Chapter Seventy-Three: The Auction

In the past, Su Su Pei would always sit at the dining table, waiting for him to come home. The moment he stepped into the house, she would greet him tenderly, eager to hear about the fatigue of his day. Even though she was busy herself, she always made him the center of her world. That was the life he used to have.

The more Wenru Liang dwelled on these memories, the deeper his regret grew. But now, with things as they were, he could only do his utmost to win Su Su Pei back. Though his last attempt ended in failure, he believed that Su Su was only temporarily disappointed. Surely, she wouldn’t easily forget their love.

A flood of emotions washed over him. Sitting on the sofa Su Su had chosen, Wenru Liang felt a wave of sorrow, and after a long pause, he picked up his keys and left the house.

Grandfather Liang had always favored Su Su, but he also thought Wenru was a scoundrel and believed that, no matter what, he should never have divorced her. If only Wenru had listened to his grandfather back then and cherished Su Su, none of this would have happened.

When Grandfather Liang saw Wenru suddenly appear at home, his expression was sour.

“What are you doing here?”

Ever since Su Su and Wenru divorced, he’d acted as if he no longer had such an unfilial grandson. He snorted coldly, and seeing Wenru’s disheveled, sorrowful face, recalling the recent news reports, he sneered,

“What’s wrong? Did your so-called ‘white moonlight’ break your heart, so now you’ve come here to pour out your woes to me?”

Wenru hurriedly denied it.

“I know I was wrong. The truth is, I never really loved her. It’s Su Su I truly care for! I regret everything. I want to make amends with Su Su…”

Hearing this, Grandfather Liang looked surprised, then sighed softly.

“I always knew you’d regret it. If you knew this was coming, why didn’t you cherish her when you had the chance? Su Su was so sensible, treated you better than anyone, managed everything inside and out, and yet you tossed her aside without hesitation.”

“Now that things aren’t going your way, you suddenly miss her goodness? Isn’t this just reaping what you’ve sown?”

If possible, Grandfather Liang would also wish for Su Su to return; it would comfort him. But when he’d last seen her, she was clearly happier than she’d ever been in the Liang household. He understood, deep down, that Su Su was unlikely to come back.

“This time, if Su Su comes back, I’ll treat her well. Whatever she wants, I’ll give her. I’ll share the workload at Xing Ye with her. I truly know her worth now!”

Seeing Wenru’s optimism, Grandfather Liang could only sigh again.

“Let’s see if you can win her back first.”

Wenru, confident as ever, replied,

“Don’t worry, I’m sure of it. I believe Su Su’s feelings for me are genuine. She’ll reconcile with me.”

His confidence made Grandfather Liang sigh again, but in the end, he nodded, unwilling to dampen Wenru’s spirits. He reminded,

“If you truly want Su Su back, you can’t repeat your old mistakes.”

“The annual auction is about to begin. Why don’t you see if there’s something suitable to gift Su Su? And pick something for me to give her as well.”

Recently, Xing Ye’s profits had been substantial, and Wenru had some spare money. Although spending it felt a bit wasteful, if he could win Su Su back, her abilities would surely help Xing Ye’s profits soar even higher. Then he’d have nothing to worry about. With this in mind, he nodded.

“Alright, I’ll go see what the auction has to offer!”

He was determined to win Su Su back. After all, could the feelings they’d shared for so long really be false? He was certain he could reclaim her heart.

…

Meanwhile, Su Su had learned that the auction would soon open—a gathering place for many company leaders, presenting a prime opportunity to forge connections. Although her company’s projects were stable, who would ever complain about having too many achievements? With this thought, Su Su decided to join the auction for the excitement.

Fu Zhichen would surely attend as well, so there was no need to worry about her evening attire; he would have already prepared everything in advance. Indeed, after work, as Su Su rounded the corner, Fu Zhichen’s car was waiting. As soon as she got in, she saw two invitations placed beside her.

“Auction invitations?”

Su Su raised her eyebrows. Fu Zhichen nodded.

“I knew you’d be interested.”

He truly understood her well.

Picking up an invitation, Su Su’s eyes sparkled with delight. “I was wondering where I’d get an invitation. I guessed you’d have the gown ready, but I didn’t expect you’d have the invitations too.”

After looking over the invitation, Su Su said, “I saw in the auction catalog a jade safety lock carved by the descendant of a royal craftsman, blessed by several temple monks. The meaning is wonderful. If I win it and give it to Qianqian Lu, she’ll surely love it.”

The child was soon to arrive, and this gift would be her best blessing.

“Mm, you can use my card for it.”

Fu Zhichen’s generosity made Su Su laugh. She wrapped her arms around his.

“No need. I’m buying a gift for the child; how could I use your card? With my recent salary and bonuses, I could easily support you. Winning a safety lock should be a piece of cake.”

“If elder sister likes something else, I’ll pay for it.”

Su Su had looked through the auction items and found nothing else she fancied. There was a brooch she’d liked at first, but it had passed through several owners, and she disliked items worn by others, no matter how beautiful. So she let it go.

Yet seeing Fu Zhichen’s hopeful expression, her heart softened. She couldn’t voice her thoughts, deciding instead to wait and see if something else caught her eye at the auction.

She also wanted to look for something suitable for Fu Zhichen. It seemed, after all this time together, she hadn’t bought him any proper gift. She agreed readily.

“Alright, we’ll see then.”

So, time quickly passed, and the day of the auction arrived.

This time, Su Su appeared as Fu Zhichen’s companion. Moreover, her achievements at Fu Group were irreplaceable. As the handsome couple entered the auction together, no one was surprised, though many couldn’t help but be impressed.

Today, Xue Ran Jiang’s evening dress was a deep wine-red, making her skin appear even paler under the lights—white as snow.