Chapter 8, The Schemes of a Beautiful Woman

Everyone's gaze naturally fell on the runway, where amidst the scattered debris, a woman was half-lying on the red carpet, dressed in a light blue qipao. Her coiled long hair was slightly disheveled, yet she appeared far from awkward, showing no signs of the anticipated panic or confusion. Under the dim lighting, the outline of her profile was illuminated, exuding a translucent pallor, her lips slightly pursed, yet her expression remained calm and undisturbed

The surroundings were very quiet, with only the rapid sound of flashing lights and pairs of eyes filled with either curiosity or disdain. Throughout it all, Ruan Jiangxi only looked at Song Ci, calm and earnest.

Song Ci did not place her on the ground, but instead set her on the auction table, which was half a person's height. He then leaned towards Ruan Jiangxi, seemingly oblivious to those around him, and asked, "Was this a coincidence or intentional?"

The rest of the people were left speechless, and the host clearly had a low IQ, stammering as he shouted: "Song, Mr. Song bids 10 million, is there anyone who will bid higher?"

Dazzling

Indeed, she came with intention, yet unintentionally in this manner. She merely wanted to see him, simply wishing to meet him.

Song Ci slightly raised her eyes, and Director Zheng of Jiangling, who was beside her, immediately smiled and said: "Are you interested in the calligraphy and paintings of the Tang and Ming dynasties, Song?"

Song Ci stood up, walked to the front of the red carpet, leaned down halfway, and looked at Ruan Jiangxi on the ground. She raised her head and, under the glaring magnesium lights, met Song Ci's gaze.

Chairman Zheng encountered a soft spot and fell silent. Someone beside him joked, "Chairman Zheng, isn't that girl holding the calligraphy and painting your esteemed daughter?"

Song Ci gently swayed the wine in his glass, slightly lowering his gaze

The woman in my arms smiled

Ruan Jiangxi, why aren't you going down quickly!

"Deliberately." She smiled radiantly and said, "Song Ci, I have come to see you." She shook her right leg a few times, feeling a bit of pain, yet she seemed to be in a very good mood, her lips curving high, with deep dimples, and added, "I just didn't expect to be in such a predicament."

Beauty, falling down, and being isolated and helpless—these keywords seem more like a scene from a movie where one seeks affection. Yet the man in the dominant position does not even bother to lift his eyes. The women around him emit bursts of derisive laughter, as such antics are hardly worthy of the attention of the Crown Prince of Song, merely inviting humiliation upon themselves.

Mr. Zheng from Jiangling appeared somewhat dazed: "Uh..." His hand, which was holding the wine glass, became stiff and he awkwardly retracted it, smiling in a manner that was truly insincere, "Assistant Qin really knows how to joke."

Lord Song Shao continued to stare blankly at Ruan Jiangxi, and as he tilted the cup, the remaining half cup of wine spilled all over the table

This batch of items for auction primarily consists of antique calligraphy and paintings, each a priceless treasure with no market value. There is no choice; in the presence of the emperor, everyone must endure the pain of parting with their possessions to demonstrate their loyalty

Old Master Song leaned back in his seat, crossed his legs, and casually threw out this remark

Song Ci furrowed her brows tightly and did not extend her hand. Ruan Jiangxi merely smiled and propped herself up to stand.

Clearly adopting a posture reminiscent of a local thug, Song Shao nonetheless exuded an air of dominance as if he were the ruler of the world. Chief Qin Jiang, ever diligent and uncomplaining, instructed over the intercom: "The lights are too bright"

Qin Jiang stepped forward, reminding the stunned Boss Song: "Young Master Song, you have spilled your drink"

Qin Jiang smiled even more insincerely, remaining silent; at this moment, silence speaks louder than words

Regarding Ruan Jiangxi's blatant remarks, Song Ci seems to have become accustomed to it: "How do you plan to make a disgraceful exit?"

Only these ten million pieces of blue and white porcelain ... ? ... The crowd could not help but look at the woman who had fallen on the red carpet, dressed in a blue qipao, gentle and elegant, with a delicate and beautiful appearance. Could it be that Young Master Song has a preference for this type?

Upon hearing this, Qin Jiang instinctively looked at his boss. He saw Song Ci's hand tremble while holding the wine glass, spilling half a glass of red wine. When he looked up, the previous nonchalance and gloom had vanished; he was completely focused, slightly stunned, and furrowed his brow as he stared at Ruan Jiangxi on the red carpet.

Furrowing his brows and glancing at the chaos on the red carpet, Song Ci squatted beside Ruan Jiangxi and asked, "Are you hurt?" His tone revealed no emotion, yet beneath his eyes, there was a surging tide of turmoil

Qin Jiang's first reaction was to look at the fragments on the stand, and then he felt a bit regretful, thinking that the boss was too extravagant. Even if this Song Dynasty blue and white porcelain were intact, it would only be worth at most 5 million. With Miss Ruan's fall, the price has directly doubled.

Song Ci became even more irritated, his handsome face displaying an unusual flush, and his tone was very firm: "Can you get off the ground?"

"The little girl is quite playful, which is truly a headache for me," said Director Zheng, pretending to rub his temples, and quickly smiled to apologize, "I hope Mr. Song can forgive me"

Haha, the boss actually has such an emoji, it seems that Miss Ruan is quite capable, as her every appearance is so astonishing.

Ah, indeed

The blue and white porcelain of the Song Dynasty is indeed a masterpiece

Qin Jiang lifted his foot and walked onto the stage. However, after only taking three steps, a clear and melodious voice from behind him, belonging to his own boss, resonated: "Ten million"

As the exclamations of admiration faded, with a loud crash, this exquisite piece from the Song Dynasty shattered into countless pieces. Outside of the situation, the auctioneer was also taken aback. The owner of the blue-and-white porcelain was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a rough voice, who immediately erupted: "What happened? Which company's artist is responsible for this?"

Of course not, let alone spending ten million to buy a pile of fragments. Even if Song Ci were to spend a dime to acquire a priceless treasure, no one would dare to offer two dimes to compete with the Crown Prince.

Song Ci. Ruan Jiangxi called his name, the tone soft, in the gentle dialect of Wu.

This Director Zheng has mastered the skill of seizing opportunities to cater to others' preferences

"No," Ruan Jiangxi shook his head, his face appearing even paler under the light. "But it seems I have sprained my ankle. Could you help me up?" His tone carried a hint of pleading, cautious and tentative.

Ruan Jiangxi nodded

The gaze sparkles, so beautiful

Qin Jiang looked at the stage, contemplating whether it was time to take some action. If the boss remained distracted for too long and inadvertently something unfortunate happened to Ruan Jiangxi, his situation would likely be dire, similar to the last towing incident.

Zheng Qiuming, this old fox, is not selling calligraphy and paintings, but clearly his daughter! Qin Jiang glanced at the stage, and indeed, she is a beauty

A woman dressed in a white qipao gracefully enters while holding a landscape painting, accompanied by the sound of the guzheng. The women entering behind her are all wearing qipaos, each a beautiful figure, creating a scene of elegant sophistication reminiscent of traditional landscape artistry

Beautiful women, fine wine, have always been the standard configuration for business banquets. However, it is unfortunate that from the moment the young master Song entered, he appeared disinterested, his handsome face clouded. This left the accompanying old foxes exchanging glances, as they found it truly difficult to gauge the preferences of the young master Song.

As the music begins, on the red carpet runway, the models gracefully walk in. The models invited to showcase at this charity gala are undoubtedly the cream of the crop in terms of temperament, appearance, and popularity. Furthermore, with the presence of Mr. Song from Xinan International, the competition for brilliance and beauty is even more eye-catching

The several executives accompanying me were all smirking, and I couldn't tell how many of the young ladies on stage were sent by them. Judging by their expressions, each one looked as gloomy as pig liver, indicating that this beauty scheme had likely fallen through.

"Don't move." With a commanding tone, Song Ci seemed annoyed as she glared at Ruan Jiangxi, then circled behind her and lifted her up in a manner that was not particularly gentle