To be honest, she didn't really need that much money. She didn't buy expensive things, nor did she crave the lavish, extravagant lifestyle of the rich. She just wanted to live a comfortable, middle-class life, protecting her own little patch of ordinary happiness.
She knew how to earn money; the prize money from her paintings and the sales of her artwork were more than enough to support her family for a long time.
If she accepted money gifted by the Baili family, Liu Mingxi would only use it to buy a villa, move into a new home, set up a painting studio for herself, and get her family settled. She would have her parents manage the vast majority of it—primarily because she wouldn't even know what to do with it—and then she would travel everywhere. That was what she wanted most of all.
Hearing Liu Mingxi's agreement, Baili Xin breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly rejoicing.
He had finally secured a powerful backer for the Baili family!
"Very well, Miss Liu. Thank you for your understanding. We will arrange everything for you right away. This is a bank card loaded with five billion RMB, and the PIN is six zeros. This is a black gold card universally accepted by Baili Group. No matter where you shop, as long as you present this card, you will not have to pay a single cent, and you will be given priority purchase rights. You will be the most distinguished guest there."
A brilliant smile spread across Baili Xin's face. "If you have any other requests, we will arrange them immediately. Also, if you don't want shares, you can become an honorary shareholder and still enjoy all the corporate rights."
Liu Mingxi excitedly tucked the two cards away and nodded.
"And I apologize, Miss Liu, but there may be an important meeting I need to attend." Baili Xin gestured toward the secretary who had just walked up to him. "If you wish to go to the Forbidden Artifacts Repository, my sons can take you there."
With that, he secretly exchanged glances with his two sons.
"Oh, it's fine! You go ahead and take care of your business!"
After Baili Xin left, Liu Mingxi turned to look at the two young men.
*This is a golden opportunity to get on her good side,* the two thought to themselves.
"Miss Liu, let me lead the way! Please, right this way!" the chubby Baili Tuming stepped forward and seized the initiative.
Liu Mingxi gave a soft "Mm" and followed behind him.
Along the way, Baili Tuming was as bubbly and chatty as an old friend. "Sister Liu, can I call you that? You're three years older than me! You are so amazing! My dad said you're the newly emerged Human Ceiling. I never expected you to be so young—though, of course, I'm even younger."
Walking behind them and unable to get a word in, Baili Jing silently rolled his eyes.
Then, feeling awkward, Liu Mingxi asked Baili Tuming to change what he called her; "Sister Liu" sounded a bit too much like workplace jargon.
So it changed to:
"Sister Mingxi! You can call me Baili Pangpang! Pangpang is fine, too! My dad said I need to get on your good terms. What do you like? I have a lot of ordinary little gifts right here."
As he spoke, he fished a handful of watches that looked immensely expensive out of his suit pockets.
Liu Mingxi's expression became utterly dazzling. *Oh, good lord, are those Rolexes, Patek Philippes, and Bucherers?*
Was he running a wholesale egg promotion or something? He was just grabbing a handful to give away as gifts.
The motor-mouthed chubby guy left Liu Mingxi unable to get a word in edgewise, forcing her to offer a dry laugh. This was the third time today she had wanted to whip up a giant hat on the spot and pull it down over her head.
They arrived back at the elevators, though this was a different, hidden elevator. Baili Pangpang quickly entered the password and verified his fingerprint, and then the group descended to the 101st floor.
Another corridor stretched out before them, but whereas the previous one had been opulently luxurious, this one screamed high-tech sophistication.
They stepped out of the elevator, walked across the plush carpets for a long time, bypassed countless rooms, and finally reached the end, where another high-tech door stood.
Baili Pangpang went through a series of fingerprint and iris scans before the door finally opened.
Behind the door lay a much more expansive and massive space. As the lights gradually brightened, row upon row of dense display cases emerged, so numerous they were impossible to count with the naked eye.
Liu Mingxi was struck dumb with astonishment once again. True to their reputation as billionaires, even rare things like Forbidden Artifacts could be found here in such quantities.
"Sister Mingxi, feel free to pick out a few pieces. Don't be polite."
Liu Mingxi walked directly toward the depths of the hall, passing several Forbidden Artifacts whose serial numbers were only in the double digits, but she bypassed them entirely.
After walking around in a daze for a few minutes, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she stopped in front of a display case.
"【Blessing Bracelet】"
"An ordinary red cord bracelet, imbued with the Serial 606 Forbidden Ruins 【Blessing】. The wearer receives a certain blessing that brings good luck and makes all wishes come true."
With a flutter of excitement in her chest, Liu Mingxi picked it up and returned to Baili Tuming and the others.
"I'll take this one!"
Liu Mingxi shook the red cord bracelet in her hand. The red cord was strung with an unidentifiable glowing jewel and two tiny, ordinary peach-wood beads.
Baili Pangpang was slightly surprised. "Just this? It doesn't look very useful..." Realizing that this was what Liu Mingxi liked, he quickly changed his tune and asked, "Don't you want to pick a few more things?"
"No need, this is the one!" Liu Mingxi put it on with delight. The little red cord looked cute and charming against her previously bare wrist.
"Alright." Seeing how happy Liu Mingxi looked, Baili Pangpang refrained from saying anything further.
*Is it because she likes wearing bracelets? No wonder she turned down my watches—turns out I misjudged what she liked. My fault, my fault.*
Seeing that Liu Mingxi had made her choice, the group left the Forbidden Artifacts Repository.
When Liu Mingxi expressed her desire to leave, Baili Pangpang strongly urged her to stay. His reluctant, puppy-dog eyes made Liu Mingxi's heart soften for a moment, but she quickly hardened her resolve.
In the end, they all enjoyed a hearty meal together in the Baili family's exclusive grand dining hall. Moreover, both sides exchanged phone numbers and WeChat contacts, and everyone left quite satisfied.
By the time it was all over, it was already past one o'clock in the afternoon.
Cradled in the considerate driving of Chang Kangsheng, the Baili family butler and chauffeur, Liu Mingxi safely rode away from Baili Group in the stretch Lincoln limousine, returning to where she belonged—her home, the starting point of everything.
What a dizzying, surreal day it had been.
First came Feng's frantic message, then the heart-stopping monster, followed by Wei Xiuming revealing the unbelievable truth of the world, and finally, the thrilling rollercoaster of her trip to the Baili family.
Exhausted in mind and spirit, Liu Mingxi returned home. The two cards gifted by the Baili family were still tucked securely in her pocket.
The moment she unlocked the door and stepped over to the rosewood stool, she heard a cute and familiar voice chirping out a game sound effect:
"Hurry up! Hurry up!"
Ah, that would be her younger brother, Liu Minghao. He was eight years old this year and an absolute pro at *Eggy Party*.
Right now, with their parents out, he was sprawled facedown on the rosewood chair playing on his phone.
Oh, you might wonder why he wasn't at school on a Monday—was he home sick? No way! Didn't you see how energetic and excited he looked playing his game?
Well, alright, he did look slightly sick; the swollen part of his cheek was the very reason he was taking a day off. He'd had a tooth pulled yesterday, and when he woke up first thing this morning complaining of a toothache and refusing to go to school, their parents had actually agreed!
Liu Mingxi pulled the feast she had packed from the Baili family out of her bag and set it on the coffee table.
"Hey, eat something! Stop playing! How long have you been at it? Do you want to go blind?!"
Completely unlike the introverted and calm persona she projected outside, right now she looked like a tigress ready to pounce and devour someone.
"Go wash your hands right now!" Liu Mingxi roared angrily.
Startled out of his wits, Liu Minghao gave a sharp gasp, dropped his phone as if it were burning hot, and scrambled off to wash his hands.