He is Lovestruck in the Revenge

Chapter 139 - 139 133 The second male lead finally appears Changling

?Chapter 139: 133: The second male lead finally appears, Changling meets Xie Liangjiang. Chapter 139: 133: The second male lead finally appears, Changling meets Xie Liangjiang. Huayi Auction House and Inkwell Hall Gallery are both under the Zhou Group umbrella, and since this auction’s offerings are all artworks, Huayi decided to hold the auction at Inkwell Hall’s Exhibition Hall No. 7.

Besides collectors, many other individuals interested in investing in artworks from various sectors also attended.

Gu Yihuan also came today; his mother, Madam Guan Zhengming, is an enthusiast of ceramic artworks. Having heard from He Dongzhou that Xie Shang would also be there tonight, Gu Yihuan searched for people as soon as he entered the gallery.

He saw Xie Shang.

“Fourth brother.”

And there was Wen Changling.

Wen Changling wore a white satin dress today, resembling a delicate white flower.

Many gentlemen brought their female companions tonight, and most were arm-in-arm with the ladies, but Xie Shang and Wen Changling were different; he was holding Wen Changling’s hand.

Wen Changling’s dress was too long, so Xie Shang walked very slowly.

Out of curiosity, Madam Guan Zhengming waited where she was.

Xie Shang approached, “Auntie Guan.”

Since the Xie Family lived close to the Gu Family, and Madam Guan Zhengming got along well with Su Nanzhi.

She had already noticed the person next to Xie Shang, “And who is this?”

“My girlfriend,” Xie Shang said, looking down and addressing Wen Changling, “This is Xiao Huan’s mother.”

Wen Changling nodded as a greeting.

Madam Guan Zhengming stared at her, not averting her gaze in the least, as if looking at some kind of rarity.

Gu Yihuan tugged at Lady Guan’s bag, “Mom.”

Only then did Madam Guan Zhengming retreat from her scrutinizing gaze, “Let’s go inside.”

Once inside the exhibition hall, Gu Yihuan asked Madam Guan Zhengming, “Why were you staring at her?”

“She’s so pretty.”

Madam Guan Zhengming hadn’t recognized her; she had previously seen Wen Changling at the Xiao Zheng Family’s funeral hall.

Madam Guan Zhengming was never accurate when it came to judging people; otherwise, how could she have chosen Gu Yihuan’s father, that flirtatious playboy. She assessed Wen Changling, “So demure and seems obedient.”

Gu Yihuan murmured to himself, Wen Changling was anything but obedient.

Exhibition Hall No. 7 was spacious, with chairs arranged in the middle of the hall, a glass display case above, and the auction platform to the upper right, flanked by security guards.

The auction house had arranged Xie Shang’s seat in the second row.

Today, many familiar faces to Wen Changling were present, like up there to the left, that person from the Xie Family.

“Xie Shang, your dad is watching you.”

Xie Shang had not yet brought Wen Changling to meet the Xie Family, “Do you know him?”

“I’ve seen his photo online,” Wen Changling glanced in Xie Liangjiang’s direction, “Aren’t you going to say hello?”

“He and I seldom communicate in public.”

Xie Liangjiang knew Xie Shang had a girlfriend, but he didn’t know who she was, only hearing that she was a nurse. Xie Liangjiang couldn’t meddle in Xie Shang’s affairs and had called once to inquire, but Xie Shang didn’t reveal a single detail.

After the incident with Xie Qingze years ago, Wen Yuan moved away from Wind Town with her two children before the funeral; Xie Shang was unsure how much Xie Liangjiang knew about Wen Yuan’s daughter.

Xie Shang preferably didn’t want the Xie Family mingling with Wen Changling just yet.

He naturally shielded her from Xie Liangjiang’s view, “The auction is about to start.”

Today’s auction adopted an anonymous format, meaning the artists’ names wouldn’t be disclosed during the auction, allowing bidders to solely judge the works on their own merit.

This was a unique auction format of Huayi Auction House, and their public explanation was that investors in the market only valued the reputation of the artists, neglecting the works themselves, leading to an increasingly commercialized art market.

As a result, most of Huayi’s auctions employed this anonymous format.

The first auction item was presented, an oil painting.

Each bidder had a number, and Xie Shang was number 018.

Wen Changling asked quietly, “Is it the 258 pattern for raising the paddle?”

“Mhm.”

However, Huayi’s 258 pattern was slightly different, with the bid increments changing in accordance with the value of the item—ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million, and so on.

If the bid increment unit was a hundred thousand, the second paddle raise would be two hundred thousand, and then five hundred thousand, eight hundred thousand, one million, one million two hundred thousand… and it continued in this fashion.

If the bid increment unit was one million, then the second raise would be two million, followed by five million.

The second auction item was a piece of porcelain, a three-legged animal.

Xie Shang asked Wen Changling, “Want it?”

She shook her head.

The third auction item was a fan.

Xie Shang inquired again, “How about this one?”

She still shook her head.

“I’m just here to watch the fun, not to buy.”

The thirteenth lot was an embroidery piece, “Yao Zhou Painting,” depicting the terraced tea gardens of Yao Zhou.

With each bid increment set at one hundred thousand, the bidding reached two million when Xie Shang raised his paddle.

The auctioneer announced, “Bidder 018, two point two million.”

Bidder 033 raised their paddle.

Seizing the moment, Wen Changling asked Xie Shang, “Do you like this piece?”

“It’s for you,” Xie Shang raised his paddle again. “You’ve been watching it intently, don’t you like it?”

“Bidder 018, two point eight million.”

Someone upped the bid, still bidder 033.

Xie Shang was about to continue when Wen Changling grabbed his hand, “I don’t like it, don’t bid anymore.”

The terraced tea gardens embroidered in the “Yao Zhou Painting” closely resembled those in Wind Town. Wen Changling had merely been reminded of Wind Town and was lost in thought, not actually desiring the work.

At that point, someone else raised a paddle.

“Bidder 009, three point two million.”

It was Xie Liangjiang.

Both Xie Shang and Wen Changling glanced in that direction.

After several rounds, bidder 033 gave up, and the “Yao Zhou Painting” was ultimately knocked down to Xie Liangjiang for four point two million.

The twenty-first lot was a piece of calligraphy, starting at one hundred thousand, with each bid increment also set at one hundred thousand.

The auction house provided two types of paddles, red and blue, with the red ones belonging to anonymous bidders who could request the auction house keep their identity confidential.

“Bidder 067, six point two million, any further bids?”

Bidder 067 had a red paddle.

“Bidder 067, six point two million for the first time, bidder 067, six point two million for the second time, bidder 067, six point two million for the third time.” The auctioneer hammered down, “Sold.”

This was the highest-priced lot sold so far.

Xie Shang glanced back.

Zhu Huanzhi sat in the second-to-last row, struggling to conceal his joy.

Xie Shang sent a message to He Dongzhou: [Number, F418, Zhu Huanzhi]
The final lot was the Bronze Sculpture of Kirin, the highlight of the evening, with bids increasing in increments of one million.

The instant the auctioneer hammered down, one of the gallery staff left and made a phone call outside.

“Madam, the Bronze Sculpture of Kirin has been sold.”

“For how much?”

“Thirty-five million.”

This was the highest-priced lot of the evening.

At 9:40 pm, the auction concluded.

The main exhibition building of Inkwell Hall Gallery was a triangular structure with its highest point at the top. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could overlook the entire Inkwell Hall Gallery.

“You’re too anxious.”

Standing before the window, the man seemed to be focusing on something intently, his reflection upon the glass motionless for a long time, like a hunter poised in the darkness, ready to strike.

“My old man doesn’t have many days left, and I can’t just sit and watch Fu Ying, that bitch, take away my Zhou Family’s assets.”

At that moment, the auctioneer came in.

“President Zhou, here are the final prices for all the lots sold today.”

Zhou Sheng glanced at them, “The commission as usual, and make sure everything is clean.”

“Understood.”

The man standing by the window turned around, and the auctioneer addressed him, “Young Master Jiang.”

The man took his coat and left.

Xie Shang’s car was parked on the road opposite the gallery, with its headlights on but the car at a standstill.

“Why aren’t we leaving?”

Xie Shang said, “Waiting for Gu Yihuan.”

Wen Changling asked, “Is he riding with us?”

“Yes, he needs to pick something up from my place.”

Wen Changling rolled down the window, wanting to feel the night breeze, and turned just as the car coming from the opposite direction came to a stop. A white car, in the instant she looked over, its window rolled down.

A hand extended from the inside, long and slender fingers with a cold, bony elegance, flicking away ash from a cigarette.

The owner of the hand was watching Wen Changling, staring at her openly and unabashedly.