"60 million for the first time!" the auctioneer called out from the stage. "Is there a higher bid?"
The auctioneer's gaze was fixed on Dirk, and it was evident that everyone in the room was waiting for Dirk to make the next move. At this point, only Dirk seemed willing to continue bidding, while others, not because they couldn't afford it, simply felt it wasn't necessary.
However, Dirk remained calm, as if he were oblivious to the scrutiny of those around him. He occasionally exchanged a few words with Jake but showed no interest in the painting he had vigorously competed for earlier. Why had he suddenly given up?
Observing Dirk's behavior, the onlookers understood that he had indeed decided to quit. He had no intention of making another bid. Nevertheless, people were puzzled by Dirk's sudden change of heart.
"Dirk, are you really out of money? Can't your Dirk family afford this now? Do you need me to lend you some?" Jude continued to provoke Dirk, trying to ignite his anger.
"I appreciate your kind offer, Jude," Dirk responded calmly, his expression no longer as unpleasant as before. "I'm not lacking money, not at all. But I don't want to waste it."
Not wanting to waste money? What about all the continuous bidding earlier? Clearly, the price had already exceeded the painting's intrinsic value, yet Dirk had continued to raise his bids. Wasn't that considered wasting money? The audience found it hard to believe Dirk's explanation, but they couldn't fathom his true intentions.
Bob, the elderly gentleman, watched the situation unfold but with a different perspective from the others. While everyone was speculating why Dirk had suddenly given up, Bob was observing Jake.
Bob had observed that Dirk and Jake had exchanged words earlier, and during that conversation, Dirk's facial expression had changed. Following that, Dirk had suddenly decided to withdraw from the bidding. Being a shrewd individual, Bob immediately guessed that Jake's involvement might have led to Dirk's sudden change of heart.
"Jake, who are you really?" Bob muttered to himself in a low voice.
After Jake had left the previous day, Bob had arranged for an investigation into Jake's background. The results of the investigation revealed that Jake had a very ordinary background, and there was nothing suspicious about his origins. However, Bob found it increasingly intriguing because Jake's culinary skills, his possession of the purple sandalwood, and his apparent expertise in appraisal were all aspects that couldn't be explained easily. Jake seemed like an ordinary person on the surface, yet an air of mystery surrounded him.
Initially, Bob had suspected that Jake might have ulterior motives, but after reviewing Jake's background, he had largely ruled out that possibility. Jake's origins were too ordinary to have any connection with the world of cultivation. However, Bob couldn't explain why Jake had such an abundance of vitality within him when he had no exposure to cultivation.
Due to these unexplained aspects of Jake's character, Bob had grown increasingly curious and wanted to learn more. Hence, he had invited Jake for a conversation after the auction ended.
"60 million for the second time!" Seeing that Dirk showed no intention of bidding further, the auctioneer had to continue with the countdown.
Jude's expression turned unpleasant. Could he end up with the painting now? He hadn't intended to buy it from the start. Sixty million was by no means a small sum for Jude. As a wealthy heir without much real authority, he relied on his family for his living expenses, and he had no significant savings of his own. He couldn't afford to put forward sixty million. If he ended up with the painting, he would have to ask his family for more money.
"However, winning over Dirk and taking something he cherishes is a small victory for me," Jude consoled himself in his heart. "60 million for the third time!"
"Sold!" The gavel fell, and the deal was sealed. The painting, filled with controversy and discussion, was finally won by Jude for 60 million.
"Congratulations, Jude."
"Well done, Jude."
The people around congratulated Jude, and despite the bitterness he felt inside, he wore a smile on his face. He engaged with those around him and provocatively glanced at Dirk.
"Dirk, I'm sorry about this. The painting you had your eye on has been taken by me. I wonder how you'll explain it to your father tonight. Haha," Jude laughed loudly. His original intention for bidding on this painting was to humiliate Dirk. Even though the situation had deviated slightly from his initial plan, it didn't stop him from taunting Dirk.
"If you like it, take it. I just hope you won't regret it," Dirk replied calmly. "Regret? Why would I regret it for 60 million? Although it's not a small sum, I can still afford it. Would I regret it for that? But Dirk, you can't even afford 60 million. I'm starting to doubt your family's strength. There have been rumors about your family facing troubles, and I used to dismiss them. Now it seems that those rumors might be true," Jude said.
"As for our family matters, you don't need to worry about them. If you have time, you'd better focus on your own affairs. What you bought for 60 million might not be a treasure but rather trash!" Dirk retorted.
"Trash?" Jude laughed heartily. "Dirk, since you couldn't afford it yourself and are now saying such things, doesn't it make you seem petty?"
"Heh," Dirk just smiled at Jude and remained silent.
The auction continued. However, after the heated rivalry between Dirk and Jude, the subsequent auctions seemed rather uneventful. It wasn't until Jake and Dirk's painting, "Farewell to a Guest," was presented that the atmosphere in the room heated up once again.
"Now, let's proceed to the next item, the highlight of tonight's auction," the auctioneer raised his voice. With the expectant eyes of the audience fixed on him, he slowly unveiled the calligraphy piece.
Jake's heart raced as it was finally time for his item to be auctioned. The fate of his store's financial problems depended on this moment.