The childhood sweetheart Shen Luoyan

The woman who spoke was dressed in a black tailored women's suit, accentuating her slim waist and contrasting sharply with her prominent chest.

Though she wore dress pants, her legs were visibly long and shapely. The pants' length even covered her high heels, leaving only the pointed toes visible, making her appear even taller.

Most striking, however, was her stunningly beautiful face, now tear-streaked as she gazed at Lu Han, a picture of sorrow and melancholy.

"What do you want?" 

But his first words shattered her heart. Lu Han's lips curled in a faint sneer. "Wasn't it exactly what you wanted when I left back then?"

Su Qingli caught the word "then," realizing they must have known each other many years ago.

The woman's tears flowed freely. "You misunderstand. It wasn't what you saw. Please give me a chance to explain."

"There's nothing to explain, and I don't want to hear it," Lu Han said coldly, turning his gaze to Su Qingli. "The auction is about to start. Let's go."

Just then, the elevator arrived. He turned around without hesitation.

"Oh, oh…"

Chu Ruoyan hurriedly followed but couldn't help glancing back at the woman, curious about her relationship with Lu Han.

"Lu Han…"

The woman called out softly after him, but he didn't even turn his head. Bitterness filled her heart. Yet, thinking she would see him again soon, her resolve strengthened.

Lu Han, I've finally found you. No matter what, I won't give up!

---

Inside the elevator, Su Qingli stood beside Lu Han, hesitating before cautiously asking, "Who was that woman?"

"She's an old friend from a long time ago," Lu Han replied nonchalantly, as if she meant little to him.

Su Qingli nodded, thinking how the woman had looked at Lu Han with such intense emotion. Still, she didn't press further and instead thanked him for standing up for her earlier.

"Thanks are unnecessary," Lu Han shook his head. "Remember, this arrangement was your idea. You make money for me; I solve your problems. Fair and square."

His words immediately dampened any positive impression Su Qingli might have had. She found herself oddly preferring his previous clingy behavior over his current aloofness. What's wrong with me?

After a moment of silence, she asked, "If Lin Wei hadn't apologized as you demanded, would you really have crippled him?"

"Yes," Lu Han nodded without hesitation. Although Su Qingli was just his nominal fiancée, allowing her to be bullied would make him less than a man.

Su Qingli felt a warmth in her heart but couldn't help asking, "Aren't you afraid he'd call the police?"

"He wouldn't dare," Lu Han laughed coldly. "If he sent me to jail, Changhe Industry would follow suit. Lin Wei isn't stupid enough to risk that." Su Qingli realized the truth of his words, recalling Lu Zhenxin's capabilities.

Exiting the elevator, they quickly found their way to the auction venue. As Jiangcheng's top beauty, Su Qingli's appearance drew the attention of nearly every man present. Admiration, appreciation, and lust were evident in their gazes.

But when they looked at Lu Han, their eyes shifted to curiosity and blatant jealousy, wondering who this man was to have captured Su Qingli's favor.

Lu Han knew he was the center of attention but didn't care. Instead, he possessively wrapped his arm around Su Qingli's waist, asserting his claim.

They verified their invitations, but only Lu Han received a bidding number since Su Qingli hadn't planned to bid on anything. Lu Zhenxin had assured her that whatever she liked would be paid for by Lu Han, but she didn't want to spend his money. She decided to temporarily keep anything he bought for her until their contract ended.

Lu Han led Su Qingli to their seats. There were three chairs, likely intended for bidders to bring companions, showing thoughtful planning by the organizers.

---

"Hey, look at that woman. Who is she? I haven't seen her before."

"Where? Wow, incredible! Look at that face and figure. She rivals Su Qingli."

"Pity she's so covered up. Coming to such a high-end event without showing off her arms and legs… what a waste!"

As they settled into their seats, murmurs arose from nearby. They turned to see the woman from earlier approaching them. She too had a bidding number and coincidentally sat next to Lu Han and Su Qingli.

"Lu Han, we meet again," she said gracefully, smiling at him.

Su Qingli felt uncomfortable, despite the empty seat and aisle separating her from the two. Clearly, this woman harbored feelings for Lu Han, though she seemed to have hurt him deeply.

Seeing her resemblance to Chu Ruoyan, Su Qingli impulsively removed her wool coat, revealing her own figure and moving slightly closer to Lu Han.

Acknowledging the woman with a nod, Lu Han picked up the auction catalog and began browsing through it.

Noticing his indifference, the woman's expression dimmed, but she quickly recovered and extended her hand to Su Qingli. "Hello, I'm Shen Luoyan. Lu Han and I grew up together."

Shen Luoyan… Su Qingli felt a jolt of recognition. "You're not… the CEO of Qinghan Entertainment?"

The name Qinghan, combined with Shen Luoyan's attitude toward Lu Han, made the connection obvious.

The woman nodded silently, confirming Su Qingli's suspicions. "Hello, I'm Su Qingli," she said politely, shaking hands. "I'm Lu Han's fiancée."

...

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