160: Chapter 160 Young friend Hu Tian, ​​come and sit down!

"It's alright, not too many."

She laughed on the other end, "Every time you say 'not too many,' I have no idea what your frame of reference is."

Hu Tian also laughed, "It really isn't much, don't worry."

The two chatted like this, from that piece of silverware to her classes today, to the recent weather in Beijing, to a newly opened Sichuan restaurant near Panjiayuan Antique Market that was said to be quite good, and even to an exhibition she visited last weekend, where she felt it was a pity that those items were kept in glass cabinets and should be accessible for people to truly get close and touch.

Hu Tian listened to her talk about these trivial matters without saying much, occasionally adding a sentence or two, but mostly just listening quietly.

Hearing her voice flowing through the phone gave him a very grounded feeling, like finding a harbor where he could finally lower his guard and rest peacefully after a long time of sleeping in the open and running about.

After chatting for a little over an hour, she said she was sleepy and needed to go to bed, as she had to wake up early for class tomorrow.

"You should sleep early too, good luck with the auction tomorrow."

"Mm."

"Remember to show me the photos if you manage to acquire that silverware."

"Alright."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The call ended, and the room returned to silence.

Hu Tian placed his phone on the nightstand, lay down, and reached out to turn off the light.

In the darkness, Hu Tian closed his eyes and mentally reviewed tomorrow's schedule one last time.

The Christies autumn auction would start promptly at two in the afternoon.

He calculated and decided to arrive at 1:30 to familiarize himself with the environment and get a sense of the situation beforehand.

Peace Hotel.

The city outside the window was still bustling, but the noise was filtered layer by layer by the thick walls and curtains, becoming distant and blurry, as if it were a matter from another world.

Amidst this distant clamor, Hu Tian soon drifted off to sleep.

Early morning.

Hu Tian was awakened by the alarm on his phone by the bedside.

He opened his eyes, fumbled to turn off the alarm, and checked the time: 9:30.

He got up to wash, then changed into the outfit he had carefully selected yesterday—a dark grey casual suit.

It was neither overly formal nor too casual.

In this kind of setting, dressing too ostentatiously would only attract unwanted attention.

The persona he established for himself was: low-key, natural, blending into the crowd, being a passerby whom people would forget as soon as they saw him.

When he went downstairs to eat, there weren't many people in the restaurant; most were business travelers in suits, talking in low voices, with some occasionally staring at their phones with focused expressions.

Hu Tian found a window seat, beckoned a waiter over, and ordered an American breakfast: bacon, fried eggs, toast, and a cup of black coffee.

With plenty of time, he ate at a leisurely pace.

Outside the window was the streetscape of the Bund, with traffic flowing like a loom and pedestrians hurrying by.

The rhythm of this city, the Magic City, was always astonishingly fast, as if an invisible whip was driving everyone from behind, pushing them to keep moving forward.

After breakfast, Hu Tian returned to his room for an hour-long nap.

Afterward, he took his invitation and left, checked out at the front desk, and took a taxi straight to the Pudong Development Bank Tower—the venue for the Christies autumn auction.

Yesterday's preview was held on the 8th floor, while today's main auction was on the top floor.

When Hu Tian arrived, it was only 1:20 PM, a full forty minutes before the start.

The elevator went straight to the top floor, and as the doors opened, he was at the entrance of the auction hall.

Two staff members in crisp uniforms stood at the door.

Hu Tian stepped forward to present his invitation, and after carefully verifying the information on their computer for about a minute, they nodded and let him in.

The auction hall was not grand, but it was decorated with extreme sophistication.

The walls were decorated with dark wood, and the lighting was soft and layered.

The seats were arranged in tiers, facing the auction podium in front.

On the podium sat the auction gavel and a microphone, and behind it was a huge projection screen, currently displaying the Christies logo.

When Hu Tian entered, there were already some people inside.

He scanned the room; there were about thirty or forty people.

Some were sitting in their seats flipping through catalogs, some were chatting in small groups, and a few were standing in the display area on the side, which was the area for bidders to confirm the items one last time.

Hu Tian chose a spot with an excellent view.

He could see the auction podium clearly and observe the subtle expressions of the bidders in the front row.

The biggest advantage of this position was that it was inconspicuous, located in a blind spot of the crowd, yet he wouldn't miss any key information.

After sitting down, he checked his phone: 1:35, twenty-five minutes left.

During the wait, people arrived one after another.

By 1:50, more than half the seats were filled, with over a hundred people by estimation.

Hu Tian scanned the whole room calmly.

He could tell that most of those present were veterans in the industry.

Some faces he had seen at the preview yesterday, while others were new.

But from their attire, demeanor, and conversation, it was easy to tell that they were well-accustomed to such occasions.

Hu Tian's gaze roamed through the crowd and quickly locked onto a few noteworthy figures.

The first was an elderly man sitting in the middle of the second row, around eighty years old, with grey hair but a vigorous spirit, wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit meticulously, accompanied by two young people who were clearly assistants or juniors.

This person was none other than the honorary director of the Beijing Collection Association, Elder Qin, Mr. Elder Qin.

Hu Tian had met him once when he was dabbling with Elder Zhou in Binhai, and the man had even invited him to visit Panjiayuan Antique Market in the capital.

He didn't expect to run into him again at this Christies autumn auction.

Elder Qin was highly respected in the collecting world, with a sharp eye, and it was said his private collection could fill a small Museum; he was a true major collector.

The second person made Hu Tian's eyes narrow slightly.

Zhao Shanhe.

He was sitting in the third row on the left, wearing a black suit with a faint smile on his face, whispering with a middle-aged man in glasses beside him.

He was calm and composed, completely unlike a "prey" targeted by law enforcement.

Hu Tian did not expect that even under the thunderous measures of the Jinling law enforcement department, the other party could still appear unscathed at the auction in the Magic City.

This showed that the crackdown by Director Zhang Mingyuan had not hurt his roots, and it also indirectly confirmed that the forces hidden behind Zhao Shanhe were unfathomable.

Besides these two, Hu Tian also noticed others.

There was a local tycoon sitting in the front row on the right, corpulent, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a Rolex on his wrist, and followed by three assistants in suits, sporting the air of an entrepreneur.

There were also a few wealthy businessmen from Hong Kong sitting near the front on the left, speaking Cantonese, dressed elegantly with refined manners, also bringing their own advisory teams, each occupying their own space with a powerful aura.

These people had all come prepared.

They were not fighting alone but brought teams, with some recording, some analyzing, and some responsible for bidding strategies, like a meticulously deployed battle.

Hu Tian withdrew his gaze, preparing to find a secluded corner to sit down low-key.

Just then, a resonant, aged voice came from the front row.

"Hu Tian, my young friend!"

Hu Tian was stunned and looked up.

He saw Elder Qin Yuan turning around, waving at him with a smile.

"Hu Tian, my young friend, come over and sit!"

This greeting instantly pushed Hu Tian into the spotlight.

Many people in the auction hall turned their heads, their gazes filled with curiosity, assessment, and even scrutiny.

Hu Tian sighed inwardly; he had wanted to be an invisible person, but now it seemed he couldn't hide anymore.

He stood up, nodded slightly at Elder Qin, and walked over.

The young man beside Elder Qin immediately got up to give up his seat.

Hu Tian walked to Elder Qin's side, bowed slightly, and said politely, "Elder Qin, hello."

Elder Qin smiled, patted his arm, and gestured for him to sit.

"No need for formalities, my young friend, sit."

Elder Qin's voice was gentle but carried an undeniable authority, "I heard you were here at the preview yesterday, but it's a pity we didn't meet. I'm glad we finally met today."

After sitting down, Hu Tian responded politely, "Elder Qin, you flatter me. I'm just here to broaden my horizons."

Elder Qin waved his hand and smiled, "You are too humble, my young friend. I've heard old friends mention you, saying you've made quite a name for yourself in Jinling, with exceptional judgment and an unparalleled ability to pick up bargains."

Hu Tian felt a slight stir in his heart.

It seemed Elder Qin knew quite a bit about him.

He didn't say much, just smiled modestly, "It was all luck, not worth mentioning."

However, Zhao Shanhe, sitting not far away, suddenly stopped his conversation when he heard the name "Hu Tian."

He turned his head, his gaze crossing the crowd, and landed precisely on Hu Tian.

When he saw Hu Tian chatting happily with Elder Qin, and even being personally invited to his side by Elder Qin, the smile in Zhao Shanhe's eyes instantly froze, replaced by an unmistakable look of shock and gloom.

He obviously didn't expect that this young man, who had made him suffer in Jinling, not only appeared here but also had such a close relationship with a big shot of Elder Qin's caliber.

Zhao Shanhe's fingers tightened slightly around his teacup, and the contempt he originally held for Hu Tian vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of vigilance as if being watched by a beast.

Hu Tian caught a glimpse of Zhao Shanhe's reaction from the corner of his eye and sneered inwardly.

He calmly picked up the water glass in front of him and took a light sip, as if everything just now was merely a coincidence.

Elder Qin did not notice the undercurrents around them and continued to smile, "Luck is also part of strength."

Elder Qin stroked his beard and smiled, with a glint of sharpness hidden in his eyes.

Elder Qin looked at him with undisguised appreciation, "It's good for a young person to have ability without being flashy. But since you're here today, don't hold back. If you see something you like, don't hesitate to bid; don't let good things fall into the hands of those who don't know their value."

Hu Tian nodded and said sincerely, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Qin."

Elder Qin added, "After the auction starts in a while, if you see anything you like, you can tell me, and I can give you some advice."

Hu Tian understood that Elder Qin was extending goodwill.

In such a mixed crowd at the auction, receiving public support from a major collector like Elder Qin was both a powerful endorsement and an invisible layer of protection for him.

After all, some people might harbor ill intentions when they see a new face, but if they know you have a connection with Elder Qin, they would have to think twice.

"Thank you, Elder Qin."

Hu Tian thanked him sincerely again.

Elder Qin nodded with satisfaction, then turned around to continue chatting in low voices with the people beside him.

Sitting next to Elder Qin, Hu Tian could feel many gazes around still glancing their way.

He took the opportunity to glance around and found that Zhao Shanhe was also looking at him.

Their eyes met briefly in the air, and Zhao Shanhe immediately withdrew his probing gaze, turning his head to continue talking to the people beside him.

But from the expression on Zhao Shanhe's face just a moment ago, Hu Tian clearly captured the astonishment—the other party clearly hadn't expected that he would have such a deep connection with Elder Qin.

A poem says: The young hero reveals his edge, undercurrents surge within the hall. Today, watch as the winds and clouds rise, who shall hold the gavel to decide prosperity or ruin.