Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Simply Picking Up a Watch

At 9:59 a.m., in the university town near Provincial University.

Xiaoyan stared intently at the time on her phone. Zhang Yan had said he would pick her up at ten, but she had been waiting downstairs since 9:50. Her emotions were a complex mix of anxiety, anticipation, and a faint, thrilling sense of transgression.

At exactly 10:00 a.m., a BMW 740 pulled up right in front of her.

Zhang Yan helped her open the rear door and scooted inward to make room. "Xiaoyan."

She had clearly dressed up for the occasion. Her smooth, silky long hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders. With full lips and a confident, elegant demeanor, her makeup was exquisite, though she had evidently aimed for a fresh and natural look. She wore a pink slip dress made of a light, breathable fabric that was slightly sheer, leaving just enough to the imagination to be incredibly alluring.

The form-fitting design accentuated her beautiful curves. The delicate lace around her neckline perfectly framed her cleavage—an absolute graveyard for a man’s gaze. Once eyes fell upon it, it was nearly impossible to look away. Even with Zhang Yan’s current broadened horizons and self-control, he couldn’t help but stare for a few extra seconds.

He mused that she was truly a hardworking girl, having to carry such a heavy burden every single day!

Although Xiaoyan was highly intrigued by the luxury ride, she forced herself to immediately focus all her attention on Zhang Yan.

"I definitely chose the right dress today!" she thought. "It might be a hassle to wear normally, but there isn’t a man alive who doesn’t love it!"

Satisfied, she finally withdrew her gaze from him and examined the car’s interior. It was her first time riding in a luxury chauffeured car. Although this was the closest ordinary people could get to experiencing a luxury vehicle, it was still a service with a terrible cost-to-performance ratio.

"Senior Zhang Yan, do you always take luxury rides when you go out?"

"I’ve been using them a lot lately. They pick you up quickly, the service is great, and the interior is nice. It’s quite convenient."

"I still think it’s more convenient to drive yourself," Xiaoyan said. "I got my driver’s license right after the college entrance exams, and I practice often. Unfortunately, I still haven’t been able to afford my own car. Have you ever thought about buying a car for yourself, Senior Zhang Yan?"

"I’ve actually already bought one and should be able to pick it up in a few days. I have my license too, but I’m not very experienced yet. I’ll probably need to practice a bit before I can hit the road."

Zhang Yan had also gotten his driver’s license early on. At the time, he harbored infinite expectations for his future, spending every day of driving school fantasizing about whether he would eventually drive a Mercedes or an Audi. However, if he hadn’t unexpectedly awakened the system ahead of time, his first beloved ride would have most likely been a Yadea electric scooter.

Xiaoyan’s eyes lit up at his words. "Senior Zhang Yan, you can call me when you practice! My driving skills are pretty good, so I’m sure I’d make a great practice buddy!"

"Sure. When I’m ready to practice, I’ll definitely ask you to ride along. I’ll even pay you double the market rate."

"Oh, Senior Zhang Yan, you’re too polite. We’re just friends helping each other out. How could I possibly accept your money?"

"That works too. Thank you."

Xiaoyan’s smile slightly froze.

"Wait, I was just being polite," she thought. "Are you really not going to pay me?"

According to common courtesy, wasn’t there supposed to be a polite back-and-forth? At the very least, he should have offered to buy her dinner or provide some other form of compensation. How could he just leave it at that? Combined with the fact that she was the one paying for their meal today, didn’t that mean she was getting nothing while he took advantage of her twice in a row!

"With Zhang Yan’s wealth, there’s no way he cares about taking advantage of such petty savings," she thought. "It must be that I haven’t truly captured his interest yet!"

She thought of her best friend, who had only known Zhang Yan for a few days but was already dripping in designer brands. Out of nowhere, a renewed sense of determination welled up within her.

Acting as if she hadn’t been affected by the brief exchange at all, Xiaoyan casually asked, "Where are we going?"

Since Zhang Yan had scheduled their meetup so early, Xiaoyan had been secretly hoping he might take her on a date or go shopping. Along the way, he would surely buy her a few gifts, wouldn’t he? Now, seeing that he wasn’t leading her toward a bustling commercial district, she felt a twinge of disappointment mixed with curiosity and confusion.

"It’s still early. Come with me to pick something up first."

"Oh."

Seeing that he didn’t elaborate, Xiaoyan tactfully dropped the subject.

Meng City Auction.

After getting out of the car and following Zhang Yan inside, Xiaoyan’s confusion deepened. This appeared to be a very grand auction house. Had Zhang Yan won something here?

"Hello, Mr. Zhang. The Patek Philippe solid rose gold Nautilus 5711R watch you won is right here. Please take a look.

"This is a collector-grade, near-mint condition timepiece. There are no signs of wear, and it has been preserved flawlessly.

"The relevant item certificates and the certificate of authenticity provided by our institution are right here. If you have any doubts, you may take it to an independent appraisal agency for further verification."

The woman receiving Zhang Yan was around thirty years old, named Liu Ying. She wore a standard professional white button-down shirt and a pencil skirt. She was quite attractive and had a great figure. However, compared to Xiaoyan, who was standing right beside him, Liu Ying undoubtedly paled in comparison.

Zhang Yan casually glanced at the watch. He didn’t know the first thing about these items, but since Brother Tongzi had directly purchased it, he had no reason to doubt its authenticity.

"Looks good. Let’s sign the paperwork."

Seeing how straightforward he was, Liu Ying enthusiastically prepared the documents and carefully explained the various clauses to him. After he signed, she reached out to shake his hand.

"Before meeting you, I never would have imagined you were so young, Mr. Zhang!

"I still vividly remember the moment you dominated the auction floor, boldly dropping 800,000 to secure this collector’s watch.

"You are truly a young and successful man. If it’s convenient, let’s add each other on WeChat. Should you have any auction-related needs or inquiries in the future, I will be the first to assist you!"

Zhang Yan hadn’t realized that a mere watch had cost him 800,000 yuan.

"Brother Tongzi is such a spendthrift!" he thought. "Wouldn’t it have been much better to just give me that cold hard cash directly?"

On the surface, however, he remained calm and collected, as if 800,000 yuan were nothing more than pocket change he could toss away on a whim. After adding Liu Ying on WeChat, he dropped her contact into a newly created group: *Roadside Weeds*.

Meanwhile, Xiaoyan, who had been standing by Zhang Yan’s side the entire time, was experiencing a stormy sea of emotions.

Eight hundred thousand! To think that tiny watch was actually worth 800,000 yuan!

Although she didn’t know much about watches, she had certainly heard of the prestigious Patek Philippe name. Backed by a dazzling array of certificates and the endorsement of a reputable auction platform, there was no way it could be a fake. Eight hundred thousand yuan was enough to buy a decent house. It could buy a car that bordered on "luxury," or a massive pile of extravagant jewelry. But to spend 800,000 yuan on a single watch and casually strap it to a wrist—that wasn’t wearing a watch. That was wearing wealth and status!

Xiaoyan felt her entire body heat up. As they walked out the door, she seemingly casually wrapped her arms around one of Zhang Yan’s, intentionally brushing his arm against the soft peaks of her chest.

"Senior~ Where are we going next~"

"Don’t call me Senior."

"Then~ what do you want me to call you?"

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