Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 329 - 210: A Chance Encounter with Luna Durant at the Antique Shop [Part 3]

Seeing this scene, Nora Scott couldn’t help but lean in a bit closer, tilting her head slightly and quietly watching what would happen next.

The woman took out her phone.

Holding the porcelain bowl in one hand and the phone in the other, the woman asked, "Can I pay with a QR code?"

What a sucker!

"Yes, yes!"

The vendor’s eyes lit up with joy immediately, eagerly nodding his head, his attitude warming up unconsciously.

Nora Scott: "..."

She looked so clever, how could she not bargain?

Glancing at the porcelain bowl in the woman’s hand, Nora estimated the price to be no more than thirty, and seeing how readily the woman scanned to pay, she couldn’t help feeling quite baffled.

Unable to stand it any longer, Nora stuffed her hands into her pockets, walked over slowly, and before the woman could pay, grabbed the porcelain bowl from her hand, stopping her from paying.

The vendor, whose heart had jumped to his throat at the prospect of a completed sale, saw someone suddenly interrupt and immediately glared with a dark face.

"Who are you?"

Inspecting the porcelain bowl in her hand, Nora slightly raised an eyebrow and asked him, "How much for this bowl?"

"Five thousand."

Seeing Nora’s appearance, the owner’s anger subsided a bit, but his tone remained rather indifferent.

As good-looking as she might be, she’s no match for cash!

Playing with it for a moment, Nora said calmly, "Fifty, I’ll take it."

"Fifty? Do you think this is a vegetable market?"

The owner’s eyes widened, and he stood up, not sitting on his little stool anymore, and yelled at her directly.

"Judging by the quality, it hasn’t been out of the ground for more than a week, pretty new," Nora said blandly, "you can get several good ones for fifty at the supermarket."

"Lady, she’s just here to stir up trouble." The exasperated owner simply ignored Nora and instead spoke directly to the beautiful woman beside him, "I’ll sell the porcelain bowl to you."

But the beautiful woman ignored him. Instead, she took off her sunglasses, revealing a pair of captivating and alluring eyes, and then turned to Nora, asking, "It’s not even worth fifty?"

That air of calm made it clear she knew how inflated the price was and was willing to be duped. She just didn’t expect it to be such a rip-off.

"Hmm."

Nora nodded.

The beauty gave an "Oh," and told the owner, "Then I’ll pass."

"You—" The owner widened his eyes, angrily yelling at Nora, "Are you deliberately causing trouble?"

"I genuinely like this bowl and want to take it back for some succulents," Nora chuckled, shaking the porcelain bowl in her hand, and asked again, "Fifty, will you sell it?"

"No way!"

The owner snatched the porcelain bowl back from her hand and watched five thousand bucks slip away, fuming with anger.

He once more fixed his gaze on the beautiful woman and asked, "One thousand, will you buy it?"

"Nope."

Without even glancing at it again, the beauty refused directly.

She tossed her phone back into the open purse, then looked at Nora, "Thanks, how about a drink on me?"

"Sure."

Nora shrugged, completely ignoring the murderous look from the owner.

The two walked out shoulder to shoulder. Passing a shop selling sour plum juice, the beauty bought two glasses and when she returned, handed one to Nora.

She introduced herself, "I’m Evelyn Winter, you can call me Winter or Mrs. Winter."

"Winter." Nora raised her sour plum juice to her, not stingy with her own name, "Nora Scott."

"Do you know a lot about these things?"

"Not bad," Nora said, biting the straw, took a sip of sour plum juice, and asked suspiciously, "You knew, so why buy it?"

It wasn’t that Nora was particularly nosy.

She was willing to step in and follow Evelyn over because curiosity drove her, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Why would someone willingly be a sucker?

Evelyn slightly tilted her head, pushed back the earpieces of her sunglasses, and put them back on, saying nonchalantly, "Buying a birthday gift for my son, I need to get something expensive and rare, otherwise he’ll say I lack sincerity."

"..."

It’s really not sincere to just casually pick up a random bowl to cope with it.

Evelyn asked, "Do you have any recommendations?"

"Buy from proper stores, it’s more reliable," Nora could only suggest.

"Alright then," Evelyn said, "Thanks."

Nora gave a slight nod.

"You look very much like someone I know," Evelyn smiled, "Hope we meet again."

"Hmm."

Nora responded, not giving much thought to her prefatory remarks.

The two bid farewell to each other.

A few steps after Evanlyn walked away, a sudden familiar feeling washed over her. She paused, turned her head to look back, but the girl they had just parted ways with had already walked away, disappearing into the crowded crowd.

Si...

Rumor has it that the master’s daughter seemingly married someone with the surname Scott?

A thought shifted.

I haven’t visited my mentor in many years. I wonder if he’s still in good health.

*

As Nora Scott arrived in front of Durant Antiques, she had just finished drinking her sour plum soup and casually tossed the empty container into a nearby trash can.

"Miss Scott."

A store clerk stood at the entrance, greeting Nora with a friendly smile, clearly waiting for her specifically.

Before coming, Nora had notified the store manager in advance, so she wasn’t surprised to see someone waiting for her.

As she stepped through the door, Nora tilted her head and asked, "Has my friend arrived yet?"

"Not yet."

The clerk replied respectfully.

"Oh."

Nora pulled out her phone, intending to ask Pedro Langley.

However, before she could ask, a haughty female voice echoed from inside the hall—

"Name your price. How much will it take for you to sell this thing?"

This voice was quite familiar.

Nora paused her actions and looked up, seeing the woman standing in front of the central display stand.

Unexpectedly, it was Luna Durant.

This young lady, away from the camera’s lens, no longer bothered to feign gentleness and friendliness. Her true nature was revealed, wearing heavy makeup. Though she was dressed delicately and looked good, every movement was filled with arrogance and pride, as if everything in the world was trivial in her eyes.

"This..."

The person attending to Luna was not a manager, nor a senior staff member, but an ordinary clerk with little experience, who stammered at her demeanor.

After a long while, he finally managed to answer with difficulty, "Only the store manager knows the price of this item."

"Ha."

Luna’s red lips curled with a sneer. "Durant has such a big store, yet the employees are all useless. How can they handle matters when they don’t even know the prices? Durant might as well close down."

"..."

The clerk flushed crimson with embarrassment at her ridicule.

He was new to the job, inexperienced, and unable to handle such a picky, domineering customer.

"Where’s the manager?" Nora asked, turning her head.

"The store manager is out, just absent at the moment."

The clerk, who was following alongside, answered with a troubled expression.

With the manager here, how could they have allowed customers to act so presumptuously in the store?

Looking around, Nora didn’t see many people, frowning slightly, "Where is everyone else?"

This was Durant’s main store in Anchel, usually staffed with sharp-witted employees. Backed by the Durant Clan, they were generally confident, often clashing head-on with troublesome customers.

Yet, this time, there wasn’t a single one in sight.

"They’re... they’re all not here."

The clerk was also quite frustrated.

This customer sure picked the perfect time, hitting the moment when their staff was at its weakest.

Nora raised her eyebrow but didn’t ask further questions, strolling leisurely toward Luna Durant, her expression languid.

She spoke unhurriedly, "I fancy this thing too, why not sell it to me?"

Hearing the noise, Luna furrowed her brows and turned to look.

Luna was still wondering who could be so inconsiderate, but when she saw who it was, she recognized her as the woman from a few days ago—the one who refused her a ride, left her choking on exhaust fumes, and used her for publicity.

That eighteen-line celebrity who stood out only for her looks and was good for nothing else.

Instinctively, Luna glanced around to see if there were any hidden cameras.

Seeing through her thoughts, Nora’s lips curled slightly, "Don’t worry, I couldn’t possibly get hold of your schedule, let alone prepare anyone to follow and film you in time."

Her words were spoken lazily, seemingly confirming the "publicity stunt," yet every word was laced with sarcasm.

A cold light flashed in Luna’s eyes.

——She had come here in secrecy, with even her agent and assistant unaware of her schedule. Indeed, Nora could not have possibly known she’d be here in advance.

It must be a coincidence.

Frowning, Luna glanced at Nora disdainfully, arrogantly raising her chin, "First come, first served, don’t you understand?"

Nora’s gaze swept past the item Luna had set her eyes on, and she raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

The object Luna was interested in wasn’t an antique, but rather—

An apparatus she had made.

Last time, Benjamin Durant had mentioned to her that he was using her apparatus for sale in the shop to lure in people. It must be this one.

Was Luna truly drawn to it by chance because she liked it, or was it her target from the beginning?

Nora’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a charming smile. Tilting her head, she countered, "For items without a listed price, it’s whoever bids highest, don’t you understand?"

"You—"

Anger welled up in Luna, but she forced it down upon reflection.

Arguing with someone like this wasn’t worth it.

She sneered, kicking a nearby chair in front of her, sitting down, crossing her legs, "Isn’t it just a bidding war? Let’s see if you can make a bid."