Wilhelmina stood outside the auction venue, her fingertips gently caressing the check in the compartment of the medicine box.
This was the money she collected by selling all her jewelry. It was just enough to buy the last piece of Blood Marrow Ganoderma Lucidum and complete the last acupuncture for the one and only person she cared about in the Pieterson Family, Sophie.
The venue was magnificent, but she couldn't even get a car from the Pieterson Family, so she could only come on foot in the rain to get there. The hem of her skirt was soaked by the rain and stuck to her calves, cold and piercing to the bone.
"Ms. Clinton?" The waiter hesitated and stopped her. "Your invitation letter ...."
She was about to explain when a sharp brake sound suddenly came from behind her.
A Maybach stopped steadily in front of the gate, then the driver, got off the car, ran around and opened a black umbrella. Tessa took Leon’s arm and got off the car, with a floral yellow skirt sweeping over Wilhelmina's wet shoe tips.
"Oh, isn't this Wilhelmina?" She pretended to be surprised. "Why are you so drenched? Leon, you didn't even provide a car for her?"
Leon frowned and glanced at his so-called fiancee, then said coldly to the waiter, "She is with me."
How ironic that she, his fiancée, had to rely on his "charity" to enter.
The first item to be auctioned was the Hundred-Year-Old Blood Marrow Ganoderma Lucidum. Just as Wilhelmina was about to raise her placard, Leon had already pressed the button to light the lamp.
The whole room was in an uproar!
"Congratulations, Mr. Pieterson!" The host excitedly dropped the gavel and announced. "The three Blood Marrow Ganoderma Lucidum are now the property of this young lady!"
Tessa covered her mouth in surprise. "Leon, this is too precious ...."
He gave a faint smile and said, "Didn't you say you've been suffering from insomnia lately? Grind it to powder and make it a tea!"
Wilhelmina clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms.
Once the Blood Marrow Ganoderma was ground into powder, its medicinal effect was completely lost. The old woman waited for seven years for treatment, but it was wasted just by treating it as a soothing tea.
For the next items to be auctioned, as long as Tessa said she likes them, he would light his lamp up.
When Wilhelmina left empty-handed, the rainstorm got even heavier.
She stood under the eaves, watching Leon carefully escort Tessa into the car. While the three blood-marrow Ganoderma were casually thrown on the back seat, not caring about them getting wet in the rain.
He closed the car door and, as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Wilhelmina standing in the rain.
She was soaked, her long hair stuck to her pale cheeks, but her eyes were terrifyingly calm.
He paused and eventually walked towards her.
"Get in the car!"
His voice was cold and heavy, but the umbrella tilted a bit towards her.
Wilhelmina didn't move, but slowly raised her hand and pointed at the three Ganoderma Lucidum in the back seat of the car.
"Grandma's medicine."
He frowned and responded, "We don't lack these few medicines at home."
She shook her head and the rain rolled down her eyelashes.
"Once the Blood Marrow Ganoderma is exposed to rain, its medicinal effect will be completely lost."
"Your grandma has waited for seven years and only one acupuncture treatment is left."
Leon hesitated for a moment, the car window lowered and Tessa's sweet voice came through.
"Leon, hurry up and get in the car, I feel so dizzy."
His hesitation was instantly shattered.
"Let's go back first."
In the end, she was forcefully pushed into the back seat by him.
The heater in the car was on high, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her bones.
Tessa sat in the passenger seat and looked at Wilhelmina's disheveled appearance in the rearview mirror, pretending to be concerned.
"Wilhelmina, if you want Ganoderma Lucidum, I'll ask Leon to give you one."
She turned her head to look at the man and blinked her innocent eyes, saying, "Anyway, Grandma has a misunderstanding of me, so just consider it as my apology?"
He furrowed his brow and said, "Tessa is so sensible."
Wilhelmina suddenly raised her head and tightly clenched her hands.
"She doesn't understand at all! Three Blood Marrow Ganoderma must be used together. If one is missing, all the previous efforts will be wasted!"
Leon met her red eyes in the rearview mirror and felt inexplicably irritated.
"Wilhelmina, don't push yourself too far."
His voice was cold. "Tessa is willing to give it to you because of me."
Tessa took the opportunity to add fuel into his anger. "Wilhelmina, do you ... really not like me?"
He held his sweetheart's hand. "Just ignore her!"
Seeing this, Tessa suddenly exclaimed. "Oh! Why is the Ganoderma Lucidum rotten?"
She picked up the Ganoderma Lucidum that was softened by the rain in the back seat and said with regret, "It's all my fault for not putting it properly ...."
Leon glanced at them and said casually, "Throw it away!"
"No."
Wilhelmina rushed over to grab it, but Leon grabbed her wrist.
"Wilhelmina!"
He snapped. "Don't go crazy in the car!"
Tessa took the opportunity to throw the Ganoderma Lucidum out of the window and the mud and water instantly swallowed up the three precious medicinal herbs.
Wilhelmina froze in place, the rain streaming down the car window looked just like her tears.
Leon looked at her lifeless gaze in the rearview mirror and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, but Tessa's sobbing quickly caught his attention.
"Leon, did I do something wrong?"
He retracted his gaze and stepped on the accelerator.
"It's okay, she lied to you."
"Grandma is not sick."
