Chapter 54: The Auction House

"It's not clean anymore... It's clean anymore... Clean anymore..."
These words kept echoing in Yu Shishi's little head!
After a moment, a fierce fighting spirit ignited in Yu Shishi's eyes.
"Man, you've really succeeded in piquing my interest this time!"
As her voice trailed off, she suddenly wrapped her arm around Jiang Jin's shoulder and snapped a selfie with a click.
The image of Jiang Jin turning his head in surprise was permanently frozen in the photo.
"Hey, I've got dirt on you now, you know. If you make me mad again, I'll send this photo to Wu Qingya."
Yu Shishi dangled her phone, speaking with utmost triumph.
He felt like Yu Shishi was dropping innuendos, but he had no proof!
Half an hour later, Jiang Jin swiped his card for 23.52 million to buy the two split-level villas.
Yu Shishi originally wanted to give him a 30% discount, but Jiang Jin strictly refused.
Are you kidding? How much pressure would he be under if he spent his own money? Yu Shishi wanted to create resistance for him? Absolutely not allowed!
In the evening, Yu Shishi tagged along for a meal with Jiang Jin's family. Afterward, Jiang Jin handed the car keys to Jiang Jianye, telling the elderly couple to drive home.
He then climbed into Yu Shishi's Bugatti Veyron and headed to the Longteng Grand Hotel.
At that moment, a red carpet had already been rolled out at the hotel entrance.
Luxury cars continuously arrived from afar, and various celebrities from Baishui City stepped out of their vehicles and walked toward the entrance.
Just then, a Bugatti Veyron Hermès Special Edition approached from a distance, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present.
On the bustling street, a GTR roared as it tore past.
Inside the car, Kenji Aso rested his chin on his left hand while his right hand gripped the steering wheel, looking dashing and cool.
In the passenger seat, Kato the Black Samurai held a tablet and spoke in a deep voice.
"Young Master, all the people attending tonight's auction have been thoroughly investigated."
Hearing this, Aso gently raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is there anyone who can pose a threat to us?"
Kato shook his head. "No, not a single one."
Aso's lips curled into a cold sneer. "Very well, Kato. Once we get our hands on the Body-Wasting Pill, we can proceed with the next phase of our plan."
"That idiot Feng Tai still thinks our cooperation with their family is because we actually value the R&D strength of Kangjian Pharmaceutical Group."
"I never expected that the Body-Wasting Pill mentioned in ancient texts actually exists. The wisdom of the ancient people of the Dragon Country is truly admirable!"
"Fortunately, only we know about this. If the people of the Dragon Country knew as well, it would be much harder for us to win the bid."
At this, the two of them let out a simultaneous cold laugh that chilled the spine.
At the hotel entrance.
"Hiss, is that a Bugatti Veyron Hermès Special Edition?"
"That's right, it's the Hermès Special Edition. That car costs over fifty million!"
"The price is secondary; the key is that you simply can't buy it without a certain status and standing!"
"Does Baishui City have a car like this? Ah, those are Shanghai license plates."
"Wonder which big shot from Shanghai the owner is."
At the hotel entrance, several celebrities who were about to walk inside all stopped in their tracks and began to whisper among themselves.
Just then, the Bugatti Veyron came to a smooth halt, and Jiang Jin stepped out from the driver's side.
Upon seeing his attire, the expressions of the several celebrities turned peculiar.
Wearing a full Li-Ning outfit and driving a Bugatti Veyron Hermès Special Edition? That is simply absurd!
When Yu Shishi stepped out of the car, the gazes of the celebrities simultaneously lit up.
"Such a gorgeous woman!"
A subtle curve played at the corner of Yu Shishi's lips as she turned her head to whisper to Jiang Jin beside her, "Did you see that?"
Jiang Jin looked utterly bewildered, blinking his eyes. "Huh? What's going on?"
Yu Shishi's smile deepened, a playful glint in her eyes. "The way those men were looking at me."
Jiang Jin scratched his head, asking in confusion, "And then?"
Yu Shishi feigned a troubled expression. "This proves that wherever this young lady goes, she is the center of attention. Such a burden, so much pressure, what am I going to do?"
Hearing this, Jiang Jin couldn't help but chuckle. "Has anyone ever told you that you're quite the Versailles?"
Yu Shishi playfully rolled her eyes, a confident smile hanging on her lips. "Hmph, this young lady's natural beauty is simply impossible to conceal!"
With that, she gave a triumphant smile and walked toward the entrance like a proud peacock.
Jiang Jin handed the car keys to the valet and hurried to follow her.
The celebrities in the distance exchanged glances and quickly hurried over as well.
"Ma'am, sir, please show your invitations."
Upon taking the elevator to the fourth-floor banquet hall entrance, security personnel blocked the two of them and spoke.
Jiang Jin turned to look at Yu Shishi.
Yu Shishi pondered for two seconds.
"I don't have an invitation."
Hearing this, Jiang Jin's face was plastered with astonishment. "??? Didn't you say you had one?"
Yu Shishi smiled gently, cunning light flickering in her eyes. "If I hadn't said that, would you have called me wife?"
Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
The celebrities were utterly dumbfounded. Just so Jiang Jin would call her wife, she pretended she had an invitation?
This pretty lady looks gorgeous, so why is her thought process so abnormal?
Jiang Jin's gaze turned sharp, a hint of disbelief in his tone. "You tricked me just for this? The point is, you didn't even succeed!"
Yu Shishi smiled softly. "That's just because I underestimated your character."
Jiang Jin frowned slightly, a trace of helplessness in his tone. "So what now? Are we heading back?"
"Don't be in such a rush. Wait for me to make a call."
With a cunning smile, Yu Shishi pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, Uncle Chen, it's Shishi!"
"I'm at the entrance of the Baishui Longteng Grand Hotel. I want to attend an auction your house is holding here, but I don't have an invitation..."
"Mmm-hmm, thank you, Uncle Chen, you're the best!"
"Bingo! Done!"
Yu Shishi hung up the phone and flashed a victory sign at Jiang Jin.
Jiang Jin was completely clueless.
"Who is Uncle Chen?"
"The boss of Dejia Auction House, of course."
Yu Shishi blinked her innocent, wide eyes and said.
The celebrities gasped sharply.
As one of the country's top four auction houses, Dejia's boss Chen Kai had a net worth of over 50 billion—a bona fide heavyweight!
Someone who could directly call Chen Kai must certainly have an extraordinary background!
Soon, a middle-aged man who claimed to be the manager of the Baishui branch of Dejia Auction House walked out from the venue and respectfully invited Yu Shishi and Jiang Jin inside.
"Manager Wei, who was that beauty?"
"The only granddaughter of the chairman of Shanghai Yu Ji Real Estate, Yu Shishi!"
The expressions of the celebrities shifted drastically!
Ten minutes later, Kenji Aso arrived at the venue.
"Young Master, Yu Shishi and Jiang Jin are here too, and they're sitting right next to your seats."
While looking for their seats, Teru Kato pointed at the two people sitting in the front row and reminded him.
Hearing this, Kenji Aso frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "Huh? Weren't they not on the guest list?"
Kato nodded. "Indeed they weren't. I suspect they decided to come on a whim."
"No matter. They probably don't know about that item."
Kenji Aso smiled, then walked over briskly.
"Mr. Jiang, Ms. Yu, what a coincidence, you're here too."
However, Yu Shishi didn't give him any face at all. She rolled her eyes and retorted ungraciously, "This isn't your house, so what if we're here?"
Faced with Yu Shishi's such blunt and impolite attitude, Kenji Aso appeared quite magnanimous and quickly accompanied it with a flattering smile. "Ms. Yu is right, it was my lapse in manners. Have the two of you taken a fancy to any of the lots?"
Who would have thought that Yu Shishi had no desire to entertain him at all, directly firing back coldly, "Why should I tell you? Are we that close?"
Jiang Jin mentally gave her a huge thumbs-up!
Perhaps due to Kenji Aso's Japanese identity, Jiang Jin had felt a deep-seated aversion to him from the very first sight.
Yu Shishi repeatedly snapping back at him made Jiang Jin feel immensely refreshed.
"Since Ms. Yu doesn't wish to say, I won't ask."
Kenji Aso smiled and obediently shut his mouth.
A few minutes later, most of the lights in the banquet hall dimmed, and the auctioneer walked to the center of the stage amid upbeat music.
The first three lots were merely for warming up; few people participated in the bidding, and all sold at low prices.
"Next, let us present the fourth lot."
As the auctioneer's voice fell, an etiquette model walked out from backstage holding a tray.
The big screen displayed a close-up of this lot.
"This is a small porcelain vase from the Three Kingdoms period with an exquisite shape. As everyone can notice, the mouth of this vase is sealed. Why don't you all take a guess as to what is inside?"