Chapter 10

Xu Zhengrong let out a hum of displeasure and then asked, "Do you know him?"

"Do you think I am sick?" Amber looked up at him, her pair of sparkling big eyes shimmering with light, and her expression truly reflected a deep sense of distress.

Of course, but they are not biological.

Fu Zhaoshi is determined to succeed, and Xu Zhengrong certainly cannot give up easily, so he has no choice but to continue to increase his efforts

The air was fresh and cool after the rain, making it unnecessary to turn on the air conditioning. Therefore, neither of the two cars had their windows closed. Gu Xun was at most two or three meters away from her. For someone like her, who had a sensitive sense of smell, especially in summer, she could clearly detect the familiar scent on Gu Xun as well as the fragrance of Tang Beibei's perfume.

Amber was not very inclined to speak, "This... is somewhat of a long story."

Xu Zhengrong's eyes turned red with jealousy, tsk tsk, look at this younger sister, how devoted she is to her brother, dedicating herself wholeheartedly, unlike Xu Renran, who doesn't care at all about his lifelong affairs

Xu Zhengrong: "... ..." It seems that I need to treat my younger sister Xu Renran better in the future

Xu Zhengrong eagerly asked, "And then what?"

As the auction reached its conclusion, it was finally time for the painting of the kitten pouncing on a butterfly to be presented. Due to the artist's relatively low profile, Xu Zhengrong felt confident that it would be a sure win. However, the more certain one is about a matter, the more likely unexpected events may occur

Xu Zhengrong rolled his eyes and said, "You spent sixty thousand yuan for nothing, don't you feel the pain"

At this moment, Hupo has a band-aid in hand, which is certainly meant to cover Xu Zhengrong's big mouth

Because Fu Zhao took a picture of this fan specifically to present it as a birthday gift to Qiao Anqi's grandfather

Xu Zhengrong was sent abroad by his father right after graduating from high school and only returned earlier this year, being unaware of many matters. Xu Renran is very protective of her friends and strictly keeps the disgraceful behavior of Hu Po last summer a secret, not even mentioning it to her own brother

He is really too petty, isn't he? It's just that you rejected him once. Is it necessary to be so vindictive? I have been rejected by Du Ruohan seven or eight times, yet I haven't been as stingy as he is!

Amber regretted her instinctive avoidance behavior; she should have smiled at him openly. However, judging by his expression, it was clear that he also did not want to engage with her... Ha

Qiao Anqi is outstanding and beautiful, attracting numerous suitors. Although Fu Zhao possesses good qualities, he has never dared to act rashly without a guaranteed victory, and over the years, he has never made a direct approach, always taking a roundabout route. For instance, for Gu Yuanshan's birthday, he carefully prepared a gift, not only because he is his god-grandfather but also because he is Qiao Anqi's maternal grandfather. Moreover, Gu Xun's presence here is certainly also to prepare a birthday gift for his grandfather. Since Mr. Gu is fond of collecting painted fans and is in his old age.

"The money spent is Fu Zhao's, so of course it doesn't hurt me. In fact, it hurts her to death; it would be enough to buy a car."

Xu Zhengrong turned his head to look at her, startled by her tear-streaked face, and quickly asked her what was wrong

Ultimately, this painting was acquired by Xu Zhengrong for 125,000, which is double the budgeted amount. Although the money did not come from Xu Zhengrong, it still stings quite a bit; after all, a brother's money is still money

Amber anxiously tapped his arm

Amber's expression was somewhat shy as she hesitantly said, "I once... pursued him."

Amber hurriedly turned her head to stop him: "Don't say that."

As the car turned onto the main road, there was a red light. Xu Zhengrong stopped and waited, while Hu Po rubbed his nose. Suddenly, he saw a white car approaching closer and closer in the rearview mirror. The white car came to a stop parallel to Xu Zhengrong's car at a level line, neither hurried nor slow.

The starting bid for the painting of the fan is 50,000. There is only one person in the venue competing with him. Xu Zhengrong curiously stretches his neck to take a look. From his angle, he can only see the person's profile, with indistinct features, wearing a white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up, appearing to be a young man

Xu Zhengrong opened his mouth: "... ..." Are you kidding me?

She was so nervous that she hardly dared to breathe, let alone turn her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Gu Xun also did not make any movement to turn his head, maintaining a posture of unwavering gaze.

Amber gazed at the shadow of the white car, feeling as if she saw a large red character on the rear of the vehicle: Hate

Amber nodded and said, "There is a saying that knowing oneself and knowing the enemy leads to victory in a hundred battles. Over the past few years, I have gathered all the information on Qiao Anqi for Fu Zhao, including details from her numerous aunts and uncles, her maternal grandfather and grandmother, her close friends and confidants, and of course, her cousin will not be overlooked either"

Amber felt an inexplicable pang in her heart, truly a time of youth and vitality. Although she appeared to be only eighteen, her identification card clearly stated that she was already twenty-five. This feeling of being able to deceive others but not oneself was truly unpleasant.

The other party showed no intention of giving up, and each time they raised the price, it was by tens of thousands, unlike Xu Zhengrong who added thousands at a time. This ostentatious display of wealth and pressure tactics infuriated Xu Zhengrong to the point where he felt like rushing over to give that long, pretentious man, who was dressed so impeccably, a good beating

Amber covered her nose and said, "I bumped into a tree."

Xu Zhengrong looked bewildered and asked, "What does it mean?"

It is often said that men are fickle, yet there are those like Fu Zhao who remain devoted, harboring a secret love for Qiao Anqi for eight years, unwavering in his feelings.

Amber looked at Xu Zhengrong with a speechless expression and explained: "He is Gu Xun, the cousin of Qiao Anqi."

Xu Zhengrong thought he had misheard, "Three days?"

As the auction price diverges further from the starting price, whether to continue is a difficult question. Xu Zhengrong, sweating profusely, pokes at the amber and asks, "Should we increase the bid?"

It would have been best if everything had remained peaceful, but at this moment, Xu Zhengrong spoke up

Xu Zhengrong was both amused and exasperated, unable to resist giving a thumbs up: "At this age, it's not easy either."

Xu Zhengrong turned his face and asked: "Why?"

Amber was also feeling quite upset, sniffing and huffing, "If you dare to hit him, you will definitely die a very ugly death"

Although Fu Zhao treats her like a servant, calling her over and making her do things, he has always allowed only himself to bully her and never permitted anyone else to do so. He is even more protective of this cousin than of his own sister. Moreover, she is also a good friend of Xu Renran. Under the dual influence of Fu Zhao and Xu Renran, he could only suppress his conscience and complain about Gu Xun.

In a moment of utter distress, Xu Zhengrong's car appeared like a timely downpour. Hu Po hurriedly opened the car door and jumped in as if fleeing, urging Xu Zhengrong to leave quickly

You do not understand this; spending lavishly for a beautiful woman. The more Fu Zhao spends, the more it proves that his love for Qiao Anqi is genuine

Xu Zhengrong immediately rolled his eyes and said angrily, "How could I not know? You are really being inconsiderate. I am not only a good friend of your brother, but also the brother of your good friend, and yet you kept this from me!"

He had come out long ago but had not left, clearly waiting for someone. Sure enough, a young and beautiful girl walked up to him. Upon closer inspection, Amber recognized this girl; she was Tang Beibei, Gu Xiaojun's close friend.

Amber does not believe that Gu Xun is petty or deliberately trying to provoke her; he genuinely intends to buy a painted fan as a birthday gift for his grandfather. However, they do have the suspicion of usurping love, yet they are ultimately pursuing the same goal. In a few days, this painted fan will still be delivered to the old gentleman.

Amber smiled wryly: "Although he knows me, he will not give in to me."

Finally, the red light turned green

She hurriedly lowered her gaze, and by the time she raised her head again, Gu Xun had already turned away.

Tang Beibei was clearly just out from a major shopping spree, holding several paper bags in her hands. Gu Xun opened the trunk for her, and as he turned around, his gaze suddenly lifted, just in time to catch a glimpse of her across the street

No wonder he keeps bidding against me; it turns out he has a grudge against you. If it were me, I would also look for an opportunity to take a small revenge.

Indeed, it is a disease, simply a divine illness

The red light is too long, it is truly annoying

The heart skipped a beat, and in a panic, I hurriedly turned around. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my nose... tears streamed down.

Amber protested: "Last year you were still in America, would I really report my emotional issues to you via a long-distance call?"

The sky after the rain is exceptionally clear, and a rainbow has surprisingly appeared, a rare sight to behold. Amber, leaning against the awning, gazes at the sky. As her gaze falls, she happens to see a white car parked across the street in front of the Guomao Shopping Mall. The model is precisely the one that Gu Xun drives. Amber's mind stirs, and she squints to look at the license plate number, which indeed is a very familiar sequence of numbers.

There was only one bidder, and Xu Zhengrong increasingly felt confident of victory, calculating that he could secure it for around 60,000 to 70,000 yuan. To his surprise, the other party displayed an air of wealth and directly quoted 80,000 yuan

Xu Zhengrong is usually very particular about appearances, but at this moment, his heart is in immense pain, leading to a distortion of his aesthetic judgment, making him find this person exceptionally displeasing. Taking advantage of the distance, knowing the other party cannot hear him, he gritted his teeth and, in a harsh tone, uttered a fierce remark: "I want to beat him to death"

Upon exiting the Yong'an Hotel, the rain had already ceased. Xu Zhengrong went to retrieve the car, while Hu Po, due to her sensitive sense of smell, particularly disliked the odor of the underground parking garage, so she stood on the steps by the roadside waiting for him

Then ... ... they got together

Such a loud voice, it would be strange not to hear it

It turns out to be Gu Xun's car

Amber sighed: "I don't know why either, it feels like I've suddenly lost all my feelings"

Still regarded with disdain as if I were air, feeling a sense of suffocation

A white shadow swiftly darted past me, moving at great speed

Indeed. Xu Zhengrong no longer pursued the crime of Amber's concealment, but continued to ask, "And then?"

Xu Zhengrong stared wide-eyed and said, "Hey! Hey! Are you really Fu Zhao's sister?"

Joan Qi's maternal grandfather, who is also his grandfather

After all, Amber is a girl, and a very beautiful one at that. This person should exhibit gentlemanly manners and show her consideration.

Xu Zhengrong was completely unaware that Gu Xun's car was right beside him, and he said to himself: "So what if I talk? He can't hear me anyway"

"It's nothing, go ahead and speak." Xu Zhengrong stared with wide eyes, waiting for what would come next. He was naturally straightforward, and after spending a few years abroad, his character had become even more candid.

Amber had been holding her heart for half an hour, and at this moment, she finally began to slowly let it go, but in an instant, it felt blocked again. He didn't even glance at her! Even if they had broken up and could no longer be friends, couldn't he at least take a casual look as they passed by? Was it too much to ask for a quick glance while turning around? Why did he have to ignore her so completely, treating her as if she were air? What was going on?

Amber nodded affirmatively and said, "Yes, three days"

She opened the auction catalog in her hand with a heavy heart. The painting that Fu Zhao intended to bid on was a work by a late Qing dynasty painter. The fan's surface depicted a cluster of peonies, with a small cat hidden among the flowers, poised to pounce on a butterfly resting on the blossoms. The composition was lively and vivid, exuding a charming and endearing quality.

Amber was anxious; she had just sent a text message to Fu Zhao for instructions, but at this critical moment, he actually did not reply! He had even turned off his phone! This was truly infuriating. Amber recalled Fu Zhao's exact words in her mind: "Make sure to buy it! A higher price is acceptable." Confirming that she had not misremembered a single word, she nodded and said, "Add it."

After completing the formalities and paying the remaining amount, Xu Zhengrong wore an expression as if he had cut off a piece of his flesh, feeling an unbearable pain. All the way, he kept complaining: "In any case, whether the painting fan is bought by Gu Xun or Fu Zhao, it is a gift for Old Mr. Gu. With such a high price, isn't this just giving the seller a free benefit?"

Oh my, Amber hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe her eyes. She must not let him misunderstand that she was shedding tears of joy or sorrow after their reunion

Xu Zhengrong was quite puzzled: "Since you know each other, why is he still competing with you?"

The young girl has developed remarkably well; at the age of twenty, she stands at a height of 1.75 meters, with a full bosom and a face rich in collagen. She is wearing a very short skirt, and her legs are extraordinarily long.

The burly Xu Zhengrong had not yet realized the situation, and then he lamented: "It is not a big deal for a man to be dumped by a woman once; the main issue is being pursued and then dumped, which is truly detestable. If it were me, I would definitely hate you to death."

After three days of discussion, we broke up

When the bidder stood up, his face finally turned around, revealing an exceptionally outstanding young face. As he turned, his gaze swept past Xu Zhengrong without pausing for a moment

Xu Zhengrong rolled up his sleeves and said, "So what?"

Xu Zhengrong suddenly felt something was amiss. He turned his head to look at Amber, only to find her engrossed in texting. He nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood onto the head of the uncle in the front row. At this moment, you still have time to play on your phone and send messages; every minute counts as money, dear sister!

Xu Zhengrong almost spoke out but forcefully swallowed the words back down

Why?

As if to validate her correctness, the car door suddenly opened, and Gu Xun stepped down. Amber intended to immediately withdraw her gaze, but her eyes seemed somewhat disobedient, captivated by his tall and slender figure. Fortunately, he was facing the entrance of the shopping mall, with his back to her, and did not look towards the road. Amber allowed her gaze to linger indulgently on him.

Xu Zhengrong was bewildered by this bizarre turn of events. "Why?"