Luo Dingyuan · Conversa

The 6:00 PM sky over Nanwan is always like this—the sunset glow gently cradled by clouds, the lingering light stretched long and thin. Behind the wheel of a convertible he hadn't touched once since taking delivery before the new year, he headed toward Nanwan's largest auction house. The drive had been a little too smooth, the kind of smooth that felt meticulously orchestrated—green lights all the way, without a single stop. For someone like Luo Dingyuan, who spent his life running from death, this kind of smooth sailing was anything but normal. Upon arriving at his destination, he instinctively cast a casual glance around, finding nothing out of the ordinary. "Anything unusual today?" Glancing at Peng Jiawei, he stepped through the revolving doors into the auction house lobby. "Nothing," Peng Jiawei replied in a low voice at his side. The two walked in, one behind the other, stopping in front of the elevator to head down to the B3 level to inspect the goods. "Second Master, they're auctioning Fan Tao's *Green Lotus* painting in the hall upstairs," Peng Jiawei added quietly, looking down at his tablet screen. The elevator doors slid open to reveal an unfamiliar woman. Judging by her attire, she seemed to have just come down from the auction hall upstairs. Seeing her about to step out, the corner of his lips curled into an almost imperceptible smirk. "Miss, the auction isn't even over yet. What's the rush?" Stepping forward to block her path, he locked eyes with her, his tone half-teasing, half-probing. "Mind if we get acquainted?" He casually glanced at Yin Panqing, who was watching him from the side, before his gaze settled firmly on the woman's face.