DF Chapter 65
by VolareThe afternoon passed quickly. Song Ji’an and Meng Yeran also finished their rest. After having dinner in their rooms, they changed their clothes and came to the redecorated reception hall.
It had been decorated into a gaudy and luxurious place, overflowing with a feeling of extravagance and decadence. Even Sheng Jia and the others had their own evening gowns.
When Sheng Jia returned to her room in the evening to prepare, a dark red women’s suit was already on the hanger. Song Ningqiu, who was about to urge Song Ji’an to get up, poked her head in and said with a smile, “Ji’an asked me to prepare this for you. She designed the style herself.”
Then, she nodded, “The finished product is amazing, right?”
Sheng Jia was slightly stunned. She scanned the suit up and down. The fabric was more close-fitting and comfortable than the one she wore to the auction last time, low-key and restrained. There was also a rose badge on the chest.
“It’s indeed amazing,” she nodded.
“You are the most suitable owner for it,” Song Ningqiu said to her.
Then, Sheng Jia watched her walk past her room to Song Ji’an’s door, knock three times briefly, and then gently called out, “Ji’an, are you ready?”
As Sheng Jia walked to her door to close it, she heard Song Ji’an’s half-awake muttering from next door.
“Mom, I’m not ready yet, I want to sleep a little longer.”
The ending note was light and cheerful, a sweet coquetry.
Once the door closed, the outside sounds were cut off. After their game ended, Serena had already reinstalled the soundproof strips.
Sheng Jia stood in front of the mirror and put on her dress.
Indeed, as Song Ningqiu said, this dress was made with Song Ji’an’s hard work, and Sheng Jia was the most suitable owner for it.
She sat in the spectator seat that Serena had prepared early on, with Dong Zhen, who had arrived even earlier, sitting beside her.
Dong Zhen was also wearing a suit with long tails in the back. She leaned lazily against the back of her chair, staring at Sheng Jia for a while after seeing her walk over, before saying in a low voice, “Dark red suits you well.”
“Thank you,” Sheng Jia thanked her and sat down quietly beside her.
Soon, Julia and the others also came over.
The largest screen in the entire banquet hall was playing a loop of introductions to Ansdell Island, and the auctioneer was ready at the auction table.
Before the elders arrived, Meng Yeran and Song Ji’an quickly came downstairs.
Both of them had confident smiles on their faces and quickly sat down on the two chairs in front of the auction stage.
Sheng Jia sat behind Song Ji’an. Today, Song Ji’an had her hair tied up high, holding a newly printed document in her hand, and her whole person exuded an unspeakable brilliance.
“Dong Zhen and the others must have started a betting game, right?” Taking advantage of the fact that it hadn’t started yet, Song Ji’an turned her head and asked Sheng Jia in a low voice.
“Indeed,” Sheng Jia nodded.
Song Ji’an winked at her, “Then who did you bet on?”
Sheng Jia met her gaze and asked, “What do you think?”
“Of course it’s me,” Song Ji’an replied confidently.
Sheng Jia: “Then why are you asking when you already know?”
Song Ji’an laughed and lowered her voice, “I’m just easing my nervousness.”
“You’re nervous?” Sheng Jia was a little surprised.
After all, Song Ji’an didn’t look nervous at all.
“Nervous inside, but you have to put on a good show on the outside,” Song Ji’an said, “Otherwise, Meng Yeran will definitely laugh at me for a long time when we get back.”
Her eyes were bright, and she raised her hand to hold Sheng Jia’s hand. There was a tacit understanding between them that only they knew.
Song Ji’an was still secretly competing because she hadn’t protected Sheng Jia well in the morning, which led to her elimination. Even if she didn’t show it usually, she was extremely protective like Song Ningqiu at heart.
Sheng Jia felt the warmth in her hand, and playfully separated her knuckles little by little, then squeezed in, so that the two could hold hands tightly under this light.
She subconsciously wanted to withdraw her hand, but Song Ji’an held it firmly.
Song Ji’an said almost coquettishly, “Sheng Jia, give me some encouragement.”
Sheng Jia took a deep look at her and didn’t move anymore.
Is she really nervous? Sheng Jia didn’t see any nervousness in her expression. Instead, she glimpsed the excitement in her eyes, like a wild lioness on the African savanna, calmly waiting for her prey to be caught.
Her prey is everything on this island.
Or perhaps there are other prey in her ambitious eyes at this moment.
But anyway, she was enjoying it. In order to suppress this excitement, she leaned on the back of her chair, raised their clasped hands with curved eyebrows, and rubbed Sheng Jia’s hand back against her cheek restrainedly.
The back of Sheng Jia’s hand was very cool. When she felt Song Ji’an’s equally warm skin, she immediately pulled her hand away.
“Song Ji’an, are you getting bolder and bolder?” Sheng Jia asked, “Or do you think this is your home field, so you can be casually out of line with me.”
Song Ji’an wasn’t frightened by her words. Under normal circumstances, Sheng Jia wouldn’t say such malicious words.
“You know I didn’t,” she retorted, “Isn’t it normal for normal friends to stick together like this to comfort each other? Don’t we usually do this too?”
“Unless you’re flustered?” She said with a smile, “Flustered to the point of being a little incoherent.”
Sheng Jia couldn’t help but turn her head away. She saw the redness on the tip of Song Ji’an’s ears and also felt the heat on the tip of her own ears.
Because Song Ji’an hit the mark.
Since she stopped hiding her liking for Sheng Jia, she had become much more open.
It was Sheng Jia who was unnatural.
She found it difficult to parry Song Ji’an’s excessive closeness, especially in this kind of occasion.
———This kind of occasion where elders might appear at any time.
Even Julia and Martha Dong Zhen were now closely sticking together and exchanging words with their heads touching, Julia even brazenly put her arm around Dong Zhen’s shoulder. The few of them didn’t know what they were talking about and laughed heartily.
That was a hundred times more intimate interaction than their tentative touches.
But after Song Ji’an hit Sheng Jia’s heart like this, she didn’t choose to press her advantage. She sat up straight as considerate and gentle as in the past, and put away the sharp teeth that had been exposed by the momentary indulgence of her emotions.
“But I’m very happy.” Two shallow dimples appeared on her lips as she said sincerely, “Because I was also flustered when I tried to make these moves.”
Sheng Jia raised a finger and pressed it against her forehead, saying slowly, “Song Ji’an, can we go back to normal now?”
She acquiesced that neither of them was open enough to each other in public, embracing a secret attitude of approaching that was not like treating a friend, but it could only be for a while.
They are both rational enough people and should not be swept away by such emotions.
“Okay,” Song Ji’an nodded, agreeing with her point of view.
Sheng Jia put down her hand, and as Song Ji’an was about to sit back, she said softly, “Good luck.”
Song Ji’an didn’t look back, and no one saw the smile on her lips that was even brighter.
Serena and the others happened to walk in right on time.
The arrival of the elders’ group showed that this auction was officially starting, and this was also the end of this game.
Serena stood on the stage and smiled at everyone, “Tonight is the island auction ceremony for Ansdell Island. Let us welcome the two ladies who are participating in the ceremony tonight. Ms. Song Ji’an and Ms. Meng Yeran.”
“As you all know, I purchased Ansdell Island sixteen years ago. Its total area is as high as 1,200 acres and it has a unique tropical rainforest.” Serena pointed to the screen behind her, “But unfortunately, two years later, the island may face a level three to five volcanic eruption. Although there will be no lava, the volcanic ash is enough to submerge half of the island.”
“So I decided to auction it off at a low price in advance, and the starting price I set is – 75 million US dollars.”
“But before that, you two may already know that I have hidden a secret on the island. Do you have anything to say about this?”
The scene fell silent for a while. Neither Song Ji’an nor Meng Yeran had any change in expression on their faces.
Seeing this, Serena stopped talking and retreated to the stage.
The auctioneer had already begun to give a more detailed introduction to the island.
Sheng Jia and the others had already moved their chairs back when the auction started, so as not to affect the two people at the auction and to prevent their whispers from reaching the ears of the elders.
“That’s strange, is it just starting like this?” Red Moon asked strangely, “Then what’s the use of the clues we risked our lives to grab on the island?”
Just then, the lights above her head dimmed.
Sheng Jia turned her head and glanced at the others, rarely taking the initiative to start a topic and asking Dong Zhen, “What plots were there in the clues you lost?”
Dong Zhen only asked, “Based on the plot you got, what kind of story did you deduce?”
Sheng Jia: “You basically haven’t seen the clues we found. We are also very curious about what clues you have, but judging from the false clues you left me, at least I know one thing.”
Dong Zhen’s eyes flashed slightly: “What is it?”
Sheng Jia didn’t keep her in suspense, “The owner of this story is not Serena herself, but another lady who was invited to the island. That lady’s name is Mengmei in your place, and her name is Zhimeng in our place. And Zhimeng is her real name.”
“She may have indeed been a member of the Antarctic expedition team and was invited by Serena to the island. You once left us a half-true and half-false clue in the tropical rainforest, telling us that she and Serena were classmates and that the purpose of coming here was Serena’s invitation to her to build a laboratory and conduct research on volcanoes. But I don’t think that’s the truth. Zhimeng’s purpose in coming here is not to research volcanoes.”
“Why do you think Zhimeng is her real name, and why do you think she came here not for volcanic research?”
Sheng Jia didn’t answer the first question. Instead, she talked about the second question, “Because Meng Yeran’s clue is a ship ticket to Antarctica full of love.”
“This shows that Zhimeng went to Antarctica happily and full of hope. She was likely to go with her lover to realize her ideal goals, so she would be so fascinated. The time of the ship ticket is two years ago. Scientific expeditions are a long-term thing. Even if there are difficulties, most people will not choose to leave easily, especially Antarctic projects. Even if she came here a month ago, it would be too fast. The only thing that can make a scientist give up her experiment and come to another strange place is that she is now completely desperate for Antarctica, and coming here may still have a glimmer of hope.”
“And then?”
The auction on the stage officially started at this moment. The auctioneer had finished introducing the specific situation of the entire island and began the auction according to Serena’s starting price.
The bid of 75 million US dollars was quickly pushed to 170 million by the two.
But Meng Yeran’s price increase was exceptionally fast, as if she hadn’t thought about it at all.
Sheng Jia crossed her arms and said to Dong Zhen beside her, “What do you think will happen then? The clues we can get and the things we can deduce are roughly like this. How much do you know on your side?”
“You really don’t take any losses,” Dong Zhen laughed, “You also saw that if Serena sincerely invited Mengmei to come in the plot, then she could probably become one of our NPCs now, but she didn’t.”
“In fact, the clues we gave you are not completely wrong, because that’s the content I pieced together from several fragmented clues. Of course, that’s just the surface. I didn’t fully reveal the deeper things below. In your line, there are a total of three clues in the rainforest: a piece of torn corner of a piece of clothing, a hammer for opening coconuts, and a few strands of hair intertwined with black and brown. And do you know what my initial clue was?”
Dong Zhen continued, “It’s a Su embroidery silk handkerchief with blood stains. The large blood stains are enough to prove that it was once pressed on a huge wound. The name embroidered in the corner of the silk handkerchief is Mengmei. The initial clue Julia got was a candid photo of Serena’s back, and the signature below was also Mengmei.”
“Every clue here is pointing to one thing, that is, this lady named Mengmei is likely to have encountered an accident on the island, and her accident is related to Serena, and she herself has a very close relationship with Serena. And our task is to find out why she encountered the accident and why she came.”
“The clues we got on the island were not enough to solve these two questions, so we had to go to the center of the island and get entangled with you. According to my guess, the key clues should be inside the island.”
They are still in this game, and all the clues and speculations they got in the past two days will be used in this auction to get the ownership of the Hornet Jade by any means.
Serena just mentioned her secret, which was to issue a final ultimatum. Once someone is unwilling to share it, then perhaps the fate of Song Ji’an and Meng Yeran is to use “death” to forever cover up this secret. To participate in the auction, they must collude with Serena, stand on this sinful land, use the evidence they have, and exert the cold ruthlessness of capitalists.
Meng Yeran and Song Ji’an’s price increases are still continuing. Meng Yeran has even called for 300 million US dollars at this moment.
Her expression was very calm and composed, and there was no hesitation when calling the price. Obviously, she didn’t care about the amount of money, and she didn’t seem to care even if she had to pay so much money in reality after the transaction.
This is not right.
Sheng Jia and Dong Zhen looked at each other and understood the meaning in each other’s eyes.
The only reasonable explanation may be that in the crater, she has found key evidence that Serena is unfavorable to Zhimeng, and threatened her with it in the afternoon, reaching some kind of price agreement with her, so she is so fearless.
After all, when they were playing chess in the afternoon, Serena was indeed missing for a while. Although Tawana told them that Serena had returned to her room to deal with a small matter, they were immersed in the chess game and had no intention of observing, but maybe that was Serena giving the two survivors the opportunity to reach an agreement with her in the game?
Sheng Jia stared at Song Ji’an’s equally leisurely back.
She suddenly wanted to know what she had found in the volcano.