September.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The lounge door was slightly ajar, and the clatter of high heels echoed from the hallway outside, accompanied by a few female voices that inadvertently reached Nhiêu Niệm’s ears.
“She’s famous now, isn’t she?” (Cantonese)
Someone teased in reply, “She just got lucky this time; otherwise, how could she compare to you?” (Cantonese)
The people in the hallway must have been other auctioneers. Whether by accident or design, they were speaking Cantonese, so she couldn’t hear very clearly, but she could generally grasp the meaning from their sharp tone.
Nhiêu Niệm didn’t want to pay them any mind, so she pretended not to hear.
The polished marble tabletop reflected her indifferent expression. Nhiêu Niệm gathered the scattered items on the table into her bag. Just then, her phone rang.
It was her mentor, Tạ Như Vân, calling.
As soon as she answered, a gentle voice tinged with a smile came through the phone’s speaker: “Nhiêu Niệm, I saw the news; you did an excellent job. Even though it was your first auction, you handled yourself with great composure, especially when the blood diamond appeared. Keep up the good work; this is just your first step on this path.”
Nhiêu Niệm offered a modest smile and replied softly, “Thank you, but you’re too kind. Today, I was simply lucky to encounter someone willing to spend.”
In reality, the estimated price for this pigeon’s blood diamond ring was much lower than the final hammer price. Auctions are also an industry that relies on luck; wealthy clients like today’s aren’t always encountered. No wonder the group of staff members passing by in the hallway earlier were whispering. Moreover, she was just an amateur auctioneer from outside, far from comparable to the senior auctioneers Christie’s was recruiting.
Tạ Như Vân was very pleased with Nhiêu Niệm’s humility and prudence, gently reminded her of a few post-auction matters, then hung up the phone.
Before Nhiêu Niệm could even put her phone down, countless WeChat messages popped up.
The auction, which had just concluded, was already making headlines in major newspapers across Hong Kong and the Mainland. As an auctioneer, Nhiêu Niệm was bound to attract attention due to that astronomical price. Her WeChat interface was now filled with messages of well-wishes. Even old classmates she hadn’t spoken to in ages were sending messages to check in, a sure sign of her newfound fame.
Thinking back to the sensational auction, Nhiêu Niệm still felt dazed, as if in a dream.
Not long after graduating, she started working at an auction house on the Mainland, but she had only assisted others and presided over a few small-scale auctions, which paled in comparison to this one. It was all thanks to her mentor’s recommendation that she was allowed to take on such a significant task and preside over today’s auction herself.
Among the items, the most attention-grabbing was an unheated 10-carat pigeon’s blood diamond ring.
The starting bid was only 10 million, but it ultimately sold for an astronomical price: 100 million Hong Kong dollars, directly entering the top 5 highest-priced auctions in history. Even Nhiêu Niệm hadn’t anticipated this.
Even Christie’s management came to praise her and asked if she intended to change jobs.
Thanks to tonight’s mysterious buyer, her future career path would be much smoother and easier.
However, after considering the auction house’s offer for a moment, Nhiêu Niệm declined.
While she was still lost in thought, her phone vibrated, displaying a message.
Jiang Jiazhe: [Go to a party with me tonight. I'll have my assistant pick you up.]
It was her fiancé.
The commanding tone was no different from a superior assigning a task to a subordinate.
Rao Nian lowered her gaze, replied mechanically, and put her phone away.
After leaving the auction house, she didn't know when it had started raining outside, shrouding the Hong Kong night in a misty haze. Rainwater coated the billboards, and the dazzling streetlights formed streaks of light reflecting in every puddle.
She looked up and saw Jiang Jiazhe's Bentley parked by the roadside. Its black body, like a panther, lurked in the night, its lights flashing with a dazzling glare.
The weather in Hong Kong was always muggy. The assistant got out and opened the door for her. As soon as Rao Nian sat in the back seat, she discovered a newspaper under the seat.
She bent down, picked up the newspaper, and glanced at the bolded text on it.
It was a Hong Kong news report, boldly printed on the newspaper with the headline: [Jiang Family Scion Suspected of One-Night Stand with Gentle Model Li Xiaoxiao.]
Below it was an accompanying photo. In the picture, a man was embracing a woman's waist; his face was blurred, but he was still recognizable as Jiang Jiazhe.
Unexpectedly, Rao Nian had read the newspaper. The assistant looked embarrassed: "Sorry, Miss Rao, I just got the car back and haven't had time to clear the back seat."
Rao Nian's lips curved faintly. She folded the newspaper, placed it aside, and her tone remained gentle, as if she didn't care.
"It's fine."
The assistant, knowing her good nature, relaxed and started the car.
The Bentley slowly merged into the traffic. In the back seat, Rao Nian's phone in her handbag didn't rest for a second; it soon vibrated again.
As soon as she answered, she heard Quan Fei on the other end angrily scolding: "Does that bastard Jiang Jiazhe really care about you? He should be chemically castrated!"
Hearing Quan Fei's voice, Rao Nian's troubled mood immediately improved greatly.
The loud voice from the phone's speaker echoed in the quiet car. The assistant driving took a breath, only able to pretend not to hear.
After listening to Quan Fei's angry tirade for a while, Rao Nian still maintained an indifferent attitude.
Originally, the Jiang family's business developed in mainland China. A few years ago, when Jiang Jiazhe took over the family business, the Jiang family conglomerate rapidly expanded, securing a large share of the domestic electronics industry. Now, they were shifting their focus to Hong Kong.
Jiang Jiazhe's personal worth had multiplied tenfold, and with it came countless beautiful women surrounding him.
But this had nothing to do with her.
She only needed to play the role of a gentle and obedient fiancée.
Rao Nian leaned her head against the car window, quietly watching the night scenery flash by outside. After Quan Fei had vented enough, she smiled reassuringly: "Let it go. We made it clear before the engagement that neither of us is allowed to interfere in the other's private life."
This was a fact known to anyone in Hong Kong's social circles. Jiang Jiazhe needed her, his fiancée, to deal with his family, while her family needed this connection with the Jiang family to gain benefits. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Jiang Jiazhe had agreed not to touch her, and she had also agreed not to interfere in his private affairs.
Although Nie Nian didn't care, whenever a rumor broke out, as a fiancée whose fiancé was openly unfaithful, she would inevitably become the subject of ridicule among the elite social circles.
On the other end of the phone, Quan Fei's tone was a little serious as she asked worriedly, "Nian Nian, is your father really unwilling to break off the engagement with the Jiang family? Even your younger brother couldn't convince him?"
Nie Nian's upturned lips slowly lowered as she stared blankly at the neon lights outside the car window, unable to suppress a bitter laugh.
If only it were that easy.
Seeing her silence, Quan Fei decisively changed the subject. "The Blood Diamond auctioned today fetched such a high price; you're definitely going to get a huge commission."
Nie Nian regained her composure and replied with a smile, "I'm not their auctioneer. Before coming, I agreed with my mentor that I wouldn't take a commission; I'm treating this as a valuable opportunity for practice."
At this moment, on the other end of the phone, Quan Fei suddenly thought of something and said hesitantly, "Wait a minute, could it be that Jiang Jiazhe bought that diamond, wanting to apologize to you? Although he's despicable, he's always very generous with you."
Hearing this, Nie Nian paused slightly, a hint of doubt stirring in her heart.
Jiang Jiazhe was the only son of the Jiang family, born with a golden spoon in his mouth. He carried himself with an air of importance, was generous with women, and spent money like water. She wasn't sure if he had bought it. Nie Nian didn't want that. If it really was Jiang Jiazhe, then her success tonight would definitely be owed to him, counted as a debt.
She held her phone, hesitating for a moment. She had originally intended to text Jiang Jiazhe about the Blood Diamond, but after thinking it over, she decided not to ask.
They would meet in the evening anyway; she could ask him then.
The assistant drove Nie Nian to meet the stylist. As usual, she chose a dress and sat down for makeup. Although Jiang Jiazhe indulged in debauchery outside, he would still bring his fiancée, her, to important occasions.
Two hours later, in the dressing room, the stylist praised her in not-so-standard Mandarin, "Miss Nie is truly beautiful. Tonight, when Director Jiang sees you, he'll definitely be captivated."
Nie Nian also took the opportunity to look in the mirror. Today, the stylist had chosen a dark blue silk slip dress for her, revealing her smooth, fair shoulders. Her straight hair was styled into waves, cascading over her shoulders.
Around her snow-white neck, she wore a top-quality sapphire. Its cool and fiery sensation made her appear both dignified and unrestrained. Her shoulders and the side of her neck formed a delicate, graceful curve.
After all, she worked in the auction industry. To command the stage, her posture definitely had to be striking.
Fearing Nie Nian might get cold, the stylist draped a light-colored shawl over her.
Her beauty wasn't as glamorous as other Hong Kong beauties; instead, her eyebrows and eyes were very gentle. But the stylist knew what style Jiang Jiazhe liked, so she made her face alluring, drawing out her eyeliner very long.
Nie Nian only felt like an exquisite puppet, lavishly and mechanically decorated, with nothing special about it.
Especially when she thought of the upcoming party, fearing she wouldn't even get a chance to eat dinner and would have to go hungry all night, Nie Nian felt exhausted both physically and mentally.
—
Night, Victoria Harbor.
A luxurious yacht slowly departed the harbor, gradually moving towards the open sea.
When Rao Nian boarded the yacht, Jiang Jiazhe's secretary was already there to greet her, escorting her all the way to the banquet hall.
In the corridor, Xu Ran explained to her in an apologetic tone: "I'm truly sorry, Miss Rao, Director Jiang has some urgent business to attend to at the moment, he will come to find you later."
Rao Nian nodded: "I understand, thank you."
Inside the banquet hall, people were impeccably dressed, their hair gleaming. Rao Nian felt like a guest lost in Vanity Fair.
Jiang Jiazhe was not by her side, and the other business directors were tactful enough not to approach her for conversation. After all, in this situation, a female companion was merely a shield, not to mention she had nothing but the title of fiancée, making her unworthy of their greetings.
Rao Nian was also quite pleased to be left alone. She looked around and saw exquisite dishes lined up on the long table before her, their vibrant colors sparkling under the chandelier, emitting an appetizing aroma.
Just as she reached out for a plate of pastries, several female voices rang out from behind her, likely those of prominent young ladies from Hong Kong.
Someone noticed her and asked those around them: "Is she Director Jiang's fiancée?"
Rao Nian, who was holding a pastry, suddenly froze.
Her tone was as if she was gloating: "She looks young and pretty, and quite educated. What a pity, men don't like this type. Even if he marries her, he'll still go looking for others outside."
One of them chuckled, her voice mocking: "Just a moment ago, I saw Director Jiang upstairs. Standing next to him seemed to be the recently very popular Miss Hong Kong. Leaving his fiancée downstairs in the hall, going upstairs with another woman – it seems this fiancée has no say at all."
"Sigh, it's just mutual consent, there's nothing to pity. Isn't it enough for a man to have money? To be able to form an alliance with the Jiang family, it's considered not a waste of effort to raise this daughter."
Rao Nian unconsciously tightened her fingertips around the plate, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
The cold sensation of the ceramic enveloped her fingers, as if slowly freezing her body centimeter by centimeter.
Every time she attended such parties with Jiang Jiazhe, Rao Nian would feel uncomfortable to some extent. Her personality was inherently strong, and every time she was mocked like this, it felt as if her self-esteem was trampled upon, to the point where she couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.
But she had no other choice. The engagement with Jiang Jiazhe was not something she could decide on her own. In the eyes of these rich and powerful people, she was just a pawn for exchanging benefits.
This engagement was like a heavy, ornate shackle, weighing her down until she couldn't breathe.
Against the power of authority and money, her resistance was nothing.
Whether it was resisting her father or resisting the Jiang family, she couldn't do it. In fact, everyone who saw her would mock and humiliate her, leaving her with no self-respect.
The dessert she had just picked up suddenly lost its appeal. Rao Nian wanted to force a smile but couldn't, so she gave up, stopped tormenting herself, and put the food aside.
The conversation on the other side was still ongoing, gradually shifting to a different topic, their tone clearly showing reverence and admiration: “Have you heard? It seems *that person* will be arriving tonight. It took several invitations; it was so difficult to get *them* to agree to attend this party.”
“Really? Is the news accurate?”
Nie Nian didn't want to listen anymore, and left the hall before Jiang Jiazhe arrived.
She walked aimlessly, slowly making her way to the deck. Around her, a few guests stood together, champagne flutes in hand, displaying the same fake smiles as earlier.
Nie Nian could only find a secluded corner, gazing at the vast expanse of the sea. She took a deep breath, feeling as if she had come back to life.
Nie Nian stared blankly at the scene before her. Victoria Harbour was as beautiful as a painting, luxurious and dazzling. Thousands of lights created this masterpiece, striking the viewer with its brilliance and splendor.
She could only seize this brief moment to relax. Soon, she would have to return to that Vanity Fair scene, donning her mask of luxury and glamour.
Nie Nian blinked, trying to suppress her pain, and sat down on the steps in a hidden corner at the back of the deck.
She needed a moment to calm down and process her emotions. But not for too long, because she had to go back.
As she gazed at the night view for a moment, she heard soft voices behind her, carried on the sea breeze.
It was a low, magnetic voice, like a cup of aged wine, calm yet noble, captivatingly sensual, and remarkably clear in the darkness.
Though it was Cantonese, it was completely different from the money-reeking accents of the powerful and influential figures at the Vanity Fair earlier.
Nie Nian rarely heard anyone speak Cantonese so beautifully. She unconsciously snapped out of her thoughts, turning her head towards the source of the voice.
She looked up, seeing a man standing in the shadows, holding a mobile phone, seemingly on a call.
She couldn't clearly see his face, only that the man was wearing a shirt and trousers, tall and well-built, and a watch adorned the hand holding the phone. He was simply standing there, yet for some reason, he exuded an aura of calm composure.
She couldn't help but gaze a little longer, only reluctantly tearing her eyes away.
For some reason, the bitterness she had just suppressed surged up again. The feeling of hunger intensified her emotions, making her eyes well up slightly.
She could only quickly lower her head, letting her hair obscure part of her face, trying her best to hide her current embarrassment.
The sea breeze whistled past, quiet and tranquil.
She wrapped her slender arms around herself, breathing rapidly, trying to hold back her tears, unaware of the footsteps approaching her.
Until a black handkerchief suddenly appeared in her line of sight.
The faint scent of ebony blended with sandalwood wafted into her nose, as if possessing a miraculous soothing effect.
Nie Nian was startled, unconsciously holding her breath, her gaze slowly moving upwards, stopping at the hand holding the handkerchief.
Polite and refined, the hands of someone accustomed to luxury, beautiful, fair, slender, with prominent veins, and a watch on the wrist.
Nie Nian majored in art appreciation, and had seen countless valuable objects. Thus, she easily recognized the diamond cufflinks on the man's wrists and the brand of the watch he was wearing.
It wasn't one of the luxury brands that young scions like Jiang Jiazhe typically flaunted. It was an Italian royal artisan brand that had existed for centuries, from the moon-phase series, which had been discontinued several years ago. The price of this watch was enough to buy the entire yacht she was standing on.
Her eyelashes trembled, and she finally raised her eyes to the newcomer.
Behind him lay the prosperous Victoria Harbour, with its dazzling lights. His black shirt accentuated his broad shoulders, flawlessly handsome. The light shining from behind him made his silhouette seem to glow, creating an impression of profound depth and nobility.
The phone call was still ongoing; the man answered the other end in Cantonese, his hand, holding a handkerchief, remained suspended in mid-air, waiting for her to take it.
His gesture was natural and unhurried, as if he had casually pulled out a handkerchief to offer someone while discussing business.
For some unknown reason, all the other guests on deck had disappeared as if deliberately ushered away, leaving only the two of them in the entire world, in an unusual silence.
Just then, sea waves crashed against the hull, creating a loud sound that broke the tranquil scene.
The damp sea breeze blew her hair and gently stirred the hem of her dark blue dress.
Before her tears could be swept away by the sea breeze, Rao Nian felt her vision become shrouded in a layer of mist, hazy and unclear.
As if sensing her gaze, the man finally shifted his attention from the phone call and looked towards the girl in front of him.
She gazed dazedly into his eyes, as deep as the ocean.
Her heart skipped a beat.