My mind is a bit of a mess!
I just spoke with Raymond last night, so it seems my only way to get the complete ring is through the other one that this European shipping magnate has... But I didn't expect it to appear in my sight so quickly!
And they're so close!
To be fair, I actually had a chance to get it... after all, it was a public auction, and I could have bought it if I had the money.
And the price doesn't seem too high... At least, I know that the European shipping magnate spent several million dollars to buy this ring, while the starting price listed in this catalog is only one million RMB. The price difference is just too great...
However, I then realized that the generous European shipping magnate probably didn't even know the true value of the ring. In his eyes, it was probably just a matter of casually throwing a few million dollars to sponsor a scientific research project as a charitable act. Although the ring was exquisitely crafted, it was just one of many jewels to him.
Now they've just thrown it out again, casually set a "low price," and are treating it as a charity.
Unfortunately, even at such a "low price," I still can't afford it.
The 800,000 yuan that Huan Ge left me, plus the 200,000 yuan I won in the lottery last time... all together, is just enough to cover the starting price... and the problem is, this is only the "starting price" for the auction!
Although I have never experienced an auction, I know that under normal circumstances, the price of an item sold for is far higher than the reserve price.
Moreover, in these high-society charity auctions, countless wealthy individuals are waiting to spend their money. If any rich lady takes a fancy to the ring, my own financial resources would be far from sufficient to afford it…
My mind was racing when I suddenly heard the car door behind me open, and Fang Nan climbed in and sat in the back. I could see in the rearview mirror that her face seemed a little pale, and her eyes looked tired.
"Miss Fang, where are you going?"
"Take me home." She seemed a little tired, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes to rest.
I already know Fang Nan's address. As her personal assistant, Qian Pan handed me some documents when I came to the company today.
I drove steadily the whole way, my nearly two-million-yuan Audi A8 cruising smoothly on the highway. To be honest, I was actually a little distracted. I kept stealing glances at Fang Nan, who was dozing off in the back seat, and a thought suddenly popped into my head: could my hope of getting that ring be pinned on this woman?
I've known for a long time that Fang Nan is very rich.
You can tell from the company she owns, her clothes, the house she lives in, and the car she drives.
And yesterday, he casually swiped his card for over 20,000 yuan to buy me a whole outfit!
To be honest, I'm not being nosy by speculating about her assets. It's just a professional habit.
Because I used to be a manager in a nightclub, where I was in charge of dealing with clients, my professional habits required me to get a general idea of a client's financial situation based on our interactions.
This is because only in this way can we estimate the customer's spending power!
To put it simply, if I'm dealing with a new customer, I need to judge their spending level based on their attire and behavior. Should I suggest a bottle of Chivas Regal costing a few hundred dollars, or a bottle of Royal Salute costing several thousand dollars?
This is essential experience for becoming a manager.
In my opinion, Fang Nan's personal assets are probably in the tens of millions, so she should definitely have the financial means to buy this ring.
Fang Nan lives in an area called "XX Garden Apartments" in the west of the city. This area is a newly developed real estate area in the city in recent years. Originally, two thousand years ago, this was an old town with many single-story houses. Now, after years of construction and demolition, it has been transformed into large areas of mid- to high-end residential buildings. The garden apartments where Fang Nan lives are a high-end residential area that was just launched last year. I saw their advertisements last year; they even invited several famous Asian celebrities to be their spokespeople. The lowest price for a unit was over five figures, and it's known for its beautiful environment and European-style design.
In short, it boils down to one word: expensive!
As I drove into this gated community, the security guards in uniform stood ramrod straight at the entrance, saluting respectfully at the car. I didn't wake Fang Nan, who was taking a nap, but instead drove from building to building, searching for her.
Fang Nan lives in a row of small villas on the edge of a gated community. Originally, the villa was divided into two units for sale, hence the name "row". However, it seems Fang Nan bought both units together, so she owns the villa all to herself.
I found the sect number, looked at the green lawn in front of the house and the garage next to it, and felt a little strange.
The lives of the wealthy... their garages are probably much larger than the homes of many ordinary people...
I parked the car, turned off the engine, and gently woke Fang Nan. Fang Nan looked a little languid, her face slightly flushed. I tried my best to control my gaze from looking at her alluring eyes and the straight calves exposed under her skirt: "Miss Fang, we've arrived at your home."
"Hmm..." She let out a soft hum, and to be honest, that hum made my heart skip a beat. I watched Fang Nan stretch, and then heard her chuckle softly, "I just fell asleep?"
"Yes," I replied steadily.
"Do I look ugly when I'm asleep?"
"Huh?" I paused for a moment, gave a wry smile, and tried to answer in a tone that was as flat as possible, "I was driving and didn't notice."
Fang Nan said "Oh," a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes. Then she opened the door and got out of the car, glancing at me: "Come in with me."
To be honest, I was also quite curious to go inside and see what this beautiful single woman's home was like... but reason told me to pass. Such temptation is best left as a fleeting thought; there's no need to indulge in it.
"No need, I can wait for you in the car, and I can have a smoke while I wait."
Fang Nan smiled, her smile was very beautiful, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly like a crescent moon: "Don't be so polite, I may need a little time to get ready, you must be bored in the car. Come in, I may have something for you to do."
She then went to open the door herself. I thought about it, and since she's the boss and she's already said so, I couldn't really object.
Getting off the bus and stepping inside, I truly began to understand the life of the wealthy…
The doors don't have keys, but rather combination locks. The whole house has a very advanced and user-friendly security system!
If this system is forcibly broken into from the outside, it can lower metal bars on all doors and windows of the entire building within seconds! At the same time, if a door is not closed within a certain time after being opened, an alarm system will immediately notify the community security office!
This system has another advantage: if someone is home, especially a single woman, the homeowner can temporarily disable the security system for safety reasons. In this state, only the person inside can open the door, and even if someone outside steals the password, they will not be able to open the door!
In case of any abnormal situation, the system will directly send an alarm to notify the community's security guards.
This system is quite advanced, and it's said that many wealthy people are using it; it's a new product from Europe... Of course, the price is also "international standard."
As I entered Fang Nan's house, she bent down to take off her high heels and casually tossed them aside. I tried my best to avoid looking down at them, because I was standing right behind her when she took off her shoes and lifted her leg...
"You can sit in the living room for a while; there are drinks in the refrigerator in the kitchen," Fang Nan said before going up the stairs.
The first floor is quite large, with a hall of about 100 square meters, which is cleverly divided into a living room. Then there is a row of European-style wooden railings. Two steps up are the dining room. The kitchen is semi-transparent and looks very clean.
I just looked around carefully.
It's obvious that Fang Nan is someone who has high standards for quality of life. None of the furnishings or furniture in her home have that luxurious feel. Instead, they are very cozy. The sofa is red and has a unique design, resembling two small boats of different sizes. There is also a soft couch next to it, probably for lying down to watch movies... because I saw a huge wall-mounted TV on the wall.
In the corner was a fireplace, not the decorative kind, but a real fireplace! A black metal grille surrounded it, exuding a minimalist feel. It was very clean inside, indicating she didn't use it often. The two chairs in front of the fireplace were clearly a style unavailable in China, and a piece of animal fur, of unknown origin, lay on the floor.
I sat down on the sofa and couldn't help but sigh. It was so soft! I felt like I was sinking into a cloud, completely enveloped in the sofa, so comfortable that I couldn't help but sigh again.
At this moment, Fang Nan came downstairs. She had changed into a simple casual outfit, wearing a loose white T-shirt and baggy pants. Her long hair was simply tied back, giving her a homely and feminine look.
How is my home?
"That's fantastic!" I exclaimed sincerely.
She smiled and tossed me a tube. I caught it; it was a tube of cigarettes, Little Panda brand, the kind with a pack of 100.
I probably don't need to elaborate on the value of these cigarettes.
But I'm very curious... this pack of cigarettes is unopened and still new. But I vaguely remember Fang Nan only smoking women's cigarettes... how come she has men's cigarettes at home?
Was it prepared for someone else? Or... was it prepared specifically for me?
I abandoned that somewhat absurd idea. Don't be ridiculous, who am I...?
"You'll be able to smoke this, right? I don't know what kind of cigarettes men like, but this seems to be the best. I don't know if it's to your liking." She smiled.
God, my heart is pounding! Was it really bought just for me?
"What would you like to drink?" Fang Nan seemed to sense the awkward atmosphere and quickly went into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator: "I have juice, beer..."
"Water is fine," I quickly said. "I have to drive, so I can't drink."
Fang Nan took out a can of soda water and tossed it to me—to be honest, I don't really like drinking carbonated water, but in this situation, how could I dare to be picky? I picked it up and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
Fang Nan squinted at me for a while, then sat down on another small single sofa next to me, picked up the tube of Little Panda cigarettes on the table, opened it and handed me one, then lit one for herself.
Unfortunately, she coughed after just one puff and said with a wry smile, "I still can't get used to men's cigarettes, they're too strong."
Seeing my somewhat awkward expression, Fang Nan's eyes were very calm: "Don't be nervous, just think of it as visiting a friend's house."
I laughed exaggeratedly: "Please, you're my boss, and I still owe you 300,000!"
As I smoked, Fang Nan seemed a little dazed. I didn't dare make eye contact with her, and just casually asked, "Miss Fang... um, didn't you just say you had something for me to do? What is it?"
"Oh...oh..." She seemed to pause for a moment, then quickly recovered and said, "One of the cabinet doors in my kitchen is broken. You know, we women aren't very good at this kind of work..."
"Where?" I immediately stubbed out my cigarette, stood up, and rolled up my sleeves.
Next, I felt like I had become a laborer!
First, I helped Fang Nan repair a cabinet door in the kitchen. Then I ran to the basement and found a toolbox that was almost rusty. I then checked each cabinet door and tightened every screw. Then she said the kitchen light seemed to be faulty, so I ran to the basement again and found a spare light bulb to replace it for her.
Next, she said that a power strip in the living room had a bad connection. Although I tested it on the spot and found that it was working fine and there was nothing wrong with it, I didn't say anything and replaced it with a new one as a spare.
While I was running around helping her with these chores, I felt Fang Nan standing quietly behind me watching me. She didn't say a word, but seemed a little distracted... so much so that when I helped her change a light bulb, I asked her to hold the ladder, but she didn't move at all, and I almost fell down!
I already sensed something was wrong!
She seemed to be making trouble out of nothing. Many things were perfectly fine, but she asked me to repair or replace them for her, as if she just wanted to watch me work...
I was busy for an hour, doing mostly small things, but I still broke a sweat. I took off my coat, and my shirt got quite dusty.
"Is there anything else?" I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Fang Nan.
Fang Nan crossed her arms and leaned against the kitchen doorframe, a gentle expression on her face. Hearing my question, she paused, as if trying to think, before hesitatingly saying, "Um... and the lawn outside hasn't been mowed in a long time... I have a lawnmower in the basement..."
"..."
I smiled wryly and said patiently, "Miss Fang... I'm afraid I can't help you with this... I don't know how to mow, nor do I know how to use that machine. I'm afraid I'll make a mess of your lawn."
“It’s alright, the gardener comes every week anyway… Ah…” She suddenly realized something and exclaimed softly.
Damn it! Since the gardener comes every week, why do you still want me to weed?
My face darkened. She was clearly playing me! Did she find it fun to make me run around doing chores?
We stood in the kitchen, looking at each other for a while, when Fang Nan suddenly sighed, "Chen Yang, I'm sorry, let's go outside and talk."
I snorted, somewhat annoyed, and put a wrench into the toolbox.
Once we were all seated on the sofa, she suddenly ran upstairs, then came down with a flat box and handed it to me.
It's a new shirt.
“Your shirt is dirty, you should change it.” Fang Nan’s cheeks were a little red, but then she seemed to be trying to cover it up: “You have to attend that charity auction with me tonight, so your attire can’t be sloppy.”
I looked at the shirt box in my hand; it was brand new, and even the size was exactly mine… Clearly, it was made especially for me…
"Okay." I sighed, thought for a moment, and could only manage a wry smile: "...Thank you."
Part 1: A Man in the Martial World, Not in His Own Hands Chapter 44: No Way!
It's obvious, even an idiot could see that Fang Nan's attitude towards me is very strange! Especially considering that I've spent the last few years practically surrounded by women!
My first guess was: Was she trying to seduce me?