548: Chapter 543 Insulting Low Price

"Looking at the paddle number, he's in the first row of the VIP section."

"From the mainland? So young, yet he dares to come and meddle in Victoria's business?"

"Look at that woman beside him; she walks with purpose, and her eyes are like knives. She's definitely no ordinary secretary."

"I wonder which 'Crossing Dragon' family he's from, coming to Hong Kong City's waters to make a fortune."

The murmurs were like a tide, surging from all directions, yet they were deliberately suppressed within a tiny range.

Shen Yan looked straight ahead.

He seemed to carry an invisible barrier, isolating all the clamor and scrutiny outside.

His pace was neither hurried nor slow; every step seemed measured by a ruler, treading precisely and powerfully on the carpet.

In a VIP box on the second floor.

Wu Dong's face instantly darkened.

He almost gritted his teeth, squeezing that name out from between them.

"Shen Yan."

How could he be here?!

A middle-aged man sat opposite him, wearing a Tang suit and a large jade thumb ring on his finger—this was Shark Lin.

Shark Lin merely narrowed his eyes, following Wu Dong's gaze.

He sized up Shen Yan as if evaluating the quality of a piece of merchandise.

"Young Master Wu, is this the opponent from the mainland you mentioned?" His voice was raspy, carrying the salty tang of a sea breeze.

"Hmph, just an arrogant greenhorn who doesn't know the heights of the heavens."

Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous corner of the hall.

The catalog in He Wanqing's hand silently slipped an inch.

Her pupils contracted slightly.

It was him.

That Mr. Shen who had talked to her about the spirit of craftsmanship in the sanatorium's conservatory.

The man who had held a yellowed ancient book with a gentle gaze.

At this moment, the casual white shirt he had worn then had been replaced by a sharp-cut suit.

That scholarly warmth was replaced by an unfathomably powerful aura.

He walked under the spotlight, receiving the attention of the entire room.

He wasn't a kind soul who happened to be passing by.

He was a lion breaking into the hunting grounds.

Two completely different images collided violently in He Wanqing's mind, making her feel momentarily dizzy.

She finally understood.

That day's encounter had never been a coincidence.

It was a carefully planned hunt targeting her heart.

Shen Yan's gaze swept indifferently across the hall.

His eyes paused for a fraction of a second in the direction of Wu Dong's box, then lightly brushed over the corner where He Wanqing sat.

No lingering, no emotion.

Like a falcon patrolling its territory, he was merely confirming the location of his prey.

Then, he sat down in the center of the first row.

Wu Ya handed him a tablet containing detailed information on all the auction items and alternative plans.

Shen Yan took it, his fingers sliding across the screen as if everything around him had nothing to do with him.

He entered and took his seat.

Throughout the entire process, he didn't greet anyone or respond to any gaze.

With absolute silence and disregard, he announced his arrival to the entire room.

A silent yet incredibly powerful sense of pressure began to permeate the venue.

Clang—

A crisp chime of a bell sounded.

The lights on the auction stage suddenly brightened.

An auctioneer in a tuxedo stepped onto the stage and picked up the gavel.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."

"The Victoria Jewelry Special Auction now begins."

The auctioneer's voice carried clearly through the microphone to every corner of the venue.

"The first item: 'Heart of the Deep Sea'."

An attendant pushed a glass display case onto the stage.

The deep blue tanzanite reflected a profound light under the spotlights, surrounded by a circle of fine diamond chips, like a queen of the night sky surrounded by stars.

A suppressed murmur of admiration rose from the audience.

"Starting price: three million Hong Kong dollars."

The auctioneer's voice was full of confidence.

This price was reasonable, even slightly lower than market expectations.

Several wealthy ladies in the front rows already showed looks of interest and began whispering to their male companions.

However, a strange silence fell over the scene.

No one raised a paddle.

The smile on the auctioneer's face stiffened for half a second before he added in a more provocative tone,

"This is a masterpiece from Master Victoria's later years, with a design inspired by the legends of the Aegean Sea. It is the only one of its kind in the world."

Still, there was no response.

The fiery desire in the air seemed to have been doused by a bucket of ice water.

"Three million, for the first time," the auctioneer's voice was a bit dry.

In the second-floor box, Wu Dong held his wine glass, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Opposite him, Shark Lin leisurely used his tea lid to skim the froth, his eyelids not even lifting.

"It seems Mr. Lin's reputation is still very effective in Hong Kong City," Wu Dong chuckled.

Shark Lin set down his teacup with a dull thud.

"Young Master Wu is too kind. Everyone is just giving this old man some face; they don't want to ruin the harmony over a small trinket."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable pressure.

Downstairs, the whispers finally bubbled up like air under water.

"What's going on? No one dares to bid?"

"Haven't you heard? The He Family has fallen and is deep in debt. Word has been put out that whoever bids on Victoria's items today is crossing certain big shots."

"No wonder... this isn't an auction; it's a public humiliation."

In the corner, He Wanqing's face turned pale inch by inch.

Her hands tightly gripped the armrests of her chair, her knuckles turning white from the strain.

This was her grandfather's life's work.

Now, it was being trampled underfoot in this manner.

"Three million one hundred thousand."

A hesitant voice rose from the back row.

The bidder was an out-of-town businessman who didn't seem to know the ways of Hong Kong City.

Almost instantly, several burly men in black suits nearby cast cold glares at him.

The businessman shuddered, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, and he silently lowered his paddle.

The auctioneer's gavel was raised, then lowered again.

The situation was awkward to the extreme.

Ultimately, this 'Heart of the Deep Sea' was snatched up by an unknown minor character for the floor price of three million two hundred thousand.

Not even half the market value.

Shen Yan was still looking at his tablet.

Wu Ya's brow furrowed slightly as she whispered in his ear,

"Boss, it's Shark Lin's people. They 'greeted' all the various buyers before the auction started."

Shen Yan's finger gave a light swipe on the screen.

"Mhm."

Only one word.

No emotion, no instructions.

Wu Ya stopped speaking and stood straight again.

She knew that within her boss's heart, there was a deep sea of his own.

The next few items, without exception, met the same fate.

'Tears of the Morning Glow' pink diamond earrings.

'Lunar Goddess Laurel' pearl headpiece.

'Blazing Firebird' ruby brooch.

Every single one was a timeless masterpiece worthy of a fashion magazine cover.

Every single one was sold at an almost insultingly low price.