Tang Boyi officially announced the beginning of the bid.
It took a while for people to snap out I their daze but when one of the guests put in their bid, everyone went crazy with the bids.
None of the people in the private auction rooms took action yet as if to wait for the small fry to stop bidding before they took real action.
It was when the price reached five hundred million dollars net that the fight had dwindled to two people who felt a slight joyfulness at the fact that none of the real big shots had bidded yet.
The one with the upper hand once wondered if the other people were not interested in the diamond at all but his smile soon crashed as the real big people took action.
He suddenly felt small as he saw how real billionaires bidded.
"The price shot from five hundred million net to seven hundred million in a matter of seconds!" A young man from a middle class family who was lucky enough to attend the auction felt like his lips were patched at the burning revelation.
That was ten times his family's whole networth.
Someone was casually using the money to buy a diamond.
The man felt his heart bleed at the stark difference in social standing. No wonder their elders had drilled it into their minds since young that there were just a class of people you don't joke around with.
This was that class.
Those below a certain networth swallowed in realization. They suddenly felt like they shouldn't even be there at all and yet to the outside world, they were millionaires to be revered but in this place, they were some big shots lackey.
Han Ziyou breathed lightly while looking at the diamond. Her chest was heavy. With a strange need to never let go of the diamond. Never let it out of her sight. She wanted to protect it from anyone and everyone. It was special. It was delicate despite being the hardest thing in the world.
Han Ziyou shook her head at her thoughts. She wanted to laugh at her crazy thoughts but this feeling was heavy. She didn't understand it.
"I have an upper limit of one billion dollars on my card. How—" Han Ziyou wondered to herself in a low voice. She had already used part of that money long before.
Qin Jun was about to say something but in the few seconds of thought, the price had reached the unimaginable.
"One billion." The heavy and hot tension in the atmosphere could burn the Amazon Forest to ash.
After that, no one dared to place another bid. Because regardless of how rich these families were, they still knew it would be a bit impractical to go on. Sure their networth was in a good hundreds of billions but was it worth it.
Everyone looked at the diamond in a silence that was so sharp it could cut the diamond.
All eyes scanned the private auction rooms wondering who was inside them. Especially who gave out the one billion bid.
Tang Boyi looked up at auction room number one with a slight frown. Why hadn't that person bidded? Was he still testing the limits of his competitors?
Tang Boyi shivered lightly but he was awed wondering in excitement what bid that man was gonna put in. Maybe he'd add five hundred million right off the bat. That would surely scare the other top ten families away.
Make them think twice and the quick thinkers would soon realize that only one man was capable of increasing a bid price by such an exaggerated number.
I mean come on. He had the money.
And indeed, back in private auction room number one, our male protagonist looked at the stage in silence for a while waiting for further bids and he shook his head as if disappointed by the limits of the other families.
He twirled the black onyx ring on his finger. It was pitch black with a thin gold thread wound around it.
Elder Sun and Long Haitian looked at Long Feng Jian in silence. Disturbing him in his silence was more lethal than setting off a bomb.
Then finally Long Feng Jian got the tablet that allowed those in the private auction rooms to set in their bids.
He put in some figures and pressed OK to confirm his bid. He returned his unreadable gaze to the red diamond. His eyes narrowing a fraction.
If everyone's heart had calmed down before, now they had been thrown back in the hurricane they had just left and this one was worse.
People's chests were practically wheezing at the sum. It stung badly when you realized that the gap between you and another rich person was like the gap between heaven and earth.
Tang Boyi was also limp and his jaw was slack open from shock. For gawd sake, he had said add just half a billion but that person had gone and out right increased the price by the current price.
The two billion on the screen was mocking every single person that thought they were rich.
All the people in the private auction rooms felt their hearts skip at least five beats. Their expressions paling lightly. They weren't fools. Few among even the top ten could fish out two billion dollars out of their pockets and not feel the dent.
Only the top three families and to be specific, the high ranked members that is to say the helmsmen of the said families, the chairman and CEO of the family businesses and lastly anyone they handed out their black cards out to could use that much money.
But this kind of ruthless and oppressive outbidding. This sense of dominion that suddenly filled the whole auction room without permission only belonged to one man and one man only.
Him! Was he back in the country? Why hadn't their sources already informed them?
The high and mighty suddenly felt their skin itch uncomfortably.
Qin Jun narrowed his eyes. He could also guess whom it was. He wasn't as scared as everyone else though. It's more like he felt excitement at the prospect of his proud older brother having to get ready to met a friend he was wary of.
But then Qin Jun wondered why that guy bought the diamond. He wasn't the type to want jewelry usually. Was he buying it for someone maybe?
Qin Jun was still lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Han Ziyou clench her hands tight before loosening them.
She bit her lip before regaining her composure. The diamond was gone. She couldn't protect it. She had failed to gain it because she wasn't capable enough yet.
Han Ziyou didn't know why as she heard the last word sold leave Tang Boyi's mouth, it stung like a million needles in her chest.
Everyone had either been too scared or too intimidated to outbid whatever person was in that private room number one. He had to be one hell of a capable man.
Even Zhou Lin looked at those figures on the screen that still stood out and she was awed. Which kind of rich was that! Double the bid. Crush Everyone else.
Zhou Lin calmed herself as she held Ming Xian's arm but something in her wavered ever so slightly.
This auction had reminded her that even Ming Xian would eventually have to bow his head in defeat to someone else.
It didn't sit well with her pride. She wanted to be at the very top where she could crush anyone without fear.
But in this world only one man had that power and there was absolutely no woman that had ever gotten close to him long enough to stand a chance of staying with him forever.
'I guess I have to stay with Ming Xian until I can move on higher.' Zhou Lin thought to herself.
Ming Xian sneered internally. He was sensitive enough to not have a woman pull a fast one on him. If this little naive woman thought her tricks could work in the vicious world of the top ten, she was joking.
But Ming Xian kept smiling.
What a dangerous world for sure!
Han Ziyou looked dull after the diamond was sold to someone else. She didn't even bother wondering who took it. She was bothered by how attached she seemed to the diamond.
She didn't even pay attention to Tang Boyi who was announcing the close of the auction and informing the guests of the simple after auction get together.
A few drinks here and there. Interactions too. You could stay or you could leave but of course the simple uprising families wouldn't dare miss out this opportunity.
Everyone especially wanted to see that mysterious two billion buyer but they knew better than to expect to see such a person.
They where not worthy enough yet.
"I'll be heading to my place. You can stay if you want." Han Ziyou told Qin Jun who shook his head with that quirky smile of his.
"Too many of your adoring fans around. I may get mobbed literally." Qin Jun said with a soft laugh hoping to elevate Han Ziyou's mood but all she did was smile before focusing on leaving the building.
"I wonder who bought the diamond." Han Ziyou finally wondered aloud to herself as they left the building, the chaffeur waiting for them.
Qin Jun looked around carefully before closing in next to Han Ziyou. He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper as if afraid someone will hear him.
"I know whom it is but I hear he has ears in walls and he may hear us and it's off with my head."
Han Ziyou laughed softly at how Qin Jun over exaggerated it.
"Well just whisper the name at an even lower tone. The walls can't even have amplifiers can they?"
Qin Jun looked around before saying. "It's your male version boss. The infamous Long Feng Jian."
Han Ziyou paused. She first raised a brow at Qin Jun's ridiculous comparison before her eyes narrowed into slits.
'Long Feng Jian.'
The name alone was imposing.
"How do you know it's him?" Han Ziyou asked quietly. For sure they should keep their voices down. With that man, even a fly bypassing you could be his spy.
"I just know boss lady."
If anyone looked at the way the two were talking, they'd assume they were teens gossipping.
Han Ziyou straightened herself contemplating. If it was with that man, there was no dreaming of even taking it away without him willingly giving it out and with the fact that someone such as him would willingly bid for the diamond, it wasn't likely that he would give it out.
Han Ziyou shook her head as she entered the car but that diamond had left such a deep impression on her that she wanted to see it again.
Don't get me wrong. She wasn't becoming some psycho jewelry obssesionist but something about that diamond felt personal in her. Sentimental even.
.....
Back in private auction room number one, Long Feng Jian stood up from the chair. He had obtained what he wanted and now he had to leave.
Elder Sun smiled and stood up to escort him out.
Long Haitian looked at his brother and scoffed lightly. "Do you know you're such a bully brother." Long Haitian was still thinking of how his brother spent two billion on a whim.
He felt wronged.
This brother of his controlled his allowances.
He was surprisingly stingy on him. Yet here he was. So not fair.
Long Feng Jian raised a brow slowly, dangerously and Long Haitian was up and straight on his feet in seconds.
He was stone rigid at his brother's stare. He didn't even dare to look him in the eye. 'With that stare. Brother should have joined the military. He'd probably be some big shot general by now. Soo scary!'
Long Haitian smiled apologetically with that harmless smile. Long Feng Jian reached out to him with his hand. It was soo quick so sudden but surprisingly, Long Haitian was soo nimble and quick on his feet that he dodged Long Feng Jian.
After dodging his brother, he retreated a few steps away. He looked at his brother carefully, sharply. His gaze and aura steady but chilling. It was a stark contrast to his previous childishness.
He looked mature abruptly. Battle ready and dangerous even. A seventeen year old.
Elder Sun was a bit stunned but he shook his head with a sly smile. 'These Long family brothers were soo unpredictable and soo dangerous. Even the teenager who was playing around a few seconds ago was so unexpectedly smooth at shifting faces.'
Long Feng Jian smiled. A small smile of satisfaction. He shook his head and lowered his hand.
"At least now I know that you didn't slack off at your classes. Now come here."
Long Haitian swallowed but he still walked up to his brother carefully but what he didn't expect was to receive a pat on the back.
His jaw nearly hit the ground in shock. He looked at his brother wondering if his brain wires had fried.
"You can stay at my place longer. As long as you stay the hell out of my work and make yourself useful. Remember, I've given you only the remainder of the year to breathe after military school."
"After that, I'm shifting you off for college."
Long Haitian's jaw twitched in irritation.
"What was the use of the act of brotherly love when you were just gonna shove me back in prison." Long Haitian complained with a pout. His relaxed attitude returning.
Long Feng Jian looked at him. His dark grey eyes softening slightly.
"You'll thank me one day." He said smoothly.
Long Haitian pulled his hoodie back over his head and pocketed his hands. "Well Thank you." He said sarcastically.
...