Chapter 45: Currying Favor

At the entrance of the understated yet luxurious banquet hall, Xia Rusheng, arm in arm with Lin Yichen, followed Xia Rui inside. The moment they stepped through the doors, she and Lin Yichen instantly became the center of attention, drawing the host of the banquet himself to come forward and greet them.

"Director Xia's presence is truly an overwhelming honor for me." The host of the banquet was an elderly gentleman celebrating his golden wedding anniversary with his wife. By all rights, given his standing in the business world, even if his wealth and power were not overwhelmingly supreme, he was certainly a senior figure. The fact that he was showing such polite deference to Xia Rui was undoubtedly out of consideration for Lin Yichen.

Xia Rusheng had clearly noticed that Chairman Jin, the host, kept glancing toward her and Lin Yichen as he spoke. No wonder Xia Rui had insisted that Lin Yichen attend with her. While he clearly despised being accused of marrying into higher social strata, he stubbornly insisted on borrowing the halo of the Lin family. This behavior of reaping the benefits while still complaining about the cost left her entirely speechless.

"What are you saying, Chairman Jin? I am merely a junior, so your words flatter me to the point of unworthiness." Xia Rui feigned modesty and hurriedly brushed it off with a profusion of congratulatory remarks.

Taking advantage of the two men exchanging pleasantries, Xia Rusheng carefully observed the guests present. Many of them were people she had known in her past life. The Jin family fell somewhere between first-tier and second-tier in high society. Coupled with the fact that this golden wedding anniversary was held under the banner of charity, featuring a charitable auction, virtually all the elite families of City A were in attendance.

Since everyone was here, that was all the better. If Tan Li wanted to put on a show, the more spectators there were, the better!

Thinking this, a subtle smile involuntarily touched the corners of Xia Rusheng's lips.

"I have a few old acquaintances over there. Would you like to go over and say hello together?" After Xia Rui finished exchanging pleasantries, Lin Yichen asked softly in her ear. Although the two of them had come under the guise of an engaged couple, Lin Yichen hoped to afford Xia Rusheng the utmost respect.

"I would feel out of place. You should go by yourself." True to his expectations, Xia Rusheng politely declined. Lin Yichen looked slightly disappointed before leaving by himself.

Standing alone with her champagne glass, Xia Rusheng quietly watched the entrance. Just as she was lost in thought, two figures suddenly blocked her view. Raising her eyes, she saw Lu Siyun looking at her with a smile, accompanied by a female companion.

Matching wedding bands for men and women gleamed on their respective ring fingers. Xia Rusheng immediately stood up, smiled, and said, "Should I address the two of you as Sister and Brother-in-law?"

The female companion was none other than Lu Siyun's wife and Lin Yichen's half-sister—Lin's eldest daughter, Lin Er.

Today, the widowed Elder Lin and the remarried Lu Feng were both absent, so Lin Er and her husband were presumably representing both the Lu and Lin families. Throughout the entire banquet, their status was undoubtedly the most distinguished.

"Grandfather handed all of Grandmother's heirlooms over to you. By all rights, I suppose you should address us that way." Lin Er's gaze swept from Xia Rusheng's face down to her necklace, then shifted away again, her smile restrained and poised.

Yet, Xia Rusheng could detect a trace of bitterness in Lin Er's words.

Unconsciously, she touched the set of unique jade jewelry she was wearing. She originally had no intention of wearing it today, but Lin Yichen had insisted she wear it at least once. In the end, unable to resist him, she had simply put it on.

She knew that Lin Yichen's position in the Lin family was delicate. Although he was an illegitimate son, it was a closely guarded secret. Everyone assumed he and Lin Er were full brother and sister. A car accident in the Lin family years ago had claimed the lives of Lin Er's parents and Lin Yichen's mother, while also turning Lin Yichen's lineage into an eternal secret.

As the daughter of the legitimate wife, Lin Er had not received her paternal grandmother's heirlooms, whereas the fiancée of an illegitimate son had. Therefore, Xia Rusheng could well imagine how awkward Lin Er must feel seeing her wear this jewelry set.

This was not merely a set of jewelry; it was a symbol of status. Between her and Lin Yichen, who truly held Elder Lin's affection? This jewelry was the ultimate reflection of that.

For a moment, Xia Rusheng did not know how to respond.

Noticing her awkwardness, Lu Siyun chuckled softly and stepped in to ease the atmosphere. "The auction is about to begin. Let's take our seats first."

Xia Rusheng nodded. Before leaving, she glanced back at the entrance once more, but Tan Li still had not appeared.

Because of her connection to the Lin family, Xia Rusheng was seated in the front row alongside Lin Er. This golden wedding charity auction was hosted jointly by Chairman Jin and his wife, so naturally, the couple opened the proceedings. The very first lot up for auction turned out to be the couple's own golden wedding rings.

Golden wedding rings held extraordinary significance, and the guests below were extremely enthusiastic, competing fiercely in the bidding. The price instantly skyrocketed from two hundred thousand to two million. Xia Rusheng looked at Xia Rui, who remained impassive, finding his reaction thoroughly unusual since he had not participated in a single round of bidding thus far.

At the same time, she noticed that Lu Siyun and his wife in front of her had also remained silent and observant. It seemed both Lu Siyun and Xia Rui intended to make a move to secure this particular lot.

If one wanted to make a splash at this auction, the surest way was to win the very first item—the host's wedding rings—and steal the spotlight.

"Is Miss Xia interested in those rings?" Lu Siyun asked suddenly amidst the bidding, a smile of unfathomable meaning lingering in his eyes.

Xia Rusheng could sense Lu Siyun's curiosity about her, but she could not fathom why he was so exceptionally curious, especially since, judging by his demeanor, he did not seem to regard her as a stranger...

"I'm interested, but I haven't the heart to take them, so that interest fades away. I imagine my sister and brother-in-law should be the ones interested in those rings. Golden wedding rings carry such a wonderful meaning and suit the two of you perfectly." Xia Rusheng spoke the truth. Those rings represented decades of weathering storms together; she knew she lacked the fortitude for such a life, nor did she possess that kind of fortune. She was a woman willing to barter even her marriage for revenge; how could she possibly be worthy of such rings?

"Her interests are different from what you imagine. What you see is the significance of the rings, while what she sees can only be described as a purpose." Lu Siyun smiled meaningfully.

Hearing this, Lin Er nearby cast a complex glance at Lu Siyun and remarked, "I truly have no interest in those rings, and neither does your brother-in-law. He is of the same breed as I am—he sees only purpose in his eyes, never mere interest."

With that, Lin Er turned her head away, leaving Xia Rusheng instantly lost in thought.

Why did she feel that the relationship between this couple was somewhat peculiar?

"She is not wrong. In Lu's view, among everyone here, only Miss Xia is capable of uttering those three words—'haven't the heart to take them.' Therefore, only Miss Xia is truly worthy of possessing these rings. Today, Lu will offer a stolen Buddha to present flowers, hoping Miss Xia might like them." With that, Lu Siyun suddenly raised his paddle and announced in a clear voice, "Three million!"

Simultaneously, a voice rang out from the entrance, causing the corners of Xia Rusheng's mouth to curve upward.

"Four million!"