The host was still enthusiastically introducing the item, which was supposedly a "Song Dynasty Celadon Tripod Vase," citing various classics and attempting to exaggerate its historical and artistic value to the heavens.
But the respondents were few and far between.
Most of the guests in the audience were wealthy dignitaries accustomed to rare treasures, and they clearly had little interest in such a plain-looking "antique" whose authenticity was hard to discern.
Seeing this, the host could only clear his throat with a slight awkwardness and announce the starting price:
"Ahem, well then, this extremely collectible Song Dynasty Celadon Tripod Vase… starting price: five hundred thousand! Each bid increase, no less than fifty thousand! Now, let the bidding begin!"
"Five hundred thousand? It looks like a clay pot, who would buy it?"
"Exactly, it looks like a fake picked up from a street stall."
The surrounding guests whispered, their comments about the porcelain generally negative, even carrying a hint of undisguised disdain.
However!
Shen Yan, sitting in the corner, felt a surge of ecstasy when he heard the starting price of five hundred thousand and the ignorant discussions around him!
Five hundred thousand!
And from the looks of it, hardly anyone was going to compete with him!
This was simply heaven helping him!
After a few sporadic, symbolic, tentative bids, the price climbed to eight hundred thousand, and almost no one followed up.
Shen Yan took a deep breath, feeling his heart almost leap out of his throat!
He tremblingly raised his bidding paddle, his voice slightly hoarse from extreme nervousness, but he shouted with unusual determination:
"One million!"
He wanted to use this price to scare away all other potential competitors at once!
As soon as the one million price was announced, the hall indeed fell completely silent.
The auctioneer, looking at the few respondents in the audience, also felt that this price was probably the peak, and began to routinely raise his small gavel for the final countdown.
"One million! Are there any higher bids? One million, going once!"
"One million, going twice!"
Shen Yan's heart was practically leaping out of his throat!
He stared intently at the auctioneer's gavel, which was about to fall, his eyes red from congestion!
He seemed to already see his glorious future: bidding on this Ru ware, then reselling it for hundreds of millions, turning his life around, marrying a beautiful and wealthy woman, and reaching the pinnacle of life!
It's mine!
It's mine!
Hahaha! It's destined to belong to Shen Yan!
Just as the auctioneer's gavel was about to fall, and the fateful words "sold" were on the verge of being uttered, at that critical moment—
A voice, carrying an undeniable and powerful sense of oppression, like a sudden clap of thunder, came faintly from the VIP seats in the front row:
"One million five hundred thousand."
Swish—!
The entire hall instantly fell silent again!
Everyone's eyes collectively turned to the source of the voice.
Because the source of this voice was none other than Lu Cheng, surrounded by beauties!
The ecstasy and triumph on Shen Yan's face froze completely the moment he heard this voice.
He suddenly turned his head, staring fixedly with an incredulous, even somewhat terrified look, at Lu Cheng, who was holding a wine glass, a faint smile playing on his lips!
Lu Cheng?
Why would he bid?
Could it be… he knows the value of this porcelain?
No!
He… is deliberately targeting me!
After Lu Cheng called out the price of one million five hundred thousand, he didn't even glance in Shen Yan's direction.
He simply elegantly raised the champagne glass in front of him and gave Xia Qinghe, who was looking at him with adoration and admiration, a gentle smile that seemed to melt ice and snow.
As if the one million five hundred thousand he had casually bid was merely pocket money for a small toy to him.
Seeing Lu Cheng and Xia Qinghe's interaction, Shen Yan's anger flared even more!
He couldn't lose!
He absolutely couldn't lose to this scumbag!
This was his last chance!
It was his only hope to change his fate!
Like a gambler who had lost his eyes, he pushed all his chips onto the table.
He frantically roared, his voice sharp and piercing from excitement:
"One million eight hundred thousand!!!"
Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow, seemingly feeling a hint of surprise and amusement at Shen Yan's overestimation of his own abilities and his dying struggle.
He once again lightly announced a new price:
"Two million."
The guests who had previously disdained this broken piece of porcelain immediately changed their minds after seeing Young Master Lu personally enter the fray and raise the price to two million with his first bid!
"Oh my goodness! Two million? Could this porcelain… really be some extraordinary treasure? Even Young Master Lu is personally fighting for it?"
"It must be a good thing! How could Young Master Lu's judgment be wrong? Can something he fancies be ordinary?"
The tide turned dramatically the moment Lu Cheng made his bid!
And Shen Yan, upon hearing the number "two million," felt his last shred of hope completely shattered!
This was the limit of all the funds he could mobilize!
He had cobbled together just enough to barely reach this amount!
He knew… he had already lost!
But he was unwilling! He was unwilling to be trampled underfoot by this scumbag Lu Cheng!
He was unwilling to be reborn only to end up so miserably again!
He looked like a madman, his eyes bloodshot, frantically and hoarsely continuing to raise the price, his voice distorted and hoarse from anger and despair.
"I… I bid two million five hundred thousand!!!"
He had completely lost his mind, wanting only to vent the overwhelming anger and boundless unwillingness that had no place to settle within him.
Xiao Zhan, who had been observing with cold eyes, saw that Lu Cheng seemed determined to get this inconspicuous piece of porcelain, and that some clueless punk was still jumping around, so he sneered inwardly and decided to get involved.
He could both thoroughly disgust Lu Cheng, whom he hated to the core, and once again demonstrate his formidable financial power and decisive courage in front of Mu Wanrou!
Let her see who was the man truly capable of giving her happiness!
Thus, his loud and domineering voice once again echoed through the banquet hall, carrying a… strong sense of showing off!
"Five million!"
Hearing Xiao Zhan's bid, a cunning glint, like that of an old fox, flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes.
But on his face, he appropriately showed an expression of "having his interest interrupted" and "being somewhat helpless and hesitant."
He glanced at Mu Wanrou, who was looking at him with a "what bad idea are you up to now" expression, then glanced at the still inconspicuous celadon tripod vase on the display stand, and then… he smiled meaningfully and continued to raise the bid, but only ten thousand more than Xiao Zhan.
Seeing Lu Cheng hesitate, Xiao Zhan became even more smug!
He thought he had finally gained the upper hand over Lu Cheng!
Of course, he couldn't let go of such an opportunity.
He waved his hand grandly, continuing to bid frantically!
"Eight million!"
"Eight million one hundred thousand!"
"Ten million!"
"Ten million one hundred thousand!"
Each time he made a bid, he would subconsciously, with a hint of provocation and showmanship, glance in the direction of Mu Wanrou and Lu Cheng.
His arrogant and overbearing demeanor made it seem as if he had already secured victory and was about to win the beauty.
The price was thus crazily driven up by him!
It quickly broke through thirty million, fifty million, eighty million… directly approaching the one hundred million mark!
All the guests in the hall were dumbfounded!
What the hell kind of charity auction was this anymore?
This was simply a battle of immortals!
No!
It was two prodigal sons wildly throwing money away!