Movie/TV series: Starting with Ode to Joy, I opened my own private kitchen.

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Chen Nanxing nodded and said, "Okay, thank you for your hard work, Su Chang. You'd better hurry."

Su Chang smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll do it as soon as possible."

After Su Chang finished treating Chen Nanxing, the two slowly went downstairs. Su Chang frowned slightly, looked around, and asked in confusion, "Where did Xu Hongdou go?" Chen Nanxing also looked blank and gently shook his head.

They asked the nanny and learned that Xu Hongdou had actually driven out, saying she went to her sister's house. The two realized that the scene in the room earlier must have upset Xu Hongdou, causing her to run away. After all, no woman would feel comfortable if the man she liked saw her best friend's body naked, even if it was for medical treatment. The two could only wait for Xu Hongdou to return on her own. Besides, now that she was in Shanghai, she really should check in with her sister.

Chapter Sixty-Nine Auction

When Xu Hongdou arrived at Xu Hongmi's house, she found the door locked and the doorbell broken, so no one answered. Xu Hongmi wasn't home. Xu Hongdou sighed helplessly and took out her phone to call Xu Hongmi.

"Hey! Sis, where are you?" Xu Hongdou's voice carried a hint of helplessness.

"I'm away on a business trip, what's up?" Xu Hongmi's voice remained as capable as ever.

"I...I came to Shanghai with Nanxing for medical treatment. I'm near your house now, seeing when you're going home," Xu Hongdou stammered.

“Oh, then you can just come stay at my place. I’ll be away on a business trip for the next couple of days. I’ll give you the key code.” Xu Hongmi readily replied, knowing that Chen Nanxing had a terminal illness.

"Ah, no need, no need. Nanxing and I are staying at the doctor's house now. It's not convenient for her to receive treatment if we stay at your house. I have to take care of Nanxing, so we won't stay at your house." Xu Hongdou quickly refused. She didn't want to stay at the witch sister's house and be urged to get up every day. At Su Chang's house, she had food, drink, and a nanny to take care of her. It was so much better to be a lazy bum.

Xu Hongmi seemed to hear Xu Hongdou's words. Although she felt a little strange—why would someone stay at a doctor's house for treatment?—she assumed it was just a desperate attempt to find a so-called miracle doctor. However, she couldn't very well refuse: "Alright, then you must be careful. I'll be back in a couple of days to visit Nanxing."

Xu Hongdou panicked when she heard that Xu Hongmi was going to Su Chang's house. She knew that her grandparents always hoped she and her sister would marry. If Xu Hongmi saw Su Chang, she would definitely tell the family and focus all their attention on her. She gripped her phone tightly, a layer of sweat beading on her forehead, but she had no reason to refuse. She was practically walking into a trap.

"Okay... alright, then let me know in advance when you come back." Xu Hongdou agreed helplessly, but in her heart she was already planning how to deal with it.

After hanging up the phone, Xu Hongdou felt even heavier. She decided to go back to Su Chang's house and discuss with the two of them how to deal with her sister. She didn't want to bother her with that little thing that happened in the morning.

Xu Hongdou rushed back to the villa and saw Chen Nanxing chatting excitedly with Su Chang. A ripple of unease stirred in her heart. She wondered to herself, could there be something between Su Chang and Chen Nanxing? However, remembering that Xu Hongmi would be arriving in a couple of days, she suppressed her displeasure and suspicion.

When Xu Hongdou quietly walked up behind the two, she heard Chen Nanxing say: "When I get better, I must travel to Yunnan, Hainan and Northeast China. I must live my own life in the second half of my life and never want to work so hard again. I only need enough money to get by."

Hearing Chen Nanxing's words, Xu Hongdou's heart softened, and she hugged Chen Nanxing tightly from behind, whispering, "I'll go with you then."

Su Chang and Chen Nanxing were surprised to find that Xu Hongdou had returned. Chen Nanxing turned around and hugged Xu Hongdou back, his eyes shining with emotion, and said, "Okay, let's go together then, without Su Chang."

After saying that, she gave Su Chang a provocative look. Su Chang didn't bother with the girl and pretended not to see it. Then, Chen Nanxing told Xu Hongdou about how Su Chang had come up with a way to cure her.

Xu Hongdou was overjoyed upon hearing this. She tightly grasped Su Chang's hand and asked impatiently, "Su Chang, is this true?"

Su Chang helplessly repeated the reasons he had given Chen Nanxing that morning. Although Xu Hongdou was equally amazed by the pill, she now had unwavering faith in Su Chang's medical skills and could only urge him to produce the pill as soon as possible. Su Chang had no choice but to quickly agree.

Then, Xu Hongdou mentioned that her older sister, Xu Hongmi, was coming to visit Chen Nanxing in a couple of days, and also brought up the family's pressure on her to marry her sister. Looking worried, not wanting to become the target of her family's criticism, she anxiously asked, "Do you have any ideas?"

Chen Nanxing's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile, "Su Chang is going to gather herbs to make pills, right? When Xu Hongmi comes over and Su Chang isn't home, we can tell her that the doctor went out to gather herbs." Xu Hongdou thought it was a good idea and nodded repeatedly.

Su Chang looked helpless. He had been deprived of his right to express his opinion and could only silently accept the arrangement. He secretly groaned, but seeing Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing's excited expressions, he didn't say much. Actually, he wanted to say that it was unnecessary, what was the point of burying his head in the sand like this? He could meet the parents all along, why would he never meet them? But he didn't dare to say it, afraid that Xu Hongdou would beat him to death.

After finishing the conversation, Xu Hongdou stared sharply at Su Chang, as if trying to see through him, and interrogated him about what happened last night and who Guan Juer was.

Su Chang's heart tightened, knowing he couldn't escape, so he had no choice but to recount what happened last night, but cleverly omitted Jiang Lai's matter during the retelling.

Upon hearing this, both women wore expressions of righteous indignation, their brows furrowed and their eyes filled with anger.

Xu Hongdou angrily exclaimed, "That scumbag Bai is so despicable! And that Qiu Yingying, how could she be such a person? Su Chang, you'd better stay away from Qiu Yingying in the future, or you'll get screwed over by her."

Chen Nanxing chimed in, "Exactly! Don't associate with people like that. They're even worse than that scumbag Bai."

"Su Chang, tell me about Guan Juer, what's going on?" Xu Hongdou didn't let the topic of Guan Juer go just because of Bai Zha Nan and Qiu Yingying's affair, and immediately pressed for an answer.

Afterwards, Su Chang recounted how she had fainted in the (ccdj) community after returning to China and was rescued by Guan Juer.

As Xu Hongdou listened, a sense of curiosity arose in her heart. She casually asked, "What kind of girl is Guan Juer?"

Without much thought, Su Chang praised, "Guan Juer is a well-behaved, innocent, and kind girl."

A fleeting hint of disappointment crossed Xu Hongdou's eyes, but she quickly followed up with, "Isn't Guan Juer very pretty?"

Su Chang was quick to realize that something was wrong. He looked at Xu Hongdou, feeling a little flustered, but still forced himself to say, "I'm just average-looking, definitely not as pretty as you, Hongdou."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hongdou was overjoyed, a satisfied smile spreading across her face as if she had achieved great satisfaction. She let Su Chang off the hook, but still punished him by ordering him to quickly prepare a large meal.

Su Chang breathed a sigh of relief and went into the kitchen to prepare a feast without saying a word.

Seeing Su Chang's appearance, Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing both laughed so hard they almost fell over.

And so, Su Chang spent two days lazing around in the villa with Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing. Ever since he got the All-Purpose Healing Pill that day, the rewards he received for signing in had been getting worse and worse. They were all cash, and he even got the lowest reward ever, 10 yuan. Su Chang had completely given up.

At noon, a phone call from Xu Hongmi led Xu Hongdou to push Su Chang out of the house, because Xu Hongmi was coming to visit Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing that evening, so there was no place for Su Chang to stay in the villa that day.

Su Chang shook her head helplessly. However, since Su Chang was going to attend an auction today, she went back to Ode to Joy to prepare. Jiang Lai had also invited Andy to attend the auction together. When Andy heard that she was going to help Su Chang evaluate the value of the auction items, she immediately agreed. I wonder what Tan Zongming would think if he knew.

Around 6 p.m., Su Chang, Jiang Lai, and Andy arrived at Su Chang's living room as agreed.

Su Chang wore a sharp suit, the well-tailored lines perfectly highlighting his tall and upright figure. A confident smile radiated from his face, his eyes revealing determination and wisdom. He subtly adjusted his bow tie; unaccustomed to wearing ties, he opted for a simple bow tie, giving him the air of a high-end waiter. Then, he put on the Patek Philippe watch he'd bought from Brother Ding's club; its dazzling light shimmered on his wrist, further enhancing his noble bearing.

Jiang Lai wore a fiery red evening gown, dazzling like a burning flame. Her skirt flowed like a butterfly, light and graceful. She wore the "Unparalleled" diamond necklace Su Chang had given her; the sparkling diamonds complemented her fair skin, giving her an irresistible charm. A captivating smile played on her lips, her eyes brimming with passion and vitality. It seemed that red suited Jiang Lai perfectly; it was a perfect match for her.

Andy, unusually, had ditched her usual formal attire for a black evening gown, a gown Jiang Lai had helped her choose. In it, she exuded an aura of mystery and nobility, like the stars in the night sky. She wore the "Rockefeller" sapphire necklace Su Chang had given her; the deep blue gemstone seemed to hold boundless wisdom and power. A faint smile graced her face, her eyes revealing composure and elegance.

"Hmm, it feels like you two are going to cause trouble today." Su Chang sincerely praised them, while inwardly complaining that the two were dressed more like they were going to a cocktail party than an auction, but he didn't dare say it out loud, mainly because he was afraid of getting beaten up.

Jiang Lai winked playfully and said with a smile, "Of course! Today is your first time attending such a formal occasion in Shanghai, so of course I have to dress up beautifully to make you look good!"

Andy smiled and nodded: "Yes, Lai Lai specially chose this dress for me today, saying it's to make you look good."

Su Chang patted his chest and said confidently, "Don't worry, with me here, I'm still good enough for you two beauties. I'm not like those old geezers who would feel inferior if you two were standing next to them."

Jiang Lai asked curiously, "By the way, Su Chang, the car you drove back today was really impressive!"

Chapter Seventy: Successful Auction

Su Chang smiled smugly: "Hehe! Of course, this extended Rolls-Royce was picked up from Brother Ding's collection in Kyoto last time. It used to be a special limousine, and it was brought here specifically for today's auction."

"Alright, I've brought the driver back with me too, let's go."

The three chatted as they went downstairs and got into the car. Su Chang opened the door and let Jiang Lai and Andy sit in the main seats in the back, while Su Chang herself sat in the secretary's seat opposite. Su Chang carefully looked through a copy of the auction details that Tan Zongming had asked Andy to bring back, while the two women happily admired the scenery outside the window. The car slowly drove out, heading straight for the auction venue.

At the auction venue, four people waited at the entrance: Tan Zongming, Jiang Haokun, Lao Meng, and Su Mingyu. They attracted a lot of attention. At first, only Tan Zongming was waiting, but later Jiang Haokun and Lao Meng asked Tan Zongming and learned that Su Chang was coming today, so they also waited at the entrance.

Tan Zongming and Jiang Haokun stood there calmly, like two unshakeable mountains, attracting the attention of those around them. After all, they were two of the most prominent business tycoons in Shanghai. Old Meng, though his net worth was considerably lower, also maintained a composed demeanor, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. Su Mingyu's expression was somewhat complex. She knew her status here was relatively low, but deep down she still possessed a pride that she was no less capable than others.

People around stopped to observe and whispered among themselves.

"Who are they waiting for? They actually have two bigwigs, Tan Zongming and Jiang Haokun, waiting at the door?"

"I don't know, I haven't heard any news, but it must be a big shot, maybe a high-ranking government official."

"Hmm, he could also be a scion of some prominent family in Kyoto, after all..."

······

When the extended LaCrosse stopped in front of the four of them, Su Mingyu took a deep breath and stepped forward to open the door. Her movements were a little stiff, and she muttered to herself, "I, a senior executive, have become a doorman. Su Chang is really something."

The car door opened, and Andy stepped out first, a faint smile on her face and confidence in her eyes.

Jiang Lai followed closely behind and got out of the car. Her face was beaming with excitement. After all, it was the first time she had appeared in public with her man, and she was very excited.

Finally, Su Chang slowly got out of the car. When he saw that it was Su Mingyu who opened the door, a look of surprise and embarrassment appeared on his face. He quickly said, "Sister Mingyu, how could I let you open the door? I'm so sorry."

Su Mingyu smiled slightly and said, "It's alright, Su Chang. You can't expect Lao Meng to open the car door, can you?" Although she was somewhat reluctant, she still showed the proper politeness and winked at Tan Zongming and the other two.

"Old Tan, President Jiang, Old Meng, why are you still waiting here? I'm so sorry!" Su Chang saw Su Mingyu's gaze and stepped forward to greet Tan Zongming, Jiang Haokun and Old Meng one by one. He said sorry, but the corners of his mouth were harder to suppress than an AK.

Jiang Haokun, ignoring Su Chang, smiled and said to Jiang Lai, "Lai Lai, come here and let me see you. You look really beautiful today."

Jiang Lai playfully turned her head and said, "No way! I came here with my man today. I don't want to come with you." She even went over and took Su Chang's arm to show her status as the lady of the house.

Tan Zongming looked Andy up and down, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, and said, "Andy, you look outstanding today. You can dress like this more often in the future."

Andy smiled and replied, "Old Tan, don't you know me? Jiang Lai forced me to dress up like this today. I feel so awkward in this outfit."

The people around watched this scene and their chatter grew louder.

"Who's that guy in the middle? And those two women next to him, one is Jiang Lai, the big devil of the Jiang family, and the other is Andy, the current CFO of Shengxuan, whom Tan Zongming brought back from abroad. This is quite a grand affair."

"Yes, which aristocratic family does he belong to?"

Su Chang didn't mind. She chatted with Lao Meng for a bit longer before they walked into the venue together.

Upon entering the venue, Lao Meng greeted Su Mingyu and the others before taking his seat in the middle. Su Chang and his two companions, led by Tan Zongming and Jiang Haokun, then sat down in the front row.

As soon as he sat down, Jiang Haokun couldn't wait to ask Su Chang, "Su Chang, do you have any specific goals for today?" His eyes revealed a hint of cunning and vigilance. After all, he didn't come here to watch the show; he had his own goals. If he ran into Su Chang, things would get complicated. He had heard from Jiang Lai how wealthy Su Chang was, and that 200 billion was just the initial capital for his investment company.

Su Chang remained calm, a slight smile playing on his lips. He casually replied, "Guess."

Jiang Haokun and Tan Zongming, who was eavesdropping nearby, were speechless. Jiang Haokun cursed inwardly, "Screw you! How can this kid be so arrogant!"

Tan Zongming chuckled inwardly. He had witnessed Su Chang's extravagance firsthand. He spent 300 billion on luxury goods and another 200 billion on real estate in Beijing the very next day. He knew this kid was no ordinary person. Moreover, Shanghai was Su Chang's base of operations, so he would probably spend even more. There had also been rumors that Jiang Lai's investment company had an initial capital of 20 billion. What others didn't know was that the company belonged to Su Chang, and the money was also invested by Su Chang.

Jiang Haokun suppressed his dissatisfaction and continued to press, "Su Chang, stop being so mysterious. Do you have a target or not? If we clash with each other, wouldn't that be internal strife? There's no need for that. How about this: I only want one item for auction, and I don't want the rest, okay?" His expression became somewhat serious. He had come here specifically for the last item in the auction, and he didn't want any unexpected events to occur.

Looking at Jiang Haokun's expression, Su Chang found it somewhat amusing. He deliberately slowed down his speech, whetting Jiang Haokun's appetite: "Brother-in-law, don't be in such a hurry. I'm just here today to take a look around. If there's anything suitable, I'll buy it. Maybe I won't buy anything, or maybe I'll buy them all."

Jiang Haokun's heart skipped a beat upon hearing Su Chang's words, and he felt even more uneasy. He knew Su Chang was just giving him the runaround. He turned to Tan Zongming, hoping to get some support from him.

Tan Zongming looked helpless, shrugging to indicate that he was powerless to help. Jiang Haokun cursed inwardly, "These two guys are both so unreliable!"

Su Chang was secretly pleased with himself. He knew what Jiang Haokun and Tan Zongming were up to, and he wanted to keep them guessing. He thought to himself, "Let them worry about it. I'm here to go on a shopping spree today. Nobody can compete with me. If you want to outspend me, I'll wear you down."

He's here to spend money today. Do you think those two cashback cards and over a trillion yuan in cash flow are a joke? He's here to show his power in Shanghai's upper circles. Otherwise, any Tom, Dick, or Harry would dare to bark at him, whether it was Wei Wei before or Bai Zha Nan recently.

Su Chang herself exposed Bai Zha Nan online. According to Jiang Lai, Bai Zha Nan was directly crippled by one of the women's husbands. Now he doesn't even dare to be hospitalized in Shanghai and was sent away by ambulance overnight.

·· ··Requesting flowers··· ········

Seeing that Su Chang remained silent, Jiang Haokun had no choice but to curse Su Chang inwardly as a brat. He didn't want to go to Jiang Lai, who was also a traitorous girl. He could only pray that Su Chang wouldn't be interested in the auction item. Tan Zongming, on the other hand, didn't care. His company was still planning to acquire the Red Star Group, and it would take some time to acquire and digest its scale. He was just accompanying Su Chang to look at the items today; he didn't care about the auction items.

Soon after, a middle-aged man who looked like a leader stepped onto the stage, cleared his throat, and delivered a long, tedious speech. Su Chang sat below the stage, absentmindedly playing with the auction paddle he had just received. This was his first time attending an auction, and he was extremely excited.

After the leader finished speaking, the auction officially began. The first item was a three-story penthouse in Junyue Mansion, with a starting price of 1.2 million yuan. Each bid had to be at least 100 million yuan higher. Despite the high starting price, many people were eager to participate, and the audience immediately became excited, with many raising their paddles and bidding against each other.

Watching the lively scene, Su Chang felt a surge of excitement. He felt the name "Junyue Mansion" sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He didn't move the sign in his hand; what was the point of raising it now? He might as well wait for his final decision. Wouldn't it be better to just enjoy the show? This scene was more exciting than anything on TV!

..... .... 0

The price quickly reached 2 million, and only two people remained bidding. Su Chang suddenly felt he had had enough of the drama, so he took a deep breath and decided he couldn't be bothered to watch them play this childish game of bidding millions.

He suddenly raised the bidding paddle in his hand and shouted, "2.5 million!" His shout was like a thunderclap, echoing throughout the auction hall. Everyone stared at Su Chang in astonishment, their faces displaying a variety of expressions: some surprised, some envious, some jealous, and some looking at Su Chang as if he were a fool.

Su Chang leaned back in her seat indifferently, thinking, "They're all so petty. This is nothing!"

Meanwhile, the two people bidding against Su Chang were also intimidated by his momentum. After hesitating for a moment, they finally gave up on raising the price. At this moment, Andy leaned close to Su Chang's ear and whispered, "Su Chang, this house will not exceed 2.2 million at most. Your bid of 2.5 million is too high."