Wait, I Got in the Wrong Car (GL) - Chapter 35

“You want my Xiao Wu to model for your Zhou auction?” The dangerous edge of Ye Moli’s wicked grin sharpened. “Who came up with that idea?”

“Who?” Zhou Liuyu’s heart, which had just steadied from dealing with two tactless fools, now plummeted. A sense of dread surged within him as he turned to glare at Wanqi Tianhan. Even from a distance, Wanqi Tianxin and her two friends were rattled by the warning flashing in his narrowed eyes.

Wanqi Tianxin quietly tugged at her friends’ sleeves. “I… I think I just threw my brother under the bus.”

Chen Ruiling remained perfectly composed. “Not necessarily.”

Wu Si pulled out her phone and typed in Ye Moli’s name. In moments, photos filled the screen, each one resembling a runway shot that captured a striking man stepping out of a dream. She glanced at the real person before her. It was as if he had stepped out of the pictures. Again, she sighed at the superior family genes and carefully studied his biography. “Whoa, Xiao Yu’er’s brother is seriously impressive.”

Vice President of the International Jewelry Association. The thirteenth honorary president of the Huaxia Antique Society. An internationally certified gemologist. His resume was a parade of prestigious affiliations with major global jewelry companies and world-renowned fashion icons who insisted he style their shows.

Wu Si summed it up in just two words. He was the top dog.

Given his credentials, agreeing to attend the Zhou Corporation’s centennial jewelry auction was a tremendous honor. After all, Zhou wasn’t even a top international name. At best, it was a time-honored local brand. No wonder Young Master Zhou had been overly ‘humble’ throughout.

Wanqi Tianhan was stunned. One had the surname Mo, the other Ye. He had never imagined that his sister’s friend would be connected to Ye Moli. Just ten minutes ago, he had been slamming fists on his boss’s desk, arguing over whether Mo Ying or a popular actress named Chai Yan better complemented the company’s heirloom jewelry.

Now, the whole situation looked downright ridiculous.

Under Ye Moli’s deadly stare, Wanqi Tianhan quickly reined in his spiraling thoughts. “Apologies, Mr. Ye. The idea was mine. I thought Miss Mo had a unique charm, especially those clear green eyes, bright and starry, captivating like a night sky. She seemed destined to pair with our heirloom piece. None of the others could do it justice. Only Miss Mo could. So I privately invited her to help.”

Mo Ying, sensing the strange tension in the air, nodded. “I came to help.”

Instead of being angry, Ye Moli chuckled, gently playing with Mo Ying’s soft earlobe. She tried to dodge, but he only pressed further, tweaking until it flushed red. “Since Xiao Wu likes it, how about Third Brother buys it for you as a gift?”

Wanqi Tianxin clutched Wu Si’s arm tightly. “I’m jealous. How amazing would it be to have such a gentle, handsome, and rich brother?”

Wu Si slapped the hand clamped on her. “Pinch your own arm next time.”

Mo Ying mimicked Wu Si and smacked Ye Moli’s teasing hand away. “But they don’t need my help anymore. The person they invited has arrived. Third Brother, why don’t we go?”

Ye Moli wasn’t bothered by the red mark on his hand. Smiling faintly, he ran his fingers through Mo Ying’s messy hair, unlooped the green ribbon from his wrist, and casually tied her hair back. In doing so, he noticed a blue teardrop pendant nestled among the strands.

A violent coughing fit erupted from Young Master Zhou. He choked on his own saliva, nearly passing out, his heart once again leaping from his chest at Mo Ying’s words. “Miss, there must be some misunderstanding between us. Please give me a chance to show our sincerity.”

Mo Ying blinked at him. “A misunderstanding? But I heard from Tianxin’s brother that—”

Zhou Liuyu immediately nodded. “A misunderstanding. Definitely a misunderstanding.” He turned, grabbing Wanqi Tianhan’s arm in a death grip, growling under his breath, “I don’t care who you invited before. Even if it’s the Emperor himself, cancel them. Understood?”

Wanqi Tianhan could barely contain his joy. From every angle, Mo Ying was the perfect fit. He had been torn between marketable fame and true compatibility, but now that decision was out of his hands. And to think, he had wasted breath trying to persuade his boss, only to be steamrolled in the end.

Clearly, when a true powerhouse speaks, even stardom crumbles.

“Understood. I’ll make arrangements immediately.”

Zhou Liuyu wiped his brow and invited everyone into the VIP lounge, singing Mo Ying’s praises the entire way. He kept it up until even Wanqi Tianxin and her friends were cringing.

Ye Moli, however, was clearly enjoying it. “My Xiao Wu was born radiant, one in a million. Your employee’s good taste is your Zhou Corporation’s fortune.”

“Absolutely,” Zhou Liuyu replied.

Mo Ying’s eyes curved into slits from all the compliments, completely unaware that Wanqi Tianhan had just landed a perfect blow to his superior’s face.

Ye Moli played with the pendant again, rolling it between his fingers. His smile faded slightly. “How could such a flawed piece be dangling from your hair? Let Third Brother replace it with a new one, all right?”

Mo Ying shook her head like a drum. “No.”

Ye Moli didn’t push, instead asking slyly, “Who gave it to you? You treasure it this much? Xiao Wu, did you secretly make a strange new friend behind my back?”

Mo Ying thought of the hidden door. “It was from Lou Xiaohei.”

Ye Moli gripped the pendant tighter. “Lou Xiaohei? Who is that? What does she do?”

Mo Ying frowned, digging through her fish-brain memories. She couldn’t recall Lou Anran’s job at all. The book she had read only mentioned a few vague, mostly negative things.

As a girlfriend, not knowing anything about her own girlfriend felt pretty irresponsible.

Mo Ying pinched her own cheek, puzzled. “I don’t know what she does. I’ll tell you when I find out.”

A flash crossed Ye Moli’s pale green eyes. “This pendant looks cracked. It ruins the aesthetic. Let me fix it, and I’ll reweave it into your hair later.”

Without waiting for a response, he carefully untangled it. “See? It’s broken. I’ll repair it and give it back.”

Mo Ying caught a glimpse of a deep crack before the pendant disappeared into Ye Moli’s pocket.

“Miss Mo, the makeup artist is ready for you.”

“Okay.”

At the door, Mo Ying turned back. “Third Brother, you have to return it once it’s fixed. Otherwise, Lou Xiaohei might break down the door.”

Ye Moli nodded with a smile. “Once I fix it, I’ll weave it back in myself.”

After Mo Ying left, only Ye Moli and the three girls remained. The awkward air thickened between them.

Ye Moli approached, smiling politely. “Since you’re friends with Xiao Wu, that makes you my friends too. I just got back to the country. Would you tell me some of Xiao Wu’s recent stories?”

While Mo Ying was clueless backstage, Wanqi Tianxin was spilling her secrets fast. Fortunately, the modeling didn’t require catwalk skills or stage presence. Mo Ying only needed to appear alongside Zhou’s treasured heirloom, the Mermaid’s Tear, take a photo with it, and wear it for a short while.

Thanks to Ye Moli’s status, the three girls were seated front row. Phones in hand, they watched eagerly as the auction host announced the final item.

“Does this mean Xiao Yu’er accidentally landed a brand endorsement?” Wanqi Tianxin was so excited it felt like she was the one going on stage. “Ahhh, my idol!”

“I suppose so…” Chen Ruiling scooted to the side, tired of the chatter, her eyes fixed on the entrance like she was waiting for someone.

“Total dominance. No competition,” Wu Si whispered. “I saw Chai Yan yelling at her assistant in the restroom earlier. Apparently, she blamed them for not calling her in time, which is why she was late. She’s probably mad her spot got taken. Watch out, she might try to sabotage Xiao Yu’er.”

“Chai Yan? The one Xiao Yu’er just crushed?”

“She brought it on herself. No one else to blame.”

“Agreed.”

Basically, if Chai Yan hadn’t lost her temper on the phone, acting like a diva, her staff wouldn’t have assumed she bailed. That misstep led to Wanqi Tianhan’s desperate call, and Mo Ying’s unexpected rise.

Reflecting on the day’s twists and turns, the three girls sighed. Truly, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

The lights dimmed. Excitement rippled through the venue as the host declared the final item. All eyes turned to Mo Ying.

She walked out in a golden fishtail gown. Under the spotlight, her pale skin shimmered like flecks of gold. A beam of light hit her graceful neck, projecting a close-up of a bl00d-red teardrop-shaped gem. It mirrored the rhinestones near her eye perfectly.

“I-I-I…”

“Just a quick photo to keep for myself, that’s not too bad, right?” Wu Si muttered guiltily, her camera already rolling.

Ye Moli watched the little mermaid at the center stage. His eyes were soft, but his fingers tightened. The blue pendant in his palm shattered into two sharp halves, revealing a needle-thin black object inside. A red light blinked a few times, then died.

Lou Xiaohei?

He needed to find out exactly who that person was.