The Nangong family had accumulated considerable wealth over the years, and ten billion was an amount Nangong Shanshan could afford.
More importantly, the tiara necklace was extremely rare and precious, making it easy to find a buyer.
"Miss Nangong bids ten billion. Are there any further offers?" the host inquired, his gaze sweeping across the room.
Tang Xiaomin also followed the crowd's attention to Nangong Shanshan.
Nangong Shanshan met her gaze and immediately retorted with sarcasm.
"Don't tell me you like this necklace too?"
Nangong Shanshan suddenly chuckled.
"What am I saying? Everyone here must like it. This is a fair competition; the highest bidder wins. If you like it, you can make a bid too."
"Oh, I forgot, you're still in university and don't have that much money. Why don't you ask the President Yan next to you if he's willing to spend that much on a necklace for you? After all, you're just a pretty face."
Lu Zelei, his expression turning grim, reminded her, "If you can't speak properly, then don't say anything."
Nangong Shanshan became even more animated and declared loudly, "Is there anything wrong with what I said?"
"Relying on men for handouts is not a long-term plan. One should rely on their own assets."
The auction hall was instantly filled with a palpable tension.
Tang Xiaomin, instead of getting angry, smiled and shot back.
"You're a worn-out shoe yourself. Who gave you the courage to look down on a pretty face? Are you some kind of 'Liang Jingru'?"
Hahaha...
The entire hall erupted in laughter. Her retort was immensely satisfying.
"You..."
Nangong Shanshan's face turned ashen with rage.
"Tang Xiaomin, watch your mouth. Whatever I am is my private business; you have no right to personally attack me!"
"You attacked me first. Everyone here heard it. Did you suddenly get amnesia?"
"You..."
Nangong Shanshan was left speechless, her argument weak as she had indeed attacked Tang Xiaomin first.
Since things had escalated, she decided to humiliate her thoroughly with money.
"Tang Xiaomin, you are a pretty face, and what I said is true. Whether you admit it or not, you can ask President Yan to buy this tiara necklace for you right now to prove you're not."
Nangong Shanshan's words were utterly nonsensical. She first called someone a pretty face and then challenged her to prove otherwise by having Yan Jue spend ten billion on a necklace for her.
It was simply preposterous.
If Tang Xiaomin couldn't do it in front of so many influential people, the label of "pretty face" would follow her forever.
Having said that, Nangong Shanshan looked at Tang Xiaomin triumphantly and returned to her seat, saying no more.
Because everyone present who heard her words would consciously watch Tang Xiaomin and Yan Jue's every move.
Tang Xiaomin shook her head helplessly.
Seeing her gesture, the crowd assumed she had the self-awareness to give up and stop arguing with Nangong Shanshan.
It seemed Tang Xiaomin was indeed just a pretty face.
Otherwise, she would have asked Yan Jue to buy the necklace and severely slap Nangong Shanshan in the face.
"Are there any further bids?" the host asked again.
Yan Jue quietly smoked, his expression unreadable, showing no intention of making a move. No one knew what he was thinking.
Just as the host's question seemed to fall on deaf ears, Zhong Li, standing beside Yan Jue, suddenly raised his paddle.
"Eleven billion."
"Ah!!!"
A bid was made! Someone actually bid!
It seemed that in Yan Jue's eyes, Tang Xiaomin was indeed not just a pretty face.
Nangong Shanshan looked at Yan Jue's side with a complex expression, too shocked to speak.
Ten billion, even she had to deliberate before making the decision.
Unwilling to back down, she raised her paddle again: "Twelve billion!"
"Fifteen billion," Zhong Li followed suit immediately.
Nangong Shanshan gritted her teeth. She refused to believe Yan Jue would spend so much money on Tang Xiaomin, and she wanted to find his limit.
Grit ting her teeth, she said, "Sixteen billion!"
"Twenty billion!"
"Twenty-one billion!"
...
After an intense bidding war, Zhong Li had bid up to one hundred billion, ten times the starting price.
Throughout the entire process, Yan Jue's brow didn't even furrow.
Tang Xiaomin couldn't help but say, "One hundred billion, isn't that too expensive?"
Yan Jue affectionately stroked Tang Xiaomin's head.
"As long as you like it, I'll pluck the stars from the sky for you. My life is yours."
The entire audience felt a pang of nausea; he was too doting.
However, with a hundred billion spent, even plucking stars from the sky would likely cost around that much.
Nangong Shanshan was so enraged she had lost all reason. Disregarding her butler's pleas, she raised her paddle again. Su Dan Novel Network
"One hundred and one billion!"
After saying it, her teeth trembled.
Tang Xiaomin gave her a slight smile and calmly reminded her.
"Miss Nangong, if I'm not mistaken, the Nangong family doesn't have that much money for you to wield at the moment. Don't make wild bids and disrupt the order."
"You're talking nonsense! I have the money!"
Nangong Shanshan was so blinded by rage that she insisted on winning.
Seeing her tightly clenched fists, Tang Xiaomin no longer wished to prolong the farce.
"Think carefully. We won't follow after this round."
The butler was sweating profusely and repeatedly tried to dissuade Nangong Shanshan.
"Miss, that necklace isn't worth that much. Spending a hundred billion to buy it and expecting to sell it for a hundred billion is absolutely impossible; you'll lose tens of billions for nothing! It's not worth it, Miss!"
"The Master is in a difficult situation, and there are too many places requiring expenses and favors. Miss, please don't act impulsively..."
...
After several attempts by the butler to persuade her, Nangong Shanshan, fuming with anger, stormed out of the venue, with the butler following closely behind.
"I apologize, Miss Tang. I apologize, President Yan. I couldn't stop her. Sigh..." Lu Zelei, before leaving, couldn't help but apologize to Tang Xiaomin.
Malicious bidding had caused them to lose so much money; this feud was serious.
...
In the car, Yan Jue took out the necklace and put it on Tang Xiaomin.
"Queen, do you like it?"
Tang Xiaomin looked at herself in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction. "It's really beautiful. I wish it were a little lighter."
"It's sold by weight, so a bit heavier is normal."
Thinking about how Nangong Shanshan had forced him to spend so much extra money, Yan Jue deeply resented her.
He would make sure her entire family perished!
In the blink of an eye, the day for filming the reality show arrived.
Early that morning, Tang Xiaomin's adoptive parents and Zhang Meiyu had packed four to five boxes for her. They would be gone for a week.
Tang Ye diligently carried the luggage to the van arranged by the production crew, his face plastered with a fawning smile towards Tang Xiaomin.
"Xiaomin, everything is ready. Can we leave now?"
He was truly afraid that Tang Xiaomin would change her mind, and not only would he be unable to deal with Ye Die, but he himself would also have a difficult time.
Tang Xiaomin exchanged a few words with her adoptive parents before getting into the car.
Zhang Meiyu handed a thermos cup to Tang Ye.
"This is the fruit juice Xiaomin likes. Take it with her."
"Why is there only one cup? What about mine?"