Chapter 76: The Pheasant and the Phoenix

Six o’clock on a weekend evening.

Lin Xi’s cold had improved, and she took advantage of the afternoon to go out for a stroll. Bai Xu arrived half an hour earlier than planned; Lin Xi hadn’t even finished changing.

In the living room, Bai Xu propped his head with one hand, gazing toward the master bedroom, and called out again, “Lin Xi, are you ready yet?”

“Almost.”

He scoffed at the familiar reply, “You’ve said ‘almost’ so many times already.”

“You women are so troublesome.”

“Luckily I came early.”

Between his complaints, Lin Xi finally pushed open the door of the walk-in closet and emerged from the bedroom.

Bai Xu lazily lifted his eyelids, then paused as his gaze settled on her.

Compared to her usual understated professional attire, tonight Lin Xi’s look was far more striking.

A wine-red strapless gown outlined her figure perfectly, as alluring as a slice of red velvet cake, inviting one to taste.

He had brought this particular dress for her, thinking it suited her the moment he saw it.

Lin Xi wasn’t easy to sway, but she disliked being in the spotlight, especially after falling ill.

Her appearance tonight genuinely surprised him—it was as if she’d reverted to her teenage self, a time when her parents were affectionate, her brother was still around, and she was considered the little princess among Beijing’s elite circles.

Every beautiful word could be used to describe her.

Radiant and bold, never one to purposely hide her brilliance.

He watched her for a while, pressing his tongue against his cheek as an inscrutable emotion flickered beneath his glasses.

“What are you staring at? Didn’t you pick out this dress? What’s so fascinating?” Lin Xi adjusted the straps of her heels, then took her turn to prod him, “Aren’t we leaving?”

“My taste isn’t bad,” Bai Xu smiled, rising to his feet. “Let’s go.”

The single word carried an inexplicable hint of playfulness when spoken by him.

Lin Xi had no idea what he found amusing, only that his mood was good.

Whenever he was like this, it usually meant he was up to something.

Lin Xi sized him up, meeting his gaze. He smiled back, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“What exactly are you planning tonight?” Lin Xi was on guard.

She had known Qin Yu would attend tonight’s banquet, so she figured things wouldn’t be so simple.

Did Bai Xu really just need a female companion? He’d attended events alone plenty of times before—since when did he need a date?

She knew something was amiss. As for why she agreed—

Of course, she was curious to see what tricks Bai Xu would pull.

She was here for the spectacle, after all.

“We’ll see when we get there,” Bai Xu replied mysteriously. “Relax, I’m just taking you to watch a show. Am I going to sell you off?”

Lin Xi kicked up her skirt hem, hooked it in her hand, and strode out, tossing him four words: “You’d better not.”

—

Tonight’s event was a charity gala, including an auction.

Nearly every major figure in Beijing’s elite circles was slated to attend.

From five o’clock onward, nearby roads grew congested, and the entrance looked like a luxury car exhibition, one vehicle after another pulling up.

Lin Xi and Bai Xu arrived just after seven.

After getting out, Bai Xu tossed the car keys to a staff member and bent his knee in a gesture toward Lin Xi.

She shot him a glance and took his arm.

Bai Xu’s arrival was like playing a trump card; he was known as Beijing’s little tyrant—no one failed to recognize him.

Lin Xi could feel eyes converging on them as they moved through the crowd. Most people didn’t know her, and she caught snippets of puzzled whispers, though they were subdued, probably out of fear Bai Xu would overhear.

If he got angry, he wouldn’t care about the occasion—not for a charity gala, not even for his father’s birthday banquet. If something displeased him, he’d show it, regardless.

Inside, the pair climbed to the second floor and settled by the railing.

Below, the business moguls mingled and toasted, but neither Lin Xi nor Bai Xu cared for socializing, so there was no need to join the bustle.

Lin Xi accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter, sipped lightly, then set it aside.

“Take a look?” Bai Xu handed her the auction catalog.

Tonight’s lots were from the private collections of several downstairs luminaries. Lin Xi wasn’t interested in jewelry but was drawn to a painting of a chess match.

“Why that one?” Bai Xu glanced at it, baffled.

He had no interest in calligraphy or paintings.

“Perfect for gifting to Grandfather,” Lin Xi fixed her gaze on the starting price—eighteen million.

Bai Xu asked, “How much do you think it’ll go for? Thirty million?”

“About that,” Lin Xi calculated. “If the final price stays under thirty million, I’ll take it. Anything higher, I’ll let it go.”

“Got it,” Bai Xu made a mental note.

The auction would officially begin at seven-thirty, and the major players were arriving one after another.

Lin Xi spun the paddle in her hand, ready to bid.

As seven-thirty approached, attendants opened the doors to the auction hall. Qin Yu entered, flanked by two assistants.

Many downstairs rose to greet him, eager to make conversation.

The commotion was hard for Lin Xi to ignore.

Seeing this, Bai Xu curved his lips and motioned toward the other side, “Hey, over there.”

Lin Xi followed his gesture and spotted a familiar figure standing below.

A woman in a wine-red gown, exquisitely beautiful, stood just behind Qin Yu, smiling radiantly.

Song Ning.

They hadn’t arrived together, but Song Ning’s gaze remained fixed on Qin Yu, her gentle smile and obedient posture making her look as if she belonged at his side.

Lin Xi calmly withdrew her gaze and looked at Bai Xu. “You did this on purpose.”

Her tone was cool—not a question, but a statement.

Bai Xu merely smiled, tacitly admitting it.

Noticing they wore the same dress, Lin Xi gripped her glass tightly, annoyance flashing in her eyes.

She started to rise, but Bai Xu quickly pressed her hand down. “Where are you going?”

“Are you insane?” Lin Xi glared at him.

“As the saying goes, wearing the same outfit isn’t scary—what matters is who wears it better. What are you afraid of?” Behind his glasses, Bai Xu’s eyes brimmed with amusement. “She’s nowhere near your league.”

“…"

Lin Xi hadn’t actually intended to flee, just didn’t want to keep wearing this dress.

On the way here, she’d wondered what tricks Bai Xu might pull, but she’d never expected this.

She wasn’t embarrassed, but she hated being compared to Song Ning or even mentioned alongside her.

“Are you trying to mess with me? Or Song Ning? Or Third Brother?”

Bai Xu leaned closer, whispering in her ear, “You and Third Brother are untouchable. But this Song woman—she’s fair game.”

“What are you really up to?”

“Relax. I just want her to understand something,” Bai Xu smiled enigmatically. “A barnyard hen is still a barnyard hen, no matter how many feathers she sticks on herself and thinks she’s a phoenix. How naive.”

“Tonight, I’ll pluck those feathers from her tail and hand them to you.”

(End of chapter)