Chapter 318


    Richard gently touched the scar on his arm and then smiled. “I don’t know.”


    ‘Alright, is there anything else that you need?” Richard didn’t want to talk about the past anymore, so


    he changed the subject.


    Pearl touched her chin in thought. “We need a five-hundred-year-old ginkgo, but that’s only avable


    during the auction. We need to wait till nighttime.”


    Richard looked around. “Are you hungry? Let’s grab something to eat.


    ??


    The ck market was like a small business street selling all kinds of food and toys, except the prices


    were rming.


    Pearl checked the menu and was taken aback by the prices, particrly when she saw that a bowl of


    ramen cost twenty dors. “They could have just robbed us for the money, but now I have to decide


    what to eat and at what price.”


    She didn’t blink when she had to pay 141 thousand dors for medicine, but she was now calling


    twenty dors for a meal a robbery.


    Pearl decided to order a bowl of ramen, but as she handed the menu back, she saw someone familiar.


    ‘Isn’t that… Hugo?’


    But wasn’t Hugo in Enswood? What was he doing here?


    She couldn’t let him find out that Richard was there, so Pearl quickly came up with a n. She


    retrieved two pairs of sunsses from her bag, put one on herself, and handed the other to Richard.


    “Hugo is here. Put these on.”


    Richard quickly donned the sunsses and lowered his voice. “What’s he doing here?” He had indeed


    noticed Hugo, but he wasn’t entirely certain. Now it seems to be confirmed.


    “Why else? Probably for the auction. Do you think Hugo is here for the ginkgo too?” Pearl began to


    worry.


    “It’s fine, we have enough money.” Richard was confident about that.


    “It’s not just about the money. If Hugo does anything, it could be hard for us to get the ginkgo.


    ”


    Pearl thought about it and came up with a brilliant n.


    During the auction, Pearl scanned the room and spotted Hugo seated not far from them, engrossed in


    something. His subtle smile made her worry.


    The initial auction items didn’t pique Pearl’s interest, but Richard was enthusiastic and purchased a few


    pieces of jewelry for her.


    Luckily, Richard had a cold that day, which altered his voice. Hugo couldn’t recognize him due to the


    different vocal tone.


    Soon, the time came for the most important item-the ginkgo.


    Pearl’s heart raced with excitement when sheid eyes on the ginkgo encased in a ss


    instion box.


    “Five-hundred-year-old ginkgo. Starting price- 1 million dors.”


    Hugo made a bid, and Richard followed suit, adding a mere dor to each subsequent bid. It was as


    though he were deliberately toying with Hugo.


    Hugo took notice of this peculiar bidder and nced around the room.


    Pearl lowered her head, and Richard, wearing the sunsses, remained incognito in the dimly lit


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    venue. Hugo couldn’t make out their identities.


    Hugo scrutinized them for a moment, then looked away.


    The bidding continued. Initially, there were other bidders, but as the price climbed, they


    dropped out, leaving only Richard and Hugo in the running.


    Hugo seemed to be losing patience, announcing loudly, “I’ll pay 150 million dors.’