The first round of the auction began.
It was a 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, with a starting bid of 200,000.
The host briefly introduced the history of Screaming Eagle Winery and emphasized that this was a vintage wine from 1992, with higher collection value than tasting value.
After the introduction, the bidding started.
Many people in the audience raised their paddles to bid.
These people were already well aware of the gimmick of a charity wine reception; being invited, having the champions from the ten major divisions perform for them, and drinking excellent red wine was already enough.
Now it was their turn to show their support.
So everyone made a token effort.
They all eagerly bid.
The price of the vintage wine soared, quickly reaching 1.6 million.
The host was already delighted.
This price met their expectations.
So, seeing that no one in the audience was bidding anymore, the host prepared to gavel it down.
But at this critical moment, someone suddenly shouted from the back, “Two million.”
A stir went through the crowd.
Everyone turned to look.
However, upon seeing the person who made the bid, everyone looked bewildered.
It was Chen Feng?
The champion of the Yanjing division, a newcomer whose popularity had recently surged.
What was he doing?
Could it be that for this kind of charity wine reception auction, the production team even arranged for someone to drive up the price?
And so blatantly?
The host was also stunned.
He turned to look at Director Ning, the chief director, who was behind him.
Ning Jia was also confused; she quickly got up and walked to the front of the stage: “Chen Feng, don’t mess around.”
Chen Feng, however, walked calmly to the front and smiled: “Director Ning, I’m not messing around. The production team didn’t stipulate that we couldn’t bid, did they?”
Ning Jia: “…”
Chen Feng continued: “Besides, the proceeds from this charity wine reception auction are for the disaster-stricken areas in the west. Wouldn’t this also count as me contributing a small effort?”
Ning Jia broke out in a sweat.
Starting with two million, was that considered a ‘small effort’?
Your ‘small effort’ is too exaggerated.
Not to mention, among the guests in this room, how many millionaires are there? They might not even pay a single cent in the end.
Those with a bit of compassion would donate a few tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands at most.
Where did you, a small-time actor, get two million?
You’re clearly here to drive up the price, aren’t you?
Thank you, ancestor.
Don’t raise it blindly; it’s too obvious.
It’s already quite good for a bottle of old wine to sell for over a million.
They only acquired it for over eighty thousand.
Ning Jia took a deep breath, looked at Chen Feng seriously, and said: “Chen Feng, today we are holding a charity wine reception. Your task was to perform, and it’s already over. Now, this is the special occasion for these big bosses. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
Chen Feng nodded, but still said: “But I really like this bottle of wine.”
Ning Jia: “…You insist on bidding, don’t you?”
Chen Feng: “Yes.”
Ning Jia was speechless.
Alright!
I’ll see how you pay for it then.
Anyway, the production team won’t front the money for you.
Even if you seem very popular now, popularity needs to be monetized, otherwise, it’s useless.
Ning Jia didn’t bother anymore.
The auction continued.
Everyone stared at Chen Feng; no one else followed the bid.
Finally, the host swiftly brought down the gavel.
This bottle of wine was thus acquired by Chen Feng.
There was a buzz of discussion among the crowd.
Everyone looked at Chen Feng with a strange expression.
Although the previous magic trick had greatly shocked everyone, the matter of money was not something a newly popular small-time actor like Chen Feng could afford.
Seeing the red wine taken away by Chen Feng, Director Ning couldn’t help but ask again: “Chen Feng, you know you spent two million to buy a bottle of red wine, right?”
“I know.”
Chen Feng nodded.
“Is it worth it?”
“It’s worth it.”
Chen Feng looked at her very seriously: “Director Ning, the value of this bottle of wine, if put up for auction in the Western World, would fetch a price of five million and above, with no upper limit.”
Saying this, Chen Feng did not hide anything, explaining the history of this bottle of wine and its unique value one by one in front of everyone.
The surroundings were filled with astonishment.
Among the people present, many were wine lovers.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to raise the price of an old bottle of wine to over a million so quickly.
However, regarding this 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, no one truly knew its value.
So after listening to Chen Feng’s words, everyone was half-believing and half-doubting for a moment.
Some people had already started to regret it.
If it could be sold for over five million at an overseas auction, wouldn’t that be a huge profit?
One must know that the number of people who drink red wine in China is still a minority.
The real red wine market is abroad.
Did they really misjudge it?
However, Ning Jia was only concerned about whether Chen Feng actually had the money to pay the two million, so she tentatively asked: “Chen Feng, will this payment be a direct transfer on site or…”
“I don’t have that much money right now.”
Chen Feng smiled: “I’ll find someone to transfer the money to you later.”
After saying that, he picked up the wine and turned to walk away to a distant spot.
Ning Jia: “…”
Alright!
The auction continued.
Soon, the second auction item was brought out.
A celebrity’s calligraphy and painting.
It was said to be a piece by a modern old artist.
Needless to say, it must be from someone with connections.
Chen Feng wasn’t interested and didn’t pay attention.
He returned backstage and put the red wine into his suitcase.
He would take it back to drink.
To taste what a million-dollar bottle of red wine tasted like.
…
Forty minutes later.
Four rounds of bidding had passed.
Aside from the red wine that Chen Feng bid on, which fetched a sky-high price of two million, the remaining three items were priced at a few hundred thousand or at most just over a million.
So after four rounds of bidding, only a total of over 4.7 million had been raised.
It was somewhat meager.
The production team had put on such a grand show, live-streaming the entire charity wine reception, and invited so many hidden big shots, yet the charity funds were not up to standard.
They couldn’t even raise ten million?
Only the last auction item remained.
When the item was brought out, a buzzing discussion erupted in the hall.
Because only the last item looked like an old artifact.
A dark, black ornament.
It looked like a flower.
The host introduced it as an ancient artifact, whose age could not be determined, but it was definitely an antique.
The material was likely ink jade.
It was carved into the shape of an ink jade orchid.
Since the age could not be determined, the production team set the starting price at one million.
Guests had twenty minutes to admire and handle it, could take photos freely, and even ask someone for an estimated price.
Anyway, the starting price was one million.
Upon hearing such a high starting price, the guests couldn’t sit still.
You could say that celebrity calligraphy and paintings or old wines might not be liked by everyone, but antiques are generally liked by wealthy people.
This is called feigning elegance.
If they could really find a priceless antique, they would make a huge profit.
So for a while, all the guests successively came forward to admire, take photos, and ask for information.
The venue was noisy.
During this time, Chen Feng remained outside.
He went to the restroom, then stood by the window to get some fresh air.
Just then, a sudden gasp erupted from inside the venue, the sound waves even reaching outside into the corridor.
Chen Feng was surprised.
What was sold that was so exciting?
He turned and slowly walked back into the venue, returning to the corner bar, and casually asked Erma: “What happened? So excited?”
Erma said excitedly with a smile: “Feng Ge, the last auction item is very popular! It’s already reached three million in such a short time.”
“Hmm?”
Chen Feng was stunned.
What kind of item was so valuable?
He curiously picked up a glass of red wine, slowly walked closer, and glanced at the item displayed on the stand, feeling a shock in his heart.
Then, instantly adopting the role of an Appraiser, he carefully looked at it twice.
A name slowly emerged in his mind.
ink jade orchid?
An ancient Orchid Gate token, almost from the same period as the dao ling (thief's token).
This thing must be over a thousand years old.