Yun Daixi's thoughts were pulled back from the cold, icy river in her memory.
I forced myself to calm my breath as I choked up for a moment, and took a sip of wine in response.
Smiling, he said, "Then, Mr. Gu, I'll take Xianxian backstage first. We still need to prepare for the later segments."
He nodded, displaying the air of a home crowd: "I'll trouble you both."
After toasting, Yun Daixi took Jiang Xianxian backstage to change into an inner-stage dress for her later appearance on stage to introduce a ruby necklace for auction.
When they returned to the main table of the banquet after everything was ready, those who had been itching to go forward, perhaps seeing their treatment, all gathered around them.
Until the host said, "The gala is about to begin."
The crowd surrounding him then left, their enthusiasm waning.
Yun Daixi gave Jiang Xianxian one last piece of advice: "You absolutely cannot afford any mistakes tonight."
Then he left the main table and went to Lin Suihuan's table.
This table is further back, which is better for observing the situation.
Throughout the auction, Yun Daixi mobilized all her senses, keeping an eye on Jiang Xianxian to prevent any mistakes, while also taking care of the connections she had specially arranged to introduce to Lin Suihuan.
More importantly, keep an eye on this Mr. Gu.
He didn't touch any of the dishes on the table, only drank a few sips of ice water.
She was so certain it was ice water because she noticed that as soon as the water in the glass showed signs of losing its condensation, even if he had only taken a sip, someone would immediately bring him a fresh glass.
He barely glanced at anything except the auction taking place on the stage in front of him.
He only turned his head slightly and glanced in Jiang Xianxian's direction a few times.
Not long after the formal auction began, the elder beside him leaned down and whispered a few words in his ear.
Yun Daixi guessed that their relationship was not a simple employer-employee relationship, because there was no superior-subordinate distance between them.
He didn't know what was said, but he got up and left through the side door as directed by the elder.
Yun Daixi realized that her opportunity had arrived.
She briefly greeted Lin Suihuan and her deskmate, then said she was going out for some fresh air.
They also went out through the side door that was closest to them.
She frequently attends events at this hotel and is quite familiar with the layout around the banquet hall.
Just as I was leaving, I caught him turning around at the end of the corridor, and he and the elder walked in opposite directions, one on the left and one on the right.
Yun Daixi quickly followed in his direction.
The direction the elder was heading led to the elevator lobby, and on his side, there were only a few meeting rooms that could accommodate a dozen or so people.
He took out his card, swiped it to open one of the rooms, but no light came through the crack in the door.
It seems that he is the only one in that room at the moment.
Just as the door was about to close, she reached out, stopped the handle, and called out, "President Gu."
He looked down at her.
This time, unlike its brief skimming through the banquet hall, it was more like a dragonfly perched on a lotus tip, never leaving, yet light and graceful, making it impossible to tell whether it would flap its wings and fly away at any moment.
Yun Daixi felt a tightness in her spine.
She didn't avoid his gaze, but asked in a pleading tone, "Mr. Gu, can you swim?"
This is the image of a deeply affectionate person she created for herself after much deliberation.
A ripple appeared in Gu Li'an's eyes, and after a long pause, he answered, "I know how now."
With just those four words, Yun Daixi was certain that he was the one.
His gaze shifted away, and he reached out to turn on the power switch in the conference room, saying in a deep voice, "Come in."
He held the door open with his other hand until she went inside, then released the force and let the door close by itself.
Yun Daixi composed herself, her admiration tinged with a hint of grievance: "I've been secretly watching you the whole time."
Gu Li'an's Adam's apple bobbed in response, a burning sensation rising in his chest, but he suppressed it and uttered a steady voice: "Is that so?"
She stated what she had seen: "You were looking over at Wei Wuxian the whole time."
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and if I wasn't mistaken, there was even a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he had heard a funny joke, and he patiently explained, "I wasn't looking at her."
"So, who are you looking at?"
Gu Li'an already knew her seat number; he was only looking over there hoping that she might come up again and say something to Jiang Xianxian.
He realized how ridiculous the idea was and didn't want to dwell on it anymore. He stopped talking and just looked intently into her eyes.
It was like a silent invitation, waiting for her to reveal the reason she came to him.
With tears in her eyes, Yun Daixi said, "I never thought I would meet you again in this lifetime."
Although this statement is mixed with many of the emotions she expressed in her performance, not a single word of it is false.
Gu Li'an took a deep breath and replied, "I didn't expect that either."
When he was eighteen, in the cold winter, Yun Daixi exhausted all her strength to pull him out of the river. He was already lifeless.
She didn't know where she got the courage, but seeing that no one was around, she jumped into the water to save someone who was much taller than her.
There were several times when I almost gave up, until I noticed the mole on his right eyelid, which was exactly the same as mine.
Perhaps this was God's arrangement; she had thought about jumping into the river many times.
Especially in winter, on countless nights, my father, who had lost money gambling and was an alcoholic, would drag me out of bed, dress me very lightly, and beat me on the balcony.
The chill was even more intense than if you had waded through an icy river.
Looking at his pale, cold face, she tried her best to press her hands together against his chest and press his lips against his to perform artificial respiration, repeating it again and again until she was exhausted, as if she was trying her best to save another version of herself.
Tears welled up in Yun Daixi's eyes as she choked out, "As long as Mr. Gu is still alive, that's all that matters."
To distinguish him from others, she specifically called him Mr. Gu.
Gu Li'an was indeed as cold and aloof as the rumors suggested.
No matter how she acted, he never raised his hand to wipe away the tear that had slid down her cheek.
He simply looked down at her as she wept, and only spoke after she had calmed down a bit: "I can agree to any condition you set in exchange for this life that you saved."
It was like discussing a deal, without any emotion.
Yun Daixi looked up, pretending not to understand: "Conditions?"
The tears slid down their predetermined path, with just the right amount of moisture, without smudging any of her eye makeup.
This face may not be as stunning as a female celebrity, but it is still an ordinary person discovered on the street, so there is some beauty to speak of.
Furthermore, the stubbornness that masks a layer of vulnerability only adds to the disturbance of one's mind.
Gu Li'an's frosty eyes seemed to have been softened by tears, finally revealing a hint of hidden tenderness, which was then withdrawn in an instant.
I rationally reminded her again of the scope of her conditions: "It could be money, property, resources, anything I can help with."
Yun Daixi countered with a question: "What if I don't care about any of these things?"
Her words were full of emotion, like those of a woman who had waited for him for ten years.
A whirlpool of emotion finally stirred in his eyes, and he involuntarily took a step back: "There will always be people who care, it's just a matter of different prices."
He reiterated his position.
Yun Daixi smiled, a smile veiled by tears that possessed an indescribable, captivating, worldly quality that touched Gu Li'an's heart.
She never believed in love, that cheap thing with such a short shelf life.
Nothing is more attractive to her than the money in her own pocket. And at this moment, the person standing in front of her is like a walking money-printing machine.
She nodded, her voice soft and sweet, and continued acting: "I understand."
She always excels at turning this promise into a reusable fishing line, baiting it with different lures to catch different fish and reap greater profits.
Yun Daixi said, "Wait until I've thought it through..."
Before he could finish speaking, there was a knock at the door: "Li An."
It was that elder.
Gu Li'an went to open the door, and Yun Daixi quickly took out tissues from her handbag to wipe away her tears.
Before she could turn around, the elder spoke first: "Miss Yun, what are you doing here?"
She instantly realized that the elder knew who she was just by looking at her back.
It seems that although he didn't give an inch verbally, he had already secretly investigated her thoroughly.
Lin Suihuan's admission ticket, which seemed to fall from the sky, was probably a personal gift from him.
She turned around and gave a slight bow: "Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you, I'll be going now."
The next second, she released the lipstick from her hand and let it land precisely in the planned spot on the carpet.
She took a gamble: could this lipstick become an invitation to their next private meeting?
The first bait she laid out was like a common tactic used in telecom fraud: using the most clichéd and obvious reason to deceive people, filtering out those who were already wary, and then gradually closing in on those who were willing to continue listening to maximize her profits.
-
Behind him, Gu Li'an reached out to stop Uncle Liu, who was about to pick up the lipstick.
Just as Yun Daixi guessed, this Uncle Liu was someone her maternal grandfather had arranged for him to be by his side since childhood. Although they were not related by blood, they were as close as uncle and nephew.
After Yun Daixi walked away, he squatted down and picked up the lipstick, turning it in his hand and examining it.
Uncle Liu asked, "Should I go and return this lipstick to Miss Yun?"
Gu Li'an put the lipstick into the inside pocket of his suit, right where it would rest against his heart, and replied casually, "No need."
"Miss Yun may not know that Miss Lin's entry opportunity was arranged by you, right?"
Gu Li'an straightened his suit lapel and said in a tone as calm as spring snow, "I'm afraid they already knew."
Uncle Liu didn't ask any more questions, only saying, "Everything outside has been taken care of. You should go back now; it's time for you to make your appearance."
-
When Yun Daixi returned to her position, the auction was just past the halfway point.
Gu Li'an didn't come in for another ten minutes or so.
Everyone was watching the empty seat on his desk, wondering who it was reserved for.
The space remained empty until the auction concluded and the CEO of Mercury Jewelry invited him to speak on stage.
The mystery was finally revealed when he took the stage amidst thunderous applause and delivered his first words.
His gaze was steady, settling on the empty seat over there:
"Today's auction is dedicated to my mother, Ms. Lin Mei. She founded Mercury. She loved painting and design, but unfortunately lost her sight and lived in darkness for the next ten years of her life."
She always mentioned wanting to help more people like her, but due to various circumstances, she never had the opportunity. Today's auction proceeds will all be used to establish a foundation in her name, donated to those who have had similar experiences.
When he finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent.
Everyone was caught off guard. This legendary cold-blooded devil made such a high-profile return, and his first public appearance was for his mother.
This is definitely not an excuse; he has no reason to use such a lie to elevate himself.
The Juliet rose on that table must have been specially made for her.
Despite the seemingly warm and gentle tone, Yun Daixi felt a chill run down her spine.
So that's the real reason why everyone has to wear black.
Thinking deeper, Ms. Lin Mei's and her own experiences are inextricably linked to her father, who is still lying in the intensive care unit.
In the quiet banquet hall, after saying "Thank you to all the guests present today," he handed the microphone back to the CEO.
The audience finally came to their senses and burst into applause.
After the auction ended, Gu Li'an was surrounded by people. Although his face was expressionless, his behavior was very proper.
They even cooperated with requests to take photos.
Fearing that Jiang Xianxian might get hurt, she said goodbye to Jessica and left with her entourage first.
I was originally planning how to avoid paparazzi and fans to avoid unnecessary trouble. But when the elevator doors opened in the lobby on the first floor, I found that everyone outside the building had already been cleared out.
The red and blue police lights outside the door spun rapidly, and more than a dozen police officers were standing at the door, setting up a cordon.
Yun Daixi instructed her assistant to take Jiang Xianxian and Lin Suihuan directly to the underground parking lot via elevator so they could get back in their car as soon as possible.
He stepped out of the elevator and approached the officer, asking, "Excuse me, officer, what happened here? Is it convenient for you to leave the scene now?"
Perhaps because it was inconvenient to disclose, he did not answer the first question, but only said, "You may leave."
Knowing she probably wouldn't get any information, Yun Daixi crossed the street to the convenience store across the street, bought a bottle of mineral water, and gossiped with the cashier while paying: "What's going on across the street? There are so many police officers."
The cashier, looking like she'd just witnessed something juicy, said, "Someone across the street just went crazy. They grabbed a knife and tried to hurt someone, yelling at the guy surnamed Gu to come out here. I don't know if they owe him money."
After Yun Daixi finished paying with her phone, she asked, "Around when?"
The cashier glanced at the clock hanging in the store: "About an hour ago."
It seems he was dealing with this matter when he left the banquet hall.
But he appeared completely calm and unperturbed.
"Is anyone injured?"
"No, originally, when that female celebrity named Jiang something came over, there were a lot of people gathered at the entrance, but they were all chased away by some people in black suits. I was wondering why people couldn't stand in public places, but not long after, a man with a knife came. It was as if they had anticipated this. A dozen people held him down, but luckily no one was hurt."
"Oh, thanks." She grabbed the water and came out of the convenience store. The police tape had been removed, leaving only the police and bodyguards in black suits.
Soon after, the banquet guests began to emerge from the main gate.
Everything was as usual, as if nothing had happened.
She took out her phone to check various trending topics, but there was no news at all.
This Mr. Gu seems to be as powerful as the rumors suggest.
Yun Daixi knows best how difficult it is to control the comments after so many fans have been driven away.
He did it effortlessly, as if it were nothing.