Autumn was stuffy, even at night when the sky was covered by rose-colored clouds, it was still irritably hot.
A charity auction was taking place tonight inside the fanciest banquet room decorated with red and pink roses on the top floor of Dahe Hotel.
Servers walked around the place nonstop, offering champagne and other beverages up to the guests.
Light was dim in the entire hall. There was only light there was the spotlight centering on the host in her cheongsam with sequins and a split and the show cart that she was pushing in front of her covered by a red silk cloth.
The guests started whispering among themselves but their voices were quickly drowned up by Beethoven’s symphony music.
As the red silk cloth was removed slowly, the host began t talk.
“This is Zhou Gong’s Dream by Wu Zhengzhong. It is 3 meters long and is Mr. Wu’s largest ink painting currently on the market. In his book Painting, he described in length how he got the idea of Zhou Gong’s Dream and his creative progress on this piece of his work.
“This piece of his work was created 10 years ago when he returned to his home country with his wife and child. There are a total of three pieces in his Dreamseries. The other two were mentioned in his book Painting but had never been seen.
“You can see on the screen this piece of work from different heights and angles from our 16 mini cameras. You will have 5 minutes time to appreciate this fine piece of work.
“The starting price for this piece of work is a million yuan
“And increment in 50,000 yuan.”
As the host narrated with a smile, all the VIPs looked over at the screens from their premium seats.
Sitting all the way in the back, unrestrained and frank, was a well-built man in a brown suit. He turned and smiled at the young woman next to him.
“Yiru, do you know Mr. Wu Zhengzhong? His work went for 20.38 million at an auction in France.
“This starting price is way too low.
“But those who are in the knows will understand the value of this piece. You will be able to witness a miracle in just a little while.”
Li Yiru nodded elegantly with a bitter smile on her.
Li Yiru couldn’t remember how many times she had gone on arranged dates.
After she had exhausted the candidates in City Shun, her father gave her a call and tossed her over to capital city after a referral call.
This greasy man here with her right now was the Third Young Master of the Zhu family.
He disgusted her.
Her father, however, had given her orders already. She must date this man till he appreciated her else she would have no pocket money.
Headache!
“Big Brother Hong, this uncle seems to be different than how you had described him.”
While Li Yiru was feeling troubled, she heard a childish girl’s voice.
Li Yiru’s eyes beamed.
She immediately recalled the two treasures that she had brought with her this trip – Gu Shishi’s son Huo Yuhong and his sister Huo Fufu, who was two years his junior.
Yes, she brought two kids with her to her arranged date!
Nope, she didn’t feel that that was awkward at all!
“How’s this painting, little Yuhong? Tell your Aunty Xiao Yu all about it.”
She had almost forgot the other ability of this little kid. Quickly, she asked him.
Sure enough, the little kid spoke.
“Aunty Xiao Yu, the value of this painting does not exceed 5 million yuan.
“You can consider adding it to your collecting for somewhere between 3 ~ 5 million yuan. Its value will maintain for the next 10 years.
“If it goes over 5 million yuan…… it can still make a nice gift for the purpose of courting Aunty. It is the thought that counts. The value is secondary. It has added meaning as a collection.”
His words made Li Yiru blushed.
“What are you talking about?”
But she got the gist of it. 5 million yuan was the highest to pay for this painting. Anything over that was not a good deal.
The entire venue had been looking quietly at the large screen. As such, Li Yiru wasn’t the only one who heard the little boy, Third Young Master Zhu heard what he said as well.
“Hah. What do you know about these? What say we have a wager?”
Third Young Master Zhu was very confident in himself.
In addition to the ability to appraise, a collector also needed to have information on all other major auctions.
When an established artist’s work had fetched a high price, pretty much all of their other work will go up in prices as well.
“This painting is very similar is style to the one that fetched 200 million. The only difference was their themes.”
He finally turned to look at the kid confidently.
The boy was wearing a suit and even though he looked like he had a straight face on him but his slightly reddish lips also looked to be curving upward some.
His face that was slightly rounded seemed to have a hint of a smile on it. His black eyes were clear and clean. He was the kind of children that elders would fall in love with instantly.
The child of the Huo family in City Shun.
Third Young Master Zhu was not always in contact with family over on that side but he was still aware of the children of all the major families.
The Huo family had always placed a lot of emphasis on the artistic training on their children bt he was still just a 7-year-old child.
How would he understand all the inner workings of the collection scene?
“I will be buying that today as long as it doesn’t go over 100 million yuan,” said Third Young Master Zhu with a smile.
Huo Yuhong nodded, “That will work.”
The delicate girl who was a full head’s length shorter than him stuck her soft cheeks next to his ear and said, “Big Brother Hong, is he the kind of ‘rich fool’ that Daddy had talked about? The kind that girls should stay away from”
Huo Yuhong reached out his hand and patted her on her little head.
Him not talking meant he agreed with what she had just said.
As she sat next to them, Li Yiru heard the entire conversation clearly. Her lips twitched.
“3 million going once!”
“4.4 million going once!”
“5 million going once!”
The price went up quickly after the opening bid.
The smile on Third Young Master Zhu thickened.
“Little Brother of the Huo family, let Uncle teach you a lesson today.”
He lifted up his sign and said, “8 million!”