novelraw Chapter 377 Why They Came (2)_1
Chapter 377 Why They Came (2)_1
"Go on, lass, and have a good time." Shangguan Hao looked at his daughter, who was surrounded by people, nodded with a smile, and drove off in his personal Hummer towards the military base."Youyou, let’s go." Gui Mo also breathed a sigh of relief. This miserable period was finally over; he was at last embarking on his university life.
"It’s rare for you all to have free time today. We’ve spent two full days with you. Even if we want to go to KTV, we’ll have to wait until tonight. Let’s try our luck on Gambling Stone Street first. Afterwards, I’ll treat you to some good food; it’s been a while since I’ve had a few rounds," Yu Zifeng said, his phoenix eyes glinting with a smile as he spoke. Dıscover more novels at novel•fire.net
"Sure! With Young Master Yu accompanying us, and since the girls have just finished their exams, it’s the perfect time for us to have some fun."
"Yes! Let’s find Duoduo, then go to that private restaurant for dinner, and hit the KTV tonight! Youyou, how does that sound?" Yu Zijin exclaimed excitedly, clutching Shangguan You’s hand.
"Mhmm," Shangguan You nodded. Tomorrow, I’ll submit my university preferences. In the afternoon, I need to deal with the Shen Family’s matters. Shangguan Qing and the others can go back to school, and I can also find an excuse to handle my own affairs. I wonder how Zhuge Feng is doing now?
On Gambling Stone Street, Shangguan You once again saw Gu Duoduo and her father, Gu Weixiong. Her eyes lit up as she looked at the newly arrived raw stones. She had been very busy lately and hadn’t had any time to visit Jade Pavilion or meet with Shi Jianjiang and his son. She hadn’t expected to run into them here. Seeing how occupied they were, she thoughtfully decided not to approach them.
Moreover, it wasn’t just them; countless other people were gathered here.
They had just stepped inside when Gu Weixiong and his party came out to greet them. Gu Duoduo eagerly rushed forward and affectionately clutched Yu Zijin’s arm.
"Young Master Yu, Young Master Shangguan, Young Master Gui, Young Master Zhang, what a rare visit! You’ve arrived at just the right time, just in time for our gathering."
"What kind of gathering is this?" Shangguan You asked with a raised eyebrow, somewhat puzzled. The street was bustling with people, even more so than usual today.
"Hmph, you wouldn’t know, would you? This is the public auction on Gambling Stone Street, held only once a year. The stones auctioned here are all specially authenticated, and people have come from all over the country, drawn by its reputation," Gu Duoduo spoke with a hint of disdain. Yu Zijin and Shangguan You were growing closer, while Yu Zijin was becoming increasingly cold towards Gu Duoduo. How could this not make Gu Duoduo resentful of Shangguan You, and how could she possibly show Shangguan You a kind face?
"Duoduo, watch how you speak! Miss Shangguan, my daughter is insensible. Please don’t take her words to heart," Gu Weixiong quickly interjected, apologizing to Shangguan You.
"Daddy, what did I say wrong? It’s the truth!" Gu Duoduo pouted, feeling displeased that Yu Zifeng and the others were all gathered around Shangguan You.
"Lass, it seems we’re not welcome here," Shangguan Qing said gently, patting Shangguan You’s shoulder. A hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. My lass isn’t someone just anyone can bully.
"I feel the same way. Let’s go to Jade Pavilion. In any case, I have shares there, so I’m a shareholder too," Shangguan You said with a faint smile, linking arms with Shangguan Qing and heading towards another establishment. Jade Pavilion was located across the street from Gu Weixiong’s.
Yu Zijin glanced at Gu Duoduo, then shook off her hand and looked at her coldly. "Duoduo, Youyou is my friend and a friend of the Yu Family. If anyone is disrespectful to her, neither I nor the Yu Family will let them off easily. You’d better watch yourself."
"Duoduo, the Yu Family and the Shangguan Family are no longer political rivals. On the contrary, they are now friends—practically one family," Yu Zifeng said, a cold glint in his phoenix eyes, as he followed the retreating figures of Shangguan You and her group. Those who had originally entered with Yu Zifeng’s party all headed towards Jade Pavilion.
Since both the Shangguan and Yu families were heading to the establishment across the street, and the original reason many had come to Gu Weixiong’s place was to give face to the Yu Family (as the Yu and Gu families were related), now that even the Yu Family’s Crown Prince and his party had gone to another establishment, they naturally all followed suit.
"Cousin!" Gu Duoduo’s eyes welled with tears, her face a picture of grievance as she watched their retreating figures.
"Sigh! Child, what am I going to do with you?" Gu Weixiong glared at Gu Duoduo before quickly hurrying after the others. The annual auction was usually held at his establishment. However, Jade Pavilion had snatched it away this year. Now, he had also offended Shangguan You. With the Shangguan and Yu families’ relationship improving, if they decided to act against him, there would be no place left for him here.
"Grandpa Shi! Uncle Shi!" Shangguan You greeted Shi Jianjiang and his son warmly upon spotting them. The crowd inside Jade Pavilion was several times larger than the one at Gu Weixiong’s place.
"Miss You, you’re here! We have an auction today; it’s a good chance for you to try your luck," Shi Jianjiang said with a smile. Perhaps others didn’t know, but he was well aware that Shangguan You owned shares in this place. She was the one with the most authority here.
"Yes. Grandpa Shi, are these all the raw stones for auction?" Shangguan You asked, walking over to look at the stones displayed on the stands.
"Yes, these have been examined by experts. Each of these raw stones is said to contain jade, but the starting bids are very high. If a stone fails to yield jade, we will compensate the buyer at twice the purchase price," Shi Jianjiang nodded and explained. This was their first time handling such a venture and their first year hosting the auction. The raw stones they had selected had undergone multiple, rigorous inspections, but he still felt a little uneasy. Seeing Shangguan You arrive, he had quickly gone to welcome her.
"Mmm, it should be fine. Let me see if there’s anything I need," Shangguan You said with a faint smile. She linked arms with Shangguan Qing and walked towards the auctioned raw stones. Yu Zifeng and the others also began to look around. Casting a Clairvoyance Spell, Shangguan You could clearly see through the raw stones. As she walked, she nodded to herself. These stones were indeed good; almost every piece would yield jade. No wonder people were willing to bid high prices for them. These were practically guaranteed profit ventures.
Shangguan You stopped in front of a premium raw stone in the center. The starting bid was ten million. She furrowed her brows. Apart from being larger than average and having a thin layer of jade visible on the surface—obvious to any discerning eye—the rest of it looked like worthless white stone. For such a stone to be auctioned at ten million, isn’t that a losing proposition? And if it sells for a high price, only for nothing valuable to be cut out, wouldn’t Jade Pavilion have to pay compensation?