was quicker than me," Xia explained. She then touched her bare neck, yearning for the necklace that should have been there. "God, I wanted it so bad. It would have looked lovely on me, not on that woman and her poor sense of fashion. Now I take any opportunity to beat that woman."

Shao Lin laughed. Xia pouted.

When it came to the last item presented, Long Yat-sen stepped onto the stage. Shao Lin's eyes widened as he sauntered carefully toward the presenter.

In the room they were in before, it was half-lit. She somehow always managed to see him in the dark. But in full lightening, he was even more, handsome—breathtaking. His ink-black hair was combed to the side. Some strands had fallen. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his deep-blue suit.

Before the presenter could even state the bid, several hands raised immediately.

"This year, Yat-sen is being auctioned as a bachelor. A date with him for a day," Xia explained.

"What?" Shao Lin questioned.

Xia raised her arm for the next bid on him. "Sorry, darling, can't explain why. I'm fighting that orange woman at the moment, and I need to be on my game."

"Does she know you're related to him?"

Xia shook her head. "No, which makes this bidding more fun because I won't dare let her win and I know she wants him badly. Besides, Yat-sen is the one that encouraged me. He doesn't want to be with a random woman."

Xia and the woman in orange battled over Long Yat-sen, and other bidders gave up when the price became too high.

Shao Lin thought about what Xia mentioned: he doesn't want to be with a random woman. She then thought of something crazy.

When it came to the next offer, Xia had outbid the woman in orange, and right when the presenter was going to close the bid, Shao Lin daringly raised her hand. She didn't dare look at the other man on the stage, not wanting to meet his gaze, and she was surprised that Xia did not counter her.

"Sold to the woman in green," the man declared.

When she turned to her side, Xia stood.

"Sorry for stealing your prize this year," Shao Lin told her.

Xia shook her head. "It was an honour losing to you this round," she replied with a smile. "I'm sure Yat-sen is in for something with your company instead of mine, and I look forward to hearing about it after."

Shao Lin chuckled. "You seem really close to him."

Xia's smile faltered, but she held it. "In some ways, we are, and in other ways, we are not, but I've always looked up to him." Xia then looked away and glanced around. "I have to go now, but it was nice chatting with you, Shao Lin. I hope you have fun on your date."

"It's not a—"

At that, Xia had stalked away nonchalantly as well as other guests that were leaving the event.

Shao Lin sighed. She did not know what she thought when she placed the final bid on him. A part of her was angry. A part of her wanted to know how this man thinks, even if it meant forcing close proximity between them, and another part knew it would annoy him too. At the thought of his suffering, she felt like it was indeed a victory.

At that, she went backstage, filling in her details and contact. She did not see Long Yat-sen again that night, but she knew he had to see her again soon. There was no avoiding her.

Shao Lin contemplated whether this had been her most genius or most insane idea. She knew it was the latter, but she brushed it off.

Shao Lin then went home to undress and prepare for the night when she heard the doorbell ring. She made her way down the stairs and opened her front door finding Zhong Bai.

"It's late, detective. Is this urgent?"

Zhong Bai was wearing casual clothing. His white shirt and black jeans outlined the contour of his body, his muscles. "I came to drop off new reports."

Shao Lin took them. "Thank you. I will look at them."

He looked at her expression. "Are you all right?" he questioned.

"I'm fine. Just tired. I had a long day." And she was tired. She had spent weeks restless from doing her own investigations.

"Please take care of yourself, Lin."

She smiled. "I will. Don't worry. Now go, home detective."

At that, Zhong Bai gave her one more glance before he turned back to his car. Shao Lin shut and locked the door behind him, exhaling deeply.

On her way up the stairs, she received a phone call from an unknown number. "Hello?" she answered.

"Monday. 9 a.m. I will send a ride," was all he said.

"Long Yat-sen?" she questioned, but he had already hung up the phone.

Shao Lin sighed before climbing onto her bed.

She had no idea what she was going to do with him, a man like Long Yat-sen.