Chapter 146 - The Charity Gala

The big banquet hall was decorated with orchids and lilies. The red carpet was laid out and the reporters already stood on both sides to photograph all the people who would be part of the biggest charity event in the country. 

In a small side room, many items which had been offered for auction were placed in showcases. Qing Yun was the in charge of security for today's event and he was taking a turn to check that everything was in order. As he checked every item against the list with him, his eyes finally came to stop on the bracelet. Qing Yun stilled completely as id he was a statue, but in the next instant, his hands started to tremble. If this was really what he thought it was, then...Taking out his cell phone, he quickly made a call and started to speak as soon as the call was answered, "It's me. I was checking the arrangements for the auction and found something interesting. The set of jewellery we have been looking for so long...a bracelet has made an appearance for auction! I think you need to come earlier to check it out!"

In a VIP room of the hotel, Shi Qinglan was sitting with a man from the orphanage they were supporting tonight. Shi Qinglan's eyes narrowed as he heard the other person on the phone and then he gave a small pleased smile. The director of the orphanage was almost creeped out by the man. Answering with a simple," En, I will be there soon." the man disconnected the call. He then turned to the director, finishing off the discussion, "Then, Mr Director, you agree with our terms? Once the orphanage receives the funds, I will come to choose the children." The director of the orphanage hesitated for a moment but then he thought back to the amount of money their foundation would be getting so he overrode his instincts and agreed. It was only a matter of a year after all. 

Mr Shi Qinglan had approached their orphanage a few months ago. His terms had been simple and modest. He would organise a charity event for them and in return would like to foster two children from the orphanage in his home for a year. Every year such an event was organized and the benefactors received high sponsorsh.i.p.s. Though it was against the government rules to let children be fostered without the parent being pre-approved, the director felt that with such a high profile person, they could bend the rules a bit. It wasn't as if anyone in the government would know or care. The director also consoled himself that any child chosen would only benefit from such an arrangement. Not once did the man try to think, why would such a high profile man want to foster children. Even if he had no children of his own, he could adopt. There was no reason for him to foster them for a year. As the director left the room, his eyes were so blinded by the incoming money, that he even failed to notice a small figure of a girl near the door. The girl was no more than twelve or thirteen and stood still starting out as the door closed behind the director.

Just as she was about to move back, Shi Qinglan called out, "Come little girl. Uncle Shi has to leave soon and you saw that man leave, no? He is going to let me find a replacement for you and then you can go freely. Come here and sit on my l.a.p and help me put on this bowtie. Good girl."

Even as the girl walked out of the small room to follow the instructions, her eyes hid a fire inside her that had only been curbed. She was not going to let anyone else become a victim like her. The girl thought  back to how she had also come from a small orphanage last year. She had been told that this man would father her for a year and then she could go abroad to study. How excited she had been and how naive as she stepped into this hell for one year. No! She was not going to let anything happen to anyone else. She would kill this man first.

After a while, Shi Qinglan straightened his clothes and was ready to leave the room to check out the bracelet. There was an unsuppressed excitement to him as he thought of the bracelet.

If what Qin Yung had said was true then soon he would be able to have his hands on the entire set because the owner of the bracelet was going to be in possession of the entire set. Shi Qinglan was also curious about how the set which had been missing for so many years had turned up once again. He had assumed that his dead cousin had buried it in the grave with her but here it was. A sinister smile graced his face as he entered the secure room.

Qin Yung bowed to the man as he entered and then promptly dismissed the security, ordering them to wait outside. Guiding Shi Qinglan he showed the display where the bracelet was kept.

It was that bracelet. Shi Qinglan laughed out loud at having finally found the thing he had been searching for. Turning to the slightly portly man on the side, Shi Qinglan declared, "You have a really good eye, Qin Qin. It really is that bracelet. Place on the last item to be auctioned and keep the bidding price to the maximum. I want this beauty for myself. And now come quickly and tell me more about the person who has presented this for the auction. I will need to take special care of them tonight."

Qing Yun stepped forward and opened a file with the details of the person who had set this up for auction. Long Ah Hai of KSS group.