Ye Chen was in Sunset City, feeling desolate and low; Li Ruo was busy with her work in New York. She couldn’t recall when her office started echoing with the refreshing song "Dear Stranger."
The straightforward tune, the cheerful lody, and the enchanting lyrics never failed to bring Li Ruo to tears as she listened.
"One smile after another; one tear after another, every ti, believing it to be forever’s endownt, an unbearable wound that heals too late. We have each found our place, promises are admitted as shackles only after separation; wrongdoings are romanticized setbacks. So don’t ask what’s missing for us to not have an ending; everything has borne fruit, yet reaped by others. Back then, too young to endure solitude, mistaking trials for tornt, the right person will eventually co because the mistakes were plenty. One must contemplate life with soone they don’t wish to live for, to ultimately live with soone they should love, having been here! Having walked this path! It’s the dear stranger who completes .
When the dust settles, let not mories provoke, why deliberately grieve, to prove past happiness, ti changes both you and , revealing truths we barely have ti to look back on, nonchalance is a necessary persistence..."
Li Ruo admitted she had lost Ye Chen. Yet, deep down, she never forgot him. For soone she loved so deeply, she neither felt hatred nor love. But in Li Ruo’s innermost heart, how should Ye Chen be defined?
Perhaps, it could be sumd up in one sentence: Because there was love, it’s destined we can’t beco enemies; because they hurt each other, it’s destined we can’t beco friends. They’re strangers, the most familiar strangers.
Because of the sweetness they once shared, the most fitting phrase to describe it is ’dear stranger’!
Li Ruo put down the docunts in her hand and gazed out at the bustling world outside the window, exhaling a fragrant breath, she said, "Ye Chen, my most dear stranger, are you well?"
Far away, as if feeling Li Ruo’s call, Ye Chen stood by a floor-to-ceiling window, a cigarette between his fingers, looking up at the sky, he responded, "Xiao Ruo, are you well? Are you still adapting after leaving ?"
The long-distance exchange between the two beca a tiless lody.
...
Within the United States, a silver-haired old madam appeared disheartened at a New York port, followed by a woman and a male guard. As the old madam’s personal bodyguards, the two were also rather bedraggled. Losing all wealth instantly at the headquarters made her very sad. Without wealth, bank deposits had long been frozen by the Red Robed Sect Leader Bai He. Originally hidden in the San Francisco number three hundred and fifteen villa, all her wealth was her last bit of funds. Now even these funds were gone, therefore, she completely lost her activity funds.
In the past, wherever she went, she must be in first class, staying in the most luxurious hotels. And when arriving at a good place, she would even impulsively buy a villa as her base. Now, without money, she could only travel in regular economy class, sotis even taking large ships. Her lodging was just an ordinary hotel. If it weren’t for Nizi having so savings herself, the old madam would have no money for travel.
"Grandma, our funds are tight, we are on the verge of bankruptcy!" Nizi was very worried, as the Pope, to have fallen to such a pitiful state. She felt it was undeserving for her grandma. If it weren’t for the oppressive pressure from within the Church Court, it wouldn’t have led to today’s plight.
"Humph, if it weren’t for that bastard Ye Chen, I wouldn’t be so miserable!" The old madam was still stubborn, she insisted on blaming Ye Chen for all her troubles.
"Grandma, Ye Chen has many people on his side, if we confront him forcefully, we won’t stand a chance!" Nizi quickly said.
"It’s just money!" The old madam gritted her teeth, "There is so here!"
With that, she struck her cane against the ground, declaring, "The ruby on this scepter is worth ten million dollars, humph, I don’t believe I can be pushed to the edge by you all, plus, the scepter itself is made of pure gold. It’s worth millions too. Humph!"
"Ah?!" Nizi was startled, exclaiming, "Grandma, how can you sell this scepter, it’s your treasure!"
"At this point, what treasure is there to speak of!" The old madam huffed, presently resembling a rustic country woman with disheveled hair, she sighed deeply, "The most important issue now is to solve basic needs first."
"Alright!" Nizi nodded reluctantly, three people need money for all expenses, currently, all their combined pocket money barely amounts to ten thousand yuan, which won’t last more than a few days, hence, Nizi was helpless too. Only by auctioning the gemstone could they exchange for a comfortable life. The old madam always led a luxurious life, demanding quality in food, clothing, living, and travel. Thus, the necessities had to be very particular as well.
Nizi stowed away the old madam’s ruby, this piece of ruby was directly pried by the old madam out of the scepter. Just watching it made Nizi heartache. However, the ruby had been pried out, so Nizi could only pocket it. To sell the ruby for the best price, the only way is to find an auction agency. Only through auction can the ruby fetch the best price.
Nizi found an auction agency, and the people there were thrilled upon seeing the ruby, such a ruby should indeed fetch a very high price. Excited, he said, "Great, lady, where did you get such a ruby?"
"Does your auction agency still need to inquire about the provenance of items?" Nizi frowned.
"No, no, it’s not that!" The person in charge hurriedly replied, "I just find it incredible how such a precious ruby appeared in this world!"
"Since it appeared, it has its reason to be here!" Nizi smiled faintly, "I believe this ruby will definitely set a record for your auction house, isn’t that right?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The person in charge nodded quickly, and then said with a smile, "Lady, please co inside, I will have soone serve you tea!"
"No thanks, just make a receipt, I want to leave the ruby in your care!" Nizi gave him a look, then said, "Give a receipt, I’m short on ti."
"Okay!" The person in charge nodded quickly, then turned and led Nizi toward the office, carefully placing the ruby into a jade box, even this box’s value was in the hundreds of thousands. In the eyes of ordinary people, this alone is a treasure, not to ntion the red gemstone. After settling everything, he handed Nizi a ticket, saying, "Miss, will the item remain here for us to keep, or will you take it back?"
"Of course, leave it here in your care!" Nizi glanced at the person in charge, saying, "What if I take it back and soone robs ?"
"Hehe, since it’s in our custody, we will need to charge a maintenance fee!" The person in charge looked at Nizi awkwardly, then said, "As you know, your item is extrely valuable, our auction house needs to employ a large number of security and install lots of surveillance to ensure its safety. All these require money!"
"How much?" Nizi inquired curiously.
"Maintenance fee would be at least several ten thousand!" The person in charge quickly responded, "Additionally, in the days leading up to the auction, our company will need to insure this ruby, in case it gets stolen, our company simply couldn’t compensate you!"
"Oh, it doesn’t matter, do what you must, these expenses will just be deducted from the auction proceeds!" Nizi looked at him and smiled, "You’re holding the ruby, aren’t you reassured?"
"No, no, no!" The person in charge quickly gestured no, and said, "It’s not about not being reassured, it’s just precautionary notice, lest you think of as greedy afterward!"
"Don’t worry, I won’t think of you that way!" Nizi said, taking the receipt and turning to leave.
Watching Nizi’s departure, the person in charge was quite puzzled. This was his first ti, in over twenty years of auctioneering, encountering such a straightforward client. In the past, so sellers insisted repeatedly on careful handling for even goods worth just a few thousand, not to ntion so who insisted on keeping their items personally due to distrust. Such instances were nurous.
But Nizi’s attitude simply amazed him, from beginning to end, she never once reiterated the need for careful custody, nor did she show a hint of reluctance. The person in charge murmured, "Truly a peculiar custor!"
Although Nizi’s attitude surprised him, the person in charge still handled it cautiously, imdiately notifying his boss for further instructions. This New York auction house is a subsidiary of the Tianya Group. Naturally, it would fall under Li Ruo’s purview.
Li Ruo’s office.
Xiao Bing hastily knocked on the door, bringing Li Ruo out of her days-long daze. Hearing the knock, she replied, "Co in!"
"Yes!" Xiao Bing promptly entered.
"What’s so urgent?" Li Ruo, having known Xiao Bing for years as her secretary, understood every nuance of her actions. The manner Xiao Bing knocked had already conveyed urgency.
"Mr. Li, urgent news, big news!" Xiao Bing, catching her breath, said, "Our subsidiary auction house received a major item, the company head asked to inform you. It’s an extrely rare ruby, valued at over ten million dollars."
"My goodness, so expensive?!" Even Li Ruo couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
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