Right at that moment, the System chimed in again.
"Host, please bid according to the item's actual value. Do not overpay; the System will not cover any excess."
Jiang Cheng's brows knitted together when he read that.
What exactly counts as overpaying?
What range are we talking about?
How was he supposed to know the reserve price? One minute the System was thoughtful, the next...
Right now Jiang Cheng's face was one big eye-roll.
Wasn't this outright scamming him?
If he thought the price was fine but the System considered it too high, he'd have to foot the difference himself.
Seriously, what's with this rule?
If Jiang Cheng still wanted the item even after knowing it might exceed the limit, it meant he genuinely loved the piece.
In that case, paying out of pocket was no big deal.
But if he was only joining the auction to fleece the System and ended up overshooting its estimate...
and the item wasn't even something he truly wanted—then being forced to pay the difference was just plain toxic.
Because of this baffling reward, he had to guess and gamble throughout the entire auction?
Where was the fun in that?
A reward like this could keep itself.
While Jiang Cheng ranted silently, the System sent a follow-up message.
"The System grants the Host a valuation app; the price shown is the optimal bid. Scan at will. Trial period: two hours, then it expires."
Only then did Jiang Cheng nod in satisfaction.
Why not do this from the start and skip the drama?
Now every item within his sight was tagged with a price.
Much more reasonable.
In the few seconds he'd spent grumbling, the Blue-Glazed Six-Linked Vase had already climbed to five million.
Although it dated only to the Qing dynasty—not particularly ancient—
Qing pieces rarely count as rare or valuable in the antique world.
This six-linked vase, however, stood out for its unique shape.
It consisted of six interconnected bottles.
Despite the name, the vessels shared a single body, their interiors joined.
A large central bottle was ringed by five smaller ones of nearly equal size, like stars cupping the moon.
Such six-linked vases were mostly produced in the Qianlong Imperial Kilns.
At the time, only the palace's master craftsmen could manage the technique.
The form resembles modern communicating-vessel labware.
Know what this odd bottle was actually used for?
Mainly for flower arrangements.
Thanks to its superb glaze and perfect condition, its collectible value soared.
The System capped its valuation at around eight million.
After checking the figure, Jiang Cheng raised his paddle.
He tacked on five hundred thousand in one go.
"Mr. Number Eight: five million five hundred thousand!" the auctioneer announced.
The room paused for several seconds.
Everyone else had been bidding in increments of one hundred thousand.
Jiang Cheng had just upped the ante by half a million.
In auctions, a sudden big jump signals one thing:
he's seriously interested—or outright determined—to win the lot.
Anyone challenging him would have to pay far more than necessary.
Most bidders would simply yield in such situations.
Only those equally enamored with the piece would keep fighting.
After a tense lull, just as the auctioneer thought no one would top it, a slender arm lifted a paddle.
"Lady Number Five: six million!"
Jiang Cheng cocked an eyebrow and glanced toward the bidder.
It was An Xin.
He didn't recall her bidding earlier.
But even if it was An Xin, he wouldn't back down.
Unless the price exceeded the System's ceiling, every lot tonight would be his.
Who doesn't love free stuff?
He smiled at her and raised his paddle again.
"Mr. Number Eight: six million five hundred thousand!"
"Lady Number Five: seven million!"
Wang Congcong, seated beside Jiang Cheng, smirked. "You two are fun to watch. Old Qin told me she likes you?"
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. "Don't start rumors."
Catching Jiang Cheng's look, Wang Congcong glanced at Yu Xiaoxiao and apologized. "Yeah, I didn't buy it either—she already has a kid, after all."
Hearing that An Xin had a child, Yu Xiaoxiao visibly relaxed.
As a woman, she'd sensed the subtle chemistry between An Xin and Jiang Cheng right away.
Learning An Xin was a mother erased her worries.
Jiang Cheng raised his paddle once more.
According to the System, eight million was the sweet spot for this Blue-Glazed Six-Linked Vase.
This would be his final bid.