Volume 4, Chapter 238 – I Brag Without Regard for the Occasion

“What do you mean, ‘waiting for me’?”

Duan Feng asked in confusion, unaware that the men he had sent had already been wiped out, and that they had exposed him in the process.

“It’s nothing…”

Liu Yingyue hesitated, biting back her words. In the end, she chose not to reveal the truth, now was not the time.

“Niece, you must think carefully. Even if you don’t consider yourself, think of your father! Won’t you repay his kindness in raising you?”

Duan Feng began his brainwashing.

Liu Yingyue’s expression flickered slightly. The old man’s words struck right at her weak spot. The reason she worked so tirelessly wasn’t just for herself, it was to prove her father’s worth.

“Think about it. The only way for him to reclaim his position as clan head is to revive this auction house. And right now, aside from me, no one can make that happen.”

Duan Feng pressed on.

“…”

Liu Yingyue’s resolve wavered further. She couldn’t deny the truth in his words. If she failed to deliver outstanding results by the end of the year, not only would she be unable to save herself, but her father would also lose his position as clan head for good. All her efforts would come to nothing.

“Yingyue, even if you don’t have romantic feelings for me yet, emotions can develop over time, can’t they? As the saying goes, ‘familiarity breeds fondness’. Once you get to know me better, you’ll discover my merits.”

Ah Feng, standing nearby, shamelessly promoted himself.

“Do you know why I left to train in the first place? To escape an arranged marriage and find someone I truly love. If I marry you, wouldn’t that just be another political union? That goes against my very purpose. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t I marry someone more outstanding instead of settling for a married man’s concubine?”

Liu Yingyue fired back.

“It’s simple. Because only I can save this auction house. So, the only way to help your father reclaim his status is to marry my son. Marry anyone else, and no one can save it.”

Duan Feng repeated his point with infuriating patience.

“Oh? I think marrying me could save her father too.”

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Just then, a hoarse voice, neither male nor female, neither old nor young, rang out from beyond the door.

“Who’s there? How rude! How dare you interrupt my conversation with Manager Liu?”

Duan Feng snapped in displeasure.

“Me! A major client of your auction house. Manager Duan, who’s the rude one here, speaking to a guest like that?”

The voice shot back.

“Him? The consignor who sold the cat’s tears!”

Liu Yingyue was the first to react. She hurriedly rose to her feet and went to open the door. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect this guy to return, walking right back into the lion’s den.

“How did he come back?”

Duan Feng’s eyes widened in disbelief. Meanwhile, his lust-blinded son continued ogling Liu Yingyue’s retreating figure like a fool.

“Young Master, why have you returned?”

Liu Yingyue opened the door and confirmed it was indeed Qi Huang. Keeping her expression neutral, she subtly signaled with her eyes.

“No choice. Someone blocked my path halfway, so I had to come back.”

Qi Huang replied vaguely before swaggering into the room.

“…”

Liu Yingyue bit her red lips lightly, then shot a glare at Xia Wei behind her.

Xia Wei’s delicate face was pale, her legs trembling slightly, she still hadn’t recovered from the terrifying flight earlier. Seeing her mistress’s glare, she pouted in grievance. ‘It’s not like I brought him back! He just grabbed me and flew off without explanation—what was I supposed to do? Be glad I didn’t wet myself!’

“Deputy Manager Duan, you’re quick to forget. We parted just an hour or two ago, and already you don’t recognize me? And you even asked ‘who’s there’!”

Qi Huang strode into the room and immediately launched into a scathing verbal assault on the Duan father and son.

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“Young Master, you jest. Even if I forgot myself, I’d never forget a major client like you! You’re the lifeblood of the Golden Fortune Auction House. The room’s soundproofing was just too good, I couldn’t recognize your voice at first.”

Though baffled by the situation, Duan Feng, ever the seasoned schemer, maintained his composure.

“Is that so? Then I must’ve wronged Deputy Manager Duan!”

As the saying goes, ‘you don’t hit a smiling face’. Qi Huang didn’t press the attack immediately, instead casually taking a seat.

Liu Yingyue and Xia Wei returned to the room, their expressions complicated as they eyed the two “men”. Every step they took was like treading on thin ice, fearing an explosion at any moment.

“I believe I overheard you proposing to Manager Liu just now?”

Qi Huang cut straight to the chase, she didn’t have time to waste here.

“Indeed. As they say, ‘men should marry, women should wed’, it’s only natural. Forgive us for amusing you, Young Master.”

Duan Feng chuckled lightly.

“Deputy Manager Duan speaks wisely. ‘Men should marry, women should wed’. I happen to be sixteen this year—just the right age to take a wife. If I were to propose to Manager Liu as well, would Deputy Manager Duan see any issue with that?”

Qi Huang restated her stance.

“Huh?”

Everyone in the room exchanged bewildered glances. What kind of game was this guy playing?

“Young Master, you must be joking. This is only your second meeting, how can you already be proposing?”

Duan Feng remained unflappable.

“Deputy Manager Duan, have you never heard of ‘love at first sight’? A beauty like Manager Liu, even if I’d only seen her portrait, I imagine most men would be hopelessly smitten, no?”

Qi Huang turned to Liu Yingyue. Though her words carried a teasing tone, they weren’t entirely false. Liu Yingyue was a stunning beauty, the elegant and refined kind.

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Liu Yingyue’s expression stiffened. Being courted by a boy a decade her junior was beyond awkward, though there was also an inexplicable thrill to it.

“Kid! There’s an order to things, she’s the woman I’ve set my sights on! How dare you cut in? Do you have a death wish?”

Ah Feng, however, couldn’t hold back any longer and outright threatened him.

“Order? You think this is haggling over goods? What do you take her for?”

Qi Huang seized on his slip-up and twisted the knife.

“Duan Lingfeng! Watch your words. This gentleman is a consignor of the Gathering Gold Auction House, don’t disgrace us.”

Provoked, Liu Yingyue immediately reprimanded him.

“You—!”

Ah Feng trembled with rage, but he couldn’t openly defy Liu Yingyue. Swallowing his fury, he was forced into silence.

“Young man, let’s speak calmly. No need for such agitation.”

Duan Feng soothed his son before stepping in with practiced ease.

“Young Master, you may not be aware, but Manager Liu is currently facing a dilemma. If she doesn’t marry my son, I’m afraid there’s no solution.”

“Oh? I’d like to hear it. I refuse to believe there’s any problem in this world I can’t solve.”

Qi Huang remained unruffled.

“You know nothing, yet you dare boast? How laughable!”

Ah Feng couldn’t resist sneering.

“I do love to brag. But fortunately, I’ve never failed to back it up. So now, I brag without regard for occasion, no questions asked.”

Qi Huang replied without missing a beat.

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“Pfft—!”

Xia Wei burst into laughter before hurriedly covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed giggles.

Beside her, Liu Yingyue didn’t laugh outright, but the corner of her lips twitched slightly. She was utterly speechless.

“Is that so? Then I’m afraid this time, your boast will fall flat.”

Duan Feng smirked coldly before laying out the entire situation.

“Young Master, do you understand now? The Ninth Miss’s goal is to quadruple this auction house’s profits by year’s end, only then can she help her father reclaim his position. I can make that happen. Can you?”

“I just might.”

Qi Huang’s smile didn’t falter.

“Young Master, though your cat’s tears are indeed valuable, they alone can’t revive this auction house. The challenges we face are far more severe than you imagine. So spare us the empty boasts.”

Duan Feng scoffed.

“Such as? Are you referring to the safety of consignors?”

Qi Huang probed without shifting her expression.

“Precisely. Since you’re aware, you should understand that a few vials of cat’s tears won’t solve it. Without bidders, even mountains of cat’s tears won’t fetch a good price.”

Duan Feng’s tone was dripping with disdain.

“I believe that. But…”

Qi Huang pretended to ponder before delivering the killing blow:

“If we just get rid of you, wouldn’t the problem solve itself?”