Chapter 9: The Auction
Oh right, Shi Huaibai just remembered his identity as Jiang Xinian’s personal bodyguard. He still needed to have a bit of professional ethics.
Jiang Xinian couldn’t wait: “Then shall we leave now?”
Chen Xin, lacking the ability to read the room, said: “But it’s still early before the auction.”
Shi Huaibai squatted back down: “Then I’ll research the explosives ratio a bit more.”
A crack appeared in Jiang Xinian’s smile: “Little Qian Xuesen, you are already excellent; you don’t need to be that perfect.”
He tugged at Shi Huaibai’s collar: “Go change your clothes. We’re not driving; we’re walking there.”
He refused to believe it. His house was in the middle of nowhere; after walking that trip, would Shi Huaibai still have the energy to blow up the house when he came back?
Shi Huaibai thought about it: “Alright then.”
He hadn’t exercised in a long time either.
Chen Xin looked at the fierce sun and felt even more that Jiang Xinian’s life was bitterer than goldthread.
To consume Shi Huaibai’s stamina, Jiang Xinian took out his mountain bike. He rode the bike, while Shi Huaibai ran.
But he didn’t expect that Shi Huaibai would run faster than he could ride.
Young Master Jiang never stepped out of his gate; his physical fitness was incredibly poor, and the sun was scorching. After riding for half an hour, he wiped his sweat, physically exhausted: “Shi Huaibai, stop for a moment.”
“Werwer?” Shi Huaibai finally stopped his reckless dash and tilted his head: “What’s wrong?”
“Tired.” Jiang Xinian really didn’t have the energy to care about his demeanor anymore; his glasses were askew: “Want to drink water.”
Shi Huaibai surveyed the surroundings, extremely domineering: “My person, I protect. I won’t let you get thirsty or tired.”
Then he firmly grabbed Jiang Xinian’s handlebars, dragging both the person and the bike to the front of Mixue Bingcheng.
The Mixue Bingcheng storefront, not even as big as the Zhengxin Chicken Steak next door, was huddled in the street corner. A group of students in uniforms were milling around the counter, and a loudspeaker screamed piercingly: “You love me, I love you~ Mixue Bingcheng is sweet as honey~”.
The sound of stool legs scraping the floor, the asthmatic roar of the ice machine, the piercing electronic beep of the cash register… everything mixed together, harsh and noisy.
Jiang Xinian’s mysophobia flared up again. He felt that nothing on his body felt right, as if every bone was out of place.
So he pointed a finger at himself, then pointed a finger at the Mixue Bingcheng storefront, and finally glared at Shi Huaibai with his phoenix eyes: “I have never drunk this.”
Shi Huaibai turned back, looking at Jiang Xinian with pity: “You’ve never drunk little sweet water.”
That’s too miserable.
In his impression, Jiang Xinian always drank a kind of little bitter water called Iced Americano or something…
System: γ…γ
I really have nothing to say to you Long Aotians.
The System hinted as if it couldn’t bear it anymore, not hesitating to tarnish F1’s reputation for this purpose. It lied eloquently: γHost, I think I need to give you some background knowledge on F1.γ
The System slandered: γWhen F1’s parents gave birth to him, they always wanted a little girl. In the end, they gave birth to a disappointing boy. What’s the use of a boy? A mother can be sure the child is hers, but a father can’t be sure; males are all losing goods. Thus, F1’s parents raised Jiang Xinian as a girl.γ
The System no longer cared about who was the top or bottom among F1, 2, 3, or 4; it blindly threw that issue out the window.
As long as it could make the interaction between Shi Huaibai and Jiang Xinian have even a hint of pink bubbles, it would be a cause for celebration, regardless of who was pampering whom.
It said earnestly: γSo, you’d better treat him like a girl. Treat him like those saintesses and princesses you met in your previous world lines! Protect him like your woman.γ
Hurry up and carry F1 from Mixue Bingcheng to Starbucks. Consider it the System begging Shi Huaibai.
Shi Huaibai’s steps in the queue became even more determined.
System: γBro… did you use these cheap things to pick up girls when you were a Long Aotian before?γ
Shi Huaibai was very proud: “They all said their families were very oppressive. Only the plain porridge I cooked could make them feel the taste of a real home.”
The System fainted: γ…γ
I really, really have nothing to say to you Long Aotians!
Shi Huaibai firmly remembered what the System said: Protect F1 like his own woman!!!
He patted Jiang Xinian’s shoulder: “With me here, don’t be afraid. Don’t look around when ordering later; be open and generous. If anything happens, I’ll protect you!”
“It doesn’t matter even if you make a fool of yourself.”
Shi Huaibai’s tone was extremely confident: “My people never have to consider the consequences when doing things!”
Jiang Xinian, who was originally itching all over from queuing, realized after hearing Shi Huaibai’s words that he hadn’t been that itchy just now; if Shi Huaibai continued speaking, he could be even itchier.
So he grabbed Shi Huaibai’s mouth: “Stop talking, I know.”
Shi Huaibai mumbled indistinctly: “Werwerwer…”
When it was finally Jiang Xinian’s turn, his anger was already pulsing on his forehead: I wear Chanel or LV, my clothes are ironed every day, and yet here I am, dressed exquisitely, squeezed among a group of primary school students just out of school, and I still have to maintain a gentle smile!?
Jiang Xinian: “…”
This drink looks like it’s all food coloring, that one looks full of artificial flavoring at a glance, and the rest look visually sweet enough to choke someone to death.
He looked left and right for five minutes, unable to choose!
Shi Huaibai understood!
He grabbed Jiang Xinian back and hid him behind himself, giving a “don’t worry, I’ll handle it” look. He pointed rapidly at the screen and ordered six drinks.
He got excited again: “My person, I will pamper!”
Before he finished speaking, Jiang Xinian was already fried on the outside and tender on the inside from embarrassment. He quickly grabbed a drink, inserted a straw, and without a word, shoved it into Shi Huaibai’s mouth.
Shut up.
I beg you.
“Gulp gulp…” Shi Huaibai immediately drank obediently. Jiang Xinian packed up the remaining 5 cups of Mixue Bingcheng and immediately ran away shamelessly grabbing Shi Huaibai’s sleeve.
“Gulp gulp…”
Drinking the beverage, Shi Huaibai put all his energy into his mouth. His sweaty bangs stuck to his forehead. Only after his hair was cut short did Jiang Xinian realize that Shi Huaibai had slightly curly hair. Now, there was a tuft of cowlick sticking up on both the left and right sides, looking like “smart cat hair,” pth, “stubborn cat hair.”
Quite cute actually.
Jiang Xinian couldn’t help but feel his heart soften, unconsciously taking a sip of the Mixue Bingcheng in his hand.
It didn’t have the strong artificial flavor he imagined; it was quite sweet…
Jiang Xinian, discovering that feeding Shi Huaibai could quiet him down, found it quite amusing.
See, still a very obedient pretty puppy.
Seeing that it was about time, Jiang Xinian called Uncle Wang to come pick them up.
Shi Huaibai was surprised. They had already walked more than half the way, and now calling Uncle Wang to drive over to pick them upβJiang Xinian was indeed pretentious enough.
Arriving at the venue.
Jiang Xinian was guided to the second floor, coldly reminding Shi Huaibai: “Don’t pick at things later; watch the stage seriously.”
To make Shi Huaibai behave, Jiang Xinian rubbed his head: “What if there’s something you like.”
Under Shi Huaibai’s soft curls, his eyes were clear. When his head was rubbed, he shrugged as if ticklish, squinting one eye that was bothered by his hair. The whole person looked obedient and docile.
There were also people from the academy in the venue. Jiang Xinian heard whispering discussions: “Isn’t that the top student? Who is that beside him?”
“Seems to be a special admission student?”
“The top student is so gentle to the special admission student…”
Hearing this, Jiang Xinian’s smile became even more fox-like. The glasses couldn’t hide the shrewdness in his eyes, and his fingers intimately tucked Shi Huaibai’s hair behind his ear.
Before he could fully perform the look of deep affection, a contemptuous sneer suddenly came from behind again. Shi Huaibai’s gaze also abruptly became sharp, glaring reflexively behind himself.
Song Chi’s voice was very recognizable, always lazy, dragging out the ending notes; whatever he said sounded like provocation: “Enemies are bound to meet, right, Shi Huaibai? You really stick to the one named Jiang like a lapdog.”
His long legs arrogantly blocked Shi Huaibai, provoking: “Do you really think Jiang Xinian is some good person? Believe it or not, I could do anything to you and he would pretend not to know.”
Shi Huaibai: “You’re blocking me.”
“Tch!” Song Chi switched targets and patted Jiang Xinian’s shoulder, speaking as if threatening: “See you next time.”
Finally, Song Chi gave a cold “Hmph.”
The first auction item was a jade raw stone, about the size of two heads, pitch black. The starting price was 200,000.
Jade is a thing with great gambling nature. Without cutting it open, you simply don’t know what’s inside. Collectors in the circle joke: One cut poor, one cut rich.
Jiang Xinian had no interest.
He didn’t know how to look at this kind of thing either.
Interested bidders were already shining flashlights on it, shaking their heads as they looked: “Thick shell, high risk, can’t see anything with the light, the color band has color but no water, not worth it.”
“Heh…” Jiang Xinian crossed his fingers.
Charity auction, after all. Charity is the most expensive thing; you can’t buy a bargain here.
The proceeds of the auction are indeed used for public welfare, but under the name of the auction, having nothing to do with you.
That broken stone, whoever buys it is a fool.
Just after finishing his sarcasm, Jiang Xinian heard a crackling sound suddenly come from his side. Shi Huaibai jumped up.
“200,000!”
Jiang Xinian: “…”
He turned his head to scold, but was caught off guard by Shi Huaibai’s wet eyes. When the other spoke, the baby fat on his face jiggled, and his eyes were super cute.
Jiang Xinian froze instantly, completely silenced.
Everyone was guided by waiters to different small boxes on the second floor. Song Chi raised his binoculars, not aiming at the stage, but looking straight at Shi Huaibai’s box opposite.
He nudged the basketball club teammate beside him with his elbow, speaking righteously: “Say, Shi Huaibai, a special admission student, fawning over the one named Jiang all day, isn’t it just for his money?”
Basketball club member: “…”
Heh.
Song Chi once wondered if this person named Shi Huaibai was a human computer, intuitively thinking the other party should look like a nerd.
Until he saw that ID photo in the academic affairs system. The boy in the photo had picturesque brows and eyes. Song Chi stared at the screen for a full minute, and by the time he came back to his senses, he had inexplicably set the photo as his phone wallpaper.
Coming back from a game in the city, Song Chi took a detour specifically to “encounter” him, only to hear that Shi Huaibai and Jiang Xinian went in and out together and behaved intimately. What made him even angrier was that the poor student actually moved into the Jiang family villa.
Song Chi said viciously: “Gold digger.”
Basketball club member: “…”
Then change your phone wallpaper first.
When Shi Huaibai raised the paddle and bid “200,000,” Song Chi let out a sharp sneer: “He couldn’t scrape together that amount even if he sold a kidney. It must be the one named Jiang backing him up. Quite generous! Keeping a little lover, huh!”
Teammate: “People are willing, it’s their business…”
Before the teammate could finish speaking, even wanting to pat Song Chi’s shoulder to comfort him, he turned around… Song Chi gritted his teeth and raised his paddle:
“400,000!”
Teammate: “…”
Alrighty then!
Author’s Note: Later, Teammate: “You don’t even like jade, why are you fighting for it?” Insult-Chase Bro: “To give to Shi Huaibai.” Teammate: “…”
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