Chapter 43: I Light the Heavenly Lantern for Jiang Li

Hearing Jiang Xue directly raise the bid for a single bowl from two million to five million, the crowd was left speechless, some once again wearing the expression of fools.

"I really don't understand, are the rich nowadays just too whimsical? But isn't Jiang Xue representing the Jiang Corporation? Could she be representing her father, Jiang Jintao? Is she openly rebelling against the Jiang Corporation now? After all, that other young lady represents the Jiang Corporation!"

"How ridiculous. I understand less and less what Miss Jiang Xue is trying to do. But looking at her fiancé Qin Mu's face just now, he seemed to really dislike her."

Jiang Xue couldn't be bothered with the whispering behind her. She looked at Jiang Li with a provocative gaze, "Well, Cousin Jiang Li? I'm bidding on this bowl for our little Chenchen to use, what on earth are you bidding for? After all, taking this to sweep a grave would be a terrible waste of a treasure!"

Jiang Li's anger was instantly ignited, and she said through gritted teeth, "Ten million!"

Jiang Xue sneered, "Cousin Jiang Xue, let me warn you, if you buy this trash yourself to use for some dead kid, you'll have to pay for it out of your own pocket. The Jiang Corporation won't foot the bill, so you better think carefully and not bite off more than you can chew. Besides, Brother Qin Mu isn't even here—who are you putting on a show for with this bid?"

Jiang Li clenched her fists, her eyes burning with anger, "Jiang Xue, I've tolerated you for a long time. You'd better reserve a little virtue for your own words. Don't forget that even though little Chenchen was raised by you and you are his biological mother, he doesn't like you at all. So what if you have a child? Let me tell you, if I want to take him away, you won't be able to stop me!"

"You..." Jiang Xue stood up from her seat in a fury, glaring at Jiang Li with a trace of wrath. Hearing the auctioneer announce the second call of ten million, she raised her hand directly, "Fifteen million!"

In the end, the entire auction venue was abuzz with discussions about the crazy actions of these two women.

Emerging from the restroom, Qin Mu looked at Jiang Xue with utter disappointment. A sharp pain gripped his heart, forcing him to clutch his chest and stand frozen in place. Disappointment toward Jiang Xue had permeated his entire being.

Over the past four years, no matter how hard Jiang Xue tried to curry favor with him, she had never been able to warm Qin Mu's heart.

He had searched for Jiang Li for four years, forcing himself into asceticism for four years, suffering heartache for four years. He didn't want Jiang Li to suffer even the slightest grievance—how could he ever bring himself to speak the truth about his father's fatal car accident?

Moreover, the heavy boulder of the fact that Chenchen's biological mother was Jiang Xue left Qin Mu gasping for air.

"Fifteen million, going twice!" As the auctioneer finished, Jiang Xue spoke provokingly, "Cousin, if you don't have the financial strength, don't pretend to be a big shot by slapping your face until it swells. Just a commoner like you, who can't even afford to raise a child, whose house was schemed away, a homeless little bitch—and you still want to compete with me?"

Jiang Li was so angry she gnashed her teeth. Beyond the limit of endurance, she stood up and delivered a sharp slap across Jiang Xue's face.

"Bitch, who are you cursing?"

Jiang Xue wore a defiant expression, "I'm cursing a bitch!"

"Ha!" A thunderous roar of laughter erupted from the audience.

Realizing what she had just said, Jiang Xue raised a hand to strike Jiang Li, but Lin凡 caught her arm.

"Miss Jiang Xue, you are not yet the heir of the Jiang Corporation. Please show some respect. The two of us represent the Jiang Corporation; if you continue to provoke us again and again, I will not be polite!"

"You!" Shoved away by Lin Fan, Jiang Xue was beside herself with rage. "Let me tell you, this bowl is mine no matter what!"

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and a straight figure stepped through, accompanied by a resounding voice echoing across the room, "I want all the remaining three lots! I am lighting the sky lamp for Miss Jiang Li!"

Lighting the sky lamp, as the name implied, meant that regardless of the cost, the person would take everything.

As soon as the man finished speaking, everyone's gaze shifted toward the entrance.

They saw a man in a black trench coat, with a buzz cut, exquisite facial features, and gleaming leather shoes, removing his sunglasses as he walked toward Jiang Li with unperturbed calm.

"Jiang Li, I'm late."

A commotion swept through the crowd.

It was Ji Han, the helm of the Ji Corporation. Rumors had it that his grandmother, Chairperson Emerita Ji Rong, never married and gave birth to Ji Han's father through IVF, making Ji Han the sole male heir of his generation.

Ji Han was the undisputed successor of the Ji family. Legend had it that he harbored an unrequited crush on his college classmate, pursuing her relentlessly simply because the girl had fallen for another man.

What's more, he had even gone to work as a doctor in a hospital for two years just for that girl.

Jiang Li had also heard this legend, but until now, she had no idea who the girl Ji Han liked actually was.

She only knew that Ji Han had always been quite caring toward her and Youyou. According to her mother, Ji Han had once expressed a desire to be with Jiang Li, only to be rejected by her.

After all, she was a woman whose reputation was tarnished, carrying Youyou with her, and she was still legally married to Chen Shaojie; she simply wasn't worthy of Ji Han.

Thinking of Chen Shaojie gave Jiang Li a headache.

She needed a divorce. She needed to unearth evidence of Chen Shaojie harming Youyou, as well as proof of his infidelity, so she could strip him of everything in the divorce.

Yet right now, Jiang Li was still drowning in agony, Youyou hadn't been found, and Chen Shaojie was still roaming free.

"Dr. Ji, h-how did you come here?" Jiang Li still found it hard to believe, especially since Grandma Ji and Grandpa Ji had said Ji Han wouldn't arrive for another month.

Ji Han nodded. "I was burning with anxiety, so I came early. Jiang Li, from now on, I will protect you from any harm. Whatever you want, I will bid on it for you, and no one will ever be able to snatch it away."

Jiang Li felt somewhat awkward. Just as she was about to speak, her hand was tightly grasped by Ji Han.

He leaned in close and whispered, "Grandma and Grandpa Jiang asked me to come quickly. I have so many things to tell you—just play along for now!"

Jiang Li nodded.

Meanwhile, waves of murmurs rose among the crowd: "Heavens, young master Ji of the Beijing Ji family is here! He's actually backing Jiang Li up—what on earth is their relationship?"

"Could this Miss Jiang Li be the secret crush of Young Master Ji? That's insane, right?"

"I honestly have no idea what background this Ms. Jiang has, but they look so perfect together!"

Hearing the gossip, Jiang Xue stepped forward, unconvinced. "You're the young master of the Beijing Ji family—do you even know my cousin Jiang Li? Actually, she's a thoroughly rotten person, she..."

"Enough. What kind of person she is is not for you to judge. A woman who doesn't give a damn about the life and death of someone else's child is not worthy of speaking to me!"

Still defiant, Jiang Xue pressed on, "Jiang Li is married! She hasn't even divorced her current husband, and the child isn't even hers and her husband's. Her private life is an absolute mess—doesn't Young Master Ji mind that?"

"Shut your mouth! I said you have no right to judge her, and I am well aware of all her affairs! You'd better worry first whether you can clear yourself of the suspicions surrounding what you've done!"

"W-what do you mean?" Jiang Xue's expression flickered with panic.

Ji Han sneered, "Things like the car accident involving the elder chairman of the Qin family, the hospital paternity test tampering, and all those filthy deeds you've committed."

Ji Han's words startled Jiang Xue. She couldn't help trembling as she took two steps back, shaking her head in mounting terror, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Qin Mu walked over, and Jiang Xue, as if clutching a life-saving straw, hurriedly grabbed his arm.

"Brother Qin Mu, I don't know what he's talking about. Anyway, the auction is over, let's go, shall we?"