Chapter 71: Chapter 70: The Auction

The two continued drinking tea in the shop until Shi Feng received a phone call, then he called for Qi Yun to leave.

“Where are we going? Aren’t we attending the auction anymore?”

Sitting in the passenger seat of the BMW 5 Series, Qi Yun watched as the car headed towards the suburbs and couldn’t help but ask curiously.

Shi Feng smiled faintly, “Chen Lao is also attending today’s auction, we’ll pick him up first.”

“Today’s auction requires a deposit in advance to obtain a bidding number plate for entry.

The reason I invited you last minute is that Chen Lao is attending too; you can enter with him later without any issues.”

“Chen Lao’s influence in the northern antique circles is significant, getting familiar with him won’t be a bad thing for you.”

After hearing Shi Feng’s explanation, Qi Yun felt secretly relieved. Luckily, he planned to accompany the other; otherwise, he wouldn’t even be able to enter the auction venue, let alone buy the Ming Dynasty porcelain bowl.

Moreover, since the previous transaction with Wang Fei, Shi Feng seemed to be intentionally getting closer to him.

Yet Qi Yun didn’t object to it; the world of adults is like this—only relationships built on mutual interests are stable and reliable.

The car sped over the overpass, the wind whistling past, and after a little over ten minutes, it turned into an old alley.

The alley was narrow, with mulberry trees planted on both sides, their branches intertwined, exuding a sense of tranquility.

The car finally stopped in front of a courtyard with green bricks and white walls. Qi Yun turned his head and asked, “Does Chen Lao live here?”

In his impression, people with such status usually reside in villas or mansions.

Shi Feng responded, “That’s right, Chen Lao lives here. Don’t let the unassuming exterior fool you; the inside is quite special.

Chen Lao is modest and doesn’t like luxurious things; he prefers this ancient-looking courtyard, and it houses quite a few treasures.”

Qi Yun nodded lightly, no further questions.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that people in the antique circles are indeed quite different from the big shots he used to deal with in the business world.

Shi Feng went forward and gently knocked on the courtyard door. Shortly after, the two wooden doors slowly opened, and an elderly man in a gray long gown appeared at the entrance.

His hair was gray, but his face was invigorated, with bright and energetic eyes.

“Chen Lao, let’s go.” After Chen Lao stepped out, Shi Feng closed the door and continued with a smile, “Qi brother happened to visit my shop today, so I invited him along. You don’t mind, do you?”

Chen Lao’s gaze fell on Qi Yun waiting beside the car, and he smiled warmly, gesturing with his hand, “Then let’s go together. It’s good for young people to engage in such occasions to broaden their horizons.”

Qi Yun bowed slightly and hurriedly opened the rear door for the elder, “Chen Lao, sorry for any inconvenience.”

Chen Lao nodded and slowly sat in the rear seat.

After Qi Yun closed the door, he returned to the passenger seat, and Shi Feng started the car, heading toward the auction venue.

Dingsheng International Auction Co., Ltd., despite the ’International’ in its name, is merely a medium-sized local auction house.

Compared to well-known auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s often seen on TV, the gap is quite significant.

The auction venue was located within an office building; as the three exited the elevator, the manager in charge of reception quickly approached with a welcoming smile.

“Chen Lao, you’ve arrived, please come in!” The manager gestured to his staff while diligently leading the way.

Chen Lao gently acknowledged, following the manager into the venue and sitting in one of the front row seats.

Qi Yun followed closely, entering the venue smoothly as expected.

Shortly after they sat down, two staff members in cheongsams approached gracefully, each holding a tray.

One tray was adorned with delicate fruits and drinks, while the other held two bidding number plates.

The manager smiled broadly, “Chen Lao, you’ve had a tiring journey, please have some fruits to refresh.”

Chen Lao nodded slightly, “No need to trouble, you can go about your business.”

The manager hastily nodded and bowed, replying, “Alright, Chen Lao, if you need anything, feel free to instruct.” With that, he stepped aside.

Qi Yun hadn’t done asset verification beforehand and, of course, lacked a number plate, so he leaned over to whisper in Shi Feng’s ear, “Boss Shi, if I see something I like later, could you bid for it on my behalf, and I’ll transfer the payment to you afterward.”

Shi Feng readily agreed, “Haha, no problem.”

The venue gradually filled with people, most of them either from the antique circles or collectors attending such auctions.

Qi Yun glanced around and unexpectedly spotted a familiar figure—the same Wang Fei he had met at Shi Feng’s shop days ago.

Today, she was clad in a fitted black dress with the hemline elegantly falling at her calves, accentuating her graceful figure, and the crystal high heels on her feet shone brightly, complementing her elegant aura.

Her makeup was as exquisite as usual, her lips slightly curved upward, exuding confidence.

This woman’s looks and demeanor were no less impressive than those of popular stars, she was surely one blessed by nature.

Even nearly thirty, she still retained her charm.

Seemingly sensing Qi Yun’s gaze, Wang Fei happened to glance over, their eyes meeting. She paused, evidently surprised to find Qi Yun here.

But she quickly regained her composure, a subtle smile forming on her lips as she gently nodded in acknowledgment.

Qi Yun responded with a polite smile, thinking to himself, what a coincidence that someone of her status would attend such an auction.

“Oh, quite a coincidence, huh? Want to go over and say hello?” Shi Feng had turned around sometime, a teasing smile on his face.

Qi Yun chuckled lightly, choosing not to engage.

At this moment, the auction finally began.

A woman dressed elegantly in a gown walked onto the stage as the venue gradually quieted down.

With a microphone beside her ear, she stepped behind the auction podium, scanning the audience with a professional smile.

“Thank you for coming to Dingsheng International. Today, we have a special auction of confiscated art pieces by customs, featuring 42 art treasures including ceramics, paintings, jade, and rare books.”

“First, let me introduce item number 001, the Qianlong Treasure Coin with Dragon and Phoenix on the reverse…”

As the auctioneer spoke, a high-definition image of the Qianlong Treasure Coin with Dragon and Phoenix appeared on the screen behind her.

Auctions of this kind usually have a preview period before bidding begins, with non-fixed times, typically two to three days.

During this period, those interested in bidding can view the actual items at designated locations; thus, at the formal auction, there are no physical items to see.

As the auctioneer finished speaking, people in the venue began raising their bid cards, and the price rose steadily.

However, Qi Yun was not focusing much on it, casually browsing through the auction catalog in his hand.

After fierce competition, the Qianlong Treasure Coin with Dragon and Phoenix was finally hammered down at a price of 110,000 yuan.

The auctioneer announced with a smile, “Congratulations to the gentleman with number 321 for winning this treasure. Now let’s introduce item number 002…”

After several rounds of bidding, it finally came time for the painting that Shi Feng had his eye on.

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