Cooking Gourmet Meals in the Apocalypse

Chapter 307: Chapter 304: If You Can’t Win the Bid, Then Snatch It

The auction hall suddenly fell silent after the manager spoke.

As if she were the main event everyone was waiting for, Cheng Fang took the stage wearing a white blouse, a miniskirt, and a pair of heels that were easily fifteen centimeters high.

To be honest, no one really understood why her appearance was being treated with such fanfare.

The apocalypse had been going on for so long that, aside from gold and silver being useful to Gold Ability Users, precious items from the old world were now worthless.

No one was willing to trade food for something just for the sake of appearances.

Let alone an emerald ring?

Even before the apocalypse, this kind of Green Gemstone Jewelry was something only a small niche of enthusiasts would spend a fortune to buy.

Cheng Fang’s outfit and her figure certainly drew sighs from the men in the audience.

Anyone who dared to dress so provocatively in times like these was certainly brave.

Chen Xing, however, could see that Cheng Fang wasn’t doing as well as she appeared.

It was clear her clothes were a bit worn, and those high heels looked like they were several years old.

She quickly retracted her hostile gaze and looked at Cheng Fang with an indifferent expression.

Cheng Fang stood on the auction stage, her body twisted into an affected pose.

Accustomed to holding her head high with arrogance, she first swept her gaze across the VIPs on the upper floor.

When she saw Chen Xing’s face, Cheng Fang was so frightened she staggered back several steps, nearly falling over.

Thankfully, the manager, with his quick reflexes, caught her and helped her regain her balance.

For a moment, Cheng Fang thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.

’How could she possibly be alive?’

Back then, she had watched her get torn to shreds by zombies, watched her take her last breath.

She frantically looked toward Chen Xing again.

A moment later, she decided she must have been mistaken.

’The Chen Xing I knew was never this beautiful, was she?’

’Not only was she dark-skinned, but her features weren’t this delicate, were they?’

’That’s right!’

”Miss Cheng Fang...” the manager whispered, prompting her when he saw her staring silently in the direction of Song Yiguo’s party.

Only then did Cheng Fang compose herself, forcing a stiff smile onto her face. ”This ring of mine is a rare treasure. For safety, I will be the one wearing it during the auction. Once the auction concludes, I will hand it over to the buyer!”

She couldn’t recall the speech she had prepared earlier, so she just stiffly relayed the important points to everyone.

Hearing it described as a ”rare treasure” made Cadar all the more certain that there was something special about this ring.

She pulled back from the railing and said to the bodyguard behind her, ”No matter the price, I must have it!” She left the word ”snatch” unsaid.

’If I can’t win it in the auction, I’ll just have to take it by force.’

Chen Xing, of course, heard everything, and the corners of her mouth curled into a slight smile.

”What, are you interested in this ring too?” Song Yiguo had been observing her for quite some time.

”I suppose so,” Chen Xing said ambiguously.

’She didn’t want Song Yiguo to know that the ring contained a spatial dimension.’

’It would be best if no one knew its purpose, aside from those who wore Green Gemstone Jewelry.’

Only after glancing at Chen Xing did Cheng Fang reach out and pick up the emerald ring.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that her hand was trembling.

After retreating to the manager’s side, she snuck another peek at Chen Xing.

’Chen Xing’s eyes clearly held no hatred. Does that mean she isn’t the Chen Xing I killed? Just someone who looks very similar?’

The auction began, but few people made a bid.

Cadar was relieved to see that no one seemed to know the emerald ring’s true value.

However, she didn’t dare let her guard down.

’If the emerald ring has a special function like my emerald earrings, then it’s highly suspicious that this Cheng Fang is auctioning it off.’

’She felt Cheng Fang’s motive was likely the same as her own: to use her own piece of jewelry to lure out another.’

’Just like her.’

’It was only after she saw someone wearing an identical green gemstone necklace that she realized there might be more than one piece of this Green Gemstone Jewelry.’

’Back then, she had tried everything to snatch the green gemstone necklace, but... an accident caused her to fail.’

’Left with no other choice, she had followed the trail of the green gemstone necklace all the way to Huaxia.’

’She didn’t manage to get the jewelry, and instead ended up losing her own emerald earrings.’

’Now, seeing this emerald ring suddenly appear, how could she not be tempted?’

As the price climbed higher, many bidders had already dropped out.

They really couldn’t understand what made a piece of emerald jewelry worth so much.

With no one left to compete, Cadar thought the item was hers.

Who would have thought that a bid would suddenly come from the adjacent room.

It was Song Yiguo, who hadn’t bid on anything until now.

Even Chen Xing was surprised. Why would Song Yiguo suddenly place a bid?

’She didn’t want Cheng Fang to find out right now that she was the same Chen Xing that Cheng Fang had killed.’

Seeing the bid come from their private suite, Cheng Fang’s body began to tremble again.

’It was a bit fuzzy, but she remembered showing off the ring to Chen Xing just before she died, and even mentioning that it contained a spatial dimension.’

’Is she bidding on it? Did she come back to life to take my ring?’

Cheng Fang anxiously covered the ring with her other hand.

Chen Xing turned to look at Song Yiguo. ”You want it too?” She really couldn’t understand.

”If you want it, I’ll buy it for you,” Song Yiguo said, his words doting but his tone ice-cold.

Chen Xing: ”...”

’Was I that obvious?’

”I don’t really want it!” Even if she did, she wanted to fight for it herself. ”But... I have no objection to you making Cadar bleed a little!”

Song Yiguo’s thin lips curled into a devilishly charming yet ruthless smile. ”I’m afraid Miss Cadar will be leaving here bankrupt.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand to bid again.

Cadar was so furious she was about to spit blood.

’Are these rooms even soundproof?’

She had heard every word of Song Yiguo and Chen Xing’s conversation.

Those two were clearly targeting her.

’But... there was one thing she was sure of: neither of them had her missing earrings.’

’Otherwise, they wouldn’t pass up on a treasure like this.’

After a few more bids, Cadar surrendered. Seizing a moment between bids, she ran to the railing of the adjacent suite and stuck her head out. ”I apologize for my earlier behavior. I really love this ring. I hope you’ll do me a huge favor and let this one go!”

She really couldn’t afford to bid any higher.

Song Yiguo, his hand half-raised for the next bid, turned his head to look at Chen Xing.

It was his way of getting even on her behalf.

Chen Xing nodded, granting Cadar this favor.

”Thank you!” Cadar had never been so civil.

In the end, the item was hers—at a price that practically bankrupted her, of course.

However... getting her hands on the emerald ring still required a few more procedures.

”Please, everyone, return to your hotels to rest. Once the accounts are settled, the items you’ve won will be delivered to your hotels by a dedicated courier!” The manager was already directing the crowd to leave.

But Cadar refused to leave. ”I am here at this auction house representing Blake Commander! I’m not leaving until I have the item in my hands!”

If she left and they ran off with the item, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

The manager was in a difficult position and glanced at Cheng Fang.

Seeing Cadar’s obsession with the emerald ring, Cheng Fang grew suspicious of her. ”If Miss Cadar is worried, you can follow me back to my residence!”

”Fine!” Cadar agreed without a moment’s hesitation. She wasn’t afraid of Cheng Fang.

As long as she could get her hands on that ring, she would dare to venture into a dragon’s den.

She was confident not only in herself, but also in her bodyguards.

Chen Xing, meanwhile, was already trying to figure out how to shake off Song Yiguo.