Chapter 81: How Could We Be Deceiving You?

“This afternoon, at the Zhong family estate, there will be a large auction. The items up for bid are a piece of jewelry and a painting. Here’s the situation: Old Master Zhong has asked our SWAT team to keep an eye on things.” After assembling the group, Huo Xinxin announced this.

Yang Fan was taken aback. Has the Zhong family lost their minds? They're a family that made its fortune in trade—of all things to imitate, why choose auctions? And if they must, why call in the SWAT team? Do they think their auction is such a grand affair?

“Why should we care? The Zhong family is just plain stupid!” Yang Fan grumbled irritably. With this much free time, he’d rather get some sleep.

The others fell silent, even Huo Xinxin looked exasperated. Sure, the Zhong family might be foolish, but you shouldn’t say it outright!

“All right, it’s nine-thirty now. We leave for the Zhong estate at eleven sharp!”

Yang Fan sighed. After the group dispersed, he found a patch of grass and lay down for a nap. He’d catch an hour’s sleep—he really hadn’t slept at all the night before.

At ten-thirty, Yang Fan woke up shivering. It was the dead of winter; even with sunshine, it was still bitterly cold.

Opening his eyes, he reviewed the list of local magnates in his mind. The Tianning Consortium was structured like a hub and spokes: the top fifty families aside, from fifty onward, there were five major clans, and the rest formed a sort of pyramid. Take the Han and Jiang families, for instance; the clans they depended on were not the same. The Zhong family was different yet again, and this was only among those ranked fifty to one hundred. Beyond the hundredth spot, it was hardly fair to call them families at all—they didn’t even have the status to rely on the major clans. So the hundredth place was a true watershed.

Take Old Chen, for example—he was ranked one hundred and thirty-two. His ambition was to break into the top hundred, as was Yang Fan’s, Liu Mingfeng’s, and President Qian’s. Today’s trip was a chance to see things up close—not bad!

“Gather up! Over there—Yang Fan, come on!” Xiao Liu blew his whistle for orders.

Yang Fan stood up and walked over.

“It’s ten fifty. Time to move out!” Huo Xinxin split them into groups; Yang Fan was naturally in hers, with her and Xiao Liu each leading a team.

Once all were assigned, they prepared to set out.

“Wait, hold on!” Yang Fan called out.

“What is it, Yang Fan, any questions?” Xiao Liu asked.

“You can’t go dressed like that! People will think we’re just rent-a-cops. We’re SWAT—let’s not embarrass ourselves,” Yang Fan declared.

Xiao Liu forced a smile. Of course everyone wanted to look sharp, but that took money.

The others exchanged glances, not daring to comment.

“So what do you suggest we wear?” Xiao Liu asked with a grin.

“That’s easy! You know Yimei, right? We’ll go there first, change clothes, then head out!”

The others wanted to smack him. Clothes at Yimei cost tens of thousands at the very least. For a single outfit, they’d be eating plain gruel all year!

Even Xiao Liu’s face twitched. Huo Xinxin shot Yang Fan a glare—if you’re so rich, don’t drag the whole team into it!

“What are you all looking at me for? Let’s go—my treat! I’ve got a pile of vouchers that can’t be exchanged for cash. Might as well use them!”

Everyone was astonished, silently doing the math: number of people times at least fifty thousand—once again, their perception was upended.

Yang Fan had no other choice. He’d taken these vouchers from Sister Ying’s room; the Yimei salesgirls had already claimed their commissions. He couldn’t just return them. And Yang Fan, being the good guy he was, wouldn’t cheat a pretty girl out of her commission.

“Let’s go, then!” Huo Xinxin gave the order.

No denying it, Yang Fan’s image soared in everyone’s mind—a textbook case of a generous fool, second to none! But they knew Yang Fan was always easy-going; jokes aside, he was someone to admire.

Especially the new batch of female interns—who said being on the SWAT team was hard? Let them come out and see if they still think so!

In the SUV, Huo Xinxin sat with Yang Fan and two fangirl interns.

“Yang Fan, can I interview you? Do you have more money than you know what to do with?” Huo Xinxin asked, half-laughing.

“Don’t remind me. Since Lin Ruo confiscated my cards and cash, if I want to keep a pretty girl now, I can only rely on these vouchers,” Yang Fan replied.

Huo Xinxin was speechless. The two girls exchanged glances—this was a world they couldn’t fathom.

“Do you two have boyfriends?” Yang Fan asked the girls.

Huo Xinxin smacked him. Don’t corrupt the innocence of our female recruits!

“What was that for?”

“Your wife’s not here; I have to keep you in check. Otherwise, she’ll come looking for me, accusing me of setting you up,” Huo Xinxin said.

“I was just going to introduce the girls to a few good friends of mine!” Yang Fan protested. “Really, must you think I’m a troublemaker?”

“If you don’t have boyfriends, someday I’ll introduce you to a few of my good buddies.”

“Are they rich?”

“Right, I want a rich boyfriend too!”

Huo Xinxin nearly fainted—these girls really were getting led astray!

At Yimei, Yang Fan led the whole group in, picking out clothes without a second thought. The twenty-something members caused a stir in the whole store.

“That one, and that one, and that entire rack—pack them all up!”

All you could hear were gasps; even the salesgirls were wondering if they should try their luck and strike up a conversation. Money really did make life sweeter…

It wasn’t just one outfit, but two sets for each person. After picking out their clothes, Yang Fan paid the bill, leaving behind his enigmatic reputation once again. Since his purchase exceeded a million, Yimei gifted him some jewelry as a New Year’s promotion.

Yang Fan didn’t even bother to pick up the jewelry in the car.

“Miss, this is for you. I think it suits you—you’re beautiful even without makeup,” he said to one of the salesgirls.

The young woman blushed deep red.

“Sir, it’s store policy…” she stammered.

“Take it, sweetheart. Yang Fan’s simply giving a gift to his girlfriend,” Huo Xinxin chimed in.

“That’s right—he said just now that he likes you!” the other intern added.

The salesgirl’s face turned even redder. She pecked Yang Fan on the cheek and ran off.

“Seriously…” Yang Fan sighed in frustration as the car filled with laughter.

“You’re blaming us? We just helped you—shouldn’t you thank us?” Huo Xinxin teased.

“Another ticking timebomb,” Yang Fan groaned.

The car started, heading toward the Zhong family estate.

“I wonder if the Zhong family will feed us,” Yang Fan mused.