My girlfriend is from the future!

The items up for auction at this Bulgari auction were the jewelry worn by the celebrities.

It has to be said that Westerners are really good at packaging and manipulating "value," making money while also getting to the bottom of people's lives.

These days, the jewelry worn by celebrities is often bought by wealthy individuals or investors, and the price is not just a simple charitable donation. It is also an invisible benchmark in the industry for measuring a celebrity's commercial value, the backing they have, and the degree of favor they receive.

In the entertainment industry, there are often celebrities who, shortly after their debut, receive a plethora of high-end luxury brand endorsements. The common PR tactic is to say that the celebrity's style matches the brand's. As a result, these celebrities' fans exclaim, "My idol is so amazing! This brand has such a keen eye!" and so on...

Admittedly, leveraging the celebrity effect to drive consumption is the primary task of brand ambassadors, but before reaching this stage, they must first undergo a round of capital screening, and this screening initially has little to do with the artists themselves.

Therefore, ordinary people often only see the star power of celebrities on the red carpet, while the clearly marked prices inside reveal the true nature of this industry, because—

The world of fame and fortune always requires an entrance ticket.

Bai Wenyu was formerly an auctioneer and curator at Sotheby's, and had already handled auction items worth hundreds of billions. She was even more composed in this situation. Her fluent English, interspersed with just the right amount of humor, eloquently explained the craftsmanship, history and design concept of each piece of jewelry. The bidding for the first few brooches and bracelets worn by supermodels was gentle and polite, with prices falling within a reasonable charitable range, which seemed more like a tacit warm-up.

"Tell me if you see anything you like."

He Tianran took a sip of wine. In the afternoon at the hotel, he had promised Yu Naoqiu that he would buy her a piece of jewelry that evening.

Yu Naoqiu remained noncommittal, saying, "It'll be pointless to say it out loud. Let's see if we have any tacit understanding."

The man smiled calmly: "I thought you would say that you like everything I give you."

"I'm not that easy to fool."

"Ha~"

Just as He Tianran was focused on his mother's introduction of the items on stage, a female voice suddenly rang out beside him:
"Director He, it's been a long time."

It's Gu Qiaoman.

Today, she wore a Gucci haute couture deep V black dress. The velvet material absorbed the surrounding light, and as she walked, it shimmered subtly on her shoulders, neck, and hem.

He Tianran noticed the matching jewelry she wore around her neck and on her earlobes. The diamonds and sapphires shimmered like light and shadow, embellishing the deep blue of the tanzanite in the center.

This is Bulgari's main new collection this year, called "Radiant Glow".

"Xiaoman, it's been a long time."

He Tianran raised his glass slightly, and Gu Qiaoman leaned closer and whispered:

"Take a step to talk?"

The man glanced at Yu Naoqiu beside him, signaling his departure. He then slightly raised his hand in one direction, and the two of them distanced themselves from the main crowd, arriving at a secluded high table.

"what happened?"

He Tianran beckoned to a waiter carrying cigarettes and cigars. He asked for a cigar, and the waiter skillfully cut off the tip, held it in one hand, and lit the cigarette with a lighter in the other, before respectfully handing it to him.

Gu Qiaoman waited quietly until all the actions were completed, and only spoke after the waiter had walked away:

“This year… Bulgari is interested in signing me.”

"That's great news..."

He Tianran took a drag, the rich smoke still wafting from his mouth as he spoke. Looking at the brand ambassador interacting with his mother on stage, he honestly said:
"There's no need to mention Teacher Shu Qi. The Fairy Sister is already forty-one this year. They really need to find some new blood in China, especially female artists, to revitalize the market in the next few years."

"Four million eight hundred thousand, Mr. Jia bids, four million eight hundred thousand per round... Oh, five million two hundred thousand, Ms. Chen, five million two hundred thousand..."

On stage, Bai Wenyu's bid was announced. Jewelry prices are relatively transparent. If it reaches the million level, it is truly high-end jewelry. He Tianran estimated that the red rubellite necklace that Fairy Sister was wearing was at least seventy or eighty carats. With the matching ring and earrings, it should be around one hundred and thirty carats. In the normal market, anything under two million is considered normal. Now it has exceeded three million. It has to be said that Fairy Sister's fame is well-known and she has strong capital behind her.

When Bai Wenyu's bid finally came down at 5.5 million, Gu Qiaoman finally spoke:

"So...Director He, could you help me...bid for it later?"

"Ok?"

"Of course, no matter what price you ultimately ask for, we will give you 500,000 more."

Gu Qiaoman was afraid that He Tianran would misunderstand, so she quickly added something.

The man noticed that her gaze kept wandering in a certain direction, so he followed her gaze and saw a figure sitting on a sofa in the north stands, raising a glass towards him from afar.

The "writer" doesn't have that person's memory; they're probably the boss or someone high up in Gu Qiaoman's agency...

Turning his gaze away, He Tianran's face revealed a hint of understanding. He slowly took a puff of his cigar, letting the smoke linger between his lips and teeth for a moment before exhaling slowly, his gaze falling on Gu Qiaoman's face, which was filled with eagerness and anticipation.

"Helping you bid is not out of the question..."

He finally spoke slowly, but his tone took an unexpected turn, carrying an elusive languor:

"How many do you want me to call?"

A glimmer of hope instantly ignited in Gu Qiaoman's eyes. She looked at Liu Tianxian on the stage, her face beaming with smiles, and a strange ambition flickered in her expression:

"How about... five and a half million...?"

He Tianran tilted his head to observe her reaction until she turned her head away, suddenly realizing her lapse in composure. Just as she was about to say something, the man interrupted her, saying:

"No need to explain, I'll call them for you."

Gu Qiaoman's emotions were palpable. She suddenly realized that He Tianran seemed different from the one she saw when filming last year, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was different.

"Thank you... thank you, Director He."

"It's just a small favor. I admire ambitious people and I like ambitious people. Keep it up."

He Tianran left behind this last sentence, waved his hand, and walked away gracefully with a cigar in his mouth, leaving Gu Qiaoman standing there in a daze, her cheeks flushed, whether she was excited or not.

"What did you talk about? It seems that you get along quite well with the actresses who have worked with you, Director He."

When she returned to Yu Naoqiu's side, the woman's words were loaded with meaning.

"It's nothing, just helping someone carry a sedan chair."

He Tianran spoke casually, but Yu Naoqiu was somewhat puzzled.

"I don't remember her working for your company, right? Are you trying to poach her?"

"You're overthinking it. I'm just helping out. After all, she's the female lead in my drama."

"Really? But I remember when 'Wild in My Heart' first came out, she even allowed her own fans to cyberbully Wen Liang, saying that she maliciously promoted Wen Liang to a higher status and fought for top billing."

"Investors promoting their own artists is normal practice in the industry, and the fans are managed by the company, not the artists themselves."

Yu Naoqiu asked in surprise, "You really think so?"

He Tianran, perfectly composed, chuckled lightly while chewing on his cigar, "Otherwise what?"

Well, since that's what all the men say, Yu Naoqiu didn't bother asking any more questions.

She raised her wine glass and looked up at the stage, where Bai Wenyu was announcing the next item for auction: the "Radiant Glow" jewelry set that Gu Qiaoman was wearing at the moment.

The spotlights focused again, and the deep blue light flowed around Gu Qiaoman's neck, ears, and wrists. The deep blue of the tanzanite intertwined with the sparkle of the diamonds and sapphires. Gu Qiaoman stood up and walked to the front of the stage to show the guests the details of the jewelry, with a confident and charming smile on her face.

After a brief introduction, Bai Wenyu announced the starting price: "'Xiaguang' series set, starting price, 1.6 million."

There was a brief silence in the audience, then people started raising their placards.

Prices climbed steadily, with several buyers interested in the new series and investors who seemed to be acquainted with Gu Qiaoman taking turns making bids; the atmosphere was relatively mild.

He Tianran leaned against the high table, the cigar between his fingers glowing with a scarlet light. He did not rush to make a move, but calmly watched the price climb to three million.

“Four and a half million.” A slightly unfamiliar voice rang out.

The price jumped by 1.5 million in one go, and everyone knew that this price no longer belonged to the jewelry itself.

Gu Qiaoman glanced at that corner subconsciously, then quickly looked away, maintaining her composure on stage.

He Tianran caught her subtle movement, and finally raised his hand, his voice not loud, but clearly penetrating the whispers in the room:
"five million."

The price caused a brief stir in the audience. Previous bids were mostly in increments of 100,000 or 200,000, but He Tianran's bid directly raised the price by 500,000, easily surpassing the psychological price point for Liu Yifei's jewelry set. This undoubtedly sent a strong signal.

The boss behind Gu Qiaoman immediately raised his sign: "Five million two hundred thousand."

Without the slightest hesitation, He Tianran almost immediately followed up: "Five million five hundred thousand."

He precisely called out the price Gu Qiaoman had hoped for, no more, no less—the exact same price as the hammer price for the jewelry set worn by the "Fairy Sister" earlier. Gu Qiaoman on stage forced herself to suppress her excitement, her gaze secretly drifting towards the shop owner in the north stands.

“Five and a half million per time…” Bai Wenyu’s voice carried a professional rhythm.

"Six million."

The boss's voice rang out, carrying an air of unwavering certainty.

"Six million once, six million twice... six million, sold! Congratulations!" Bai Wenyu slammed the gavel down decisively.

The applause rang out, even more enthusiastic than before.

Gu Qiaoman "outshone" the spokesperson Liu Tianxian with a slight price advantage. Although it was obvious to everyone that there were traces of manipulation involved, this "respectable" result undoubtedly achieved the expected result.

Gu Qiaoman bowed gracefully to express her gratitude, then walked down the stage, casting a grateful yet complicated look at He Tianran as she passed by.

Yu Naoqiu, who was beside him, also glanced at him with a hint of confusion in his eyes. Helping someone carry a sedan chair?

But his praise was a little too "honest"...

He Tianran simply nodded slightly, took a puff of his cigar, as if the previous rounds of bidding had nothing to do with him.

Immediately afterwards, the lights focused again, and this time Bai Wenyu's voice carried a special hint of concern:

"Next up, this 'Muse' outfit will be presented by our radiant Miss Wen Liang tonight..."

Wen Liang wore that eye-catching red dress, her steps graceful. The pink light of the rubellite tourmaline danced around her ears and neck, complementing the red dress and making her look stunningly beautiful.

"The design of this jewelry set is inspired by the sweetness and excitement of being in love, which perfectly matches the feeling that Ms. Wen Liang brings to everyone and her recent hot rise in popularity..."

Bai Wenyu cleverly linked jewelry with the warmth and coolness of temperature, and then announced:

"Starting bid: 800,000."

The starting bid was 800,000 yuan lower than Gu Qiaoman's. Besides the fact that the products were not from the same series, the brand also had a comprehensive consideration. Gu Qiaoman is already a top-tier celebrity with a solid foundation, and she is even expected to officially sign with Bulgari this year. On the other hand, although Wen Liang's popularity soared with "Wild in My Heart" and her momentum is strong, she is still regarded as a "rising star" with great potential in the high-end luxury field. Therefore, the two are naturally treated differently.

Once the bidding started, the pace was noticeably slower than before.

"one million."

"One million and three hundred thousand."

"One million and four hundred thousand."

The price hovered around 1.4 million for a while before slowly being pushed up to 1.5 million.

Those participating in the bidding were mostly fashion buyers and representatives of small capital firms, all seemingly testing the true "weight" of this rising star.

Compared to Gu Qiaoman's aggressive promotion by capital, Wen Liang's bidding was more in line with her status as a "brand ambassador"—it generated buzz, but her foundation was still shallow.

When a stranger bid 1.8 million, there was a pause in the room.

This price is quite reasonable for an artist in their rising phase.

Just as Bai Wenyu was about to confirm—

"Six million eight hundred thousand."

A familiar voice rang out, like a thunderclap shattering the somewhat dull rhythm of the meeting room.

He Tianran didn't even raise his number plate; he simply raised his hand slightly to signal, his gaze piercing through the crowd and landing directly on the red figure on the stage.

The whole place was in an uproar!

The price jumped from 1.8 million to 6.8 million?! This is no longer a bidding war; the intention to heavily promote the product couldn't be clearer!
All eyes instantly focused on He Tianran, filled with disbelief.

He had just bid 5.5 million for Gu Qiaoman, and in the blink of an eye, he offered a price more than a million higher to support his "new love"? And this was after the starting bid was significantly lower? Considering their previous actions on the red carpet, the implications of this are quite intriguing.

Not far away, Gu Qiaoman, who was still immersed in joy, lost the color from her face at a visible speed. Her gratitude and joy just now turned into great embarrassment and a trace of indignation at being fooled and used as a stepping stone.

Standing next to the man, Yu Naoqiu blinked and chuckled to himself.

Wen Liang on the stage trembled slightly.

She looked at He Tianran, and for the first time, a clear look of astonishment appeared in his usually bright and stubborn eyes, as well as... a sense of disorientation and shock at being overwhelmed by this huge sum of money.

Bai Wenyu paused, gave his son a deep look, and then maintained his professional tone:

"Six million eight hundred thousand, Mr. He offered six million eight hundred thousand."

This price far exceeded everyone's expectations, even surpassing the price Gu Qiaoman had just sold for. The hall fell silent; no one dared to follow suit. Just when everyone thought the hammer was about to fall—

"Seven million."

Just as everyone was still reeling from the sudden "generous spending," another clear female voice rang out, carrying a hint of provocation.

It is Yu Naoqiu.

She seemed to have been waiting for this moment, waiting for He Tianran to show his special feelings for Wen Liang before making a sharp move.

"You said you'd give it to me, so it seems we're really on the same page."

Seeing Yu Naoqiu's mischievous expression, He Tianran's brows furrowed, and his gaze sharpened...

"Seven million two hundred thousand."

"Seven and a half million."

"Seven million eight hundred thousand."

"Eight million."

The two bidders went back and forth, and it was unclear whether Yu Naoqiu was trying to flatter or incite others. He Tianran accepted all the bids without hesitation, and no one dared to interfere in their bidding.

However, while the man was focused on dealing with the unexpected situation, he overlooked one fact...

The person on stage...

Watching the two men and women below the stage fight over her like a trophy, the initial shock and disorientation gradually transformed into a burning resentment mixed with humiliation...

Some people have had enough...

I'm fed up with being measured, valued, and used as a bargaining chip; this feeling of powerlessness and being unable to control my own destiny...

Just as He Tianran seemed about to speak again, pushing this absurd price war to an even greater level—

"Wait a moment!"

A clear, slightly trembling yet exceptionally firm voice rang out from the stage.

It was Wen Liang who practically snatched the microphone from Bai Wenyu's hands...

She straightened her back, her chin slightly raised, and her eyes, which always held a hint of playfulness and persistence, now burned with an astonishing light. She swept her gaze across every face in the audience, whether surprised, mocking, or calculating, and finally fixed her gaze on He Tianran and Yu Naoqiu.

“Thank you all for your patronage,” her voice rang clearly in everyone’s ears, “but this jewelry set… I really like it.”

She paused, as if making a decision, a look of almost desperate determination appearing on her face. She gently touched the necklace around her neck, and spoke into the microphone, each word distinct and resolute:

"So, I'm offering... ten million."

Take a picture of yourself wearing the jewelry!
For a staggering ten million!
This is not only a response to Yu Naoqiu's provocation, nor just a "generous" rejection of He Tianran, but also a blatant challenge and subversion of the entire rules of the capital game!
Her value should be defined by herself! No one needs to put a price on it!

He Tianran, no, perhaps it should be called "the writer," his usually composed and calm expression cracked for the first time, utter astonishment and disbelief freezing on his face.

He looked at the woman on the stage who seemed to be burning herself, and his heart felt like it had been hit hard by something.

The languidness and playfulness on Yu Naoqiu's face completely disappeared. She narrowed her eyes and, for the first time, looked at Wen Liang with such a serious and scrutinizing gaze.

Bai Wenyu stood beside Wen Liang, looking at this audacious yet radiant girl, a fleeting, indescribable...admiration flashing in his eyes.
"Wow—"

After the deathly silence, the banquet hall erupted in a tremendous uproar, like a tsunami!
Wen Liang stood in the eye of the storm, her red dress like fire...

Tonight, both on and off the field, she is the sole focus of attention. (End of Chapter)