VIP

“Ah-choo!”

Having sneezed for no apparent reason, Mù Qīngyǔ instinctively glanced behind her.

The wide, long corridor was packed with people, almost all of them wearing masks. Some chatted with companions, others walked with their heads down, paying no attention to anyone else.

“Is someone talking bad about me?”

The girl muttered to herself, pulling her hood tighter and adjusting the mask on her face.

After arriving in Danfeng City, Mù Qīngyǔ quickly learned that there was a local auction house. As luck would have it, an auction was being held today.

Figuring there was no harm in checking it out, she disguised herself a bit and went to join the fun.

She didn’t use Qín Yuè’s appearance. At sixteen, she was petite among the adults. Her signature white hair and red eyes were hidden under her hood and mask—no one should recognize her.

Always using Qín Yuè’s appearance, Mù Qīngyǔ wanted to try navigating the world as herself this time. Preferably, she’d make a big splash.

On one hand, news would reach the Four Sacred Courts, letting her father know that his daughter wasn’t just out playing but was seriously thinking about getting stronger.

On the other hand, it might also divert Xǔ Tiānlí’s attention, so he’d stop staring at his master all the time and instead…

The girl muttered to herself and quickened her pace. At a disadvantage in stature, she had to weave lightly through the crowd to avoid being pushed into some unknown corner by the adults around her.

The white robe she wore was patterned with black trim, making her look like a nimble swallow darting among the crowd.

It was Mù Qīngyǔ’s first time at this auction house, but when buying her entry ticket, she had spent a little extra to upgrade to a premium membership.

Originally, she didn’t have much money, but a few days ago, when those two elders from the Four Sacred Courts came looking for trouble, she managed to squeeze some cash out of them.

She had thought her excessive demands would put them in a bind, but when they realized the young miss only wanted money, the relief on their faces made Mù Qīngyǔ sigh.

Just how outrageous was the original owner, to make even a senior elder of a major faction that terrified? Then again, considering she wouldn’t even show up to call off the engagement, she was probably a little demon since childhood.

The auction hall was structured like a theater. The lowest-tier guests, who bought only entry tickets, had to squeeze into rows of seats.

Everyone sat shoulder to shoulder, and some even emitted unpleasant odors. The environment was far from pleasant. Not everyone came for the auction itself; some had their eyes on the people next to them.

If a valuable item went missing and was discovered in time, the culprit might be caught. But more often than not, everyone was too engrossed in the heated bidding to notice.

She had a private box upstairs, where she could sit on a sofa on the balcony and overlook the entire auction.

“Heave-ho!” The girl plopped down. While those below sat on hard wooden chairs, she sank into the comfortable leather sofa.

Glancing at the fine wine and fresh fruit on the side table, she unhesitatingly ignored the former and popped a green grape into her mouth.

“Pretty sweet.”

The white-haired girl smiled beneath her mask, sat up, crossed her legs, and waited for the auction to begin.

Half an hour after entry, the long-awaited auction finally started. The hall’s lights shifted, all focusing on the elevated stage where the host stood.

“Welcome, everyone, to our auction house. I believe we’re all familiar faces here, so without further ado, let’s get to the main event!”

As soon as he spoke, the audience erupted in cheers. After waiting so long, they were finally getting started.

But not everyone was cheering. Some were just relieved it was beginning—the sooner it started, the sooner it would end, and the sooner they could leave this godforsaken place.

“Man, it stinks in here.” Song Hai pinched his nose and whispered, but he was wary of offending the middle-aged man beside him.

“Want a nose plug?” Xǔ Tiānlí came prepared.

“Yes, please.”

Although they had bought tickets and entered legitimately, they still acted stealthily, trying not to speak and instead using their phones to text.

“Look at those VIPs up there. Bet they’re sipping wine in air-conditioned comfort.”

“They paid for it. If you had the money, you could sit up there too.”

“Aren’t you jealous?”

“Not really.”

Song Hai shot him a surprised look, his fingers flying across the dim phone screen.

“Man, how did you get so calm over this summer?”

“Jealous? That’s all thanks to my master’s lessons.”

“That master of yours again. I’ll have to come and learn too sometime.”

“Don’t. What my master taught me, you can’t figure out on your own.”

Song Hai shot him a glare and fell silent, turning his attention to the auction.

As for Xǔ Tiānlí, his gaze swept over the boxes above, inadvertently stopping at one of them.

Logically, due to the height and angle, they could only see the bottom of the boxes, not the people sitting in them.

But a guest in one box had walked to the edge of the balcony and leaned over the railing.

She wore a white robe and a black mask, eating sliced fruit from a plate while staring at the host.

The way she acted, she seemed less like a distinguished guest and more like a little girl out for fun.

Xǔ Tiānlí wanted to watch her a bit longer, but after finishing the grapes, she turned and left, not returning to that spot.

Forget it. Why pay attention to someone I don’t know?

Xǔ Tiānlí withdrew his gaze. Instead of focusing on a complete stranger, he’d rather think about what treasures he could get with the money he had.