Raymond groaned in pain, not expecting Vivian to dare to pinch him.

Looking down at the woman snuggling in his arms, there was a smile in his eyes that he didn't notice, and the restlessness in his heart vanished suddenly.

"Isn't this what you said you wanted yourself?" " The unreasonable woman.

Raymond's cheerful voice rang in Vivian's ears, adding more force to her already relaxed fingers.

Vivian's offense, Raymond didn't feel angry at all. Instead, looking at her like this, he felt a strange sense of pleasure in his heart.

By chance, Vivian saw Raymond's upturned lips, and at the same time heard the faint laughter around.

She was so shy that she lowered her head and said nothing.

The last bra was taken by Raymond, and Vivian had given up. Since she couldn't stop losing face, she simply raised her head and waited gracefully for the next item.

It was a freehand painting of a plum tree standing against the wind, and Vivian looked at it, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Take a picture." Raymond looked at the works being displayed on the stage and said to Vivian, with a hint of emotion in his tone.

Then Richard on the stage gave a mysterious smile to the audience below and said, "There is no reserve price for this painting. Just ask for it."

Everyone was stunned and began to murmur about the origin and value of the painting. Vivian looked at the painting again and raised the number plate.

"Three million" Vivian narrowed her eyes slightly to estimate the value of the painting and was the first to raise the sign.

When everyone looked at her, the painting was not an antique and no one knew whose work it was, and she actually said it was three million.

Cindy, seeing that Vivian was willing to spend three million on such a shabby painting, had a mocking look in her eyes, but also raised her sign, the more Vivian wanted something, the more she wanted to snatch it.

"Three and a half million." Cindy shouted the price and turned to Vivian with a provocative smile.

"Four million." Vivian turned a blind eye to Cindy's provocation and continued to offer the price.

"Four million three hundred thousand." Cindy gritted her teeth and shouted in anger at Vivian's attitude that this was her limit and she wouldn't be able to keep up.

This painting is not like pink diamond earrings. Could it really be worth five million?

"Five million." Vivian raised the price without hesitation, and then looked at Raymond, after all, it was his money, not knowing if he was not worth it?

Raymond wouldn't care about the money at all. He nodded slightly, giving Vivian unlimited confidence.

With Richard's hammer, the painting was finally taken by Vivian.

While everyone was waiting for the next lot, Richard walked up to the middle of the stage and smiled at the crowd below, saying, "Sorry to have taken up a little of your time."

"Mrs. Steven, thank you very much for your kindness in taking my painting." No sooner had Richard finished speaking than there was a murmur from the audience.

Many socialites and noblewomen were somewhat frustrated. Richard's reputation and fame were well-known. If they knew that the painting was his, they should have made an extra effort.

Richard, ignoring the people around him, looked directly at Vivian and spoke again:

"Since Mrs. Steven is willing to spend so much money on this painting, it is said that she is also quite accomplished in art. Could you give me some advice?"

Vivian looked at Richard on the stage, her lips tightly pursed, with a flash of amusement in her eyes.

She didn't expect Richard to use the painting to make things difficult for her. He knew she was from a prestigious school.

"The whole painting is very good, the tough plum blossoms stand against the wind, but the plum blossoms are too thick, but not obvious. This painting is valuable in its artistic conception." Speaking of this, Vivian smiled at Richard.

Looking at the smiling woman in front of him, Richard remained calm but his heart stirred slightly.

He had thought that this woman, who was bound by etiquette and conventions, could not be a good talent for art at all. Even if she were a disciple of Master James, it would most likely be undeserved.

He had just said that in an attempt to embarrass her in public.

Unexpectedly, she actually pointed out the shortcomings of the painting, and most importantly, she actually grasped what he was trying to convey in the painting.

At that moment, Richard's impression of Vivian changed.

A woman who can read his art is not a fool who only knows how to rely on men.

Because of this little incident, Richard stopped being a guest host and instead sat down next to Vivian and started chatting with her.

Without prejudice, the two of them had a great conversation.

Richard had a feeling of meeting a kindred spirit, and he didn't expect Vivian to have so much in common with him about art.

Raymond, who was watching the two of them talk more and more and feel like they've known each other for a long time, dimmed his expression and finally couldn't help but say coldly, "Don't forget your task for today."

Vivian was taken aback, somewhat confused. "What task?" " Didn't he bring her here today just to meet Richard?

"Buy, buy, buy." Raymond casually opened the auction list, pointed to a few items, and looked a little annoyed. This woman is always so petty, even though he has enough money to sweep all the lots.

Buy, buy, buy?

This made Vivian look at Raymond in a different light. Isn't that a woman's hobby? It turns out that the president of the House of Steven Group is hiding such an unknown hobby!

Although Vivian's gaze made Raymond feel strange, seeing Vivian finally stop focusing on talking to Richard, his back finally relaxed a little.

Because of the "imperial edict", Vivian did not hold back and indulged herself to the fullest of spending money extravagantly.

However, she only felt something was amiss after the purchase.

Earrings, bras, whips with diamond handles, jade clips, and... High-end ties.

For some reason, Vivian had a very dirty picture in her mind, her cheeks flushed.

Did Raymond do it on purpose or not?

Vivian doesn't know.

To ease the embarrassment, she put down the auction card and continued chatting with Richard, trying to ignore the list of lots.

Seeing this situation, Raymond felt even less pressured.

"Let's go." He rose to his feet, said coldly, and left first.

Although Vivian thought Raymond was moody, she obediently followed him out, but made an appointment with Richard to meet at the Plum Blossom House the next day before leaving.

Vivian was very happy to have Richard's approval, with joy in her eyes.

This was clearly Raymond's intention, but he couldn't be happy.

When Vivian turned around, she saw Raymond looking very unhappy beside her. Thinking of Raymond's great contribution today, she asked with concern, "Raymond, what's wrong with you?"

But Raymond paid no attention to her.

As the joy wore off, Vivian thought for a moment and felt that perhaps she had been too happy and acted a little out of control.

Could it be that Raymond thinks she's disgraceful again?

Vivian, feeling depressed and unwilling to stick on, followed Raymond in silence.

Raymond felt even more frustrated when he saw that Vivian had only cared and stopped asking.

Especially when he thought of her bright and cheerful way of chatting with other men just now and contrasted it with her current dullness, he felt even more angry.

Rouse Rouse stopped at House of Steven, and Vivian had just got out of the car before she could speak when it sped away.

She froze for a moment, watching the car go away, and her heart, which had been burning just now, turned cold in an instant.

Vivian walked into the house with a cold face, looking exactly like Raymond.

"Madam is back, Sir?" The old butler, knowing that the two of them had gone to the auction together today, asked when he saw Vivian alone in the house.

"I don't know. There must be something to ask," he said. After replying coldly, Vivian went upstairs to rest.

The old butler looked at Vivian's figure and straightened his bow tie.

The lady seemed a little different from before. She used to be very particular about her manners at home and wouldn't show such a cold look.

I wonder what happened between the two of them?

Vivian stood by the window, gazing at the pitch-black night outside, her mind blank.

She didn't want to think about where Raymond had gone, nor did she want to inquire why he was angry again.

As long as she does what she should do, that's enough. Nothing else matters to her, isn't it?

But... Why is there still a slight, dull pain in the heart?

I couldn't sleep all night.

Early in the morning, Vivian was having breakfast alone in the restaurant.

Looking at the old butler, she hesitated for a second before asking, "Did Raymond come back last night?"

"No, Sir Must have something to do at the company." The old manager's face was full of kindness and he said with a hint of explanation.

"Oh." Vivian replied softly, her hand holding the fork tightened.