Chapter 27

Xie Yan hasn't appeared in the window seat in the Jiang family's study for a whole week.

The afternoon sun filtered through the gauze curtains, casting dappled shadows on the mahogany desk. Jiang Minghua picked up a strand of pink hair that had fallen onto the desk, examining it closely in the light.

So many days have passed, and there hasn't been a single word. She frowned slightly and twirled a strand of hair between her fingers.

My phone vibrated at just the right moment; it was a message from Liu Qingya:

The Xie family invited me to a dinner at the D Auction House; I heard there are many rare items tonight.

Jiang Minghua's fingers paused. The Xie family dared to bypass the Jiang family and directly invite the Liu family? She quickly figured out the key point: perhaps this auction was related to Xie Yan.

"Take me with you." She replied crisply and decisively.

Liu Qingya was stunned. Jiang Minghua actually asked her for help. Hahaha, it turns out that even Jiang Minghua has times when she is disliked and has to ask others for help.

A smile played on her lips, barely concealing her excitement; she felt lightheaded, but still feigned composure, replying with an air of haughtiness:

"Okay, then."

At 8 p.m. that evening, the crystal chandeliers in Auction House D shone brilliantly. When Jiang Minghua appeared in a champagne-colored satin gown, the entire venue fell silent for a moment.

The rhinestones on her skirt shimmered under the lights, perfectly complementing the pearl earrings on her ears. Although she entered as a female companion of the Liu family, many senior business figures recognized her and came forward to exchange pleasantries.

She handled the situation calmly and then chose to sit on the sofa in the far corner. This spot offered a clear view of the entire room but was unlikely to attract attention.

"Is this Miss Jiang's first time attending an event like this?"

A man in a royal blue suit arrived uninvited and sat down beside her. He was playing with a walnut in his hand, and the gold watch on his wrist gleamed under the light.

"My name is Zhao Mian, and my family runs a building materials business."

Jiang Minghua didn't even lift her eyelids, her fingertips lightly turning a page of the auction catalog. The pink diamond brooch in the center of the catalog was indeed eye-catching; the similar pink color reminded her of someone who had disappeared for a week.

Jiang Minghua ignored him, her gaze still fixed on the picture book, but she was already distracted, chatting with Jiahao:

Jiang Minghua: [Ahhh! This pink diamond brooch is so beautiful! Jiajia, this pink is so pure.]

The plus sign is concise and to the point: 【Buy!】

Jiang Minghua: [Tsk, this person next to me is so annoying, always interrupting us.]

Plus sign: [They probably want to arrange a marriage with you, after all, you're the daughter of a billionaire.]

Jiang Minghua: [Doesn't he ever look in the mirror? And he calls himself a "disrespectful person"? I think he's just a complete idiot.]

Seeing that she remained silent, Zhao Mian felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Is Miss Jiang still in school?"

The strong scent of cologne mixed with the smell of smoke hit her face. Jiang Minghua frowned almost imperceptibly, and finally glanced at him sideways.

That one glance made all of Zhao Mian's prepared words get stuck in his throat.

She casually tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and continued looking down at the picture book. The gesture was elegant yet distant, more awkward than a direct rejection.

Zhao Mian stood up with a stiff face and left. He quickly found a spot nearby and deliberately raised his voice:

"Miss Jiang is truly blessed; having a billionaire father makes all the difference. I wonder if she can remain so composed after leaving the Jiang family?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a figure suddenly blocked his way.

Han Yun Chu was dressed in a well-tailored suit today, but his pink hair remained as flamboyant as ever. He stood before Zhao Mian, his voice calm:

"Apologize."

"Young Master Han, what does this have to do with you?"

“I’ll say it again,” Han Yunchu stepped forward, the lamplight casting a shadow on his sharply defined face.

"Apologize to her. Immediately!"

The entire venue was so quiet you could hear someone breathing. Zhao Mian, his face flushed, mumbled an apology and practically fled.

Once the eyesore had disappeared, Han Yun Chu turned and walked towards Jiang Ming Hua. He knelt on one knee before her, a gesture that forced him to look up at her. The lamplight cast a small shadow on his long eyelashes.

"I'm sorry for hiding things from you before." His voice was soft, but with an unprecedented seriousness.

"But my feelings for you have never been a task."

When he looked up, his dog-like eyes, which always seemed to be smiling, were filled with apprehension and sincerity:

"I like you, Jiang Minghua. This is my true feeling."

The auction house lights gently enveloped the two of them, as if the whole world had quieted down, awaiting her response.

Plus sign: [Wow!]

Jiang Minghua looked down at Han Yunchu kneeling in front of her. His upturned face showed an unusual tension, and his usually bright dog eyes were now filled with unease, much like a large dog awaiting judgment.

Suddenly, she felt playful and gently touched the shimmering pink diamond brooch on the auction catalog with her slender fingers, a faint smile curving her lips.

"Want me to forgive you? Then take a picture of it."

These words were like a pardon. The unease in Han Yun Chu's eyes vanished instantly, and she seemed to be illuminated by a light.

His lips curled up uncontrollably, revealing two small canine teeth. If they weren't in an auction house, he would probably have jumped up on the spot. Anyone who saw his joyful appearance would think that if he really had a tail, it would be wagging happily behind him right now.

"Okay!" he immediately agreed, his voice brimming with undisguised excitement. "I'll definitely take a picture of it for you."

At that moment, a slight commotion arose at the entrance.

Fu Yanzhi walked in with Wen Chuqing. His expression was slightly gloomy, clearly indicating that Qin Shuyi's departure abroad without saying goodbye once again had deeply affected him.

Wen Chuqing walked quietly beside him, still gentle and kind, but this time there was a hint of aloofness hidden in her eyes. She remembered Jiang Minghua's words; this time, she had to have something in mind.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Fu Yanzhi's gaze fell on the pink diamond brooch in the auction catalog beside Jiang Minghua. As if eager to prove something, or perhaps eager to fill a void in his heart, he said to Wen Chuqing:

"Do you like it? I'll take a picture for you."

Wen Chuqing smiled slightly, not resisting or being shy as she had in the past, but instead following his words softly:

"It is indeed very beautiful, if Mr. Fu is willing."

She tried to emulate Jiang Minghua's attitude, attempting to gain something tangible for herself in this relationship.

Now, the target is clearly the same item.

Han Yun Chu immediately became alert; this brooch was Hua Hua's only chance to forgive him.

“Fu, this brooch was the one I first wanted to give to Huahua.” His tone was unusually firm.

Fu Yanzhi was in a terrible mood at the moment, and with a reckless attitude, he only responded coldly upon hearing this:

"At the auction, the highest bidder wins."

The auction began, with a starting price of five million. The two men seemed to be locked in a fierce competition, and the price soared.

"Eight million."

"Ten million."

"Twelve million."

"Fifteen million."

Han Yunchu frowned, beads of sweat forming on his forehead; this price had exceeded his original budget. Fu Yanzhi's expression also darkened, but he showed no sign of stopping. The other guests in the room watched this sudden bidding war with bated breath.

When Fu Yanzhi raised the price to 20 million, Han Yunchu gritted his teeth and was about to raise his paddle again when a slender hand gently pressed down on his wrist.

It's Jiang Minghua.

She stood up, and under everyone's gaze, calmly raised her number and spoke clearly:

Thirty million.

The room erupted in uproar. The price far exceeded the brooch's actual value. The auctioneer excitedly brought down the gavel: "Thirty million! Sold! Congratulations, ma'am!"

Ignoring the astonished gazes around her, Jiang Minghua turned to Han Yun Chu and Fu Yan Zhi, who were equally taken aback, and said coldly:

"I'll buy what I want myself. I don't need to rely on a man."

One sentence, resounding with conviction. Han Yun Chu looked at her calm profile and was speechless for a moment. Fu Yan Zhi also frowned, while only Wen Chu Qing looked at Jiang Ming Hua's independent and confident figure with eyes full of envy and determination.

She will definitely become someone like Minghua in the future.

Once the surroundings quieted down a bit, Han Yunchu leaned closer and, with a hint of caution, asked in a low voice:

"Huahua, so... have you forgiven me?"

Jiang Minghua picked up the champagne that the waiter had just brought, took a small sip, and her eyes drifted to his face, which was still full of anxiety.

"From now on, you are not allowed to hide anything from me."

[Perhaps we could use him as an undercover agent for the Book Bureau in the future; after all, it's better to have an enemy you know well.]

Jiang Minghua's words and heartfelt sentiments were delivered simultaneously.

Han Yunchu felt a sense of relief, and his puppy-dog eyes instantly lit up again. He nodded hurriedly.

"I promise! Huahua, I will definitely do my job well, I mean there will absolutely be no next time!"

As the auction drew to a close, the last item was brought out: a small terrarium containing a small, pink, crystal-clear seahorse that emitted a soft glow under the lights.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is an extremely rare genetically mutated pink seahorse. It is somewhat lacking in vitality. As a fun part of this auction, the starting price is one million yuan."

The audience reacted sparsely. Who would spend a fortune on a half-dead ornamental creature?

Jiang Minghua's gaze was instantly drawn to it. The little seahorse was the exact same color as Xie Yan's hair. Moreover, it looked so fragile that it inexplicably softened her heart.

Just as the auctioneer was about to announce that the item would fail to sell, Jiang Minghua raised her paddle again.

Five million.

The audience erupted in uproar once again. Five million for this?!

Fu Yanzhi couldn't help but glance at her, wondering if this Jiang family's daughter had too much money to burn.

Han Yun Chu was wondering why Hua Hua hadn't told him beforehand that he could have bought the seahorse and given it to her.

Without any suspense, Jiang Minghua successfully photographed the pink seahorse.

After the auction, Jiang Minghua returned to the villa with the terrarium containing the pink seahorse.

That evening, she personally supervised the workers to install a large, custom-made aquarium in half of the study.

The facility is equipped with a constant temperature system, precision filtration, and ocean current simulation devices. Soft blue and pink light shines on the carefully arranged coral and seaweed landscape, creating a miniature dreamlike ocean.

She gently placed the fragile little seahorse inside, watching its slender tail curl around a pink coral branch and sway slightly.

"From now on, this will be your home," she whispered to the aquarium, her fingertip lightly touching the little creature through the glass.

In the stillness of the night, only the low hum of the aquarium's circulation system could be heard in the apartment. Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting cool, dappled patterns on the floor.

Inside the aquarium, the pink seahorse, which had been floating quietly, began to emit an extremely faint, pearly luster.

Its shape gradually elongated and changed in the light, and finally, a pale and slender figure replaced the little seahorse and silently emerged from the water.

Xie Yan's long, wet pink hair clung to his cheeks and neck, water droplets sliding down his defined collarbones. He was barefoot, his footsteps making no sound on the cold floor. He walked expertly towards Jiang Minghua's master bedroom.

The door was ajar, and through the crack, he could see Jiang Minghua's peaceful sleeping face. Her usual indifference and aloofness had been completely gone, leaving only a gentle, unguarded demeanor.

Xie Yan stood there quietly, watching for a long time. His dark eyes gleamed with an almost greedy, obsessive light in the darkness, as if he wanted to etch her features into the depths of his soul.

He saw her hand resting on the pillow, her fingertips twitching slightly. A strong desire to touch her surged within him, but he suppressed it with all his might.

He must not wake her.

He cannot tarnish this moonlight.

He just wanted to enjoy this tranquility alone, in a corner she didn't know about.

Only when a faint gray-white tinge appeared on the horizon outside the window did Xie Yan quietly retreat, disappearing back into the aquarium in the study, transforming back into the quiet, weak pink seahorse.