บท 94: Celebration
"Old Sun, which Old Sun?" Hearing Man Jun's words, Xie Qingyang momentarily faltered, as his subconscious had been shielding him from the name Sun Lianda for years. He did not immediately associate "Old Sun" with Sun Lianda.
"Old Xie, how many Old Suns can there be in Jinling?" Man Jun remarked with a faint smile, observing Xie Qingyang's reaction.
"Is it... the one from the museum?" At this, Xie Qingyang finally grasped the situation, his face contorting as if he had just swallowed a fly; he was reluctant to even mention Sun Lianda's name.
"Old Man, are you serious?" Xie Qingyang asked, his expression darkening. If he discovered that Man Jun was merely teasing him, he would not hesitate to confront him, ensuring that Man Jun faced the consequences in their circle.
"Old Xie, would I jest about such matters? It is indeed sold to Old Sun..."
Man Jun, not wishing to truly fall out with Xie Qingyang, continued, "I heard that someone in Danyang possesses a painting by Tang Bohu. I can help you make contact; if it piques your interest, you might want to acquire it..."
"Alright, Old Man, thank you..." Slightly flustered, Xie Qingyang stood up and said, "My associates are seated up front; I shall join them. Old Man, please send me the contact details later..."
"Sure, I'll text you shortly..." Man Jun nodded, smiling as he watched Xie Qingyang move to the front row.
"Brother Man, does this person have a grudge with the teacher?" After Xie Qingyang departed, Fang Yi pondered aloud. He had sensed Xie Qingyang's breath quicken when Man Jun mentioned the teacher.
"Does he even deserve to?"
Man Jun scoffed disdainfully, recalling that Old Sun had never publicly spoken about this matter. Initially, it was Xie Qingyang who slandered Old Sun within their circles, only to later seek forgiveness, which earned him disdain from others.
"Old Xie's character leaves much to be desired. Be cautious when dealing with him in the future..." Noticing that people were beginning to take the stage, Man Jun merely cautioned Fang Yi without delving into the details of Xie Qingyang's animosity with Sun Lianda.
"Understood, Brother Man..."
Fang Yi nodded, his gaze flitting around the small conference room, which was now nearly filled to capacity. It appeared that the auction was about to commence.
He could sense that the officer sitting beside him, Officer Bai, had suddenly tensed, her right hand instinctively gripping the armrest of the sofa, her anxiety evident in her subtle movements.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed elites of the business world and fellow colleagues in the antique trade, welcome to this small art auction and exchange hosted by the Collectible Arts Company..."
A middle-aged man in a suit stepped up to the microphone, offering a brief opening address before continuing, "We have both familiar faces and newcomers among us today. Let me reiterate the rules of our auction..."
As the Collectible Company did not provide a catalog for their auction, their process differed slightly from that of larger auction houses. They would display items marked with numbers on the stage, allowing all buyers to assess them up close.
The company's approach was also quite user-friendly; each buyer with a bidding number could bring along a companion, meaning they could evaluate the items themselves while having a professional appraiser by their side. This satisfied buyers' desire to see items firsthand while ensuring a knowledgeable expert could assist them.
As for the auction rules, they were similar to those of formal auctions, with each item having a starting price. For items priced above one thousand yuan, the minimum bid increment was one hundred yuan; for items above ten thousand yuan, it was one thousand yuan; and for those exceeding one hundred thousand yuan, it was ten thousand yuan.
"Brother Man, are there items starting at one thousand yuan?"
Upon hearing the introduction, Fang Yi quietly inquired of Man Jun. Given that the person sitting beside him was a billionaire, he had assumed the starting prices would be at least above one hundred thousand.
This misconception stemmed from Fang Yi's limited understanding of collecting; while wealthy collectors often sought high-value antiques, some also enjoyed acquiring lesser-known items, indifferent to their monetary worth.
For instance, Su Shilun, who initially collected comic strips, is now the largest collector of such works in the country. Currently, his collection does not consist of expensive antiques but rather the Four Treasures of the Study, with a particular fondness for ancient inkstones used by renowned figures.
"The Collectible Company differs from formal auction houses; they have a diverse array of items. You'll see for yourself once we go up..." Although it was Man Jun's first visit, he had heard much about the company, knowing their offerings were eclectic, including many obscure items.
"By the way, didn't I ask you to bring money? How much did you bring?" Man Jun turned to Fang Yi, having forgotten to ask earlier due to the rush that morning.
"I did bring some, but not much..." Fang Yi scratched his head, lowering his voice out of embarrassment, "I brought over twenty-three thousand, but I had to withdraw it on the spot this morning..."
In comparison to the wealthy patrons who casually brought hundreds of thousands in cash, Fang Yi's twenty-three thousand felt rather insignificant.
This situation was partly Man Jun's fault, as when Fang Yi had asked San Pao for money late last night, it was already past eleven. San Pao had barely three thousand on him, so they had to rush to the ATM, which only allowed a maximum withdrawal of twenty thousand per day, leading Fang Yi to bring the entire amount.
"Twenty-three thousand? Is that my compensation for the car accident?" Hearing the sum, reminiscent of a settlement, Man Jun winced, recalling how he had been thoroughly beaten by the little fatty.
"Heh, Brother Man, we've managed to earn some money during this time..."
Fang Yi chuckled, not engaging with Man Jun's comment. Although they had only been in business for a week or two, they had averaged nearly two thousand yuan a day, and their total savings had surpassed forty thousand.
"I'll keep an eye out for a low-value item for you; if no one bids on it, you might snag a small bargain..." Man Jun's earlier jest was just that; winning over Old Sun's favor was worth far more than twenty thousand yuan, and he certainly did not mind that amount.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please come up to the stage, ten at a time, starting from the front row..."
While Fang Yi and Man Jun whispered to each other, staff members were already busy on stage, pushing up over thirty mobile exhibition tables, each adorned with red silk cloth and displaying various items.
As Man Jun had mentioned, the auction featured a hodgepodge of items, ranging from the Four Treasures of the Study to Ming and Qing furniture, paintings, ceramics, and the miscellaneous curios Fang Yi was currently dealing with. Nearly every category of antiques was represented.
"Brother Man, are we back in the antique market?" Observing the once-elegant tables now cluttered with assorted items, Fang Yi felt as if they were setting up stalls in an antique market.
"Damn, this truly overwhelms the senses..." Man Jun, who had only heard about such scenes previously, was momentarily taken aback by the sheer variety of antiques before him, wondering how anyone could discern their authenticity at a glance.
While Man Jun stood in a daze, those seated in the front row had already begun their evaluations on stage. However, Fang Yi noticed that these individuals were quite purposeful; some focused solely on ceramics, while others scrutinized paintings, rather than examining everything indiscriminately.
"Brother Man, what are you planning to buy today?"
After a moment's thought, Fang Yi realized that both collectors and antique dealers typically had specific targets in mind, as did appraisers. Just a few days prior, he had heard his teacher mention that ancient artifacts were vast and profound, and no one could master the identification of every type.
"I hope to find some good paintings, but not those from too distant eras; modern and late Qing will suffice..." Man Jun primarily dealt in paintings, but given his limited budget today, he had to temper his expectations.
"Fang Yi, I see some miscellaneous curios over there; let's check their condition. If they look promising, you should buy them..."
Man Jun's eyes lit up as he spotted a table displaying several items, including decorative gourds, walnut carvings, and snuff bottles, likely sold as a set.
"Alright, Brother Man, I'll rely on your expertise..."
Fang Yi nodded in agreement. He was currently studying museum-related knowledge under Old Sun, with his teacher occasionally sharing intriguing anecdotes from the antique world. However, he had yet to delve into the practical aspects of antique appraisal, and in terms of discernment, he certainly fell short compared to Man Jun.
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