Chapter 48 He really, really loved her.

The whole place erupted in cheers.

The auctioneer's excited voice echoed throughout the villa: "Light the lantern! Bidder number 888 has lit the lantern! Let's give him a round of applause!"

"Clap clap clap..."

The enthusiastic applause almost lifted the roof off.

The auction has reached a fever pitch!

If they had been discussing things in hushed tones before, now everyone had completely let loose and were talking loudly:

"My God, this is incredible! It's been so long since I've seen this at an auction house!"

"Yes, the last time was a year ago with that grand piece. The bidding kept going up until a mysterious bidder appeared and, with an imposing gesture, sold it for 12 billion!"

"The last time was three years ago, when a mysterious bidder lit a sky lantern on an artist's painting, and it was eventually sold for 7 billion!"

"Furthermore, in Country C, a world-renowned modern art sculpture was auctioned off for 7 billion yuan by a mysterious bidder."

While everyone was discussing loudly, some people were puzzled—

"You've explained so much, but I still don't understand what 'lighting sky lanterns' means. Can you explain it to me?"

Someone immediately explained to him, "That's the gesture Lu Yanzhi is making right now. It means he wants this Tanzanite, and he'll raise the price no matter how much others offer."

The man asked again, puzzled, "Can anyone just light it? What if they can't pay in the end? Won't the light explode?"

“Auction houses have their own rules, and the Fu family is in this business, so they know them. Anyway, I heard that someone lit a sky lantern but couldn’t pay, and he ended up in a terrible situation.”

“We were invited to this event, and the Fu family is basically aware of that. As you know, other smaller auctions usually have a verification process.”

The man nodded: "You're right."

"But we don't need to worry about the verification of funds anymore, that's Lu Yanzhi!"

Yes, that's Lu Yanzhi.

Lu Yanzhi, the sole head of the Lu family, one of the three major powers in City A!

The stage lights dimmed and then suddenly brightened, with a dazzling light effect that swept across the venue like a dragon, creating a spectacular display of light.

Meanwhile, outside the villa, countless people saw numerous drones suddenly rise up in the surrounding area, which had been quiet because the villa was closed.

These drones, carrying various colored lights, hovered above the villa, eventually forming the shape of a giant burning palace lantern.

"What's going on? What's this all about?"

"I don't know, what happened?"

"Go and find out quickly, there must be something going on inside!"

Inside the villa, there was a screen showing the real-time situation outside. At that moment, the area inside and outside the villa was in an uproar.

Suddenly, someone asked, "Has Lu Yanzhi ever lit sky lanterns at auctions he attended before?"

"You know what, it actually happened."

"Huh? I've never heard of that before. What's it about?"

The man recalled, and finally, he carefully spoke: "Actually, I'm not entirely sure either; it was seven years ago."

"Seven years ago?" The person who asked the question seemed a little confused. "Was he still young then?"

The person who answered nodded: "Yes, he's still young, and the things he photographs are quite strange."

The person who asked the question became even more curious: "What is it?"

The person who answered looked conflicted: "A document."

"There's even a competitor like this?"

"Well, I don't know the specifics. The auction wasn't public, and very few people knew about it. I only found out by chance, and I only know a tiny bit about it."

...

Second floor.

Han Wei looked at Lu Yanzhi standing not far away, and her heart pounded.

After learning what "lighting a sky lantern" meant, she could hardly sit still.

After the initial excitement, she felt a sense of satisfaction, as if she had everything under control.

In City A, Lu Yanzhi's power and status were unmatched; he was the man countless women would break their legs to climb up to.

But this is the kind of man who could go to such lengths for her!

At that moment, Han Wei felt she had won.

She only used a little trick, and Lu Yanzhi really fell in love with her.

I really, really love it.

When I was little, I thought it was nothing special!

Han Wei looked at Lu Yanzhi, whose face remained calm. His dark eyes were fixed on Yining, quietly waiting for her reaction.

So, Han Wei smiled and waited to see Yining obediently bow his head and admit defeat!

Meanwhile, Fu Jinyan had completely lost it.

"What is Lu Yanzhi doing!" Fu Jinyan stood up abruptly. If Shi Nian hadn't pressed his arm down, he probably would have rushed over to Lu Yanzhi.

“It’s one thing for him to bring Han Wei here, and it’s another for him to use his bidding number to bid on things. I could even say that he didn’t know what a tanzanite was if he allowed Han Wei to bid against you. But what about now?”

Fu Jinyan was so angry that his chest heaved.

"In a public auction where reporters are present and the results will be published later, for a three-point sky lantern, where does this place the still-married original spouse?!"

Looking at Shi Nian, who remained calm, Fu Jinyan felt more heartache than anger.

Everyone present knew that although the auction inside the villa was a closed event, and everyone followed the rules and kept quiet, once the auction was over and everyone left the villa, everyone would find out.

Neither the reporters nor Han Wei would let this opportunity slip by.

Then, the two characters “时念” will surely become a joke that will be nailed to the pillar of shame!

This was all before anyone knew that Yining was Shi Nian.

If I knew...

Fu Jinyan simply couldn't believe it.

But Shi Nian just calmly looked at Lu Yanzhi standing there. Her face was hidden behind a mask, and no one knew what she was thinking.

It turns out it only takes seven years.

Seven years is enough to completely change a teenager.

This allows him to easily transfer all the favor he once gave her to other women.

A fleeting image flashed before my eyes: seven years ago, at that closed auction, the boy stood up and raised his right hand above his head.

Finally, Shi Nian's lips curled up slightly, forming a mocking smile on her face, but her eyes remained icy cold.

"Yining, should we still bid?" Fu Jinyan asked worriedly from the side.

But Shi Nian's lips were full of smiles.

There was no frustration, resentment, or bitterness from being suppressed by money or power; only laughter.

After a burst of dazzling lights, the auctioneer announced in an excited voice, "...The bidding continues, please bid enthusiastically."

But his gaze fell on seat 823.

Everyone present felt the same way.

Everyone wanted to see what choice the woman with license plate number 823 would make.

Just then, everyone saw a hand slowly reaching out from the shadows.

It was still that snow-white hand, holding license plate number 823.

Then, on the following plate, there is a string of numbers.

Meanwhile, on the auctioneer's platform, the bidding numbers changed.

5 million.

A new number has emerged.

The auctioneer stared incredulously at the bidding figures, then looked at the hand on the second floor, repeatedly confirming the numbers.

Finally, the auctioneer announced in a high-pitched voice:

"Bidder No. 823 continues bidding, offering 5 million!"