Chapter 147: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (22)
Yu Nian didn’t know how long she stared.
She couldn’t even remember where she had put her AirPod, or what the auctioneer had said.
The English words went in one ear and out the other, her gaze fixed on Su Mingxiu.
—As if trying to sear every detail, every strand of hair, into her memory.
Her intense gaze even made Sheng Tianheng, sitting beside Su Mingxiu, glance back.
But he didn’t react, only turning to look at Su Mingxiu, then returning his attention to the auctioneer.
After the introductions, the details of the land being auctioned were presented. Yu Wanru, confident in her information, leaned back in her chair, a relaxed, self-assured posture.
As expected, the bidding began, Sheng Tianheng’s assistant making the first offer, slightly above the starting price.
If there truly was a gold mine, even with the 3% refining tax, acquiring the land for under three million dollars would be profitable for Wanda.
This kind of deal wouldn’t normally require Yu Wanru’s personal attention. She had come because of Sheng Tianheng’s unusual interest, suspecting valuable mineral deposits.
Most of the bidders were local companies, unable to compete with the two major Chinese real estate developers. After a few rounds, only Tianyan, Wanda, and an unknown company remained.
Yu Wanru, seeing the unknown bidder sitting beside Sheng Tianheng, had her secretary investigate. Her secretary, always prepared, quickly accessed the company’s information on her laptop.
But the company’s ownership structure was simple, a single owner with 100% shares, a typical small mining company.
She also checked the owner’s background, an entrepreneur with eight years of experience, no significant backing.
The secretary whispered the information to Yu Wanru.
Eliminating this unknown factor, Yu Wanru was even more certain about the gold mine.
She aggressively raised the bids, outbidding the mining company owner.
The middle-aged man, wiping the sweat from his forehead, glanced at Yu Wanru.
But Yu Wanru’s attention was on Tianyan, not bothering with small fry.
Suddenly…
Sheng Tianheng, who had been quiet, turned to the mining company owner and offered him a wet wipe.
As the man looked at him, Sheng Tianheng took the bidding paddle from his assistant and, leaning closer to Su Mingxiu, whispered: “The show is about to begin.”
He was so close that Yu Nian couldn’t help but notice, her heart clenching with jealousy as she looked at his expensive clothes, his privileged background.
He and Su Mingxiu… seem so close.
What’s their relationship?
Su Mingxiu glanced at him, knowing that Yu Nian had been staring at her since she entered. Sheng Tianheng’s actions were only adding fuel to the fire.
After all, he had said that keeping her at arm’s length was the safest option.
She didn’t respond, leaning back in her chair, seemingly indifferent to the outcome of the bidding. Yu Wanru, perhaps misinterpreting her actions,
Continued raising the bids, even exceeding her three million dollar limit, determined to make Tianyan pay, even if she didn’t win.
Sheng Tianheng had the same thought. Just as he was about to raise the bid to 4.2 million, Su Mingxiu suddenly said: “That’s enough, Mr. Sheng, we don’t have that much money.”
Sheng Tianheng, as if convinced, put down his paddle. “As you wish,” he said, his tone full of trust.
Yu Wanru, seeing this, scoffed, thinking she had judged Su Mingxiu correctly. This woman never disappointed, always using the same tricks.
She had thought Sheng Tianheng was more astute, but… even heroes succumbed to beauty.
This man, entangled with a spendthrift like Su Mingxiu, was doomed.
—If it weren’t for that woman’s words, I would have raised the bid to 4.5 million and let Tianyan take the loss.
But it didn’t matter, it was a minor setback.
The auctioneer, after confirming that there were no more bids, finalized the deal, announcing Wanda Group as the winner.
Sheng Tianheng stood up, a polite smile on his face. “Congratulations, Ms. Yu.”
Then, he left with the middle-aged man, Su Mingxiu, and his assistant, not even glancing back, as if they didn’t know anyone else.
Yu Nian, watching Su Mingxiu’s green dress disappear through the grand doors, couldn’t sit still any longer. Excusing herself, she left through the back door.
Looking at the long, carpeted hallway, she felt a sense of disorientation.
Since promising Yu Wanru that she wouldn’t see Su Mingxiu again, and with Yu Wanru’s surveillance, having cut off all contact, she had known… that she could only see Su Mingxiu again when she was strong enough.
But…
This encounter was like a gift, a surprise, and she knew that if she missed this opportunity, she didn’t know when she would see Su Mingxiu again.
If they hadn’t met, perhaps she could have endured it, but having tasted this drop of rain in the desert, quenching her thirst, how could she resist wanting more?
The longing in her heart was like new feathers sprouting on a bird, growing everywhere, an unbearable itch.
She started walking quickly, through the empty restaurant, then down a hallway adorned with paintings, then, realizing she had reached a dead end, she turned and ran, as if trying to outrun time.
There were only regular rooms on this floor, the suites were on the higher floors with better views. Yu Nian wanted to knock on every door,
But there were hotel staff around, so she tried asking them instead.
Unfortunately…
No one knew.
Dejected, she entered the elevator, realizing she didn’t have her key card. She was about to press the button for the first floor when the elevator started ascending, the numbers flashing, finally stopping at the 36th floor.
“Ding.”
The doors opened, and Yu Nian, her reflection in the golden elevator walls, looked up.
The cool air from the hallway brought the scent of a forest, a faint whisper of hope in her shattered heart.
The woman in the green dress stood there, a gentle smile in her eyes. Yu Nian stared, frozen.
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, she lunged forward.
Su Mingxiu instinctively stepped back, catching her. Looking down at the person in her arms, she thought Yu Nian seemed taller, her body more firm, not as soft as before.
Must be all that exercise.
She thought.
Yu Nian looked up, her emotions overflowing silently, her eyes slightly red, as if lightly dusted with pink eyeshadow. She stared at Su Mingxiu, feeling the warmth of her embrace, this unexpected reunion like a dream.
She leaned closer, wanting to kiss those rose-like lips.
But Su Mingxiu’s index finger stopped her.
“So long no see, and not even a greeting? So rude.”
Yu Nian’s lips brushed against Su Mingxiu’s cool fingertip, and she froze. Su Mingxiu withdrew her finger, looked at her for a moment, then wiped her own lips and gently rubbed her fingertip against Yu Nian’s lower lip.
“Why so pale?”
She rubbed Yu Nian’s lips, the color transferring.
Yu Nian was about to say that she had been running, but realizing what Su Mingxiu was doing, her mind went blank.
I’m going crazy.
She didn’t dare speak, afraid of accidentally brushing her lips against Su Mingxiu’s finger, the lingering warmth too tempting. Like a puppet, she let Su Mingxiu do as she pleased.
Su Mingxiu noticed that she was only wearing one AirPod. “Where’s the other one?” she asked, her tone casual, as if they had been living together.
Yu Nian didn’t answer.
Su Mingxiu sighed, took off one of her earrings, and, seeing that Yu Nian didn’t have pierced ears, playfully hooked it onto her earlobe, watching it dangle precariously, a mischievous smile on her lips.
Then, as if dissatisfied with Yu Nian’s lack of reaction, she gently pinched Yu Nian’s earlobe, leaning closer, her lips curving into a smile. “What, did Yu Wanru poison you and make you mute?”
Her breath was warm, carrying a fragrance Yu Nian had never smelled before, a new perfume perhaps, or… a custom-made scent, Su Mingxiu’s secret weapon.
She was like a bewitching demon, capable of stealing one’s soul with a single glance. Yu Nian, her ears burning, thought she was truly going crazy.
Whether driven mad by their long separation or by Su Mingxiu’s intimate gestures,
She suddenly grabbed the back of Su Mingxiu’s head and kissed her, her movements forceful, almost biting.
The dangling earring fell onto the carpet, its delicate chain tangled.
The carpet, snagged by a high heel, its smooth surface now rumpled, a silent testament to their passionate embrace.
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