Jin Xiaoyuan had extensive local connections. He treated Tan Muxing with warmth and enthusiasm, but when it came to others, he exuded an imposing presence, leading a large group of people into the venue with a grand air.
Upon hearing that Jin Xiaoyuan had arrived, the auction house staff quickly came out to greet him with utmost politeness, bustling around to attend to him. Even so, Jin Xiaoyuan still seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
Scanning the room, he patted his round belly and frowned. “Where’s Amin? Why don’t I see him?”
The staff member cautiously replied, “Mr. Zhang is on a business trip and isn’t in G City at the moment. If you need anything, I can contact him for you?”
“Forget it, forget it. I’ll call him myself. I was hoping he could give us a tour.” Jin Xiaoyuan pulled out his phone and started looking for Zhang’s number.
Tan Muxing immediately tried to dissuade him, speaking hesitantly, “Uncle Jin, really, there’s no need. We’re just here to bid on one item, no need to trouble him…”
“Oh, Muxing, don’t worry about it! Amin and I are very close. He’s in charge of Rossiya’s auction house in G City—there’s no such thing as ‘troubling’ him!” Jin Xiaoyuan said as he connected the call, raising his voice, “Hello? Amin! I’m at the auction house!”
“Yes, yes, I know you’re out of town. I was thinking of meeting up with you. Alright, so we’ll head straight to the VIP room? Everything’s already arranged, right?” Jin Xiaoyuan paced as he spoke on the phone, his booming voice making sure everyone nearby could hear—as if the auction house were his own domain.
Chu Qianli, who had seen plenty of social maneuvering, observed Jin Xiaoyuan’s behavior and commented neutrally, “This is truly a signature performance of middle-aged uncles—wherever they go, they make sure to show off how many people they know.”
Tan Muxing lowered his head in embarrassment. “…But I find it a little humiliating.”
After finishing his call with Zhang, Jin Xiaoyuan waited for the staff to make arrangements.
As the group made their way toward the VIP room in a grand procession, they unexpectedly ran into Li Like, whom they had met the day before.
“Oh, we meet again…” Li Like was about to greet Chu Qianli with a smile when he suddenly noticed the large entourage surrounding her and Tan Muxing. Among them was the well-known local figure, Jin Xiaoyuan. Surprised, he asked, “…What’s all this?”
Yesterday, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing hadn’t brought many people with them—Uncle Qi had been following at a distance—so their presence hadn’t been nearly as ostentatious.
Jin Xiaoyuan glanced at the newcomer, raised an eyebrow, and took the initiative to speak first. “Long time no see, Old Li!”
“Mr. Jin, long time no see.” Li Like noticed that Jin Xiaoyuan’s expression was slightly cold, leaving him completely confused. He wasn’t a native of G City, just a frequent visitor for business, so he didn’t interact with Jin Xiaoyuan much and had no idea how he might have offended him.
Noticing Li Like’s confusion, Chu Qianli quietly reassured him, “Don’t take it personally. He’s just jealous.” After all, they had a great conversation with Li Like yesterday.
Li Like: “?”
Seeing the two whispering to each other, Jin Xiaoyuan pretended to be magnanimous and said, “Old Li, why don’t you come with us? You know a lot about gemstones—we’d love to learn from you.”
Li Like hesitated. “…Well, I suppose I could.”
Jin Xiaoyuan wasn’t knowledgeable about gemstones himself. He had originally wanted Zhang to give an introduction, but since Zhang was out of town, he had to settle for Li Like instead—just to avoid embarrassing himself in front of Tan Muxing with no one to cover for him.
Moments Later –
Li Like sat in the VIP room, listening to Jin Xiaoyuan command the auction house staff to serve tea and water. At the same time, he gained a new understanding of Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing. He muttered in astonishment, “I didn’t expect you two to know Mr. Jin.”
Their temperaments were worlds apart from Jin Xiaoyuan’s, making it difficult for Li Like to comprehend their connection.
Chu Qianli nodded knowingly. “Didn’t expect us to be the villainous local bullies, huh?”
Tan Muxing: “…”
The auction house’s VIP room was located on the side of the second floor, offering a superior vantage point to overlook the entire venue. From here, they could see not only the auctioneer and the items being presented but also the large screen on the stage and the audience seating on the first floor.
The guests inside the private rooms remained completely anonymous—their appearances and identities were not exposed. They didn’t even need to raise paddles to bid. Instead, they could simply press the bidding button inside the room, which would light up a small screen outside, notifying the auctioneer on stage.
Each auction had two VIP rooms. Chu Qianli and the others were in VIP Room 1, while VIP Room 2 was also in use.
Inside VIP Room 2, Shi Zhuoqu skimmed through the auction catalog and finally stopped on the page featuring Lot 1134, a raw gemstone. He folded a corner of the page and waited for the auction to officially begin.
Shi Zhuoqu turned to the person beside him and asked, “Still haven’t found out who consigned it to the auction house?”
“No, not yet.”
“So that means we don’t know the reserve price either?” Shi Zhuoqu was well-versed in auction procedures. Sellers typically set a reserve price for their auctioned items—if the bidding didn’t reach this price, the item would go unsold.
“…That’s correct, but there probably won’t be many bidders.”
Shi Zhuoqu pondered for a few seconds before instructing, “Make sure to keep a close eye on internal dealings within Rossiya. The seller will likely be in contact with the auction house soon. I don’t want any mistakes in this matter.”
“Understood.”
Before long, the venue lights suddenly brightened, signaling the official start of the auction.
Under the spotlight, a strikingly beautiful female auctioneer stepped onto the stage. Her voice was soft yet clear as she methodically explained the rules. “Good afternoon, esteemed guests. Welcome to the Rossiya Auction House. I am delighted to be at your service. Today’s auction features a total of 89 items. You may refer to the catalog for details. If you have not yet received a copy, please notify the staff beside you…”
“Next, I will read out the auction rules. To ensure the smooth progression of this event, we kindly ask all guests to comply with the guidelines. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
As the female auctioneer explained the rules on stage, the bidders in attendance listened carefully. On the first floor, bidders raised their paddles and called out their prices. If more than two participants bid at the same time, the auctioneer would determine who raised their paddle first. First-floor bidders needed to raise their paddles and announce their bid, while VIP room participants had their bids announced on their behalf by the auctioneer.
“If a bid reaches the highest price in the room, other participants will still have three additional chances to place a higher bid. If no one bids further and the item has met the reserve price, I will strike the gavel to finalize the sale. The final price is legally binding, and any attempt to alter or overturn it without cause will result in legal liability.”
This auction primarily featured raw gemstones, with each item being presented in numerical order.
“The first item is Lot 1100, a ruby rough stone. The starting bid is 10 million…”
A photograph and detailed specifications of the gemstone appeared on the large screen, and the bidders in the hall began raising their paddles.
“28 million…” The female auctioneer scanned the venue and spotted a new bid, raising her voice. “30 million! 30 million!”
“30 million, first call! 30 million, second call! 30 million, third call! Congratulations on winning Lot 1100!” The female auctioneer struck the gavel, sealing the deal. Nearby staff quickly moved in to have the winning bidder sign the confirmation document.
From the VIP room on the second floor, Chu Qianli leaned forward and peeked down at the main hall, marveling, “It looks really lively down there.”
The female auctioneer skillfully engaged the audience, her enthusiastic tone fueling their competitive bidding instincts.
Jin Xiaoyuan eagerly suggested, “Why don’t we go down there?”
Fearing they would disturb the first-floor bidders, Tan Muxing quickly waved his hands. “No, no, Uncle Jin, let’s just stay here.”
The auction continued in an orderly fashion, with various rough stones being successfully sold one after another.
Li Like advised, “The item you’re after won’t have many bidders. Just go slightly above the starting price, but don’t get carried away by the auctioneer’s tactics.”
With his extensive experience in gemstone auctions, Li Like didn’t want Chu Qianli and the others to waste money unnecessarily.
Tan Muxing nodded gratefully. “Understood. Thank you.”
As various raw gemstones went up for auction, Li Like provided simple explanations. Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing found his insights highly informative, but Jin Xiaoyuan felt increasingly frustrated—he hadn’t been able to get a word in and felt like his spotlight was being stolen.
“Next up is Lot 1134, a raw mineral stone. The starting bid is 10 million. Let’s begin the bidding!”
Upon hearing this, Jin Xiaoyuan immediately reminded them, “Here it comes!”
“Alright.” Following Li Like’s advice, Tan Muxing pressed the bidding button for the first time.
A small screen outside the VIP room lit up with the bid amount, and the female auctioneer acknowledged it. “Alright, 10.5 million…”
Jin Xiaoyuan was taken aback. “Muxing, why did you only raise it by such a small amount?”
Tan Muxing hesitated. “Uh, but Uncle Li just said…”
Li Like stroked his chin. “That should be enough. This item isn’t worth much—honestly, it’s surprising it even made it into a high-value auction.”
Chu Qianli righteously chimed in, “Frugality! Simplicity!”
Li Like had expected Lot 1134 to be won easily. However, unexpectedly, another bid was placed.
“10.5 million…” The female auctioneer saw another screen light up and promptly announced, “11.5 million! 11.5 million!”
Most first-floor bidders had little interest in Lot 1134, but the fact that both VIP rooms were competing for it naturally drew attention.
“Is this the joy of being rich? Just bidding on anything for the sake of it?” Someone in the audience joked. VIP rooms weren’t always occupied, but today, both were in use.
“What was this item again? I looked through the catalog yesterday but don’t even remember it.”
“No idea. I think the quality was pretty average.”
Inside the room, Jin Xiaoyuan shot a frustrated glare at Li Like. “See? I told you the bid was too reserved!”
Li Like was confused. “But according to the market price, it’s really not worth that much. Could someone just be buying it for fun?”
As an insider, Li Like analyzed the situation but still couldn’t see the value.
Chu Qianli took the bidding button and tried for the first time. “Then I’ll make a bid that’s not so reserved.”
The female auctioneer saw the small screen light up and announced, “13 million! The bid is now at 13 million!”
Jin Xiaoyuan laughed in disbelief. “Isn’t that still pretty reserved!?”
On the other side, Shi Zhuoqu noticed the opposing VIP screen lighting up and grew suspicious. He asked, “Who’s sitting in Room No. 1?”
His staff hurried off to investigate and soon returned with a report. “It seems to be Jin Xiaoyuan.”
Jin Xiaoyuan’s ancestors had influence in both legal and underground circles in G City. Although the family had cleaned up considerably in the past decade, they still had deep-rooted connections and considerable power.
“What’s he bidding on this for?”
“Apparently, he decided to join in on a whim.”
“?”
Shi Zhuoqu pressed his lips together impatiently. He had thought the auction would end quickly, but unexpectedly, a competitor had appeared.
The small screen in VIP Room No. 2 lit up again.
“15 million!” The female auctioneer paused briefly before continuing, “Any more bids? The price is now at 15 million!”
Jin Xiaoyuan anxiously encouraged the younger ones, urging, “Be bolder! Look how fast they’re raising the price!”
Chu Qianli tentatively pressed the button. “How about this?”
Li Like saw the number she entered and, as a jeweler, sighed regretfully. “Ah, this is a bit of a loss…”
“20 million! 20 million!” The female auctioneer turned to the other side of the room, and without much delay, exclaimed excitedly, “30 million!”
It seemed that the bidder in VIP Room No. 2 was determined to outbid them, instantly raising the price of Lot No. 1134 by 10 million!
Jin Xiaoyuan cursed, “Li, do you even know what you’re talking about? I can’t stand how stingy you are. What if we don’t win the bid?!”
Li Like anxiously scratched his head, his face filled with uncertainty. “But according to market value, it’s really not worth it…”
Chu Qianli saw the price skyrocketing and began to hesitate. She whispered, “Maybe we should just give up. Wouldn’t it be better to buy gold instead? It feels like a waste to spend so much on a rock.”
She was indeed interested in the red crystal, but she wasn’t sure if Lot No. 1134 was actually useful. Since Li Like insisted that the price was too high, she didn’t want to end up overpaying.
Tan Muxing hesitated. “But didn’t you really want it?”
Chu Qianli grew suspicious. “But I don’t like feeling like I’m being scammed. Could the other side be a shill?”
Jin Xiaoyuan immediately took the bidding button upon hearing this and made a firm decision. “Ah, this is just pocket change. Consider it my gift to Muxing’s girlfriend as a welcome present!”
“Isn’t this just about making a beautiful lady happy?” Jin Xiaoyuan said generously. “You guys rarely come out to have fun. Who cares if it’s worth it or not!”
Jin Xiaoyuan entered a high bid without hesitation.
“50 million! The bid for Lot No. 1134 is now at 50 million!” The female auctioneer’s eyes flashed with shock, her voice even wavering. She had certainly seen high-priced items sold before, but never had she seen a bid so far above market value.
The crowd erupted in astonishment, unable to understand what was so special about Lot No. 1134.
“What kind of stone is this? Did I miss something yesterday?”
“What? I heard it’s Old Jin upstairs…”
“Oh, him? Why is he messing around in the gemstone market again? Is this some new way of flaunting wealth?”
Jin Xiaoyuan had always exuded the aura of a nouveau riche. He had been making bold moves in G City for so long that his outrageous antics had become the norm. Others weren’t incapable of affording the bid, but they wouldn’t spend so recklessly on a rock just to show off their wealth in such an exaggerated manner.
To many, it seemed rather vulgar.
But Jin Xiaoyuan enjoyed being surrounded by extravagance.
Noticing that the opposing bidder had yet to raise their bid, Jin Xiaoyuan smirked triumphantly. “Buying luxury brands isn’t about the quality—it’s about the name, the status. Who really cares about the actual product!?”
Chu Qianli suddenly understood. “I see, I see. So bullies—no, I mean, the rich—think this way.”
Inside VIP Room No. 2, Shi Zhuoqu stared at the absurd bidding war, his face icy and his mood sour. He spoke coldly, “Are they colluding with Rossiya to drive up the price?”
He now suspected that the auction house had caught wind of his interest and planted a shill to compete against him. After all, the higher the final bid, the greater the auction house’s profit. Some auctioneers were even known to artificially inflate prices.
“No, if it’s Jin Xiaoyuan on the other side, he might just think we’re provoking him.”
“What do you mean?” Shi Zhuoqu frowned. “He thinks our bid is a challenge to his authority?”
“…That’s one way to put it.”
“…”
Shi Zhuoqu had been assigned the task of reclaiming the raw stone. He had no idea how he had ended up in a ridiculous wealth-flaunting contest with a nouveau riche. Although all bidders had to put down a deposit to participate, an excessive final bid would require additional proof of funds. At 50 million, they were already nearing the threshold.
He could continue bidding, but if the final price was outrageously high, it would make him look incompetent. If word got out that someone working in an auction house had been scammed by another auction house, how humiliating would that be?
Shi Zhuoqu grew more cautious, raising his bid in smaller increments.
“55 million! Any more bids? 55 million going once…”
Jin Xiaoyuan immediately hit the button. He was determined to win in front of Tan Muxing and sneered, “What? Can’t keep up?!”
“60 million! 60 million!”
Tan Muxing saw that Jin Xiaoyuan was getting fired up and tried to reason with him. “Uncle Jin, let’s not overdo it, let’s not overdo it…”
Chu Qianli agreed. “Yeah, yeah, don’t get scammed.”
Jin Xiaoyuan retorted, “I’m not getting scammed! I just want to see if he dares to keep bidding!”
“…Every scam victim says they aren’t getting scammed.”
“62 million! 62 million!” The female auctioneer’s voice grew louder and more excited, as if she could already see her commission. She struggled to contain her enthusiasm.
Jin Xiaoyuan scoffed. “That’s all they’ve got?”
“70 million! The bid is now at 70 million!”
Inside VIP Room 2, Shi Zhuoqu was bidding with an irritated expression while instructing the people around him. He frowned and said, “This won’t work if it keeps going like this. Make it a failed auction directly so he can’t keep bidding.”
If he ended up buying the sample stone for 70 million, he might as well stop working for the group altogether.
The others immediately took the order and rushed to take action.
The female auctioneer kept a close eye on the small screen on the second floor. With a smile, she reminded the audience once again, “Is there any higher bid? Lot 1134 is currently at 70 million.”
The screen in VIP Room 2 remained dark, showing no new bids.
“70 million going once, 70 million going twice, 70 million—sold! Congratulations on winning Lot 1134. Our staff will contact you shortly to sign the confirmation document!”
The auctioneer brought down her gavel with a decisive thud, officially concluding this round of bidding!
Inside the room, Li Like was full of confusion. He shook his head repeatedly and sighed, “What’s the point of buying this?”
As a jewelry merchant, Li Like couldn’t understand the mindset of a nouveau riche. He couldn’t think of any way Lot 1134 could be used for jewelry.
Chu Qianli was also surprised by Jin Xiaoyuan’s aggressive bidding. In a daze, she muttered, “Just one of these costs more than so many armillary spheres…”
Tan Muxing said softly, “Uncle Jin, let me pay for this. You don’t have to spend the money.”
Jin Xiaoyuan quickly refused, “No way! We already agreed—yesterday, I gave you a chance to show off. Today, this is my gift for the little beauty!”
“This isn’t right…”
“What’s not right? I think it’s absolutely right!”
Tan Muxing and Jin Xiaoyuan started pushing the payment responsibility back and forth, engaging in a classic Chinese-style battle over who would foot the bill. Neither was willing to give in.
Li Like noticed the staff hadn’t arrived yet and muttered in confusion, “They’re so slow today? Normally, the confirmation document should be brought over immediately.”
A moment later, an apologetic staff member knocked on the door. As soon as she entered, she kept bowing and said with difficulty, “We sincerely apologize. Due to an oversight by our auctioneer, the auction price did not reach the seller’s reserve price, so Lot 1134 has not been sold. It was a failed auction…”
Chu Qianli’s eyes widened in confusion. “What do you mean? What’s a reserve price?”
“It’s the price the seller sets when entrusting the auction house. If the final bid doesn’t reach the reserve price, the item isn’t sold, and the auctioneer cannot bring down the gavel,” Tan Muxing explained.
Li Like was shocked. “Even 70 million wasn’t enough!?”
“That’s right…”
Jin Xiaoyuan was furious. “But the auctioneer already dropped the hammer!”
The staff member kept bowing in apology. “We’re really sorry. This was our mistake, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience…”
Jin Xiaoyuan hadn’t expected such a ridiculous mistake. His face turned red with anger, and he roared, “What the hell is this!? I already won the bid! Are you doing this on purpose to humiliate me? I have important guests waiting!”
If this had happened on any other occasion, Jin Xiaoyuan might have let it slide. But he had arrived in such a grand manner, only to be publicly embarrassed now. Suffering this setback in front of Tan Muxing at an auction house where his friend worked was an unbearable humiliation.
“I’m calling Ah Ming! What kind of lousy service is this? You think you can trick me just because he’s not here? I’m taking that stone no matter what!”
“Mr. Jin, the auction house can only act based on the seller’s instructions. If the reserve price isn’t met, we cannot force the sale. Even Mr. Zhang has no authority to change that…”
“Then tell me who the seller is! I’ll buy it from them directly!”
“We’re very sorry, but due to our confidentiality agreement, we cannot disclose the consignor’s information. The auction house is legally bound to maintain their privacy…”
“Then let’s find a way without legal risks,” Chu Qianli suggested. She started calculating on the spot and muttered, “Let’s see what the seller is thinking.”
She moved her fingers in a divination gesture but suddenly froze. With hesitation, she said, “Huh? But I feel like the seller is willing to sell?”
Based on the fortune reading, the seller seemed satisfied with the final price. It was more likely that someone else was interfering.
Meanwhile, Shi Zhuoqu stepped out of VIP Room 2. He and his associates took the elevator down while discussing, “Is it taken care of?”
“Yes, but those people will be useless now. Rosia will figure it out sooner or later.”
“As long as we retrieve the sample stone, that’s a small problem,” Shi Zhuoqu frowned. “This whole situation has caused too many delays. Now, with this mess, we’re two days behind schedule again.”
If Jin Xiaoyuan hadn’t gone on a bidding frenzy, Shi Zhuoqu might have quickly obtained the lot. But now, the nouveau riche had completely disrupted his timeline.
Of course, Shi Zhuoqu had misunderstood Jin Xiaoyuan. He wasn’t actually a nouveau riche—he was more like a local kingpin.
The elevator doors slowly opened, and Shi Zhuoqu and his team were met with a mass of burly men. Immediately sensing that something was off, their expressions stiffened.
The men in black entered the elevator with blank expressions, preventing Shi Zhuoqu and his people from exiting. They directly closed the elevator doors and sent it up to the fifth floor.
The fifth floor of the auction house was not open to customers, and few people ever set foot in that area.
Trapped in the elevator by these unknown individuals, Shi Zhuoqu was caught off guard and blurted out, “Who are you? I’m calling the police!?”
“Calling the police? For what? You’re suspected of corporate espionage. We hope you’ll cooperate with our investigation—along with the authorities.”
In the fifth-floor meeting room, Rosia Auction House, prompted by Chu Qianli’s warning, indeed discovered that someone had altered the reserve price for Lot 1134. The reserve price initially provided to the auctioneer didn’t match the one stored in the system—it had clearly been tampered with, causing an unauthorized auction failure.
The auction house’s management quickly issued apologies. Even the remotely located Director Zhang was in a panic, never expecting such a massive internal security breach. This was an undeniable case of corporate espionage.
“Ah Ming, we just helped you uncover a huge problem. Don’t you think you should show some gratitude when you come back?”
“Alright, alright, I’ll fly back tomorrow! Brother Jin, please be patient. The item you want is still in our vault. When I get back, I’ll personally help you contact the seller…” Director Zhang promised, “The price is negotiable!”
Given the strange circumstances surrounding the auction failure, it wouldn’t be wise for Jin Xiaoyuan to simply pay 70 million without further discussion.
Jin Xiaoyuan huffed, “This isn’t about the money! This whole situation is just frustrating!”
“I know, I know. I’ll make it up to you when I return…”
Hearing that the price could be lowered, Chu Qianli’s mood instantly improved. She cheerfully admitted, “Actually, this isn’t too bad. I wouldn’t mind if this happened a few more times.”
Tan Muxing understood her thoughts clearly. He guessed that she was actually hoping for more setbacks like this, just so she could use them as an excuse to keep bargaining the price down.
“And don’t go blaming the auctioneer lady for this. It’s not right to just push the blame onto subordinates whenever something goes wrong,” Chu Qianli declared righteously. “We’re not bullying anyone with power. Before the auction started, they clearly stated that once the gavel falls, it’s legally binding. We are all law-abiding citizens, aren’t we?”
“Exactly, exactly…” Jin Xiaoyuan eagerly chimed in. “Ah Ming, she’s being generous this time and letting this slide. Don’t take that for granted!”
“Understood, understood. This was definitely a management issue on our end. When I get back, I won’t just go around blaming people,” Zhang reassured them over the phone.
Jin Xiaoyuan hung up and impatiently glanced at the door. He lazily crossed one leg over the other and grumbled, “They sure are slow. How long does it take to detain a few people?”
Li Like had already said his goodbyes to everyone, leaving only Tan Muxing and the others in the room.
Tan Muxing was caught off guard and asked in surprise, “Uncle Jin, who did you have detained?”
Chu Qianli and the rest had been focused on investigating the failed auction, completely unaware that Jin Xiaoyuan had sent people after someone.
“Obviously, the people from the VIP room across from us! This whole mess is definitely connected to them. I refuse to let this slide—I have to teach them a lesson…” Jin Xiaoyuan started ranting, but when he saw the innocent faces of the younger ones, he quickly swallowed his words and hastily corrected himself, “No, I mean, I have to make sure they understand the importance of obeying the law!”
Chu Qianli righteously added, “We originally intended to engage with them as responsible builders of a socialist society, yet in return, we were tricked by the capitalist privilege of price manipulation! No more pretending—we’re the villains now. We’re laying our cards on the table!”
Jin Xiaoyuan clapped his hands. “Exactly! That’s the spirit!”
Tan Muxing: “……”
I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.
