Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Swindled Old Fox Tao of 3.5 Billion Yuan!
Chapter 155: Swindled Old Fox Tao of 3.5 Billion Yuan!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The world of the rich was unfamiliar to Chen Kexin. Numbers that seemed astronomical to her were just a drop in the bucket for these people.
“Oh no. Someone is about to buy the painting.” Tao Niannian heart ached so much that she wanted to cry.
Chen Kexin could only force a smile when she heard Tao Niannian’s words.
“Looks like everyone recognizes the value of Master Qi Bai’s painting! I have 100 million. Do 1 hear no million?”
The auctioneer was overjoyed.
Xiao Lang raised his paddle to bid but Jiang Yining, who was sitting next to him, lowered his arm.
“Yining, what are you doing? Don’t stop me. Later someone will buy it.”
Xiao Lang was extremely anxious.
Jiang Yining stared at the painting for a while before she said with a strange expression, “This painting is not Qi Bai’s work.”
“No way! The auction house would have asked their own experts to authenticate it!”
This painting was identical to Qi Bai’s, be it in terms of style or brush strokes!
Jiang Yining was speechless.
She could tell with one look that the painting was fake because she had drawn it herself.
And she had sold it to Lu Zhi for 800,000 yuan.
She now suspected that Lu Zhi was the person who put this painting up for auction here.
She just didn’t know why he did it.
Who was he trying to swindle now?
After a moment of silence, Jiang Yining said softly to Xiao Lang, “Just take my word for it.”
Xiao Lang felt a little regretful, but he still took her advice and quit bidding.
While they were talking, the price had doubled again, soaring to 230 million yuan!
“230 million! Young Master Qin from capital city has given me 230 million! Such generosity is truly astonishing! If no one gives me a higher bid, our Young Master Qin is going to bring this Qi Bai painting home…”
The auctioneer had just finished speaking when a person slowly walked into the VIP area.
This person was none other than the fashionably late Elder Tao!
He had long heard that Qi Bai’s masterpiece was going to be auctioned and decided to come.
But not on time.
It was because only small potatoes would be auctioned upfront and he didn’t want to waste his time.
Elder Tao walked to the front row and sat in a Super VIP seat. He calmly raised his paddle and said, “300 million.”
Everyone in the auction hall was shocked!
“Our Old Master Tao has raised the bid by 70 million! 1 have 300 million!”
Young Master Qin thought that he was going to win the auction.
He did not expect someone to come out of nowhere and offer such a crazy price!
It was infuriating!
Young Master Qin gritted his teeth and said, “310 million.”
“400 million.” Elder Tao raised the price without hesitation.
He raised the price by 100 million yuan each time. Such a big move caused an uproar in the auction hall.
Young Master Qin was sweating bullets. He wanted to buy the painting as a gift to his father-in-law.
300 million yuan was his limit.
Young Master Qin couldn’t go higher and gave up.
“400 million! 400 million! Elder Tao has given me 400 million! Dear distinguished guests, don’t you want to try going higher? Anyone up for a showdown with Old Master Tao? If you miss this opportunity, you may never see another Qi Bai masterpiece in your lifetime!”
The auctioneer was glib. He wished that everyone in the hall was like Elder Tao and went all out for the painting.
But the sky-high price of 400 million yuan had already stumped everyone.
The massive auction hall fell into silence. No one dared to raise the bid.
Elder Tao was confident and was not surprised at all.
“Alright, since I don’t hear a higher bid…”
The auctioneer was about to hit the gavel and seal the deal when a clear and low voice suddenly rang out in the hall, “500 million.”
With a buzz, everyone in the hall started talking at the same time!
Everyone was looking for the bidder.
The auctioneer was stunned for two seconds before he reacted and said, “A mysterious VIP has just given me 500 million! It looks like Old Master Tao has a strong opponent tonight! No one knows who will go home with Master Qi Bai’s painting until the fat lady sings!”
Elder Tao frowned slightly.
How dare someone outbid him? He must get this painting tonight!
“600 million,” Elder Tao said in a deep voice.
The crowd went into a frenzy!
Jiang Yining sat speechlessly in the back row.
If she had known earlier, she wouldn’t have sold the painting to Lu Zhi so cheaply. Her 800,000-yuan painting was now selling at sky-high prices!
Was it too late to ask him for it back now?
Xiao Lang had also completely given up.
He was able to fork out 100 to 200 million yuan. If he went any higher, his father would probably kill him.
“700 million.”
“800 million.”
“900 million.”
“One billion.”
Neither Elder Tao nor the mysterious VIP was ready to give up.
In just a few quips, the price had gone up to something astronomical.
Elder Tao frowned.
Tao Niannian looked at her grandfather from afar and felt her heart clench. The Tao family had just fought with the Lu family, and they had suffered substantial losses.
If her grandfather continued to bid like this, they might suffer another round of heavy losses.
She couldn’t help but sneaked up behind Elder Tao and said, “Grandpa, let it go. Don’t be rash.”
Elder Tao turned his head and was stunned when he saw his granddaughter.
“You’re no longer a member of the Tao family. This is none of your business.”
Tao Niannian’s eyes reddened. “Grandpa, I’m truly sorry. Please…”
She couldn’t finish her sentence as the auctioneer said, “Old Master Tao, our mysterious VIP has given me one billion! Would you like to give me a higher bid? If not, this painting will go home with our mysterious VIP…”
Elder Tao raised his paddle without any hesitation.
“1.1 billion.”
“1.1 billion! Old Master Tao is indeed an extraordinary gentleman!” The auctioneer exclaimed.
Another wave of excitement rose in the auction hall.
The mysterious VIP sitting behind the curtain in the VIP box was quiet for a long time.
Everyone thought that he had given up when he suddenly said, “1.5 billion yuan.”
What?
He had actually incremented the bid by 400 million!
He was truly crazy!
Everyone stared at the curtain with fervent eyes, wishing they could go behind it and see who the mysterious VIP was.
He who outbid Elder Tao by so much!
Elder Tao’s expression became increasingly gloomy as he gripped his paddle tightly.
He could afford a few billion yuan but this person behind the curtain clearly had a beef with him.
If this guy won the painting after such a public fight, where would he put his face?
Elder Tao pondered for a moment and said, “1.6 billion.”
A new round of bidding had begun!
After about half an hour, the price of this painting had gone up to three billion yuan!
Everyone in the auction hall seemed to have received adrenaline shots as they cheered with excitement!
The auctioneer’s voice was already hoarse from shouting as he announced, “1 have three billion from our mysterious VIP! Elder Tao, it’s up to you now!”
A thin layer of sweat appeared on Elder Tao forehead.
If he continued, he would lose so, so much money.
But wouldn’t it be embarrassing to give up now?
He gritted his teeth and said, “3.5 billion.”
“3.5 billion! Old Master Tao gave me 3.5 billion!”
The auctioneer was hysterical and shouted the price three times!
The words “3.5 billion” echoed in the auction hall.
As for the mysterious VIP, he did not make a sound for a full three minutes!
The auctioneer asked many times, but he did not respond. Finally, the auctioneer hit the gavel and said, “Congratulations to Old Master Tao for winning Master Qi Bai’s painting!”
Elder Tao heaved a sigh of relief.
Everyone congratulated him.
And at this moment, the closed curtain was drawn open by a slender hand.
Everyone looked in the direction of the VIP box!
Elder Tao also looked over, curious about the person with the guts to go against him.
Under the gaze of nearly a thousand people, Lu Zhi’s cold and handsome face slowly appeared.
He said with a faint smile, “Elder Tao, congratulations for winning this painting..”