"Luck is a part of strength!" Chen Yang proudly declared.

Qin Qiu tugged at his arm. "Stop being so smug! I really have to thank you this time for helping me get that land back at the lowest possible price!"

"There's no need for thanks between us, is there?" Chen Yang said with a wink.

"You…"

Qin Qiu wanted to retort, but when the words reached her lips, she simply couldn't say them.

"I admire your luck, Chen," Xiang Yang said, his eyes twinkling. He smiled. "Let's see what the next auction items are."

He clearly remembered Qin Qiu lingering for a long time over a crystal necklace in the promotional brochure. She definitely liked it but probably thought the price was too steep. For someone like him, however, that was no issue at all. It's just money. What is that to the great young master of the Xiang family? I'll buy that necklace and give it to her. We'll see if you can still smile then, you useless, lucky piece of trash!

The auction continued, and the subsequent items finally returned to normal. Bids grew fiercer with each lot, sparking rounds of intense competition.

The auctioneer breathed a huge sigh of relief. If things had continued like before, his career would have been over.

Amid the fiery atmosphere, the auction passed the halfway mark.

After an antique dealer purchased a Jade Ruyi for 500,000, a beautifully designed, exquisitely crafted, and dazzlingly fashionable crystal necklace was brought to the stage.

After it was displayed on the hostess, the venue erupted with exclamations!

"So beautiful!"

"No wonder it's one of the final items! Tsk, it's stunning beyond words!"

"..."

Waves of praise rose and fell.

Chen Yang shook his head. "What a pity. It's not pretty at all."

"Ha!" Xiang Yang couldn't resist joking, "Everyone says it's beautiful, Chen, but not you? Are you afraid Xiaoqiu might want it, so you're trying to put her off the idea preemptively?"

Qin Qiu subconsciously glanced at Chen Yang.

She did adore the necklace, but its exorbitant price had already made her dismiss any thought of owning it, regardless of what Chen Yang said.

But if that was truly his intention, then there was a definite problem with his character.

Chen Yang pursed his lips and met Qin Qiu's gaze, his eyes full of affection. "What I mean is, the necklace doesn't look good on the hostess. Its true value would only be revealed if it were worn by you."

It wasn't a pickup line, but it was more effective than one.

Qin Qiu froze for a second before a blush crept up her cheeks, and she quickly turned her head away.

This guy is so disgustingly cheesy! And in front of all these people... He's so shameless!

To Chen Yang, the sight of Qin Qiu in this moment—her cool aloofness mixed with a touch of shyness and a hint of irritation—was the most beautiful thing in the world. He watched her, completely entranced, wishing he could stay in this moment forever.

"Are you still looking?!" Qin Qiu hissed through clenched teeth.

Only then did Chen Yang tear his gaze away, grinning widely.

Nearby, Xiang Yang, who had come specifically for Qin Qiu, felt as if his heart was being torn to shreds. His eyes burned with rage. How could he possibly endure such a scene?

Taking a deep breath, he said nonchalantly, "It's a shame the price is too high. Ordinary people can't afford it."

"Indeed," Chen Yang agreed.

With a starting bid of eight million, heaven knew what the final price would be. Still, if he really wanted to buy it, it wouldn't be a problem.

"It seems everyone has a discerning eye! This necklace, known as the Heart of the Angel, has quite a history! If you turn back the pages of history more than two hundred years, you'll find that on a momentous occasion, a king presented this very necklace—a symbol of luck and happiness—to his queen!"

Instantly, a wave of gasps swept through the venue.

"Friends, I'm sure you all understand the value and significance of this necklace! The starting bid is eight million. Let the bidding begin!"

Several men who had come without their wives immediately raised their paddles.

Suddenly, the hall was ablaze with excitement, as if money was no object. Many of the women were ecstatic, covering their mouths with their hands, barely restraining themselves from jumping up and screaming.

Qin Qiu remained perfectly still, her heart untroubled. Though she loved it, she had accepted she couldn't afford it and had let the desire go completely. However, despite her calm, her eyes were a little dim. A woman is a woman, after all.

In less than ten minutes, the price of the Heart of the Angel had skyrocketed to fifteen million, nearly doubling its starting price! The most terrifying part was that the feverish energy in the room showed no sign of weakening.

Chen Yang sat with one leg crossed over the other, looking completely unconcerned.

Xiang Yang smiled at Qin Qiu and asked, "Xiaoqiu, what do you think of this necklace?"

"It's pretty," she replied noncommittally.

Xiang Yang nodded and suddenly raised his paddle. "Twenty million!"

It was his first bid of the night. The massive five-million jump quelled all other bidders and cast a sudden hush over the vast auction hall.

This guy is clearly playing dirty, and he's determined to win! To compete with him, you'd have to raise the bid by five million at a time. Who can afford that?

As a result, even as the women beside them urged them on, the men didn't dare make another sound.

Both Qin Qiu and Chen Yang were taken aback and turned to look at Xiang Yang. Paired with what he'd just said, wasn't it painfully obvious who he was buying the necklace for?

Chen Yang had to laugh. So that was his plan! Buy the necklace and present it to Qin Qiu right in front of him. Whether she accepted it or not, he, Chen Yang, would utterly lose face. A brilliant scheme, he had to admit.

How could Qin Qiu not see it? But what could she say? Feeling helpless, she grabbed Chen Yang's arm. "Let's go!"

"It's alright. It won't be too late to leave after I've bought this necklace for you," Chen Yang said with a smile to a stunned Qin Qiu, then raised his paddle. "Twenty-five million."

Qin Qiu: "..."

Xiang Yang: "..."

The others in the hall might admire Chen Yang's courage, but they—Qin Qiu and Xiang Yang—knew he didn't have that kind of money, let alone a sum of over twenty million.

Qin Qiu pulled on his arm and said in a low voice, "Chen Yang, what are you doing! What did I tell you before about being impulsive?"

"I'm not being impulsive. I just saw that you like it," Chen Yang said with a grin.

Qin Qiu was stunned, then she grew frantic. "This is tens of millions! Where would you get that much money?"

"I have my ways."

He had been planning to wait for the auction to end, find the buyer, and purchase the necklace from them at a high price. Then he would find the right moment to give it to Qin Qiu. However, Xiang Yang's interference had completely ruined that plan.

Xiang Yang narrowed his eyes, glancing at Chen Yang. "I didn't realize you liked it as well, Chen. Shall we see who comes out on top?"

His manner was perfectly polite, leaving no room for criticism.

After giving Qin Qiu a reassuring look, Chen Yang smiled. "Please, go ahead."

"Thirty million!" Xiang Yang declared lightly.

All eyes swung back to Chen Yang, eager to watch the two tigers fight.

"Sixty million."

What?!

The entire room seemed to freeze, the attendees staring in stunned silence. He doubled the price instantly? The sheer audacity!

Before they could recover, Chen Yang said with a sly smile, "Brother Xiang, you raised the bid by five million, and I followed your lead. Now it's your turn to follow mine, isn't it?"

This meant that if Xiang Yang wanted to bid again, the minimum would be ninety million.

Xiang Yang: "..."

"..."

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