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At that moment, the host in the center of the hall announced the official start of the charity auction. Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the stage, their eyes focused on the priceless auction items.
A family heirloom diamond necklace from the Swedish Royal Family was carefully brought onto the stage by staff members. Jiang Rou's eyes lit up, as if she had grasped a lifeline. Ignoring Lin Yue's quiet warnings beside her, Jiang Rou raised her bidding paddle confidently. "Five hundred thousand." Her voice rang clearly throughout the hall.
A jeweler across the room quickly responded, "Six hundred thousand."
Jiang Rou raised an eyebrow, her expression dismissive. "One million."
The jeweler refused to back down. "One hundred and twenty thousand."
"Two million." Jiang Rou's voice was firm, as if she were merely buying a silk scarf.
No one dared to bid further. The auctioneer struck the gavel three times. "Sold!"
A victorious smile spread across Jiang Rou's face as her gaze drifted toward Su Yao in the distance, her lips curling slightly upward. She insisted on completing the transaction right there and then, and walked over to Lin Yue with the sparkling necklace in hand. With delicate fingers, she gently lifted the necklace and placed it around Lin Yue's neck.
"Here, let me help you put it on," she said sweetly.
Lin Yue froze in place, wanting to refuse but unable to find her voice. The necklace glimmered against her fair skin, drawing gasps of admiration from those around them, yet to Lin Yue, it felt more like a dazzling shackle.
Suddenly, Jiang Rou stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Lin Yue's cheek, leaving a bright red lip print behind. "Lin Yue, do you like the gift I gave you?" Jiang Rou smiled sweetly but discreetly cast a glance at Su Yao. "I heard this necklace represents eternal love."
Her gaze was filled with provocation—look, she is mine.
Lin Yue felt a mix of embarrassment and anger, her face burning as if set aflame. The public display of intimacy made her uncomfortable; she instinctively wanted to step back. She glanced sideways at Su Yao and met those bright eyes. Su Yao's expression held curiosity and confusion, along with a hint of something else—was it disappointment?
"Lu Chen, don't you think this necklace looks especially good on Lin Yue?" Jiang Rou turned to ask, pride evident in her tone.
Lu Chen awkwardly smiled. "Um, it looks nice."
This display of "marking ownership" instantly ignited the gossip nerves of everyone present. Whispers quickly swept through the venue like an invisible wave, pushing countless curious gazes back and forth between Lin Yue and Jiang Rou.
"That's the heir of the Jiang family and Lu Family; they look even more beautiful in person than in photos!"
"So… if I’m not mistaken, the other one should be Lin Yue from the Lin family?"
"So that’s who Lin Yue is…"
"I heard they are as close as one person; their families have deep roots in business circles with extensive connections and have invested together in several major projects globally across finance, real estate, manufacturing, and more."
"I also heard that the Lin family originally had a betrothal agreement with the Lu Family, but then the Jiang family intervened because Jiang Rou has liked Lin Yue since childhood. This has long been no secret among the three families, which led to the cancellation of the engagement between the Lin family and Lu Family."
"No wonder that kiss earlier was so passionate!"
"But they’re both women…"
"What does that matter? They clearly don’t care!"
"True enough; these relationships among wealthy families are even more dramatic than those in showbiz!"
"However, Lin Yue is quite mysterious; I’ve heard she has suffered from depression since childhood and has made headlines for attempting suicide a few times before—though those stories were quickly suppressed."
"Yeah, it’s strange; we always see news about Jiang Rou and Lu Chen in finance and entertainment sections, but there’s hardly any news or even clear photos of Lin Yue as the daughter of the Lin family…"
"Hush! Keep your voice down; don’t you know about their families' influence? Do you want to ruin your future?"
These discussions pierced through Lin Yue’s ears like sharp knives. Her breathing became rapid, her face turning pale as paper. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, soaking her hairline.
The scene before her began to blur, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt her knees weaken, almost on the verge of collapsing right there.
Jiang Rou immediately noticed Lin Yue's distress, quickly setting down her wine glass and gently covering Lin Yue's ears. "Don't listen to their nonsense. Breathe with me—yes, inhale... exhale..." Her voice was as soothing as water, yet her eyes burned with anger. Those gossiping had no idea how sensitive and fragile Lin Yue truly was!
Lu Chen also stepped forward to help, blocking the prying eyes of others while casting a murderous glare at the group of gossipers. His powerful aura made their chatter dissipate instantly; everyone turned away, pretending nothing had happened.
Su Yao stood a few steps away, clearly hearing the murmurs. Her gaze shifted between Lin Yue and Jiang Rou, noticing the unusual intimacy between them. A fleeting hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes, but she quickly composed herself, maintaining a professional smile.
Just as the atmosphere became nearly suffocating, the host spoke up at the perfect moment: "Next, please welcome our special guest for tonight, Miss Su Yao, to the stage!"
Attention swiftly shifted, and applause erupted. Su Yao elegantly acknowledged the audience before turning to walk towards the stage, her silver-gray silk gown swaying lightly with each step. Under the spotlight, she radiated a soft glow, breathtakingly beautiful.
Lin Yue watched Su Yao approach the stage, instinctively holding her breath. She gently pushed Jiang Rou's hand away. "Xiao Rou, I'm fine now." She quietly stepped back, creating distance from Jiang Rou while keeping her eyes fixed on the stage, afraid to miss any detail.
Su Yao took the microphone, her long fingers gently grasping it as her red lips parted slightly. The entire banquet hall seemed to be muted; all eyes were on this woman.
As the music began, Su Yao swayed her hips gently, her fingertips gliding over her collarbone in time with the melody, a few strands of hair sticking to her slightly parted lips. Her voice was like silk forged in fire—gentle yet powerful—as the lyrics flowed through the air like poetry.
"Even if I fall, I will shine like a star..." she sang, determination shining in her eyes.
Lin Yue felt an electric current surge from the nape of her neck to the top of her head. In that moment, all her previous unease and anxiety vanished. The only thing left in her world was Su Yao's heavenly voice and lyrics that seemed to pierce through her soul.
When Su Yao sang "My heart searches for your light in the darkness," their gazes inadvertently met. In that instant, an invisible bond seemed to tighten between them.
Su Yao's final note lingered softly between her teeth, its resonance hanging in the air long after she finished singing. The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers; Lin Yue's fingers unconsciously tapped along with the rhythm on her wine glass.
The host announced an exclusive auction for this original song titled "Brilliant Starlight," and wealthy patrons eagerly raised their paddles one after another. Lin Yue yearned to bid on this song but dared not become the center of attention in front of so many people.
Her fingers tapped faster along the rim of her glass; desire was evident in her eyes. Lu Chen noticed Lin Yue's subtle movements and quickly understood. Seizing the moment when bidding heated up, he decisively raised his paddle.
"Five million!" His bid caused an uproar in the room; no one dared to respond.
As the gavel fell for the deal, both Lin Yue and Jiang Rou turned their heads simultaneously to look at Lu Chen in confusion. Lu Chen winked at Lin Yue, a knowing smile appearing on his lips.
Lin Yue understood immediately; she lowered her head to hide her smile, feeling grateful for this thoughtful childhood friend. However, Jiang Rou's expression darkened as she glanced between Lin Yue and Su Yao as she walked offstage.
"Oh? Lu Chen," she teased lightly but with a sharp tone, "no wonder you suggested we venture into the entertainment industry—you wanted to chase after a little star?"
Whispers began circulating around them again: "Isn't that the lead actress from Director Li's new drama Dark River?"
"Weren't those three just talking with Director Li about something...?"
"It seems that Director Li's new drama is set to succeed."
Su Yao stepped down from the stage and walked directly towards the three of them, politely expressing her gratitude to Lu Chen. "Thank you, Manager Lu, for your recognition of my work," she said with a smile, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards Lin Yue.
Her eyes lingered briefly on those deep, inky black eyes, and her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. Lu Chen responded with a gentlemanly smile, "No need to thank me; this song is a gift I prepared for Lin Yue."
Just as Su Yao was about to speak, Lin Yue interjected with praise, "You sang beautifully, especially that line 'even if I fall'... I really liked it." Her voice carried an unmistakable tension, and a blush crept across her face, spreading from her neck to her ears.
This reaction surprised both Jiang Rou and Lu Chen—Lin Yue never initiated conversations, let alone praised someone in public!
"Thank you for the compliment, President Lin." Su Yao's eyes sparkled with delight, her tone slightly shy. For a moment, it felt as though there were a thousand words between them, yet they remained unspoken.
Jiang Rou watched in fury, her anger boiling over. She abruptly linked arms with Lin Yue and coldly interrupted, "Lu Chen, if you want to film something, just say so. Don't use Lin Yue as an excuse!" She rolled her eyes and firmly pulled Lin Yue away. "Come on, Lin Yue; it's getting late. We should head back."
Reluctantly dragged by Jiang Rou, Lin Yue walked out with unwilling steps. She glanced back occasionally, her gaze following Su Yao's retreating figure.
Lu Chen helplessly apologized to Su Yao, "I'm sorry for the awkwardness."
"It's fine." Su Yao offered a polite smile but continued to watch Lin Yue until that splash of red completely vanished from sight.
Unconsciously, she touched the three small moles on her neck as if trying to hold onto the warmth of someone's gaze lingering there.
"Sister Yao Yao, it seems that President Lin is quite interested in you," Xiao Lin, Su Yao's assistant, said with a grin.
A blush crept onto Su Yao's face, but she didn't respond; she merely looked again in the direction where Lin Yue had left.
That night after returning home, Su Yao tossed and turned in bed, her mind filled with those deep black eyes and the words "You sang beautifully."
In the Maybach S-Class car belonging to the Jiang family, Jiang Rou tightly grasped Lin Yue's hand and rested her head lightly on Lin Yue's shoulder. Her voice was thick with jealousy as she asked, "Lin Yue, what happened tonight? I've never seen you so proactive in talking to strangers."
After Jiang Rou finished speaking, Lu Chen quietly turned his head to glance at Lin Yue from the front passenger seat.
Lin Yue wearily closed her eyes without answering. But she knew that a part of her heart had been stolen uncontrollably by that girl on stage.
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