Chapter 7: Buddy, You Selling?

"Go on. By the way, there's an auction later. Mention my name, Lu Sanbao, and you can get in. It'll be good to see the world."

Lu Chen froze for a moment, glanced at his watch, and only then did a smile reappear on his face.

So it's already five o'clock.

"Alright."

Li Xuanhua's expression returned to normal as he stood up, unconsciously carrying himself with the same brisk efficiency as Lu Chen.

When he opened the door and saw that the person standing outside was actually someone from Crown, he fell even more silent.

"And this gentleman is?"

Manager Wang looked at Lu Chen with some puzzlement.

"My partner."

Lu Chen wore a smile and did not continue the introduction.

Li Xuanhua, who had been about to close the door, paused for a moment before shutting it.

"Have you prepared an auction item? Or are you simply attending?"

Manager Wang did not dwell on Lu Chen's introduction, but seemed to be recalling the young man he had just seen.

Only then did he open his mouth to ask.

"This Silver Coin — have Crown appraise it. As for putting it up for auction, I still need to think about it."

Lu Chen took out the Silver Coin spat out by the mysterious little square box, placed it on a handkerchief, gave it a quick wipe, and pushed it in front of Manager Wang.

He continued puffing on the half-burned Cigar.

"That doesn't follow Crown's rules."

Manager Wang deftly pulled a Cigar from the Cigar box, slowly warming it, while muttering casually.

"However, if it's your request, then Crown will certainly do its utmost to satisfy it."

"Appraise it first, then we'll talk about selling."

Lu Chen did not refuse Manager Wang's reasoning.

The matter of the Silver Coin was indeed a bit hasty.

After all, no matter how high its true value, in Crown's eyes it was only a small trinket, not fit for the table.

Lu Chen gave Manager Wang a deep look, then picked up the brocade box prepared by Banshan Jiudian from the table and solemnly placed it inside.

"The materials on the Textile Factory and its surroundings are here for you, along with a simple breakdown of the nearby factions that I've also put together."

Manager Wang, Cigar clamped between his teeth, pulled a thick stack of documents from his briefcase and set them in front of Lu Chen.

"Yours."

Lu Chen did not open them right away, but pulled a wad of Hong Kong banknotes from his coat and handed them to Manager Wang.

"Let's go."

He stood and adjusted his suit, which made Lu Chen look even more sharp.

The vintage décor of the hotel corridor, the lattice gate and metal lever on the elevator — no matter how many times Lu Chen saw them, they still felt novel.

The doorman bowed slightly, operated the lever, and descended to the Huanghou Ting level.

"Welcome, Mr. Lu!"

Director Wei Er stood at the entrance of the banquet hall with a beaming smile; upon seeing Lu Chen, the smile on his face grew even more pronounced.

"Thank you for your recommendation, and for the opportunity Crown has provided."

Lu Chen smiled and shook hands with Wei Er.

"I heard you've specially prepared an auction item? Who knows, you might astonish everyone at this auction."

The smile on Wei Er's face did not fade, and his grip on Lu Chen's hand tightened a little more.

"Just a small trinket, really. It might not even meet the standard for auction."

Lu Chen's smile was nearly frozen stiff.

This old fox, testing him again!

Good thing he hadn't brought out the Moissanite, otherwise......

"Manager Wang, take Mr. Lu to the appraisal room."

Wei Er patted the back of Lu Chen's hand before finally letting go.

He gave Manager Wang a look, then continued to greet the next guest.

"Mr. Lu, this way please."

Manager Wang, still smiling, guided Lu Chen toward the appraisal room.

By now quite a few guests in the hall were already chatting with one another.

Lu Chen, on the contrary, felt slightly out of place.

Following Manager Wang's pace, Lu Chen could feel quite a few gazes landing on him.

He followed the gazes over, and the person opposite smiled and gave Lu Chen a nod.

Damn, this kind of socializing is really......

Still, although he found it rather distasteful, this was a necessary social occasion.

An auction has never been a simple affair; on the contrary, it can be an important occasion for forging partnerships, resolving conflicts, or even intensifying them.

Lu Chen naturally needed to blend into the environment as much as possible. Once he became the focus of attention, every single move he made would certainly be analyzed to the bone by those with an eye for it.

Habits he himself might not normally notice could instead become weapons for potential enemies to attack.

He did not acknowledge Li Xuanhua, merely giving a slight nod.

Lu Chen became even more cautious, gripping the champagne glass in his hand tighter.

But the smile on his face grew ever more brilliant, and his responses ever more natural.

"Mr. Lu, please come in. Appraiser Laimu is already waiting for you."

Wang Jingli walked to a door, stopped, and began to introduce in a low voice.

"He is our Crown's Chief Appraiser for antiques, from Piaoliang Guo..."

"Thank you."

This time Lu Chen did not tip Wang Jingli. He thanked him in a low voice, knocked on the door, and only after hearing movement inside the room did he push the door open and enter.

"Good day, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Laimu, holding a cigar, stood up upon hearing Lu Chen open the door.

A smile on his face.

Though the room's furnishings were simple, they were all rather precise instruments.

"Good day, Appraiser Laimu. I need your help appraising this little item."

Lu Chen, a smile on his face, took out the prepared Small Box from his chest.

He set it on the coffee table and gently pushed it toward Laimu.

He casually picked up the cigar on the table and began to warm it.

Laimu set the cigar down on the ashtray, put on white gloves, and only then carefully picked up a monocle and clipped it over his right eye.

He opened the brocade box with great care.

Lu Chen looked at Laimu's face, which remained calm yet inquisitive, and his heart gave an involuntary lurch.

Could it be that...

"Sir, would you mind turning on the desk lamp on the coffee table for me?"

Laimu's calm tone rang out in the silent appraisal room.

Every pattern on the Silver Coin beneath the white gloves seemed to interest him.

Lu Chen took a deep breath, reached out and pulled the lamp cord. The warm-yellow desk lamp shone on the Silver Coin, casting ring after ring of halo.

He had never observed it from this angle before!

It was simply too beautiful!

Yet a trace of puzzlement appeared on Laimu's face, and his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

He turned it over and over, even examining it from different angles.

Finally... Laimu sighed.

"Sir, I truly cannot identify what era this Silver Coin is from, nor can I even discern the method of its minting."

Laimu carefully placed the Silver Coin back into the brocade box.

"However, it should not belong to any era we are familiar with. The artistic and collectible value of this Silver Coin is one of a kind."

"Can you tell me its origin?"

Laimu took off the white gloves, picked up the cigar again, and a trace of curiosity—and... anticipation—showed on his face.

"It was passed down from my ancestors."

At Laimu's probing, Lu Chen furrowed his brow.

The mystery of the Silver Coin... had indeed exceeded his expectations!

But now he had to dampen Laimu's interest, otherwise Crown would probably fix its gaze on him for good!

Moissanite was one thing, but now adding this Silver Coin on top of it...

It was practically stacking the enemy debuffs to the max!

"Would you be interested in selling it to our Crown? We are very interested in it!"

Laimu spoke with a beaming smile, without dwelling on the truth or falsehood of Lu Chen's words.

Instead, he asked directly.