That evening, at the auction hall, a place only the highest echelons of society could enter, crystal chandeliers illuminated the opulent gowns, and wine shimmered in crystal glasses. The slow, symphony music added to the suffocatingly luxurious atmosphere.
I stepped out of the car with my parents. As soon as the three of us stepped onto the red carpet, all eyes immediately turned towards us.
"Isn't that Mr. and Mrs. Gu?"
"Is the person with them… their son?"
"Didn't we hear he was hit by a car? Why is he here now?"
The whispers spread quickly; some praised my beauty, while others jokingly suggested they wanted to take me home. Before I could even manage a sarcastic smile, a cold voice interrupted:
"Shut up! How dare you gossip about the Gu family here? Are you tired of living?"
The atmosphere instantly froze. Only curious eyes followed us as my family was invited inside.
A waiter approached, respectfully handing us three masks. We sat down in the reserved seats. My mother gently tilted her head:
"A Xiang, tell me what you like today, and I'll buy it for you."
My father also smiled:
"It's your first time here, so you're probably unfamiliar with the place. But don't worry, just tell us what you want, and we'll buy it for you."
My nose suddenly stung. They weren't my biological parents, yet in this moment, I felt… strangely warm. I felt myself becoming selfish, enjoying things that didn't belong to me…?
"Yes… yes," I softly replied, though still feeling confused.
The stage curtain slowly rose. A man stepped out, his voice booming:
"Ladies and gentlemen. We are honored to welcome you to tonight's auction. First item: a quartz crystal, starting bid 30 million."
Bidding erupted: 40 million… 50 million… then 100 million! All eyes immediately turned to my father, who had made the highest bid.
He simply smiled, saying he wanted to give it to my mother, who loved gemstones. After a brief bidding war, the crystal went to the Gu family. The auctioneer solemnly announced:
"Congratulations, Mr. Gu."
The next items were presented one after another, most going to prestigious families.
Finally, the auctioneer paused slightly, his voice slow:
"And without further ado… now comes the most special item of the night."
The atmosphere became heavy. All eyes focused on the stage. A giant iron cage was wheeled out.
Inside, a tall, imposing man was bound in chains, his eyes blindfolded. Despite his confinement, his aura was overwhelming, so oppressive that many in the audience shuddered.
"This is a dominant Alpha. Starting bid: 600 million."
The hall buzzed with excitement. Bidding continued: 700 million… 900 million… then the Luo family shouted:
"1.5 billion!"
The atmosphere was tense. Then, unexpectedly, a calm female voice rang out:
"2 billion."
Everyone turned around—it was my mother! She had noticed my gaze lingering on the man, a gaze different from the other items, seemingly giving him considerable attention…
The auctioneer immediately called out:
"2 billion, call one… call two… call three! Congratulations, Mrs. Gu, on winning today's special item!"
The auction ended.
Returning home, while I was still resting, the butler brought the "item."
The clanging of chains echoed as a burly figure was brought into the room. Though blindfolded and bound, his imposing presence made the atmosphere heavy and chilling.
I was surprised and confused, asking, "Ah... this... this..."
The butler respectfully replied, "Sir, this is a gift the madam sent for you."
Hearing this, I understood and said hesitantly, "Okay... okay, you may leave."
The butler bowed respectfully and left.
I approached him, my voice trembling and cautious:
"Sir... please don't be nervous. I... I won't harm you."
Hearing this, he slightly raised his head. Even with my eyes blindfolded, I could feel his sharp, predatory gaze, as if he wanted to devour me alive.
I reached out and slowly removed the blindfold. His deep, dark eyes, like bottomless abysses, instantly appeared, staring directly at me, so cold they sent shivers down my spine.
I swallowed hard, trying to remain calm, and softly whispered:
"That…that…my name is Gu Yunxiang…and you…what's your name?"
He remained silent. His eyes darkened, carrying a faint hint of contempt. He didn't bother to answer, merely glancing at me before turning away.
My chest tightened, my cheeks flushed, and I trembled, telling myself: I must…not be used to it yet. I cleared my throat, holding my breath:
"It's alright…you…if you want to rest, I'll have someone prepare a room."
He paused for a moment, a fleeting look of incomprehension in his eyes. I ignored it, stepping back cautiously:
"From now on, you will be…my servant, okay?"
Just as Jing Yuan turned away, a low, hoarse voice rang out from behind him:
"Jing Yuan."
I froze, my heart pounding, slightly bewildered, and asked again:
"You… what did you just say? Jing Yuan?"
He only glanced over, his voice indifferent:
"Yes."
I was slightly relieved, and quickly asked, my voice unable to contain my joy:
"So… what is your last name?"
The atmosphere became heavy. He raised his head, his gaze distant and cold:
"Kh"He does."
I was stunned. Without them… did that mean he had no family? I quickly bowed my head:
"I'm sorry… I… I misspoke. Please don't mind…"
He didn't bother to reply. The heavy silence made me feel like I'd hit an invisible wall, and I didn't dare press further.
I trembled, trying to cover my tracks:
"But… really… your name, Kình Uyên… is very beautiful… very special too."
His cold, dark eyes flickered slightly. He looked at me, his gaze fleeting, cold and profound. After a moment, his voice hoarse, almost self-mocking:
"Beautiful…? No one has ever said that."
Seeing this, I suddenly felt sorry for Kình Uyên, but I forced a smile, gently taking his hand, cautiously:
"Your name… isn't just beautiful, it's also… strong. It suits you very well."
In that instant, Jing Yuan's eyes briefly widened in surprise, then quickly regained their composure, a faint smile quickly fading away.
I froze, thinking to myself, "He… just smiled?"
Then, with a hint of excitement on my face, I said, "Did… did you just smile?" I looked at Jing Yuan expectantly.
But in response to my expectant gaze, Jing Yuan lowered his head, his voice hoarse:
"No."
Hearing this, I pouted slightly, sighed, and turned my back, backing out of the room:
"Okay… alright. It's late… you should rest, I'm going home."
Behind me, his deep, dark eyes silently followed me, containing something both cold and enigmatic.
Jing Yuan thought to himself, "This person… is really strange."