Chapter 15: Significance Part 1

The auction continued in an orderly fashion. The large screen displayed every detail of each lot from three hundred and sixty degrees, and the experienced auctioneer heated up the atmosphere with professional flair.

However, no other item fetched a price four times the estimated value like He Si’s ring.

Everyone had their own calculations in mind.

“Not long ago, those two teamed up to squeeze me out, and now they’re suddenly at each other’s throats like this. Besides Huo Shuang, I can’t think of any other reason,” He Xunzhang said to the person beside him. “He Shuxin is an idiot who never says anything reliable, but there’s some truth to his claim that Dai Linxuan has a pedophile fetish this time.”

His friend coughed sharply. “Keep it down.”

“What are you afraid of?” He Xunzhang showed a hint of mockery. “We’re both men. Do you really believe Dai Linxuan has been alone for thirty years without a single companion by his side?”

“All these years, the paparazzi and various factions have had eyes on him everywhere, and they’ve never dug up anything.”

“That’s why He Shuxin’s story carries weight.” He Xunzhang narrowed his eyes and took a slow sip of wine. “An adopted son kept at home—behind closed doors, he can do whatever he wants, and outsiders would never know.”

His friend fell silent, finding some logic in it but also feeling it was a bit forced.

He Xunzhang chuckled derisively. “The media says Dai Linxuan is pure as the driven snow—do you really buy that? In this den of wolves, if a true gentleman emerged, that would be the real joke of the century.”

His friend gave an awkward laugh, unsure what to say, and turned to the big screen instead. “Huo Shuang is really determined to steal the show today—she’s bid on three items already.”

“Two million once, two million twice, two million three times!” The auctioneer brought down the hammer. “Congratulations to Miss Huo on acquiring this lot!”

Huo Shuang set down her paddle and turned her head. “What was that about with Linxuan and his brother just now?”

“Hard to say.” Huo Wenhai frowned slightly. “Lai Li has lived recklessly these years, but he’s never embarrassed his brother in a setting like this.”

Huo Shuang said, “If it weren’t for that brother, Linxuan’s reputation might have been…”

Huo Wenhai shook his head. “You’ve been abroad all these years and don’t know the Dai Family situation. Ever since Jiang Qiujun took power, the collateral branches and those old fossils have been eyeing it covetously. If Dai Linxuan were a flawless heir, they probably would have struck long ago. Lai Li’s existence as a sort of stain actually puts them at ease.

“But you’ve reminded me. Linxuan has always acted detached from worldly affairs, indifferent to everything else, but next month, once he officially joins the board, it’s no different from entering the crown prince’s residence. Indulging Lai Li like before won’t just affect his image—it’ll impact the group’s image too…”

Huo Shuang took a sip of wine. “You mean Dai Linxuan doesn’t want to play the good brother anymore?”

“At least not on the surface.” Huo Wenhai stated what he believed to be the most likely scenario. “Dai Linxuan had no need to keep Lai Li for twelve years just for show. There must be real affection, so what happened was probably staged—a public split to boost Dai Linxuan’s reputation.”

Huo Shuang fell silent for a moment. “You’ve always said that if I had no choice but to take the marriage alliance route, Dai Linxuan would be the best option.”

“Born into families like ours, if you’re not strong enough yourself, you’ll inevitably become a sacrificial pawn in a marriage alliance—and daughters even more so. I told you that when you insisted on going abroad.” Huo Wenhai looked at his sister, whose features resembled his own by sixty or seventy percent, and sighed softly. “If it has to be someone, Dai Linxuan is the best choice in terms of personal ability, character, and conduct. Even if he doesn’t love you, there would at least be mutual respect.”

“The Dai Linxuan I knew was indeed a good person, but that was the eighteen-year-old version…” Huo Shuang pulled her thoughts from the memories. “I just don’t understand how he could have indulged a playboy like Lai Li all these years.”

“I don’t know the real reason Linxuan adopted Lai Li.” Huo Wenhai smiled. “But when I said Lai Li is better than little Fei earlier, I wasn’t just saying it to be polite.”

Huo Shuang raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue.

Huo Wenhai leaned in and spoke slowly. “If you go through Lai Li’s misdeeds carefully, you’ll see he never targeted innocent civilians. No drugs, no gambling or prostitution. Even that video from two years ago that went viral online—Lai Li speeding through a storm on the highway to intercept someone—he chose a stretch with hardly any traffic. If it hadn’t been caught by a drone by chance, there would have been no consequences at all.”

“Who was he intercepting that time?”

“Who else? Dai Linxuan, of course. The specifics are unclear.”

“…” Huo Shuang sensed a faint nuance. “Wasn’t there a rumor before that Lai Li was the Dai Family’s illegitimate child?”

“I think that’s nonsense. If he really were an illegitimate son, Dai Linxuan would be a true saint.” Huo Wenhai dismissed it and glanced toward the auction stage.

“One million one hundred thousand once, one million two hundred thousand twice, one million three hundred thousand three times!” The auctioneer hammered down. “Congratulations to Miss Dai!”

“Lai Li found me two hours ago and wanted to auction this ring.” Dai Yi sipped her champagne slowly, a sweet smile on her face. “How could I refuse an item with such built-in buzz?”

Dai Linxuan sat beside her, toying with the ring he had just bought at a sky-high price.

Dai Yi asked, “Did you two fight?”

Dai Linxuan: “No.”

“If there was no fight, why the dramatic scene?” Dai Yi asked with interest. “A gift given away two years ago gets bought back at exorbitant cost. Quick interview—big brother, how are you feeling right now?”

Dai Linxuan’s gaze drifted vaguely ahead. After a moment, he asked flatly in return, “What mood do you think I should have?”

Dai Yi’s eyes curved. “That depends on the mood you were in when you gave this ring two years ago.”

At first glance, it was just a decorative ring—a simple, expensive gift.

But if there were no special meaning, why would someone as refined and measured as Dai Linxuan commission a designer with terminal illness, who had publicly retired, to come out of retirement for a single ring? Even a brooch or cufflink wouldn’t be this intimate.

A sudden thought struck Dai Yi: Had he really only designed this one ring?

“It was awful.” As Dai Linxuan spoke, he habitually lifted the corner of his mouth. “That might have been the worst day of my thirty years.”

Dai Yi was stunned for a moment. Before she could probe into what made that day so awful, another thought jumped into her mind first—how could someone recount their pain so lightly, with a smile on their face?

It was probably because only the body remained; the soul inside the shell had left long ago. Maintaining gentleness and decorum was just an ingrained habit of this body, like a mask welded firmly to the face. Peel it off, and there wouldn’t be rotting flesh—just a pitch-black void.

“What exactly happened?” Dai Yi couldn’t help pressing. “With you and Lai Li, and Mom, what exactly—”

Dai Linxuan interrupted: “Xiao Yi.”

Dai Yi paused. “…Yeah.”

“You’re still young. Don’t you want to go out and make your own way?” Dai Linxuan’s eye curved in an almost gentle arc, his gaze carrying a long-lost tenderness. “Far from home—start a business, do what you love. Big Brother will support you fully.”

After a long pause, Dai Yi tugged at her lips. “You mean, get lost and don’t compete with you?”

“…”

Dai Yi had always excelled in liberal arts and understood the implication perfectly. Though the starting points differed, the conclusion was the same.

Dai Yi stood, took two steps, then bent down close, stating in a tone of stubborn certainty, “Big Brother, my dream will come true.”

For an instant, Dai Yi’s face also seemed unfamiliar. Dai Linxuan paused shallowly for a second, lifted his wine glass, and buried the question on the tip of his tongue—What is your dream?

To outsiders, it looked like Dai Yi whispered something in Dai Linxuan’s ear with a smile, then gracefully departed.

The charity auction ended on a relatively successful note. Apart from the little episode between Lai Li and Dai Linxuan, everyone achieved their goals.

Of course, it was far from time to disperse.

The banquet continued, with glasses clinking. Dai Linxuan inevitably drank some wine; facing an elder like Huo Jingyun, he couldn’t just use pear juice to cope.

He also needed alcohol to numb some unspeakable desires.

“This is Shuangshuang.” Huo Jingyun stood with his pair of children. “It’s been twelve years—does Linxuan still recognize her?”

“Of course. Miss Huo looks just like she did at eighteen.” Since Huo Jingyun pretended they hadn’t already caught up, Dai Linxuan didn’t mention it. “Are you leaving again this time?”

Huo Jingyun answered for his daughter: “No, staying, just like you, Linxuan.”