I woke up to find I have a child - Chapter 73
The gala officially began, and everyone found their seats. Han Feixu and Ye Mingxin searched for each other in the crowd and then sat down together at a nearby table.
Each table could only accommodate three people, and assistants usually stood nearby or found a larger communal table in the back to avoid sitting with strangers. Ye Mingxin looked to the side and gave a signal to Lan Zhu.
Understanding flashed across Lan Zhu’s face before ran off to find someone she knew. She approached Chi Qiu and intended to invite her to sit with them. However, just as she put on a sweet smile, she turned her head again and found that the third seat had already been taken.
Chloe nonchalantly sat down next to Ye Mingxin and even smiled at both of them, saying, “Is this seat taken?”
Ye Mingxin paused, opened her mouth and was about to speak, but Han Feixu told her honestly , “No, please, sit.”
Ye Mingxin: “…”
Lan Zhu, who stood about four meters away, looked baffled. Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder, and she turned to find Chi Qiu looking at her. Chi Qiu asked, “Aren’t you Ye Mingxin’s assistant? Do you need something?”
Lan Zhu had just rushed straight toward her, and many people had witnessed it. Faced with the puzzled gazes around her, Lan Zhu hesitated for a moment and then quickly regained her composure with a smile. “Yes, uh, that’s right, Miss Chi, your new drama looks so amazing. You were so beautiful in it. Could you give me your autograph on a poster for me?”
Chi Qiu had a puzzled look on her face. “I haven’t filmed a new drama recently. Which one are you talking about?”
No new dramas?
It seemed she really hasn’t filmed any. Her latest drama was scheduled for release next month on the 26th, and it was too early for even any official promotions.
After spending such a long time with Ye Mingxin, Lan Zhu had also become quite skilled in acting. She blushed and smiled shyly, “Oh, how silly of me! Of course, I meant the one that just finished airing!”
Chi Qiu gave her an even more strange look, “The one that just finished airing? The one where I played a lobster spirit?”
Chi Qiu hasn’t taken on any new dramas since May. She had been participating in variety shows instead and had just wrapped up her latest project, which finished only a few days after Han Feixu and her team finished their series. So her most recent drama was a fantasy show where she made a guest appearance as a lobster spirit. Her outfit featured a hot pink dress, an orange-red helmet, and to top it off, two long whiskers resembling those of the Great Sage, the Monkey King*. The costume was not only eye-catching but also hilarious. Rather than criticizing the costume designer, her fans had taken it in stride, treating it as a sort of joke. Whenever they felt down, they would bring up the image of her ridiculous outfit and their moods would immediately improve. (T/N: Monkey King)
After such a long time, Lan Zhu is the first one to say that she looks beautiful in it. Chi Qiu seriously suspected that there was something wrong with Lan Zhu’s aesthetics.
Lan Zhu also remembered her lobster costume and the various complaints by fans online. When she was browsing on Weibo and saw the picture, she laughed so hard that she rolled around the floor and even liked the comments that complained about it.
Her expression stiffened, but she couldn’t take back the words she had said, “Right, it’s that costume! I really like it; it’s so cute. I used to love eating lobsters, but ever since you played the lobster spirit, I haven’t been able to eat them!”
Chi Qiu: “….”
That’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think. = =
Lan Zhu quickly changed the subject, “But it’s hard to find a screenshot of it so I was wondering if you could send me one.”
“No screenshots?”
Lan Zhu nodded repeatedly.
Chi Qiu smiled slightly, “But how come I remember that my costume was screenshotted countless times, and people even made it into a package of meme emojis? After a random search, you can find tens of thousands of emoji packages just like that one.”
Lan Zhu: “…”
Maybe she laughed so hard that day and lost her brains, so she forgot to pick it back up, which was why she isn’t thinking straight today.
Seeing that she couldn’t come up with a response, Chi Qiu’s gaze gradually changed as she looked at her. She smiled knowingly, turned around, and asked her assistant to fetch her handbag. After rummaging around inside for a while, all she found were her phone and some money. She put her handbag back in place and then took two steps closer to Lan Zhu.
The distance between them shrank and suddenly they were very close. She lowered her voice as she whispered to Lan Zhu: “Is just one autograph enough?”
Lan Zhu blinked her eyes rapidly, feeling that something was off about the way this was going. Chi Qiu was getting too close, and her gaze seemed oddly intense for some reason.
Under such relentless pressure, she replied, “Enough, enough, just one is enough.”
Chi Qiu’s fingers twitched slightly, but she reminded herself that there were too many people here and she couldn’t move casually. She let her hand drop. “I don’t think one is enough, but there are too many people here, and I can’t give you anything else. You should go back first and get my number from your boss, and then add me on WeChat. Make sure you change your profile picture to this pretty face of yours, or I won’t accept your friend request.”
Lan Zhu replied with a “Huh?” in confusion. Ci Qiu took a step back, looking her up and down. Her smile deepended, “You really are a young one, aren’t you? One look and I can tell this is your first time trying to hit on someone.”
The gala officially started at eight when the lights dimmed and slowly went out , one by one. Lan Zhu ran back to her spot and Zhong Yuanyuan pulled her aside and whispered, “Why did you only return now? Why were you over there in the first place?”
Lan Zhu looked at Zhong Yunayuan with a stupefied expression on her face, “Yuanyuan, Chi Qiu seems to think I’m interested in her.”
Zhong Yuanyauin was about to lead Lan Zhu to the back since they were blocking other peoples’ sight of the stage and also they would be forced to stand if they stayed for too long. She had accompanied Lin Yi to this gala before and the charity auction always lasts at least 2 hours and usually ends at 11. That was the best case scenario as sometimes the auction went beyond that time. So, she didn’t want to get stuck here standing forever.
However, when she heard what Lan Zhu said, she stopped, stepping back with her right foot, “What did you say to her?”
Lan Zhu quickly recounted her conversation with herself and Chi Qiu. Zhong Yuanyuan nodded calmly, “Yes, that sounds about right. She thinks you’re interested in her and, from her tone, it seems she’s quite satisfied with what she sees. Just wait, if you don’t go to her, she’ll come to you.”
Lan Zhu was anxious, “What should I do then?”
“What should you do?” Zhong Yuanyuan wore an expression of an older sister who has seen everything before, “If you like her, then go for it. Of course, judging from the two of you, I’m guessing…no, I don’t even need to guess, she’s definitely going to be the one to make the first move.”
Lan Zhu: “…”
“If you don’t like her, then just tell it straight to her face. Come on, let’s go, there won’t be any seats left if you don’t leave now.”
Zhong Yuanyuan pulled Lan Zhu away, and Han Feixu turned her head to watch the two of them scurry away. She shifted a bit closer to Ye Mingxin and asked, “What were they talking about just now?”
Han Feixu was only focused on listening to the host on the stage and didn’t pay attention to the hushed whispers behind her. Ye Mingxin was closer to Zhong Yuanyuan and Lan Zhu, but even she only caught bits and pieces and didn’t hear everything.
Ye Mingxin frowned, equally puzzled, “Lan Zhu said she’s interested in Chi Qiu and asked Yuanyuan what to do, and Yuanyuan told her to go for it.”
Han Feixu was shocked, “What?”
Ye Mingxin’s inner reaction was the same, but she didn’t show it as obviously on her face. She was just very confused, “Strange, I didn’t know Lan Zhu liked Chi Qiu. And why didn’t she ask me?”
Han Feixu took a moment to digest the information and then slowly replied, “Maybe… because they have more in common. After all, didn’t Yuanyuan chase after that male celebrity before? She has experience in this area.”
As she said this, Han Feixu slapped her thigh and said with a hint of frustration, “Wait a minute! When it comes to pursuing female celebrities, I have more experience! Yuanyuan didn’t succeed, but I did!”
Ye Mingxin: “…”
She used her right hand to pat the back of Han Feixu’s hand under the table, while her other arm was propped on the table, her palm covering her lips as she whispered, “Stay calm. Otherwise, someone might think you’re causing a scene.”
Han Feixu quickly sat up, schooling her expression as she faced the camera. She flipped her palm under the table and gently squeezed Ye Mingxin’s hand, using body language to let her know that she understood.
Chloe was sitting beside the two of them. She couldn’t hear their conversation, but she could see their expressions and could also deduce other details from their subtle movements under the table.
Chloe’s gaze lingered on them for a moment and then returned to the host on the stage.
The previous Chief Editor had resigned last month. In fact, she had planned to change jobs after hosting this year’s celebrity gala, but was discovered by the supervisors. As a result, headquarters requested her to leave last month and arranged for Chole to take over in a timely manner. This celebrity gala marked Chloe’s first appearance in the Chinese fashion and entertainment industries, giving her a chance to get to know everyone while allowing everyone to get to know her.
Although the gala was organized by her, Chloe, apart from delivering a prepared speech for the host’s introduction, did not have to do anything else after the auction began. She remained quiet as she watched the bidding throughout the auction.
Both Han Feixu and Ye Mingxin were pondering the question: why was Chloe sitting at their table? Their seats were in the second row, with a less favorable view than the first row, and Chloe was the organizer, so she should have been seated in the center at the very front.
Han Feixu thought for a moment that maybe there weren’t so many rules and regulations overseas, and so in France, they sat wherever they liked, regardless of host or guest status. Ye Mingxin had a more elaborate theory—she felt that Chloe is a “wine-lover whose heart is not in the cup”* , someone who was trying to uncover the relationship between her and her wife. (T/N: ???????, chinese idiom for someone with an ulterior notice, whose mind is on other things)
Chloe placed her hands in her lap. Today, she was dressed in a white Chanel pantsuit, making her look sharp and professional while remaining understated. She was ensuring she didn’t steal the spotlight from the competing female stars around her.
Most of the items auctioned at the charity auction weren’t particularly valuable. Furthermore, since it was a celebrity charity gala, most of the items auctioned were dresses and accessories worn by celebrities, with prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. There were a lot of things being auctioned off, so the total amount tallied at the end was quite substantial.
The auction was not limited to attendees; people outside the event could also participate. Additionally, the entire gala was being live-streamed online, with eight cameras constantly scanning around the entire venue at every moment. Each celebrity was on their best behavior, trying to ensure that their best side was captured by the cameras.
Because of the live broadcast, everyone, whether they wanted to or not, made symbolic bids. Those who wanted to save face bid on multiple items, those who were just going through the motions slightly raised their bids, and most people stopped after winning one item.
This type of event happens every year and is always the same, with nothing particularly valuable being auctioned. Some people were already getting sleepy, but Han Feixu was still staring fixedly at the stage.
It couldn’t be helped, this was her first time attending an auction after all, and she genuinely wanted to find something to buy. = =
When the invitation was sent ove, Liang Zhu had already chosen an item for Han Feixu to auction. Han Feixu didn’t understand the rules and simply handed over the key to her bank vault. After Liang Zhu went to the bank, Han Feixu still didn’t understand how all the rules worked. In the end, Liang Zhu picked an item that didn’t seem to have a very high value and brought it to auction.
What she took was a book. Before her mother passed away, Han Feixu’s mother had been working on a new book. However, before she could finish her new novel, she was about halfway done, Han Fexiu’s mother died. After her mother’s death, Han Feixu printed a hundred copies of the incomplete electronic manuscript. She gave the companies to her mother’s close friends, as well as some universities for literary storage. There were still three copies left, and when she sorted through her mother’s belongings, she placed them all in her vault.
Han Feixu had kept all of Zhong Ya’s written works, as well as her honors, awards, and even a handwritten note she had written. Even though the last novel she wrote remained unfinished, if it were to be brought out, countless publishers would be willing to publish it as a book. However, Han Feixu of the past didn’t want that.
She felt that an unfinished novel was not a novel, they were simply a manuscript. Printing it wouldn’t serve any purpose, as people would never know the ending, nor would they understand what her mother wanted to convey. It was better not to print it in the end.
When Liang Zhu took out this book, she had consulted Han Feixu’s opinion. Han Feixu thought for a moment and replied, “Let’s use this one. It’s good for charity.”
At that time, Liang Zhu had taken more than just this one item; she had brought a bunch of other things as well. However, Han Feixu had specifically asked her to auction this book.
Liang Zhu didn’t understand, and Han Feixu chuckled darkly, “In a celebrity gala like this, everyone pays attention to antiques and jewelry. Who would buy a book? I’ll have Ye Mingxin bid for it and it won’t cost much. This way, not only would I have “participated” in the auction, the book will still end up back in my hands.”
Only then did Liang Zhu understand that Han Feixu had never intended to sell her own items; she just wanted to go through the motions.
Having been sitting for nearly an hour, Han Feixu had already realized that she wouldn’t find anything good today. The best item to have appeared so far was a diamond necklace, not even a famous one, just a Cartier millennium edition. They sold twenty thousand of them in a year, and it couldn’t even be considered a limited edition.
Currently, the highest-grossing item in the auction was this diamond necklace, which had sold for three million. Han Feixu watched the stage listlessly, waiting for her own item to come up.
Ye Mingxin had donated a qipao from the Republic of China era. It was the one she had worn in ?Blossoming Dreams?. The dress had been a gift from her grandmother before she fell ill. Her grandmother was the only one in the family who openly supported her pursuing a career in the entertainment industry and was exceptionally kind to her.
The host read the origin story of this qipao. Apparently, it belonged to a certain female poet from the Republic of China era and then was pawned off to a pawn shop due to the owner landing in hard times before it ended up in the hands of Ye Mingxin’s grandmother. The stories of the past are obviously more valuable than the stories of today, however, even if this qipao was worn by a queen, it wouldn’t be as valuable to Ye Mingxin as the fact that her grandmother gave it to her.
Before her grandmother fell ill, her grandmother’s favorite thing was to participate in charity events. Their family’s company, Xiuzhi Chemicals, was named after her grandmother and everyone knows that it was her grandmother who founded the Xiuzhi Foundation that helps delinquents and sick children.
Initially, Ye Mingxin hadn’t intended to bring out this qipao, but when she heard that Han Feixu was planning to auction her mother’s unfinished manuscript, she changed her mind.
The value of the qipao was only temporary. Even if she preserved it well, when it ended up in the hands of future generations after she was gone, it would just be a piece of old fabric. It was better to auction it now and contribute to her grandmother’s favorite thing: charity.
She watched as the qipao was displayed, accompanied by a starting bid of 20,000. People began to big on it and Han Feixu turned to her and asked, “Are you really not going to let me bid for it?”
Ye Mingxin shook her head gently and said, “No need.”
Keeping the qipao for herself would only result in it being stored away and forgotten. Like a wedding dress, it was something she would never wear again. If it is auctioned, perhaps the money can turn around the entire fortune of the village somewhere.
Ye Mingxin smiled, this was one of those rare times she would feel so emotional. Han Feixu looked at her curiously. Although she didn’t understand why Ye Mingxin was smiling, as long as she was smiling, Han Feixu liked it.
Ye Mingxin changed her posture, placing her right hand, which had been on her lap, on the table. She placed her left hand over her right as she watched the bidding with interest. Suddenly, she felt something was amiss and turned her head, only to see Chloe staring directly at her.
Chloe’s gaze was complicated, displaying a mix of confusion, surprise, emotion, and some other unreadable emotions. Ye Mingxin looked at her in bewilderment and began to wonder if this woman’s mental state was ok.
Sensing that her emotions were too obvious, Chloe lowered her eyes and stopped looking at her.
The bidding continued, and on the right side of the venue, Yin Jiahe looked at the person beside her and said casually, “Didn’t you say that qipao is very important to Ye Mingxin?”
Yu Tingxue obediently nodded and replied, “Yes, it was a gift from her grandmother. She treasured it very much, and when I visited her on set, she treasured it so much, she wouldn’t even let me touch it. Only Han Feixu could.”
Yin Jiahe’s lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but before she could make a sound, she turned her head away, no longer wanting to speak.
Yu Tingxue’s gaze dimmed slightly. She could tell that Yin Jiahe was gradually distancing herself from her. The five-year agreement they had made was coming to an end next year, and Yin Jiahe would no longer have to stay by her side. She seemed to wanted to take advantage of this period to slowly distance herself.
After a few seconds of sinking into contemplation, Yu Tingxue perked up again. She looked at the auction platform. The qipao had been bid up to 680,000 and the host was about to declare it sold as no one else moved forward to bid. At that moment, Yu Tingxue pressed her bid button.
A new message suddenly appeared on the screen, and the host, looking at the number, nearly choked on her own saliva.
“6.8 million! Wow, this is really generous! It seems that Ms. Ye Mingxin’s donation of this antique qipao has deeply resonated with some customers. Although I think it’s unnecessary to ask this question, with 6.8 million on the table, is there anyone else willing to bid?”
The entire venue erupted into a commotion. The big screen displayed the names of the bidders. If someone didn’t want to flaunt their wealth, they could choose to bid anonymously. However, Yu Tingxue didn’t, and she boldly displayed her name.
Yu Tingxue’s name shot to the top of the charity rankings for the evening. Someone nearby looked at her, and Yu Tingxue instinctively lowered her head.
She was actually a very shy person and didn’t like getting too much attention from others. Even in her own company, she wasn’t someone who would lose her temper often. In fact, Han Feixu was a bit unlucky to have experienced one of those rare times where she lost her temper, and ever since then, her impression of Yu Tingxue as a short-tempered woman had been set.
Han Feixu and Ye Mingxin both stared at the big screen in shock. Then, they exchanged a puzzled look, seeing the same confusion in each other’s eyes. On the other side, Yin Jiahe was also taken aback by her sudden move. “Are you crazy? You could have bought that qipao back for just an additional 20,000 yuan. Why spend so much money?”
Yu Tingxue smiled slightly and replied, “It’s fine. It’s for charity, so donating a little more money is okay. I had a conflict with Han Feixu last time, and although I apologized to her, I know she still doesn’t like me. I hope that by doing this, I can improve her impression of me a bit.”
Yin Jiahe furrowed her brows. “Just for that? You might as well buy Han Feixu’s items instead of buying Ye Mingxin’s.”
“Buying Ye Mingxin’s item is more useful. If I make Han Feixu happy, she’s just happy. But if I make Ye Mingxin happy, it’s like making Han Feixu happy three times over.”
Yin Jiahe smirked and replied, “How do you know what Han Feixu thinks? Maybe instead of increasing her happiness, it has been divided by three.”
“I just know,” Yu Tingxue smiled, revealing her cute little tiger-like canines, “because she’s just like me.”
Yin Jiahe’s expression gradually faded as she looked intently at Yu Tingxue for a couple of seconds. Then, she shifted her gaze back to the auction platform. Yu Tingxue maintained her composure and smiled faintly. She also turned her attention back to the platform.
Yu Tingxue had bought the qipao at a high price, and although she did want to please Han Feixu, Her main goal was indeed to please Yin Jiahe. Although she hadn’t said it directly, Yu Tingxue knew her very well and understood what she meant.
In other words, the primary goal was to please Yin Jiahe, and pleasing Han Feixu was a secondary goal.
As for whether the primary goal had been achieved, Yu Tingxue wasn’t sure yet. However, it was clear that she had failed to please Han Feixu.
As it turned out, she and Han Feixu were not alike. At all.
Han Feixu was indignant. “Why is she treating you so well? 6.8 million! Just for a qipao? That’s like throwing away a lot of money! Gold is currently priced at 275 yuan per gram, and she… she just spent so much money, so much gold!!!”
With so many people around and the event being broadcast live, Han Feixu naturally didn’t express these thoughts out loud. Instead, she conveyed her outrage through WeChat, adding seven or eight exclamation points after each sentence to emphasize how angry she was.
Ye Mingxin silently watched as the screen on her phone was filled with strings of exclamation points. She typed a response, “She has too much money to spend and no place to spend it.”
Han Feixu: “…”
Coincidentally, the manuscript Han Feixu donated was placed on the auction platform. The host was obviously an expert who understood the value of literature. He passionately recounted the life of Zhong Ya and emphasized that this was an unpublished posthumous work with significant literary and collectible value.
It had been nearly an hour since the event started, and most of the auction items were related to the fashion industry. This was the first time a manuscript had appeared, and after listening to the host’s introduction, even those celebrities in the audience who had only scored 200 points in the college entrance examination could tell that this book was perfect for showing off. (T/N: The college entrance exams in china are scored out of a max of 750)
How valuable could a book be, you ask? Many people were ready to bid as the host revealed the starting price: 12,000 yuan, with increments of 2,000 yuan. Many people picked up their bidding devices and started clicking.
The bidding device had a 12-key layout, similar to a self-service ATM at a bank. In addition to the digits 0 through 9, there were also 00 and 0000 for quick bidding. While others were still pressing 1, 4, 0, and 00, Ye Mingxin took her bidding device and pressed two 0000s directly.
The bidding device defaulted to the number 1, and any additional digits would follow that. As they saw the astronomical number on the screen, the entire room fell silent. They were all in shock.
After placing her bidding device down, Ye Mingxin picked up her phone and typed a message.
“Now you’ve truly seen what spending money means.”
Han Feixu: “…”