After a brief pause, the staff finally moved the last item.
As the curtain was unveiled, a brand-new, bright red vintage sports car was presented to everyone. It was called new only because its surface had been cleaned; in reality, the car was far from new.
It was over a century old, and its internal instruments and equipment were quite outdated. While it was perfectly functional for driving, it wasn't a practical purchase. From a fundamental value and utility perspective, this car was purely a collector's item.
Anyone who bought it home would certainly not intend to drive it on public roads or use it for daily commutes.
"We've finally reached the final segment. I can confidently say that many people here have been anticipating this for a long time. I can tell from the expressions on your faces!"
"So, without further ado, let's begin this final, ultimate auction!"
The emcee gave a presentation on the vintage sports car. Under his narration, everyone present gained a deeper understanding of the vehicle and prepared their intended bids.
Naturally, the next step was for the host to reveal the car's starting bid.
"The starting bid for this car is..."
Everyone's eyes widened, ears perked, and faces filled with anticipation, eager to see if the announced starting price aligned with their own expectations or how much it deviated.
"...Fourteen yuan!"
After a deliberate two-second pause, the host shouted the final bid with great passion!
Everyone in the room looked at him in astonishment.
They couldn't believe their ears. Fourteen yuan? Not fourteen thousand, not 1.4 million...
"Is this a joke?"
"Are you sure it's fourteen yuan? This is a steal!"
"Damn, I never saw this coming!"
Soon, the venue erupted in a clamor. The auction reached its peak. Even those who weren't initially interested in this particular item, or who were just there to experience the atmosphere, felt their interest piqued by this price and decided to join the bidding.
They might not have had much money, but surely fourteen yuan was something they had. That was barely enough for a meal, and not even a good one!
In an instant, the entire hall was abuzz!
Cao Baming stood silently in his spot, also surprised by the price.
Though it was his first time attending an auction, he knew that even among all auctions, this price was exceptionally rare. He could tell from the reactions of those around him. While it was his first time, many others were seasoned veterans, and they too had never seen anything like this.
"If a low price is understandable, why specifically fourteen yuan? Why not ten, or one, but precisely this number?"
"Could there be some hidden, untold secret behind it?"
This was essentially on everyone's mind. At this moment, what truly piqued everyone's curiosity was this number: why fourteen yuan? Yet, no matter how hard they pondered, they couldn't fathom what fourteen could represent or signify.
Perhaps everyone thought of something upon hearing this number, but these thoughts were subjective, carrying different meanings based on individual experiences and life events.
The car's owner must have had a reason for setting such a price, but since he himself was not at liberty to disclose the true reason, it only fueled everyone's curiosity.
With a command from the host, the auction officially commenced.
One might have expected people to immediately drive up the price significantly, overshadowing the initial bid. However, the participants were surprisingly whimsical; the first few bids were precisely 14.5 yuan, 14.6 yuan, and 14.7 yuan. 138 Reading Network.
Cao Baming continued to stand in the back as an observer. It was far from his time to make a move.
These people acted like they were haggling at a market, each one incrementally increasing the previous price, participating in the fun.
Soon, the price climbed to over a hundred yuan, and at this point, some began to show impatience.
A young, elegantly dressed woman interrupted this mundane game. After the previous bidder offered 120 yuan, she directly bid 1.2 million yuan!
The auction truly ignited at this moment. Upon hearing this figure, many people understood that the subsequent proceedings were likely beyond their involvement. The remaining time would be spent watching the "gods battle" from the sidelines!
As the organizers of the auction, they understood when the car's owner set such a starting bid that, regardless of how low it was, the auction would not conclude at a low price.
They would compete to showcase their wealth, and it was uncertain how high the price would ultimately climb.
After the elegantly dressed lady made her bid, a silence fell upon everyone. For two consecutive seconds, no one else raised their bid.
The host began to feel a pang of panic. Was she really going to take the car? It had only reached 1.2 million yuan so far!
After a brief pause, the host finally began the countdown...
"One point two million, once; one point two million, twice..."
Just then, a voice from the back suddenly raised a bid card!
"Alright! I see someone has chosen to continue this auction! The gentleman in the back, with a bid of..."
"Twelve million?!"
"Am I seeing this correctly?! That gentleman is holding up a bid of twelve million!"
The host was completely stunned, as were the others in the room!
This man, dressed in a grey trench coat, stood at the very back of the crowd. He had been silent throughout the entire event and this was the first time he had raised a bid card!
Indeed, he was low-key!!!
Cao Baming's lips curved into a slight smile. This was getting interesting!
"Twelve million, once; twelve million, twice..."
The lady's expression turned grim, clearly having failed in her attempt to show off and being severely outbid.
Quickly, other people in the venue raised their bid cards!