Chapter 224: Guidance
The attendant explained as she showed Lin Feng the way.
"I see. In that case, I'd like a VIP box."
Lin Feng nodded.
'This auction is pretty high-class,' Lin Feng thought. 'There are over eight hundred ordinary seats alone. The VIP section must be massive.'
"The VIP boxes are reserved for the big shots and business tycoons of the Capital City. Sir, are you sure you want one?"
The attendant looked at Lin Feng and couldn't help but advise, "You should know, these boxes aren't cheap."
"Heh, I have money."
Lin Feng couldn't help but chuckle, then pulled out his bank card and handed it to her.
"Very well. Please wait a moment."
The attendant took the bank card and turned to leave.
Before long, the attendant led the two of them to a private box.
The box was magnificently decorated. The floor was paved with golden tiles, and an ancient painting hung on the wall, depicting the layout of the Han Dynasty Imperial Palace.
The walls were also inlaid with numerous crystals and jewels, making the box look utterly opulent and extravagant.
"This box has the best view. Please see if it is to your liking."
After speaking, the attendant entered, placing a tea set and several plates of what looked like extremely expensive pastries in front of the two of them.
"Thank you."
Lin Feng gave a slight nod, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, and took a bite. "It's delicious," he said, nodding again.
"That's good to hear."
The attendant smiled faintly. "Would you like us to help you order?" she asked.
"What do you recommend?"
Lin Feng asked.
"We happen to have a few special dishes left, which are exclusive to our auction house. If you're interested, I can place an order for you now."
"Yes, that's fine."
Lin Feng nodded slightly, indicating he had no objections.
The attendant then left the box to place Lin Feng's order.
"Lin Feng, what do you think of these cakes?"
Su Yanxue said, looking at Lin Feng after taking a bite of an osmanthus cake.
The plate of osmanthus cakes had a delightful aroma. They were soft and chewy, instantly whetting one's appetite. The filling also contained a marvelous, refreshing fragrance.
"Yes, they're quite good. I haven't eaten dinner, so this is perfect. Here, have one."
Lin Feng said, handing a piece of osmanthus cake to Su Yanxue.
Su Yanxue smiled sweetly and took it from him. She took a delicate bite, and the pleasant flavor instantly lingered in her mouth.
The osmanthus cake had a thin skin and a generous filling, giving it a smooth and satisfying texture.
Its unique flavor also made it exceptionally delicious to eat.
As the two of them chatted and laughed, more and more guests arrived, and the vast auction hall quickly became crowded.
"Thank you all for taking the time to attend today's auction. I now declare the auction officially open."
With the clear, pleasant ringing of a bell, the lights on the auction stage brightened. A young woman in a qipao-style dress then walked gracefully onto the stage.
The woman wore a short, red dress that perfectly showcased her exquisite figure.
Her skin was as white as snow, her brows were soft and smoky, and her beauty was radiant.
"Wow, what a beautiful girl! She's gorgeous. I wonder if there's a chance to meet her tonight."
"Heh, dream on. You think she's an escort or something?"
"Tch, she's just an auctioneer, nothing special. Have you forgotten the main event of today's auction? That's the thing that's really valuable!"
The men in the audience began to murmur among themselves as they saw the woman, their eyes all fixed on her.
"Ahem."
The auctioneer gave a light cough, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Welcome, friends, to our auction house. My name is Li Yutong, and it is my honor to be your auctioneer tonight. I hope you all will be able to acquire the treasures you desire at this auction."
"Enough with the pleasantries! Let's get straight to business."
Hearing the woman's charmingly seductive voice, a well-dressed, middle-aged man in the audience impatiently stood up and shouted at her.
As he shouted, his eyes remained glued to the woman on the stage.
Although he tried to appear calm, the excitement deep in his eyes was unmistakable.
After all, he had received word that this auction was jointly organized by several powerful families. There were sure to be plenty of good things up for grabs.
He had a big favor to ask someone soon, and if a suitable item appeared, he was prepared to sell everything he owned to win it.
"Hehe, since Boss Liu is in such a hurry, we'll get right to it. We have four featured items to start things off."
"And among these four featured items, the first is a thousand-year-old reishi mushroom. It is said to have grown in a place with extremely dense yin energy, making its medicinal effects even more potent than ordinary thousand-year-old ginseng."
After a brief introduction, Li Yutong turned her gaze to the first auction item: a delicate wooden box sitting on the table.
"Everyone, here is the first featured item of today's auction—a thousand-year-old reishi!"
With that, Li Yutong opened the wooden box, revealing the thousand-year-old reishi inside.
The reishi was a dark, inky green, and still had some fresh soil clinging to it. It was clearly a priceless treasure.
"Gasp... That thousand-year-old reishi must be worth millions!" Su Yanxue whispered in astonishment, staring at the mushroom. "These tycoons are obsessed with health supplements, especially with several prominent medicinal families in attendance today."
"Heh, that's true. But it has nothing to do with us."
Lin Feng glanced at the reishi on the stage, his eyes showing no particular emotion.
He had found plenty of medicinal herbs of this quality on Wo Hu Mountain, so while the reishi at the auction was precious, it held no allure for him.
"Let the bidding begin!"
Li Yutong said in a sweet, delicate voice.
"One million!"
"One million two hundred thousand!"
...
Bids were immediately called out, but none surpassed three million.
Soon, the price of the thousand-year-old reishi was driven up to three million nine hundred thousand.
This made Lin Feng shake his head.
The price had more or less reached what he'd expected it to sell for, so Lin Feng dismissed it from his mind.
Su Yanxue nodded in agreement.
But just then, a cold voice suddenly called out, "Four million five hundred thousand!"
The abrupt voice immediately drew everyone's attention to its source. They saw a portly, middle-aged man sitting with his legs crossed.
He had a broad smile on his face, and his shifty little eyes were roaming all over the auctioneer's delicate figure.
'Damn, what a huge rack.'