?69: Chapter 62 Couldn’t Hold Back_2 69: Chapter 62 Couldn’t Hold Back_2 Gao Yi only then noticed a name tag on the back of the chair, nodded, and sat down.

    After he was seated, a waiter pulled out another chair and invited the gallery manager to sit down.

    Gao Yi and the manager sat side by side, giving him a translator.

    One had to say, Henry’s arrangements were spot on.

    Gao Yi looked over his position; he was in the middle but towards the back, and his reference point was the auction table on one side of the dining table, where a gavel still lay.

    Clearly, in a while, that auction table would become the focal point of the evening.

    This distance, nearly twenty meters, was too far, quite inconvenient.

    At this moment, someone arrived at the chair on Gao Yi’s right side—it was a beauty, a great beauty.

    The chairs were fifty centimeters apart, and when the beauty next to him was about to sit down, Gao Yi rose and extended his hand as if to help, prompting a slight smile from the beauty, who then reached out her hand and said something in French.

    Gao Yi shook hands with the beauty and said in English, “Sorry, I only speak English.

    Good evening, madam, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

    Gao Yi had just grasped the basics of etiquette; whether it was appropriate here, he really didn’t know.

    “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”

    After a simple exchange of greetings, it wasn’t the time to chat.

    Gao Yi returned to his seat and then turned his attention away from the beauty beside him to look at the cutlery on the table.

    At this time, Henry finally appeared.

    He didn’t enter from outside, but came directly down the stairs with two middle-aged men in suits but serious expressions in tow, obviously bodyguards.

    Henry was stout and bald, sporting a Mediterranean hairstyle, smiling broadly as he approached the auction table and began an enthusiastic speech into the microphone.

    Gao Yi didn’t understand a word of what Henry said, but luckily the manager beside him provided translations.

    Henry’s speech wasn’t particularly substantive, simply thanking everyone for coming, welcoming them to the charity dinner, and expressing gratitude for their contributions to charitable causes.

    While Henry was speaking, another group came down the stairs.

    Leading them was Ditzel.

    But who knew what drama was playing out—Henry speaking, Ditzel coming down the stairs, one after the other, not appearing together.

    What was going on?

    Regardless of their schemes, Gao Yi’s thoughts focused on getting up there, snapping a few shots, and finishing the job.

    However, the bodyguards around Ditzel curbed Gao Yi’s impulses.

    Ditzel’s bodyguards weren’t on the same level as African warlords or Mexican drug lords.

    No fewer than eight men, though following behind Ditzel, their gazes constantly scoured every possible dangerous corner, taking positions in front and behind him—two bodyguards stood close to Ditzel, two slightly ahead, with four more trailing behind.

    The biggest problem was still the distance.

    At least twenty meters away, Gao Yi had no doubt that the moment he rose to his feet, the bodyguards would immediately spot him.

    If he showed any intent of approaching Ditzel, those bodyguards wouldn’t hesitate to shoot.

    It wasn’t feasible to take action, just not possible.

    Ditzel sat at the foremost yet most marginal table, with his bodyguards standing behind him, creating a mismatch with the hall’s atmosphere, but due to his status, no one commented.

    Henry finished his welcoming speech, took his seat, and ended up at the same table as Ditzel.

    Only four people were at that table, but the eight bodyguards thoroughly isolated them from the other guests, so much so that Gao Yi couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Ditzel.

    This was a bit troublesome, and Gao Yi couldn’t think of a good solution.

    As the dinner officially began, waiters started serving appetizers and pouring wine.

    It was then that the whispering and laughter started.

    Gao Yi’s meal was tasteless, but he still laughed and chatted with the manager beside him, while the beauty next to him occasionally exchanged a few words with him.

    Forty minutes into the dinner, with the main dish being served, someone hurried to the auction table.

    Just as the guests began enjoying their cold appetizer, the auctioneer started speaking rapidly in French.

    “He’s saying the charity auction will last a long time, so it starts now and everyone can enjoy their meal while participating in the bidding.”

    Gao Yi looked blankly at the translating manager and said, “Uh, forgive my boldness, but isn’t a charity dinner not usually like this?”

    The manager smiled and said, “This is…

    a new attempt.”

    Gao Yi could guess this was Henry’s way of shortening the dinner duration.

    As long as the dinner could successfully proceed, he didn’t care about the intermediate steps and processes.

    Two men carried a painting to the auction table, the auctioneer pointed at it and started the introduction; Gao Yi’s manager neighbor seemed surprised and didn’t translate.

    Gao Yi couldn’t help but ask, “What’s he saying?

    What is this painting…?”

    The manager struggled, “Um, this painting, this painting… Sear?h the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    starting bid 500,000 euros, it’s…”

    The manager hesitated.

    Before he finished, the auctioneer had already begun calling for bids.

    Strangely, not a single guest raised a hand to bid.

    Then, a voice rang out.

    Ditzel stood up and shouted, “I bid 500,000 euros.”

    With a final decision, no one competed with Ditzel, and he seemed to know it, his face carrying a friendly smile as he waved to the guests.

    From afar, Gao Yi couldn’t see clearly but felt as if Ditzel seemed in a hurry, that kind of impatient-to-finish atmosphere.

    Just one bid, the auctioneer asked three times, no further bids, the gavel fell, and the deal was closed.

    Ditzel, who should have been the grand finale, was the first to complete the auction, 500,000 euros, giving Henry face yet exuding peculiarity.

    What was Ditzel so anxious about?

    Did he know there was danger?

    While Gao Yi was confused, to his surprise, Ditzel, escorted by a group of bodyguards, abruptly got up and left, heading straight for the stairs.

    How could he take action now?

    Could he even make a move?

    Gao Yi was internally panicked, but couldn’t show it.

    Forget it, the distance was too great, no chance, any rash move could have disastrous consequences.

    Gao Yi watched as Ditzel ascended the stairs, disappearing around the corner.

    And after Henry had seen Ditzel to the staircase, he returned and finally picked up his wine glass, wandering between the tables to toast the guests, exchanging a few words.

    Gao Yi was in turmoil, deep turmoil.

    Moments felt like an eternity; now, it seemed time was flying.

    Without a clear plan, Henry was already in front of his table.

    Taut on the outside, loose on the inside.

    Henry was followed only by a butler, not a bodyguard.

    But the primary target had already gone upstairs, out of sight.

    And right then, Henry stood before Gao Yi, and as everyone at their table stood up, he was right across from Gao Yi.

    Henry raised his glass, smiling at Gao Yi, saying, “Welcome…”

    He spoke in French, and Gao Yi didn’t understand.

    Gao Yi too raised his glass, all smiles, while inside he kept repeating one question.

    “Do it or not, do it or not, do it or not, do it or not…”

    When he saw Henry raise his glass, exposing his throat, Gao Yi’s stormy internal state suddenly fell silent.

    With his right hand holding the glass, his left struck out like lightning.

    Just one punch, swung out, hitting Henry directly in the carotid sinus, then completely shattering his entire throat.

    Henry collapsed without a sound.

    And the people around Henry didn’t even realize what had happened; his butler simply gaped.

    It was the beauty next to Gao Yi who suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs.

    “Ah…”

    Gao Yi tossed the wine glass with his right hand, brushed off his left, and cursed bitterly, “Damn it, couldn’t hold back!”