Chapter 64: Capturing the High Pearl, the Sole Holder

The main exhibition building was the Mountain Forest Library located inside the Dali Mansion Hotel.

Three stories high, it held a collection of fifteen million books.

Since its opening, it had once won two international architectural awards.

Around the perimeter of the library, two rings of bodyguards stood inside and out.

Each stood armed and ready, waiting in a state of high alert.

To ensure the safety of the venue, each invited guest could only bring two people inside.

Ling Yue brought Cheng Jiao and Zang Lanyi.

As the hosts, the President of the Greater China Region and members from the Chaumet headquarters naturally stood at the entrance to welcome the guests.

It was Ling Yue's first time here.

Her face was as unfamiliar as could be.

Yet, they were particularly enthusiastic, as if they had known her for a long time.

“Miss, this Mr. Lance has expressed his greetings to you. He says you are the most pure and lovely lady he has ever seen,” Cheng Jiao translated from the side.

Ling Yue thought to herself, 'Wow!'

Such artistry in speech.

I'm wearing smoky eye makeup, and you call me pure.

Perhaps he can see the heart through the eyes~

Inexplicably, Ling Yue felt a bit pleased.

“Tell him thank you, he is very much a gentleman.”

Cheng Jiao translated Ling Yue's words to Mr. Lance. He let out a laugh that sounded like old money and shook hands with Ling Yue again.

“Ling, let's take a photo together.” The President of the Greater China Region was an elegant yet powerful middle-aged woman. Rumor had it she was already sixty, but she was so well-maintained that she looked barely in her early forties.

This was a standard procedure.

Capturing images of customers was said to be for creating photo albums later, which would be sent to the customers as souvenirs.

“Rest assured, we will not distribute your image. I wish you a pleasant visit to the exhibition today.”

“Thank you.”

Ling Yue entered the venue under the guidance of the president's assistant.

Through special lighting treatment, the light at the exhibition site was presented in an alternating form of light and shadow.

Fine streams of light hung down from the third floor of the library, like a galaxy descending from the sky. With the breeze stirred by walking, the galaxy seemed to flow!

It was like a dream.

Ling Yue found everything novel.

In the glass display cases over there, various shapes of light shone on dazzling diamonds and gemstones, instantly grabbing one's attention.

Her gaze was unconsciously drawn to a tiara under a bright light.

Carnations with spreading branches and leaves, like birds, used their leaves on both sides to hold up a deep 28.43-carat round emerald.

The brilliance was impossible to ignore, like clusters of small fireworks blooming on the water's surface.

Next to it was an all-diamond tiara, with both sides resembling spring water surging toward the center. At the peak of the spring water was a 10-carat pear-shaped diamond, like a drop of water falling into a spring, stirring up ripples.

Unknowingly, she reached the center of the exhibition, where there was an independent display case showcasing a set of pigeon blood ruby high jewelry.

The necklace chain was set with thirty-two 2-carat square diamonds, with a mesh design draped over the collarbone, adorned with forty 1-carat alternating red and white diamonds, and finally dangling a 46-carat oval pigeon blood ruby.

Then there were the ring, tiara, earrings, brooch, and bracelet; the main gemstones were all no smaller than 8 carats, surrounded by many pavé diamonds.

This set had six pieces in total—a spring newcomer, with only five sets worldwide. It was the most expensive and most collectible exhibit in this exhibition. Currently, two sets had been sold at exhibitions in Paris and Washington; this set was the first in the country!

In the adjacent display case, there were dozens of pigeon-egg-sized diamond rings in various shapes: square, round, and pear-shaped.

It was too much; it was simply dazzling.

Ling Yue closed her eyes and pressed her eyelids.

She couldn't just look; she had already decided what she wanted to buy before coming.

At Ling Yue's signal, Cheng Jiao found the guide next to the display stand and informed them of the high jewelry pieces she wanted to try on.

The guide led Ling Yue and her companions to a private room.

“Please wait here for a moment while I go get the products.” After the guide left, several more people entered.

Trying on authentic high jewelry required the skin to be free of cosmetic residue.

Ling Yue's hands were washed clean, and a special material would be lightly applied to her neck to separate the skin from the high jewelry.

After about ten minutes, a total of ten staff members arrived, each carrying a product to present to Ling Yue.

First appreciation, then trial; the staff were exceptionally careful throughout the process.

With every piece she touched, Ling Yue thought to herself: 'So heavy!'

Especially that 48-carat pigeon blood ruby necklace; hanging on her neck, it even pressed against her collarbone, its presence extremely strong!

And the earrings... they were really heavy.

During the trial, Ling Yue also learned about the prices.

The 28.43-carat emerald tiara was worth 43.28 million.

The 10-carat pear-shaped all-diamond tiara was worth 16.5 million.

Eight diamond rings over 6 carats had an average price of around 5 million.

There was also a beautiful brooch, said to be a 60-year-old antique brooch, inlaid with two emeralds of over 10 carats each—a unique piece in the world, priced at 25 million.

The six-piece pigeon blood ruby set was priced at 240 million.

Not enough.

Still not enough!

Ling Yue prepared to pick a few more products to try on, thinking of paying for them all at once.

Cheng Jiao hurried over and whispered in her ear, “Miss, I just learned that there are three other guests who want to buy the six-piece pigeon blood ruby set and are already discussing trying it on.”

The implication was clear.

If you want to buy it, don't hesitate!

At worst, she would just earn a bit less from the cashback.

Getting the things she wanted first was what mattered!

Ling Yue's face remained calm as she pointed to the rows of jewelry spread out on the table and said to the staff, “I want all of these.”

“We will apply for approval immediately. Please prepare the funds as soon as possible, Madam.” The lead staff member's expression didn't change.

In this line of work, they had seen too much spending money like water.

They no longer felt that money was money; it was just a string of numbers.

Remembering something, Ling Yue took out the still-warm Zhongcheng Gold Card from her bag and placed it on the table. “I don't need to prepare funds; I can swipe the card now.”

A flicker of emotion finally appeared in the staff member's eyes. “Please wait a moment, Madam!”

Once they left, Ling Yue stood up to stretch.

Snacks and drinks were laid out on a small dining table nearby. The small cakes were particularly exquisite and emitted a rich milky aroma.

Ling Yue beckoned to Cheng Jiao and Zang Lanyi. “These snacks look good.”

Actually, they had just finished lunch not long ago.

But generally speaking, the snacks at an exhibition of this scale tasted good.

“It's okay, not sweet,” Zang Lanyi spoke up for once.

Along the way today, besides two sentences at the start, her mouth had been as still as if it were glued shut with Super Glue.

The waiting process was a bit long.

About half an hour.

Finally, under the personal attendance of the President of the Greater China Region and the designer.

Staff members brought the card machine and entered the room along with Manager Li from Zhongcheng Bank.

The designer personally explained the stories behind several products, emphasizing the design craftsmanship, artistic value, and the scarcity that made them suitable as family heirlooms.

The total amount on Ling Yue's side was 365,780,000 yuan.

She had obtained [2x Cashback] from the lucky draw when she arrived.

Witnessed by the bank, the funds were transferred into the other party's account.

[Bank card ending in 4456 transferred 365,780,000 yuan to another account at 14:06 on April 3rd, balance 3,634,220,000 yuan.]

[Bank card ending in 4456 received a transfer of 731,560,000 yuan at 14:06 on April 3rd, balance 4,365,780,000 yuan.]

[Draw attempts: 19]

The President of the Greater China Region clapped lightly. “Congratulations, Ms. Ling, on securing the pigeon blood ruby set, becoming its third owner in the world and the only holder in China.”