If no one had immediately discovered that Shi Zhuoqu had tampered with the reserve price, Jin Xiaoyuan truly wouldn’t have had any way to deal with him. Once the person ran off, who would be able to catch them?
Jin Xiaoyuan wasn’t familiar with the inner workings of an auction house, so under normal circumstances, he would have had to suffer in silence. But now that the truth was exposed, there was no way he could swallow his anger—he had to regain his dignity!
Inspired by Chu Qianli, Jin Xiaoyuan righteously declared, “Muxing, just think about it—this time, they ran into us. But if it had been an ordinary person, how would they fight for justice in a situation like this!? We absolutely cannot let this kind of malpractice slide—we have to teach them a lesson!”
Tan Muxing weakly complained, “…It just feels really ironic hearing you say that, Uncle Jin.”
In a way, he felt that Jin Xiaoyuan himself was part of G City’s underhanded dealings.
However, since the price manipulation was indeed illegal, neither Chu Qianli nor Tan Muxing argued further. They simply slipped away to the back, leaving Jin Xiaoyuan and the auction house to handle the matter.
Moments later, a group of men in black suits entered the room, escorting Shi Zhuoqu and his companions. Shi Zhuoqu deliberately avoided physical contact with those around him, stepping inside with a deep frown, though he remained significantly calmer than his companions.
Hiding in a small adjacent room, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing peeked outside. Seeing Shi Zhuoqu, they were both taken aback. They had once accompanied Mei Rujing to a hotel, where Shi Zhuoqu was introduced as the younger brother of her employer. Now, for some unknown reason, he had appeared here.
Shi Zhuoqu adjusted his collar slightly, his face cold as ice. In a firm, steady voice, he said, “I demand to see a lawyer and the police.”
He was exceptionally composed, as if he had nothing to fear.
Jin Xiaoyuan, seeing that Shi Zhuoqu was still acting so tough and unrepentant, snapped, “You’ve got some nerve, kid! Do you even know whose turf you’re on? You should’ve asked around—this whole area belongs to me, Jin Ye!”
From the small room, Chu Qianli watched the scene unfold with great amusement and enthusiastically commented, “Wow, that’s a textbook villain line.”
Tan Muxing: “…”
“I’ve heard of your reputation, Mr. Jin.” Shi Zhuoqu picked up on Jin Xiaoyuan’s identity from his words, but he remained unfazed. Instead, he calmly pulled out a chair, smoothly sat down, and unhurriedly crossed his legs.
Jin Xiaoyuan immediately scowled. “Hey, hey, hey! Who told you to sit down!?”
Shi Zhuoqu took out a business card and placed it on the table, slowly pushing it toward Jin Xiaoyuan before giving him a meaningful look, signaling him to take a look.
“What’s this? What are you trying to pull?” Jin Xiaoyuan impatiently picked up the card, but when he saw the emblem on it, he was momentarily stunned. “…You’re with Mondesen?”
The man before him was actually a senior executive at Mondesen—a massive, world-class conglomerate with industries spanning multiple sectors and influence across the globe.
Shi Zhuoqu nodded. “Mr. Jin, I believe there’s been some misunderstanding. Why don’t we sit down and talk?”
From the small room, Chu Qianli caught a glimpse of the new business card Shi Zhuoqu had presented. She immediately noticed that it was different from the one she had received before and pouted in dissatisfaction. “The one he gave me last time wasn’t like that. He just fobbed me off with an auction house business card. Does that mean he looks down on me!?”
Tan Muxing offered a comforting explanation, “Maybe he just got promoted recently.”
Perhaps Shi Zhuoqu had realized that his auction house business card wouldn’t hold weight with Jin Xiaoyuan, so he had now revealed his true identity in an attempt to make Jin Xiaoyuan reconsider.
Sure enough, after seeing the business card, Jin Xiaoyuan hesitated. He casually handed it off to one of his subordinates, signaling them with his eyes to verify its authenticity.
“If you don’t believe me,” Shi Zhuoqu said, carefully observing Jin Xiaoyuan’s subtle facial expressions, “I can call someone right now to confirm my identity.”
Then, with a calm voice, he added, “I don’t know why you’re so determined to acquire Item No. 1134, but I hope you’d be willing to let it go.”
Shi Zhuoqu had originally planned to reclaim the sample stone with minimal cost, but unexpected twists kept arising, making things increasingly difficult. Not only had Jin Xiaoyuan suddenly appeared and bid for the stone, but he had also managed to uncover the tampered reserve price surprisingly quickly. Now, he even had the audacity to detain them, putting Shi Zhuoqu in a tricky situation.
If Shi Zhuoqu had to repurchase the sample stone at an exorbitant price, he would definitely be held accountable. But at the same time, being detained here wasn’t an option either.
Jin Xiaoyuan scoffed, “What do you mean by ‘let it go’? If I hadn’t caught you messing with the price, you would’ve scammed me outright!”
The two had engaged in a fierce bidding war all the way up to a high price. Shi Zhuoqu had backed off in the end, only to resort to underhanded tactics behind the scenes. Anyone in Jin Xiaoyuan’s position would be furious.
Shi Zhuoqu didn’t deny it. Instead of looking guilty, he remained composed and said steadily, “Even if you win Item No. 1134, it’s of no use to you. Why let a minor dispute get in the way? You could do me a small favor, and perhaps we could work together in the future.”
Jin Xiaoyuan narrowed his eyes. “How do you know it’s useless to me!?”
“Because this stone is indeed worthless, it can’t even be made into jewelry. You can absolutely have it appraised if you want.”
Jin Xiaoyuan was skeptical. “If it’s really worthless, would you still be bidding on it?”
Shi Zhuoqu responded, “To be honest, this is a stolen sample from our company’s project. We’re willing to pay a high price to recover it, not because the sample itself is valuable, but because we don’t want any leaks regarding our future projects.”
Hiding nearby, Chu Qianli listened to Shi Zhuoqu’s logically tight explanation and mused, “His words are a mix of truth and lies—classic conman talk.”
Tan Muxing added, “He seems to know what the stone is.”
Chu Qianli sighed, “More than that. Judging by his tone, he’s certain no one else can use it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be speaking this way.”
Shi Zhuoqu seemed convinced that Jin Xiaoyuan had no use for Stone No. 1134. He continued persuading, “Mr. Jin, this project is crucial to our company. We have business operations worldwide. I know you have strong ties with this auction house. If you’re willing to help, we can discuss many things in the future.”
Jin Xiaoyuan hesitated upon hearing this.
Mondeason was indeed renowned, which explained why Shi Zhuoqu remained calm despite being detained—he assumed no one would dare act against him.
Chu Qianli observed Jin Xiaoyuan, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “This is a test of character. Should he stick with his old connections or embrace new opportunities? This is a pivotal moment of choice.”
Jin Xiaoyuan valued the Tan family, which was why he was so friendly with Tan Muxing. However, Mondeason was more powerful than the Tan family, so there was no guarantee he would continue siding with Chu Qianli and her group—such was the nature of human relationships.
Tan Muxing muttered, “I wasn’t that close to Uncle Jin before, so I have no idea what he’s thinking now.”
Shi Zhuoqu remained courteous. “You can name your price. How much would it take for you to part with it?”
Jin Xiaoyuan found himself in a dilemma. He had already promised to give the stone to Tan Muxing and the others. Going back on his word now would be inappropriate.
Though Jin Xiaoyuan had a crude and arrogant demeanor, he wasn’t stupid—he understood the situation clearly.
Mondeason was indeed more powerful than the Tan family, but Shi Zhuoqu was just an employee. Giving the stone to him wouldn’t amount to much. Tan Muxing, on the other hand, was part of the Tan family, making their relationship more meaningful. Gaining favor with him would be far more beneficial.
Moreover, while Mondeason was widely known, Jin Xiaoyuan had no plans to expand beyond G City. He understood that his best chances lay with the Tan family, which was tangible and within reach.
Having figured out the pros and cons, Jin Xiaoyuan suddenly became self-assured. Puffing out his chest, he declared loudly, “Mondeason? Even if the king of heaven himself came down today, I wouldn’t give this up! This stone is mine, no matter what!”
Shi Zhuoqu: “?”
Noticing Tan Muxing and the others in the adjacent room, Jin Xiaoyuan dramatically escalated his act, firmly distancing himself from Shi Zhuoqu as if radiating an unyielding aura that screamed, “I refuse to be intimidated by power!”
Shi Zhuoqu pressed on, “But the stone has no real value. If you refuse us, it will be difficult to resell later…”
“I don’t care if it’s worthless! Can’t I just buy it to look at or play with!?”
“……”
Shi Zhuoqu was completely baffled by Jin Xiaoyuan’s train of thought. He had tried both persuasion and coercion, yet the man remained stubbornly fixated on the stone. The situation was becoming more complicated.
Inside the small room, Chu Qianli marveled, “I never expected the local tyrant to stand his ground like this. This really caught me off guard.”
Tan Muxing also looked surprised. “…I didn’t expect Uncle Jin to be so devoted to our family. After all, Mondeason is much more powerful than we are.”
Tan Muxing couldn’t tell if it was because his family didn’t respond well to flattery, causing Jin Xiaoyuan to repeatedly fail in his attempts to ingratiate himself. But rather than giving up, Jin Xiaoyuan had become even more stubborn, refusing to switch allegiance to the much grander Mondeason.
What kind of mindset was this? The craftsmanship of a truly dedicated sycophant?
Perhaps any pursuit required an unwavering belief to succeed.
Suddenly, Chu Qianli thought of something. She turned to Tan Muxing and urged, “Don’t you have his WeChat? Quick, send him a message! But don’t make it sound too final!”
Tan Muxing, still confused, pulled out his phone and followed Chu Qianli’s instructions.
Meanwhile, Shi Zhuoqu furrowed his brows. “How about this—you name your conditions directly. If my authority isn’t enough, I’ll communicate with the company. As long as you’re willing to hand over the sample stone.”
He could tell Jin Xiaoyuan wasn’t entirely convinced, likely doubting his influence within the company.
“Hand it over? What do you mean, hand it over? That word doesn’t exist in my vocabulary…” Jin Xiaoyuan was in the middle of his grand speech when he suddenly noticed a message on his phone. After reading Tan Muxing’s suggestion, he quickly changed his tone. “…I can name my conditions?”
“Yes, I know you have many businesses in G City. Even a corporate partnership would be acceptable.”
“Forget business deals. Let’s keep it simple. If you want the stone…” Following the instructions he received, Jin Xiaoyuan spread all ten fingers wide and declared boldly, “You’ll have to pay this much!”
Chu Qianli wanted to gauge how much Stone No. 1134 truly meant to Shi Zhuoqu and his people. So, she devised a mischievous plan—having Jin Xiaoyuan quote an astronomical price. Since Shi Zhuoqu had repeatedly insisted that the sample was worthless, they might as well use this tactic to test the waters. If they were lucky, they might even force out Shi Zhuoqu’s higher-ups.
“A billion?” Shi Zhuoqu fell silent for a moment. A flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes, but he had no better option. He got up as if preparing to leave. “Alright, I’ll report this to the company.”
He had intended to negotiate a lower price, but Jin Xiaoyuan had turned the tables on him, pushing the price beyond even seventy million.
Jin Xiaoyuan fumed, “Who said a billion!? Are you trying to shoo away a beggar? I want ten billion!”
Shi Zhuoqu, already struggling with the previous price, was utterly stunned by this absurd demand. “Impossible! This is outright robbery!”
“And I am robbing you right now!”
“……”
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.
