Chapter 222: Why the Praise and Diss?
Of course, some people tempted fate, believing that those who had run into trouble before were just unlucky and paranoid. But they ended up getting dragged down themselves, not only going bankrupt but also landing a life sentence with free room and board.
With so many cautionary tales, others, however resentful, had no choice but to suppress their less-than-honorable intentions. They either kept their heads down and behaved, or simply left the auction house to start fresh elsewhere.
But once they left the auction house, they discovered that things that had once been effortless were suddenly fraught with obstacles again.
TranquilMind: Do you understand? The Vance Family has certainly put a lot of work into this auction house, but I, your master, didn’t have them do it for free. For all the effort they’ve put in, they’ve received an equal measure of protection from me. It’s nothing more than an exchange of benefits.
Arabella Donovan’s eyes flickered. ’No wonder Man Vance kept saying he revered my master like a Household God.’ He had probably realized long ago that his family’s entire fortune and wealth were under his master’s protection.
But...
SpareTheRod: How come I never knew you were this powerful before?
TranquilMind: There’s a lot you don’t know. Hmph!
Even through the screen, Arabella Donovan could picture her master’s smug expression, and her lips curled into a small smile.
SpareTheRod: No wonder The Vance Patriarch was so enthusiastic today. He looked like he couldn’t wait for me to take over the auction house. He must be afraid that if he doesn’t handle the task you gave him properly, the Vance Family will lose your protection for good.
TranquilMind: Exactly. I protect my apprentice’s properties, my apprentice’s assets, and the people who work to make money for my apprentice. If that auction house were to become the Vance Family’s private property, why would I still protect it?
It’s one thing to never have special privileges, but having them taken away after you’ve grown accustomed to them is a thousand times worse. That’s why they not only have to obediently hand the auction house over to you, but they also have to get on your good side at all costs, all for the sake of extending this hard-won protection.
So, you can accept this gift from your master with complete peace of mind. Unless every single person in the Vance Family has gone insane, no one will dare to pull any tricks.
His words, so similar to Dennis Donovan’s, were not just a display of confidence in his own power, but also a sign of his deep affection for her.
A warmth spread through Arabella Donovan’s chest, and she couldn’t help but smile.
With her master’s reassurance, Arabella Donovan finally felt at ease. The first thing the next morning, she told Dennis Donovan all about it.
Dennis Donovan wasn’t surprised. From the descriptions provided by The Vance Patriarch and Arabella Donovan, it was clear that her master was no ordinary person. For him to dare be a hands-off owner for so long, he must have his own considerations and backup plans.
"Since your master has said as much, just take back the auction house. After that, you can decide whether you want the Vance family to keep managing it or if you want to find someone else. All you need to do is sit at home and rake in the cash."
Arabella Donovan: "..." ’He makes me sound so ignorant and useless.’
"Then I’ll call Mr. Rhodes in a little while."
The moment Dennis Donovan heard that, his hackles were raised.
"What are you calling him for? If you need reliable accountants and lawyers, I have them! Do you really need to go looking for an outsider?"
Arabella Donovan jumped, thinking, ’Weren’t the two of them getting along fine last night? Even though Grand-uncle seemed a little wary of him, he wasn’t acting like he was facing a mortal enemy, was he?’
Dennis Donovan: "..." ’He’s already trying to make a move on my precious girl, and I’m not allowed to be on guard against him?’
Last night was last night, and today is today. He was useful last night, but today he’s useless! Dennis was giving a masterclass in what it means to be used and tossed aside.
"Well, it’s not entirely for that reason," Arabella Donovan said, scratching her cheek sheepishly.
"I mainly want to thank him for his help in my time of need last night. I was planning to treat him to a meal at Mr. Foster’s place." ’And I can ask him what to look out for during this sort of asset transfer,’ she added silently.
Hearing this, Dennis Donovan felt a genuine pang of jealousy. "Aren’t you generous. How come I never see you inviting your grand-uncle to a meal at Delicacy Pavilion?"
He had put up a billion last night, while that guy had only contributed five hundred million and still managed to snag two land plots. And now, on top of everything, he was getting a free meal out of it!
"Grandpa, you want to eat at Delicacy Pavilion? Why didn’t you say so? I can take you and Grandma anytime."
"Go on, go on! You think your grandpa is that desperate, hankering after a meal from you? If there’s nothing else, then get lost. I couldn’t care less who you’re having a meal with."
’He’s practically the poster child for saying one thing and meaning another,’ she thought. He obviously cared a great deal but was just too stubborn to admit it.
Arabella Donovan didn’t call him on it, changing the subject instead.
"Oh, right, Grandpa, do you know a master craftsman who can help cut a stone? Someone with good character, who can keep a secret."
"Cut a stone? You have another one that hasn’t been cut? Didn’t you only win one stone at the auction yesterday?"
"That’s right, I only bought one. But who says you can only find one treasure inside a single stone?"
Dennis Donovan was speechless. True, no one had ever said that, but he had also never heard of anyone cutting multiple valuable pieces from a single stone.
However, Dennis Donovan knew his girl’s nature; she wouldn’t just make baseless claims.
"Are you saying that in the part of the stone that was left after the cut, there’s still more inside?"
"Mmm, that’s my intuition."
Anyone else’s intuition might be mistaken, but when it came to his own granddaughter, her intuition was as good as gold.
"Then why didn’t you have the craftsman at the auction house cut it all out for you yesterday?"
"Isn’t it best not to flaunt one’s wealth? In a single evening, I spent a fortune on two plots of land, then I ’casually’ spent a bit of money on an unremarkable rock and cut out a rare piece of jadeite worth hundreds of millions. That’s already drawn enough attention."
"If people found out there was more than one treasure in this ’worthless’ rock, wouldn’t that make some people green enough with envy to want to kidnap me on the spot and steal everything I own?"
Dennis Donovan was both exasperated and amused. Now he finally understood what Caspian Rhodes had meant last night when he’d said that this girl was sometimes very clever and other times a bit dense.
The little rascal was plenty shrewd; she just saved all her cunning for outsiders instead of using it on her own family.
This was both a good and a bad thing. At the very least, it made the old man feel a pang of guilt about the whole family conspiring to keep secrets from her.
"Is that why you’re insisting on a craftsman with good character who can keep a secret?"
"I’m just worried the remaining treasure in the stone will be too eye-catching. If word gets out again, all my efforts to be low-key last night will have been for nothing, right?"
"Smart girl. Don’t worry, the people under your grand-uncle are far more reliable than some stranger with an unknown background. I guarantee their lips are sealed."
Arabella Donovan: "..." ’Was he just throwing shade?’
"Come back early after your dinner with that fellow, and I’ll have the man come over. And remember, no staying out all night. You have to be back by ten—no, nine. Otherwise, I’ll send someone to personally pick you up."
Arabella Donovan knew her grandfather was just concerned for her, worried that a young woman like her might be at a disadvantage on her own, but...
"Grandpa, I’m meeting Mr. Rhodes for lunch."
"...Still, come back early!"
"You got it!"