Chapter 59: The Power of Charity
Murong Feng sat with Lu Ye and others at a table, chatting. With both current celebrities and the city's most famous young tycoon at the table, photographers frequently came by to take pictures. Lu Ye and the others, long accustomed to this, continued to chat and laugh, while Murong Feng felt a bit uncomfortable.
Luckily, two famous hosts from Beijing, dressed elegantly, announced the start of the banquet on stage. The journalists were then directed to a designated area, giving Murong Feng some peace.
The evening began with opening remarks from representatives of the three organizers, with Doris representing TOM. Several CEOs of international luxury brands were also invited to speak. They all expressed their hope that through this banquet, they could serve as a bridge between high-end lifestyles and charity work, allowing the public to feel the goodwill, sincerity, and gratitude of world-renowned brands toward China. At the same time, they aimed to channel the gratitude and sense of responsibility of the wealthy elites here to help the most vulnerable groups in China—mothers and infants in impoverished areas—in a genuine, warm, and powerful way.
The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.
Lu Ye whispered, "Murong, I heard your net worth has surpassed a 1 billion yuan now! Are you going to make a significant contribution tonight?" Murong Feng whispered back with a smile, "Of course, I'll be actively bidding tonight. How about you? You're now a top-tier celebrity; shouldn't you contribute to charity as well?"
Lu Ye glared at him playfully, "Of course, I am the Love Ambassador of the China Poverty Alleviation Foundation. Over the years, I've been sponsoring eight children in impoverished areas in Yunnan. Even though I have less money than you, my love for charity is no less!"
Murong Feng was deeply impressed. He had always seen Lu Ye as a typical elite pursuing a high-quality lifestyle, but he never knew about his compassionate and loving side. Moved, he said, "Lu Ye, I will definitely follow your example and do more charity work in the future."
Lu Ye chuckled, "Good student."
Following the speeches, the banquet officially began, accompanied by stage performances.
The 12-meter retractable stage extended into a T-shaped platform, kicking off with a luxurious Gucci summer fashion show. Models from the New Silk Road Model Company presented a spectacular fashion show for the guests and would later serve as ushers for the charity auction items.
Next, the renowned dance artist Hong Lan performed a beautiful solo dance that captivated the audience.
The most popular male singer in China, Chu Tianxing, played guitar and sang an original song, "Children," with his magnetic voice and touching melody, stirring the emotions of the audience.
The most striking and poignant performance was by the "Pumi Traditional Culture Heritage Group" from Yunnan, who performed an authentic ethnic song and dance. The 17 Pumi folk artists had specially traveled to Beijing for the "Celebrity Charity Gala," presenting a program called "Mothers and People" that incorporated various Pumi cultural elements such as mouth harp, mother-infant lullabies, life celebration rituals, a four-string sheep head lute, and tribal dances. This display of cultural heritage deeply moved everyone present.
During the performances, the charity auction began.
Montblanc, Elegance, Gibson, Cartier, Roche Bobois, Hermès, Mercedes-Benz, Orrefors, Hästens, Ermenegildo Zegna, Comfort Zone, Steiff, ThinkPad, Baume & Mercier, Abyss, Yunnan Colorful, Tissot, Polar Deck, Berluti, Hang Seng Bank, Hyatt Hotels, Hengxin, Poesie, Kuantin, Korloff, and many other brands donated dozens of valuable auction items for the evening.
During the auction, Murong Feng frequently raised his "88" paddle. He successfully bid on a Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph for 100,000, an Ermenegildo Zegna suit for 25,000, and a Poesie crystal lamp for 90,000, among other items. He quickly became the center of attention.
Lu Ye was also active, winning a Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar for 20,000 and a Tiffany necklace for 60,000, which he joked about giving to his fiancée, Ms. Zhou. Wu Wenzhang bid 150,000 for a Polar Deck travel red fox fur blanket for his wife, Ma Lili.
"It seems you guys really are rich and popular now!" Murong Feng joked with them.
Finally, the highlight of the auction arrived: a limited edition silver SLK350 Passion convertible donated by Mercedes-Benz. With a market price of 810,000 yuan and only 188 units available in China, the starting bid was 800,000.
Murong Feng instinctively glanced back at Tang Qing's seat. Amidst the bustling auction, he easily spotted her. Tonight, Tang Qing, typically glamorous at such events, sat quietly with a serene demeanor. Cao Yun leaned towards her, seemingly speaking, while she listened with a faint smile, looking ethereal like a night-blooming flower. Murong Feng's heart ached slightly.
He mechanically raised his paddle, feeling a strong impulse and obsession to own this car, the same model Tang Qing had driven to pick him up in Hangzhou.
The woman sitting next to Xiao Qiang sneered, "That guy thinks he's the city's richest man now? Does he want to buy everything? Are we just decorations?" She then raised her paddle as well.
The car's beautiful design and limited edition status attracted many wealthy guests and female attendees. The bidding quickly soared past 2 million yuan.
As the price rose, many bidders gradually withdrew, considering that 2 million could buy a top-tier imported sports car like an Aston Martin V8 Vantage or a Lamborghini Gallardo. It seemed unnecessary to spend an extra million on an entry-level Mercedes. Eventually, only Murong Feng and the woman next to Xiao Qiang continued to bid.
Murong Feng raised his paddle swiftly after each of the woman's bids, while her bidding slowed down. When the price exceeded 4 million, the atmosphere became electrifying.
The woman was struggling, muttering, "How can a man compete with a woman for a convertible?" Meanwhile, the auctioneer's excited voice announced, "Bidder 88 offers 4.5 million! 4.5 million! 4.5 million for the Mercedes-Benz limited edition SLK350 Passion convertible, donated by Mercedes-Benz! The current bid is 4.5 million! Is there any higher bid? 4.5 million going once..."
The woman gritted her teeth and bid again, "4.6 million." She then turned to Xiao Qiang and said, "I can't believe it. Does he think his money fell from the sky?"
She didn't realize that Murong Feng's money indeed felt like it had fallen from the sky.
After bidding reached 2 million and many withdrew, Xiao Qiang had repeatedly advised the woman to stop. Now, she couldn't help but say, "Sister Liu, don't compete with him. His net worth is nearly 1 billion yuan. Why spend so much on a car?"
Murong Feng looked over apologetically and raised his paddle, "5 million." He was determined to win this car.
Ms. Liu, hearing his bid, deflated like a punctured balloon, slumping in her chair, muttering, "Xiao Qiang, you're right. Why bother with this nouveau riche? Let him spend all his money and become a pauper again!" Xiao Qiang couldn't help but smile. She glanced at Murong Feng.
This young man was indeed special. Why was he so fixated on a Mercedes convertible? Spending 5 million on an 800,000 car couldn't just be about charity.
Could it be... she suddenly realized that Murong Feng frequently glanced at the table where Tang Qing sat. Clearly, his enthusiasm for the Mercedes auction item was to impress Tang Qing! A sense of jealousy and resentment welled up in Xiao Qiang's heart.
Murong Feng ultimately won the bid for the Mercedes-Benz sports car at a price of 5 million yuan. When he looked back at Tang Qing, their gazes met, and he saw her smiling warmly at him. Suddenly, the tangled emotions that had weighed on his heart for the past six months seemed to clear up. Tang Qing seemed to understand his feelings perfectly.
Lu Ye was dumbfounded. Watching Murong Feng repeatedly look back, he turned around to see a sea of people, many of whom were looking towards their table, making him feel as if they were all looking at him. He quickly turned back and asked Murong Feng, puzzled, "Murong, this car is meant for women. Why did you insist on getting it? Did you fall for that woman you were competing against?"
Murong Feng rolled his eyes and said, "Nonsense. Can't I buy a gift for Ye Zi?"
Lu Ye shook his head, laughing, "Tsk, tsk, a 5 million yuan gift! Bro, even the top-tier Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 costs about the same... But Murong, it's fine to buy Ye Zi a gift, but remember there are hundreds of guests here, many of whom are celebrities and elites. Don't take all the auction items home. Let others show their love too!"
Murong Feng nodded in agreement. During the bidding, he had already decided that this car would be the last item he bid on tonight. Even if it cost him 10 or 20 million, he was determined to get it. His feelings were hard to describe.
He didn't raise his paddle for the remaining auction items. The remaining 20 or so items still raised nearly 10 million in funds, including the highest bid apart from Murong Feng's car, which was a three-day, two-night stay at a private castle in Scotland owned by Diageo, won for 1.2 million by a uniquely dressed woman.
The charity auction raised over 16 million yuan in total. To better oversee the use of the funds, ensuring that the donations directly benefited the mothers and infants in need, TOM Beijing, in collaboration with the China Poverty Alleviation Foundation, established the "TOM Charity Fund." A launch ceremony was held after the auction. Lu Ye and other celebrities who attended the banquet took the stage at the end to accept certificates as honorary ambassadors of love.
Murong Feng did not go on stage during the ceremony. As the reporters swarmed the front to photograph the celebrities, he quietly left the banquet hall. With the charity auction over, his goal for the evening was accomplished.
Sitting in his car, he called Tang Qing.
"Janney, are you free tomorrow? I'll meet you at 'Yitian.' Let's have a match."
After a brief silence, Tang Qing's voice sounded somewhat ethereal, "Okay, if I have time, I'll come down."
Just as he hung up, his phone rang again. Seeing it was Ye Zi, he suddenly felt a pang of guilty and quickly answered, "Hello, Ye Zi. Yeah, the banquet just ended, I'm on my way out... Are you done with work? Great, I'll come pick you up, and we'll have some late-night snacks! ... Alright, I'm at the Beijing Hotel now. I'll be there soon. Bye."
Throwing the phone onto the passenger seat, Murong Feng sat in the car in a daze, feeling a sense of uncertainty he had never experienced before. An unprecedented feeling of guilt welled up in his heart. "What am I doing?" he asked himself, but found no answer.
Frustrated, he stepped hard on the gas, the car speeding down Chang'an Avenue.
This charity banquet made Murong Feng a prominent figure in Beijing's elite circles.
He was no longer a small, somewhat famous young boss in the social circles of Beijing, overlooked by true business tycoons. Regardless of how lowkey he tried to be, a young multimillionaire dedicated to charity would be extensively covered by the media. Most importantly, his involvement in charity placed him on equal footing with many established business leaders in the financial and media world.
A breakthrough came when the media inadvertently learned from the China Poverty Alleviation Foundation that Murong Feng, in addition to the auction donations, personally contributed another 20 million to the "TOM Charity Fund" to support the foundation's "Mother and Child Safety 120" initiative. The exposure of this news significantly enhanced his already favorable reputation.
Young multimillionaires weren't rare in the new economic era, especially compared to the older generation who built their wealth through industry and real estate in the '70s and '80s. In the new century, many young talents have rapidly become the new wealthy elite through knowledge-based economies.
However, for someone like Murong Feng, who had just become a multimillionaire through capital gains and immediately donated nearly 30 million yuan to charity, he was unique. Considering he wasn't even 30 yet, people admired his calm attitude towards wealth.
No one knew that Murong Feng felt uneasy about his sudden wealth, with Huayou's stock recently surpassing $30. This increase in wealth made him anxious. Moreover, he had watched a documentary about impoverished women and children with Ye Zi one night, which made him feel that this was a way for heaven to act through him.
Thirty million yuan was not a significant amount of money for him now.
Murong Feng's social status rose swiftly, especially when he received invitations to join the China Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Beijing Federation of Industry and Commerce. He stared at the invitations brought in by his secretary, speechless for a long time.
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