Chapter 241: The Game Changer
Chapter 241: The Game Changer
“10 million!”
The voice wasn’t especially loud. But echoing in the silent room, it felt like thunder.
It shocked everyone!
All heads turned towards the sound’s source, filled with surprise, astonishment, puzzlement…
This included Gao Jing.
For this spring auction — Jiashang Auction House’s first of the year featuring ten bottles of Hundred-Fruit Wine provided by Gao Jing — someone had already set things up.
Anyone attending this auction understood: some things you could touch, others you absolutely couldn’t.
If they didn’t want trouble, standing idly by was the smartest choice. Otherwise, the consequences were unpredictable.
So, even though the Hundred-Fruit Wine was excellent, no one dared risk angering important people by bidding for it.
And those powerful figures truly capable of intervening? They’d already reached a quiet agreement before the auction even started.
The Hundred-Fruit Wine wouldn’t go unsold. It would sell at the minimum price!
But then, right now, someone had jumped out to interfere. In one leap, they’d pushed the wine’s price up to last year’s level. You can imagine everyone’s feelings.
Was she crazy?
The bidder was a woman. She sat in the seat on the very right of the third row.
That spot was usually unimportant. But right now, it became the center of attention.
Facing the strange stares from all directions, the woman elegantly placed down her bidding paddle.
She gave a distant smile towards Gao Jing.
Gao Jing paused in surprise.
Because he recognized her. It was clearly Qin Qing!
Back then, to practice the Shan Yue Refining Spirit Art, Gao Jing had travelled thousands of kilometers west to the Kunlun Mountains. There, he’d witnessed the mighty sacred peaks and achieved his breakthrough.
During that time, on Mount Kunlun, he’d also unexpectedly found the body of a victim and had returned it to the family.
The victim’s name was He Yuanbo. And this woman, Qin Qing, was his wife.
Though Qin Qing had offered Gao Jing five million yuan as thanks, he had merely accepted a business card from her.
He had almost completely forgotten about that by now.
Who would have guessed Qin Qing would appear here? And she had just shattered the scheme targeting Gao Jing!
Gao Jing didn’t believe this was coincidence – there were no such happy accidents in the world.
If Qin Qing did this deliberately… well, that was interesting.
Wasn’t she afraid of making powerful enemies?
But thinking back to when he met the He family, Gao Jing suddenly understood.
He nodded back at Qin Qing.
To thank her.
“Who is that?”
Ji Yu asked softly beside him. “A friend of yours?”
She thought Qin Qing was someone Gao Jing secretly arranged to help him, and had kept her in the dark. She felt a bit sour inside.
Because Qin Qing was incredibly beautiful.
“Someone I knew before.”
Gao Jing sighed. “A pitiful woman.”
Pitiful?
Ji Yu was confused.
Gao Jing genuinely thought Qin Qing was quite pitiable. She lost her lover while still so young.
And she had waited a whole three years just to receive her husband’s body.
One could only imagine the sorrow.
At this moment, Gao Jing was certain Qin Qing had come here for him.
To repay his kindness.
“10 million, going once! Anyone else bidding?”
“10 million, going twice!”
“Sold!”
The auctioneer on stage was experienced. After asking a few times with no new bids, he decisively brought down the gavel.
“Congratulations to this lady!”
Only after a moment did everyone seem to wake up. Sparse applause broke out in the auction hall.
Some glared at Qin Qing with hatred.
The atmosphere was quite strange.
Immediately after, the second bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine went up for auction. The starting price was again 1 million.
“10 million.”
As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, Qin Qing raised her bidding paddle again. She ignored all the stares around her.
She was bound to be the most conspicuous figure tonight!
Now, many people couldn’t stay seated.
Some whispered together, heads close. Others secretly made calls to report or ask for instructions. Some just stayed back, enjoying the chaos.
Things had completely gone off the rails. Certain people definitely panicked.
Some suspected Qin Qing was a bidding shill for Gao Jing. But until they could verify her background and connections, no one dared act rashly. They could only watch as she successfully bid for the second bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine.
And the third… and the fourth…
Tonight, Jiashang’s spring auction seemed to turn into Qin Qing’s personal stage.
“11 million!”
When the fifth bottle was auctioned, someone finally couldn’t hold back and joined the bidding.
In certain high circles, Hundred-Fruit Wine had gained a strong reputation. Though not a century-old brand, its effects were real. Anyone who had tried it knew this.
Was 10 million a bottle expensive?
Definitely expensive. Someone with mere hundreds of millions wouldn’t easily afford it.
But for some people, it wasn’t that expensive.
Those ultra-rich who fiercely guarded their own lives had poured billions into longevity research. Their pursuit of life’s quality knew no bounds.
But these important figures disliked having only a passive choice.
They wanted to take the initiative!
Now, with Qin Qing as this unexpected player, the shadowy figures behind naturally made new plans.
This current bid was a test aimed at her.
In response, Qin Qing just smiled faintly. She crossed her arms, showing no sign of increasing her bid.
The fifth bottle sold for 11 million.
This was the highest price paid for Hundred-Fruit Wine that night!
The following auctions were dull. Qin Qing bid on every remaining bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine.
She only ever called 10 million. If anyone outbid her, even by just 100,000 yuan, she wouldn’t raise her offer again.
She firmly anchored the value of each bottle at 10 million!
In the end, Qin Qing bought half of the ten bottles of Hundred-Fruit Wine. Without blinking an eye, she paid out 50 million yuan.
The mastermind behind the original plan must have been so angry it hurt.
A few tens of millions? Even a few billion? That wasn’t the point. The key was their entire setup against Gao Jing got ripped apart completely.
By this time, Qin Qing’s background had been uncovered.
For certain powerful people, it was truly simple.
Just a little facial recognition using venue cameras, and her identity was crystal clear.
Qin Qing. From the capital’s He Family.
The He Family!
Those two words acted like heavy weights, tilting the balance instantly in Gao Jing’s favor. They sharply increased his importance.
Leaving everyone, both visible and hidden, silent.
After bidding ended on the final bottle of wine, Qin Qing, under countless strange stares, stood up and left the auction hall.
“Let’s go.”
Gao Jing had noticed. He took Ji Yu and also left the auction.
As expected, Gao Jing met Qin Qing outside.
Qin Qing wore a simple, understated dress. Beside her was an assistant who seemed to double as her bodyguard.
She smiled at Gao Jing. “Mr. Gao, we meet again.”
Gao Jing nodded. “Hello, and thank you.”
Qin Qing shook her head gently.
Her gaze fell onto Ji Yu’s face. She offered her slender hand gracefully. “And you must be Jiu Niang? I’m Qin Qing. Very pleased to meet you.”
“Ah?”
Ji Yu was stunned. She blinked in confusion before shaking Qin Qing’s hand.
She wouldn’t have been this shocked if Qin Qing had called her real name—Qin Qing used her fan nickname from Bilibili!
Qin Qing smiled warmly. “Let’s talk somewhere else.”