Chapter 30: Darling
Chapter 30: Darling
Ling Yi glanced at Su Qingqing: “What do you mean ‘get tangled up’? At most, we can be considered ordinary friends.”
Su Qingqing looked unconvinced: “Would an ordinary friend bring you to an auction? The auctions she’s willing to attend are basically all by internal invitation. How did you meet her anyway?”
Ling Yi briefly explained how he met Qin Jiuyue. Su Qingqing listened with a speechless expression, looking at him, she said: “That actually worked?”
Ling Yi shrugged: “I didn’t expect it either. But that auction she mentioned, I really want to check it out.”
Su Qingqing thought for a moment, then said: “It’s fine to go check it out, nothing wrong with that. But you and that woman… better keep some distance.”
She then whispered in Ling Yi’s ear: “She herself isn’t a problem, but the family she rejected for marriage is not simple. It might seem like no one cares if she finds a contract husband, but if they really find out she’s particularly close to any man, that family probably won’t let it go easily.”
“What era is this anymore? How can there still be such things?” Ling Yi couldn’t help but shake his head.
“Big families are like that. It’s not strange for these things to happen in any era,” Su Qingqing said.
Then, the two of them entered the mall and picked out a few sets of clothes. Su Qingqing’s taste was still very sharp. After Ling Yi put on those clothes, he looked even more handsome and dashing, making the shop assistants’ eyes sparkle.
However, when it was time to pay, they once again showed that faint look of disdain that said “oh, so that’s how it is.”
The money was all spent by Su Qingqing.
Ling Yi wanted to pay, but Su Qingqing absolutely wouldn’t allow it.
“You just graduated from university and don’t even have a salary yet, don’t argue with me about this.”
“Who told you I don’t have a salary?” Ling Yi glanced at her and said, “It just hasn’t been paid out yet.”
He was the Chief Instructor of the Spring City City Guard Army. Not only did he have flexible hours, his salary was actually quite decent, starting at fifty thousand per month.
“Alright, there’s no need to argue over such a small thing.” Su Qingqing really enjoyed feeling like an elder sister and wouldn’t allow Ling Yi to argue back.
In the evening, just before Ling Yi was about to leave, he received a call from Qin Jiuyue—
“Where do you live? I’ll send a driver to pick you up.”
“Forget it, just give me an address. I’ll take a taxi there myself,” Ling Yi declined.
Qin Jiuyue didn’t insist either. She directly gave Ling Yi an address, agreed to meet soon, and hung up.
Su Qingqing was still a bit worried and reminded Ling Yi to definitely keep his distance from Qin Jiuyue.
“Lately, someone’s been watching me from the building opposite. Now that you’re here, someone will definitely be watching you too. At a time like this, you have to be extra careful.”
Ling Yi looked at Su Qingqing and smiled: “Why do I feel like you’re starting to act like a mother hen lately?”
Su Qingqing puffed up her cheeks angrily: “You’re the mother hen! I’m only doing this for you!”
Ling Yi smiled and gently patted her head: “Alright, don’t be so tense. I’ve already reached Meridian Unlocking. I’m not that easy to deal with anymore. I’m off now. Don’t take leave so casually next time. Even though you have General Zhang covering for you, it still gives people things to talk about. Not good.”
After saying that, he turned and walked out the door.
Only after Ling Yi had been gone for a while did Su Qingqing snap out of it, murmuring to herself: “Reached Meridian Unlocking? What kind of godly speed is that?”
Then, a happy smile gradually spread across her face.
She reached up and touched her head, muttering: “Still likes to pat people’s heads like when we were kids, so annoying!”
Following the address Qin Jiuyue gave him, Ling Yi arrived at the auction location. He discovered it was a very large hotel. When he got there, he saw a large number of top-tier luxury cars, usually hard to see, also gathering and heading this way.
The taxi he was in seemed somewhat out of place. Even the driver was nervous, couldn’t help but mumble: “What day is this? So many luxury cars. If I accidentally bump into one… terrifying. Buddy, get off quickly. I need to get out of here.”
Ling Yi smiled, paid, got out of the car, and stood at the entrance waiting for Qin Jiuyue.
After a while, another long luxury car stopped at the hotel entrance. A young man got out of the car first and was about to help someone inside when he looked up and happened to see Ling Yi waiting at the hotel entrance. He was slightly taken aback.
Ling Yi also saw the well-dressed young man who got out of the car.
It was actually Liang Shanming!
Then, from Liang Shanming’s car, a woman in her forties, plump and fleshy, got out.
“Sister, be careful, don’t bump your head,” Liang Shanming said with an ingratiating smile.
Ling Yi looked at Liang Shanming, who was desperately avoiding his gaze, was stunned for a moment, then also turned his head away.
‘What is this situation?’ he thought.
Just then, Qin Jiuyue finally arrived.
She got out of a luxurious but not flashy car. Spotting Ling Yi at a glance, a smile appeared on her face, and she greeted him proactively: “Sorry for the wait.”
Ling Yi smiled: “It’s fine.”
Over there, Liang Shanming saw Qin Jiuyue, then looked at the plump woman beside him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
Hearing Qin Jiuyue’s voice, the plump woman also turned her head. A smile instantly appeared on her face: “Oh, isn’t this little Jiuyue?”
Qin Jiuyue was taken aback for a moment, then nodded with indifference: “It’s Auntie Zhao. Hello.”
“You’re here for this auction too?” The plump woman ignored Qin Jiuyue’s flat expression and walked over with great enthusiasm, speaking in a loud, coarse voice: “Why don’t I see your husband? For a big occasion like this, you should bring your husband to see the world!”
As she spoke, she even glanced in Ling Yi’s direction.
Qin Jiuyue couldn’t help but curse inwardly, but her face remained very calm: “Didn’t bring him. Auntie Zhao, if you have things to do, you should go ahead and tend to them.”
“I’m fine, not busy. Haha, haven’t seen little Jiuyue in so long, let’s have a chat!” The plump woman said loudly as she walked up to Qin Jiuyue and started talking animatedly with a look of familiarity.
Over there, Liang Shanming stood there, initially deliberately not looking in Ling Yi’s direction. However, seeing the plump woman pulling the coolly beautiful woman into an endless conversation, he couldn’t help but look towards Ling Yi. He approached a few steps and said coldly in a low voice: “What are you doing here?”
Ling Yi glanced at him calmly and ignored him.
“Quite capable, huh? Managed to hook up with a high-status beauty so quickly,” Liang Shanming also avoided looking at Ling Yi, as if speaking to the air.
Ling Yi wanted to ignore him even more.
He had a pretty good understanding of Liang Shanming’s situation.
Liang Shanming had been a locally famous genius since childhood. His family was fairly well-off, but supporting his cultivation was still somewhat difficult.
After entering Zongwu Academy, he truly stepped onto the fast track of life.
Not only did he get to know many influential and high-status alumni here, but he also had a senior brother like Ling Yi guiding him. For outstanding students, the academy also had various reward policies.
Under the Old Principal’s reforms, the more talented and outstanding a student was, the less they had to worry about cultivation resources.
Except for Ling Yi!
Yes, all these years, Ling Yi genuinely hadn’t used many resources from Zongwu Academy.
Often, the Old Principal even prevented Ling Yi from participating in those selections.
His strictness was even somewhat excessive.
But precisely because of this, when those under Zhao Tianping’s command were fabricating charges against him, they finally came up with that disgusting accusation.
Before this incident, Liang Shanming’s performance in all aspects could be considered excellent.
‘Knowing a person’s face doesn’t mean knowing their heart’ fit him perfectly.
So for Ling Yi, he really didn’t want to have any further dealings with this kind of person.
If you seek death, I’ll beat you up!
After beating you up, I’ll just never see you again.
But if you actively come seeking death again, I’ll beat you up again!
Seeing that Ling Yi was ignoring him, Liang Shanming finally couldn’t help but sneer coldly: “What are you acting all high and mighty for? How are you any better than me? We’re both selling ourselves here. Don’t put on a holier-than-thou face for people to see, okay? There’s nothing shameful about it!”
At this moment, the plump woman seemed to have finally finished exchanging pleasantries with Qin Jiuyue. She turned her head and looked at Liang Shanming: “Xiao Liang, what are you doing? Come with me inside!”
“Yes, coming, Sister Zhao.” Liang Shanming trotted over to the plump woman’s side, letting her plump arm hook onto his own as he strutted proudly inside.
Ling Yi: “…”
Qin Jiuyue came to his side and asked casually: “What? You know that guy?”
“A schoolmate.” Ling Yi didn’t want to say more about Liang Shanming.
Qin Jiuyue was stunned for a moment, then said somewhat incredulously: “A student from Zongwu Academy, comes out to be a… ahem… for such an old, ugly, fat woman. Truly promising.”
“Is this woman very powerful?” Ling Yi asked.
“Fairly powerful, I’d say. Deals in Spirit Stone and Demon Beast Core business. She’s a competitor of mine, and our family elders have some history. Forget it, let’s not talk about her, she’s a downer. Let’s go in!” Qin Jiuyue said, and together with Ling Yi, entered the hotel.
The auction venue was located on the B1 level of the hotel. It was a very large stepped multi-purpose hall. It looked ordinary, but the seats were extremely luxurious and very comfortable to sit in.
Qin Jiuyue took Ling Yi to sit in the middle of the sixth row. The plump woman and Liang Shanming from earlier were seated not far in front of them to the right, in the fifth row.
By now, some people had already arrived at the venue. Many who saw Qin Jiuyue came over specifically to greet her. As for Ling Yi beside her, they would all instinctively glance at him a few times.
“I think coming with you to ‘see the world’ might not have been the right choice,” Ling Yi finally couldn’t help but whisper after the people greeting them had finally dispersed.
“Don’t mind them. They’re either family connections or business competitors. Why bother with them?” Qin Jiuyue said nonchalantly.
At this time, the plump woman sitting in front of them to the right, after whispering with Liang Shanming for a while, suddenly turned her head and looked at Qin Jiuyue. In her coarse, loud voice, she said: “Jiuyue, the guy sitting next to you seems to have bullied my darling. Want to give an explanation?”
As soon as she shouted this, nearly everyone couldn’t help but look at her, then look at Qin Jiuyue and the handsome, steady Ling Yi sitting beside her.
Some people’s eyes already couldn’t contain their excitement.
In contrast, Liang Shanming beside the plump woman wore an awkward expression.
A young man, a talented student from Zongwu Academy, being called “darling” in public by an old, fat woman… it was really quite something.
And he had only wanted to badmouth Ling Yi to the plump woman in private. He didn’t expect this woman to be completely unrestrained and say it out loud in public.
Qin Jiuyue said expressionlessly: “Auntie Zhao, this is my friend. If you want an explanation, we can talk about it privately after the auction ends.”
“Don’t talk about it privately! There’s nothing new under the sun. What can’t be said publicly? Right? If he’s in the wrong, apologizing to my darling would settle this matter, right? After all, he’s your person. I’m not thinking of doing anything anyway. Everyone knows me, two big traits—I like young men, and I’m straightforward! If there’s something, you can’t let me keep it bottled up. I’d die from holding it in!”
Qin Jiuyue frowned and said in a clear, cold voice: “Auntie Zhao, you won’t be comfortable unless you make me lose face on the spot, is that it?”
“Oh, you girl, where did you get that idea? Ai, ai, ai… forget it, forget it. I won’t say anymore. Pretend I never said anything! Really… making it seem like I’m bullying people. Really…”
The plump woman chattered on, turning her head, shaking it while sighing: “Tsk tsk tsk…”
Qin Jiuyue’s gaze was cool: “First, I need to clarify a point. He is not ‘my person.’ He is my friend. Second, since you’ve brought it up to this extent, then continuing to hide and cover up is meaningless. Might as well lay things out openly and make things clear. How did my friend bully your little darling?”
A wave of suppressed laughter immediately came from the hall.
Some people smiled and shook their heads while sighing.
The plump woman was indeed not someone to be messed with, but the Qin family girl was no easy target either!
If she could really be bullied so easily, could she have withstood the pressure from the two major families and stubbornly found a contract husband?
Ling Yi, on the other hand, was speechless.
He figured it out now. This woman truly was a trouble-attracting magnet. By her side, even if nothing happened, something would be stirred up.
If he had simply encountered Liang Shanming alone, with his cowardly nature, how would he dare be so insolent in front of Ling Yi?
The plump woman raised her two thick, caterpillar-like eyebrows. She reached out, wrapped an arm around Liang Shanming beside her, and said loudly: “Darling, say out loud what you just told me! Don’t be afraid, sister will stand up for you!”