Chapter 26: Saying One Thing, Meaning Another
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
On a quiet autumn afternoon, the gentle warmth of the sun cast a special tranquility upon the world.
At this time, the traffic on the road was not too heavy, and a small RV van zoomed along the spacious asphalt road.
Wei Qingyu looked at the bustling city scenery receding behind, and the bright glass reflected the profile of Ji Xiao sitting on the other side.
Ji Xiao was busy looking at her phone, and the quiet cabin was filled with a buzzing sound indicating her chatting with someone.
Wei Qingyu discreetly observed Ji Xiao, her eyes filled with unreadable emotions.
She had stubbornly refused Aunt Wu's invitation in the morning, so why did she change her mind by noon?
If it was interpreted as her being jealous of Ji Qingyun favoring her, so she wanted to go too, then why did she agree to help her climb the wall just now?
Various doubts lingered in Wei Qingyu's mind. She lightly pursed her lips and pretended to ask casually, "Why do you want to take me to the auction?"
Ji Xiao's hand, which was exchanging words with Qi Qi, paused for a moment. She slightly brewed her emotions and asked back, "Why, aren't you going to the auction?"
Wei Qingyu looked at the assertive Ji Xiao and calmly replied, "I am going."
"Well, that's right then." Ji Xiao raised her head arrogantly, showing an air of self-righteousness. She continued, "You’re so stupid you don't even know how to climb a wall properly, don't let someone trick you into taking a taxi again. This Miss here is kind-hearted, so I'll give you a lift. Is that not okay?"
Wei Qingyu slightly furrowed her brows at her words and said, "It's okay, thank you."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xiao pointed to the back of the RV van where the curtains were drawn, "If you really want to thank me, go change out of your school uniform back there, and then pick out a random outfit to wear. Going to the auction like this would be too embarrassing for me."
Wei Qingyu looked at her school uniform and indeed, it wasn't suitable for the auction.
She had just been planning to buy a decent dress at the nearby mall later, but she was worried that she wouldn't have enough money for a decent outfit.
At that moment, she couldn't have imagined that Ji Xiao would be the one to solve this problem for her.
The girl silently obeyed Ji Xiao's command and walked towards the back. Ji Xiao leaned back in her seat, stealing glances at Wei Qingyu's silhouette reflected on the phone screen, relieved that she had passed the test smoothly.
She looked at the driver in front and cautioned, “Drive more steadily."
"Yes, Miss," the driver respectfully replied.
The sunlight fell on the lake, gently stirring up a layer of pale golden ripples. A shadow slowly passed over Ji Xiao's head.
In no time, Wei Qingyu walked up to Ji Xiao, wearing a pair of low-heeled leather shoes with her feet together. "I've changed," she said casually.
Ji Xiao, who was bored, put down her phone and looked up at Wei Qingyu, but her gaze inevitably lagged for a moment.
Wei Qingyu stood before her with her head slightly raised, her luscious black hair cascading down from her full head. Her turquoise eyes radiated a gem-like brilliance against the shimmering water behind her.
The sunlight, impartially streaming through the window, illuminated her simple green dress, outlining her slender figure.
Her straight back widened the loose shoulder design, and a pair of delicate collarbones protruded from the exposed white skin, elegant yet not vulgar.
She stood calmly in front of Ji Xiao, emanating an innate sense of nobility and aloofness, cultivated since childhood, like a pearl fallen into the mortal world, just a slight polish away from bursting into dazzling light.
She lightly licked her dry lips, unexpectedly carrying a hint of faint mint flavor.
The cool sensation stirred Ji Xiao's heartstrings. She had always thought the idiom "beautiful enough to be eaten" was an exaggeration, but now she felt it wasn't enough.
Suddenly, the girl in Ji Xiao's line of sight slightly lowered her head.
In just a moment, her turquoise eyes penetrated directly into Ji Xiao's gaze.
Cold and aloof.
Yet also clear and pure.
Ji Xiao clearly heard a thump in her chest, swiftly dodging like a rabbit discovered by a hunter, quickly averting her gaze from Wei Qingyu’s "hunter" eyes.
The sunlight flickered on the girl's face as it passed by the streetlights and utility poles.
With her heart pounding heavily, Ji Xiao forced herself to stay calm and commented, "Indeed, clothes do make the man. You look quite decent after dressing up like this."
With that said, Ji Xiao quickly got up and walked towards the back of the RV van.
Wei Qingyu watched Ji Xiao's ears turn slightly red from her earlobes to just above her neck, her lips curving slightly upwards.
The term "saying one thing but meaning another" perfectly embodied this Alpha in front of her.
Just a few minutes before the auction began, the RV van smoothly stopped at the building where the auction was held.
Holding the ticket she had obtained from Ji Qingyun's secretary, Ji Xiao proudly asserted her identity as the Young Miss of the Ji family and successfully led Wei Qingyu into the venue.
Ji Qingyun was seated in the middle of the third row, in the third position, with two empty seats next to the aisle.
He wore a tie and proudly displayed his multimillion-dollar watch. From behind, he looked like a gentleman.
Ji Xiao didn't want to sit with Ji Qingyun initially, but considering she had to keep him from bidding against Chen Linji later, she led Wei Qingyu to the row where he was seated.
"Dad."
A crisp yet sweet call reached Ji Qingyun's ears.
He looked up towards the direction of the voice, and Ji Xiao's face, smiling slyly, appeared before him.
Ji Qingyun looked at Ji Xiao with some surprise and asked, "Xiaoxiao? What are you doing here?"
"If Dad can invite Wei Qingyu, why can't I come?" Ji Xiao said, acting stubbornly as she sat down beside Ji Qingyun.
"Of course, you can come," Ji Qingyun said, a doting smile appearing on his face.
In the exchange, he noticed Wei Qingyu standing behind Ji Xiao and added, "But maybe it's hard to see from Qingyu's seat. Would you like to sit beside Uncle?"
Ji Xiao quickly interjected, "As long as she has a place to sit, it's fine. Why be picky?"
Facing Ji Xiao's confrontation, Ji Qingyun remained unruffled and said, "It's still important to have a good view. Come, Qingyu, come sit on Uncle's side. The auction is about to begin, and the first item to be auctioned is the Wei family villa."
While his words seemed like an invitation, they were actually a veiled threat.
But this time, Wei Qingyu had Chen Linji as a backer, so the Wei family villa was no longer a weak spot.
She sat upright in her seat near the aisle and replied calmly, "No need, Uncle."
Her voice was soft but resolute.
A hint of displeasure flashed in Ji Qingyun's eyes.
After a few minutes of silence, Ji Qingyun slightly leaned towards Ji Xiao and whispered, "Xiaoxiao, don't treat Qingyu like this. Although she's your sister, as an Alpha, you should still accommodate her. Didn't Dad tell you before? Her parents passed away, and Dad wants to treat her like he treats you."
The man's warm breath, tinged with a hint of moisture, reached Ji Xiao's ears, bringing an unpleasant sensation. Ji Xiao listened to his green tea speech* and rolled her eyes in disdain.
*similar to the usage of green tea in green tea bitch, innocent and pure on the surface but actually manipulative and cunning
While Ji Qingyun's words sounded selfless, each one pushed Wei Qingyu further into the torment of her original owner's perversion.
The original owner was spoiled by Ji Qingyun and had an absolute dependency on his paternal love due to the lack of maternal affection since childhood.
Now hearing him say he would share his love with another child, her intense possessiveness wouldn't allow anyone to challenge her for his affection.
So the more he encouraged the original owner to be "open-minded," the more she resisted.
And the more she resisted Wei Qingyu, the more isolated and tormented Wei Qingyu became, making her easier for Ji Qingyun to control in the future.
It's truly one disgraceful situation after another, shameless to the extreme.
Ji Xiao was cursing Ji Qingyun in her heart as a presenter stepped onto the auction platform ahead.
After a brief introduction to the rules of the auction, a picture of the Wei family's red-brick villa appeared on the screen.
"This red-brick villa, located at No. 5 Yanlu Lane, was designed by a German architect in the last century..."
Listening to the presenter's detailed introduction, Ji Xiao couldn't help but marvel at the rich historical background of Wei Qingyu's family's house.
She glanced at Ji Qingyun beside her, who appeared deeply focused, her eyes silently expressing: ‘Trash, you don't deserve it.’
"The starting price is 83.9 million, with increments of 200,000. Bidding begins now."
As soon as the host finished speaking, a woman in the first row raised her sign, followed by a man in the fourth row.
The price of the house, jumping from 83.9 million to 93 million among the signs being raised and lowered by people's hands, caught Ji Xiao's attention.
Listening to this price, Ji Xiao looked at the man in the front row who seemed determined to win, and sure enough, Ji Qingyun, in the corner of her eye, raised his sign.
With a single raise of his sign, he offered a staggering price: "100 million."
"This gentleman has directly raised the price to 100 million. 100 million is not a small amount. It seems Mr. Ji is determined to acquire this old friend's villa," the host praised, and Ji Qingyun in the audience nodded in agreement.
After the host's words fell, the auction venue fell silent, and those who had been continuously raising their hands began to contemplate.
Ji Qingyun's determination and his status in the upper echelons made the bidders wonder if it was worth offending him for a villa.
The bidders started to hesitate, and Ji Xiao, in the corner of her eye, slightly clenched the hands folded on her lap.
Wei Qingyu, who was usually calm, became unusually anxious.
Everything Ji Xiao knew was still unknown in the eyes of this young girl.
She didn't know if her home would fall into Ji Qingyun's hands, and she was even less certain if Chen Linji would keep his word.
Just then, some exclamations came from the back rows of the audience, and even the host on stage showed surprise in her eyes.
In the corner of the back row near the door, a man in a black windbreaker and black sunglasses raised his sign.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The host couldn't believe her eyes and reminded, "Since Mr. Ji has already raised the bidding price to 100 million, the next bidding increment will be 2 million. Sir, are you sure you want to bid?"
The black leather gloves reflected a cold light, and the man's sign remained raised, silently expressing his confirmation.
Ji Xiao watched from afar, and in the corner of her eye, Wei Qingyu's tense expression relaxed at this moment.
She knew that this mysterious person was Chen Linji.
The host took a deep breath and announced, "Sir, bidding is now at 102 million."
Ji Qingyun, unwilling to back down, also raised his sign.
The host continued, "Mr. Ji, 104 million."
Chen Linji was determined to acquire the house and confidently raised his sign again.
The host declared, "106 million."
….
Everyone couldn't help but gasp at the astronomical numbers recited by the host.
While immortals battled in the heavens, mortals could only gaze upward from the earth.
As the price was about to exceed two hundred million, Ji Xiao quickly grabbed Ji Qingyun's hand. "Dad, why would you spend so much money on a rundown house?"
Ji Qingyun withdrew his hand from Ji Xiao's grasp and replied, "Xiao Xiao, you don't understand. This is for Qingyu."
"I don't understand, Dad. Aren't you being too biased towards Wei Qingyu? Who is your biological daughter anyway?" Ji Xiao, pretending to be angry, questioned.
"Of course it's you," Ji Qingyun answered.
"Then why are you always so good to Wei Qingyu?" Ji Xiao pressed further, her voice tinged with a hint of tears. "I'm starting to dislike you, Dad. I hate how you preach fairness but show unfair love in reality!"
Before Ji Qingyun could respond, tears welled up in Ji Xiao's eyes, which had been dry just moments ago.
The glistening liquid pooled in her eye sockets, tinting the corners red, making her look especially aggrieved.
Ji Qingyun was momentarily stunned by Ji Xiao's expression. As someone who regarded his daughter as his life, seeing Ji Xiao's eyes reddened from his divided affection, his heart that was immune to the five poisons* shattered in an instant.
*五毒 (wǔ dú) in Buddhism: greed, anger, ignorance, pride and doubt.
He hastily dropped the sign in his hand and reached out to wipe Ji Xiao's tears, saying, "I'm sorry, Xiaoxiao, Dad was wrong, Dad knows he was wrong, please don't hate Dad, okay?"
Ji Xiao endured the disgust of Ji Qingyun's touch and pretended to be angry, turning away from him to avoid him and buy time.
Ji Qingyun, as expected by Ji Xiao, softly and gently comforted her on the side, already forgetting about the auction.
“178 million going once! 178 million going twice..."
“178 million for the third time!"
"Sold!"
The host's infectious voice sounded amidst Ji Qingyun's apologies, and Ji Xiao instantly stopped her pretentious performance.
"Congratulations, sir. You bought this villa for 178 million yuan for the third time. Please come to the notary office after the auction ends to sign, and we will quickly handle the transfer procedures for you."
Ji Xiao listened to the host's hint to Chen Linji, knowing that the time below would be the chance for Wei Qingyu to reunite with Chen Linji.
Pretending to be angry, she slapped Ji Qingyun's hand on her back away and said to Wei Qingyu beside her, "You, go get me something to drink."
Upon hearing this, Wei Qingyu did not refuse, and silently took her phone and stood up from her seat, heading towards the door.
The door opened and closed behind her, and the host's voice sounded and disappeared in an instant.
Wei Qingyu stood in front of the vending machine with changing lights, her mind filled with the redness at the corner of Ji Xiao's eyes just now.
The taste of peach brandy bloomed on her shoulder, the delicate pink peach blossoms soaked in alcohol, fragile amidst strength.
She had never seen Ji Xiao like this before, and the softest part of her heart was suddenly pinched by nails.
The lingering hidden pain coiled in her heart, so much so that she forgot about meeting her Uncle Chen.
She said she hated Ji Qingyun, hated his fair-sounding but unfair love.
Was her increasing torment over the past six months also because of this, and now she understood...
"Miss Wei."
At this moment, a deep voice interrupted the girl's thoughts.
Chen Linji, accompanied by bodyguards, walked towards Wei Qingyu with steady steps.
