nucmednet Chapter 1044 I'll Trust You This Time
Chapter 1044 I'll Trust You This Time
Inside the auction hall, gilded chandeliers cast a dazzling glow, illuminating the space with a solemn and luxurious ambiance. Invited gentlemen and business tycoons entered one after another, their attire adhering to the etiquette norms of high-end social occasions—custom-made suits crafted from the finest Italian wool, hand-stitched to fit the body perfectly, with sharply defined shoulders and a perfectly tailored waist, flawlessly outlining an inverted triangle silhouette of broad shoulders and a narrow waist. The sleeves were precisely 1.5 centimeters below the wrist bone, with only 0.5 centimeters of the shirt cuff showing, showcasing the meticulous craftsmanship. Some attendees paired their suits with silk bow ties or Windsor ties, the lapel pins and cuffs adorned with 18K gold and sapphire crystals, echoing the alligator leather straps of their watches. The overall look maintained the formality of business attire while subtly conveying a sense of wealth.
The seating arrangement followed the principle of "visualizing hierarchical status," employing a fan-shaped layout. The central area at the front was reserved for VIPs, equipped with high-backed leather sofas and individual tea tables. Champagne-colored velvet was laid out beneath tempered glass tabletops. This area was where the most formidable bidders gathered—including the president of the Zhou Group, who controlled half of Hong Kong's shipping empire, representatives of multinational capital involved in the energy sector, and several reclusive tycoons holding scarce resources. They either conversed quietly with their business partners, their gestures confined to within 30 centimeters of their chests, exuding a composed aura at the negotiating table; or they flipped through the gold-embossed auction catalogue, their fingertips lightly tapping on pages marked "unique" or "heritage grade," their eyes revealing a sharp determination to win.
The middle row was the secondary bidding area, featuring rows of walnut wood seats with embedded metal cup holders between each pair of seats. Upon Jiang Chengyu and Mu Xiaoji's arrival, a usher immediately guided them to seats in the third row on the right, according to the numbers on their invitations. From this vantage point, the view was unobstructed, allowing them to clearly observe the bidding reactions of the VIPs in the front row while maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance, consistent with their low-key approach. The armrests of the seats had embedded electronic displays showing real-time details of the items and current bids. To the right was a paddle numbered "9," made of acrylic with a frosted coating to prevent glare, and rounded edges for a smooth, warm feel.
The auction stage in the center of the venue is horseshoe-shaped, with a tabletop made of imported Brazilian ebony wood, polished through 28 processes to achieve a deep, mirror-like finish. Behind the stage hangs a 4.5m x 3m ultra-high-definition LED screen with 4K resolution, capable of magnifying details of the auction items in real time—including the gears of antique clocks, the layered textures of oil paint, and the internal inclusions of jewelry and jade. Combined with 360-degree holographic projection technology, this allows bidders in the back rows to clearly observe the craftsmanship and condition of the items.
The auctioneer, dressed in a black velvet tailcoat with a white bow tie, held a titanium alloy gavel with a non-slip rubber pad on the head to ensure a deep, clear "thud" when the hammer fell, serving as a cue while avoiding harsh noise. Positioned at the golden ratio point of the auction platform, his voice was amplified through a lavalier microphone, maintaining a steady mid-to-low tone. After each price announcement, he paused for 2.3 seconds, giving bidders time to decide, while simultaneously scanning the room out of the corner of his eye to catch any subtle bidding movements.
Electronic screens on both sides of the venue updated auction data in real time. The left side displayed the current lot number, name, starting price, increment, and reserve price status (reserve price information is only visible to the organizer and is marked with "※" on the screen). The right side scrolled through historical transaction price curves, marking the price fluctuation range of similar lots over the past three years. The walls were made of sound-absorbing cotton to keep ambient noise below 35 decibels, ensuring that the auctioneer's bids and bidders' paddle signals could be clearly captured, avoiding bidding errors caused by sound interference.
The staff were divided into three functional groups: the etiquette group wore uniform dark blue cheongsams with slits extending 10 centimeters above the knee for ease of movement, and were mainly responsible for guiding guests to their seats and providing tea break service. The trays were non-slip and were tilted at a 45-degree angle when serving champagne; the technical group was hidden in the rear control room, monitoring the dynamics of the venue in real time through multiple cameras to ensure 100% synchronization between the LED screen and the electronic screen; and the security group wore black suits with stab-proof vests underneath, kept their headsets on for extended communication, and had their eyes spread out in a fan shape covering the entire venue, focusing on the flow of traffic in the auction item handover passage and emergency exits, forming a comprehensive security defense network.
As the opening bell rang, the auctioneer announced the start of the event using standard British auction procedures: "Lot No. 1 of this auction, a Qing Dynasty Qianlong blue and white lotus-patterned plum vase, starting at 800 million yuan, with a minimum increment of 50 yuan. Bidding now begins." Immediately after the announcement, a bid of "850 million yuan" came from the front row. The voice belonged to the middle-aged man second from the left, whose paddle-raising gesture was perfectly executed—arm naturally extended forward, paddle level with eye level, avoiding any excessive movement that might disturb his neighbors. The price numbers on the electronic screen fluctuated, the red cursor briefly hovering over seat number 9. Jiang Chengyu and Mu Xiaoji exchanged a glance, remaining temporarily still, their fingertips lightly tapping the armrests of their seats as they observed the bidding rhythm. Their own game, a contest of wealth and vision, was quietly beginning.