Chapter 16: Squeeze
Gu Fengchuan's face flushed red with embarrassment as his blood boiled.
He clearly remembered escorting his weak "fake sister" to her seat in the second row. Then, brimming with frustration, he stormed toward the front row.
"What are you doing here? The front row is reserved for top-tier guests at the auction. Don't wait until someone comes and kicks you out!"
He reached out, trying to pull Xu Youyou from her seat.
But Xu Youyou gave him a look like he was an idiot. "This is the seat arranged for me."
"Stop lying!" Gu Fengchuan snapped. "This has always been Mr. Lu's exclusive seat. You need to move before people find out you're related to the Gu family and embarrass us all."
He looked at her like she was something filthy.
Already exhausted with him, Xu Youyou simply waved her hand.
A sharply dressed staff member immediately approached. "Ms. Xu, how can I assist you?"
She pointed at Gu Fengchuan. "He's blocking my view and harassing me."
The staff member promptly stepped between them, maintaining a professional smile. "Mr. Gu, all guests here today are of high status. Even if you're trying to impress a lady, you must remain respectful."
Gu Fengchuan's face twisted with rage. I'm her brother, he thought furiously. Why did this staff act like he was a toad pestering a swan? Even if they weren't siblings—how could he ever pursue her?
"She's in the wrong seat. It belongs to Mr. Lu. He'll be here any moment and get angry!"
But the staff only smiled awkwardly. "That's Ms. Xu's designated seat. Mr. Lu's seat is next to hers."
He pointed beside Xu Youyou.
Gu Fengchuan glanced over. If Xu Youyou's seat offered the best view in the entire venue, then Mr. Lu's assigned seat was the second-best.
"How can Xu Youyou's seat be better than Mr. Lu's?" he muttered in disbelief.
The staff member merely replied, "Mr. Gu, our auction house has its own rules. I've explained all I can. The auction is about to begin. Please return to your seat."
Still dazed, Gu Fengchuan slunk back to the second row.
From behind, Gu Xueying was getting restless. "Brother, why is she still sitting there? Aren't the auction organizers going to do anything?"
"They said that's her seat," he replied.
Gu Xueying's eyes widened in shock.
But before she could say more, something even more astonishing happened.
Lu Jingyao entered the hall, flanked by staff. He paused briefly when he noticed someone already seated in what used to be his exclusive spot. His eyes narrowed in hesitation.
But the staff guided him to the seat next to Xu Youyou.
Lu Jingyao hesitated for three seconds, then calmly sat down, confirming the golden nameplate beside him. It was indeed his seat.
Xu Youyou turned to look at him and thought—What a dazzling man.
He was strikingly handsome, with a quiet, commanding presence. Song Zhibai had a fragile, almost broken charm that made people pity or want to dominate him. He was like the moon—distant and mysterious.
But Lu Jingyao was the sun—brilliant, powerful, impossible to ignore. Everyone paled in comparison beside him.
Meeting her gaze, Lu Jingyao nodded slightly.
He had already reviewed Xu Youyou's background. She looked even fairer in person than in the photos. The last time he saw her, she had been walking a small yellow dog near the neighborhood.
His assistant Liu had quickly found out that Xu Youyou was a new resident in Tangchen Yipin. Though young, she'd directly purchased a penthouse suite. Clearly wealthy and not someone to be underestimated.
Lu Jingyao had planned to meet her again, perhaps under the pretext of asking about her dog. But work had kept him too busy.
Now that fate had brought them together at the auction, he extended his hand politely. "Hello, I'm Lu Jingyao."
Xu Youyou blinked, then took his hand. "Xu Youyou."
What a pity, she thought. If this man weren't already wealthy, I'd definitely poach him into my entertainment company. Pairing him with Song Zhibai as the "Sun and Moon" duo would be perfect.
Their handshake lasted only a moment.
Lu Jingyao felt the delicate smoothness of her palm. He quickly masked the odd flutter in his chest and maintained his usual composure.
Since Lu Jingyao wasn't talkative, social tasks often fell to his assistant.
Assistant Liu smiled. "I don't think I've seen Ms. Xu before. Is this your first time attending our auction?"
Xu Youyou nodded casually. Some things didn't need to be hidden.
Liu continued, "Are you here for any specific item? Is there a collection you're interested in?"
The front row had two large circular sofas, each capable of seating at least four people. Xu Youyou sat alone on one of them.
A small table in front of her was stacked with brochures for all the auction items. She even spotted the Doucai Cup she had submitted—on the last page.
"I'm just browsing for now," she replied calmly.
Still, Liu's eyes betrayed a flicker of doubt. Her seat was better than Lu Jingyao's—it spoke volumes about her wealth and status.
"Are you bidding on anything specific? The Doucai Cup perhaps?" Xu Youyou asked with a smile.
Liu shook his head. "Mr. Lu hasn't decided yet."
What a smooth deflection, Xu Youyou thought. These assistants always know how to dodge questions.
From the second row, Gu Xueying watched as Xu Youyou shook hands with Lu Jingyao and chatted easily. Jealousy burned inside her.
She had tried everything to get close to Lu Jingyao—yet failed every time. Meanwhile, Xu Youyou sat there smiling and conversing with him like it was nothing.
She glanced back at her brother, who still looked shell-shocked, unable to process how Xu Youyou could claim such a prestigious seat.
A thought sparked in Gu Xueying's mind. That seat beside Xu Youyou was still open.
"Brother," she whispered. "That spot next to her is still empty. If we go and squeeze in, we'll get a much better view of the auction…"