"Wife, you should also watch less of those brainless short dramas. Don’t go dreaming about something like 'The Wealthy CEO Falls in Love with Me, the Maid'—that kind of unrealistic fantasy," Li Daming scoffed.
He had come across those kinds of short dramas too, and they were pure nonsense.
Jiang Mo gnawed on a pig’s trotter, feeling slightly targeted. Even though her dad was technically talking about her mom, there were two maids in their household.
"You think I’m some kind of idiot with no brains?" Wang Xia didn’t even bother looking at him. "Alright, just enjoy your little drink by yourself."
Li Daming took a small sip of his liquor, savoring it slowly, but the experience felt rather lonely.
He glanced at Jiang Mo, who was eating beside him. "Sweetheart, when are you going to get a boyfriend and bring him home? Let me experience the joy of being a father-in-law."
"Drinking alone just doesn’t hit the same."
Jiang Mo froze. Dad, your angle for pushing me to find a boyfriend is a bit… creative. That was quite the sharp turn.
"How about I have a drink with you instead?"
"Don’t listen to your dad’s nonsense. A little alcohol and he starts getting carried away," Wang Xia shot Li Daming a glare. "Our daughter knows what she’s doing. She’ll tell us when she has a boyfriend."
Li Daming chuckled and lifted his chin. "You don’t know this, but the other day, I saw this really handsome guy dropping Mo off at home. She didn’t tell you, did she?"
Wang Xia and Li Zheng both turned to stare at Jiang Mo. Li Zheng, ever the straightforward one, blurted out, "Sis, are you dating someone?"
"No, that was just my senior from school. We had dinner together, and he just gave me a ride back," Jiang Mo finally understood the destructive power of rumors online.
With just one sentence from her dad, everyone else’s imaginations ran wild.
"Sis, your senior… is he really that good-looking?" Li Zheng was curious. What kind of guy would his dad describe as "really handsome"? His tone had been pretty exaggerated.
Wang Xia didn’t buy it at all. "Your dad’s taste is questionable. He once called the owner of the corner store 'a pretty handsome guy.' I bet that senior isn’t much to look at either."
Hearing his mom’s words, Li Zheng pictured the corner store owner and shook his head.
Meanwhile, Pei Ting, working in his office far away, suddenly sneezed twice and adjusted the air conditioning to a warmer setting.
Seeing his wife and son doubt his judgment, Li Daming hurried to explain. "That was just polite small talk about the store owner! But Mo’s senior really is—well, he’s quite dashing. No, I mean, he’s genuinely good-looking."
"Back when you were chasing me, you even said I looked like the Hong Kong star Joey Wong," Wang Xia reminisced. "I didn’t even know who Joey Wong was back then. Later, when I saw her poster, there wasn’t a single resemblance between us..."
Li Daming mumbled, "I meant the vibe, the aura was similar..."
Jiang Mo, who had been about to explain that Pei Ting was the law school’s heartthrob, saw the topic had already shifted and quietly kept her mouth shut.
By the end of dinner, Jiang Mo had heard plenty of amusing stories about her parents’ dating days.
The next morning, the family of three headed off to work at the Gu residence, each taking care of their respective duties.
The two cats hadn’t had a bath or grooming session in a while, so today was spa day. Jiang Mo drove the Gu family’s car, placing the cats in their carriers and taking them to the pet salon.
The cats were VIP regulars at the salon. As soon as they entered, the staff greeted them warmly. "The grooming and check-up should take about an hour and a half."
Since the grooming process could be monitored via phone, Jiang Mo used the time to pick up the afternoon tea Su Yunjin had ordered in advance.
By the time she returned with the tea, the cats were all pampered and their check-up results were perfect.
Back at the Gu residence, it was already afternoon.
Gu Baotian called Jiang Mo over. "Xiao Mo, I’ve decided to officially start working on my memoir in a couple of days. I’ll need your help!"
"Of course, Grandpa Gu. Just let me know what you need," Jiang Mo agreed readily. She had assumed he’d already started—apparently, he hadn’t.
Grandpa Gu was usually a man of action. It seemed the whole "walking the dog" situation had delayed him.
Speaking of which, she wondered if there had been any progress on that front.
Grandpa Gu asked, "I’m going to an auction tomorrow morning. Want to tag along for some fun?"
Jiang Mo’s eyes sparkled. "Can I really go?"
She had only ever seen auctions online, where items casually sold for millions or even billions.
"Of course you can. You’re with me—who dares stop you?" Grandpa Gu declared with authority.
For an elderly man with wealth, fame, and time to spare, bringing along a lively and likable young companion to liven up his days was pure enjoyment.
Not wanting to embarrass Gu Baotian, Jiang Mo dressed up for the occasion, swapping her usual comfortable sportswear for a dress.
The chauffeur drove them to the hotel where the auction was held.
The event started at 10 AM, but they arrived at 10:15. The auction was membership-based, so the venue wasn’t too crowded.
Jiang Mo followed Gu Baotian to some empty seats toward the back and turned her attention to the item currently on the block—a Ming Dynasty imperial kiln porcelain piece with a starting bid of 3 million yuan.
The porcelain was undeniably exquisite.
The craftsmanship and aesthetic sense of their ancestors were truly top-tier.
"Grandpa Gu, is there anything you’re planning to bid on today?" Jiang Mo whispered.
Gu Baotian relaxed in his seat. "Nothing in particular. Let’s just browse for now. If something catches our eye, we’ll go for it."
He made it sound as effortless as buying groceries.
Jiang Mo could only sigh in envy.
Meanwhile, the Ming Dynasty porcelain was sold for 6.5 million yuan.
"That piece was beautiful, but the buyer overpaid," Gu Baotian remarked.
Jiang Mo was puzzled. "Why do you say that? Do you know a lot about porcelain, Grandpa Gu?"
"Me? Not at all," Gu Baotian chuckled. "But I own the same piece—bought it for just over 3 million."
Jiang Mo: "..."
Gu Baotian handed her his bidding paddle. "How about you try bidding, kiddo?"
"I can’t, Grandpa Gu. Everything here is way out of my budget," Jiang Mo joked. "I could maybe handle auctions where things go for tens or hundreds."
Gu Baotian waved it off. "No worries. I’ll cover it—you just do the bidding. Don’t stress, I’ve got plenty to spare."
Feeling the weight of responsibility, Jiang Mo reminded herself not to slip up. A single mistake could cost a fortune.
She gripped the paddle nervously.
After two more items, a pair of Colombian emerald diamond earrings came up, starting at 2.2 million.
"Grandpa Gu, should we bid on these earrings?" Jiang Mo asked.
"Sure, go for it. Cap it at 5 million," Gu Baotian advised.
