After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future
Chapter 463 - 458: Bazaar Charity Dinner

October 28, the eighth day of the audit.

"A man is lonely, and he wants to seek happiness,"

Lu Liang looked up to the sky and let out a long sigh. Zhang Tian'ai and Yang Mi were both abroad filming shows, and he no longer had a home in Beijing.

He had to stay in hotels every day, alone.

The thing was, Lu Liang couldn't leave either. On one hand, he was waiting for the audit results, and on the other hand, Old Te was coming, and he needed to take part in rehearsals a few days in advance.

There was nothing that required his attention in Modu either.

Surely he couldn't run back and forth just for Little Lu?

Lu Liang decided to stay in Beijing and wait for the good news.

"When was the result of the last audit?"

Xu Jiawei had finished his temporary assignment and returned to Lu Liang's side as his secretary, he said, "DiDi's last submission was on February 17, and they received the rejection notice on the 26th."

"Nine days? So, that would be tomorrow, right?"

"It should be."

Xu Jiawei was also uncertain; the efficiency of the audit depended on the Ministry of Commerce. The time taken for the last audit could only serve as a reference.

For example, when Panda went public in the US, the audit took half a month, and for Rong 360, it took 25 days.

There was no surety.

After all, they had provided too much information - the IPO team of fifty-two people had taken 12 days just to organize, collect, and proofread.

"That means tomorrow."

Lu Liang was very certain about the timing, and knowing the specific day, he didn't feel like going out to find happiness. He calmly stayed in the hotel.

But while he didn't go looking for happiness, happiness was coming his way.

Zhu Hu was a big player too, and knowing that Lu Liang was in Beijing these days, probably bored to death, he extended an invitation.

"Will you come to the Bazaar Charity Dinner? It's tonight! It's being held in Beijing."

Upon hearing this, Lu Liang thought for a moment and looked towards Xu Jiawei, "Did they invite me?"

Xu Jiawei nodded, "Yes."

In Beijing, as long as Lu Liang wished, he could attend events from now until the New Year without any repeats.

But Lu Liang had said long ago, apart from special invitations from government departments, he would decline all others if he could.

"Alright, let's go have a look."

Lu Liang accepted Zhu Hu's invitation.

At seven in the evening, the two arrived at the International Trade Hotel.

As soon as they made an appearance, they dazzled the crowd.

"Lu Liang is here too?"

"Who's that guy with him?"

"Looks like it's Zhu Hu from Golden Sand River."

"Damn, all big shots."

"There might be some drama tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know who else just went in?"

Journalists' eyes widened as they raised their cameras high, nearly smashing the shutters in their eagerness.

Even the female stars in their alluring dresses, despite the single-digit temperatures, were ignored.

The two men walked the red carpet and left their names on the backdrop.

Led by Su Man, the event manager, they headed to the front row and took their seats on leather sofas.

The banquet hadn't started yet, and in the first row of nine seats, only one was occupied, while the remaining eight were empty.

Short hair, a gray ladies' suit, and legs crossed, she played with her phone with her head down, giving off a 'keep out' vibe.

"Mr. Liu?" Zhu Hu was surprised. The eternal gray ladies' suit could only belong to one person.

Su Man said with a smile, "Mr. Zhu, Mr. Liu and I have been close friends for years. She usually comes to the banquet."

Zhu Hu looked melancholic, glancing at Lu Liang to show he honestly was not aware. He wasn't stupid—if he had known Liu Qing was also invited, he definitely wouldn't have invited Lu Liang.

The two who were at odds, if they set their sights on the same auction item, might end up with a fight to the death.

Lu Liang merely smiled, not thinking much of it, and went forward to greet her, "Mr. Liu, indeed, life is full of unexpected meetings."

"Mr. Lu, what a coincidence," Liu Qing frowned slightly and looked up at Su Man.

Every year at this time, as long as she was in Beijing and free, she would support the event. She had never heard Lu Liang would attend.

Su Man forced a smile, unsure how to explain. The invitation they sent to Lu Liang was more a formality.

Just like last year, Lu Liang could choose not to come, but they couldn't choose not to invite him. They hadn't expected him to actually show up this year.

But honestly, she was a bit thrilled.

The public might not understand the situation between Lu Liang and the Liu family very well, but she was fairly aware.

She was looking forward to them both fancying the same auction item and hoped they would break the record for the highest auction price ever, really making a name for the event.

"Mr. Liu, did you have your eye on anything?"

Lu Liang sat next to Liu Qing and picked up the auction catalog; after all, since he was there, he couldn't be stingy.

The Bazaar Charity Dinner originated in '03, at a time when epidemic disease was rampant, and celebrities and artists volunteered to organize charity performances and auctions.

The invited celebrities each contributed one auction item, which could be a tangible object, a song, or a performance.

The proceeds from the auction were earmarked for charity disaster relief.

This was the fifteenth iteration, with a total of 58 items up for grabs.

Most were luxury jewelry and accessories, suitcases and hats, along with some antiques and calligraphy and props from movies and TV shows.

For instance, Wu Jing had contributed a genuine bullet pendant from War Wolf 2, as well as a watch worth several hundred thousand.

After all, although Lu Liang had made most of the money from War Wolf 2, Wu Jing had taken most of the fame. Even before the movie's box office dividends had been paid out, there were already voices online calling for him to make donations.

He had no choice but to grit his teeth, bleed a little, and in addition to providing auction items, he was likely to participate in the bidding later on.

Similarly, Yang Mi, though absent, had also provided a valuable Bulgari Dragon's Kiss necklace studded with brilliant stones.

As for Zhang Tian'ai, it seemed her status wasn't quite there yet, as there was no sight of any auction items she had provided.

Liu Qing glanced at Lu Liang and said with a light laugh, "No need for Mr. Lu to go to any trouble."

The capital she had access to might not be as substantial as Lu Liang's, but buying up all of tonight's auction items would be no strain on her.

Lu Liang just smiled and said no more.

Zhu Hu whispered, "Looking to improve relations?"

"It's just a courtesy," Lu Liang said with an indifferent smile. He always believed that business was not charity and that work matters like DiDi should not spill over into personal life.

Who knows, maybe one day Liu Qing would be kicked out with nowhere to go and could come over to Tianxing for an interview.

Just like Hu Weiwei.

After all, Liu Qing was one of those rare individuals—a woman who was extremely rational and knew how to use her femininity to seek benefits for herself and her company.

Compared to her, Hu Weiwei was somewhat lacking.

Zhu Hu exclaimed in amazement, "You really dare to dream. A lady from the Liu family working for you?"

"Anything is possible."

Lu Liang smiled and said, "Maybe one day if you can't make it at Golden Sand River, you can come and find me, too."

"Let's hope that day never comes," Zhu Hu replied with a grin that was not quite a smile, as Lu Liang was simply daydreaming.

"Desperate for talent," Lu Liang sighed, and settled in to enjoy watching the bustle of gorgeous female stars passing by.

Each of the Double Ice Four Dan had their unique charm, and in person, they were even more stunning, a pity most were already wives and mothers.

Apart from the absent Yang Mi, the other three of the Four Little Flower Dandies were present—Liu Yifei in a faint white dress with her immortal aura, and Zhao Linning, whose round face was still highly recognizable.

Then there was Yang Tianbao, accompanied by Huang Xiaoming, who came up to Lu Liang with big smiles, "Mr. Lu, hello, long time no see."

"Mr. Huang, have we met before?" Lu Liang asked, puzzled. He recognized Huang Xiaoming but had no recollection of meeting him.

"Just call me Xiaoming," said Huang Xiaoming, unable to hold back a smile, reminding him, "Last year, at your company's team-building event on Hai Island, we met in the hotel."

Realization dawned on Lu Liang, and he remembered. Huang Xiaoming quickly introduced with a smile, "Mr. Lu, this is my wife, Yang Tianbao."

With an eager and flattering smile, Yang Tianbao extended both hands to shake Lu Liang's, "Mr. Lu, hello, hello..."

"Hello."

Lu Liang nodded with a smile, suddenly feeling that with just a beckon, Yang Tianbao might offer herself up willingly.

It was hard to explain; it was like the time he first confronted Wen Shanshan, feeling that it would be easy to make a move.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

As the couple took their leave, brothers from the Huayi Wang family, as well as the CEO of Aston Martin and the president of Porsche Chinese District, also came over to greet him.

In contrast to Lu Liang's approachability, Liu Qing seemed somewhat standoffish, giving the impression of being reluctant to engage, which put people off.

At seven-thirty, the banquet began.

Mr. He from Fran Stage and a female star took to the stage for the opening salutations.

Suddenly, Lu Liang's eyes lit up as he saw the female star wearing an emerald green dress with pearls, exuding a luxurious aura.

Even though the dress was dazzling, it could not overshadow the wearer's beauty—her waist was slender and her movements graceful.

It was like if one's fortune wasn't strong enough, they couldn't dress in imperial robes; the flashier the clothing, the higher the demands on the wearer's figure, bone structure, and looks, or else it would draw attention to the clothes rather than the person.

"Reba, you've already said plenty for the opening speech, and I believe our esteemed guests are eager, so let's have our ceremonial sister present the first auction item," he said.

Mr. He smiled, his command of the event excellent, offering thanks to the brands and sponsors for several minutes without inciting a hint of displeasure among the audience.

Suddenly, he feigned shock and covered his mouth, "Where is our ceremonial sister? And the first auction item?"

Reba, looking embarrassed, coyly smiled and pointed to the necklace around her neck, "Actually, this is the first auction item."

"It's all your fault for being so dazzling, Reba; I didn't even notice if you were wearing a necklace tonight."

Mr. He chuckled and picked up the forgotten script, "Let's see who provided it... Oh, it's Mimi~"

"Hello Mimi, I don't know if you're watching, but thank you for the auction item you provided."

"The Bulgari Dragon's Kiss necklace embellished with brilliant stones, thank you Yang Mi for supporting our charity work, with a starting bid of 1.18 million!"

At the sound of the price, the audience gasped.

Of course, it really wasn't cheap, and they immediately appeared thoughtful.

They understood why Yang Mi was absent yet had donated generously, providing a necklace worthy of being the first auction item.

Reba, being an artist from Yang Mi's company, likely had additional conditions, such as displaying the necklace during the auction—an attempt to use the fame of the charity dinner to raise Reba's influence and shed the title of little flower dandy.

If she could elevate her status to that of a leading lady like Yang Mi, her personal brand value would naturally rise.

And if Jiaxing World was planning to list on the New Third Board, the value it would bring was immeasurable.