Lin Fang's lips twitched under the mask, a silent grin forming. "Well, if just ores are selling at such a price, the end product should be worth even more, right?"

"Yes, but I think if you want to use all of them, the fees taken by Blacksmiths will also be higher, kiddo."

"I know…" Lin Fang's mood slightly soured a bit, but he put those thoughts away and stayed satisfied that he could end his debt sooner than he expected.

By the time the first round of the blind auction finally wrapped up, the hall's atmosphere had eased. And the clock read 7:03 p.m., just 3 minutes more than expected.

Lin Fang leaned back on his chair, exhaling softly through the mask. "Now, according to the file, only 10 items are left. Even if we consider 10 minutes per item, the bidding war will only take around 100 minutes, adding to 20 minutes of possible recess, it will end by nine as expected… From 10 to 11, dinner, and then go for the 23:45 show, which will end by 2. We will then have until morning to spend time with one another. I can sleep on the flight…" he thought, glancing briefly toward the other end of the hall — toward table number 2, where Li Liu sat with Zhi Yan and Leng Xuenyi.

But just as he relaxed a little, the hostess clapped her hands, her voice ringing through the mic.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will now take a ninety-minute dinner break! The second round will commence at exactly 8:30 p.m. Please enjoy the meal prepared by Nengyi Manor's master chefs."

The announcement drew a few pleased murmurs from the guests — and a groan from Lin Fang's heart. No one expected it, as they weren't informed of this at all.

But before anyone could even complain, a line of servants in white gloves approached each table with silver trays, unveiling delicacies like golden roast Thunder Goose, mana-infused seafood, gemstone fruit salads, and aged spirit wine.

The aroma hit everyone like a storm, especially for Lin Fang, who had never seen, let alone eaten, anything that looked so exquisite. His stomach growled quietly in protest.

But then reality hit — the wolf mask over his face that covered his mouth.

He sighed internally. "Great. I can't even eat with this thing on."

Vivian, sitting beside him, noticed his quiet frustration and chuckled softly, swirling her wine glass. "You could always take off the mask, you know. No one will mind."

Lin Fang shook his head lightly. "No, it's fine. I'll eat later."

Vivian raised a brow but didn't push further, turning her focus back to her plate — cutting into a t steak with effortless grace.

Across the hall, at table number 2, Li Liu sat still, barely touching her food, just like Lin Fang. However, her reasoning was different from his. Her eyes were on her phone, watching as the signal icon flickered back to life — the jammers had been lifted during the break.

She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the keyboard before finally typing a message.

Li Liu: Have you arrived in Peking City?

A few tables away, Lin Fang's phone vibrated under the table. He quickly glanced down at the screen, reading her message.

A small smile crept beneath the mask.

Lin Fang: Yes. I checked into Four Seasons. Will you arrive on time?

For a moment, there was silence between the pings. Then her reply came.

Li Liu: I think the auction might end around 11 or even 11:30 p.m. We are going to miss the And you have to leave by dawn for the trials. I'm sorry... I guess we can't go on the date after all. Let's go as we originally planned — after the trials are over.

Lin Fang stared at the message for a moment before typing back slowly.

Lin Fang: I understand.

He set the phone down quietly. The disappointment lingered, faint but real — yet he couldn't bring himself to be upset.

After all, he was in a similar situation as hers, too. If anything that eased him was that she was just a few tables away.

He exhaled through his mask, eyes flicking to her one last time. Li Liu had gone back to her calm demeanor, listening politely to whatever Zhi Yan was saying beside her. She started eating.

Meanwhile, Vivian leaned closer to Lin Fang with a smirk, noticing where he was looking.

"Something interesting over there?"

Lin Fang glanced away instantly. "No… nothing."

Vivian chuckled softly, sipping her wine again. "C'mon, you don't have to be shy. They look beautiful and have flawless skin. There's nothing wrong with watching a beauty, but…" She faked displeasure, puffing her cheeks while looking away. "You have a beauty right beside you, and you are looking elsewhere. That feels like an insult to me. Hmpf…"

Lin Fang grumbled at that comment. "You sure love to mess with me, but I can't refute your statement…"

Vivian couldn't help but giggle, covering her mouth the next moment.

As the faint sound of a piano filled the hall, the guests of the auction enjoyed their dinner. Putting away his phone, Lin Fang hesitated for a second before finally lifting the wolf mask just enough to expose his mouth. He ate in small, careful motions, each bite quiet and restrained.

However, his mind wasn't on the food at all. Every few seconds, his gaze shifted subtly, especially toward table number 2. Li Liu was still there, head bowed slightly as she discussed something with Zhi Yan.

He looked away instantly.

Better not draw attention. Not here.

Though the food before him looked like delicacies from top-end restaurants, the taste barely registered on his tongue.

Vivian noticed his distraction but didn't comment further, simply sipping her wine and continuing to observe the room with her usual sharp, knowing eyes.

Soon, the dishes were cleared away, and the chatter dimmed to a quieter murmur. The faint hum of anticipation spread through the hall again.

Exactly at 8:30 P.M., Servants returned again, this time, they moved between tables, handing out thin black folders sealed with the insignia of a five-pointed star. Inside were details of the items listed for the second round — descriptions, estimated values, and reserve prices. These ones were kept secret even before, from everyone.

As a result, around him, guests began flipping through the pages, the soft rustle of paper filling the air. Conversations reignited, all around the tables, some taking photos and discussing with their company management elsewhere, while some discussing with their companions on the same table.

"I'm going for item six. The Philosopher's Heart — it'll go beyond fifty million, easily."

"Let's aim for item eight. That's the real treasure tonight."

"Hey, Brother, can you send another 100 million. The items in the second round are darn impressive."

Lin Fang didn't pay much attention to the list Vivian was reading and discussing on the phone or the others. He calmly shut his eyes under the mask and patiently waited.

At 9:00 P.M. exactly, the man and woman — the hosts from earlier — reappeared on the stage, dressed anew, their smiles unchanged but sharper now.

"We hope you all enjoyed the dinner," the hostess said, her voice echoing gently through the enchanted mic. "Now then, let's begin the final auction — the second and last round of tonight's event."

She stepped forward, her heels clicking softly against the marble as she reached into her dimensional ring.

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