Li Yang said, "I'm sorry, Qin Yue. I have something I need to take care of…"
"Uh…"
Qin Yue was taken aback by Li Yang's words.
'Li Yang wants to leave? What kind of move is that?'
She was stunned for a moment, but then she brightened up.
She was relieved she didn't have to keep Li Yang company.
Despite her inner relief, Qin Yue asked politely, "Li Yang, is it really that urgent?"
"Yeah, sorry about that." Li Yang smiled, hailed a taxi, and quickly left.
Watching the taxi drive away, Qin Yue mumbled to herself, "You're the one who wanted to leave, so you can't blame me. Even my dad can't say anything to me about this."
It wasn't as if she had driven Li Yang away.
"Yueyue."
Just then, a clear voice called out. A petite, lively girl came jogging over and said excitedly, "Was that Li Yang just now? The guy your father wants to set you up with? He's pretty handsome."
The girl's name was Chu Tingting, and she was Qin Yue's best friend.
"Tingting, what are you doing here?" Qin Yue asked, surprised to see her.
Chu Tingting giggled. "I came to see what your future husband looks like, Yueyue."
Qin Yue had previously complained to her that her father was trying to introduce her to a young man and play matchmaker. So today, Chu Tingting had secretly come here, hoping to get a chance to see what Li Yang looked like.
She arrived just in time to see Li Yang leaving and immediately jogged over.
Hearing Chu Tingting's words, Qin Yue feigned anger. "You brat! Say one more word and I'll shut you up for good."
The two girls bantered playfully for a moment.
Finally, Chu Tingting smiled and asked, "Yueyue, be honest. I think that Li Yang guy is pretty great. He's got a bright personality, he's handsome… you're not even going to consider him?"
"So I should like him just because he's handsome?"
Qin Yue retorted, annoyed by her friend's words.
Chu Tingting giggled. "A handsome face is easy on the eyes."
"He's handsome, lucky, and he even managed to find that Dragon Palace Slit Shell worth millions…"
Chu Tingting clearly knew a few things about Li Yang. "Yueyue, if I were you, I'd definitely be willing to get to know him. Who knows, he might just be my type."
"Then you should go for it. I can introduce you," Qin Yue suggested.
"Okay, deal!" Chu Tingting nodded without a second thought.
"You're so boy-crazy," Qin Yue said, rolling her eyes at her friend's reaction.
"Hee hee."
Chu Tingting giggled and said, "Yueyue, we're about to go to college, and you've never even had a crush on anyone. What kind of guys do you even like?"
Hearing her question, a serious look appeared on Qin Yue's face. She said softly, "I guess I like a peerless hero, like the Monkey King in *A Chinese Odyssey*—someone who can swoop in and save me when I'm in danger. I'd be completely in awe of him. If I ever met someone like that, I'd pursue him without a second's hesitation."
Every girl fantasizes about her own Prince Charming, and Qin Yue was clearly no exception.
"But what if you meet him and let the chance slip by?"
Chu Tingting giggled, teasing her. "How can you be so sure Li Yang isn't your hero? What if you don't make a move now and end up regretting it later?"
Hearing that, Qin Yue rolled her eyes. "There's no way I'd regret it."
She glanced into the distance, but the taxi Li Yang had taken was long gone. She felt nothing at all.
But in the near future, whenever Qin Yue would recall Chu Tingting's words, she would always say to herself, "I regret it. I really, truly regret it."
If she had the chance again, she would definitely have used it to stay by Li Yang's side. Perhaps then their lives would have had many more chances to intertwine.
But time could not be turned back. The young man would one day become so brilliant that she would hear people all around her talking about him every day, yet he would be forever out of her reach—a regret she would carry for the rest of her life.
...
'Time to get back to cultivating!'
The reason Li Yang had ditched Qin Yue was, of course, so he could cultivate.
「Two days passed in a flash.」
During that time, Qin Shanchuan and others from the auction house called him occasionally.
In those two days, all the major players—representatives from well-funded seashell museums and various private collectors—had arrived. They were all there for the Dragon Palace Slit Shell.
"Xiaoyang, over here."
When Li Yang arrived at the auction house, Qin Shanchuan spotted him and waved with a smile. "I'll take you to the auction hall."
Qin Yue was standing beside him. As for his hopes for Li Yang and Qin Yue, Qin Shanchuan had basically given up.
'They finally have a rare chance to get to know each other, but they haven't even met up once in the past two days. How is that supposed to work out?'
"Uncle Qin."
Li Yang greeted Qin Shanchuan, then noticed Qin Yue and gave her a nod.
Qin Yue smiled and nodded back.
She had been incredibly annoyed the first time she met Li Yang. But since he hadn't bothered her at all for the past two days, her impression of him had improved noticeably.
Finding a spot in the auction house, Li Yang waited quietly.
Item after item went up for auction. It was Li Yang's first time at such an event, and he watched with great interest.
Soon, it was time for the final item: the Dragon Palace Slit Shell he had brought. The bidding started at three million!
"3.5 million."
"4 million."
"5 million."
"6 million."
After a fierce bidding war, the price quickly soared to six million! That was the beauty of an auction—with everyone competing, the price could only go higher.
Unlike some paintings or calligraphy pieces with inflated prices, the Dragon Palace Slit Shell was a true living fossil. It possessed immense research value, so of course many people wanted it.
"6.5 million."
"7 million."
...
In the end, the Dragon Palace Slit Shell was sold for 7.5 million!
Auction sales were subject to a 5% fee, meaning Li Yang had to pay 375,000. After all was said and done, he had earned a little over 7 million from this one shell!
Having come into so much money all at once, Li Yang was overjoyed and immediately told his parents the news.
Li Guohai and Zhao Rou were both ecstatic.
"Xiaoyang, with that one seashell, you've earned more than your father has in most of his life."
Li Guohai said happily, the joy unconcealed on his pale face.
He was truly happy. Happy that with so much money, even if he were gone, his wife and son could live a good life without worrying about the future.
The reason he had been unwilling to continue his treatment was precisely because he had wanted to leave some money for his family.
Meanwhile, Li Yang's older sister, Li Xue, also heard what had happened and was thrilled for her little brother.
As they were talking, a tiny, child-like voice came through the phone.
"Uncle, how much is seven million?"
From the sound of the voice, Li Yang knew it was his four-year-old niece, Tongtong.
"Uncle, since you have so much money, can you buy me yummy snacks next time I see you?"
"Uncle, I want to eat lots and lots of things."
The little girl's voice pleaded through the phone.
Li Yang chuckled. "Of course, Tongtong. Next time we meet, Uncle will buy you anything you want to eat."