The meal lasted for nearly an hour. Ethan had gotten a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy, but internally, he remained calm. This life of indulgence wasn't what he was after. His current focus was getting into a university of his choice.
"Hey, buddy, there's a small antiques auction upstairs later. I hear there are some interesting items up for grabs. Let's go check it out," Mr. Grant, seemingly in high spirits after the meal, invited Ethan to join him for some post-dinner entertainment.
The reason Mr. Grant had invited old Louie along was not only to evaluate the "Victoria Queen" artifact but also to help him spot valuable items at the auction.
"Alright, let's join in the fun!" Before Ethan could respond, Mike had already eagerly accepted the invitation. Such private auctions were usually informal, with items coming from personal collections. The authenticity of the pieces depended entirely on one's expertise. Even if someone got swindled, it was a matter of their own judgment. The thrill was what drew the wealthy to these events.
Honestly, Ethan was exhausted after a sleepless night and longed for a soft bed rather than attending an auction. He had little interest in antiques, but since Mike had already agreed, he nodded in acquiescence. Worst case, he could just find a chair and doze off.
Grant, still in a good mood, casually pulled out a gold card, instructed the valet to settle the bill, and led the trio upstairs in an elevator. Ethan, lagging behind, seemed fatigued, struggling to keep up.
At the stairwell entrance, four towering security guards in suits stood, each wearing an earpiece and exuding a fierce aura. When Grant approached, they merely nodded slightly, showing little more than a passing acknowledgment.
Grant smiled faintly and led the group into a room off the hallway. Inside, they found a spacious hall, at least 200 square meters in size, decorated in a traditional and solemn style. Five rows of rosewood armchairs with tea tables were arranged horizontally, and in the center of the room stood a marble podium covered in red velvet.
At first glance, the setting reminded Ethan of his school's auditorium—minus the luxurious rosewood furniture.
Around twenty people were already seated, most of them middle-aged, with a few older individuals whose hair was graying at the temples. Each person was dressed immaculately, clearly successful and wealthy. Among them, Mr. Grant and his group were the youngest.
As they entered, the others glanced at them casually, though the older attendees nodded in recognition when they noticed old Louie.
The auction hadn't yet started, and the group found seats near the back. Two elegantly dressed waitresses soon arrived with fragrant cups of tea. Before they could exchange any pleasantries, the door opened again, and six security guards marched in, carrying three large wooden crates. Following them was a middle-aged man in a navy-blue robe, resembling Louie in appearance.
"This is Juston, the owner of Antique Melody, a well-known figure in the River City antiques scene. It costs at least ten thousand just to get him to host an auction," Mr. Grant whispered to Ethan, explaining the man's significance.
Ethan, yawning, nodded absentmindedly. He had little interest in the proceedings, and if it weren't for the tea keeping him alert, he might have dozed off. He didn't think this rich people's game had anything to do with him; he was just here as a bystander.
Juston smiled warmly as he stepped up to the podium, giving the crowd a respectful nod. He then announced loudly, "Thank you all for coming. Let's skip the small talk and get straight to business. As the saying goes, 'You know the real deal when you see it.' Let's take a look at the goods."
With that, he bent down and opened one of the crates, pulling out a blue-and-white porcelain vase, which he carefully placed on the table. The vase stood about 15 centimeters tall, with a narrow base and a wide body, tapering toward the neck. It bore a resemblance to the vases often depicted in the hands of Buddhist Guanyin statues.
"Everyone, today we're starting with a Chinese Song Dynasty—blue and white glazed vase. This item was purchased in Hebei, China, by Mr. William Alexander in 2009. Let's use it as an icebreaker for tonight's auction."
Juston then picked up the vase and, without warning, hurled it toward the back of the room. A loud crash echoed as the vase shattered into pieces, scattering shards of porcelain across the floor.
The audience gasped, turning their eyes to Mr. Grant, as they all knew that the William Alexander he referred to was Grant's father.
Mr. Grant, unfazed, chuckled, lifted his teacup, and whispered just loud enough for those near him to hear, "D*mn it, that thing cost sixty thousand. Well, at least I got to hear the sound of it breaking…"
Ethan, startled by the sudden commotion, snapped out of his drowsiness and looked at Mr. Grant in confusion. He couldn't understand why anyone would break something so valuable. Sixty thousand! Were these people insane?
Mr. Grant smirked and explained, "The vase was a fake. My old man paid his tuition with that mistake. Now it's being used as a gimmick."
Hearing that, Ethan finally started to understand. It seemed this whole thing was just a ploy to bait people in.
Actually, Ethan was only half right. Juston's stunt had two purposes: first, to grab everyone's attention quickly, and second, to remind the audience that if they ended up with a fake item during the auction, it was due to their own lack of expertise. No one else was to blame.
There was no denying that Juston's trick was effective. The entire room was now fully focused on him. Calmly, he put on a pair of white gloves, bent down again, and carefully removed a blue and white porcelain bowl from the crate. The bowl's rim was shaped like a plum blossom, and he gently placed it in the center of the table.
"The vase I just smashed was a fake. Mr. William specifically asked his son to be here to 'hear it crack.' Well, that part's done. I wonder, Mr. Grant, was the sound satisfying?"
Juston asked casually, turning his gaze toward Grant.
"Crisp as a cracker!" Grant called back loudly, causing several people to burst into laughter. The atmosphere in the room instantly lightened.