134: Chapter 134 Auction

Thursday morning, the sky was clear and bright.

Jiang Chen stood by the bedroom window, his fingertip lightly swiping across the mobile banking interface. The jumping numbers on the screen caused his breathing to quicken slightly.

After several days of coordination and settlement, that batch of Republic-era 'Little Yellow Croaker' gold bars had all been successfully sold, and the full amount of funds had arrived in his account this morning.

Looking at the total balance of 115 million yuan displayed on his bank card,

Jiang Chen had an uncontrollable smile on his face.

This ample cash flow was his strongest confidence for today's battle at the auction house, and it was also the first blade he would use to chip away at Wantai Real Estate.

He casually put away his phone and changed into a sharp, dark-colored casual suit.

The crisp cut made his figure appear even taller and leaner. His aura was steady and detached, yet it hid the sharp edge of someone who had everything under control.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the residential complex.

Lu Zheng had parked the car steadily at the designated spot ten minutes early.

The matte silver lexus lm sat quietly by the roadside. Its body lines were steady and reserved, not flashy but possessing an undeniable high-end presence.

He sat upright in the driver's seat, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his gaze always locked onto the direction of the building's entrance.

Without speaking or moving, he was like a precise and punctual blade, maintaining an optimal state of alert at all times.

Jiang Chen walked downstairs slowly, opened the car door, and sat in the back row. The top-tier airline seat automatically and gently supported his body.

The sound insulation inside the cabin was maxed out, almost completely cutting off all the external clamor, leaving only silence.

“Let's go. We're picking someone up first,” Jiang Chen said calmly, his tone composed.

“Yes, President Jiang.”

The vehicle smoothly drove out of the complex and sped westward along the city's main artery.

Lu Zheng's driving skills were extremely seasoned; accelerating, changing lanes, and following cars—every movement was clean and efficient, without the slightest unnecessary jerkiness. The entire drive was as smooth as flowing water.

Forty minutes later, the car arrived at the waiting point agreed upon with Shen Xi.

Shen Xi was already standing by the roadside waiting, dressed in a sharp black professional suit that made her look both shrewd and professional.

In her hand, she carried a heavy, textured black briefcase. A full set of qualification documents for Chenxing Capital had been neatly organized and categorized.

Seeing the vehicle arrive, she nodded slightly in greeting. After Lu Zheng quickly stepped out to open the back door and thoughtfully shielded her head, she bent down and sat in the other seat in the back row.

“President Jiang.”

“Is everything ready?” Jiang Chen slowly opened his eyes, his tone flat and emotionless.

“The auction center entry paddle, corporate qualification filings, and bidding deposit have all been finalized. Our paddle number is 68.”

Shen Xi spoke clearly, conveying information precisely and concisely without a single redundant word.

“The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of the Wantai Fortune Center are being auctioned as a single package. The total construction area is 4,200 square meters, with a starting price of 69.3 million yuan. Each bid increment must not be less than 500,000 yuan.”

Jiang Chen nodded slightly and calmly uttered two words: “I see.”

At this moment, with 115 million yuan in cash flow in his hands, he was already confident of victory in this auction and had no concerns whatsoever.

The car continued forward and soon arrived at the Chengxi International Auction Center.

In front of the grand auction center, all kinds of luxury cars were gathered. People from the business world, dressed in suits and leather shoes, moved to and fro, gathering in small groups to converse in low voices. Their eyes hid the probing and calculations of commercial conflict.

Favorable urban planning news for the West City sector had been frequent lately, and the Wantai Fortune Center occupied a prime location in the core business district. This office building auction was destined to be a fierce commercial competition.

After parking, Lu Zheng immediately got out to open the doors for Jiang Chen and Shen Xi, then followed half a step behind Jiang Chen's side.

His eyes discreetly scanned the surrounding crowd, sightlines, and various entrances, maintaining security and vigilance throughout, isolating all potential interference.

Shen Xi looked at the calm and composed Jiang Chen beside her. Thinking about how he could leverage nearly a hundred million in assets at such a young age, the curiosity in her heart grew even stronger.

She tried everything she could to see through the man before her, but found him always shrouded in an impenetrable mist, something she could only slowly explore through repeated interactions.

The three of them walked into Auction Hall No. 3 together.

The hall was already filled with participants, and the air was thick with a suppressed and tense atmosphere. Several groups in the front rows were clearly well-prepared; their whispered conversations exuded a sharp determination to win.

Some noticed the excessively young Jiang Chen next to Shen Xi. A hint of curiosity flashed in their eyes, but they didn't pay him much mind.

In high-end asset auctions, youth was often defaulted to mean a lack of capital backing.

Shen Xi precisely found their assigned seats. Jiang Chen sat down calmly, his posture relaxed, his fingertips resting lightly on his knees, his expression indifferent.

Not long after, the auctioneer took the stage and officially began the bidding process.

The first few niche items passed quickly, failing to pique even a hint of interest from Jiang Chen.

He kept his eyes closed to rest until the auctioneer's clear voice rang through the hall, announcing the core item of the day.

“Next, we bring you the grand finale of this auction!”

“The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of the Wantai Fortune Center, to be auctioned as a whole package! A construction area of 4,200 square meters, prime location, mature facilities. Starting price: 69.3 million yuan!”

As the words fell, waves of excitement instantly rippled through the scene.

“70 million!” A bidder immediately raised their paddle, breaking the silence.

“70.5 million.”

“71 million!”

Bids rose one after another, the price climbing steadily. The competition instantly became exceptionally fierce.

Several powerful local real estate companies and investment firms took turns bidding, all of them eyeing the location value and future appreciation potential of these office floors.

Some raised their paddles frequently with aggressive momentum; others remained still, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

When the price climbed all the way to 76 million, a steady and powerful bid suddenly came from the front row.

“78 million!”

Everyone's gaze shifted in unison toward the sound. A middle-aged man in a bespoke suit sat in the front row, his expression cold and stern.

The look he gave toward Jiang Chen's side carried the sense of confrontation unique to business rivals—not intentionally provocative, but showing a hard-line attitude of being determined to win.

Informed individuals in the hall whispered among themselves, identifying him as the head of another local company primarily invested in commercial real estate.

Like Chenxing Capital, he was a normal competitor aiming for these office floors, intending to expand his layout in the West City commercial real estate sector.

Shen Xi leaned over and reported softly to Jiang Chen: “President Jiang, that is the head of Hengyu Commercial Real Estate, our main competitor in this auction.”

Jiang Chen looked up slightly, his gaze falling on the jumping bid numbers on the large screen. His tone remained calm: “Continue.”

He gave a slight wave of his hand, and Shen Xi immediately and steadily raised paddle number 68: “79 million.”

The other party followed up with a bid almost without pause, refusing to back down in the slightest: “80 million!”

This forceful bid instantly pushed the atmosphere to a climax. All eyes in the hall were focused on Jiang Chen and the middle-aged man, the tension reaching its peak.