Chapter 33 Father-in-law's Support
"The Record of Dongshan?" Ruan Yao pretended to think, then her eyes lit up slightly. "Are you referring to the edition printed in Lin'an Prefecture during the Southern Song Dynasty, the one with the 'Ink Maniac' seal on the title page?"
Huo Wenbo was completely stunned, unable to hide the surprise on his face.
"Yes! That's the version! You've seen it?"
“I’m not sure if it’s the same book,” Ruan Yao said uncertainly. “My maternal grandparents knew a family of book collectors in the southern part of the city. I think I heard an elder mention it when I was a child, and it seems that a friend of theirs had this book. I just don’t know if that elder is still alive, or if the book is still in his possession.”
“South City…” Huo Wenbo murmured to himself, a glimmer of hope burning in his eyes.
"Young lady, could you... could you help me ask around? If you can find it, I'm willing to pay a hefty sum to buy it!" Huo Wenbo's tone was already tinged with urgency.
"No need for money." Ruan Yao smiled, her eyes crinkling. "How about this, I'll ask around for you, and I'll contact you again if I have any news."
"Thank you so much!"
Huo Wenbo couldn't hide his excitement. He took out a business card holder and a pen from the inside pocket of his suit, wrote down his personal phone number and address, and handed it over.
"This is my contact information. If you have any news, feel free to contact me anytime, or you can come to my house directly."
Ruan Yao accepted it with both hands, smiling slightly.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Ruan Yao made an excuse to leave and turned back to the banquet hall.
Huo Wenbo watched her departing figure, still immersed in the immense joy of finding the rare book, feeling somewhat elated.
He was jolted back to his senses when a commotion erupted at the garden entrance.
He actually forgot to ask the little girl her name.
Then, he suddenly remembered the "task" his wife had given him.
Huo Wenbo gasped.
broken.
We were so engrossed in chatting that we forgot about the important matter.
What's worse, he didn't even know what the mission target, "Ruan Yao," looked like!
Huo Wenbo rubbed his temples, feeling utterly overwhelmed.
Is it still not too late to go back and look for it now?
*
When Ruan Yao returned to the banquet hall, it was already dark inside, with only the stage in front lit up.
The charity auction has begun.
Not wanting to join the crowd at the front, she found an inconspicuous corner at the back to sit down.
Zhou Yayun was furious because she hadn't gotten anywhere with the previous incident. She was looking around when she spotted Ruan Yao in the corner.
Wearing high heels and carrying a glass of red wine, she walked straight over and sat down in the empty seat next to her.
"Miss Ruan, why are you hiding here all by yourself? Well, you probably can't even find anyone to talk to."
Her entourage also laughed, their voices not loud, but loud enough for people at the surrounding tables to hear.
Ruan Yao raised her eyes, still with that gentle and harmless look.
"She is not as good as Miss Zhou, who is like a peacock wherever she goes, as if she is afraid that others will not see her."
Zhou Yayun's face stiffened for a moment.
Ruan Yao seemed to suddenly remember something, and added with a smile.
"By the way, I heard that the Zhou family is also thinking about developing a cultural tourism project? The South City Development Project that our Ruan family just acquired has a very promising future. If Miss Zhou is interested, I can share some of my experience another day."
The Zhou family also competed for that project in the south of the city, but in the end, the Ruan family, a dark horse, snatched it away, which made Zhou Tianhao furious.
Ruan Yao's words were like another knife being plunged into Zhou Ya Yun's heart.
"You!" Zhou Yayun was so angry that her face turned pale, and the knuckles of her fingers holding the wine glass turned blue.
Looking at Ruan Yao's calm and collected face, her anger reached its peak.
The next second, Zhou Yayun twisted her wrist, and the orange juice in the glass splashed all over Ruan Yao's champagne-colored dress.
On the champagne-colored skirt, a large orange-yellow stain stood out starkly.
Ruan Yao's face finally darkened.
Seeing this, Zhou Yayun's smugness was almost overflowing.
The small Ruan family dares to challenge the Zhou family!
She wanted to embarrass Ruan Yao in public.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry!"
Zhou Yayun apologized, but there was no remorse on her face. Instead, she raised her voice a few decibels, successfully attracting the attention of those around her.
"Miss Ruan, are you alright? Look at my hand, it's so unsteady."
"But really, why do you always like to hide in corners like this? I didn't even see you. Oh, right, after all, the starting prices for the items here aren't small. Miss Ruan, just take a look, just take a look."
As she spoke, she proudly waved the bidding paddle she had just won for a blue and white porcelain vase.
"Unlike me, at least I've contributed a little bit to charity."
The humiliation was all too obvious.
Ruan Yao became the focus of attention, standing there with her skirt in disarray, enduring gazes from all directions.
She looked at her ruined dress, then glanced at Zhou Yayun's smug face, and her expression finally darkened.
Zhou Yayun, you've really gone too far.
Just as Zhou Yayun was waiting to see her lose her composure and embarrass herself, the stage lights suddenly changed.
The host announced in an excited and uplifting tone: "Next up is tonight's grand finale, a one-of-a-kind necklace designed by the internationally renowned jewelry designer 'Fates'—'Moonlight'!"
A dark blue velvet display board was pushed to the center of the stage.
A spotlight shone on the velvet display stand, where a dazzling diamond necklace lay quietly.
The main diamond refracted an icy blue light under the light, cool and noble, breathtakingly beautiful.
A gasp of amazement erupted from the audience.
Everyone's attention was drawn to the necklace.
"Starting bid: eight million!"
Once the price was announced, many people who had been eager to try their luck backed down.
"Ten million," a wealthy businessman raised his sign.
"Twelve million."
Prices continued to rise, and the atmosphere became tense.
Zhou Yayun no longer cared about mocking Ruan Yao; her entire attention was drawn to the necklace.
Just as the price was stuck at 20 million, a deep yet weighty male voice came from the VIP area.
"Fifty million."
The entire room fell silent instantly.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound, their faces filled with shock.
Who is so generous as to more than double the price?
In the VIP section, a middle-aged man with a refined demeanor and a calm expression put down his number plate.
He is the head of the Huo family, Huo Wenbo.
The host's voice trembled with excitement.
"Fifty million! Mr. Huo has offered fifty million! Is there anyone offering higher?"
The entire banquet hall fell silent; no one dared to challenge the Huo family anymore.
"Fifty million once! Fifty million twice! Fifty million three times! Sold!"
The decision was final.
Under the watchful eyes of all the guests, Huo Wenbo stood up and slowly walked down the steps.
Everyone assumed he would leave with the priceless necklace.
However, Huo Wenbo walked straight through the crowd and stepped into that secluded corner, stopping in front of Ruan Yao to everyone's astonishment.
Zhou Yayun's smug smile froze completely, and an ominous premonition gripped her heart.
Ruan Yao was also stunned.
Huo Wenbo took the necklace gift box from the waiter's tray and stopped in front of Ruan Yao.
He didn't even glance at Zhou Yayun, whose face was deathly pale, but instead opened the gift box in front of everyone.
“A few days ago, my wife had a sudden accident at the event, and it was this Miss Ruan who remained calm and saved my wife’s life. The Huo family will always remember this kindness.”
He handed the velvet box containing "Moonlight" to Ruan Yao.
"A small gift, nothing more."
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Mrs. Huo's savior?
A distinguished guest of the Huo family?
This seemingly unremarkable heiress of the Ruan family actually has such a background!
Zhou Yayun's mind went blank.
As she watched the necklace worth fifty million being presented to Ruan Yao, she felt her hands and feet turn ice cold, and her blood freeze.
Ruan Yao was completely stunned.
She never expected that her father-in-law, who always stayed quietly in his study and didn't care about worldly affairs in her previous life, would support her in such an earth-shattering way.
"in addition,"
Huo Wenbo's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Zhou Yayun, whose face was deathly pale, his voice flat.
"Miss Ruan is a distinguished guest of the Huo family, and she has come here tonight at the invitation of the Huo family."
One sentence, like a resounding slap, landed squarely on the faces of Zhou Yayun and the onlookers.
Zhou Yayun's legs went weak.
She never dreamed that Ruan Yao, whom she had so humiliated, would have such abilities!
The thought of the vast difference between the Zhou family and the Huo family, and the Huo family's methods, made Zhou Yayun feel dizzy and almost faint.
She's in big trouble.
With only this one thought in her mind, Zhou Yayun turned around and tried to slip away.
"stop."
Huo Wenbo spoke calmly, calling out to her.
Zhou Yayun froze on the spot, not daring to turn around.
"It seems you still owe Miss Ruan an apology."
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