novellhall Chapter 325 - 167: What a Coincidence, I Just Want to Be This Fool
Chapter 325 - 167: What a Coincidence, I Just Want to Be This Fool
So go do whatever you want. Whether you do PR, pay hush money, or get it off the trending topics—it has nothing to do with me. Don’t bother me again."
"Mr. Xu, I..."
"President Hu, let’s all be a little more dignified."
Xino spoke up then, cutting him off. "My friend has made himself perfectly clear," she said, displeased. "You shouldn’t lose your composure in a place like this."
"..." Hu Yong.
"Xu Yun, let’s go. We can move somewhere else."
"Okay."
Xino took Xu Yun’s arm, and they walked toward the other side of the room.
Just then, a middle-aged man walked over. He smiled at Hu Yong and said, "President Hu, long time no see. Why didn’t President Li come?"
"President Zhang, hello, hello."
Hu Yong’s attitude was much more respectful toward the man before him. He answered, "Something came up for President Li at the last minute, so he had me come in his place. My apologies."
After all, this man’s organization was the one hosting tonight’s charity gala.
"No problem."
The man laughed. "If you see anything you like later, help him bid on a few things to take back. What’s the point of earning so much money if you don’t spend it?"
"You’re absolutely right, President Zhang. President Li gave me instructions before I came. I wouldn’t dare go back without completing my mission."
"Hahaha, that’s good."
The man chuckled, then asked, "Do you know that young man from just now?"
"I wouldn’t say I know him."
Hu Yong explained awkwardly, "My company had a bit of a misunderstanding with him a few days ago. I just happened to run into him and wanted to smooth things over, but I was rejected."
"The incident in the news?"
"That’s the one."
President Hu sighed. "We didn’t handle it right away, and now we’re in a very passive position. I was wondering, President Zhang, if you could help mediate for us?"
"I’m afraid I can’t help you with that."
The man replied, "I don’t know him either."
"..." Hu Yong.
’This is your gala, and you’re telling me you don’t know him?’
"But whatever issues you two have, please sort them out slowly after the gala. Today, we’re only here to talk about the auction. Is that acceptable?"
"President Zhang, of course."
Hu Yong certainly understood the man’s meaning and quickly said, "I just happened to run into him and we exchanged a few words, that’s all."
"Alright then, I won’t keep you. Feel free to look around. The auction will be starting soon."
"Of course, President Zhang. Please, go ahead."
After finishing his conversation with Hu Yong, the man chatted and greeted a few other guests here and there.
He then made his way over to the pair who were enjoying some refreshments.
They had exercised in the afternoon and skipped dinner, so they were a bit hungry now and had started on the snacks.
"Lass, are the snacks good?"
Xino, snack in hand, turned to look at the middle-aged man beside her. She smiled awkwardly and greeted him, "Hello, Uncle Zhang."
"Looking at you, I take it you came without having dinner?"
"I didn’t, actually."
"Then eat up. Don’t go hungry."
The man smiled, then looked at Xu Yun beside her and asked, "Aren’t you going to introduce me to this handsome fellow?"
"Um, Uncle Zhang."
Xino said shyly, "This is my friend, Xu Yun. He came with me. He said he was a little interested in the auction."
"Oh, in that case, welcome, welcome."
The man said with a laugh, "If you see anything you like later, don’t miss out."
"Of course. My greatest talent is being willing to spend my dad’s money."
"Hahaha, you little rascal."
The man continued to make small talk with Xino, asking about her father. Then, after exchanging nods with Xu Yun, he turned and left.
Although Xu Yun didn’t ask and didn’t know what the man did, he could feel a powerful presence about him for the first time.
It was the kind of presence cultivated from years of being in a high position.
’I’ll probably never be able to cultivate a presence like that in my life,’ Xu Yun thought. ’I’m destined to just be a rich mutt.’
"Xu Yun, Uncle Zhang is a director of the Rongcheng Chamber of Commerce and one of the founders of a local charity. His family is mainly in the logistics industry."
Xino explained to Xu Yun, "He holds a gala like this every three years to raise funds for the charity.
All the auction items are donated for free by various bigwigs, and all the proceeds from the auction go to charity, helping those in need."
"To be honest, I don’t really trust organizations like this."
Xu Yun said with a casual laugh, "If I were to do charity, I’d just do it by myself. I wouldn’t need to help a lot of people, as long as I could make sure the help actually gets where it’s needed."
"Alright then, count me in when the time comes."
Xino said, "I’ll do it with you."
The two chatted for a little while longer before the night’s auction finally began. Everyone started moving to the next hall.
Everyone received a numbered paddle. Xu Yun’s was number 7, and Xino’s was number 8.
As for the seating, it was unassigned.
Xu Yun and Xino chose a spot in a corner near the back.
At 9:00 PM, the charity auction officially began.
The first item was a traditional Chinese painting. The host gave a lengthy introduction, and then the bidding started.
Starting bid: 500,000!
Xu Yun didn’t understand art, much less painting, so he couldn’t see what was so great about it or why it was worth 500,000.
But Xino placed a bid.
Because she figured her dad would definitely love it.
The bids increased by 100,000 each time, and she ultimately won the painting for 900,000.
A few more items were auctioned off after that, with the lowest going for 700,000 and the highest for 1,500,000!
During this time, Xino also won a crescent-shaped jade pendant for 1,750,000.
She planned to give it to Xu Yun.
Meanwhile, Xu Yun didn’t raise his paddle once the entire time, looking as if he had really just come to watch.