DF Chapter 43

Chapter 43 Really Unfortunate

The temperature dropped considerably on the way back to the hotel from the auction.

This was the first time Sheng Jia had visualized a scene only seen on TV. Fu Minglang’s collections were always famous. The competition tonight was extremely fierce. The gem Song Ji’an’s cousin wanted was bid up from an initial 2.4 million RMB all the way until Song Ji’an secured it for 13 million RMB. In the process, Song Ji’an also bid 3.2 million RMB for a snuff bottle.

This was a true display of spending money like water. A large amount of wealth flowed out of this auction, ultimately flowing to the little girls in the mountain areas, helping them complete their studies and realize their dreams.

Fu Minglang would absolutely not allow this money to be wasted or fail to reach its intended recipients. Thinking this way, Sheng Jia felt that tonight’s auction was quite meaningful. The intoxicating extravagance of the event also seemed less distant, tempered by its simple and unadorned purpose.

For Sheng Jia, perhaps the strangest thing was that as they were about to leave, Fu Minglang was waiting specifically at the entrance of the manor. The person she was waiting for wasn’t Song Ji’an, but Sheng Jia.

On the terrace, Sheng Jia keenly sensed that there was something off about the way Fu Minglang looked at her. She had initially wondered if she was being too sensitive, but when Fu Minglang personally handed her a business card, that suspicion became meaningless.

“The impressive young person that Lu Jing always mentions, I’m quite curious. Actually, I’ve heard a lot about you. If you need any help in the future, perhaps you can give me a call.” These were Fu Minglang’s exact words.

Song Ji’an couldn’t help but tease, “Sheng Jia, since Ms. Fu said so, don’t be polite with her in the future. She’s always very generous to young people she admires.”

At that moment, Sheng Jia met Fu Minglang’s gaze, and what she saw in the other woman’s eyes wasn’t just simple appreciation.

Even after they got into the car, Song Ji’an didn’t seem to care much about what Fu Minglang had done, as if she were used to it. But Sheng Jia still found it very strange.

“Don’t be too nervous. Ms. Fu has always been this kind of person. She’s always very proactive and enthusiastic towards people she admires, and she doesn’t care about their status at all. When her heart is moved by talent, she can spend money like water. Actually, those two online celebrities you pointed out to me at the beginning came out of the mountains after receiving Ms. Fu’s promotion and appreciation. She did the same thing back then, walking around the schools in the mountain areas and generously handing her business cards to them, telling them to call if they needed anything.”

“I remember the online celebrity who live-streams rescuing wild animals seems to be surnamed Chen. My mother mentioned it once before. Her family had a son who was expected to bring honor to the family. When Ms. Fu went to inspect her home, her family didn’t even let her come out. Later, she climbed over the wall herself and knelt in front of Ms. Fu, begging her. Ms. Fu didn’t even hand her a business card that time, she just forcefully took her away.” Song Ji’an recalled this incident, a little amused. “Later, this Ms. Chen followed her from the age of fifteen, but didn’t want a penny. After graduating with a master’s degree at the age of twenty-four, she drove a motorcycle to the Great Northwest. After returning, she wanted to build a wildlife sanctuary, signed a contract with Ms. Fu to borrow money, and is now still desperately live-streaming to pay off her debts.”

Hearing this, Sheng Jia turned her head. The car was slowly driving away from the manor. Fu Minglang was already with that Ms. Chen, seeing off guests at the entrance of the manor and introducing her to peers who could provide her with a lot of help.

“That’s just the kind of person she is. If she often hears Principal Lu mention you, it’s normal for her to have a heart that cherishes talent, so you don’t need to be nervous. If you really encounter any trouble, you can completely look for her, but judging by your personality, I estimate this business card won’t be of much use.” Song Ji’an sighed, “And if you really encounter any trouble, I’ll definitely be the first to stand by your side.”

A heart that cherishes talent?

Sheng Jia lowered her head and looked at the business card in her hand.

No, even if Lu Jing had mentioned her, it couldn’t have been that many times. Although Sheng Jia’s grades were excellent, she knew that her achievements were not enough to be called genius, just an ordinary Grade/Year One. At most, what might make Lu Jing sigh and also make Fu Minglang more impressed was the occasionally mentioned fact that her grades were good but her family was really a bit miserable, after all, she had such a father.

What’s more, now she and Song Ji’an were always together, and she was obviously regarded as a close friend. What was there that Song Ji’an couldn’t help with that Fu Minglang had to go out of her way to give her a business card?

Fu Minglang was kind, not so rich that she had nothing else to do.

She had only said two sentences to Fu Minglang when they met just now. To say that those two sentences made her appreciate her?

How was that possible?

Song Ji’an might be used to Fu Minglang’s behavior, so she couldn’t see what was wrong in the middle, but Sheng Jia, who directly faced Fu Minglang’s gaze, only felt that there was a big problem here.

She stared at the business card in her hand for a long time, slowly putting it into her upper coat pocket.

On the way back to the hotel, they had to pass a large lake. The shadows of the trees flickered, rustling beautifully in the wind. Song Ji’an leaned against the window and suddenly shouted to stop the car.

“What’s wrong, Miss?”

Song Ji’an said, “Can you wait for us here for a while?”

The driver nodded, “Sure.”

So Song Ji’an grabbed Sheng Jia’s hand and wanted to take her out of the car. Sheng Jia gave her a puzzled look.

“What are you doing?”

Song Ji’an: “Aiya, just come down first, I have something to say to you.”

Only then was Sheng Jia dragged forward, half-pulled and half-carried.

The lake was endless, but in the night it reflected an irregular moon. The evening wind blew, making the lake surface sparkle, blurring the shadow of the moon. There was a small path in the middle of the woods, leading directly to the lake. It was so beautiful that it didn’t look like a man-made landscape, but rather like a mysterious forest in Siberia.

When they reached the lake, there was no one else there. Sheng Jia finally pulled her hand out of Song Ji’an’s palm.

Before she had time to ask Song Ji’an what she was going to do, a figure rushed straight into her arms, nearly knocking her off her feet.

Song Ji’an hugged her neck tightly, her face against her neck, and said with a smile, “Sheng Jia, I’m so happy today. Actually, I’ve been super happy since I signed the contract, but I was too embarrassed to show it.”

Sheng Jia couldn’t push her away, and helplessly raised her hand to hug her waist, saying expressionlessly, “I can tell, but can you let go of me first?”

From the way Song Ji’an had been unusually pulling her to hide on the auction terrace and talking about everything, it could be seen that she was a little excited. Although Song Ji’an’s original words were that she always hated attending banquets, that was why.

“I won’t,” Song Ji’an said shamelessly, “I just want to hug you and make a fuss. I still want to save some face in front of others, but I don’t need to in front of you.”

“Why?” Sheng Jia rarely cooperated and asked.

“Because you already know what I’m like,” Song Ji’an said as a matter of course, “And you’re my best friend now, isn’t it the most normal thing to open up to a friend?”

Although she said the last sentence a little guiltily, only she herself knew whether she treated Sheng Jia as a friend. But it was undeniable that she only wanted to show her crazy and excited appearance in front of Sheng Jia, especially after she told Sheng Jia her most true thoughts tonight.

“Aren’t you friends with Xu Lijing and the others too?” Sheng Jia said.

“That’s different,” Song Ji’an retorted, “I’m very good friends with Lijing and the others, but to them, I’m a reliable friend that they can rely on. If they knew about these private emotions, they would definitely laugh at me.”

Sheng Jia: “Don’t tell me I won’t laugh at you?”

Song Ji’an smiled, “I don’t care if you laugh at me or not.”

In fact, in this small group, Song Ji’an and Sheng Jia were more like authoritative parents, while Xu Lijing and the others were more like carefree juniors. They made most of the big decisions, especially Song Ji’an. It would be a bit awkward for her to expose her true self in front of Xu Lijing and the others like this.

But no matter whether Sheng Jia would laugh at her or not, she didn’t care, because Sheng Jia was a friend who could stand shoulder to shoulder with her. Sheng Jia was mature in her thoughts and saw things clearly. Most of the time, they were on the same wavelength and could perfectly tolerate everything about her. If they were on the battlefield, the two of them might be able to develop into a relationship where they could entrust their backs to each other.

At least that’s how Song Ji’an felt in her heart.

Sheng Jia didn’t answer. Song Ji’an subconsciously raised her head to see her reaction, and unexpectedly ran into her eyes, slightly stunned.

She rarely saw such a complex look in Sheng Jia’s eyes, so complex that she couldn’t even distinguish what emotions it contained. But this look was quickly withdrawn, and Sheng Jia stared at her quietly as always.

“Well, then I really should laugh at you.” Sheng Jia slowly opened her mouth, breaking the silent atmosphere.

Only then did Song Ji’an come back to her senses. She threw that look of Sheng Jia’s to the back of her mind, and only smiled teasingly: “You laugh at me? Then I really want to see how you’re going to laugh at me. I haven’t seen you laugh at anyone before. I can’t wait to unlock your new expression.”

Saying that, she let go of the hands holding Sheng Jia, but instead lowered her head to look at her from left to right, like the two little cat meme that were very popular online. While looking, she had an arrogant look on her face: “Quickly laugh at me, laugh at me.”

Sheng Jia:……

Sheng Jia was stared at by her for more than ten seconds, and unbearably turned her head away.

Song Ji’an couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Song Ji’an,” Sheng Jia called her name expressionlessly, but the tips of her ears were already red from her laughter.

“I’m not laughing anymore,” Song Ji’an covered her mouth, only revealing a pair of eyes, and sincerely blinked at her.

Sheng Jia was finally released by her, and turned around to go to the car. Seeing this, Song Ji’an quickly grabbed her wrist.

“Wait a minute, actually I still have something I want to give you,” this time, the expression on Song Ji’an’s face was much more serious, “I’m very grateful to you for helping me so many times. This time when negotiating the contract, the ideas you came up with were the most useful, and they are what I want to thank you for the most.”

Saying that, she took out a gift box from her pocket. Sheng Jia had even seen this gift box just now at the auction—it was the snuff bottle that was successfully sold for 3.2 million.

She didn’t reach out to take it, only asking in a low voice: “Do you think I’ll accept it?”

“I think you won’t, but I saw you staring at this snuff bottle for a few minutes at the auction, so I really wanted to buy it and give it to you.” Song Ji’an said truthfully: “Tonight, I really want you to get what you want.”

“Perhaps you can treat it as helping me keep it for the time being?” She said seriously: “If you don’t accept this, then it won’t be considered a gift. Maybe when we get back to school, I can prepare a new gift, like going to a restaurant for a good meal together, I’ll treat.”

Sheng Jia’s gaze fell on her glazed white knuckles, and in the end, as Song Ji’an expected, she didn’t accept the gift, and didn’t even mention keeping it for her. She put her hands in her pockets, nodded: “The latter gift is more to my liking, what’s the use of this thing besides being a pretty decoration? I can’t even take it to a pawnshop and get that much money.”

Song Ji’an couldn’t help but laugh at her answer, and the somewhat stagnant atmosphere also relaxed because of her answer, “It’s really rare, Sheng Jia, you can even make jokes.”

Saying that, she withdrew her hand, “It’s true that I was too excited and didn’t think it through properly. When we get back, let’s go to the best restaurant in Jingjiang and have a big meal.”

“Okay,” Sheng Jia said: “Then let’s go.”

The two turned around and walked towards the car. The light above their heads was much dimmer in the woods. On the cobblestone pavement that only one person could pass through, Song Ji’an walked in front, and Sheng Jia followed behind her.

When no one could see her expression, Sheng Jia could stare at Song Ji’an without worrying about her expression.

She finally confirmed what those words that Song Ji’an always showed on her face tonight were.

—Sheng Jia, I like you.

She likes her.

Really unfortunate.