Mo Jun raised his head in astonishment.
To his relief, Young Master Chi wasn't explosively angry as expected, nor did he use his thunderous power to punish him.
However, Young Master Chi's demeanor was extremely unusual.
What kind of family is the Sheng Family?
S Country is one of the world's most prosperous and modern federal countries, and Licheng City is the nation's largest metropolis, renowned globally, comparable to a state in size.
The Sheng Family is the top conglomerate rooted in Licheng City.
This family has been thriving for six hundred years, its influence sprawling, its wealth unparalleled, with an economic network spanning the globe. In S Country, the Sheng Family claims to be the second most prestigious, and no one dares to claim the first.
Who is Sheng Qianchi?
The only heir of the Sheng Family, young, handsome, ruthless, with absolute power.
How many women dream of becoming Sheng Qianchi's woman, yet he never shows the slightest tenderness, not sparing even a glance, and any woman who dares to plot against him faces two outcomes: death or a fate worse than death.
But the woman tonight, Young Master Chi unexpectedly didn't order her immediate removal and even instructed not to harm her.
Mo Jun cautiously raised his head and observed Sheng Qianchi's expression, "Young Master Chi, any clues?"
At this moment, the smoke dispersed, revealing the man's handsome face once again under the light. His eyes seemed to linger, and after two seconds, the corners of his lips slightly curled into a faint smile, "She wore my clothes."
Sheng Qianchi's clothes, Mo Jun knew every piece well, as they were all uniquely tailored by renowned brands.
Hence, he immediately took the command and left, knowing it was much easier to find someone on a cruise ship than in a city.
...
Gu Jiayin hurriedly ran back to her room, locked the door behind her, and turned on the main light.
Looking down, she realized she was wearing a man's clothes, so she quickly took them off, threw them into the trash can, and covered them with old newspapers.
Then, she rushed into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and swiftly washed herself inch by inch.
Recalling the earlier events, she couldn't help but curse inwardly, Sheng Qianchi, dressed impeccably, yet like a beast with his clothes off, probably hadn't slept with a woman in eight hundred years.
Seeing the kiss marks of varying sizes on her chest, and the bruised patches from being pinched, she bit her lip angrily. Although she wasn't chaste, losing the purity she kept for twenty-three years left her with a sense of regret.
Who on earth set her up?
However, she couldn't dwell on it now. She quickly finished her shower, changed clothes, and left the room.
Tonight, there was a high-end auction on the cruise ship, bidding on a mysterious ancient artifact.
Those attending such an auction were all affluent or noble, so the cruise was filled with hidden powerhouses and gathered tycoons.
Gu Jiayin wasn't someone of great wealth or nobility but a royal special training police officer from Suri Country, secretly on a mission from the Suri Royal Family to track down this ancient artifact. Thus, she disguised herself and mingled onto the ship.
According to insider information, the artifact was likely the long-lost national treasure of the Suri Royal Family, the Blood Tears Jade.
This jade was an Outer Heaven Meteorite that the founding Emperor of the Suri Royal Family accidentally acquired. It was pristine but later mixed with the Emperor's blood, turning entirely crimson, hence named the Blood Tears Jade.
The jade had been worshipped and passed down in the Suri Royal Family for over a thousand years, regarded as a divine object that protected the eternal prosperity of the royal family.
Gu Jiayin was tasked with this mission because the loss of the Blood Tears Jade was related to her grandfather, seemingly making it her duty to retrieve it.
She secured a position as a pianist on the cruise, allowing her to participate in the auction without drawing attention, which was ideal.
...
Just past midnight, the auction would officially begin, and it was now 11:45, with fifteen minutes to go.
Perhaps because of the allure of the treasure, all the bigwigs participating in the auction were already seated early, sipping premium red wine, waiting attentively.
Gu Jiayin sat at the piano at one corner below the auction stage, performing melodic piano tunes for the guests.
The auction was initiated by the world's largest and most mysterious Eagle Emperor Auction Company, an organization with deep roots that none dared to provoke. Their auctioned items were mostly unique treasures, with sources no one dared to question.
The lost Blood Tears Jade of the Suri Royal Family, besides Eagle Emperor daring to take it on, likely no other auction organization would dare to handle this business.
Suddenly, the auction hall that had been somewhat lively grew silent, and all eyes collectively turned toward the entrance.
Like an unstoppable force, the hall doors swung open, and over a dozen strong, black-clad bodyguards marched in, quickly lining up on either side, leaving a path in the center.
Five seconds later, a tall, elegantly imposing man entered, clad in a refined black tailored suit, sharp as if cut by a knife, like a deity descending to the mortal realm. He walked gracefully, step by step, into the hall, his expression detached, cold and imposing.
Although calm, he exuded a powerful, oppressive presence that was impossible to ignore.
The feeling he brought to everyone could be summarized in four words: descending from the heavens.
Murmurs broke out in the hall:
"That's Sheng Qianchi, he looks just like a god."
"Young Master Chi is here; who can outbid him?"
The moment Gu Jiayin glimpsed Sheng Qianchi, her heart tightened abruptly, and she quickly lowered her head, letting her long hair fall like seaweed, obscuring her profile and the purplish kiss marks on her neck.
...
As Sheng Qianchi entered, many influential figures came forward to greet him, "Young Master Chi, are you interested in today's treasure?"
The aloof man's expression remained indifferent, as if nothing was worth his attention, replying only casually, "Just browsing."
Like stars surrounding the moon, Sheng Qianchi was seated in the auction area among a crowd, his spot being a special seat arranged for him by Eagle Emperor.
As he sat down, his expression stayed disinterested, appearing not very intrigued by the auction. A few seconds later, seemingly drawn by the piano music, he looked up towards Gu Jiayin.
His gaze swept across the crowd, like two flashes of cold light.
Gu Jiayin suddenly looked back, lowering her head further. They had known each other seven years ago, but she didn't want to be recognized yet.
Sheng Qianchi stared at Gu Jiayin's profile, as if determined to see her face clearly, with an enigmatic profundity in his eyes that was difficult for others to understand.
The bodyguard beside him, astutely aware of Sheng Qianchi's subtle change, bent low and whispered, "Young Master Chi, is there an issue?"
Sheng Qianchi looked deeply at Gu Jiayin for a long time before finally uttering two words, "It's nothing."
For a moment, he vaguely felt the person at the piano was once Gu Jiayin, but how could that be?
Seven years ago, she had died, along with her mother and brother, in a shipwreck at Crocodile Bay. Her blossoming youth was forever frozen at sixteen.
Just then, Mo Jun strode into the auction hall, came to Sheng Qianchi's side, and bowed his head to quietly report, "Young Master Chi, found her."
Saying this, Mo Jun handed over a detailed dossier.