Volume One, Chapter 18: If You Can Spend Me Into Bankruptcy, That Would Be a Skill of Yours

He suddenly bent down, his warm breath brushing against the pendant at her earlobe. “Focus and cooperate with me.”

This man—what a waste that the international film scene hasn’t given him a place! He could outshine them all.

Bian Xunzhou straightened up, his sharply defined hand brushing a strand of long hair from Wen Xuyu’s ear, his expression gentle. “For example, right now, she’s thinking about how to step on my foot with her high heel to get back at me.”

Madam Qiao and Qiao Wanyun exchanged a glance, both somewhat incredulous.

Was this really the unruly troublemaker they knew from the capital’s elite circle?

“We won’t interfere in the playfulness between you young couples,” Madam Qiao said with a smile.

Wen Xuyu’s cheeks burned. Out of sight, she couldn’t help but pinch the inside of the man’s arm, while on the surface she displayed a sweet, false smile. “Please excuse him, he always loves to joke around.”

Qiao Wanyun thought: Are you serious? Does he look like someone who jokes?

Bian Xunzhou lowered his gaze, glancing at her profile.

Only she would do something as reckless as hurting the enemy a thousand times at the cost of eight hundred of her own.

But, to think she knows how to fight back now—how interesting!

“Very good,” Madam Qiao said, gratified. “Feel free to enjoy yourselves. There are some matters I must attend to personally, so if you’ll excuse me.”

“Take care,” Wen Xuyu nodded.

Qiao Wanyun looked at the two, raising her brows with meaningful implication. “Xunzhou, don’t leave too early tonight; there’s still the banquet!”

Once the others had left, Wen Xuyu realized the man’s hand was still at her waist. She instinctively pulled away to put some distance between them.

Bian Xunzhou adjusted his cuff, reverting to his usual cold and distant demeanor.

“…What a coincidence!” Wen Xuyu greeted him first, though her smile seemed rather forced.

Bian Xunzhou wore no mask. His piercing gaze cut straight to the heart, his tone icy. “Quite the coincidence.”

Coincidence enough to witness her act of bravery—and to see her being invited into a private box for tea.

Wen Xuyu knew there were plenty of suspicious things about her: How had she gotten in? Why had she suddenly come to this auction?

Fortunately, Bian Xunzhou didn’t press her, and she certainly wasn’t foolish enough to bring it up herself.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now!”

She didn’t wait for his reply, turning to leave, but the next second her wrist was caught.

“Didn’t you hear what Qiao Wanyun said?” Bian Xunzhou’s brows furrowed. “If you leave, how am I supposed to explain?”

Was she doing this on purpose?

Wen Xuyu: “…”

She felt the warmth of his grip on her wrist and twisted free. “Sorry about that…”

She apologized, but her eyes held no trace of regret.

“Come with me,” Bian Xunzhou said, leading her down another hallway straight into the private box.

Downstairs, the auction was drawing to a close.

“By the way, regarding your background, shouldn’t you give me a detailed profile?” Wen Xuyu hesitated, then finally voiced her request.

Bian Xunzhou turned to look at her.

Afraid he’d misunderstand, she hurried to explain.

“It’s for emergencies. Like last time, I had no idea how to deal with your father or that… other person,” Wen Xuyu trailed off, unsure how to address them. “And this time too, I don’t know your relationship with them. For a newlywed couple, that’s not exactly normal, is it?”

Bian Xunzhou gazed at her for a long moment, then nodded in agreement.

“I’ll have Lu Zhao send you a file later.”

Wen Xuyu relaxed and turned her attention to the auction below.

The view from the box was excellent—she could see everything clearly.

On stage, the auctioneer was introducing the final lot.

“Distinguished guests, the next item is the highlight of tonight’s auction—”

Wearing white gloves and standing before a gilded podium, the auctioneer lifted the dust cover from the tray with a flourish.

In an instant, a pool of vivid green appeared before everyone’s eyes.

It was a jade bracelet of extraordinary purity, its surface glowing with a lustrous sheen under the lights, flawless, its green rich yet not garish.

The most remarkable feature was when the auctioneer slowly rotated the tray: inside the bracelet, a natural mist-like pattern emerged.

“This bracelet dates back to the Tang Dynasty. According to experts, it was custom-made by a prince consort for the princess, symbolizing a love stronger than gold, enduring together until old age. It is a rare treasure,” the auctioneer continued.

A chorus of gasps rose from the audience.

“The starting bid is twenty million,” the auctioneer announced.

Many people started raising their paddles, and the price quickly doubled to forty million.

Downstairs, Wen Qianxue gazed at the bracelet, her eyes alight with desire.

“Zeyan, that bracelet is beautiful!”

Xu Zeyan stiffened. That wasn’t four million—it was a solid forty million, and likely to go higher.

He hadn’t brought nearly enough for such a sum, but with things at this point, he couldn’t back down without losing face. Gritting his teeth, he relented.

“You want it?”

“Can I?” Wen Qianxue blinked up at him, eyes full of hope and admiration.

“Well, we’re getting married anyway. The meaning of this bracelet is perfect—it can be our token of love.” Xu Zeyan’s heart ached at the thought.

“Wonderful! I love you so much, Zeyan!” Wen Qianxue threw herself into his arms, playing the sweet, demure woman to perfection.

She knew exactly how to get to Xu Zeyan.

Sure enough, Xu Zeyan began raising his paddle. “Forty-five million.”

Wen Qianxue’s eyes sparkled, as if the bracelet was already hers.

*

In the box on the second floor—

Wen Xuyu was thoroughly bored, enough to stifle a yawn as she lazily scanned the crowd.

Suddenly, two figures caught her attention.

Was that… Wen Qianxue and Xu Zeyan?

Wen Xuyu touched her mask, thinking to herself: Luckily, she’d worn it on stage just now.

Soon she heard Xu Zeyan start bidding—his target was the jade bracelet.

She looked up; it was indeed a piece worth collecting.

No wonder Wen Qianxue wanted it!

If she had the money, she’d definitely bid against them—just to cause them some trouble, if nothing else.

Wen Xuyu mused silently, unaware that her expression had already been noticed by Bian Xunzhou.

“Do you want that bracelet?” the man suddenly asked.

“Huh?”

Wen Xuyu was about to refuse, but then she thought of what those two had done before. The words of rejection changed as they reached her lips.

“Is it possible?” she asked cautiously, measuring a small distance with her thumb and forefinger. “It might be a bit expensive!”

Bian Xunzhou was speechless. With his wealth, he could buy countless bracelets like that—this woman really had no idea what he was capable of!

“If you manage to bankrupt me, that would be a feat in itself.”

For the first time, Wen Xuyu found Bian Xunzhou truly charming—so handsome!

Since that was the case, she wouldn’t hold back.

Lu Zhao came in to take her bidding number.

Bian Xunzhou lounged on the sofa, swirling a wine glass in his hand, long legs crossed, the tailored suit pants hugging his powerful thighs, utterly at ease.

He watched Wen Xuyu’s eager figure, sensing her excitement, and seemed to realize a small hobby of hers.

She liked jade bracelets?