Chapter 145: Toyed with in the Palm of His Hand

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Though he said that, Chu’s father wore such an assured expression that it was obvious he considered the parcel of land as good as his already.

Everyone began flattering him with cheerful smiles, though in truth they had long been displeased with him. He was, after all, the leader among them, and none of them dared say anything.

“Mr. Chu certainly is confident. But you and I both know how you obtained your last parcel of land, don’t we?”

Shen Qingli naturally could not stand by and watch, so she mocked him.

Her words made Chu’s father tense. He instinctively glanced at Xie Jinchuan.

Had they discovered the listening device he had planted in Xie Jinchuan’s office?

But if they had, Xie Jinchuan could not possibly be this calm.

Everyone knew that Xie Jinchuan was ruthless and decisive. If he truly found out, he would never let him off easily.

“President Xie actually brought his wife this time. Does he think having a woman help will bring him better luck?”

Chu’s father made no attempt to restrain himself and openly sneered.

He had expected Xie Jinchuan to fly into a rage, but Xie merely glanced at him with complete indifference.

“What does it have to do with you that I brought my woman? Mr. Chu, do you control everything under heaven? Do you intend to control me as well?”

“Besides, none of those messy women behind you could possibly be brought here in public, could they?”

Xie Jinchuan was merciless when he mocked people. Everyone present knew how wildly Chu’s father behaved in private.

No one else dared mention it openly, but that did not mean Xie Jinchuan was afraid to.

Chu’s father’s expression changed. Suppressing his anger, he said, “President Xie, mind your manners!”

“Am I wrong?” Xie Jinchuan asked indifferently, raising an eyebrow.

His expression was so infuriating that Shen Qingli covered her mouth and laughed softly.

“Mr. Chu, you really should restrain yourself lately. Your complexion looks rather unhealthy, and I suspect your kidneys may be weak. I know a few traditional remedies. If you need them, come to me. I can give you a friendly price.”

For a man, there was one thing he could never bear being told: that he was impotent.

Chu’s father clenched his teeth, his face darkening. He could naturally feel the gazes of the people around him.

“My affairs are none of your concern. You can act so high and mighty only after you manage to win this parcel of land today!”

Relying on the bid he had heard about, Chu’s father spoke with absolute confidence.

Once they failed to acquire the land, he would see how they groveled like stray dogs. There was no need to provoke him now.

When the man finally walked away in anger, Shen Qingli shrugged.

“That was boring. I thought he would at least argue back.”

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She had not intended to stir up trouble for no reason.

But the things Chu’s father did in private were truly vile. He did not even spare children.

That man deserved to die. Unfortunately, it was not yet time.

“Green Coriander, are you certain you sensed Rong Qiaoyi’s spiritual aura on him?”

The moment they had arrived, Green Coriander had told her that it sensed Rong Qiaoyi’s spiritual aura.

That was why she had deliberately provoked Chu’s father. She had hoped to push the two men into talking and draw the truth out of them.

She had not expected him to lose his temper and leave instead.

[Host, I’m certain. The aura is very faint. It must have been left there a long time ago.]

A long time ago…

Shen Qingli thought for a moment, then glanced at Xie Jinchuan beside her and secretly told him what had just happened.

“It was probably from several nights ago.”

He recalled that after dealing with Rong Qiaoyi that night, he had first gone to a hotel.

“Could he have some connection with Long Qiaoyi? I can’t sense anything else on him, so there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

As she pondered this, Xie Jinchuan extended his mental power toward Chu’s father to investigate. After confirming there was nothing else, he nodded at Shen Qingli.

“The auction is about to begin. Please enter and take your seats.”

They had come mainly to inspect the land, so the auction was being held inside the building as well. A simple canopy had been erected, with a projector and a few other basic arrangements.

“If anything seems wrong later, leave first.”

Ever since what had happened at the Ghost Market, Xie Jinchuan had grown even more vigilant about his surroundings. That was why he reminded her now.

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

Shen Qingli patted his hand. Once the two of them sat down, the auction officially began.

“I wonder how much you intend to bid today, President Xie?”

Chu’s father was seated beside them, watching them with a curl of his lips.

“If you’re so curious, Mr. Chu, why don’t we exchange information?”

Xie Jinchuan picked up a document, looking as though he would gladly trade it if Chu’s father was willing.

“Forget it.”

Chu’s father snorted and shifted his gaze to the large screen.

“Our opening bid today is twenty million.”

The moment the developer spoke, Chu’s father shot to his feet.

“Why twenty million? Didn’t you say the bidding would start at ten million?”

The developer’s face showed a trace of apology.

“It was indeed supposed to begin at ten million. But as you know, land prices fluctuate constantly. A company from overseas has also expressed interest in this parcel, so we had no choice but to raise the starting price.”

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A flicker passed through Chu’s father’s eyes, and he hesitated.

Now that the developer had suddenly raised the price, the amount he had previously heard as Xie Jinchuan’s bid might have changed as well.

Would the money he had brought today be enough?

If it was not, would he have to hand this parcel of land over to someone else?

He could not bear to lose such a massive project.

Seeing Chu’s hesitation, Shen Qingli and Xie Jinchuan exchanged a glance, amusement flickering in both their eyes.

“Forty million.”

Xie Jinchuan announced the bid leisurely. His sudden offer immediately stirred the others.

Since the developer had said that foreign investors were interested in the land, it meant the area might eventually become the center of future development.

After all, what foreigner would be foolish enough to purchase a plot of land in the suburbs for no reason?

The only explanation was that the foreigners knew some other project was planned there.

As the bids continued to rise, they soon surpassed one hundred million.

Chu’s father still said nothing. He frowned, apparently deep in thought.

“Could it be that Mr. Chu didn’t bring enough money today? If you want the land, you could always borrow some from me. I’d be happy to lend it to you.”

Shen Qingli spoke at just the right moment, provoking him even further.

How could he allow himself to be looked down upon by a woman—especially a mere pretty face?

She was nothing but a decorative vase!

“What does a woman know? I bid one hundred and fifty million.”

Chu’s father made the announcement boldly, causing the representatives of the smaller companies to lose heart.

They had only prepared one hundred and fifty million themselves. Besides, the parcel was enormous and intended to become a commercial center. At worst, they could seize the initiative by buying a few storefronts in advance. That would still allow them to participate in the new development.

With that thought, fewer and fewer people continued bidding.

Xie Jinchuan pretended to be troubled, as though he were considering whether to raise the bid.