Chapter Nineteen: Trying to Make Young Master Jiang the Scapegoat
As the bidding steadily climbed, many guests had already dropped out. Among those still bidding was Zheng Yeshu. Just as Zheng Yeshu was smugly confident, certain she would win the necklace, Shen Suining finally raised her paddle. With a single motion, Shen Suining called out a bid of three hundred million.
Her bold move stunned everyone present. Pei Min and Jiang Runlang simultaneously turned their gaze toward Shen Suining, their shock matching that of the rest.
“No way! Has Shen Suining lost her mind? Where did she get the nerve to bid three hundred million?”
“Isn’t Shen Suining just Jiang Jiang’s nanny? Could she possibly have some hidden identity?”
Whispers erupted around the room.
Yet Shen Suining remained as composed as ever, indifferent to the stares and murmurs. Sitting gracefully beside Jiang Runlang, Lin Yinxī’s fingers suddenly clenched her gown tightly upon hearing Shen Suining’s bid. The diamonds decorating her nails caught the delicate threads of her dress, instantly ruining the thirty-million-worth Canzi Star River gown.
But Lin Yinxī no longer cared about the damage. Her heart churned with jealousy.
Why? How could it be fair?
Shen Suining’s background was clearly inferior to hers, yet she was so fortunate. Though she had lost Jiang Runlang’s favor, Shen Suining could still summon three hundred million to bid for this necklace!
Lin Yinxī was unwilling to accept this. She bit her lip and cautiously glanced at Jiang Runlang. She too desired the necklace dearly.
However, she knew that Jiang Runlang had already lavished her with this thirty-million gown—an extravagant favor. To ask for the necklace now would be overstepping.
She had yet to establish her footing by Jiang Runlang’s side or fully dethrone Shen Suining. She dared not make reckless demands.
Still, the thought of letting Shen Suining win the necklace made her chest tighten with frustration.
Fortunately, Lin Yinxī was not alone in this struggle.
Jiang Jiang stood with her!
Seeing Lin Yinxī’s tentative look toward Jiang Runlang, Jiang Jiang rolled her eyes then grabbed one of Jiang Runlang’s hands, swinging it back and forth. “Daddy! I want this necklace! Will you buy it for me?”
For Jiang Runlang, spending three hundred million to win a necklace his daughter desired was trivial.
However, this was only if Jiang Jiang’s wish was genuine, not to satisfy someone else’s greed.
He looked at Jiang Jiang gently and asked, “Jiang Jiang, do you really like this necklace?”
Jiang Jiang nodded vigorously. “Of course! Daddy, I love pretty gems best!”
“Do you plan to give it to someone else?” Jiang Runlang inquired.
Jiang Jiang hesitated slightly, then whispered into his ear, “I want to give it to Mommy.”
By “Mommy,” she naturally meant Lin Yinxī.
Though Jiang Jiang spoke quietly, Lin Yinxī heard every word clearly.
Her face betrayed no emotion, but inside she felt some relief. It had been worth the effort to win Jiang Jiang’s favor. Now they were united.
Jiang Runlang loved Jiang Jiang dearly; surely, Lin Yinxī’s dream of becoming Jiang Runlang’s woman would soon come true.
Just as she thought this, Jiang Runlang chuckled softly and immediately raised his paddle, bidding three hundred and fifty million.
At this, the remaining bidders gave up entirely. The necklace was indeed valuable, but three hundred million was already a high price; anything more would be foolish.
Though this was a charity auction, none of the guests were philanthropists—none would casually spend hundreds of millions.
Just as everyone assumed no one would dare challenge Jiang Runlang further, Shen Suining bid again.
“Four hundred million.”
The room erupted in shock.
Everyone gawked at Shen Suining as if she were a monster.
Had she lost her mind?
Zheng Yeshu, having withdrawn earlier, could not help but speak up. “Shen Suining, do you know your limits? Who gave you the courage to bid four hundred million? Are you deliberately driving up the price to make Mr. Jiang a fool?”
Her words sparked agreement among the guests.
“So that’s it! Shen Suining must have known Mr. Jiang would bid and is just trying to annoy him.”
“She looks so gentle and meek, but her mind is so dirty!”
“Exactly! It’s disgusting! She’s counting on Mr. Jiang’s sure win to play these dirty tricks—utterly immoral!”
“If you ask me, Mr. Jiang should stop bidding and let this spiteful woman suffer the consequences.”
“Right! If she’s deliberately inflating the price, she should pay the price herself! I want to see if she can really come up with four hundred million!”
The murmurs grew louder, some hot-tempered guests even began cursing Shen Suining, as if she had committed an unforgivable crime.
At that moment, Jiang Runlang suddenly turned his gaze to Shen Suining. His eyes darkened, as if trying to see through her entirely.
“Shen Suining, will you explain yourself?” he asked.
Whether intentional or not, he wanted to hear her response.
But Shen Suining merely lifted her eyes calmly. Her gaze lingered on Jiang Runlang’s face for half a second, then shifted past him to the auctioneer.
“Can we close the bid now?” she asked.
The auctioneer, recovering from his astonishment, quickly announced, “Four hundred million once, four hundred million twice, four hundred million...”
Just as the hammer was about to fall, Jiang Jiang swung Jiang Runlang’s arm and shouted, “Daddy! I want this necklace!”
She had always loved sparkling jewels. Though she had decided the necklace would ultimately belong to Lin Yinxī, it was theirs, not to be taken by Mommy.
With this resolve, Jiang Jiang lifted Jiang Runlang’s hand.
Jiang Runlang promptly raised the bid. “Four hundred and fifty million.”
Jiang Jiang, unaware of the staggering sums, knew one thing: Daddy had won!
Wrapping her arms around Jiang Runlang’s neck, the little girl looked toward Shen Suining, proudly flaunting their victory.