He Siyu glanced at the woman seated to Nan Sangning’s left, who hastily stood up to offer her seat. He Siyu pulled out the chair and sat down.
Sangning was taken aback—this was the first time she had encountered someone so brazenly domineering. Even the most spoiled young masters of the capital, for all their arrogance, at least maintained a veneer of courtesy toward women. After all, no matter how dissolute they were, they still cared about saving face.
But this man had actually forced a woman to give up her seat for him?
Meanwhile, Nan Siya’s face turned ashen when she saw He Siyu voluntarily take a seat beside Nan Sangning.
How could this country bumpkin have earned He Siyu’s favor? She was just spouting nonsense, yet she had the audacity to put on airs!
Chen Zheng’s expression also darkened. He hadn’t expected Nan Sangning to be so cunning—she had somehow managed to climb into He Siyu’s good graces. He himself hadn’t even gotten the chance to exchange a single word with the man.
Amidst the shifting expressions and hushed whispers in the room, Sangning finally snapped out of her daze and asked He Siyu, "Which item did Mr. He want me to examine?"
He Siyu tilted his chin slightly, and Sangning followed his gaze to the final auction item being presented on stage.
"A renowned Zhou Dynasty luodian sandalwood pipa."
A pipa was carefully carried out and placed on a stand. Crafted from the finest sandalwood, it was an exquisite piece of workmanship. The body was adorned with sixteen small floral patterns, the petals inlaid with tortoiseshell and the stamens with colorful transparent amber—an exceptionally refined technique.
Sangning froze for a moment. This pipa had been famous even during the Zhou Dynasty, once belonging to Consort Ning, a favored concubine of the late emperor. The consort had risen to prominence because of her pipa skills, and the emperor had personally bestowed this instrument upon her.
When Sangning was five years old, before the late emperor’s passing, she had seen Consort Ning play this very pipa at a palace banquet, mesmerizing the entire court.
"Wow, this pipa is stunning!" Ji Yan’s eyes sparkled as she turned to Sangning. "Well? What do you think?"
Sangning studied the enlarged details on the screen for a while, hesitating.
Chen Zheng sneered. "If you can’t keep up the act, just stop. You don’t even understand these things, yet you insist on pretending. Don’t you know your own limits? Mr. He, you shouldn’t be fooled by her—she barely had any schooling. A wild girl from the mountains, what would she know about antiques?"
Ji Yan retorted sarcastically, "Oh, I was wondering where that barking was coming from. What’s the matter? Still bitter because Sangning exposed your sweetheart’s bracelet as a fake?"
Chen Zheng flushed with anger. "Ji Yan, don’t spout nonsense! Yi Jun and I have been friends for over a decade. By your logic, since you’ve known Mr. He for just as long, does that mean you’ve been secretly pining for him too?"
Ji Yan scoffed. "Unlike you, I don’t spend my days groveling at someone’s feet like a lapdog."
"You—!"
Nan Siya’s eyes reddened again, this time on the verge of tears. Her proud fiancé had just been publicly called another woman’s lapdog.
And it happened right in front of Nan Sangning!
She had never felt so humiliated in her life.
Sangning’s brow twitched as she watched the two bicker. Unable to resist, she glanced at He Siyu, curious about his reaction to being dragged into the argument.
But He Siyu seemed entirely unbothered. He met her gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me? Do you have a crush on me too?"
Sangning: "..."
"Mr. He is overthinking it."
"Oh, good."
"..."
He Siyu’s eyes flicked back to the pipa on stage, finally changing the subject. "Do you think it’s genuine?"
Sangning pondered. "I’m not sure. I’d need to test it."
She had played Consort Ning’s pipa before. The consort had been kind-hearted and, seeing Sangning’s interest in the instrument, had allowed her to try it.
Nan Siya immediately interjected, "Sister, you’ve never attended an auction before, so you don’t know the rules. Auction items can’t be touched before the sale is finalized—what if you damage it? Making such a request puts the organizers in a difficult position. Mom and Dad told you to learn proper etiquette before going out, but you never listen."
She had finally found a flaw in Sangning’s behavior and was eager to use it to crush her.
He Siyu spoke up casually, "Bring it here. Let her try. If it breaks, I’ll take responsibility."
Nan Siya’s face stiffened, turning an ugly shade of purple.
With He Siyu’s word, who cared about rules?
He Siyu was the rule.
Without hesitation, the auction’s General Manager Wang personally carried the pipa over and presented it to Nan Sangning. "Miss Nan, please."
Nan Siya fretted, "Sister, you don’t even know how to play! These antiques are priceless—don’t cause trouble for the family!"
Sangning didn’t even glance at her. She took the pipa, adjusted the tuning pegs, cradled it in her arms, and lightly ran her fingers over the strings. A clear note rang out.
The entire room held its breath, unsure whether they were waiting for a spectacle or a farce.
After tuning, Sangning settled the pipa properly. Her left hand pressed the strings while her right plucked, fingers moving with deliberate grace. A serene melody of High Mountains and Flowing Water filled the air, transforming the noisy banquet hall into a tranquil valley. The music was neither grand nor dramatic, yet it held an irresistible pull, drawing everyone into its quiet beauty.
When the last note faded, the room remained in stunned silence, as if still lost in the melody.
Three seconds later, thunderous applause erupted.
Nan Siya’s face twisted in shock. How… how could she play the pipa?!
That refined, elegant performance had electrified the room—what did that make her own meticulously rehearsed piano piece?
Sangning looked up at He Siyu. "This pipa is genuine, though the strings have been replaced with more durable ice silk. Silk strings would be better."
He Siyu studied her with an inscrutable gaze, his eyes probing.
Sangning met his scrutiny without flinching.
After a moment, He Siyu’s lips curled into a faint smirk, his usual nonchalance returning.
"I’ll take this pipa."
General Manager Wang hurriedly bowed. "Mr. He, the starting bid is thirty million."
"I’ll offer a hundred million."
He Siyu’s tone was indifferent. "Any counteroffers?"
The room collectively gasped before falling into dead silence.
The auctioneer began the count: "One hundred million, going once… going twice… sold!"
The gavel struck.
The pipa now belonged to He Siyu.
Ji Yan couldn’t help but shake her head and mutter, "Such a spendthrift."
He Siyu’s assistant followed General Manager Wang to finalize the transaction.
As the auction concluded, the atmosphere relaxed, and guests began mingling over dinner.
He Siyu turned to Sangning. "I heard Miss Nan grew up in the mountains. How is it that you can identify antiques?"
Sangning countered, "Since Mr. He knows I grew up in the mountains, why did you trust my judgment? For all you know, I could’ve been bluffing."
