Emilio Miguel gave Jin Liwei a smile. To others, it was a beautiful angelic smile that meant he was conceding defeat. But to Jin Liwei, it was an evil smile filled with provocation.
"2 million, going once, going twice. Sold! Congratulations!"
There was loud applause as the other guests cheered for Jin Liwei's victory.
The person in question, however, was tense all over. His expression was cold and tight. He only eased when he felt his wife's soft hands trying to loosen his grip on the bidding paddle. The poor paddle was now bent out of shape.
"Thank you, darling," Iris whispered.
Jin Liwei took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He smiled at her.
"Anything for you," he said, even though he wasn't entirely sure what his wife was thanking him for.
Was it because he bid for her manuscript, wanting to keep it for himself?
Or was it because he was effectively giving away 2 million tonight for her charity?
Or maybe was it because he didn't snap at the impertinent asshole eyeing his wife right in front of him?
Or maybe all of the above?
He didn't really care about the reason. He was already happy to hear her sweet thanks. His mood was already improving just by feeling her gentle but firm touch in his hand in an effort to calm him down.
Although all he wanted was to teach the foreign asshole a lesson in not letting his blue eyes roam on someone else's wife in front of the husband, Jin Liwei still restrained his temper and allowed his wife to coax him to a calmer state. He didn't care about making a scene in front of other people, but what he wanted to avoid was stressing out his pregnant wife. That was big no-no.
For now, he decided to ignore the asshole who shared the same table as them. He would just find an opportunity to get back at the foreigner at another time.
Next up for bidding was Jin Liwei's item. It was a collection of 50-year old Irish whiskies.
This time, the starting price was already astronomical at 3 million.
Even Iris was surprised. She made a face and muttered, "Why do people pay so much money for something that tastes like gasoline?"
Jin Liwei chuckled. "That's just the way it is, love. Don't worry. I no longer drink it often."
In the end, the whisky collection fetched a final price of 7.5 million, the highest so far in the auction. Iris Long's original signed manuscript was the second highest at 2 million. Quite a big difference between the items.
The winning bidder was a businessman. The man was ecstatic and made sure to make eye contact with Jin Liwei afterwards.
Jin Liwei nodded at the man out of politeness which thrilled the businessman to no end. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
Other items went up for auction afterwards but couldn't compare to Jin Liwei's whisky collection or even to Iris Long's manuscript. It seemed that there was a tacit agreement among the bidders not to break the husband and wife's "records".
The final item was an 18-carat solid gold pocket watch.
"To introduce this special item, please welcome to the stage our celebrant for the night, Mr. René Alejandro del Aguila!"
The emcee led the applause until the charming Spaniard arrived on the stage.
"Thank you, my friends."
René Alejandro showed of his twin dimples. He looked even more like a handsome prince charming under the spotlight. He gestured at the golden pocket watch inside a glass encasement wheeled on the stage.
"You might not see anything special about this pocket watch. Looks quite simple, no? But for me, it is very precious. This is actually a heirloom passed down through generations of heirs of Castillo de Estrellas. My father, the current vizconde, owned this until he passed it down to me."
People were shocked to learn that it was an actual heirloom. Something like that should be valuable and yet he was putting it up for auction?
"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!" The gob-smacked Wei Lan almost fainted in disbelief. "Take it off the auction right now! Quick! Take it ooooooooooofffffffff!!!!!"
Iris and Jin Liwei left it to Randy to calm Wei Lan down before the woman fell into hysterics. The couple was also quite surprised at René Alejandro's decision to auction off a heirloom.
"I know that many of you are filled with questions," René Alejandro continued saying with a sheepish, dimpled smile. "My answer is that my father is the most charitable person that I know in my life. He might be an aristocrat but if he sees a person in need on the road, he will take off his shoes and even the clothes on his back to give to the other less fortunate person. I learned a lot of from him. This is an important heirloom, yes, but so what? At the end of the day, it is a mere watch. What is a watch compared to helping those who are in need? Surely, all of us here have come to raise money for my sister's foundation, Iris of Hope, and share our blessings to the less fortunate ones, no?
"Also please do not worry. I have received my father's approval to auction off this pocket watch today. He is very busy with his work but is already very supportive of his step-daughter's charitable foundation, as am I. If he could, I know that he would have loved to be here with all of us in person to help my new mother, Vizcondesa Lan, in running today's auction to help celebrate my humble birthday and raise money for my new sister's foundation. So please do not stand on ceremony. Bid away, yes?"
Wei Lan had real tears running down her face which she was dabbing away with her lace handkerchief. Watching such a valuable aristocratic heirloom being auctioned away was extremely painful to her heart!
Her husband and step-son were too generous! If they didn't want the heirloom, they could've just given it to her! Alas, it was already too late. Sob sob.
The starting price that the appraisers had given was a rather humble 100,000 RMB compared to Jin Liwei's whisky collection which started at an astronomical 3 million.
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