Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Upon hearing the system, Shen Muyun lost all interest in bickering with Zhou Shiqing. Further argument would only make him appear ill-mannered, which was certainly not the image he wished to project.

Zhou Shiqing, convinced of his triumph, wore a smug expression. "You're nothing special, after all."

With that, he vanished without a trace.

Well, the current script still cast him as the top male lead in a wealthy family drama. But no matter what, he shouldn’t be broke.

Zhou Shiqing made his way to the front row. His purpose at the banquet wasn't to quarrel with that madman.

He glanced at Shen Liuyun, who was engrossed in documents nearby, and sidled closer.

Shen Liuyun shifted uncomfortably, inadvertently creating a space just large enough for Zhou Shiqing.

Seizing the opportunity—and thanks to Zhou Shiqing’s brazenness—he promptly seated himself beside Shen Liuyun.

He even cast a quick glance at the documents in Shen Liuyun’s hands. Tsk, this seemingly ordinary stone truly held a peculiar allure.

"Liu Yun, are you also interested in this gemstone?"

Shen Liuyun didn't lift his head, his gaze fixed on the documents, occasionally circling key points with his pen.

"It's not about interest. This is a charity auction. All proceeds from items sold here will be donated to Tongxin Orphanage. The investment work there has always been under the Lu family's purview. You should be aware of that."

Shen Liuyun replied politely, yet felt an inexplicable irritation towards the man before him.

"Liu Yun, there's something I'd like to discuss with you—regarding the contract between Zhou Corporation and Shen Corporation... Could you give us another chance? After all, our two families have a rather good relationship and have collaborated for many years."

Shen Liuyun paused for a moment, then offered a practiced, official smile.

"Now is not the time for business matters. Let's discuss the contract another time. The auction is about to begin, and I wouldn't want to miss any of its highlights."

Zhou Shiqing was instantly silenced.

Shen Muyun, meanwhile, was quite content, finding a quiet corner for himself.

The back row had its advantages—it offered a clear view of the surroundings and the display case.

The moment the gemstone appeared, all eyes in the banquet hall were drawn to its exquisite beauty. A chorus of gasps and exclamations of awe rippled through the crowd.

The deep blue gemstone lay serenely in a velvet-lined box.

It was said that this breathtaking blue was known as cornflower blue, reminiscent of cornflower petals adorned with morning dew—hazy and dreamlike.

The system marveled at the gemstone’s perfection, its tiny blue wings fluttering excitedly around Shen Muyun.

"System, tell me, what’s so special about this gemstone? Though, I must admit, it looks like something utterly beyond my reach."

"Host, please don't say that. You can always try. What if it works out?"

"Bzzt—"

A sound emanated from his phone—the notification of a file transfer.

"Such an expensive item must have some future implications. You must know that, right?"

"Well, honestly, it’s needed for future tasks. But currently, the system doesn't know exactly where it will be used. The task tracker indicates that without it, your progress will be hindered. And that’s not even the most crucial point—this thing can save your life. I haven't told anyone else; you're the first."

"You should put it this way: no one has advanced the task to this stage. Host, you're a real sucker. In my system store, there's nothing useful. Even if something is usable, you'd need to accumulate tokens, and tokens are like your lifeline."

"Who says that!"

The system glowed with a golden light, revealing its signature golden cudgel.

Shen Muyun scrolled through the interface. "Just tell me what I can use."

The system screen displayed the "Straight Guy Compliment Stick."

"This one—it’s a worthwhile investment. You just got dumped by Miss Lu, which is such an unfortunate event. To address your needs, both physical and psychological, this thing is perfect for you right now."

"System, if you’re looking for trouble or want to pick a fight, that’s fine too. But with your tiny frame, you’d probably get split in half. Do you really only have this little spherical form? No other appearance?"

The system immediately vanished into thin air. "You want something else? With 50 tokens, you can't even exchange for anything! I'm a system—I can take any form I want. I could even turn into a handsome guy!"

"System!"

Shen Muyun shook his head helplessly and read the introduction of the "Tear of Amber":

Discovered in 1881, it originates from the ancient Cambrian metamorphic rock formations in Kashmir. With its blue-purple hue, it is a leader in the jewelry world. The most famous example is the 33 cornflower blue sapphires on the Dutch royal crown, which have witnessed three centuries of the Dutch royal family’s highlights.

Currently, Kashmir sapphires are no longer mined. As the representative stone for September, they symbolize eternity and truth.

Well, the information is good, but it misses the point. What’s the real reason for its importance?

The most recent owner was the Bai family of Jing City. However, 25 years ago, during the major explosion at Jing City’s port, the head of the Bai family died, leaving only a young heir.

Tsk, it’s just a curse. What’s there to be afraid of?

Shen Muyun glanced up at the gemstone. His earlier fondness for it had faded significantly, replaced by an inexplicable heaviness.

Suddenly, Shen Muyun felt his chest tighten. Something was wrong. This feeling was eerily similar to that day in the laboratory. No way, no way—it couldn’t be...

He took a light breath, slowly calming himself. He was lucky to be alive—every day counted. Definitely a worthwhile investment.

The lighting in the back row was dim. He swirled the wine glass in his hand, the red wine shimmering seductively under the light. The gemstone emitted a brilliant blue glow, as if holding some extraordinary meaning.

Lu Huainan, as the host of the banquet, sat in the front row next to Shen Liuyun. But his thoughts had already drifted to Shen Muyun, who was sitting in the corner.

"Huainan, how could you bear to part with this? You acquired it at Sotheby’s last year. Why are you selling it so soon? I haven’t heard of any financial difficulties at Lu Corporation."

Lu Huainan waved his hand helplessly.

"No, it has nothing to do with Lu Corporation. I just heard that whoever obtains this gemstone will face setbacks in both love and career. So, there’s no other choice. Might as well do some charity with it."

"Huainan, since when do you believe in such nonsensical things? It’s just a stone. Happiness is what matters most."

"Since when have you seen me being superstitious? This is my grandfather’s idea. He thinks there must be some truth to the rumors. So, well, I can’t make him unhappy. Selling it as a prize will at least fulfill the gemstone’s value. Don’t you think? And doing charity is a two-for-one deal. Even though I like it, there will be others in the future."

Shen Muyun looked at the gemstone on the stage. Hmm, he was determined to get it.

Lu Huainan, meanwhile, glanced at Shen Muyun in the corner.

"Liu Yun, it seems the broken engagement hasn’t affected your brother much."

Shen Liuyun set the documents aside. "No effect? Your sister said she wants you to teach Mu Yun a lesson."

"Yeah, she came back crying heavily, saying Shen Muyun bullied her. But this was her choice. As her brother, of course I hope she can find a good match. There are plenty of influential families in Jiangcheng—I’ve advised her."

"You're really bending over backwards for outsiders, aren't you?"

"Am I? One shouldn’t believe everything they hear. Besides, Liu Yun, aren’t you also quite protective of Shen Muyun?"

Shen Liuyun smiled, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Shen Muyun sitting in the back row, who was peacefully observing the exhibit on stage.

On stage, the auctioneer held a gavel, beaming with enthusiasm at the audience below.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the starting bid for this gemstone is 50 million yuan. Given the high price, interested parties may place their bids until the end of the banquet."

Shen Muyun’s face immediately turned ashen. Checking his account balance, he froze in place. Wasn’t he supposed to be a rich second-gen? How could his account be empty? Had the original owner squandered all the money, leaving him with this mess?

He thought of asking the system for help but, remembering the astronomical price, he reluctantly opened the Mall to check. Currency exchange—top tier: 50 billion yuan. Well, that would require 50 billion tokens. Where could he possibly get that?

"Sigh..."

"Oh, Host, are you feeling down too? How about an Ego Booster? Guaranteed to lift your spirits."

"Stop fooling around. How much yuan can I get for 50 tokens?"

"50 yuan, Host. Can’t you even calculate that? Wait, could it be that you hit your head when you fell into the water? Oh no, that’s not good."

"Don’t talk nonsense. I’m perfectly fine."

"Well, actually, I have another idea. How about you cash in on your looks? With your figure, those abs, that chest, and those collarbones—who wouldn't swoon?"

"System, is your head always filled with such improper thoughts? If I can’t afford something in the Mall, can I get an advance? I’ll complete the tasks eventually."

The system paused, its tiny wings fluttering a few times. "Host, as I’ve said before, this is a small-scale operation—no credit allowed. If you don’t have enough tokens, you’ll have to figure it out yourself. How about asking for outside help? Actually, selling yourself is literally the fastest way to make money!"

"System, that’s impossible. Don’t even think about it!"

Shen Muyun was running calculations in his mind. Since the system couldn’t be relied on, and relying on others was less dependable than relying on himself, he might just get lucky somewhere.