TCFGBH Chapter 107

While the main event on Planet X29 was the grand auction, which was three days away, there were plenty of smaller attractions to enjoy in the meantime.

Since he was already there, Xia Yan decided to stroll around with his bodyguards, casually purchasing whatever caught his eye without bothering to check the price. Given the pre-auction buzz, the planet was bustling with visitors.

Naturally, his presence didn’t go unnoticed, and many travelers snapped photos of him and posted them online.

【OMG, my wife is stunning as always today! I’m obsessed!】

【My stupid boss made me work overtime again and cut my vacation days. Now I can’t go to the Gemstone Capital for a holiday. Ugh, so annoying!!!】

【Saved all the photos immediately! Let’s see how long it takes for the Xia family’s PR to shut this thread down.】

【Why are they still shutting down accounts? It’s been days already.】

【Because something happened at the Central Military Academy again! I heard Xia Yan’s roommate passed out last night and was rushed to the hospital early this morning.】

【??? What does that have to do with my wife?】

#This thread has been locked. Please refrain from commenting.#

Netizens:  【…】 So frustrating!!!

Even though the biggest scandal had already passed, why was the information about Xia Yan being so tightly controlled? A few observant individuals noticed something peculiar: it wasn’t Xia Yan under heavy scrutiny—it was his roommate, Ludwig.

Xia Yan was merely caught up as collateral.

What exactly was going on here?

–

Xia Yan first heard about Ludwig fainting from the class group chat. He found it a bit strange. After all, an S-class warrior’s physical constitution was incredibly robust—so much so that even a cold or fever wouldn’t cause them to collapse.

However, his curiosity was soon diverted by something—or rather, someone—far more intriguing: the mysterious mecha engineer, “D.”

This individual was incredibly, incredibly, incredibly odd.

D was staying in the Cloud Mica Suite on the 65th floor of the Xika Hotel, just one floor above Xia Yan’s room. The two occasionally bumped into each other in the elevator. Xia Yan spoke with arrogance and domineering flair, staying true to his persona, even when trying to recruit D.

Unexpectedly, D never got upset. Instead, he responded patiently, often engaging him in conversation.

Xia Yan: “?”

Their chats would inexplicably veer into discussions about relationships. Xia Yan, sticking to his public single persona, would firmly deny any involvement. At this point, D would inexplicably grow angry, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Xia Yan: “???”

What’s going on?! I don’t understand this at all!!!

Amidst this strange dynamic, the long-anticipated auction day finally arrived!

The annual auction, as the most significant event on the Gemstone Capital of Planet X29, spanned a vast area. The ground floor, an affordable public space, could accommodate up to 100,000 visitors. The second floor featured small private rooms that, while pricey, were still attainable for the determined. Starting from the third floor, however, prices skyrocketed.

The higher the floor, the larger the private rooms, the better the service, and, naturally, the steeper the cost.

The auction attracted celebrities, aristocrats, debutantes, and frontier generals each year. The Star Lord of the Gemstone Capital, a shrewd politician, never missed the chance to capitalize on the publicity.

As part of the spectacle, the event was live-streamed every year, and guests heading to private rooms were required to walk a portion of the red carpet.

Xia Yan paused for a moment: [Hasn’t anyone thrown him into a sack for this?]

The system replied, [Probably because, for most people, being broadcast and celebrated is a good thing.]

Even those who disliked the process endured it for the brief one or two minutes it lasted, deeming it unwise to offend the Star Lord over such a minor inconvenience.

Xia Yan: “…”

As they chatted idly, he caught a glimpse of the red carpet ahead.

He lowered his gaze and adjusted the diamond cufflinks on his sleeves to ensure his outfit was impeccably neat. Once his bodyguards opened the car door, he stepped onto the red carpet.

Having once been a celebrity in his first world, Xia Yan had the experience of walking red carpets ingrained into his very bones.

Ignoring the flying cameras recording him from all angles, he strode forward with his chin held high, exuding cold arrogance. His flawless, exquisite face appeared on the giant screen, leaving both the live audience and online viewers momentarily stunned.

Wait! Who’s that?

Looking at the AI-generated caption: Xia Yan Gardner.

Huh??? Xia Yan?

【What the—!!!】

【Forget hiring models or celebrities. Carter’s family should just have their grandson be the face of their brand. I’d buy everything!】

【My wife is breathtaking as always. Since the Star Lord is officially releasing this footage, it’ll be on X29’s official website. Finally, no more worries about the Xia family censoring it!】

【I thought those fanboys hyping Xia Yan were bots, but now… I was wrong. Forgive me, my wife. Let me join the fan club. I’m a journalism major—I can write glowing articles for you.】

【Screenshot everything!!!】

–

Previously, Xia Yan had been briefly exposed online, but thanks to the Xia family’s powerful PR team, those photos were quickly erased, circulating only within small circles.

Most people dismissed the buzz as the blind admiration of delusional fans.

But now, seeing him in person, they were utterly captivated. As they stared blankly at their virtual keyboards, unable to type a single word, Xia Yan walked off the red carpet and into the elevator, vanishing from sight.

It wasn’t until he was gone that the livestream’s comments erupted, overwhelming the screen with so many messages that they became an indecipherable blur.

Everyone was talking about him.

As for the next person on the red carpet, Grover? Completely ignored. Even the ground floor crowd craned their necks, hoping to catch another glimpse of the black-haired, gold-eyed youth, utterly indifferent to the figures on the big screen.

Grover: “…”

Humiliation!!!

Though he kept a smile on his face, his hands clenched tightly into fists. He was torn between jealousy and hatred toward Xia Yan and frustration at himself for not arriving earlier. If he had first stepped onto the red carpet and entered the room sooner, he wouldn’t have to endure this neglect.

However, thoughts of the mysterious mecha engineer, “D,” calmed Grover.

No matter how mesmerizing Xia Yan’s face was, it couldn’t change the fact that D disliked him.

If he could seize the opportunity to win the auction’s centerpiece—a set of mecha blueprints—and show his sincerity to D, he could recruit D to his side. With D’s skills, the throne would undoubtedly be his!

Grover’s ambitions soared.

But when the auction began, he realized how naive he had been!!!

–

Question: Who is the Empire’s wealthiest individual?

Answer: Edward Carter, Lina Carter’s father and Xia Yan Gardner’s grandfather.

Although the Grover family was wealthy and influential, they were no match for Xia Yan, who was backed by two powerful families.

A million-credit statue? Bought.

A ten-million-credit gemstone? Bought.

A five-hundred-million-credit set of blueprint? Bought, bought, bought!!!

Grover: “…” Hah. Let the world burn.

Netizens: 【…】

With the auction live-streamed in its entirety, viewers watched in awe as Xia Yan practically monopolized half the auction. It felt less like a high-end event and more like a casual shopping spree at a local mall.

【I’m too poor to even call him my wife anymore.】

【There are so many rich people in the world. Why can’t I be one of them?】

【I get it now, my wife. Feed me, I’ll be good.】

【Feed me, my wife.】

A chorus of groveling fans all clamored for his attention, embracing the role of devoted admirers clinging to their wife’s coattails.

Grover: “…” What a shameless lot!!!

Ian, watching the livestream comments filled with nonsense, frowned instinctively. Were Imperial citizens always so unruly? Why hadn’t the moderators banned them yet?

–

As night fell, the day-long auction concluded. The Star Lord invited the VIPs to a banquet, and the host kept the items they had won securely until their departure.

“The fifth… and another ‘accidental bump’ attempt…”

“…Soon, they’ll come back crying…”

Two young women whispered to each other, their meticulously made-up faces alight with gossip. Occasionally, their eyes flicked toward a particular direction, counting silently on their fingers.

Not far away, a tall young man stood with a wine glass in one hand, his posture straight as bamboo, exuding an aura of aloofness. Though surrounded by people, his golden eyes seemed to hold no interest in anyone present.

Xia Yan’s presence on the Gemstone Capital had left countless people infatuated in just a few short days.

Like a leopard with dazzling fur, he was a figure of both danger and allure, ensnaring admirers who willingly abandoned their neutrality to stand by his side.

Everyone yearned to be singled out by him.

Some resorted to clumsy schemes to attract his attention.

Among them was a slender boy of fifteen or sixteen who used his small frame to squeeze into the inner circle of the crowd. Those around him deliberately interrupted several attempts to strike up a conversation, leaving the boy fuming, his face flushed with frustration.

The crowd feigned ignorance.

No way were they going to let him steal the young man’s attention.

Grinding his teeth, the boy’s eyes darted about. A few seconds later, he spotted an opportunity. With a theatrical “Ow!”, he pretended to stumble and fall toward Xia Yan.

The warm embrace he had imagined never came. Instead, a hand grabbed his arm with a vice-like grip, and a sharp pain shot through him. Startled, he opened his eyes to see a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

The mysterious mecha engineer, D.

Before he could make sense of the situation, D flung him aside like discarded trash. Thanks to the dense crowd, the boy didn’t fall to the ground in embarrassment.

“You—”

“If you can’t stand properly, get out.”

D’s voice was icily frigid, like a glacier’s edge, sending a shiver down the boy’s spine. The pampered young master’s eyes turned misty as he looked toward Xia Yan, silently pleading for him to intervene.

But when their gazes met, the cold detachment in those golden eyes sent waves of shame and fear crashing over him.

Nothing.

There was nothing there.

Though he hadn’t expected his clumsy scheme to make the other man fall for him, surely it would draw at least a sliver of attention? Yet… there was nothing.

Not even the most basic gesture of politeness.

The young boy, proud and sensitive, held back his tears and ran out, his head bowed.

Xia Yan was utterly puzzled: [People are acting so strange today. Why does everyone want to bump into me?]

[I don’t know either,] the system warned. [Host, be careful.]

[Alright.]

“What are you daydreaming about?”

“?” Xia Yan snapped out of his conversation with the system and looked up. “D? Do you need something from me?”

Having noticed that Xia Yan had bid on his mecha blueprint, Ian felt an immense joy knowing his talents were appreciated by his beloved. However, he maintained his composed demeanor:

“It’s nothing serious. It’s just that the blueprint design is quite complex. If your team doesn’t understand any part of it, feel free to ask me for clarification.”

Xia Yan: “…”

What use are blueprints that aren’t designed by the protagonist shou?

Though he grumbled internally, he showed no outward sign of his thoughts. Maintaining his usual cold and aloof attitude, he casually nodded, exuding an air of complete disregard for D.

Ian… Ian had already grown accustomed to Xia Yan’s contrasting personas.

During the day, he endured the disdain and indifference of his boyfriend; at night, he reveled in his tenderness and affection… Wasn’t this, in its own way… a form of romance? Cough, cough.

One ignored everything around him, while the other delved into his self-imagined romance.

An awkward silence suddenly fell over the surrounding crowd.

Those nearby exchanged glances, subtly mouthing to each other:

“D is a genius; should we try to placate or win him over?”

“…Will Xia Yan get angry?”

“Possibly.”

“…”

“…”

None of them wanted to risk Xia Yan’s ire, so they collectively chose silence, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Grover had been quietly observing Xia Yan. Seeing him seemingly offend D, Grover’s heart leaped with joy. He strode forward and raised his voice deliberately:

“Mr. D, it’s such a pity I wasn’t able to win your blueprint.”

Ian: “???” Who let this annoying pest in?