Chapter 57: Not Bad
After speaking, Shen Xi let out a proud little "hmph," turned around, and headed straight for the suite’s dressing room.
With a smooth, practiced motion, she shut the door and locked it with a click.
She quickly changed into the black evening gown and checked herself in the mirror. As expected of a designer dress. It perfectly highlighted her curves.
She couldn’t help but swallow hard. The woman in the mirror was so beautiful that even she… liked what she saw?
Ugh, no way! That would be narcissistic!
After slightly tidying her unruly long hair, she pushed open the door and stepped out.
Gu Hanling was still shamelessly waiting in the room. When he saw her, his gaze lingered on her for a few seconds. A flicker of admiration flashed in his eyes, so subtle it was almost unnoticeable.
“Not bad.”
His tone was indifferent, giving away no emotion.
“Hehe, big brother always has good taste. This dress really does suit me~”
Shen Xi smiled playfully, her words carrying a hint of flattery.
She hoped he would forget about her being late so she wouldn’t have to deal with any deductions from her salary.
Her cheeky and adorable demeanor made Gu Hanling pause for a moment. The woman in his memory rarely showed such a girlish side.
“The time is about right. Let’s go.”
He turned and walked toward the door, moving slightly faster than usual.
“Oh… okay.”
Shen Xi responded and obediently followed him out of the suite. They entered the elevator one after the other. The space was quiet, almost suffocatingly so.
She couldn’t resist glancing at Gu Hanling, but his face remained unreadable, as if he had totally forgotten she was late.
A small wave of joy washed over her.
‘Haha! No money deducted! Shen Xi, you’re so smart!’
In a way, her little trick had indeed saved her from losing money. But whether it had unknowingly pushed her toward something even more terrifying… that was another story.
Outside the hotel, the chauffeur who had been waiting immediately stepped forward, respectfully opening the car door for the couple.
Tonight’s ride was a sleek black luxury car.
Shen Xi found the silhouette strangely familiar. She glanced at the emblem. Sure enough, it was a Rolls-Royce.
Wait… hold on…
She quickly walked around the car, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
It was a full-assembled Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the kind that only existed in legends after collecting all the limited-edition parts.
“Uh… Madam, is there something wrong with the car?”
The chauffeur’s heart pounded nervously. Car inspections were part of his job, and he panicked, wondering if he had made a mistake that would cost him his position.
Snapping out of her daze, Shen Xi quickly waved her hands.
“No, no, everything’s fine. Let’s go.”
Gu Hanling narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing as he got into the car first.
Once they were both seated, the car started smoothly, gliding into the night.
“Um…”
Shen Xi glanced at the driver’s seat, hesitating for a moment.
“Hanling, is there anything specific I should pay attention to at tonight’s banquet?”
She asked tentatively. Normally, she was carefree, but she didn’t want to embarrass Gu Hanling at such a formal event.
He noticed her little hesitation but didn’t say anything. Instead, he glanced at the rearview mirror.
The chauffeur, sensing the silent command, immediately pressed a button. A soundproof, opaque glass partition rose, turning the backseat into a private space.
“It’s a charity auction. Everyone is expected to bid on at least one item. Other than that, do whatever you want.”
Gu Hanling looked at her and spoke casually, his lips curving into a faint, unreadable smile.
Earlier, he had accidentally seen a note on her phone where she had written down a budget of two million for buying a house.
Shen Xi nodded, feeling relieved. Sounds good, it’s basically just donating to charity.
“If I win a bid, will you be paying?”
She blinked her big eyes at him.
The man’s lips curled into a faint smile, his tone steady and reassuring.
“In your dreams.”
Shen Xi scoffed inwardly. Tch, what’s the big deal?
As expected, big brother was still the same. No beauty could ever be more valuable to him than his precious money.
But whatever. She was a little rich lady herself now, with nearly 4.9 million in her account. Spending a bit on something small, one or two hundred thousand at most, was no big deal.
Then came the auction segment of the banquet, and Shen Xi was completely dumbfounded.
Wait, isn’t this supposed to be for charity? Why is the lowest starting bid in the millions?!
Most of the items being auctioned were calligraphy, antiques, and jewelry. Well… She really didn’t understand the world of the rich.
After a long while, Shen Xi finally found something she liked. A solid gold, intricately crafted statue standing just 7 centimeters tall.
She won the bid.
And in the blink of an eye, her bank balance had plummeted to a pitiful 900,000.
Four million, gone, just like that.
“You like it?”
Gu Hanling’s smirk deepened.
“Of course! I love it, love it!”
Shen Xi consoled herself, thinking of it as an investment. After all, Gold was easy to liquidate. But more importantly, this wasn’t just any gold statue. This was the Golden Unicorn Gundam! She loved it very much, hehehe.
Feeling like she had completed her “task,” Shen Xi started glancing around out of boredom. She had no interest in the rest of the auction items and was just curious about what made these so-called high society elites so different from an “ordinary person” like her.
Then, out of nowhere, Gu Hanling spoke up beside her.
“Shi Jingyan isn’t even qualified to attend an event of this level.”
“???”
Shen Xi was baffled. Of all the things he could bring up, why that annoying guy?
Hadn’t she already suffered enough from those two at the TV station? Just hearing their names made her nauseous.
But…
She forced down her irritation and put on a sweet smile.
“Don’t underestimate him. Jingyan will eventually be invited to every high-class banquet in Su City. Give him four years, he’ll make it.”
As someone who had once seen the story unfold from a god-like perspective, Shen Xi knew just how powerful the male lead would become in the future. Everything she said was the truth. Even Gu Hanling himself would eventually become one of Shi Jingyan’s biggest stepping stones.
“Oh? It seems Madam has quite a lot of faith in him.”
There was a cold, unreadable glint in Gu Hanling’s eyes, though his lips carried a faint, almost icy smile.
But Shen Xi, completely engrossed in her own act, didn’t notice. She bit her lip lightly, her expression full of innocent anticipation.
“Of course! Jingyan has so much potential. He may not be on your level now, but one day, he’ll soar higher and higher.”
As the author’s golden child, the male lead only needed to fall in love, and he’d be able to take the Shi family to new heights. Even his parents, who once opposed him, would eventually have no choice but to accept Lin Yueyue, the Cinderella of the story, as their daughter-in-law.
A perfect happy ending.
Ugh. Just thinking about it made Shen Xi furious.
Why did their happily-ever-after have to be built on her suffering?! Why couldn’t they just leave her alone?!
Gu Hanling didn’t say anything more after that, but the coldness in his smile deepened.
…………………………………
The charity auction ended, and the banquet officially began.
Finally, it was time for the part Shen Xi had been looking forward to the most. Food, food, and more food!
As one of the top figures in Su City, Gu Hanling instantly became the center of attention. People in expensive suits and dazzling evening gowns swarmed around him, eager to flatter and curry favor.
Seeing that he was too busy to pay her any attention, Shen Xi quietly slipped away, straight to the buffet.
With a small plate in hand, her eyes sparkled as she darted between the food stations, looking like a little hamster searching for the best snacks.
Black truffle cheese pasta, caviar tarts… Damn, this banquet really is top-tier. Everything looks so good!
While she was searching for delicious food, however, someone else had found her.
A delicate beauty, completely absorbed in her food, without a trace of scheming in her eyes. She looked so innocent, so easy to approach.
Just as Shen Xi picked up a piece of chocolate wrapped in edible gold foil, a deep male voice suddenly spoke from behind her.
“Beautiful lady, don't you feel lonely enjoying your meal here alone?”