How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 228

Wang Wangdu and Li Chengde had a clear division of labor: Wang Wangdu introduced the auction items, and Li Chengde conducted the auction.

The first item was presented.

Wang Wangdu: “Tonight’s first item is a jade thumb ring from Emperor Qianlong. Several Qing Dynasty emperors favored jade thumb rings, especially Qianlong, who wrote over 50 poems about them, showing his deep connection. Few of these rings have survived to this day. This particular ring is made of Hetian jade and bears an inscription in Emperor Qianlong’s own handwriting, making it exceptionally precious.”

Li Chengde: “Thank you, Elder Wang, for that insightful introduction. It’s no exaggeration to say that such a precious jade thumb ring is priceless. However, tonight, our starting price is only 1 million, with a minimum increment of 100,000 per bid. To support a brighter future for our nation’s children, we encourage all distinguished guests to actively participate in the bidding. Without further ado, let the bidding commence!”

Items like this are typically favored by older individuals, so the active bidders were primarily wealthy individuals in their 50s and older.

After more than a dozen rounds of bidding, it finally sold for 2.8 million.

The second item was a blue-and-white porcelain from the Jingdezhen Jun Kiln [a famous kiln known for its high-quality porcelain] of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Wang Wangdu: “This blue-and-white porcelain dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It was scattered among the populace when Li Zicheng, the ‘Chuang King’ [a rebel leader who briefly overthrew the Ming Dynasty], attacked the imperial palace. Later, it came into the possession of the Qiao family in Xishan, and then Yan Xishan [a warlord during the Republic of China era] gifted it to Dai Li [head of the Kuomintang’s secret service]. After the revolution, it went to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek, and finally, Mr. Guo bought it back for 25 million. Several collectors have offered up to 50 million before, but Mr. Guo declined to sell. To support this auction, the new owner has generously offered it for auction. Collectors interested in blue-and-white porcelain shouldn’t miss this opportunity.”

The guests began to whisper among themselves.

“My goodness, the new owner is truly generous, willing to auction off blue-and-white porcelain of this caliber.”

“I’m increasingly eager to meet the new owner. What kind of person possesses such a strong sense of social responsibility?”

“I must bid in this auction. I believe it’s worth at least 50 million. Let’s see what the starting price is. I think we can engage in a few rounds of bidding.”

…

At this point, Zhao Feifei asked, “Is this the kind of porcelain described in Jay Chou’s song ‘Blue and White Porcelain’?”

Zhang Jiacheng smiled and nodded, saying, “Yes, it is indeed a remarkable piece. I intend to compete for it.”

Zhao Feifei: “Then it must be worth a considerable sum, right? Would it fetch tens of millions?”

The guests nearby exchanged disdainful smiles.

“How can art be discussed in purely monetary terms? It’s rather crass.”

“Selling for tens of millions? As if it were a common antique stall find.”

“Don’t speak carelessly if you lack understanding. It’s embarrassing.”

…

Zhao Feifei’s face flushed with anger. Isn’t an auction a form of transaction? And if it’s a transaction, isn’t it buying and selling? She didn’t believe she had said anything wrong.

Zhang Jiacheng, feeling awkward, said, “Just be quiet.”

Zhao Feifei simply said, “Oh,” her mood plummeting.

She had initially been thrilled to experience the life of the upper class, but now she realized that even if she managed to squeeze in, she was still considered inadequate in terms of refinement and other qualities.

Li Chengde: “Blue-and-white porcelain is inherently precious, especially pieces with such a rich history. This goes beyond mere collecting; it’s a tangible link to the past. The new owner is also very generous. Mr. Guo originally purchased it for 25 million, and the starting price remains at 25 million.”

At that moment, the screen behind the auction table displayed documentary evidence of Guo Minghai’s purchase of the blue-and-white porcelain for 25 million.

Any serious collector would find this level of blue-and-white porcelain irresistible.

“28 million! Please, everyone, don’t compete with me!”

“President Li, who wouldn’t want such a treasure? You can’t simply add a paltry 3 million and expect others to back down! I bid 35 million!”

“Damn it! President Chen just jumped the price so high! He’s clearly determined to win!”

“Haha… I can’t help it; I’m genuinely interested.”

…

Li Chengde: “President Chen bids 35 million. Is there anyone who wishes to raise the price? Please contribute to the future of our children. 35 million once! Is there anyone else?”

At this point, Zhang Jiacheng entered the bidding.

“I bid 50 million!”

“Wow…” A wave of exclamations rippled through the audience.

Someone had just bid 50 million. Guo Minghai had refused to sell at that price, and now Zhang Jiacheng was offering it. He was playing to win.

Li Chengde: “Young Master Zhang bids 50 million! Any higher offers?”

Yang Chen called out loudly: “I bid 60 million!”

“Wow…” The audience gasped again.

Zhang Jiacheng glared at Yang Chen, knowing he was deliberately trying to drive up the price.

Li Chengde: “Wow, Mr. Yang bids 60 million! Thank you, Mr. Yang, for your contribution to children in need. 60 million! Any higher bids?”

Zhao Feifei urged him on: “He’s clearly trying to make things difficult for you. Don’t let him succeed. You have to outbid him!”

Zhang Jiacheng sneered and shouted: “I bid 65 million!”

“Wow…” The audience exclaimed once more.

Everyone turned to look at Zhang Jiacheng.

“Damn, whose son is this? He’s going all in.”

“I thought Lu Bu [a famous warrior known for his strength] was unbeatable, but I didn’t expect someone even fiercer to appear.”

“That’s the young master of Jiacheng Investment, Zhang Zhengjun’s son. Zhang Zhengjun himself didn’t come, but he sent his son. This kid is willing to spend money.”

…

Hearing the people around him praising his boldness, Zhang Jiacheng wore a smug smile.

Yang Chen felt that he had pushed it far enough and decided not to raise the price further.

If he drove the price too high, Zhang Jiacheng might get scared off, which would be counterproductive.

Li Chengde: “65 million once! 65 million twice! Any higher bids? No? 65 million three times! Sold! Congratulations, Young Master Zhang!”

The audience erupted in applause. Zhang Jiacheng stood up, smiling and nodding to everyone. When he caught sight of Yang Chen, he made sure to flash a smug grin.

*Damn, this is just one of the lesser blue-and-white porcelains in the art museum. Look at how proud he is.*

Zhang Jiacheng smirked at Yang Chen, resembling the ‘crooked-mouth dragon king’ from the funny videos on Douyin [a popular video-sharing app].

The auction continued, but Zhang Jiacheng seemed uninterested in the huanghuali [a type of rosewood] furniture, pottery, jade, and jadeite.

Soon, it was time for the Mirror Lake Mr. [a mysterious and highly sought-after artist] section.

Wang Wangdu: “Those familiar with the art world should be well aware of Mirror Lake Mr., a new artist with exceptional painting skills who has recently emerged. Next, we will auction two paintings by Mirror Lake Mr.: ‘A Waterfall Plunging Three Thousand Feet’ and ‘The Great River Flows East’.”

At that moment, the two paintings appeared on the large screen, slowly unfurling.

“Wow, Mirror Lake Mr. truly lives up to the hype. The paintings are magnificent and imposing, inspiring a sense of awe.”

“Mirror Lake Mr. is renowned for his landscape paintings, and he certainly has a gift. It’s said that the collecting world is actively searching for Mirror Lake Mr., but only four paintings have been released so far. Today, we finally get to see two more. We must compete for these.”

“If these are preserved for future generations, they will undoubtedly be worth a fortune.”

…

Wang Wangdu: “True gold fears no fire. Knowledgeable guests can discern the quality of these works. At the recent Christie’s auction, several industry insiders in the collecting world bid on them. Originally, our art museum only possessed ‘A Waterfall Plunging Three Thousand Feet,’ but upon learning about this charity auction, Mirror Lake Mr. personally arranged for ‘The Great River Flows East’ to be included. Our new owner has assured Mirror Lake Mr. that the successful bidders for these two paintings will have the opportunity to meet him. Without further ado, I’ll hand it over to Mr. Li.”

Li Chengde: “Distinguished guests, this auction offers not only two Chinese paintings with immense potential for appreciation but also the chance to meet the new owner of the Minghai Art Museum and Mirror Lake Mr. You are all discerning individuals, so I need not elaborate on the advantages.”

The guests began to discuss among themselves.

“Are you saying that if I bid on these two paintings, I can become friends with the new owner of Minghai and Mirror Lake Mr.? That’s an incredible opportunity. Could this be my chance to get ahead?”

“It’s a fantastic opportunity, but the problem is that everyone recognizes it, so the competition will be fierce.”

“I suspect the base price will be 50 million, and it could easily reach 100 million. Everyone here today is a prominent figure, and they all have the resources to promote Mirror Lake Mr.’s works. This is going to be intense.”

…

Li Chengde: “Alright, I won’t waste any more of your valuable time. The two paintings will be auctioned together, with a starting price of 35 million! Please bid generously for the future of our children. Let the bidding begin!”

“50 million!” Xue Yinong called out.

The audience’s attention immediately shifted to her.

Lin Shuying promptly shouted: “70 million!”

“Wow…” The audience gasped again.

This stunned the other potential bidders. These influential figures were leaving no room for anyone else.

Their high bids were motivated by their close relationship with Yang Chen and their desire to increase the value of the Mirror Lake Mr. works they already owned.

However, the others were unaware of their motives and genuinely believed they were determined to win.

Yang Chen immediately stood up and asked: “Elder Wang, can you guarantee that the successful bidders will meet the new owner and Mirror Lake Mr.?”

Wang Wangdu: “Hehe… Yes! I can guarantee it. In the name of the Minghai Art Museum, I assure all guests that the successful bidders for these two paintings will definitely have the opportunity to meet the new owner and Mirror Lake Mr. If the final transaction price is exceptionally high, I can even arrange for everyone to sit down for a meal and exchange contact information. I can only say so much; please bid as you see fit.”

Yang Chen immediately declared: “I bid 80 million!”

“Wow…”

“Isn’t that the guy who arrived in the Jianghuai car?”

“Damn, what’s his background? He’s so aggressive!”

“He seems to be the boss of Xingchen Investment.”

“Xingchen Investment? Never heard of it! A newly established company, right?”

“It’s a new company, but it seems to be quite powerful. He’s trying to use this auction to build connections in the art world and plans to invest in art in the future. He’s got a plan. The value of art is subjective. The price you manage to sell it for is its worth. He’s thinking ahead.”

…

Zhang Jiacheng was immediately intrigued by the surrounding conversations.

The value of art is subjective. Even a broken bowl can be sold for millions if it’s marketed effectively. Isn’t that more profitable than investing in other industries?

The key is to establish the right connections to be able to play the game, not just having money.

And wasn’t this an opportunity to build those connections?

Zhao Feifei urged him on: “Don’t let him succeed. He’s going to use this opportunity to surpass your company.”

Time was running out, and Zhang Jiacheng didn’t have time to think it through. He shouted hastily: “I bid 100 million!”

“Wow…”

“Are young people always this impulsive?”

“Zhang Zhengjun’s son is truly impressive! He’s got guts, 100 million!”

“I think he’s got a good vision. He’s using this 100 million to build relationships, and he’ll be able to earn many times that amount with those connections in the future.”

“I said it before, everyone can see the potential, so the competition will be fierce. These people are ruthless, and I don’t stand a chance.”

…

Li Chengde: “Young Master Zhang bids 100 million! Any higher bids? Is there? 100 million once! Anyone else? 100 million twice!”

Yang Chen: “I bid 110 million!”

Li Chengde: “Mr. Yang bids 110 million! Thank you, Mr. Yang, for your support of this charity auction! Any higher bids?”

Xue Yinong: “I bid 120 million!”

Li Chengde: “Miss Xue bids 120 million! Any higher bids?”

Yang Chen: “130 million!”

Li Chengde: “Mr. Yang bids 130 million! Any higher bids? Is there? Thank you, Mr. Yang, for your support, and thank you for helping the children’s future. Any higher bids?”

Xue Yinong shook her head helplessly.

Li Chengde: “Is there anyone else bidding? 130 million once! Is there? Anyone? No one? 130 million twice!”

Zhang Jiacheng: “I bid 150 million!”

“Wow…” The audience exclaimed again.

Li Chengde: “Young Master Zhang bids 150 million. Any higher bids? Is there? 150 million once! 150 million twice! 150 million three times! Sold! Congratulations, Young Master Zhang!”

The audience applauded thunderously, and Yang Chen joined in with a smile.

Zhang Jiacheng stood up, smiling and nodding to everyone, and flashed another smug grin at Yang Chen.

At this point, some of the seasoned attendees had begun to suspect something was amiss.

“Why do I get the feeling something’s not right? That young man named Yang bid 130 million, and Li Chengde was clearly stalling for time, but as soon as Zhang Zhengjun’s son bid 150 million, he quickly announced the sale. Does it seem like he just wanted to sell those two paintings to Zhang Zhengjun’s son?”

“Now that Chen Lao mentions it, it does seem that way. After that young man named Yang bid, Li Chengde would definitely be verbose and deliberately delay to encourage others to bid.”

“Haha… So, Zhang Zhengjun’s son was played for a fool?”

“A silver tongue and a shaky hand, he fell right into someone’s trap.”

“Haha…”

However, Zhang Jiacheng himself was overjoyed because he believed he had not only thwarted Yang Chen’s plan but also opened up a new business opportunity for his company.

Soon, the auction concluded.

All the guests who had successfully bid on items had to sign the contract, pay the check, and collect their purchases.

Shield Security Group was responsible for escorting all auction items to any designated location within Haicheng City and assumed all risks.

Wang Wangdu approached Zhang Jiacheng with a smile and said, “Congratulations, Young Master Zhang. My master has asked me to invite you to Tang Pavilion, Box 208. My master, Mirror Lake Mr., Miss Xue, and others are already waiting there.”

Zhang Jiacheng: “Thank you, Elder Wang.”

Afterward, Zhang Jiacheng quickly took Zhao Feifei and hurried over.

On the way, he called his father and asked him to come and meet these influential figures.

When Zhang Zhengjun heard that it involved the new owner of the Minghai Art Museum, Mirror Lake Mr., and even Miss Xue’s family, he immediately rushed over.

Soon, they met at the entrance of Tang Pavilion.

When Zhang Zhengjun saw Zhao Feifei dressed so provocatively, a look of disgust crossed his face.

Wealthy families expect their daughters-in-law to be respectable and dignified, not flashy and seductive.

It’s fine to play around with that kind of woman, but definitely not to marry them.

The three of them arrived at Box 208.

As soon as the door opened, they found the room already crowded, and everyone had started eating, not waiting for Zhang Jiacheng at all.

Zhang Zhengjun’s face showed displeasure, but because there were so many important people present, he didn’t want to cause a scene.

Auctioneer Li Chengde stood up with a smile and greeted: “Oh, Director Zhang is here too. Come, come, come, sit down quickly. Oh, I’m sorry, we only reserved a seat for Young Master Zhang. We didn’t expect Director Zhang and this lady to come as well. But it doesn’t matter. Eating is secondary. The main thing is to meet the new owner of the Minghai Art Museum and Mirror Lake Mr., right?”

Zhang Jiacheng nodded with a sneer, clearly unhappy.

Li Chengde took Zhang Jiacheng’s hand and led him to Yang Chen, saying, “Come, let me introduce you to Young Master Zhang. This is the new owner of the Minghai Art Museum and also the legendary Mirror Lake Mr.”

Yang Chen stood up with a smile and said, “Young Master Zhang, thank you for your support of the Minghai Art Museum and myself. You bid nearly 200 million alone, accounting for 80% of today’s total bids. Thank you, thank you.”

Zhang Jiacheng was furious and exclaimed, “Impossible! How could you be the new owner of the Minghai Art Museum? How could you be Mirror Lake Mr.?”

Li Chengde replied with a smile: “With so many business tycoons here, do you think it could be a hoax? We have no reason to deceive you, right?”

Zhao Feifei quickly interjected: “It’s obvious that all these people are plotting against you.”

Zhang Jiacheng slapped Zhao Feifei and shouted, “It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t been nagging in my ear, I wouldn’t have been so impulsive!”

The corner of Zhao Feifei’s mouth was bleeding, and she protested, “I… I was just giving you advice. Whether or not to bid was your decision, right?”

Zhang Zhengjun asked with a stern face: “What’s going on? Everyone here is a respected figure. What do you mean by plotting against my son?”

Xue Yinong: “Mr. Zhang, your words are unfair. Your son bid on the auction items himself. No one forced him. How can that be called plotting? I also bid, but I didn’t succeed in bidding 120 million! Your son insisted on bidding 150 million to win. What could we do?”

Lin Shuying: “I also bid! But we’re not Jiacheng Investment and don’t have that kind of money. We couldn’t compete with him.”

Zhao Jingzhong: “Hehe… Everyone bid openly and fairly. There was no inducement or coercion. Why would Mr. Zhang say such a thing?”

Zhang Zhengjun was speechless and quickly asked his son what had happened.

Zhang Jiacheng explained the history of conflict between him and Yang Chen and insisted that Yang Chen had used their rivalry to trick him into bidding a high price.

Zhang Zhengjun snorted coldly and declared, “Humph! We don’t want it! Return the goods and refund the money!”

Li Chengde: “Director Zhang, don’t joke around. If you dare to go back on your word, you’ll offend those five charitable organizations, especially the Red Cross and the Welfare Lottery Company. Can you afford to offend them? If you refuse the purchase, it won’t cause us any loss, but your reputation will be ruined, and if we go through legal procedures, you’ll still have to fulfill the contract in the end. If you break the rules, the things you spent so much money on will be worthless.”

Zhang Jiacheng clutched his chest angrily and said with gritted teeth: “Yang Chen! You’re ruthless!”

Yang Chen took out a tissue, walked over to Zhao Feifei, and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth while saying, “So pitiful. Young Master Zhang, she’s been with me for six years. You must treat her well after you marry her.”

On the surface, Yang Chen seemed to be speaking up for Zhao Feifei, but in reality, he was deliberately revealing to Zhang Jiacheng that Zhao Feifei was a woman he had been seeing for six years.

Men understand what six years means.

A man with a strong libido could turn her into a wreck in six years.

His blind date, Fang Yingqi, had been snatched away by Yang Chen, and the female companion he had brought was a woman Yang Chen had been seeing for six years. Wasn’t this like wearing two green hats [a symbol of infidelity] on his head?

He had been tricked by Yang Chen out of nearly 200 million and was now wearing two green hats. The double blow was too much to bear.

Zhang Jiacheng suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and then he slowly collapsed in pain.

Zhang Zhengjun quickly embraced his son and asked anxiously: “Jiacheng, what’s wrong? What’s happening?”

Zhang Jiacheng pointed at Yang Chen and said, enduring the pain: “Yang Chen, you’re ruthless! You’ve been plotting against me!”

At that moment, Yang Chen’s phone rang. It was Buffett calling.

Yang Chen answered the phone and said, “Hello, Mr. Buffett, what’s the matter?”

Buffett: “Haha… We’re very impressed with your capabilities, Mr. Yang. We’re eager to begin our partnership immediately. In addition to collaborating on emeralds and other minerals, we’d also like to explore virtual currency mining together. Gates and I will be returning to Haicheng tomorrow. Let’s discuss the details in person then.”

Yang Chen: “Okay! I’ll be waiting for your call. This is such great news; you should tell Zhang Jiacheng too. Hurry up, call him and let him know.”

Buffett: “Haha… No problem! I’ll call him immediately to officially cancel all cooperation with him.”

Yang Chen: “Okay! You call him.”

After saying that, Yang Chen hung up the phone.

“Buffett is going to call you to give you good news. If I hadn’t been waiting for his reply, I would have dealt with you long ago!” Yang Chen said with a smile.

Zhang Jiacheng asked with a confused and horrified expression: “How do you have contact with Buffett?”

Just then, Zhang Jiacheng’s phone rang. It was indeed Buffett calling.

Zhang Jiacheng quickly answered the phone and said, “Hello, Mr. Buffett, have you returned?”

Buffett: “Not yet. Zhang, I have something to tell you. We’ve found a more suitable partner, and all our cooperation plans with you have been canceled.”

Zhang Jiacheng: “What? Why? Everything was going smoothly, and I was already preparing the venue. Why do you suddenly want to cancel the cooperation? Who did you find to cooperate with?”

Buffett: “It’s that Mr. Yang Chen who has particularly good driving skills. We think he’s very capable and better suited to our needs. Sorry, our cooperation with you is canceled. Goodbye.”

With that, Buffett hung up the phone.

Zhang Jiacheng cried out in anger: “Yang Chen, you’re so ruthless! You stole Buffett and his people behind my back.”

Yang Chen smiled slightly, squatted down in front of Zhang Jiacheng, and then his smile gradually faded, replaced by a fierce expression. He said: “Weren’t you very arrogant at the racetrack? Weren’t you secretly contacting people to prepare to deal with me? I just struck first; why can’t you handle it?”

At that moment, Zhang Jiacheng’s phone rang again. It was his lackey, Chen Guanglong, calling.

“Brother Cheng, something terrible has happened. The brothers were wiped out by the Shield Security Group. They also warned us not to touch a hair on Yang Chen’s head, or they’ll make our whole family suffer! Brother Cheng, the brothers really have no choice and can’t listen to you anymore. Sorry.”