After Bankruptcy, the Billionaire Asked Me to Marry Him!
Chapter 350: Comparing People Can Be Injurious to Health

Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Comparing People Can Be Injurious to Health

"Work title: Cinderella’s Crown, starting bid at 2 million, with increments of 200 thousand each time!"

Bang!

The auction hammer fell with a clear sound, and bidders began raising their paddles one after another.

"2.2 million!"

"2.4 million!"

"..."

"3 million!"

"..."

"5 million!"

Initially, the bids increased by 200 thousand each time, but soon, as more paddles went up, the increments surged to 1 million per raise.

Each time a paddle was raised, Jiang Chengcheng’s heartbeat quickened, a feeling as if her very blood was igniting with excitement.

When the price stalled at 8 million, Jiang Chengcheng felt her back stiffen like a stone from sitting upright for so long.

"8 million, once..."

"...8 million, twice!"

"...8 million, three times!"

Bang!

"Congratulations to Number 17, President Wu!"

Sold.

A round of applause erupted, and Jiang Chengcheng exhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing as she slumped softly into the sofa.

Only then did she notice the thin sheen of sweat on her palms.

She glanced around and caught sight of Ye Li in the front row, slightly turning her head to speak with the woman beside her.

Jiang Chengcheng’s smile grew carefree and unrestrained.

Before coming here, she had already confirmed with her colleagues in the studio that although the final auction price of her work was unrelated to her directly, this month’s bonus was assured.

Not to mention, she had just signed with Dane less than a month ago.

Such results were very impressive for a rookie designer, let alone someone still in her junior year.

The frustration she felt earlier in the afternoon upon learning Ye Li’s work wouldn’t be exhibited had completely dissipated.

As the next auction item was grandly unveiled, Jiang Chengcheng instinctively glanced in Ye Li’s direction.

Unfortunately, Ye Li remained composed and radiant, making it impossible to tell whether the next item was hers.

million.

million.

As the auction price steadily climbed, Jiang Chengcheng’s smile started to falter.

She had initially thought her work, being the first auctioned, was merely an encouragement to her as a newcomer.

But now, the relentlessly rising bids brought back the organizer’s earlier remark—"a stepping stone to lure more elite pieces"—to haunt her ears.

Jiang Chengcheng grew increasingly uneasy.

"...20 million! Geez, your boyfriend is ridiculously generous!"

"If he doesn’t boost me up at a time like this, then what good is he?"

"So envious..."

Low murmurs arose from the rear rows, causing Jiang Chengcheng’s chest to tighten as she instinctively opened her phone.

Her conversation with Zhou Hecchen had come to a halt two hours prior.

She had excitedly informed him that her work successfully stood out in the jewelry exhibition and earned eligibility to participate in tonight’s auction.

Yet he simply replied with "Got it" and offered nothing further.

The auction had already been underway for half an hour, yet he hadn’t shown up at all.

Gripping her phone tightly and glancing past Ye Li’s silhouette, Jiang Chengcheng bit her lip and sent a message.

[Ye Li is actually here at the auction too. Didn’t the Ye Family go bankrupt? How is it that she can bypass the jewelry exhibition and have her work entered straight into the auction? Do you know what’s going on?]

She sent the message, but silence remained on the other end.

At the auction, voices calling out bids rose and fell, but Jiang Chengcheng’s focus remained entirely fixed on the entrance of the hall.

Part of her felt that Zhou Hecchen wouldn’t show up—after all, he had zero interest in jewelry and would have come earlier if he were planning to attend.

Yet another part harbored a persistent little voice, teasingly wondering: What if he does show up?

A commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance, causing Jiang Chengcheng to instinctively look back. She caught sight of Zhou Hecchen striding in quickly.

Among less than a hundred people in the banquet hall, it took only one sweep of his gaze to take it all in. But Zhou Hecchen’s eyes stopped on Ye Li once he spotted her in the front rows and didn’t move further.

Jiang Chengcheng’s heart sank hard.

"Work title: Green Silk, starting bid at 3 million, with increments of 200 thousand each time!"

Bang!

The crisp sound of the auction hammer pulled Jiang Chengcheng’s thoughts back to reality. She turned her attention back to the large screen, which displayed an emerald-green jewelry set.

Looking over to Ye Li’s row again, she noticed that the woman who had been lounging languidly against the sofa moments before had now straightened her posture.

The resemblance to her own earlier nervousness was striking.

Jiang Chengcheng adjusted her own seating posture as well.

"3.5 million!"

"5 million!"

"..."

"8 million!"

Though the bidding hadn’t strictly followed the usual increments from the onset, at 8 million, even the number of paddles raised had dwindled noticeably.

Thinking about how Ye Li’s work was nothing special, Jiang Chengcheng couldn’t help but feel a twinge of exhilaration.

Then, a familiar voice shattered her brief moment of joy.

"10 million!"

Shock-stricken, she turned her head abruptly and saw Zhou Hecchen in the rear rows casually raising paddle number 65.

Under the bright lights, the blood drained from Jiang Chengcheng’s face.

She had informed him two hours in advance about the auction starting, yet he hadn’t responded.

She had told him Ye Li would be there, yet he showed up faster than she ever anticipated.

What was he really trying to do?

How could he treat her like this?

Out of the corner of her eyes, Jiang Chengcheng could see several designers from Dane glancing her way. Although she couldn’t hear their words, she felt strongly that they were thinking, "Isn’t that Jiang Chengcheng’s boyfriend? Why is he bidding on someone else’s work instead of supporting his own girlfriend?"

Her nails dug into her palm so hard that she couldn’t even feel the pain. When she heard that calm, deep voice call out "20 million," she felt as if she’d just barely come back to life.

Following the direction of the bid, she saw the man in the back row wearing a sharp black suit.

Jiang Chengcheng froze.

And Ye Li was equally stunned.

Fu Yanci was here too?

When the auction started earlier, she hadn’t seen him; she had no idea when he arrived.

Looking back toward him, the man appeared calm and collected, his gaze warm, exuding a clear message: "Ah Li, sorry I’m late."

Ye Li withdrew her gaze and lowered her head to send him a message.

[Stop raising the bid! Spending your own money on your own work—it’s not even fun!]

[As you command!]

On the screen was his obedient "As you command."

In her ears was his voice fiercely escalating the bid from 20 million to 40 million.

When Zhou Hecchen furiously shouted out "50 million," the entire hall erupted in shock.

"A 10-million increment? That’s insane!"

"What’s happening here? Is this an uncle-and-nephew feud? Could this piece be... Ye Li’s work?"

"It can’t be! If it were Ye Li’s, Uncle Fu wouldn’t stop raising the bid!"

The whispers in the crowd grew louder as Zhou Hecchen’s eyes glinted with a smug smile.

But when he turned around, he locked eyes with Fu Yanci’s fleeting cold smile.

A silent rebuke rang clear through Fu Yanci’s gaze: "Idiot!"

It was as if the icy chill of winter had been poured directly over Zhou Hecchen. Before he could react fully—

On the stage, Jyang Wanruo scanned the room.

"50 million, once..."

"...50 million, twice!"

"...50 million, three times!"

Bang!

"Congratulations to Number 65, Mr. Zhou!"

Woah...

A wave of applause rolled through the room, accompanied by waves of astonished gazes from all directions.

Some praised, "Impressive! The younger generation truly shines."

Others shook their heads, murmuring, "Has this kid lost his mind?"

million for an emerald jewelry set by an unknown designer—when he gets home tonight, his old man will probably kill him!

Before Zhou Hecchen had even figured out which card he should use to pay, the screen blinked, showcasing the next piece of jewelry being brought up.

"Work title: For Love, starting bid at 10 million, with increments of 500 thousand each time!"

Bang!

"50 million!"

That same deep, magnetic voice set the tone remarkably high from the very first bid on the diamond jewelry set.

Jiang Chengcheng had barely muttered a shocked "He’s crazy" under her breath when the scene before her unfolded into sheer astonishment.