Huo Lanting has never lacked money since childhood.
He knows he has a lot of money, and his dad also has a lot of money. In his world, the thought of wanting to buy something but not having enough money doesn't exist.
In the education he received at a young age, money is for management. Money is just a tool, a means of allocating limited resources.
But now, listening to Nie Yu's excited and show-off words, he realizes that it was Nie Yu who took away the Star of the Crown. Yet, he couldn't participate in the auction for the Star of the Crown due to lack of money.
At such a young age, he widens his eyes, watching a scene not far away, savoring the current sense of loss, and his young heart forms two resolutions.
When I grow up, I want to have a lot of money and not worry about not having pocket money to buy the Star of the Crown.
I must give her a more expensive and beautiful gift, surpassing the Star of the Crown.
By then, she will surely be very surprised.
...
Having obtained the Star of the Crown, would she be surprised?
No.
Gu Yuan doesn't feel surprised; she only feels frightened. The Star of the Crown, is a necklace worth over four billion, no matter how expensive, it's just a necklace. Wearing it around her neck, she would feel like she's carrying over four billion in property. Shwe was afraid that someone would point a knife at her neck while walking on the street.
But looking at her son's excited look of "I bought the Star of the Crown for Mom," the excitement after auctioning the Star of the Crown, she can't bring herself to dampen his spirits.
So, she can only say excitedly, "Really? Nie Yu, it's actually you who got it?"
Nie Yu is proud, "Of course, at that time, there was someone with the number 29 who was fighting against me. I decisively raised the bid by fifty million, and the other party was scared away!"
Listening to this, Gu Yuan feels her heart trembling. "Son, Mom thinks you're too outstanding. The Star of the Crown is indeed a treasure. You can get it, and many people will envy you. But I think—"
She thought for a moment and still spoke the truth, "I think it's too expensive. Mom doesn't need such expensive jewelry. In the future, don't spend so much money on buying things for me. After all, you haven't inherited the family business yet, and you have a heavy burden on your shoulders. How can you spend money so casually? Aren't you heartbroken by so much money spent easily? Isn't this too extravagant?"
However, Nie Yu obviously couldn't understand his mom's meaning, "Mom, it's not extravagant! You don't have to worry. A few billion is nothing to me. Moreover, it's not my dad's money; it's mine. I've been investing my pocket money since I was young, and the profits are pretty good!"
Hearing this, Gu Yuan felt like she was in a dream. She remembered the gold figurine that Nie Nanqing had given her.
Looking at her son in front of her, she suddenly realized that this son was indeed his father's biological son.
Gu Yuan took a deep breath. She felt that if she wanted her son not to be so extravagant, maybe she should talk to Nie Nanqing?
After all, her son bought such an expensive gift for her, which showed filial piety. If she reacted too strongly, it would hurt his heart. It might be more reliable to communicate with Nie Nanqing from the source to slowly correct this spending habit.
However, just at this moment, the person in charge of the venue suddenly ran over, saying that there was an unexpected incident in the supply of dishes for the banquet and needed him to make decisions in person.
It turned out that there would be a night banquet after the gala until around one or two in the morning. There would be a lottery session and some charity announcements in the night banquet, although these things were not directly under Nie Yu's responsibility, there were still some that needed his approval.
Hearing this, Nie Yu naturally couldn't be careless. He asked Gu Yuan to go to the lounge first and have something to eat, and he would come back soon.
Seeing Nie Yu leave, Gu Yuan thought about going over to talk to Nie Nanqing. After all, this son's bones were indeed very much like his father's. If his father looked at his son from a different perspective and found ways to appreciate his son, maybe talking to Nie Nanqing about this spending concept might be more practical.
At this time, the final night banquet had already begun. Photographers and reporters were rushing to the red carpet madly, and some even brought ladders into the venue. The stars also entered the banquet hall one after another. Since the red carpet at BARARINA's banquet did not pay much attention to the order of celebrity status, people went in more casually, in pairs or groups of three.
Seeing this wave of stars entering, Gu Yuan waited in a corner nearby for a while, thinking of going over after they entered.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, a voice sounded next to her, "Gu Yuan, is it you? What are you doing here?"
Gu Yuan turned her head to look; it was Hu Yuejing.
Hu Yuejing was wearing a black off-shoulder high-slit evening dress, paired with a Chokard necklace and watch, looking elegant and intellectual.
At this moment, she looked at Gu Yuan unexpectedly, "Gu Yuan, is it really you? My goodness, I thought I was mistaken before, thinking someone just looked like you!"
In fact, the two had met several times before, at school and during job interviews. However, this was the first time the two were alone.
If, at the beginning, on campus, Hu Yuejing privately greeted her, she would definitely be pleasantly surprised and rush over because seeing someone so familiar from the past is always delightful.
But now, after so much has happened, she couldn't believe Hu Yuejing anymore.
Everything has changed. People change. They can change.
If Hu Yuejing really was that roommate who was close to her and always cared about her, she should have been surprised the first time she saw her. She should have tried to find her and get things clear.
But she never did.
It seemed like she had never been surprised by her appearance at all.
Thinking about it, Hu Yuejing and Lu Zhiqian had a good relationship, and both had been in the entertainment industry for so many years. Their relationship should be even better now. So perhaps Hu Yuejing already knew some things about her from Lu Zhiqian?
With some caution in her mind, she naturally paid attention to her words. Gu Yuan smiled at Hu Yuejing, "Yes, it's me, I'm Gu Yuan."
Hu Yuejing exclaimed softly, "Gu Yuan, it's really you!"
Saying that she came over and hugged Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan politely hugged her back.
Hu Yuejing said, "Gu Yuan, when I saw you before, I thought it was just someone who looked a lot like you. It wasn't until today when I met Lu Zhiqian and talked about it that I found out it's really you. What happened to you in these years? Why do you still look the same as before, unchanged?"
Gu Yuan replied, "Nothing much. I woke up from coma and decided to go back to school and re-enter the entertainment industry."
Hu Yuejing curiously looked Gu Yuan up and down, "You're dressed quite well. How come I heard from Zhiqian that you're now with the young master of the Nie family? What's going on?
Gu Yuan chuckled, "It's nothing. We met by chance, and Young Master Nie is quite nice. He helped me a lot."
Seeing that Gu Yuan was being very cautious with her words, Hu Yuejing sighed, "You're really something. You actually know Young Master Nie. You don't have to worry about your future anymore! Oh, speaking of which, these years haven't been easy for us. We're at an age where achieved some success and won some awards, but life is not easy."
As she said this, inevitably, she mentioned some old classmates from the past. Hu Yuejing also added Gu Yuan on WeChat, saying she wanted to add Gu Yuan to the group chat, "Our batch of classmates, some have had their moments of glory, but now most of them are not doing well. They have retired. The active ones are only Lu Zhiqian and me. I'm still doing okay. I've taken good care of myself these years and barely look my age. People even call me the ageless goddess."
"Ageless goddess?" A voice came from behind, with a slightly mocking tone.
Gu Yuan looked over and saw that Nie Yu had returned.
Hu Yuejing greeted Nie Yu immediately, "Young Master Nie."
But Nie Yu walked straight to Gu Yuan, affectionately linking his arm with hers, "I was wondering why I couldn't find you anywhere. So, you're hiding here."
There was a hint of reproach in his voice, a kind of intimacy.
Gu Yuan helplessly said, "I met an old classmate and was chatting with her."
Hearing this, Nie Yu finally looked at Hu Yuejing and said, after a moment of contemplation, with a smile, "So, this is your classmate? I thought—"
He paused slightly before laughing, "I thought she was your classmate's mom."
Hu Yuejing's smile froze.
Of course, she would not forget that it was Nie Yu who, with a glance at her, told others that he didn't know her, asking who she was.
For Hu Yuejing, it was a shame she would never forget in her life.
Now, he actually said such things to her?
This was an open and unashamed humiliation, without any disguise.
Even if her popularity had faded, even if he was practically the actual big boss of Star Shadow Entertainment, he couldn't humiliate people like this!
Hu Yuejing was so angry that her chest ached, but she managed to calm down. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and said, "She is indeed my classmate. We're both forty-five years old. Is there a problem?"
Saying this, she looked at Nie Yu.
She wondered what his reaction would be when he learned that his girlfriend was actually forty-five years old. Would he believe it?
If so, she wanted to see if Gu Yuan had the face to insist she was only twenty years old in front of her.
With a composed smile, Hu Yuejing kept her eyes fixed on Nie Yu. Unexpectedly, he frowned slightly, as if thinking about something or feeling surprised.
She smiled inwardly, subtly glancing at Gu Yuan.
Now, are you dumbfounded?
Do you really think there's an ageless goddess in this world? Even if you look like you're eighteen, you're already forty-five. Do you think you can still seduce a young man?
Who would have thought that at this moment, Nie Yu burst into laughter, "So, you're only forty-five? I really didn't realize. I'm sorry, I thought you were sixty."
Hu Yuejing was instantly infuriated, her fingertips trembling. She wished she could pounce on Nie Yu and tear him apart.
He actually said that!
He didn't doubt Gu Yuan's age at all? Wasn't he surprised? How could that be possible? Could it be that Nie Yu, who seemed so unrestrained, was willing to accept a woman who was actually forty-five years old?
Hu Yuejing couldn't understand it at all..