Yang Qian sneered inwardly.
Li Chonglou dared to treat him like a fool, openly raising the price to make him take over.
Did he really think all rich second generations cared about face?
He had bought countless diamond rings of this caliber, they meant nothing to him.
Three million?
That was merely to make Li Chonglou take over the deal.
He was a rich second generation, but certainly not a fool.
After raising his paddle, he quietly instructed the middle-aged man with yellow teeth beside him, "Zhou Ya, go back and get the four-carat ring I bought last time. Quickly!"
"Yes, Young Master Yang." The middle-aged man's eyes lit up, and he immediately got up and left.
Everyone's attention was now on Li Chonglou, watching how he would respond.
No one noticed Zhou Ya's actions.
But Li Chonglou overheard their conversation.
They weren't far apart, and with his constant attention on Yang Qian, his superior hearing made it easy to hear.
"This kid seems to be not just a dandy, but a dandy with a brain. He's trying to make me take over." Li Chonglou's opinion instantly changed.
Since that was the case, he couldn't let him off easy.
After a brief pause to think, to everyone's shock, he raised his paddle again: "4 million!"
A wave of thunderous sounds erupted from the venue.
"Is this kid crazy? Even if you have money, you don't spend it like this. A measly diamond ring is pushed to 4 million..."
"Between men, it's just to save face, neither wants to back down. This kid isn't simple either."
"You can't judge a book by its cover. Daring to compete with Yang Qian in Zhonghai, regardless of wealth, his courage alone is enough to be admired."
...
This bid immediately earned him the respect of many.
In ancient times, there was the tale of broadcasting beacons to amuse lords, or buying a smile with a thousand pieces of gold. Today, Li Chonglou threw down four million, all to win the favor of a beauty.
"She's too lucky. If a man were willing to sacrifice this much for me, I'd be happy to die..."
"You? Just a commoner, forget it."
"What are you arguing about? Earn your own money and buy it yourself."
Many women chimed in with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Bai Jing's expression was serious, but she was secretly happy. Although she knew Li Chonglou wasn't doing it for her, who didn't like this kind of attention?
What girl didn't have a little vanity?
This was true romance. The diamond ring wasn't important; what mattered was Li Chonglou's fearless approach.
"You little brat, what right do you have!" Yang Qian was so angry his hands trembled, hatred burning in his eyes.
He reached out again, stunning the crowd: "5 million!"
In reality, after bidding three million, he had intended to stop, planning to let Li Chonglou, this big idiot, take the ring at a high price.
Then he would have someone bring his four-carat diamond, the "pigeon egg," and present it to Bai Jing in front of everyone, completely humiliating Li Chonglou.
This way, he could not only make Li Chonglou lose face but also showcase his own intelligence and strength.
A kill two birds with one stone.
Who knew Li Chonglou's bid would create such a sensation?
A mere four million was nothing but pocket change to him. Was it worth it?
Seeing Li Chonglou steal the spotlight, he found himself unable to back down.
If he let Li Chonglou take the ring, he would only lose a few million, while he himself would be a disgraced loser.
This was absolutely unacceptable.
He didn't care about the money.
He had to save face!
Therefore, Yang Qian decided to seize the momentum first, then ditch the deal.
"Wow, Young Master Yang is truly rich. I concede defeat. I'll let Young Master Yang have this diamond ring." Just as Yang Qian's plan was perfectly unfolding, Li Chonglou's humble voice suddenly echoed throughout the venue.
His lean body exuded powerful conviction.
Instantly, it drowned out all other noises and penetrated everyone's ears.
Silence!
In an instant, the entire auction hall fell into dead silence.
Even the auctioneer was stunned.
What... what was going on?
One moment they were fiercely competing, the next they were offering concessions.
The change in demeanor was as rapid as mountain weather!
Yang Qian's expression froze, dumbfounded. He was more bewildered than anyone.
This was a situation he had intended to trap Li Chonglou in, how did the tables suddenly turn on him?
Wasn't he fiercely competing?
Why did he suddenly stop?
This was impossible...
As his mind raced, most people had already accepted the reality.
They snapped back to attention, and the venue erupted once more.
"My God, it was a trap! He had the courage to set up an open strategy to force Yang Qian to take the bait."
"This... spending five million on something worth fifty thousand, Yang Qian has really fallen for it. Trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice... tsk tsk..."
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! He first exploited Yang Qian's inflated ego to lure him into the trap, then skillfully let go at the opportune moment, without any flaws!"
...
This time, it was still a one-sided praise for Li Chonglou.
And Yang Qian became the public's fool.
With the same approach, Li Chonglou first attacked then appeased, achieving a great victory, while Yang Qian could only swallow a huge loss.
Of course, it wasn't about the money.
Four million was less than his monthly allowance.
It was about face, true face!
If he had voluntarily conceded to Li Chonglou, it would have been the reverse, and Li Chonglou would have been the idiot.
But now, the big idiot was himself.
And in front of so many people, especially in front of Bai Jing.
*Swish*...
Yang Qian's entire face slowly changed from white to green, then from green to red, and finally turned purple. He was filled with shame and anger, his eyes filled with venom.
He never expected to be so thoroughly tricked by Li Chonglou.
Unable to contain his anger, he threatened sternly, "You little brat, you dare to oppose me."
"Do you believe I'll make sure you don't leave Li Bao Zhai alive?"
Without waiting for Li Chonglou's reply, he stared at Bai Jing and warned, "Woman, if you know what's good for you, you'd better stay away from this little brat, or don't blame me if you get implicated!"
Since childhood, he had never encountered such a situation, nor had anyone dared to treat him like this.
Li Chonglou was the first, and would be the last.
This was Zhonghai, his territory.
He would never allow anyone to step on him and act arrogantly.
After speaking, under everyone's watchful eyes, he made a phone call.
He ordered the person on the other end to bring men to surround the entire Li Bao Zhai.
Li Chonglou watched him quietly, without saying a word, his eyes showing no fear, only a hint of amusement.
If you can't win, call for backup – this was typical hooligan behavior.
It seemed that this Young Master Yang, the Crown Prince of Modu, was fundamentally a thug beneath his wealthy facade.
How could such a person be taken seriously by him?
"Had enough fun? Let's go," Bai Jing said softly upon seeing the situation.
Yang Qian's actions were like those of a mere child to her, and she couldn't be bothered with him.
But if they continued to stay, it would only lead to more complications.
The main business hadn't even begun, and many branches had already appeared. This was not what she wanted.
"What's the hurry? The real show is yet to come," Li Chonglou remained motionless, a faint smile on his face.
As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man quietly walked up to him and whispered, "My surname is Wan. President Tong sent me to look after you both."
"I take responsibility for not stopping this incident earlier."
"Could you both accompany me elsewhere? I will do my best to resolve this conflict."
The middle-aged man spoke humbly but with full confidence, showing no sign of panic.
He had been observing this matter for a long time and should have intervened promptly, but he didn't.
He wanted to see what capabilities Li Chonglou possessed.
Unexpectedly, the outcome exceeded his expectations, as Yang Qian was made a fool of by Li Chonglou.
The situation had escalated to a critical point, and Yang Qian had started calling for reinforcements.
If he didn't step in now, it would be difficult to explain.
"No need. I am here to attend the auction, not to resolve conflicts. Besides, there is no conflict to resolve," Li Chonglou refused indifferently.
This Old Wan was a cunning old fox.
If he wanted to intervene, he would have done so earlier. His current appearance to show his loyalty was purely unnecessary.
However, the confidence conveyed through his words made Li Chonglou speculate about his identity.
Logically, Tong Zhaolin was ostensibly just a broker, at most one of Li Bao Zhai's shareholders. How could his subordinate have such confidence?
There was only one explanation: this Old Wan was from Xingzhi Group.
Although Xingzhi Group was not conspicuous, Li Chonglou knew its strength was no less than that of Hu Yang Group.
A second-generation heir like Yang Qian could intimidate others, but to Xingzhi Group, he was a child who understood nothing.
In that case, he would take this opportunity to escalate the situation further.
By drawing Xingzhi Group into the fray, he could integrate into it more effectively and quickly.
"This..." Old Wan did not expect Li Chonglou to be so uncooperative, and the words he had prepared failed him.
At this moment, Yang Qian flared up again: "Old man, get lost, understand!"
"I'm making it clear today: whoever dares to speak for him is my enemy."
"Consider the consequences yourself!"
This statement was not only directed at Old Wan but also at everyone present.
He clearly stated his intention to confront head-on.
Immediately, those who had previously admired Li Chonglou's courage fell silent.
The reason was simple: no one would offend a reckless hothead like Yang Qian for the sake of a quick retort.
If he weren't the eldest young master of Hu Yang Group, no one present would have paid him any mind, but with the identity of Hu Yang Group, the difference was like heaven and earth.
It was unnecessary to offend Hu Yang Group for a stranger.
Seeing that he had intimidated the crowd, Yang Qian's expression finally eased a little.
With a glint of malice in his eyes, he issued a challenge to Li Chonglou: "Little brat, you want to oppose me."
"I'll give you a chance, continue!"
His implication was that he would continue to compete with Li Chonglou at this auction.
If he couldn't regain the lost ground, he would be less than a man.
Otherwise, Young Master Yang would be a laughingstock in Zhonghai, his reputation as a dandy second-generation heir would be solidified, and it would be difficult to shake off for a lifetime.
If his father found out, he would likely be furious and might even send him abroad.
He could not lose!
At this moment, he was no longer fighting to show favor to Bai Jing.
It was truly a battle between two men.
"Alright, then I'll give you a lesson!" Li Chonglou calmly accepted the challenge.
What was there to be afraid of? Having lived two lives, should he still care about so-called face?
Such intangible and unsubstantial things had long been discarded from his soul.
And Yang Qian still wanted to fight for face with him.
Then he would teach him, on behalf of his father!