Chapter 162: Flirting with His Sister in Front of Her Brother

After returning home, Xia Yu rented an office space near the Jiuding Media Company and began organizing it. This location would serve as the base for Jiuding Animation Co., Ltd. and Jiuding Publishing Co., Ltd. going forward.

The next few days were filled with activity for Xia Yu. During the day, he shuttled between the two companies, handling various tasks, and at night, he would transcribe *The Search for the Qin* in his room.

Time flew by amidst the busyness, and before he knew it, the evening of the charity auction had arrived.

After dressing up in formal attire at home and seeing that it was getting late, Xia Yu took the invitation and had Yan Shining drive them to the Sotheby's auction house.

Founded in 1744 by a London bookseller, Sotheby's is one of the oldest auction houses in the world. Over its 200-year history, it has expanded to cover every corner of the global art market, with offices in 40 countries and over 90 locations. In Hong Kong, Sotheby's holds the top position in the auction industry, surpassing even Christie's.

Soon, Xia Yu's car arrived at the Sotheby's location, and with the help of an attendant, it was parked in the designated area.

As soon as he got out of the car, Xia Yu noticed the numerous luxury vehicles parked around, indicating a high turnout of wealthy attendees that evening.

With the invitation in hand, Xia Yu was about to head towards the auction venue when he noticed a car that had just pulled up beside his own. The door opened, and Xia Yu instinctively looked over.

He saw a beautiful young woman in a beige long dress stepping out. Her clear eyes, radiant smile, and flowing black hair made her look stunningly charming.

Xia Yu was momentarily stunned. Besides being a bit dazzled, he felt that the young woman looked familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place her.

The young woman noticed Xia Yu's dazed look but was not put off by his sudden stare. Instead, she felt a hint of pleasure, as Xia Yu was quite handsome, especially in a suit, which made her feel quite pleased.

No girl dislikes being admired, especially when the admirer is a handsome man.

Xia Yu quickly regained his composure and gave her a polite smile. Their eyes met, and he saw the young woman blink, a faint blush appearing on her face.

Then, the young woman flashed a sweet smile and turned to look at another gentleman getting out of the car. With a gentle and melodious voice, she said, "Brother, come on out!"

Knowing that her brother was about to arrive, Xia Yu decided not to linger. He was about to turn away when he was called.

"Xia Sheng, it's you! I didn't expect to see you again!"

Xia Yu stopped and turned around in surprise, recognizing the voice. He smiled and said, "Oh, it's He Sheng. What a coincidence. Good evening!"

The person getting out of the car was none other than He Hongshen's eldest son, He Youguang!

They had met just seven days ago at Xia Yu's fundraising event. Since Xia Yu was the host and had many guests to attend to, he didn't have much chance to talk with He Youguang. He remembered He Youguang mentioning wanting to chat with him, so it was surprising to run into him again here.

Seeing her brother recognize the handsome young man in front of her, He Youguang's sister, He Zhaoqiong, lifted her chin slightly and curiously studied Xia Yu, as if trying to figure out who he was.

At this moment, Xia Yu also remembered who the beautiful young woman was. She was He Zhaoqiong, the daughter of the gambling king. He had seen many photos of her online in her adult years, but this pure and charming young woman was quite different. It was understandable that he hadn't recognized her immediately.

"Xia Sheng, let me introduce you. This is my sister, Zhaoqiong!"

After shaking hands with Xia Yu, He Youguang introduced the young woman to him.

"Zhaoqiong, this is Xia Sheng. You asked me before what he looked like, and here he is. Isn't he handsome?"

He Youguang teasingly addressed his sister, making Xia Yu somewhat startled and then let out a wry smile.

Upon hearing her brother's words, He Zhaoqiong's large, sparkling eyes widened even more as she looked at Xia Yu, without showing any signs of shyness.

Suddenly, she extended her delicate hand, mimicking her brother's gesture, and with a moon-shaped smile and a grin on her lips, she said, "Hello, I'm He Zhaoqiong. Nice to meet you."

Seeing He Zhaoqiong's straightforward gesture, Xia Yu was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected her to be so outgoing and not shy like most girls. Instead, she appeared quite candid.

"Hello, I'm Xia Yu. Nice to meet you!"

Xia Yu responded with a sunny smile and shook her hand. He felt her hand was very soft and delicate but soon let go in a gentlemanly manner.

"My sister is quite outgoing, but she doesn't usually act this way with just anyone. Please excuse her!"

"After attending your event, we talked about you at home, and Zhaoqiong heard about your achievements at such a young age. She was curious about the kind of person you are, so I told her about your remarkable accomplishments. Now she's seeing you in person, so…"

He Youguang explained, slightly shrugging his shoulders as he sensed Xia Yu's surprise, worried that Xia Yu might misunderstand the He family's upbringing.

"Bad brother!"

He Zhaoqiong, though outgoing, was still a sixteen-year-old girl and felt shy when her brother revealed her curiosity. She pouted and stomped her foot, giving a small huff while glancing at Xia Yu's smile and feeling too bashful to look him in the eye.

"Haha, He Sheng, you're being too formal. Miss He is charming and lovely. Anyone would like her. How could I be offended? You're overthinking it!"

Xia Yu laughed heartily, waving his hand and giving He Zhaoqiong a compliment.

However, Xia Yu seemed to forget that he was currently in the guise of a young man, not a middle-aged man. The praise coming from him in his youthful appearance created an awkward atmosphere.

Seeing He Youguang's bright smile and his meaningful look at Xia Yu and his sister, He Zhaoqiong glanced at Xia Yu and then quickly looked down, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink.

Even Yan Shining, who had been quietly waiting nearby, couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

Xia Yu realized that he might have unintentionally flirted with someone's sister in front of her brother. Moreover, He Youguang was not angry but rather seemed pleased, and it appeared that He Zhaoqiong was flattered by his compliment.

Damn!

Xia Yu thought to himself, feeling embarrassed and wishing he could slap himself. How could he make such a mistake at this time?

He had been interacting with others with an adult's mindset and had complimented He Zhaoqiong in a manner fitting of an adult. If Xia Yu had truly been an older man, there would have been no issue.

But given his current youthful appearance, the difference was quite significant!

While Xia Yu understood the situation, others did not know that his soul was that of an adult. This led to the awkward misunderstanding now.

This awkward situation had to be resolved quickly. Any misunderstandings could be cleared up later.

"Um, He Sheng, the auction is about to start. Shall we go inside?"

Fortunately, Xia Yu was thick-skinned enough to act as if nothing had happened. He checked his watch and smiled, suggesting they head in.

"Please!"

He Youguang, smiling brightly, led the still-shy He Zhaoqiong and accompanied Xia Yu inside.