Return of the King, Dominating the City
Chapter 53 - 53 52 Not Knowing How to Appreciate Favors

53: Chapter 52: Not Knowing How to Appreciate Favors 53: Chapter 52: Not Knowing How to Appreciate Favors A glass bead?

When Li Shishi saw this, her mentality nearly exploded; are you joking with me?

I’m supposed to auction off a glass bead at such a grand charity event?

If you don’t auction anything off, at most, people will think you’re uncharitable, like a skinflint.

But if you try to fool people with this glass bead, none of those downstairs are pushovers.

If this gets blown out of proportion with some publicity, that will really be something.

“What are you standing there for?

Do you feel like I’m being too kind to you, almost moving you to tears?

Ah, don’t really start crying, now.

I know I’m a good person all around.

Just a little reminder, don’t fall for me, because I’m not responsible,” Song Yun said with a smug look whilst Li Shishi appeared on the verge of tears.

“Song Yun, do we have a grudge or something?

Did I owe you something in my past life and now you’re coming to collect it in this one?” Li Shishi said angrily as she kicked at Song Yun’s shin.

“Do you think I’m an idiot, or do you think the audience downstairs are, to think this tiny glass bead could fool them?

That would be absurd.”

“You don’t believe me?” Song Yun asked very seriously.

“I believe, but I trust my eyes more.

There’s a limit to fooling people.”

“Ah, you really shouldn’t disbelieve.

This is a treasure, I’m telling you.

For those in the know, it’s worth a fortune, while only ignorant people like you would deem it worthless,” Song Yun sighed with a look of pity and indignation.

“Really?

You better not be tricking me.

If it’s fake, there’s bound to be a meeting about it within the group,” Li Shishi asked, half in doubt.

“Believe it or not; picking on the gift I’m offering you?

Fine, I won’t give it.

Figure it out yourself,” Song Yun said angrily, putting the bead back into his pocket.

Li Shishi thought it over; there was no reason for Song Yun to deceive her.

Not all treasures had to be dazzling, perhaps Song Yun really did have her best interests at heart.

With that thought, Li Shishi quickly assumed a pitiful look, shook Song Yun’s sleeve, and said, “I know I was wrong.

Can you lend me that bead, please?

I shouldn’t have doubted you.

I deserve to die; I’m not a good person.

Song Yun, please stop being angry, okay?”

“Realizing your mistake now?

Too late.

Don’t think acting cute with me will work.

I’m really angry now.”

“Song Yun, Brother Song Yun, I know I was wrong, please forgive me this once, okay?”

“Hold it!

That’s giving me goosebumps,” Song Yun said, rubbing his arms and shivering.

“Song Yun, I’ll kill you,” said Li Shishi as she pinched the soft flesh under Song Yun’s ribs and twisted it several times.

In the end, Song Yun obediently handed over the bead.

As Li Shishi and Song Yun went downstairs, the eyes of a young man lit up and he scanned Li Shishi with a predatory gaze.

“Shishi, you’re finally here.

If you don’t have anything to auction, I can lend you something.

Given our relationship, you don’t have to return it,” the young man said, pounding his chest in a show of loyalty, as though he wasn’t the one who’d just pushed Li Shishi into a predicament.

“Thanks, but I did bring something today, so no need for you to trouble yourself,” Li Shishi said as she pulled out the glass bead.

“Ha ha ha, Shishi you’re just too cute.

How much could such a glass bead be worth?

Ha ha ha, Hongtu Group isn’t really going bankrupt, is it?

That’s hilarious,” the young man laughed, holding his stomach, as the others showed various expressions of anger or amusement on their faces.

“Mr.

Zhou, please give it a valuation,” Li Shishi said, ignoring everyone’s mockery and handing the bead to Zhou Wei.

Zhou Wei really didn’t want to appraise a glass bead and was silently criticizing inside, but with the Li Family backing Li Shishi and his stronghold being in Sunan, a few small setbacks from the opposition were not good news for Pavilion Master.

Since that was the case, he certainly didn’t want to offend Li Shishi.

He set aside his status, stood up, walked towards Li Shishi, intending to take the bead into his hands and casually appraise it—naming a harmless price of a few hundred thousand would suffice.

“Shishi, this glass bead does look crystal clear.

Who knows, it might actually be a treasure.

Let’s not auction it.

How about I buy it for one million?” the young man blurted out, and everyone praised him as noble, harkening back to the gentlemen of ancient times.

Only Li Shishi clenched her fists in silence while Song Yun stepped forward and patted her shoulder, “You can’t say that, this is an auction, not a flea market.

What if this bead is worth more than one million?”

At these words, the laughter that had been suppressed by the crowd suddenly broke free, echoing around the room.

They had refrained from ridiculing Li Shishi previously, but now they found the ignorance of the young man incapable of seizing the opportunity to back down amusing, so they laughed uproariously as if it were the funniest joke in the world.

“So this bead is yours?

That explains it; Shishi never has anything cheap around her.

Kid, I’m very curious how you managed to convince Shishi to harden her heart and auction off a glass bead worth mere pennies,” the young man said, his expression darkening as he stared at Song Yun with an icy tone.

“Nothing much.

We just have a really good relationship, unimaginable to you.

Are you satisfied now?” Song Yun retorted.

“You!

What did you say?” the young man roared, like a lion provoked, but years of decorum stopped him from believing that throwing a tantrum in public was a good look, so he glared at Zhou Wei, “Master Zhou, hurry up and do the appraisal.

I want to see if this glass bead is worth a dime or just five cents.”

Zhou Wei nodded, took a deep look at Li Shishi, sighed, and then calmly began to examine the bead in his hands.

As soon as the white gloves touched the glass bead, a layer of ash immediately adhered to them, silvery-grey in color.

As it fell to the floor and was hit by the light, it glittered spectacularly, like stars in the night sky.

Meanwhile, the glass bead itself revealed a rainbow of colors, crystal clear and dazzling, leaving Zhou Wei momentarily stunned.

He cleaned the glass bead hastily with the white gloves, held it up against the light, and scrutinized it carefully.

Due to the light, the interior of the bead began to change amidst the colors, like an ocean of rainbows rippling incessantly.

Looking at the glass bead in its simplicity, seemingly unremarkable, Zhou Wei held it, gazing at it in a daze, as if bewitched.

Noting Zhou Wei’s transfixed gaze, the crowd gained some understanding; it seemed the glass bead was of such insignificant value that even Zhou Wei found it hard to believe, hesitant to state its price outright.

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