Bidding War

Wu Tezhu listened to Qin Ran and Yu Shuman chat, feeling like he was overhearing a couple of elementary school kids in love.

It wasn't hard for Wu Tezhu to figure out that the two were dating. Being with Qin Ran every day and witnessing their little interactions, it was clear that their bond went beyond friendship. No typical "best friend" would go to such lengths to spoil the other.

Only Yu Shuman, with her pure, straightforward nature, hadn't realized Qin Ran's feelings sooner. Now that they were together, Yu Shuman's attitude had subtly changed—she was more reserved in public, no longer openly clinging to Qin Ran or introducing her as "my junior." With the secret out, she couldn't be as carefree as before.

Wu Tezhu quickly accepted that Yu Shuman was now her boss's partner.

When Yu Shuman mentioned she didn't want the jewelry, Qin Ran simply nodded. She hadn't planned on letting Yu Shuman keep something others had worn before, but if Yu Shuman liked something, Qin Ran wouldn't hesitate to buy it. Since Yu Shuman declined, there was no need to convince her otherwise.

After chatting for a while, people began to gather and take their seats. Soon, the host took the stage. He was a popular figure from a local Beijing TV station, specially invited by the event organizers to host the charity gala.

The host began by expressing gratitude for everyone's attendance and their dedication to charity, delivering a speech prepared by the organizers. Then, he officially opened the charity auction.

Before the first item was presented, a professional auctioneer joined the host on stage. Their combined presence emphasized the importance of the event, ensuring everyone felt confident in the proceedings.

As is customary, the best items are saved for last, with the opening item meant to set the tone. The first piece was a hairpin used by a late actress in one of her award-winning films. Although not valuable in itself, the actress's fame and the film's success drove the price up to five million yuan.

It's often the case that deceased celebrities are more revered than living ones.

Qin Ran had heard of this actress. Growing up in this world, she remembered seeing the movie's poster while working at a cinema. The actress had only one critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful film. Her life wasn't easy, yet a simple hairpin of hers could now fetch such a high price—an ironic twist of fate.

After the first item was sold, the auction continued with other items. Just before Yu Shuman's jewelry was up for bid, a staff member invited her to the stage. It was standard practice for celebrities to stand by their donated items, adding prestige to the auction.

Once on stage, the host asked Yu Shuman a few questions about the jewelry's origin. Yu Shuman answered truthfully, "It was sponsored by the brand." While this wasn't a lie—the jewelry did come through a brand—it was Qin Ran who owned the brand.

The audience was skeptical, though. A set of diamond jewelry like that wasn't cheap. It was believable that the brand had lent it to her, but to gift it outright? Brands don't usually give away such expensive items without good reason.

Although some attendees didn't fully believe her, no one voiced their doubts. Businesspeople saw no need to target a small-time actress, especially one closely associated with Qin Ran, a person they might benefit from. And celebrities weren't about to start drama with Yu Shuman after seeing how Qin Ran handled a certain male actor over a jar of beef sauce.

The host finished his questions and moved on to the auction: "We have a set of diamond jewelry donated by Ms. Yu Shuman, including earrings, a necklace, and a ring. Whether for personal use or collection, this set is a fine choice. The starting bid is five million yuan, with increments of no less than one hundred thousand yuan."

Yu Shuman wasn't aware of the jewelry's exact value, so the starting bid was conservative. The main diamond on the necklace alone made the set worth well over ten million yuan. The attendees, especially the socialites and wealthy women, quickly estimated the jewelry's true value and began bidding, hoping to snag a deal.

The five million yuan starting bid was quickly surpassed, and the price soon reached eight million. Qin Ran didn't want the jewelry to end up with someone else and didn't intend to drag out the bidding. She signaled to Wu Tezhu, who arranged for the brand's representative to place a bid of fifteen million.

Qin Ran wouldn't bid personally—she didn't want Yu Shuman to catch on to her spending habits. With so many companies under her belt, it was normal for her to be invited to charity events. The brand representative was chosen to bid on her behalf.

The brand representative felt confused and slightly insulted, being ordered to buy back the jewelry they had gifted. But orders were orders, and if they wanted to keep their job, they had no choice but to comply.

As the brand's representative made the clearly inflated bid, other bidders gradually withdrew. The auctioneer's gavel soon fell, and the brand representative was invited on stage. Despite the awkwardness of buying back their own product, they delivered a polished speech.

"We were moved by Ms. Yu Shuman's sincerity and felt compelled to bid on this jewelry. Since it was originally gifted to Ms. Yu Shuman, we would like her to continue using it. Therefore, we are once again presenting this jewelry to her."

The only thing more absurd than bidding on one's own gift is giving the gift a second time.

The representative smiled through the discomfort as Yu Shuman expressed her surprise and gratitude, accepting the jewelry back and thanking the brand for both their charity contribution and the gift.

The jewelry set had come full circle, returning to Yu Shuman while raising fifteen million yuan in her name, creating a perfectly orchestrated scene.

When Yu Shuman returned to her seat next to Qin Ran, she still looked a bit confused. She wasn't the only one; many others in the room were puzzled by the turn of events. Only Wu Tezhu understood that all of this was the result of Qin Ran's petty actions.

The only smart move was not having 99 Entertainment involved.

Qin Ran didn't care, though. She leaned in close to Yu Shuman, whispering softly, and Yu Shuman quickly recovered, resuming their conversation. A few more items were auctioned off, and soon it was time for the ancient painting Qin Ran had her eye on.

The host introduced the painting with a flourish, inviting the donor to the stage. The donor was a real estate mogul, a woman who had carved out a place in an industry dominated by men, rising to the top against all odds.

"I bought this painting years ago when I was still struggling. It was a lucky find, later authenticated as genuine. It's hung in my office ever since, and I believe it brought me good fortune. I'm donating it in the hope that it will bring the same luck to someone else."

Her voice was steady as she spoke, but the nostalgia in her eyes revealed her true feelings. The host marveled at the painting's journey before moving on to the auction.

Qin Ran wasn't in a rush. She estimated the painting's value at fifty million yuan and planned to enter the bidding once it reached thirty-five million. As expected, the bids quickly escalated from twenty million to thirty million. The painting's high price wasn't just due to its value or the charity cause—it was also about currying favor with the donor.

If they could also form a connection with her, that would be even better.

Qin Ran considered dropping out of the bidding since she wasn't interested in networking with the donor. But with few items left and none as appealing as the painting, she decided to go for it. She didn't need to dip into the system funds to bid—her finances were strong enough, even though the system was eager to help with an excuse.

Qin Ran signaled to Wu Tezhu, who placed a bid of thirty-five million. The sudden jump in price caused many bidders to drop out, but one person was still in the game—Pei Qi.

He immediately bid forty million, making Qin Ran blink in surprise. What's going on? Competing with me? Why?

Her first thought was whether this was part of the original novel's plot, but the details were too fuzzy to recall. Pei Qi wasn't bidding without reason, so she figured he might be trying to win favor with the donor for a business deal.

Qin Ran quickly remembered the information Wu Tezhu had shared earlier: Pei Qi's group had been closely collaborating with the Ling family on a project. Bidding on the painting could be part of that strategy.

Pei Qi was a shrewd businessman, except when it came to Ling Miaohan. If he was bidding on the painting, it was either to curry favor with the donor or because Ling Miaohan wanted it.

Either way, Qin Ran was happy to make things difficult for him. She took the bidding paddle from Wu Tezhu and raised the bid to forty-five million yuan.

Seeing his forty million bid instantly surpassed, Pei Qi's expression turned sour.