Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Rivals Meet Again

With arms crossed, Chen Moran looked at Mu Chen with a smirk, "Who are you waiting for? Could it be your ugly fiancée?"

Mu Chen frowned, asking sharply, "Have you seen Shi?"

"Of course. Why? Reluctant to let people see her? Your fiancée has a plain face but quite the fiery temper!" Chen Moran scoffed dismissively.

Mu Chen, with a dark expression, retorted, "Chen Moran, stop your nonsense. Shi is quite attractive."

Chen Moran stared at Mu Chen in disbelief, saying, "Mu Chen, since when did you develop such a sense of humor? To think that person is attractive? Have you lost your mind?"

Zhuang Yu's eyes widened, the moist gleam in them evident as she gazed at Mu Chen, her voice tinged with pity, "Mu Chen, Ye Shi isn't right for you."

Mu Chen felt a tumultuous surge in his chest, and while he wanted to shout at Zhuang Yu, he gritted his teeth and restrained himself, "Please, go inside."

Zhuang Yu looked at Mu Chen and reassured, "Don't worry, Mu Chen. There's someone out there just for you."

Mu Chen clenched his teeth, replying, "I know."

Mu Chen's patience wore thin as he humored Zhuang Yu and her companions, but his eyes suddenly caught a familiar silhouette in the crowd.

Breaking away from Zhuang Yu and the others, Mu Chen briskly approached, grabbing hold of Ye Shi who was attempting to depart.

"Shi, where are you headed? The auction is about to begin!" Mu Chen said, gripping Ye Shi's hand tightly.

Ye Shi had barely mustered the courage to attend the auction, only to find Mu Chen and Zhuang Yu at the entrance, which made him hesitate.

"Let me go!" Ye Shi struggled to free his hand from Mu Chen's grasp.

Mu Chen held onto Ye Shi's hand firmly, saying, "No, if I let go, you'll run away."

"Don’t you need to accompany Zhuang Yu?" Ye Shi asked.

Mu Chen remarked with indifference, "He has so many by his side; he won't miss me."

Zhuang Yu's gaze followed the direction of Mu Chen's departure, a frown forming on her face.

Chen Moran, wide-eyed in disbelief at Mu Chen's actions, exclaimed, "When did Mu Chen's taste become so... unexpected?"

Ye Shi furrowed his brow, saying, "Don't make a scene. People are watching."

Mu Chen sheepishly grinned, "Then don’t run! If you run, I have to chase."

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen's mischievous face and sighed in exasperation.

"Fine, let go of my hand, and I promise not to run," Ye Shi said.

Mu Chen nonchalantly replied, "I'd rather hold onto you. With the crowd, you might get lost, and that would be a problem."

Ye Shi's cheeks reddened, retorting, "Who'd get lost? If anyone does, it'll be you!"

Mu Chen nodded in agreement, "True, true! My sense of direction is terrible. I get lost easily. So, maybe you should lead the way."

Ye Shi glanced at Mu Chen but didn't let go of his hand.

Hand in hand, Mu Chen led Ye Shi towards the entrance of the auction hall.

With a touch of annoyance, Mu Chen noticed that Zhuang Yu and his group were lingering at the door, not entering.

"Why aren't you going in? The auction is about to start," Mu Chen said, forcing a smile.

Zhuang Yu's gaze settled on Ye Shi, her expression indifferent, yet it made Ye Shi feel exceedingly self-conscious.

Sensing Ye Shi's unease, Mu Chen tightened his grip on Ye Shi's hand.

"We should leave," Mu Chen whispered, pulling Ye Shi with him.

As Ye Shi was dragged along, he felt a mix of emotions.

Chen Moran watched Mu Chen's receding figure, exclaiming in disbelief, "Is Mu Chen actually serious? When did his taste change so drastically?"

Mu Chen led Ye Shi to a private room and settled down.

Ye Shi glanced at his hand, grasped by Mu Chen, wanting to say something. He moved his lips but swallowed his words.

The private rooms at Ziyue Auction House varied in tiers. While Mu Chen's was of the lowest rank, it was still considerably better than the general seats below.

From the private rooms, you could see outside, but those outside couldn’t see inside.

To Mu Chen's surprise, he spotted Zhuang Yu seated in the general section below.

"Zhuang Yu, I have a room upstairs. Why don’t you join me there? It’s much nicer," he suggested.

"Zhuang Yu, come to my room. It has a better view."

"Zhuang Yu, come upstairs to my room. The view is more expansive from there."

...

What Mu Chen didn’t realize was that Zhuang Yu chose general seating because with so many options, she simply couldn’t decide.