Chapter 36
The auction progressed rapidly but Su Jianan was not paying attention to it.
She kept looking down and texting Su Yicheng.
Lu Boyan looked at her frostily, seeing when she would think of him.
“Next, we are auctioning a bangle donated by Mrs. Su.” The auctioneer’s voice ended and an image of the bangle appeared on the screen behind him. He started explaining the worth of the jade bangle to the people below the stage.
The auction for the bangle started but Su Jianan had not received Su Yicheng’s reply.
She had no choice, she could only call Su Yicheng, but could only hear the automated response that his phone was switched off.
Someone had already bid 400,000 for the bangle.
Su Jianan frowned as she quickly thought. She would not allow the bangle to end up in anyone else’s hand today no matter what.
“450,000”
“600,000”
The bids got higher and higher. Su Jianan felt very anxious. Just then—
“Three million.”
A voice rang, not too slow nor fast. The entire place quietened down.
The bangle was smooth and its color was good, but it was not worth the exorbitant price of three million dollars.
Su Jianan looked at Lu Boyan in surprise. Why had he bid for the bangle with such a large amount of money? Was he spending money to help the auction?
“Three million going thrice!” The auctioneer hammered down. “Congratulations, Mr. Lu, you’ve successfully bid for this bangle!”
Su Jianan found that she was heaving a sigh of relief for no reason when she heard that.
The bangle had been bought by Lu Boyan. That was better than getting it back from someone else, right?
The last item up for auction was a small antique and was bought at a high price. The charity auction had raised close to ten million dollars. Tang Yulan announced that it would be used to help financially needy university students and to support rural education.
The charity auction ended and was followed by a celebratory party.
Su Jianan followed Lu Boyan and secretly picked at him several times, thinking about how to ask him about the bangle.
Lu Boyan allowed her to hold his hand but did not raise the matter about him buying the bangle.
Even if she did not know how to ask him for help, she knew how to ask him for the bangle, right?
After walking around twice, Lu Boyan was called away by some people he knew. Su Jianan saw Su Hongyuan and Jiang Xueli.
Her face suddenly grew cold and she headed for Jiang Xueli.
Su Jianan’s mother’s bangle had been discovered by Jiang Xueli by accident after she entered the Su family. She had hidden it away secretly. She knew why Su Jianan was coming for her and could not help but feel ashamed. She hid behind Su Hongyuan, seeking him for help secretly.
Su Hongyuan coldly looked at Su Jianan who approached them. He said, with an angry expression, “She’s your aunt, not your enemy!”
“I finally know why you two got married.” Su Jianan stopped, her face full of sarcasm, “Birds of the same feather flock together. The both of you are shameless, no wonder you ended up together.”
Su Hongyuan’s expression changed while Jiang Xueli was also angered. “Su Jianan, it’s just a jade bangle. Your mother’s been dead for so many years!”
If not for Jiang Xueli, would her mother pass away?
Su Jianan’s pale hands were clenched into fists. Tang Yulan happened to pass by and sensed the tense atmosphere. She held Su Jianan’s hand and asked, “Jianan, what’s the matter?”
Jiang Xueli wanted to be friendly to Tang Yulan and she smiled and said, “In-law, nothing happened, we were just chatting with Jianan.”
Tang Yulan glanced at Jiang Xueli and said, “Jianan, Mrs. Su isn’t your mother, is she?”
“My mother passed away several years ago.”
Tang Yulan frowned and then said politely but distantly, “Mrs. Su, I thank you for your generous donation on behalf of the children of the mountainous areas. However, you had better not call anyone in-law. My son had not married your daughter. Excuse me.”
She brought Su Jianan away.
Jiang Xueli stomped here feet angrily, “These people are too much!”
Even though she and Su Hongyuan had had a wedding and received a marriage certificate and were legal husband and wife, she had not managed to enter the social circle of the wealthy women after so many years. The people in the circle had not treated her as Mrs. Su, and they secretly called her “The woman Su Hongyuan has on the side”. And all these wives hated mistresses the most.
She had thought that with Tang Yulan’s relationship with their family, her social life would improve. But it seemed that Tang Yulan was not of any hope to her.
Jiang Xueli went to look for Su Yuanyuan angrily and told her what had happened.
The innocent look disappeared off Su Yuanyuan’s beautiful face and her eyes were filled with hatred. “Su Jianan managed to avoid a disaster the last time she was surrounded. I have not gotten revenge for that yet. I still remember. That’s great, we can get revenge for both what happened last time and this time!”
Jiang Xueli was shocked,” Yuanyuan, what do you want to do? Don’t be rash. Su Jianan has a backing now!”
“Wouldn’t everything be fine if I make her backing mine?”
Su Yuanyuan fixed her make up, making her skin even more bouncy. She made a smile at the mirror that no man had ever resisted and then left the bathroom in small steps.
Outside, Su Jianan was still angry and could not lift her spirits. Tang Yulan sighed and told her to stay on the sofa before leaving.
After some time, Lu Boyan who was still standing with a few middle-aged men, suddenly appeared beside her. “Stick out your hand.”
Su Jianan turned to look at him gloomily and asked, “What?”
Lu Boyan had never liked nonsense and pulled on Su Jianan’s hand. He put on the bangle he had just ordered someone to send over onto Su Jianan’s hand.
Her skin was pale and seemed even more glowy with the green jade on. The jade seemed to be made for her. It circled her wrist and seemed especially calm, as if it had finally found a home after traveling for many years.
It was rare for a young girl to wear an old jade bangle so nicely.
Su Jianan was not in the mood to admire it. She looked at Lu Boyan in shock and asked, “You… you bought this… for me?”
“I don’t want anything that belonged to Auntie Ning to end up in someone else’s hands.” Lu Boyan said lightly. “Also, you kept sending messages to Su Yicheng just now. Didn’t you want to buy the bangle?”
“You saw that?” Su Jianan was even more surprised. “I thought you wouldn’t notice what I was doing beside you.”
She was the one who didn’t notice anything. She would be able to see him looking at her even if she just turned her head slightly.
Lu Boyan’s gaze was searing hot as he said, “Su Jianan, have you forgotten what I said?”
Su Jianan blinked confusedly, “You, you said many things to me. Which one are you referring to?”
“I already told you that I should be the first person you think of if anything happens in the future, and not Su Yicheng.” Lu Boyan said. “I was sitting beside you just now, so why did you call a phone that was switched off?”
That statement, Su Jianan still remembered it. But… it was a special situation.
“I want money, so I should, of course, look for my brother.” She said. “But I’ll definitely look for you if I get surrounded by people… Your bodyguards look impressive!”
“…” Lu Boyan gritted his teeth and said, “Look for me in the future, even if you just want money!”
Su Jianan blinked. She did not even want Su Yicheng’s money, much less Lu Boyan’s. Furthermore, it would be troublesome to settle their debts in two years when they get divorced.
Lu Boyan seemed to know what Su Jianan was thinking. He narrowed his eyes and said, “You’re already Mrs. Lu. Don’t you think Su Yicheng would be suspicious if you have to ask him for money even just to buy a jade bangle?”
Su Jianan only reacted then. That’s right. If Su Yicheng asked why she didn’t get money from Lu Boyan, how should she reply? Should she say she couldn’t bear to spend her husband’s money?
“You’re so thoughtful.” Su Jianan nodded sympathetically. “I shall borrow from you if I need to use a lot of money in the future. Rest assured, I will pay you back.”
Lu Boyan pulled Su Jianan’s hand and played with the clear jade bangle. “You are already wearing a three-million bangle. Your yearly salary is less than 100,000. Will you pay until your next life?”
“You can rest assured. How would I not think of that?” Su Jianan said calmly. “When I’m no longer Mrs. Lu, I can ask my brother for money. I only ask him for money once in a while, he would definitely be glad to give it to me. And even if he doesn’t, he has a few apartments under my name. I’ll just sell one of them and be able to pay you back.”
Her mind was fast when it should not be. Lu Boyan leaned against her dangerously and asked, “What about interest? How are we going to count that?”
Eh, Su Jianan had never thought of it before.
She looked at Lu Boyan confusedly, “How do you want to count it?”
“Of course—” Lu Boyan lowered her head and touched her lips lightly, “Like this.”
Su Jianan had not yet reacted when Lu Boyan suddenly kissed her again. Her eyes widened. Lu Boyan only brushed her lips lightly like a feather sweeping against her lips.
She blinked and then looked at Lu Boyan dazedly.
“There are too many people.” Lu Boyan smiled and said. “We’d better find somewhere with less people to do things like this.”
Su Jianan regained her wits and touched her lips. “Lu Boyan, you’re taking advantage of me right now!” Who would ask for interest in this manner? Who would!
Lu Boyan smiled and said, “So what?” Confidently.
Su Jianan was at a loss for words. Indeed. What could she do if Lu Boyan wanted to take advantage of her? She can’t even bite him!
They whispered to each other, looked at each other and leaned close to each other. To others, they were intimate and loving. Some people were jealous of the strong relationship between the newlyweds while some were so jealous their eyes burned.
Su Yuanyuan had lived under Su Jianan’s shadow for too long and had never felt pleased about it. As long as she could steal Lu Boyan now, no one would dare to look down on her in the future and think that she was not as good as Su Jianan, right?
She walked up to Su Jianan and looked at her tearfully and suddenly cried.
“Sister, how could you?”
Her voice was tiny and pitiful but was still overheard by others. The gazes of those in the hall all turned towards them.
Su Jianan and Su Yuanyuan became the focus of everyone.
This was the effect Su Yuanyuan wanted. She wanted everyone to know that Su Jianan was not as kind as she seemed!
Today, she was going to ruin Su Jianan’s high and mighty image!
Su Jianan did not know what Su Yuanyuan intended to do, but she anticipated it.
She wanted to see whether Su Yuanyuan’s intelligence had improved from the last time they fought.