"Taking a trip on a whim. I'll be back soon. Don't miss me."
While Ren Ziling was busy reviewing manuscripts, she glanced at the message on her phone. She froze for a moment, then slammed both hands onto the desk and sprang to her feet. "You little punk, you're pulling this stunt on me again! Have your wings grown strong enough to fly already?!"
Ren Ziling hurriedly called him.
"I'm sorry, but the number you dialed is currently powered off..."
"Me!!!!!"
Ren Ziling finally sat down helplessly. She had worked in the industry for many years, and her temper had become much more restrained, so she still refrained from saying things like "Go to hell" and "Kao."
Under the flight attendant's guidance, Luo Qiu sat down. Naturally, You Ye accompanied him.
You Ye had changed out of the maid uniform she had worn at the club. She was now wearing a white camisole under a sun-protection shirt, with a light-green knitted cardigan over it. She also wore white casual jeans and small-perforated silver flats.
Naturally, she gave off an entirely different impression.
Although he had never said he wanted to visit You Ye's room, Luo Qiu imagined that her wardrobe must be full.
With a female companion accompanying him, the flight attendant did not show any excessive enthusiasm beyond her professional duties. Still, the business-class seats at the back, separated from the ordinary cabin by a curtain, were clearly more refined.
The album Gu Yue Zhai had brought back indicated the location of the auction. It was not in the city where Luo Qiu lived, but several cities away—in fact, it was even outside the province.
This was beyond Luo Qiu's usual range of travel. If he wanted to go, he could only take transportation. To make the round trip within a day and still get sufficient rest, after learning about the club's financial situation and considering Zhong Luochen's fastest round-trip speed, Luo Qiu directly chose to fly.
You Ye had handled the arrangements. Given her many years of experience in society, she had probably done plenty of work like this.
In any case, by the time Luo Qiu sat in first class, he had not needed to worry about a thing.
"Luo Qiu?"
Just as Luo Qiu was about to close his eyes and get some rest, he unexpectedly heard someone call his name. Then he felt rather awkward when he realized he had run into an acquaintance at a time like this.
It was the Young Lady of Gu Yue Zhai.
Zhang Qingrui was alone, carrying a shoulder bag and her phone, along with her plane ticket. She looked over curiously. After furrowing her brows slightly, she asked, "Are you planning to attend the auction?"
She was not too surprised that Zhang Qingrui had guessed it.
After all, he had only obtained the album from Gu Yue Zhai yesterday, yet today he was already sitting on a plane headed for the destination. Since the Young Lady of Gu Yue Zhai also had business at the auction, it was natural for her to make that connection.
Luo Qiu could only nod.
Perhaps because she had been born into a merchant family, Zhang Qingrui maintained a basic level of courtesy. "This is... your companion?"
"You Ye..." Luo Qiu nodded as he introduced her, then added, "Yes... she'll be accompanying me for a long time."
"What a beautiful person." Zhang Qingrui smiled faintly.
All women possessed some degree of a comparative instinct. Whether it was strong or weak, intentional or unconscious, it always existed. Zhang Qingrui was truly amazed by a woman like You Ye, who seemed to possess all the advantages of women from both the East and the West.
She was like a rose blooming atop a high mountain, giving off a very special feeling. Zhang Qingrui could not help taking a few more looks. Then, after hearing Luo Qiu's strange answer, the Young Lady of Gu Yue Zhai, accustomed to hearing all kinds of overt and covert meanings, understood and smiled. "Since that's the case, I won't disturb you two. However, Luo Qiu, if you're going to the auction, why don't you let me take you there? My side is one of the organizers, so traveling together will save you some trouble."
She did not consider whether Luo Qiu could afford to buy anything. In fact, at many auctions, there were always more spectators than buyers, and some people simply came to join in the excitement. Besides, they had been classmates, and Zhang Qingrui did not want to leave people with the impression that she was arrogant.
Luo Qiu thought for a moment. "All right."
Zhang Qingrui returned to her seat.
You Ye leaned close to Luo Qiu's ear and whispered, "Master, this young lady's soul is very beautiful."
Luo Qiu froze for a moment, but said nothing. You Ye was hinting that Luo Qiu could turn Zhang Qingrui into a club customer. However, he had no such intention for the time being.
There were surely more people in the world with beautiful souls than just Zhang Qingrui. However, among the limited number of acquaintances he had—and among those who also knew Ren Ziling—Zhang Qingrui fit both conditions. Thus, he truly did not want to approach her in his capacity as the club's owner.
"We'll talk about it later."
Luo Qiu closed his eyes again and rested.
Yet that seemingly intimate little gesture was still clearly noticed by both the flight attendant and Zhang Qingrui. While they were once again marveling at You Ye's dreamlike beauty, each began to form their own thoughts.
The flight attendant hoped she might encounter a beautiful romance among the wealthy, but felt ashamed of her own inferiority when she compared herself to You Ye. Zhang Qingrui, meanwhile, was curious that someone could actually fall for a man like Luo Qiu, who looked as though he kept everyone at arm's length.
It was probably true love, right?
The woman, who also entertained romantic fantasies, secretly offered them her blessings.
The journey passed in silence, and the plane landed smoothly at its destination. Afterward, accompanied by Zhang Qingrui, Luo Qiu boarded the organizer's vehicle to the auction venue.
The car on this side had only just started moving, while the car on the other side had already come to a stop.
The same moment, but in a different place.
Far away in the capital, thousands of miles away, stood what could be called a luxurious residence. More precisely, however, it was a mountain estate.
It was one of the properties owned by the Zhong Family, as well as the place where the direct descendants of the Zhong Family lived.
"Cheng Yun, get everything ready at once and wait for me here." After giving the order, Zhong Luochen hurried into the mountain estate.
Cheng Yun did not dare delay. He took out his phone to make arrangements while gazing longingly into the mountain estate. Even now, he still did not have the qualifications to enter.
He had heard that the Old Master living in the mountain estate was in even greater danger, which was why Zhong Luochen had hurried back.
The situation inside this mountain estate was undergoing a dramatic shift; the entire balance might change at any moment. Cheng Yun's expression could not help darkening. Although the Zhong Family's internal struggle could not be called severe, the undercurrents were surging. The Old Master had not designated an heir, and the two young masters and one young lady of this generation were all exceptionally capable. If the Old Master truly failed to overcome this crisis, things would become very interesting.
However, when he had returned, Zhong Luochen had also ordered someone to purchase return tickets—not just one or two seats, but an entire first-class cabin. This made Cheng Yun feel puzzled.
At that moment, a car sped into the mountain estate. Cheng Yun knew it was the private car of another young master of the Zhong Family.
At this point, aside from the young lady who had been accompanying him there all along, all three members of this generation of the Zhong Family had gathered.
Naturally, several influential figures within the Zhong Family had also arrived early.
"Could it... really be that the whole situation is about to change?"
Cheng Yun looked up at the sky, then cursed irritably under his breath, "Damn smog!"
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