Chapter 14 (1/2): The Pool, Gathering Pearls

Touch.

What did she call him last time? Song Huaixu? Brother Huaixu?

Both titles were perfectly normal, yet when he added “hug” to them, it suddenly felt intimate, as if they had returned to that close moment back then.

Back then, Miss Xu Nanyin had been bewitched, captivated by his physique, never imagining that such a day would come.

She quietly glanced around.

So many people were watching here, and just a moment ago, a waiter had been walking around with a tray barely a meter away from her.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Xu Nanyin took a sip of wine, suppressing her panic.

“Someone might overhear and misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand what?”

Song Huaixu watched as she lightly licked the wine off her lips, her delicate tongue flicking out briefly.

With so many people vaguely staring this way, Xu Nanyin naturally wouldn’t say anything that could be overheard.

“Anyway, don’t mention what happened just now.”

Faced with Song Huaixu’s overwhelming pressure, she found no words, even her warning sounded weak, shifting instantly from irritation to coquettishness.

The man’s gaze enveloped her as he slightly tilted his wine glass, tapping it gently against hers, producing a crisp clinking sound.

“Next time, don’t call me wrong.”

Perhaps they had been talking for a while because someone else’s gaze flickered between them again.

“Does Xu Nanyin know that Mr. Song?”

“Impossible, probably her parents introduced them.”

“I tried to toast just now, but failed.”

Someone interjected, “This Mr. Song from the Mainland is really handsome. Standing next to Xu Nanyin, they look like a perfect match of talent and beauty.”

The auction began swiftly.

“Did you talk to Mr. Song just now?”

Miss Xu’s mother asked.

“No, just greeted him,” Xu Nanyin replied obediently.

She sat beside her parents.

At this table, there were more than just the three of them, including Zheng Yuze.

His high-profile pursuit of her was no secret; brash and temperamental, so no one among the younger generation dared to offend him by trying to steal her attention.

Several auction items passed by, the atmosphere harmonious—perhaps because the event was hosted by the Hong Kong Government, everyone was eager to be respectful and raised prices generously.

Soon, the auctioneer presented the item Xu Nanyin had donated: a pair of natural pearl earrings, starting at one million.

Miss Liang Jiamin was the first to raise her paddle, showing her generosity by bidding an extra two hundred thousand. Then she gave Xu Nanyin a slight smile.

Xu Nanyin calmly sipped her cocktail; she didn’t care what price the earrings would fetch—they were donated and that was that.

“Two million one hundred thousand!”

“Two million three hundred thousand!”

The auctioneer’s calls came one after another without long pauses.

Zheng Yuze waited a long time, wearing a confident smile, and raised his paddle. The auctioneer declared, “Four million!”

Some non-Port City businessmen were explained by others at the table that this man was pursuing the donor, Miss Xu, and they all smiled knowingly.

A two-million premium for natural pearl earrings was already significant.

Zheng Yuze lowered his paddle and smiled at Xu Nanyin.

“Zhu Zhu, once I get them, I’ll have someone send them to your house.”

On stage, the auctioneer began to ask again, “Is there anyone else willing to bid? Now at four million.”

“Four million, once!”

Xu Nanyin refused, “I already donated them. If you win the bid, they’re yours; it’s got nothing to do with me.”

“Eight million!”

The auctioneer’s sudden loud bid made Xu Nanyin’s ears twitch. She instinctively looked towards the stage.

She saw a smiling hand stretch out in the center.

“Table One, Mr. Song bids eight million!”

Suddenly doubling the price, Zheng Yuze was visibly displeased and cursed, “Who’s competing with me? Trying to deliberately drive up the price?”

Without hearing the previous title, he impulsively raised his paddle, “Ten million!”

As the son of the king of electronics, he naturally didn’t lack money, especially since he had publicly vowed to win—this was a matter of pride.

Yet the next second, the auctioneer’s voice turned his displeasure into anger.

“Twenty million!”

Again doubled.

A pair of pure pearl earrings, with maybe a circle of small diamonds on the edge, fetched ten times the starting price—no one would believe it if told.

Not only Zheng Yuze was baffled, but others also cast glances at Table One, where political dignitaries and local noble families sat.

Watching the calm and composed man, their eyes flickered.

Young Master Zheng spent money chasing a beauty; what was this man’s purpose?

“Thirty million—” Zheng Yuze, unfamiliar with the Mainland, still wanted to raise his paddle but was pushed down by his father.

“Are you trying to bankrupt me?”

“It’s just a few tens of millions…”

Zheng Yuze was unwilling to give up.

“Mr. Song has hundreds or thousands of tens of millions; he can bankrupt you. Are you crazy?”

Zheng father gritted his teeth.

Scolded by his own father as a madman, Zheng Yuze was stunned.

“It’s just a small pair of earrings, and Big Brother also competes with me?”

Zheng father shook his head.

“After tonight, you better learn from others. You’re already grown, yet so impulsive. People invited from the top are simple-minded. You wanted to gain favor and invest, but offending Song Huaixu for a woman is just stupid.”

After three repetitions, the auctioneer’s gavel fell.

Xu Nanyin sipped her cocktail, tasting no flavor. Using the dim light, she looked diagonally at Table One.

From her angle, she could see the man’s profile, sharp jawline.

After spending twenty million, he showed no expression, casually chatting with those beside him.

Xu Nanyin suddenly remembered what A Li said: the owner of Villa 75 was so rich he could fold paper boats to sail in Victoria Harbour.

“Twenty million—Xu Nanyin is really making a scene this time!”

“From one to two million, then twenty million, so enviable.”

“If Xu Nanyin’s donated jewels reach a final price in the hundreds of millions, that would be crazy.”

Liang Jiamin immediately spoke up, “Impossible, it’s not some rare treasure. Spending over a hundred million on a million worth item? If you have that much money, where else is there to spend it?”

“Alright, we get it. Maybe it’s just that Mr. Song really liked this pair of pearl earrings.”

“What if your own items get the same price boost?”

“Mr. Song is so handsome and generous. I wonder if he has a girlfriend…”

One by one, the auction items appeared, but none received the same intense attention as before.

Young Master Lin leaned back, glanced at Xu Nanyin, who was propping up her face and looking their way, then looked back at the man beside him.

“People are watching you.”

Song Huaixu glanced sideways, tapping his fingers on the table.

Caught looking, Xu Nanyin, as if caught red-handed, lightly turned her face away and seriously looked at the stage.

She always avoided his gaze, but her ears betrayed her.

Young Master Lin watched the spectacle and recounted a previous joke, “The little sister even asked me to help raise the bids—totally unnecessary.”

As for Zheng Yuze, knowing he was pursuing Xu Nanyin, he only smiled and let it go.

To those in power, Zheng Yuze was just a spoiled rich kid who begged his elders for money—hardly a threat.

Soon, Song Huaixu also won a famous scholar’s inkstone at a premium, leaving the seller beaming.

Guests whispered quietly at every table.

“Maybe Mr. Song is just showing face.”

“After all, it’s his first time attending such an event in Port City; spending a bit more is normal.”

The female stars, restless, had just searched up Song Corporation’s information on their phones. If they could use this opportunity to get close to him, their careers would soar.

His reputation for avoiding women only made them fantasize even more, like a fatal poison.

The charity gala ended with results beyond the organizer’s expectations.

After the auction, staff immediately presented the items, a pair of creamy white pearl earrings quietly resting on black velvet, glowing softly.

“Mr. Song, please confirm.”

Song Huaixu ran his finger over them, nodding slightly.

Official media naturally only reported the gala’s success and the appearance of the big names.

But the entertainment tabloids, hungry for drama, sensationalized the earrings’ price hike by ten times, claiming Zheng Yuze was pursuing her and Song Huaixu fell in love at first sight.

Many scoffed when they saw the news.

If Song Huaixu really fell for a woman so easily, he wouldn’t have failed to win over anyone until now.

Besides, what identities did these two have?

One was a top Mainland magnate with high status and power, unreachable; the other was a cherished Port City darling.

One cold, one obedient, worlds apart—totally incompatible.

Liang Jiamin had hoped to cement her top status in the socialite circle through Dai Hongshu tonight, but it ended before it began.

“Where did this Mr. Song even come from…” she complained.

Dai Hongshu didn’t bother with her.

“Careless talk is dangerous. This man isn’t someone we can offend. I think he might have some connection with the Xu family.”

“He uses watches made by the Xus, greeted her parents at the entrance, and chatted with Xu Nanyin—not necessarily meeting today for the first time.”

Hearing this, Liang Jiamin felt slightly better.

“So the tabloids are just making things up. Do you think he was Miss Pearl’s ex-fiancé? She unilaterally ended the engagement, and he chased after her from the Mainland—”

Dai Hongshu stared at her like she was crazy.

“Are you writing a drama? With your talent, you’d be a great TVB screenwriter.”

Liang Jiamin calmly said, “Life is even more melodramatic than dramas.”

Dai Hongshu was speechless.

“Keep dreaming. No one’s him, but it could be his younger brother.”

Scolded, Liang Jiamin rolled her eyes but grew curious about Song Huaixu’s brother, mainly because of the connection to Xu Nanyin.

When she asked, Dai Hongshu wasn’t keen to say, “I don’t like my future wife caring about other men.”

Crazy. Liang Jiamin cursed him in her heart.

She put on a dignified face. “Tell me when you deal with that little model thing. I’ve already been laughed at by Miss Lin Zhijun and the others.”

Dai Hongshu: “I told you it’s just a coincidence. I just broke the news about the marriage alliance. Do I have to embarrass myself like this?”

The two started bickering again.

The public loved to read these scandalous tabloid headlines, especially about two men fighting over one woman.

The gossip spread quickly on Mainland social media.

“Who dares to make rumors about President Song?”

“Hong Kong media’s headlines always shock me. I didn’t even want to follow this, but I watched it several times.”

“Who is this Xu Nanyin? Why are there no photos?”

Song Tingchuan was stunned when he saw it.

How could big brother like Xu Nanyin?

They had only met a few times.

He hadn’t even heard them exchange many words.

Someone nearby egged him on, “Hey, Second Young Master, what does President Song mean? The media writes it quite seriously.”

“Made-up nonsense. If it were true, I’d kill myself.”

Song Tingchuan didn’t believe it, casually asking, “Who’s Zheng Yuze?”

Voices buzzed.

“Rich heir of Port City, same as you, Second Young Master. He confessed to Xu Nanyin on TV a few days ago.”

“Second Young Master, he’s your rival!”

“So maybe President Song is standing up for you.”

Song Tingchuan thought: It was more likely big brother truly liked Zhu Zhu than standing up for him.

Of course, he wouldn’t say that, letting others misunderstand.

***

Leaving the charity gala, Xu Father and Mother were beaming.

Xu Father said, “Mr. Song must have thought our family wasn’t doing well, so this is his way of making amends!”

Xu Mother had a different thought.

“Couldn’t it just be because our Zhu Zhu is beautiful and lovely? It’s normal for others to like her.”

Xu Father: “If he meant that, I’d jump into Victoria Harbour!”

Xu Mother: “If only you could.”

Xu Nanyin:

Since father returned from Ao City, mother and he had changed somewhat; mother had become particularly assertive.

The family returned home past eleven o’clock.

A Li was at home browsing online.

Though the tabloid headlines were melodramatic, it made their Miss look prestigious, which she liked.

“Too bad I didn’t see it live.”

“Next time I’ll take you.”

Xu Nanyin coaxed her.

“This Mr. Song is really rich!”

A Li was jealous. If she had that kind of money, she’d spend big to buy Zhu Zhu’s jewelry too.

But he was a man and couldn’t wear them—was he giving them to another woman?

That thought made her unhappy.

Xu Nanyin soaked in the bath longer than usual, dazed for a while until A Li called her out. She was flushed pink.

While A Li carefully cared for her skin, Xu Nanyin made up her mind and spoke, “A Li, I’m sleeping alone tonight.”

“Okay.” A Li thought she meant something else and kindly asked, “Do you want me to prepare anything?”

Xu Nanyin paused.

“No, no.”

She just wanted to message and call Song Huaixu, not use toys—the thought went astray.