Chapter 20: The Jade Bracelet

“I haven’t even asked anything yet, and you’ve already spilled everything out, Manli. Explanation is just a disguise, and disguise is just making up stories. I’m beginning to suspect something,” Lu Qiqi said with a smile that carried a hint of meaning. She looked at Shen Manli’s back with a slight chill, unsure whether she was being serious or joking.

Shen Manli felt a bit helpless and cast a pleading glance toward Si Qinyu, who stepped forward to defuse the tension. “Qiqi, don’t joke around like that. You’ve scared her.”

“Oh, you’re my husband, how can you care for other women? If I didn’t know you two well, I’d really be jealous,” Lu Qiqi teased, her tone a playful mix of truth and jest, sending their hearts on a rollercoaster—soaring high then crashing down.

Feeling it was about time, Lu Qiqi no longer wished to linger outside teasing them. “Alright, time’s almost up. We should go in now.”

Si Qinyu moved to wrap his arm around Lu Qiqi’s waist, but she deftly dodged him, flashing the invitation card in her hand. “We were invited as representatives of different companies; it’s better to enter separately.”

Clicking her heels, Lu Qiqi strode away from Si Qinyu and Shen Manli. Watching her retreating figure, Shen Manli’s eyes burned with deep jealousy. It was always like this—Lu Qiqi deliberately stealing her spotlight! When would she finally disappear for good?

Si Qinyu’s expression darkened as well. He understood Lu Qiqi’s intent—not to mix the two companies. Yet his own goal was the opposite: to claim everything as his own.

He grasped Shen Manli’s hand, slowly tightening it as if envisioning the assets and power soon to be his. Shen Manli winced slightly but, seeing the determination in his eyes, she too felt a strange thrill.

“The charity auction officially begins now. Dear guests, the first item up for auction has a starting bid of one hundred thousand, with increments of ten thousand,” the host announced from the stage. She wore a sleek women’s suit, her headset microphone catching every word as she smiled graciously.

The first item was a pair of delicate diamond earrings, their clarity and cut flawless, sparkling beautifully under the lights.

As a warm-up, bidders eagerly joined in, and the earrings were sold at a moderate price, successfully igniting the atmosphere.

The earrings ended up in Si Qinyu’s hands. Seeing Shen Manli’s smiling face, Lu Qiqi immediately understood that Si Qinyu had deliberately won them to gift to her.

For the sake of a beauty’s smile, Si Qinyu had indeed spent heart and soul. But Lu Qiqi had no intention of letting them gloat. With a radiant smile, she turned to them and said, “Honey, how did you know I liked these earrings? Thank you.”

Shen Manli’s smile froze. She looked at Si Qinyu in disbelief, her eyes brimming with tears of grievance. Seeing her pitiful expression, Si Qinyu felt a pang of sympathy but couldn’t bring himself to contradict Lu Qiqi.

“These earrings match the diamond necklace I gave you last time, so I bought them for you. I’m glad you like them,” he said, shooting Shen Manli a consoling glance. She understood the message—though still unsatisfied, she nodded obediently, knowing Si Qinyu favored her calm, understanding nature.

Several more items followed, but neither Si Qinyu nor Lu Qiqi participated in the bidding. Lu Qiqi glanced occasionally at Chu Linchen, who appeared uninterested in bidding, as if this charity auction was unrelated to him.

He sat quietly, swirling a glass of pale golden champagne, his handsome face half-lit under the overhead lights, seeming out of place in this setting.

Suddenly, Lu Qiqi’s eyes caught an item—a jade bracelet, a pale green hue, smooth and delicate, though the quality was only above average.

Yet the bracelet looked eerily familiar; it resembled the one her mother had given her on her coming-of-age ceremony. Was this mere coincidence, or was it truly hers?

The bracelet was beautiful, and as knowledgeable bidders began to compete, Lu Qiqi, to confirm her suspicion and to prevent the bracelet her mother had given her from falling into others’ hands, raised her bidding paddle for the first time.

“One hundred thousand.”

“Two hundred thousand.”

The bidding escalated rapidly. Nearby, Si Qinyu couldn’t help but intervene. “Enough, Qiqi, it’s too expensive. This bracelet isn’t worth that much! Stop now!”

But Lu Qiqi ignored him and continued bidding.

Those competing against her realized she was determined to win the bracelet and reluctantly lowered their paddles, conceding. At such a price, buying the bracelet would be a loss—not worth being overcharged.

A few onlookers curious about the lavish spender glanced at Lu Qiqi, wondering who she was to waste so much on a bracelet of only moderate quality.

Ignoring their stares, Lu Qiqi retrieved the bracelet backstage immediately after winning it. Under the light, she inspected it carefully and indeed found a very fine scratch on the inner side.

That scratch was from when she had accidentally bumped it after receiving it, which was why she had been reluctant to wear it and kept it locked away in a safe.

How had the bracelet, carefully secured at home, ended up on the auction block at this charity gala?

There had to be a mole at home—either Si Qinyu or Shen Manli. Lu Qiqi suspected Shen Manli, who was petty enough to steal small things, while Si Qinyu had no reason to do such a thing. He was foolish once, but if he truly wanted something, all she had to do was offer it willingly.

Sliding the recovered bracelet onto her wrist, Lu Qiqi made to leave. Si Qinyu waited outside and, upon seeing the bracelet on her wrist, his face darkened.

“What are you thinking? I told you this thing isn’t worth it. You just threw down over a million for it. You could buy a whole box with that money. I told you not to come, so why are you here making a fool of yourself?”

Si Qinyu had long considered Lu Qiqi’s money as his own. Her reckless spending displeased him greatly, but more upsetting was her defiance—disregarding his advice and losing face for him in public.