Power and Wealth

Two days later.

It’s 5.45 am, and it is still dark outside. Ring... ring... the phone’s alarm went off.

Dong Xuebing woke up and gave his iPhone 4 a slap, switching off the alarm, before turning over to hug Qu Yunxuan’s naked body from the back. His face was buried in her hair, smelling her sweet fragrance. “Why did you set the alarm so early? It is not even 6 am. Let’s snooze a while more.”

Qu Yunxuan rubbed her eyes and grabbed Dong Xuebing’s hand. “Today is our first auction, and I got to be at the venue to take care of things.”

Dong Xuebing hugged her tightly.” We slept at 2 am, and you should rest more. Don’t tire yourself out. Health is more important.”

“You know health is more important, and you still torture me until so late?” Qu Yunxuan gave Dong Xuebing a pinch on his hand. “I almost died last night. Let go of me now. I got to go to the hotel ballroom to set up the venue.”

Dong Xuebing replied. “Call me something nice, and I will let you go.”

Qu Yunxuan put on a stern look. “I will beat you up if you don’t let go of your hands.”

“I don’t care.”

“......”

Dong Xuebing gave Qu Yunxuan’s butt a slap. “Hurry up.”

“... Xiao Bing Ge Ge (Ge Ge = big brother), my dearest Ge Ge...”

Dong Xuebing felt satisfied. “Ok, ok... go...”

Qu Yunxuan escaped from Dong Xuebing and gave him a slap on his butt. “Idiot! Stop bullying me all the time. You can go back to sleep first. The auction will start at 9 am.” Qu Yunxuan scolded and bend over to give him a kiss. “I will prepare breakfast and warm it up after you wake up, ok?”

“Ok... Is the auction pass under someone else name ready?”

“It is on the coffee table. What do you need it for? You want to bid something?”

“I got my uses for it, and you will know later.”

“Ok. Go back to sleep.”

Qu Yunxuan got off the bed and went to the washroom to brush her teeth... twice. She seems to want to clean her mouth thoroughly because of all the ‘dirty’ stuff from yesterday. After getting home from the pre-auction exhibition yesterday, she never had the opportunity to wear back her clothes. Whenever Xiao Bing wants, she will lay on the bed obediently and let him do whatever he wants with her. It was a tiring day for Qu Yunxuan and Dong Xuebing used all the positions he knows on her. He didn’t even let her mouth off. That’s why Qu Yunxuan wants to brush her teeth clean to prevent any weird smell.

After Qu Yunxuan left, Dong Xuebing continued sleeping until 8 am.

He got off the bed unwillingly to wash up before leaving for the auction venue.

This is Yun De Auction Company’s first auction, and it is made or break for them. If the items in the auction are not sold or sold at low prices, the company will lose its customers and get a bad reputation. No one will want to let them auction off their items. Dong Xuebing knows the importance of this auction and saved a few days of BACK for this. If the first auction is a success, the company will have a bright future.

9 am. Fei Yu International hotel.

Qu Yunxuan, in a woman’s business suit, was standing on the stage with a smile. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Yun De Auction Company’s first auction. We are a new company, but I believe every one of you will find something that interests you.”

Dong Xuebing sat down quietly looking at Qu Yunxuan. She looks like a businesswoman and is different from the homely housewife Dong Xuebing is used to. Other than Dong Xuebing, everyone else was staring at the stage, but they are not looking at the items on the exhibit. They were captivated by Qu Yunxuan’s beauty.

After Qu Yunxuan finishes her opening speech, the crowd applause.

Qu Yunxuan laughed and said. “Can the auctioneer please come up and start the auction?”

After the auctioneer come onto the stage, Qu Yunxuan and her assistant, Xiao Tao, walk to the side and to watch the auctions nervously. They were nervous as they had invested all their time and resources into the auction, and if it fails, Yun De Auction Company might close down.

The auction for the first item started.

To everyone’s surprise, the first item to be auctioned is the Tian Yang white jade hairpin. Dong Xuebing knew this was arranged by Aunt Xuan to spice up the crowd’s excitement.

The bidding for the hairpin started at 500,000 RMB.

An old man with white bread raised his sign. 510,000 RMB.

A man from the southern province raised his sign. 520,000 RMB.

A middle-aged woman, who is slightly plump, shouted. “600,000 RMB!”

The audience started bidding and within seconds, the highest bid was 700,000 RMB. Dong Xuebing thought about the quality of the jade and the year it was made and felt it should worth around 800,000 RMB. Anything above this amount is a success.

“Number 23 bidded 700,000 RMB... 700,000 once... Are there any more bids? 700,000 ... 700,000 twice...”

Dong Xuebing waited for a while, and no one was raising their signs or making higher bids.

Qu Yunxuan, who was watching closely, could hear her heart beating and had a bad feeling.

“700,000... no more bids? 700,000 th...”

This is not a good start. Dong Xuebing looked around and raised his sign. “800,000!”

Qu Yunxuan, who was standing some distance away, turned and saw it was Dong Xuebing who made the bid and realized why Dong Xuebing asked for a bidding sign. He wants to push up the bids at the auction. But most auctions will arrange someone to do this, and Qu Yunxuan also arranged someone to do this. The person she hired is a professional and could estimate the highest bid. That person should know more than Dong Xuebing and now, that person had given up raising the bids and that means no one should offer higher bids. Why did Dong Xuebing make such a high bid? He increased the bid by 100,000 RMB! What happens if no one makes a higher bid?

Xiao Tao had met Dong Xuebing before and asked. “Sis Qu, isn’t that your nephew?”

“800,000 once... Number 66 bid 800,000...”

Qu Yunxuan did not answer and quickly call Dong Xuebing. “Xiao Bing, stop your nonsense!”

Dong Xuebing replied confidently. “I know what to do. Just stay there and watch. Oh, did you hire anyone to increase the bids? Remind him not to compete with me. Bye.”

Qu Yunxuan put down her phone.

Xiao Tao was anxious. “Sister Qu!”

“Let him do what he wants. He seldom disappoints others.” Qu Yunxuan calmed down and forced herself to not look at Dong Xuebing.

The woman who had made the bid earlier frowned and raised her sign. “850,000 RMB!”

Qu Yunxuan and Xiao Tao were relieved, but before they can relax, their hearts jumped again!

Dong Xuebing raised his sign again. “900,000!” 900,000 RMB is more than the value of the Jade hairpin!

The woman sitting in the front row raised her sign slowly, without turning back. 910,000.

Dong Xuebing saw her slowing down and increased the bid by 10,000 to 920,000 RMB.

The woman finally turned back and look towards Dong Xuebing’s direction. “950,000!”

Dong Xuebing raised his sign calmly. “960,000!”

The woman got mad and threw her bidding sign on the floor. She is not bidding anymore.

“960,000 once... Number 66 is bidding 960,000... are there any more bids? 960,000 twice...” The auctioneer looked at the crowd and hit his hammer. “960,000 thrice!”

BACK 90 seconds!

The scenes changed!

The moment Dong Xuebing got back to his senses, he saw the woman looking at him. “950,000!”

Dong Xuebing lowered his bidding sign and kept quiet.

A few moments later, that jade hairpin was sold at 950,000 RMB. This price is way above the value of the hairpin, which is around 600,000 to 700,000 RMB. Dong Xuebing had increased it by 300,000!

Xiao Tao patted her chest and said. “Sis Qu, your nephew nearly scares the wits out of me. He even dares to make over 900,000 RMB bids! He will be in trouble if no one makes higher bids.” But when Xiao Tao remembered this is only the first item on auction, she got excited. “We still have lots of items on auction in the afternoon. If every item can fetch high prices, our company will be famous! More people will want to use our services!”

Qu Yunxuan also hopes the two boxes of Ginseng will fetch high prices, but she is not very confident.

The rest of the items in the morning were not special, and the prices were not high. Dong Xuebing also did not interfere with the bidding.

Soon, it is around noon, and the item to be auctioned is the 90 years old Ginseng!

Dong Xuebing was afraid Aunt Xuan will get worried and called her. “Xiao Xuan Xuan, tell your people not to interfere in this and the next item. I will raise the bids, and if there are genuinely interested people, the price will be sky high.”

Qu Yunxuan replied. “I don’t know where you get your confidence, but no one knows how much people will bid for this ginseng. What if...”

“Aiya... I know what I am doing. Watch me.”

“Don’t make high bids. This auction is already a success as all items had met and exceeded our expected prices. I don’t want any accidents to happen in the final two items.”

“Don’t worry. You don’t trust me?”

The auction for the ginseng started, and the base price is 700,000 RMB.

This Ginseng had attracted more bidders than the jade hairpin. Many people had come to this auction for this wild ginseng. The Auctioneer was overwhelmed with bids. “Number 36 offered 710,000... Are there any.... Oh, number 20... 720,000... 730,000... 750,000! Number 36 bids 750,000... Going once... 800,000!”

Everyone started bidding, and the highest bid now is 830,000 RMB.

Dong Xuebing rubbed his nose and felt this price is considered average. But seeing there are no more new bids, he raised his sign and shouted. “900,000!”

10 seconds...

20 seconds...

A balding man made a higher bid. “930,000!”

Dong Xuebing shouted without thinking. “1 million!”

That balding man looked at Dong Xuebing and said. “1.05 million!”

Dong Xuebing felt this man can still make higher bids. “1.1 million!”

Qu Yunxuan, who was standing by the stage, slapped her forehead. If Dong Xuebing was beside her, she would pinch him with all her might!

That balding man stopped bidding, but about 10 seconds later, a young man made a higher offer. “1.13 million!”

Dong Xuebing quickly increase his bid. “1.15 million!”

The crowd goes silent, and everyone turned to look at Dong Xuebing. Everyone wants to know who he was.

......

40 minutes later, Yun De Auction Company ended its first auction successfully.

The crowd is still discussing the final two auction items. No one had expected the two wild ginsengs to fetch such ridiculous pricing. The first wild ginseng is 90 years old, and the second is 100 years old. People will think these wild ginsengs are 150 years old with the transacted prices!

Dong Xuebing and Qu Yunxuan were secretly meeting in a hotel room.

Dong Xuebing laughed. “Haha... What did I say? Xiao Xuan Xuan... What do you think of my performance today?”

Qu Yunxuan: “......”

“Say something.”

“The 90 years old ginseng is sold at 1.2 million, the 100 years old is sold at 1.65 million and the white jade hairpin... what do you want me to say?” Qu Yunxuan pinched Dong Xuebing’s cheeks. “I don’t understand how you know the highest bid others will offer? How do you know there will be higher bids? What if no one makes higher bids? I don’t understand how you get this confidence.”

Dong Xuebing laughed. “Don’t you think you should reward me tonight?”

Qu Yunxuan blushed and gave him a stare. “You want a beating? You are still not satisfied with last night?!”

“I will never be satisfied when I am with you.”

“I will beat you up if you continue your nonsense!”

After some teasing and touching, Qu Yunxuan went back to work with a grin. The items had fetched high prices at her auction, and this the start of Yun De Auction Company’s success!