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The hotel was not very tall and was surrounded by many small lakes.

Luxurious standalone courtyards followed one after another.

Yi Si had arranged to meet in the villa nestled against the mountain, the tallest one of them all.

Gu Xiaoxi, holding a pair of binoculars, hid herself behind a green tree.

It was simple—she was peeping through the binoculars.

Nobody knew whether Yi Si himself would come, so she couldn’t act rashly.

Otherwise, Ai Xiang would not have agreed to let her go out.

Twelve noon.

The Island Master sent a young man with an important position to meet Yi Si on his behalf.

The young man entered the hotel and waited for a full half hour.

It was only then that Gu Xiaoxi saw a man in a black suit with a slender figure, flanked by four guards, walking towards the appointed room.

Through the binoculars, Gu Xiaoxi was able to see the face of the leading man.

It was a very serious and mature face; the man was at least in his forties.

"Is this Yi Si?" Gu Xiaoxi couldn’t help but snort to herself. Because he was so easy to see, it instead made her more cautious.

Shortly after, she overheard the conversation between ’Yi Si’ and the Island Master’s subordinate.

"Why is it you? Where is your Island Master?"

"The Island Master is tied up because Miss Sharon is seriously ill. If Mr. Yi has anything to say, he can talk to me directly. I will report everything to the Island Master faithfully."

"In that case, our Mr. Yi didn’t come either. I am his representative. Mr. Yi’s intention is to have you sell the Jade Watermelon to him directly; as for the price, it’s negotiable."

"I am sorry, but anything that’s been listed for the auction can only appear at the auction!"

"Oh! Is that so?" Yi Si’s representative said with a meaningful smile. "Then don’t blame us for making the first move!"

"Although Mr. Yi is famous, this is Dream Island. Do you think you can just rob us?" snapped back the Island Master’s representative, not someone to be trifled with.

Feeling a little disappointed, Gu Xiaoxi realized this was not the real Yi Si. Since he was a representative, she made a mental note of him.

From the tone of Yi Si’s representative, Gu Xiaoxi could tell that Yi Si was incredibly domineering.

Ultimately, the two parties did not come to an agreement and left on bad terms.

Sitting on a large stone under the tree, Gu Xiaoxi watched the departing parties with mixed feelings, "This Yi Si is simply too cunning. He hasn’t shown his face even at this point, yet he still thinks of forcible purchase of the Jade Watermelon."

He’s so wealthy, why doesn’t he just snatch it up at the auction?

Could there also be an unmentionable secret?

At the moment, Gu Xiaoxi couldn’t figure it out.

Just as she was about to stand up and leave, she suddenly saw a beautifully dressed woman approaching her.

She recognized her at a glance as Jing Rui.

"Why have I run into you again?" Jing Rui frowned, looking back at the spot where the Island Master’s representative and Yi Si’s representative had been speaking, and her expression grew more solemn.

"Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that? Why are you here?" Gu Xiaoxi retorted without hesitation.

"Are you here to follow Yi Si?" Jing Rui asked.

"It seems our purposes are the same!" Gu Xiaoxi, having encountered this woman twice, was almost certain that her presence on Dream Island was definitely not just to bid on items.

"Girl, stop messing around. This is not a place for you. Before you understand what’s going on, it’s best if you interfere less with Yi Si’s matters," Jing Rui warned. Over the years, the International Alliance couldn’t cope with him; if this young girl got involved, wouldn’t that be courting death?

"I’m not trying to meddle! I just wanted to see what Yi Si really looks like."

"Stop being foolish and hurry back to the hotel now. Yi Si is not someone you can meet," Jing Rui scolded immediately. Seeing Yi Si would mean she would be targeted by countless assassins.

Her concern for Gu Xiaoxi was genuine.

"You’re overthinking it," Gu Xiaoxi said with a helpless shrug of her shoulders as she stood up from the ground and approached Jing Rui with a smile, "Aunt Jing, I know Jing Haoran. He’s mentioned you before. I’ve heard you work for the International Alliance.

Are you here on Dream Island for work as well? "

Upon hearing this, Jing Rui sized up Gu Xiaoxi, "I’ve never heard Jing Haoran mention knowing anyone with the surname Ai. However, he does often talk about a girl with the surname Gu."

Upon hearing this, just as Gu Xiaoxi was about to introduce herself, Jing Rui noticed a car approaching from a distance.

She immediately turned and left, calling back to Gu Xiaoxi as she went: "It’s still very dangerous outside of Dream Island.

It’s better for you to wander around less by yourself. "

With that, she vanished at the corner of the street.

Gu Xiaoxi watched the end of the road, speechless.

This Jing Rui, I really don’t know what she’s up to. She always comes and goes in a hurry.

Gu Xiaoxi had no choice but to turn around and head back to the Island Master’s home.

At the seaside hotel, Yi Si, wearing a red robe, sat on the sofa, looking leisurely and lax.

He looked at the middle-aged man standing not far away and said with a radiant smile, "You’re saying the Island Master refused?"

"Yes!"

Yi Si wasn’t annoyed, and his eyes shone red with a brilliant smile, "Then we’ll just have to take it by force. We can’t let that item appear at the auction."

"Why do you want to do this, sir?"

"Because, I don’t want her to find Gu Feng. And I especially don’t want her to return so soon." Yi Si propped his chin with one hand, apparently unable to help but smile at the thought.

He was like a big BOSS playing a game of hide-and-seek with a little mouse.

And he was becoming increasingly addicted to it.

Hearing his words, his subordinate was utterly perplexed and, after pondering for a moment, said, "Sir, regarding the assassination, shall we continue? And Miss Gu has already moved into the Island Master’s Mansion."

"Of course we continue, no matter who it is. Kill her, and a bounty of two hundred million will be yours; my word has always been good." Yi Si squinted his attractive eyes and then lazily said with a sly smile, "I’m going to disappear for a while. If there’s anything, go directly to Su Muli."

"Yes, sir!"

As Yi Si’s subordinates, everyone knew that this man, who had a way of appearing and disappearing without a trace, would vanish for a long time and be seen by no one once he said he would.

As for where he went, no one knew.

*

Gu Xiaoxi settled down in the Island Master’s mansion. Meanwhile, Sharon’s illness began to gradually improve.

Gu Xiaoxi was just waiting for the auction to conclude in three days, to take the Jade Watermelon’s Transaction Gold from Gu Feng, and then catch him.

She talked on the phone with Quan Shaoqing, sweetly bantering for a good while before reluctantly hanging up.

On the other end, Quan Shaoqing was also busy with work, but the care he had for her couldn’t be concealed by even his busiest workload.

Moreover, he realized that the Love-Forbidding Curse was becoming more frequently painful.

*

Tomorrow would be the big auction, and Ai Xiang had received a list of auction items in advance.

Gu Xiaoxi glanced briefly at the list, then took an interest in one of the Crystal Treasures.

Because, that Crystal resembled the purple one that Liu Yishou had given her before, the one she used for the third part of the "Martial Spirit Dual Cultivation" technique.

Not having seen the actual item and unable to resonate with the Crystal she carried with her, she couldn’t be certain it was what she was looking for.

She merely noted it down; it would suffice to pay more attention during the auction.

With Sharon’s recovery, she became very lively, inviting Gu Xiaoxi to play at the seaside. There was even a Crystal Palace belonging to her there.

It was a house built underwater.

The principle was the same as with an underwater hotel, using glass to separate the water, with an entrance from the surface, a lavish three-story standalone underwater palace.

Living inside, one could see fish swimming past.

"Money indeed makes the world go round!" Gu Xiaoxi couldn’t help but marvel. As the saying goes, it’s all in the birth, and Sharon’s happiness, with such a caring and loving father, powerful background, and family wealth, was enviable.

"If Ai Zhen likes it, you can come and live with me often in the future. And Brother Ai Xiang can come too," Sharon said shyly, glancing at the indifferent-looking Ai Xiang.

Ai Xiang chuckled awkwardly, "Thank you for your generous offer, Miss Sharon."

Sharon immediately blushed, her expression one of a young woman in the flush of spring.

Gu Xiaoxi could see at a glance that Sharon had a crush on Ai Xiang.

After spending a day playing at the beach, they didn’t return to the Island Master’s mansion until late.

When Gu Xiaoxi was heading back to her room, she found a rabbit squatting at her door.

A little brown-haired rabbit lay quietly at her doorway, its fluffy appearance incredibly cute.

Unable to resist, she stepped forward, picked up the little rabbit, held it in her embrace, stroked its head, opened her door, and brought it inside.

After turning on the light, she realized it was a little grey rabbit with red eyes.

The silver-grey fur was clean and neat, every strand pristine.

"Where did you come from?" Gu Xiaoxi petted the rabbit’s ears, and it lay submissively on the sofa, watching her with its pair of red eyes.

Gu Xiaoxi felt those eyes were really reminiscent of someone. They brought to mind Mr. Yi, whom she had encountered on the boat.