Rose Manor

Shen Jianian stood still, not understanding what he meant, but Zhu Yilan reminded him in a low voice: "The boss's hands are dirty."

Shen Jianian reacted slowly and took the pack of tissues, took one out and stuffed it into Fu Jichen's palm.

Fu Jichen looked at her steadily, feeling funny and a little angry.He stood up for her and even asked her to wipe his hands.

Fu Jichen closed his palms, held a disinfectant paper towel and wiped the hand that had been touched by Mr. Wu repeatedly. His long and bony fingers were like a work of art.

Seeing this scene, Mr. Wu's face turned blue and white, and he couldn't say a word.

"Let's go." Fu Jichen put his arm around Shen Jianian's shoulders and returned to his original seat. It would be a waste of time not to get too entangled with Mr. Wu.

The onlookers couldn't help but sigh. After all, Mr. Wu is also a well-known entrepreneur in Yicheng, but Mr. Fu shows no mercy at all. His words and deeds make people uncomfortable.

Shen Jia Nian was frightened and felt a little depressed after sitting down.

Lu Yanzhi met an acquaintance and left the hall to chat elsewhere. When he came back, the farce had ended. He found that the atmosphere was not quite right. He took a sip of tea and asked, "Did I miss anything?"

Neither of them spoke. Lu Yanzhi asked for trouble and touched his nose awkwardly.

The second half of the auction began, and the "White Birds on Green Mountains" that Lu Yanzhi wanted was indeed the finale. As soon as it was presented, it caused a sensation in the audience, and sparse discussions spread among the crowd.

Lu Yanzhi murmured in his heart that everyone who came to the auction knew the goods, and there would probably be many people eyeing this painting.

The starting price was 800 million. As soon as the auctioneer's words came to light, bidding began in the audience.

In one breath, the price soared to 8000 million.

Lu Yanzhi drank tea frequently to calm down his shock, and quickly calculated in his mind how long it would take to repay the money he borrowed from Fu Da.

"Mr. Qin bids 100 million." The auctioneer's voice sounded, with an inexplicable sense of urgency. "Is there anything higher than 8000 million?"

Fu Jichen held up the sign and counted the numbers with one hand.

The auctioneer said excitedly: "Mr. Fu bids [-] million!"

Qin Fan looked at Fu Jichen across several tables, and could only see his indifferent profile, and he felt a little more worried.If Fu Da also takes a fancy to this painting, then he...

Before he could think of a result, the person next to him picked up the sign on the table.

The auctioneer's voice echoed throughout the hall: "Mr. Qin has increased the price again. The current price of "Green Mountain and White Bird" is 1000 million! 1000 million once..."

Qin Fan looked sideways and said in disbelief: "What are you doing?!"

Yin Shuyao looked back: "Dad asked us to take a photo of this painting and take it back. I did it according to dad's wishes."

Qin Fan sneered and laughed at her stupidity: "You think our Qin family has lived too long, so you went against Fu Da."

"It's just a normal auction process. Mr. Fu can't afford to lose." Yin Shuyao disagreed. "He can embarrass the Qin family because of this kind of thing, which shows that he is not an upright person."

Qin Fan didn't want to talk to this short-sighted woman, so he took the bidding number from her hand and said coldly: "If you want to commit suicide, go ahead and do it. I will never stop you, so don't hurt our Qin family."

Yin Shuyao frowned and hissed, then looked down at her fingers. Qin Fan had just taken away the number plate with great force. The sharp edge of the number plate cut her fingertips, causing them to bleed.

Qin Fan didn't look at him and put away the bidding number. He didn't intend to compete with Fu Da. His father had his own explanation.

On the other side, Fu Jichen offered 2000 million.

There was an uproar.

"Is there anything higher than 2000 million?" Even though the auctioneer had seen many big scenes, he still couldn't calm down and said loudly, "2000 million once, 2000 million twice, 2000 million 2000 million three times! Congratulations! Congratulations to Mr. Fu for acquiring "White Bird on the Green Mountain" at a high price of [-] million!"

The auctioneer was the first to applaud, and the audience burst into applause one after another.

Lu Yanzhi's heart was bleeding. This was the money he borrowed from Fu Da!I will pay it back in the future!
Fu Jichen didn't care about that. He tied the buttons of his suit with one hand, stood up, and left the table with Shen Jianian.

Lu Yanzhi would go backstage later to take away the painting without going with them.Zhu Yilan stayed and was responsible for accompanying him to go through the relevant procedures.

Coming out of the exhibition hall, the sky has been dyed deep black.

It is rare that the stars are shining tonight, and the Emei moon hangs high in the sky, its moonlight is light.

Shen Jia Nian leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes slightly and fell asleep.

When they were about to arrive at Qiangwei Manor, Qu Mo spoke up and the silence in the carriage was broken: "Boss, another car is following us. It's different from the one last time."

Since being followed that time, Qu Mo pays special attention to his surroundings every time he drives.

Hearing this, Shen Jia Nian opened his eyelids, his eyes fell on the car window, and he quietly moved back. He didn't know if the car Qu Mo was talking about was the black Audi behind him.

Seemingly driving normally on the road, whether changing lanes or turning, they are consistent with their car.

She noticed that Qu Mo said the word "again", which proved that this was not the first time he was followed.Shen Jianian turned his head to the other side to look at Fu Jichen's face.He looked as usual, not worried at all.But Shen Jia Nian couldn't stop thinking about it, guessing who he had offended in business, and his heart became tight.

"Let them follow." After Fu Jichen finished speaking, he turned his eyes and met Shen Jianian's eyes. "What do you want to say?"

Shen Jia Nian pursed his lips and said nothing in the end.

*
Not long after arriving home, Zhu Yilan came to Rose Manor, accompanied by staff from the auction organizer.

Two staff members in suits and white gloves quietly put down their cellos late at night and left quietly without disturbing anyone in the room.

Zhu Yilan met Zhou Rongzhen in the living room, but did not see Fu Jichen and Shen Jianian.

"You can find someone to help move Qin to Miss Shen's room, and my task will be completed." Zhu Yilan said politely with a faint smile on his face.

"Ok."

Zhou Rongzhen nodded and walked her out the door, stopping at the porch and watching her walk down the steps and get into the black car parked in the front yard.

The sound of the engine starting sounded in the quiet night, and they turned around and drove away.

Zhou Rongzhen turned around, called two servants, carefully lifted the piano case, and brought it to Shen Jianian's room.Zhou Rongzhen followed behind and warned him from time to time not to bump into each other.

Shen Jianian was not seen in the room, and the sound of rushing water came from the bathroom.

Zhou Rongzhen did not disturb her, but found an open space and asked someone to put down the piano.

Exhausted physically and mentally after going out, Shen Jianian filled the bathtub with hot water, threw a bath salt ball in, and foam bubbled out.

Her body was completely immersed in the water, with only her neck and head outside. She closed her eyes and leaned her neck back, leaning against the smooth wall, and accidentally fell asleep.

After a brief dream, she suddenly woke up. The water was already a little cold.

Shen Jianian got out of the bathtub, stood under the shower to wash away the foam on her body, put on her nightgown and walked into the room. There was a cello in the open space by the window.

Not her original one.

The cello that belonged to her was hidden in the cloakroom.

Shen Jianian's wet hair was spread loosely, and water droplets dripped along the ends of her hair and onto her back, soaking her silk nightgown, which felt a little cold to the touch.She wrapped a dry towel around her hair, walked slowly to the window, and opened the piano case.

It's Yan Qiusheng's cello. I saw it at an auction not long ago, not too close away.

But at this moment, it was right in front of her, within reach.

Shen Jianian gently stroked the bow with his fingers, imagining the scene when Yan Qiusheng was 12 years old, wearing a black tuxedo and playing the cello in a magnificent concert hall.

Although time has passed long ago, the memory is still so clear.

Shen Jia Nian had previously thought that using Yan Qiusheng's piano would be a waste of money at her own level. When she actually touched it, an indescribable impulse surged in her heart. Her actions were no longer controlled by her brain, and she unknowingly took out the piano.

She sat on a stool in front of the window. After adjusting it, she held the bow in one hand and held the neck of the instrument in the other. The melodious cello music was swirling in the night, in Dvořák's B minor, drifting out with the cool breeze that leaked in through the cracks in the window.

Fu Jichen was talking on the phone in his study room when he suddenly heard the sound of a cello. He thought his hand accidentally touched the computer touch panel and accidentally opened a certain playback software.

After listening carefully, he realized that the sound of the piano was coming from other rooms on the same floor.

After ending the call, Fu Jichen stood up from his desk, looked for the direction from which the sound of the piano came, and stopped in front of Shen Jianian's door. Without disturbing her, he stood quietly for a moment before pushing the door open and entering.

Shen Jianian was sitting by the window wearing a smoky pink nightgown, with her back to the door. The thin shoulder straps pressed against the butterfly bone, as if binding a butterfly that was about to fly.

The towel wrapping her hair was loose and fell to the ground. She didn't notice it at all. Her wet black hair hung down, and her jade-white back was half hidden and half exposed. For a moment, she couldn't tell whether it was the moonlight that was brighter or her.

Shen Jia closed her eyes and played the piano obliviously, thinking only of the good times in the past.

She was held by her parents' hands, and her mother's smile was gentle and her voice was still in her ears: "Our Xiaonian will be as good as Teacher Yan in the future and give concerts all over the world."

The father patted his head: "When the time comes, Dad will sit in the front row and watch my precious daughter."

Someone patted her head. Shen Jianian opened her eyes and stared blankly out the window at the endless night. She knew that everything in the past could only be remembered in memory, but she still looked back with hope.She hoped that her father was behind her and said to her, "My baby girl has worked hard practicing the piano and should go and have a rest."

However, reality is cruel after all. The face of the person behind him is clear and distinct, it is Fu Jichen.

He stared at her, looking from top to bottom: "I know you are interested, but you can easily get sick if you do this."

All hope in Shen Jia Nian's eyes was extinguished.

Fu Jichen bent down to pick up the towel that fell on the ground, and threw it over her head. A corner of the towel hung down, blocking her view. All she could hear was his slightly hoarse voice: "Put on your clothes, aren't you cold?"