Seeing Jiang Cheng and Yu Xiaoxiao holding hands while browsing the other lots, Zhao Xing asked, "Mr. Jiang, where would you like these items delivered? We can send a dedicated security escort to your door."
Jiang Cheng gave Zhao Xing the villa's address.
He planned to place the antiques and art straight into the villa.
The rest he would cherry-pick and take back to Chengdu.
Under Wang Sheng's arrangements the villa's security was iron-clad.
Three shifts of guards rotated 24/7—safe and assured.
While they were talking, a staff member hurried in and said to Zhao Xing, "Manager Zhao, something terrible's happened."
Seeing the flustered employee, Zhao Xing instinctively scolded, "Can't you see Mr. Jiang is here? Whatever it is, speak slowly—what's with the panic?"
Startled by the reprimand, the female worker bowed to Jiang Cheng. "Sorry, Mr. Jiang, for the disturbance. Manager Zhao, Manager Li Zewei sent me—someone fell into the river outside."
Zhao Xing's stern face turned deathly pale.
"What? Why didn't you say so sooner? Who fell? Have they been rescued?"
Seeing Zhao Xing blame her, the staffer answered hastily, "Manager Li didn't say; he sent me the moment he heard. It wasn't off our ship—it was from a private yacht moored beside the cruiser. We don't know whose guest it was; the salvage team is searching now."
Zhao Xing exhaled in momentary relief.
He felt lucky the incident hadn't happened aboard their vessel.
Yet, on closer inspection, the matter was still grave.
Zhao Xing's brows knitted again.
"Have our people gone to help?"
Today's auction was jointly held by Huaqiao and Poly.
Every invited guest was a wealthy scion; nothing major could go wrong.
If an ordinary employee had fallen in, it would be easier to handle.
But if one of these young heirs were involved, the fallout would be messy.
Though the fall hadn't happened on their cruiser, the evening was under their hosting.
Should the family pursue, the auction house would face serious consequences.
After all, the rich have far more avenues and leverage than common folk.
An average person who slips in a mall can sue and whip up an online storm.
Let alone these moneyed elites.
If rivals used the incident to gang up on them, the damage would multiply.
And news of the accident would tarnish the auction house's image.
The female worker faltered, "I don't know yet; Manager Li only told me to report quickly."
Zhao Xing sighed, "Tell the ship's salvage crew to assist at once, and dispatch more yachts to take the guests ashore."
The employee looked relieved. "Yes, understood."
She turned and jogged out.
Seeing Zhao Xing pace in agitation, Jiang Cheng spoke up, "Manager Zhao, an incident like this surely needs your direction—please see to it."
Zhao Xing bowed gratefully. "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Jiang; I'm terribly sorry. I'll go see what's happening."
He hurried outside.
Qin Fen said, "We've swallowed enough dog food here; let's go out and see what's up."
Wang Congcong nodded. "I'm stuffed too—let's move."
"Go, go, go..."
Without waiting for Jiang Cheng and Yu Xiaoxiao, the four followed Zhao Xing out.
The cruiser's deck railings were now lined with onlookers.
Aside from staff aiming searchlights, the rest were auction guests.
The auction had ended, but the ship hadn't docked.
Guests without private yachts hadn't disembarked.
They pointed and murmured at the nearby salvage boats.
"The Huangpu's deep—they've been under several minutes and still haven't found him."
"Falling in at night is nasty; I heard there are crocs in the Huangpu."
"Crocs are rare, but growing up watching Shanghai Bund you know the river's full of bodies. Word is the guy was drunk—doesn't look good."
"Any idea who it was? How did he suddenly fall?"
"..."
When Zhao Xing arrived, Li Zewei was frantically ordering every spare searcher overboard.
The excitement from earlier had vanished from his face.
Anxiety clouded his features, mirroring Zhao Xing's own.
After all, the two were the evening's top organizers.
Any mishap fell on them.
Li Zewei muttered prayers non-stop.
He begged for a miracle to pull the victim up alive.
Otherwise his post as operations manager would likely be forfeit.
The cruise-auction gimmick had been his department's idea.
If a guest died, the company would need a scapegoat—and he'd be it.
Though Jiang Cheng's commission already guaranteed him a cushy life,
losing this job at his age would make finding another so good nearly impossible.
Worse, the victim was a Second-generation rich—and the only son.
If anything happened, the family would never let it go.
Seeing Li Zewei's despair, Zhao Xing grabbed him. "Manager Li, what exactly happened?"
Li Zewei clutched him back. "It's terrible—Young Master Wen, the sole heir of Wen'an Group. If he's gone, what do we do?"
Zhao Xing's expression turned even colder; he gripped the rail and stared at the dark water.
"Young Master Wen? How did he fall?"
Li Zewei groaned, "I only know what their crew told me. They asked for help—seems he got drunk and slipped into the river."
Qin Fen and Wang Congcong arrived just in time to hear the victim was Wen Ang.
Their eyes widened; they exchanged glances.
Never had they imagined the protagonist of this mishap would be Wen Ang.
Though none of them were friends with Wen Ang,
the sudden tragedy left no room for schadenfreude—only shock.
Wang Congcong blurted, "Wen Ang fell in? They still haven't found him?"
...