"If I'm not mistaken, you must be the Mr. Chen that the girl from the Sun Family mentioned, right?" Liu Yumei said with an amiable smile.

Chen Zheng returned the smile, not hiding a thing. "Hello, Miss Liu. I am Chen Zheng."

"I hear you're interested in the Zhu Ling Grass in my possession. Have you thought this through, Mr. Chen?" Liu Yumei's lips curved into a meaningful smile as she looked at him. "When I bought this medicinal herb, that girl charged quite a sum. If you want it, that'll all be part of the price!"

"Miss Liu, money is no issue. Name your price," Chen Zheng said calmly.

"Very well. We can discuss the details after things here are concluded," Liu Yumei nodded.

"Sure."

Just as the auction was about to begin, a woman hurried toward them.

"Cousin, I'm so sorry! It's all because of those blind bastards who just threw me out. It was only after I mentioned your name that they reluctantly let me back in!" the woman said in a low, furious voice.

This woman was, of course, Sun Yan, who had just been ejected.

Chen Zheng looked somewhat surprised to see her. He never would have expected Sun Yan to be Liu Yumei's cousin; he had no idea they were related.

"Alright, alright," Liu Yumei said, her brow furrowing slightly. She had Sun Yan sit beside her. "The auction is about to start, so sit down and be quiet."

But as soon as Sun Yan sat down, her eyes fell upon Chen Zheng, and she froze.

"Chen Zheng, why are you here?" she practically ground out the words through clenched teeth.

She had not forgotten that it was this damned man who had ordered her to be thrown out moments ago. The humiliation and hatred had seeped into her very bones.

"You know Mr. Chen?" Liu Yumei asked, a little surprised.

"Mr. Chen? Please," Sun Yan scoffed. "Cousin, don't give this guy any respect! He's just a mere grunt fresh out of the army, a good-for-nothing waste of space! His wife happens to be my best friend, and she ran all the way from the mountains to my place, hiding out just to divorce him!"

Hearing her cousin's words, Liu Yumei's brow tightened. She instantly felt uncomfortable. Sun Doudou had introduced someone like this to her? Just based on the fact that he was a mere grunt back from the army, how could he possibly afford that medicinal herb?

Learning Chen Zheng's supposed identity, Liu Yumei's expression soured.

"I'd advise you to watch what you say. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind having you thrown out again," Chen Zheng said, his voice icy.

"You—"

"Enough! Don't say another word. The auction is about to start, so don't ruin my excitement," Liu Yumei cut her cousin off, ignoring whatever else she was about to say.

Her attention was now entirely focused on the items up for auction.

"By the way, there won't be any problem with that item you mentioned, will there?" Liu Yumei suddenly asked, lowering her voice.

"You can rest assured, Cousin. There won't be any issues. My friend at the antique shop said that those big clients from out of town are desperately trying to acquire that painting! As long as you buy it today, you can flip it for at least three to five times the price. This is insider information, I would never lie to you!" Sun Yan said, patting her chest with absolute confidence.

As she spoke, she glanced around cautiously, terrified someone might have overheard her.

"Cousin, if we win the bid today, about the ten million my husband needs..."

"Don't worry. Once this is settled, I'll have the money transferred directly to your husband," Liu Yumei nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Cousin! You're the best sister ever..."

Liu Yumei paid no mind to the flattery. Truthfully, in the grand family hierarchy, she and Sun Yan were so distantly related one had to stretch the definition to even call them kin. Recently, Sun Yan's husband's company, Tianwei Si, was in dire need of cash, which was why she had sought out Liu Yumei for no small sum—a direct request for ten million. For a top-tier clan like the Liu Family of Jiangnan, this amount was trivial. But Liu Yumei was no great philanthropist who would help just anyone. It was only because Sun Yan claimed to have inside information from the antique shop that could lead to a significant profit at the auction. Only because of this had Liu Yumei agreed to consider her loan request. If she could successfully acquire the painting, she would naturally lend the money to Wu Peng.

But sitting nearby, Chen Zheng had heard everything. He was skeptical. Could such a good deal really exist? What kind of painting could possibly be flipped for more than triple its price on the spot?

「Before long, the auction officially began!」

The Sun Family's auction was of an exceptionally high caliber. Even the opening items were priced in the millions, as some initial pieces were needed to liven up the atmosphere. Jade, vases, and porcelain were presented one after another before some incredibly precious works of painting and calligraphy were brought out.

After nearly forty minutes, an ancient painting, purported to be from the Tang Dynasty, instantly captured the attention of most of the audience.

The reason was simple: it was claimed to be an authentic work by Wu Daozi!

The work was nameless, depicting an old man seated cross-legged. It looked ancient, yet the brushwork remained remarkably clear. Various details confirmed its authenticity beyond any doubt.

"Cousin, that's the painting! It's definitely the one," Sun Yan whispered excitedly beside her. "My friend said those wealthy out-of-towners are specifically looking for this. You have to buy it, no matter what!"

Liu Yumei did not rush to bid, but her eyes gleamed with excitement. The painting's starting bid of five million yuan was proof enough of its value.

In the ensuing moments, others continuously placed bids, driving the price up to nearly eight million.

Only then did Liu Yumei seize the opportunity, raising her bidding paddle. "I bid ten million!"

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