Chapter 109 There is a third person!

"Brother Jinghuai, are you really going to film this for me? Is it really for me?!" Lin Zhi's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she repeatedly asked the man for confirmation.

Over the years, she has been by Xie Jinghuai's side and has seen all sorts of good things. Every year, he would prepare exquisite and expensive birthday gifts for her, each one of which would make countless women envious.

However, this hairpin has an extraordinary significance.

Firstly, this is a Ming Dynasty antique, priceless. The gifts Xie Jinghuai has given her over the past five years combined probably don't even amount to its value.

Secondly, this hairpin was a token of love given to the Emperor and Empress during their wedding. For Xie Jinghuai to bid on it for her on such a formal and solemn occasion as tonight would only lead outsiders to believe—

Xie Jinghuai was using an object to confess his love to her, announcing to the whole world that she was the woman he cared about and loved the most!

"When have I ever changed my mind?" Xie Jinghuai said calmly, his expression cold and stern.

"Thank you, Brother Jinghuai!"

Lin Zhixin suppressed her excitement and secretly took out her phone to send a message to Liu Nianrou:

[Mom, Jinghuai is going to film that hairpin for me tonight!]

[Really?! My darling! Mr. Xie really spoils you and loves you so much! Mommy is so proud of you!]

You can contact a knowledgeable online commentator (YXH) now and ask them to prepare the article in advance. Once Brother Jinghuai has won the bid for the hairpin for me, you can have them publish the news immediately.

I want the whole world to know that I am Jinghuai's one true love! That has never changed!

[Good child! All my hard work in raising you has paid off; you have ambition!]

A few seconds later, Liu Nianrou sent another message:

【Xinxin, Mom has something to tell you. In fifteen minutes, the signal at the auction venue will be blocked. You can only receive Wi-Fi signals, you can send messages, but you won't be able to make or receive phone calls.】

Lin Zhixin paused, then turned and glanced in Liu Nianrou's direction:

【Why? 】

[To prevent anyone from calling Mr. Xie and ruining my daughter's plans. This was your uncle's idea; he's very tactful and just wanted to let you know so you know what's going on.]

Everyone's focused on the auction right now; nobody's going to notice this little thing. Besides, these days everyone uses WeChat; who's going to keep making phone calls? Nobody's going to take it seriously.

Lin Zhixin smiled faintly, her pride and joy overflowing.

Tonight, she was truly impressed by her mother, who usually only knew how to please her father and spend money.

...

After being calmed down by Wu Hui, the man returned to the basement, his face once again displaying that menacing look, all his previous worries and fears gone.

Jiang Shiyuan naturally noticed it too, and her heart sank suddenly.

It seems that the person behind him is quite capable and determined to make her pay the price!

No matter how much she tries to negotiate with him, it's probably useless!

"Little wench, I'll give you a way out now."

Despite the allure of her beauty, the man was clearly more interested in the money. He pulled Jiang Shiyuan's phone from his pocket, glaring at her fiercely. "Tell me the phone password, now!"

Jiang Shiyuan's face was covered in cold sweat, and she could only answer truthfully, "12...25..."

Her phone password was still her son Tongtong's birthday.

She no longer cares about these minor details, so she's not in a hurry to change them.

The man unlocked the phone, weighing it in his palm. "You're Xie Jinghuai's wife. Now that your wife has been kidnapped, I can ask him for five hundred million or even a billion. That's a small amount of money. For a tycoon like him, it's not a problem, is it?"

Jiang Shiyuan's face drained of color, her long eyelashes trembling in astonishment.

This kidnapper didn't just want to torture her; he wanted to use her as a hostage to demand ransom from Xie Jinghuai.

So, from the very beginning, his kidnapping of her was all about money?

That means—

Besides Lin Zhixin and Madam Xie, there is a third person who has a grudge against her!

Who is it?!

"I advise you to release me as soon as possible. That's more reliable than asking him for a ransom."

Jiang Shiyuan forced herself to calm down and continued to negotiate with the kidnapper, trying to intimidate him. "I've been married to him for five years, so I know him well. So far, no one has been able to get away with anything from him."

If you demand ransom from him, during your negotiations, he will locate you as quickly as possible and thoroughly investigate your family history, possibly even faster than the police.

Are you really willing to risk your life for money and want to have a go at him?

The man scoffed, "Pshaw, who cares how big a figure he is? As long as I have his wife and kids under my control, I don't believe he'll dare to go head-to-head with me!"

Jiang Shiyuan lowered her eyelashes, a self-deprecating smile curving her broken lips.

Kidnapping one's wife and children is a common tactic used against other men.

This man didn't know that she held the title of wife but wasn't someone Xie Jinghuai cared about. If he wanted to rise to power, he should have kidnapped Lin Zhixin.

But she definitely can't say that now.

A slight misstep could provoke the kidnappers, who might then turn on you and kill you.

Moreover, calling Xie Jinghuai to ask for the ransom was a good thing for her.

This rekindled a glimmer of hope that had almost been extinguished.

Although Xie Jinghuai doesn't love her, they are still husband and wife. Even for the sake of his own reputation, he would immediately find a way to rescue her and would never stand idly by.

...

Here, Xie Jinghuai won the Song Dynasty Ru kiln porcelain that his grandmother loved with an overwhelming bid of 90 million.

The auctioneer on stage was all smiles, and the guests below applauded continuously.

Shen Zhantang casually crossed his legs, clicked his tongue and shook his head: "I really don't understand, how can these two broken cups without even a pattern be so valuable? More expensive than the three antiques I bid on combined, I don't get it."

“I used to say you were stupid, but that wasn’t right.”

Xie Jinghuai half-closed her phoenix eyes and glanced at him with disdain, "So, you're not only stupid, you're also blind."

Shen Zhantang pouted, "I don't tinker with this stuff. If I don't know, I'll just ask you. Look at you, so impatient!"

"After the rain, the sky clears and the clouds break, this is the color for the future."

Lin Zhixin's voice, as gentle as a breeze, entered the man's ear, "Of all the famous kilns in the world, Ru ware is the best. It's clear that Grandma really knows her stuff and has great taste."

Xie Jinghuai turned his head, his gaze towards Lin Zhixin filled with a hint of amazement.

Shen Zhantang also praised her highly, "Tsk tsk, look! Who else in this world understands our Ah Huai besides our Zhixin sister?"

Ah Huai, you can't leave Zhi Xin, no matter who else you leave. You must cherish her, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!

Xie Jinghuai didn't refute, but coldly opened his lips, "Is your mouth a paper shredder? Can you spout any more nonsense?"

"Young Master Shen, don't tease me..." Lin Zhixin said shyly, her cheeks flushed.

Listening to my mother was definitely right. If you want to win over a man, you not only need to infiltrate his family, but also gain the support of his friends. That way, you're not far from completely winning him over.

The next item up for auction was the jade hairpin that Lin Zhixin had been longing for.

On stage, under the dazzling spotlight, the hairpin made entirely of glass-like jade was even more radiant and captivating than the pictures in the catalog. It was as cool and serene as the white moonlight in the sky, breathtakingly beautiful!

The ladies in the audience stared wide-eyed, each one itching to make a move.

It seems the competition is fierce.

"A glass-type jade hairpin, exclusively supplied to the Ming Dynasty imperial family, with a starting price of ten million, is now open for auction!"

The auctioneer had barely finished speaking when someone eagerly raised their paddle:

"Fifteen million!"

"Twenty million!"

Thirty million!

Forty million!

In the blink of an eye, the bidding price soared to forty million!

It was arguably the fastest-bidding item of the night!

“Planting water is good, but forty million… that’s too much of a rip-off.” Lin Chengchou shook his head in bewilderment.

Jade is expensive, but this hairpin isn't imperial green, and it's not very big. It's really not worth paying for its backstory.

"Brother Cheng, please don't say that!"

Liu Nianrou quickly tugged at his sleeve and lowered her voice, "Tonight, the one who's going to bid on this hairpin is President Xie!"

Lin Chengchou was taken aback. "President Xie wants to film? Could it be that he wants to..."

Liu Nianrou whispered mysteriously in his ear, "Of course, it's for our precious Xinxin."

Lin Chengchou was overjoyed and couldn't stop admiring the hairpin.

"Sixty million!" Xie Jinghuai calmly raised his sign.

They added 20 million directly!

All eyes in the room instantly turned to the man.

Lin Zhixin gazed at him with adoration, her heart pounding excitedly in her chest, her blood boiling!

The auctioneer was also very excited, shouting: "Sixty million for the first time! Sixty million for the second time! Sixty million..."

The next second, just as the gavel was about to fall and decide the outcome, someone suddenly raised their paddle in the off-field bidding area.

"Wait! There's a VIP off-site price!"

The auctioneer looked at the staff member raising his paddle, "Eric, what's your bid?"

The staff member made a hand gesture.

The auctioneer's eyes lit up with excitement, and he shouted:

"A VIP is outside the venue, and has offered 80 million!"