Jimmy Chou returns to seat before the auction begins.All proceeds from the charity auction will be donated to the charity organization. I don"t know much about these charities, as if they are specifically designed to help patients with a particular kind of disease.
After the auction begins, a table is pushed to the front quickly. Three people are presiding over the auction, and the one in the middle is a senior auctioneer specially invited from an auction house. He is a thin man with a southern accent, but his voice is loud.
Interestingly, the other two hosts are all from entertainment circles. One of them is a well-known TV presenter, and the other is Minister Kim"s female companion! The beauty with no underwear...
I sigh. Thank goodness, she is wearing a long skirt tonight. Because she stands on such a high table, if the skirt is a little shorter, the fun would be great.
Tonight"s auction is full of jewelleries, top brand clothes, top cars, and antiques like calligraphy and painting.
What need to be especially pointed out is that all these things are donated by some wealthy people.
The first one is a vase of an official kiln of Song Dynasty, with a marked price of five hundred thousand.
What"s interesting is that the final it is bided at a price of one million and five hundred thousand. The winner of the auction is a middle-aged man sitting in the first row.
After Yumi"s introduction, I know that this is a rich businessman is from north, and interestingly, this vase is actually donated by him. He just spent one million and five hundred thousand to buy the vase back.
In fact, it is one million and five hundred thousand donated by auction.
To be honest, I really can"t understand such operation. This is really weird. Since it is a donation, he may donate one million and five hundred thousand directly.
Why is it so complicated to walk around such a big circle?
But when I see his satisfied expressions to the admirations from the crowd, I think I understand a little more.
In fact, for these rich people, the charity auction is just a game. They are showing off their wealth at the same time, throwing some money out, but also gaining some good reputations. For example, this man who spends money to buy his own donation back, others should praise him for his generosity, forthright and so on.
Is he really generous?
If you think of his real thought, it perhaps most for cuts the dash.
It"s not me arrogating bad motives to them.
Usually, I think, the millionaires who make millions or even billions of money a year throw millions out of their pockets to be generous... By contrast, people who earn only a few thousand a year and are willing to spend 100 a month doing charity... Which is the real generosity?
In comparison, the truth is very clear.
An ordinary person may only be able to donate a few hundred, but all his money is probably only a few thousands.
And a rich man, he may be able to donate millions at a time, but for him, less than a thousandth of his money...
Who is more "forthright"?
I"m suddenly feel a little boring.
This so-called charity venue tonight has become a bit ridiculous in my mind.
It"s just a bunch of wealthy people who make a big party and show off and throw some money from their fingers to get a good reputation...
They drink the most expensive wine, drive the most expensive car, wear the most expensive clothes...
This is just a farce.
Not to put too fine a point on it. If we check these rich people"s accounts, their tax evasion figures might be far more than those generous donations.
I"m a little distracted, then second item, a Qing Dynasty calligraphy and painting has been bid. I don"t even look at it carefully.
The third item is the diamond brooch that Nanny wants.
This jewelry from the famous European jewelry family, Mellerio Dits Meller of French, the bottom price is 200,000. When it is sent up, I notice that Nanny"s face is obviously refreshed, and her eyes are showing a certain look of subtle longing.
The host talks freely to hum with activities, and the auctioneer in the middle begins to auction.
Obviously, the diamond brooch is popular by some of the ladies here, and the price is soon rising to 300,000 at the outset of the auction.
I see Nanny hesitates for a moment and seems to be thinking about when to bid.
Just then, a voice steadily says, "One million."
Jimmy Chou is speaking. He leans against a chair and holds a gla.s.s on his hand and smiling. His voice is not very loud, but in this environment most people in the banquet hall can hear him. The auctioneer on the stage freezes a moment, but after all, he is a professional, and immediately calms down. The two hosts begin to make a fuss and screaming.
There is always a calm and unfl.u.s.tered smile on his face. After his bid, no one follows again.
Actually, he isn"t the richest here.
The reason is simple: the brooch is precious, but by calculation, its real value is about 400,000. Even if the auction archive to over 500,000, there will be no any potential at all.
These rich people know the true value of it, naturally no one is willing to spend a million to buy a thing that only values 400,000.
And the second reason is: after all, this is a charity auction, everyone has no anger, is simply a play, there is no need to fight bayonet red.
Many of the wealthy people who are interested in this brooch too, they see Jimmy Chou"s offer, and some people knew him and just not contend with him. And some people, even if they don"t know Jimmy, but see two beautiful ladies are sitting beside him, should guess that he is bidding for a gift. Why should they sweep beauties face?
In the praise, Jimmy Chou has bid this diamond brooch.
Nan sighs, and there is a slight disappointment in her eyes. I know she is sorry that she couldn"t get this brooch.
And Yumi looks sideways and gives me a deep look.
The fourth is a string of blue diamond necklaces, and the compet.i.tion is fierce. The original value of 150,000 has been bidding to nearly 500,000 before dropping the hammer. The necklace is bid by a young woman in the north, which seems mysterious.
Finally, when the fifth item is taken to the stage, I am in spirits.
"Thanks for generous donation from Mr. Herod from Europe. Mr. Herod"s generous reputation is well known all over the world. It is a great honor for us to have Mr. Herod"s solid support for our auction party today." The head of the charity organization comes to the stage and says a few words.
It must be said that the rank of the European ship king is several levels higher than that of most of the rich people here. How can a charity, for its part, get the favor of the European ship king, and henceforth establish a connection with the generous ship king?
I peek at Jimmy Chou, his face is as usual, and his mouth still with a faint smile.
He does not partic.i.p.ate in the first two rounds of bidding, until the price has soared from a million to 1.4 million, the compet.i.tors gradually reduced, he just start to offer the price.
"1.6 million!"
Obviously, he is a very good at auction person. He has rich experience. It has been calculated that the approximate price of the ring will be around one million and six hundred thousand. This is a psychological price! More than this price, many compet.i.tors will choose to retreat rationally.
"1.7 million!" The bidder is a man in a light suit on the right of the first row, with a very personal moustache. When he bids, he smiles back at Jimmy friendly. It seems that two people know each other.
Jimmy nod to him and then says: "1.9 million!"
The little beard, wearing a light suit, shakes his head and looks at Jimmy Chou again: "2 million!"
Jimmy Chou looks calm: "2.2 million!"
The beard thinks for a moment, then smiles back at Jimmy, close his mouth and chooses to give up.
The auctioneer takes a deep breath and asks three times in rapid succession. As he is about to drop his hammer, a soft voice comes from the corner:
"3 million!"
The whole audiences are in an uproar.
Three million may not be a huge number, but spend three million to buy a ring. To tell the truth, most of the so-called "richest" presenters have not yet reached that level.
Jimmy"s face flashes a trace of haze, a slight frowns, then returns to normal.
"3.1 million!"
But the voice in the corner reacts faster.
"4 million."
It"s still that soft voice.
And I am shocked.
I am familiar with this voice.
I try my best to control myself to not to stand up, but I still look to the direction of that voice.
Sure enough, I finally see a slender figure sitting alone at a table in a corner, one slender arm on the table, and the other white palm as if playing with the hair.
That beautiful face, with a clear smile. She laughs so simply, but I see a bit strange look in her eyes immediately.
Yes, this is her smile! Touching smile, but always with a hint of wisdom and cunning taste.
Vivi Yang!
It"s Vivi Yang!
Jimmy Chou also sees Vivi Yang. His face suddenly changes a little strange look. He seems surprised and hesitant, but then a trace of determination flashing through his eyes.
"4.1 million!"
I notice that his breathing seemed to be no longer so calm. Although his face is still calm, only the person sitting next to him could see the slight change from him.
Vivi Yang is still playing her hair with her fingers. She smiles to Jimmy Chou, exposes her white teeth, and then says lightly, "5 million!"
A sigh of shock!
I see the auctioneer on the stage sweating, and the two hosts are completely silent. Especially the one without underwear, her eyes radiates with unusual radiance.
Jimmy Chou takes a deep breath, and the smile on his face is somewhat grudging: "5.1 million!"
At this time, I see Vivi Yang curls her lip, and then laughs, blinks, raises the gla.s.s to Jimmy Chou, makes a toast action.
Jimmy Chou smile reluctantly, lifts the cup, and give a hint to Vivi Yang either.
Then Vivi Yang throws down her gla.s.s and stands up and makes a strange gesture to Jimmy. Ignoring the eyes of the audience, she turns and walks toward the door.
"5.1 million! Sold!" The auctioneer can hardly wait to force the hammer.
Jimmy"s face is cold and his eyes are chilly. I notice that he presses the fingers of the cup very hard, and even the knuckles are white.
I"m awakened. Something wrong!
If he starts bidding this ring, the purpose is for Nanny. Now, the situation is obviously different!
For a woman to meet for the first time, spend about five million in one breath?
Jimmy Chou is not so stupid! Even if he is romantic and willing to spend money for women, he is impossible so generous.
So the reason is Vivi Yang!
Looking at his expression, it seems that there is a bit of faint helplessness, it seems that he has to continue to bid. There seems to be forced to continue.
What does Vivi Yang"s last gesture mean?
Fortunately, someone has asked for me.
Nanny speaks, and she seems curious: "Mr. Chou, that young lady, do you know her? Is her last gesture congratulations to your success?"
Jimmy Chou has a cold sweat on his forehead and shakes his head slowly.
Yumi suddenly opens her mouth. Her eyes are a little strange. She whispers, "Her gesture seems to mean: We"re even."