This auction was hosted by a well - known auction house in Jiangcheng with a Chinese - style theme and was scheduled to last for two days.
The Chamber of Commerce had sponsored the event, so naturally, it had some seats for the attendees.
Tan Linyuan wasn't really interested in such occasions. Since Nan Yu and Qu Jiaran were bored, he decided to send them there today to kill time.
Before sending her in, Tan Linyuan reminded Nan Yu that if she saw any jewelry she liked, she could just bid. He had already paid the deposit in advance, which was more than enough for her to buy whatever she wanted.
Qu Jiaran, standing beside them, rolled her eyes enviously.
It wasn't that she envied Nan Yu for being able to buy things casually with money. Instead, she was jealous of Tan Linyuan's attitude towards Nan Yu.
Nan Yu joked, "Can I bid on anything, no matter how much it costs? Should I call someone to check your balance first? What if I bankrupt you?"
Tan Linyuan gave her a sidelong glance and straightened her collar. "You don't have that much ability."
What he meant was that a single auction wouldn't be enough to bankrupt him.
Nan Yu said with a smile, "It seems that I'll have to check Mr. Tan's balance when we get back."
The reason Tan Linyuan was at ease letting Nan Yu and Qu Jiaran come was that the auction was an entertainment venue for the upper - class society. It wasn't a place where just anyone could get in.
The guests were carefully screened through background checks. All of them were well - known figures.
Moreover, considering the valuable items being auctioned, the security was extremely tight.
Tan Linyuan had also dispatched some extra personnel as a precaution.
Before the auction started, Qu Jiaran looped her arm through Nan Yu's and strolled around the exhibition hall outside the venue.
In the transparent display cases in the exhibition hall, there were treasures that were not for sale, just for people to admire.
There was also a catalog of the items that had been auctioned off before, which recorded all the precious items that had been sold in this auction house.
Nan Yu stopped in front of the catalog and flipped through the pages one by one.
She was just killing time at first, but when she turned to a certain page, she froze.
"Yuyu, it's time for us to enter." Qu Jiaran came over and urged her. "It's the entrance time."
Seeing that Nan Yu didn't move, Qu Jiaran craned her neck to take a look. "What are you looking at so intently?"
In the catalog, there was clearly a half - stone seal, exactly the same as the relic her father had left for her.
"Is this the other half of the seal?" Qu Jiaran's eyes lit up.
"It's not the other half." Nan Yu recognized it at a glance. "This is the very half."
It seemed that it had once appeared in this auction house.
She didn't have much time to think. Since the auction was about to start, she had to enter the venue with Qu Jiaran first.
Tan Linyuan had arranged very front - row seats for them. Qi Zhu also came in but sat a bit further back.
Apart from Qi Zhu, there were also many other pre - arranged personnel in the crowd to protect their safety throughout the event.
The auction began. One by one, the items up for bid were presented in the order of their value, background, and practicality.
Nan Yu was a bit absent - minded, while Qu Jiaran was very excited, shouting and bidding. She managed to win several gemstones during the auction.
Towards the end of the auction, Nan Yu took a fancy to a green jade thumb ring and won it by raising her bid card.
Qu Jiaran said, "I thought you were going to go back empty - handed today."
Nan Yu pursed her lips and said that she had bought it for Tan Linyuan because the size seemed to fit him perfectly.
Qu Jiaran: "… I'm really sad."
Nan Yu asked, "Sad about what?"
Qu Jiaran said, "I'm sad that now you only have Tan Linyuan in your heart and there's no room for me."
She always got jealous out of the blue, and Nan Yu was already used to it.
"I'll give you a unique gift after you have your baby." Nan Yu tried to make it up to her.
"Really? Then I'll also prepare a gift for Yuyu." Qu Jiaran immediately perked up, with a proud smile on her lips.
After the auction ended, they both stood up and slowly walked out with the crowd.
Qi Zhu suddenly appeared out of nowhere and walked up to Qu Jiaran. He handed her a box.
Qu Jiaran was stunned. "For me?"
Qi Zhu turned his head away awkwardly. "I thought the young lady would like it, so I bought it."
When the box was opened, there was a butterfly - shaped emerald brooch inside.
Qu Jiaran had a flamboyant personality. During the auction, she had only been eyeing the big gemstones and hadn't even glanced at such small jewelry, nor did she care who had bought it.
Anyway, she didn't think much of something worth only a hundred thousand or so.
At this moment, when Qi Zhu gave it to her, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly covered it up. She stuffed the box back into his hands. "… Such a small brooch. The gemstone is as big as my little finger. I'd feel embarrassed wearing it."
Qi Zhu lowered his head, looking a bit flustered. He just held the box in his hand and said nothing.
"What are you standing there for? Help me put it on." Seeing that he didn't move, Qu Jiaran's cheeks also started to flush. "… If you don't put it on for me soon, I really won't take it."
Qi Zhu then came to his senses. The joy on his face couldn't be concealed. He hurriedly put the brooch on for her.
Nan Yu watched this scene from the side and shook her head with a smile.
They slowly walked back into the exhibition hall. Nan Yu decided to ask the staff about the half - stone seal.
The staff naturally recognized Nan Yu and didn't dare to neglect her question. "I'll ask the director of the auction house for you."
The director trotted over and cordially invited Nan Yu and Qu Jiaran to the VIP room.
After they were seated, tea was served.
Nan Yu looked at the director in front of her and said in a gentle tone, "Sir, I'd like to ask about the origin of this item."
The director looked at the picture of the seal, took out his laptop, and searched for a while before answering her seriously. "This was sent to our auction house by Mr. Tan three years ago and he asked us to sell it for him."
Mr. Tan? Tan Jinxian?
Nan Yu was stunned for a second. "Only half of it?"
"Only half."
Nan Yu asked again, "Does Tan Linyuan know about this?"
Before the director could answer, Qu Jiaran jumped in. "Yuyu, there are so many items in the auction house. How could Tan Linyuan be so omniscient as to remember the origin of every single item? He probably doesn't even know that this item was sold through the auction house."
The director quickly nodded. "Miss Qu is right."
It made sense. Tan Linyuan wasn't really interested in such occasions related to fame and fortune.
Even when he needed to buy items for business networking, he usually sent someone else to bid.
"Originally, our auction house put it up for sale without much hope of selling it, since it was only half of a seal."
The director had a very deep impression of this seal. "But on the first day it was put up, it was bought by Mr. Shen."
He sighed. "The estimated price of the half - seal was five million, but he bid thirty million. It was a huge gap, and no one could offer a higher price."
The more Nan Yu listened, the more something seemed off.
Tan Jinxian had just asked the auction house to handle the seal, and then Shen Suhai bought it at a price far higher than its value. There must be some connection between them.
Unable to sort out her thoughts, she decided to go back and ask Tan Linyuan.
Maybe he would know something.
After saying goodbye to the director of the auction house, Qu Jiaran and Nan Yu walked out of the VIP room.
Qu Jiaran was confused. "Yuyu, why are you asking about all this? We can't find the other half anyway."