From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor-Chapter 382 - 357: New Year’s Auction

Xu Chunliang said, "Didn’t we agree on eight o’clock?" He raised his wrist to check the time. There were still three minutes to go until eight. He had a strong sense of punctuality and was rarely late, but he didn’t have the habit of arriving too early either.

Pu Jian stomped his feet and said, "I came early. Have you eaten?"

Xu Chunliang shook his head. Pu Jian pointed to a nearby bun shop, "Come on, I’ll treat you!"

The two of them ordered breakfast and sat by the window, from where they could clearly see the entrance of the New Baoli Building.

Xu Chunliang said, "Brother Pu, when should we go in?"

"The auction doesn’t officially start until ten. No rush, just eat first."

Xu Chunliang was a bit speechless. The auction starts at ten-thirty, yet you got me here so early in the morning. How unreliable this Pu Jian is. He might even disguise himself and sneak in later. Xu Chunliang regretted asking this guy for help.

Pu Jian ate while scrolling through short videos, occasionally letting out a mischievous laugh. It seemed he came here to mooch off the air conditioning and WIFI.

At nine-thirty, Mo Han called and asked where he was.

Xu Chunliang told her he was at the Dongzhou Beijing Office.

Mo Han said, "Then come out. I’m at the entrance of the Dongzhou Restaurant."

Xu Chunliang said, "Unfortunately, I’m outside right now."

"Liar, Xu Chunliang, you never tell the truth."

At this moment, Pu Jian saw something and got up to walk to the door.

"I have something to do. Let’s talk later." Xu Chunliang hung up and followed Pu Jian.

On the other end of the line, Mo Han was so angry at this guy that she gnashed her teeth, saying, "Liar!"

Just then, a man passing by smiled at her.

Mo Han thought the man was a shameless pervert and glared at him fiercely.

The man said, "Miss, are you looking for Xu Chunliang?"

Mo Han then felt the man looked a bit familiar. After thinking for a moment, she remembered they seemed to have met at the Nanjiang Party School, so she nodded.

The man smiled and said, "My name is Yan Jingsong. I’m Xu Chunliang’s classmate. I’ve seen you at the library of Nanjiang Party School."

Mo Han smiled indifferently, "Now that you mention it, I remember."

Yan Jingsong said, "Xu Chunliang went out early this morning. Give him a call."

Mo Han asked, "Where did he go?"

"To the Bao Li New Year Auction, I think it’s at the New Baoli Building."

"Thanks!"

Pu Jian walked to a Range Rover across the street, looked inside, waved, then opened the rear door and got in. Xu Chunliang got in as well, and Pu Jian let him sit in the front passenger seat.

Once in the car, Pu Jian bowed respectfully to the wealthy middle-aged man in the back seat, beaming and saying, "Hello, President Hong. Thanks to your help this time."

The middle-aged man was Hong Shidong, the boss of Tianhong Group, who had given Pu Jian two bottles of Moutai and had previously bought something from him.

Hong Shidong smirked with a rather cold demeanor, his small eyes glanced at Xu Chunliang, "So he’s your cousin?"

Pu Jian said, "Yes, Xu Chunliang, my cousin from Dongzhou. This is President Hong, say hi!"

Xu Chunliang greeted President Hong. Now he understood Pu Jian’s game; it turns out all that talk last night was just boasting. No matter what, he still found a way to get him in.

Pu Jian, with a fawning face, said, "President Hong, don’t mind. This kid just graduated from university and knows little."

Hong Shidong said, "A university student, it’s good to broaden your horizons." He instructed the driver to start the car, specially reminding them not to speak out of turn after going in, and not to raise their hand randomly, just keep quiet.

Pu Jian said to Xu Chunliang, "Did you hear that?"

Xu Chunliang chuckled to himself, "Cousin, don’t worry."

The two of them followed Hong Shidong into the auction venue smoothly, but even accompanying personnel had to register with their real ID.

The auction formally began at ten-thirty, and some people had already arrived. The auction venue was also a social spot where many people connected with others.

Hong Shidong encountered a few acquaintances and went over to greet them. However, there wasn’t much need for small talk; their true abilities would show at the auction.

Pu Jian whispered to Xu Chunliang that Hong Shidong was a regular at auctions. He loved collecting porcelain and jade and was worth billions. Anyone who attended this auction had to be worth at least hundreds of millions.

Xu Chunliang thought to himself that wasn’t entirely true. At least, even if he and Pu Jian combined their worth, it wouldn’t reach a billion, yet here they were.

The staff handed out promotional booklets of the day’s auction items. Xu Chunliang glanced through it and found the necklace Pu Jian mentioned. It was called "Tears of the Star," a name as beautiful as the piece itself.

Pu Jian whispered, "The starting bid is ten million, which is quite a price." In this auction, the company would take a ten percent commission on the final price, meaning they would make at least a 1.5 million profit on this item alone.

He somehow acquired a bidding paddle, number 74. It seemed he wasn’t bluffing about being a member.

Pu Jian was rather pleased with himself. Not all items today were exorbitantly priced; he might even get a bargain. Of course, the chances were slim since wealthy people didn’t care about prices for good items, while for bad items, neither did he. In today’s era of widespread art appreciation, finding a bargain was becoming increasingly difficult.

As the auction start time approached, most of the attendees had arrived.

Behind them were two rows of personnel responsible for taking phone bids from buyers not in attendance.

Pu Jian nudged Xu Chunliang when three men walked in. The one in the middle looked about 27 or 28, tall and dignified, with a face full of arrogance. He was Wang Jiancheng.

Pu Jian whispered in Xu Chunliang’s ear, "A real aristocrat from Capital City, wealthy and powerful."

Pu Jian’s subtext was that Xu Chunliang couldn’t compare to him. Xu Chunliang would understand once the auction started; the money Wang Jiancheng casually spent, Xu Chunliang couldn’t earn in numerous lifetimes. And as for claiming Mei Ru Xue as his girlfriend, that should be kept between friends, lest Wang Jiancheng find out, which would spell trouble.

Hong Shidong, sitting next to Pu Jian, tilted his head to chat with the man beside him. When Wang Jiancheng walked by, Hong Shidong waved at him, but Wang Jiancheng didn’t notice and walked past, ignoring others. Hong Shidong awkwardly pulled his hand back and smoothed his hair.

Having billions doesn’t guarantee respect in Capital City.

At 10:30, the auction officially started. The initial items weren’t particularly important, serving to warm up the crowd, and were reasonably priced.

Pu Jian successfully bid on a jade bottle from the Ming Dynasty for eighty thousand. He was quite pleased, boasting this alone would give him bragging rights for half a year.

Such items were provided for new attendees to practice bidding. Seasoned bidders like Hong Shidong wouldn’t waste energy on minor items.

Twenty minutes into the warm-up, the first major item went on auction: a Ming and Qing period bronze censer. It had a flat body, thin lips flaring outward, a short, constricted neck, and a bulging belly. Its slightly thin double loop handles outwardly inclined, and its ear holes were semi-circular, not the obvious tall gate-shaped holes of the Qing period. It bore transitional features from Ming to Qing, with three short peg feet flaring outward. Its inner chamber showed signs of lathe, carving, and radially cutting chisel marks, indicative of the late Ming style.

Years of incense burning and patina development resulted in a deep, heavy luster, with the outer surface yellowing with black speckles and the inner walls shiny black. The walls were thin at the top and thick at the bottom, and though small, it was exceptionally weighty, indicating refined bronze.

At the center of the base was a small rectangular frame with lightly engraved seal script "Tranquility and Ease," well-composed, long, and rectangular, embodying the spirit of epigraphy. The inscription, a rarely seen private mark, was an elegant poetic phrase symbolizing tranquility and ease, aspired to by scholars.

The auctioneer offered a starting price of one million. Hong Shidong gestured for Pu Jian, who gave his opinion that the censer was worth two million and discouraged any higher bids. Pu Jian was no amateur in the world of collectibles.

The bids inside quickly rose to 1.3 million. Hong Shidong waited for the bids to reach 1.5 million, at which point the auctioneer began the countdown.

Only then did Hong Shidong bid, raising his paddle numbered 76.

The auctioneer’s voice perfectly heightened the room’s excitement: "One million six hundred thousand! Any further bids?"

With no higher bids, the auctioneer concluded the sale, and Hong Shidong successfully won the item.

The following pieces were increasingly exquisite, with fierce competition and a spectacular scene.

Xu Chunliang and Pu Jian were reduced to mere spectators. Pu Jian yawned, feeling uninterested; auctions were engaging only when personally involved. Unfortunately, he was helpless, now fully detached.

After drinking too much soybean milk in the morning, Pu Jian got up to use the restroom, telling Xu Chunliang to hold the paddle and warning him not to raise it. Raising it would be futile anyway, as upcoming items required a deposit for bidding rights.

As soon as Pu Jian left, it was time for the bidding on "Tears of the Star."

While listening to the auctioneer’s introduction, Xu Chunliang noticed someone sitting beside him. Assuming Pu Jian had returned, he turned but found it was Mo Han.

Xu Chunliang was momentarily surprised, wondering how she located them. Did she install a tracking device on him? Yet considering her background in commercial intelligence gathering, that wouldn’t have been difficult for her.

Mo Han remarked, "Didn’t expect you here at the Bao Li auction, impressive."

"Who’s underestimating whom?"

The auctioneer then emphasized the terms for "Tears of the Star," stating that only bidders who paid a 1 million deposit could place bids.

Xu Chunliang realized from this announcement that Pu Jian had no eligibility.

His gaze locked onto the paddle in Mo Han’s hand, numbered 98. Did she have any standing?

Reading his covetous look, Mo Han smirked, "What? Plotting something again?"

Thanks to Bright Alliance Leader for the generous reward, making this the twentieth alliance leader. Additional Chapters are forthcoming. Keep voting for us!