Forced to Marry a Female Billionaire CEO

An Zhidong, on stage, was well-prepared for this reaction and managed a smile. "I know it's expensive."

"But the price really can't be lowered. Our hands were tied; we paid a considerable sum to acquire this item ourselves."

Someone in the audience jeered, "That just means you were incompetent and got duped!"

"Exactly! If it were selling for ten thousand, I'd buy it just for a laugh."

The crowd roared with laughter.

The target of their ridicule, An Zhidong, finally lost his composure and shot a helpless glance toward Xie Jiancheng.

Xie Jiancheng slowly stood up. "I purchased this item from an old friend in Haojing. It has nothing to do with the staff of the Deyun Hotel's auction."

"If you don't like it, you're free not to buy and let it go unsold. There's no need to heap sarcasm and ridicule on Zhidong."

The jeers and mockery in the hall vanished, replaced by a sudden silence. Everyone looked at each other, at a loss. No one had expected Xie Jiancheng to actually speak up. They didn't dare to continue their taunts now. All they could do was use their silence to firmly express their refusal to buy.

Seeing this, Xie Jiancheng sat back down.

On stage, An Zhidong shot the Family Head a grateful look for his help.

Xie Jiancheng gave a slight shake of his head and sighed. "Continue."

He was stuck with the loss this time! He was a businessman. In business, you had to travel around and make friends. He had spent six million on this item, acquiring it from a person of high repute purely to curry favor with that influential figure. Even though he bought it, he was sure the item was a fake. The big shot was no fool. Sell a genuine artifact for a mere six million? How could that be possible? That's why he didn't want to get it appraised; if it was identified as a fake, it would become completely worthless in his hands. This was what drove him to put it up for auction, intending to recoup his costs from the other families in Sui City. The Xie Family might be rich, but that didn't mean he was indifferent to losing six million. To make big money, one needed to increase income, but also to rein in expenses. As for where to cut costs... he would just have the other families do the 'saving' for him...

Who knew that these people wouldn't take the bait? Not only were they refusing to buy, they were even dishing out sarcasm and mockery. That was why Xie Jiancheng couldn't sit still any longer.

An Zhidong could only rally his spirits and force a smile. "Now, let's move on to the bidding. The starting price is six million, six hundred and sixty thousand. Do I have any bids?"

As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent again. They didn't dare mock Xie Jiancheng, but they could vote with their wallets. Pay for something like this? They might as well give up on making it in Sui City and just retire to the countryside.

Bai Qian'er glanced at Xie Jiancheng's unpleasant expression, then whispered to Xu Ke in a voice only they could hear, "Looks like you were right this time."

"Hey, why do you look so strange?" Just as she agreed with Xu Ke, she noticed he looked utterly speechless...

"It's nothing," Xu Ke said, waving his hand dismissively.

Baffled, Bai Qian'er turned back to the stage.

Xu Ke, however, took a deep breath. He hadn't expected the Imperial Tomb Relic on the auction list to be unauthenticated. At this moment, he hesitated.

For six million, six hundred and sixty thousand, if it's genuine, it would be an absolute steal. Even without any Dragon Essence, I could flip it for twenty to thirty times the price. My original plan was that, even if I couldn't get one with Dragon Essence, it would at least be an antique of equivalent value, so I wouldn't lose too much. But now, if this Bronze Wine Chalice is fake, I'd just be paying a tax on my own stupidity!

Staring at the Bronze Wine Chalice locked inside the glass case on stage, he thought how great it would be if he could just touch it... If I could touch it, I'd know if the thing had Dragon Essence. Too bad. In this game of gambling on antiques, if you could touch the items beforehand, what luck would there be to gamble on?

"If there are no bids, we will have it sent for authentication by a master. If it turns out to be genuine, you won't be able to purchase this item at such an amazing price! Please consider carefully. I will count down from five!" An Zhidong gave a dry laugh, making a last-ditch effort to persuade the crowd with his sales pitch.

But the audience only sneered. Go ahead and get it authenticated...

But Xu Ke's expression stiffened. If it's genuine, I really will have to spend dozens of times more to acquire it. I can't let that happen... Antiques are rare. I have to give this a shot!

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

An Zhidong continued the countdown, his face growing pale. He couldn't believe that even after Xie Jiancheng had spoken, nobody was bidding. This time, it wasn't just him, An Zhidong, who would be a laughingstock—even Xie Jiancheng would lose face! Xie Jiancheng might even be saddled with the ugly reputation of "deliberately setting people up."

Xie Jiancheng shook his head. So be it. A little embarrassment is fine.

Beside them, Bai Qian'er also shook her head slightly. This was definitely a failed attempt by Xie Jiancheng to scam someone. Who would be so prodigal as to jump in and buy it now?

But just then, An Zhidong's voice erupted in ecstasy, "Six million, six hundred and sixty thousand, going once!"

The announcement stunned the entire room. What the hell? Someone actually bought it? Everyone's eyes began to scour the crowd. When they located the bidder, their expressions all changed.

Bai Qian'er was also searching. Her first instinct was to look behind her. The only person who would dare bid now is either someone with more money than sense or someone trying to save Xie Jiancheng's face and curry favor with him.

But when she looked back, she saw no raised hands. Not only that, but everyone's gaze was fixed on the seat right next to her. She frowned in confusion. What's going on?

Turning back around, she said, "Xu Ke, help me see which wastrel raised his... What are you doing?!"

When she turned fully and saw Xu Ke smiling with his hand raised, she was dumbfounded. After all that searching, the wastrel was right beside me the whole time?

"Buying something," Xu Ke replied calmly.

"You like antiques?!"

"I don't."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Gambling on luck."

Bai Qian'er's eyes went wide. "Didn't you just say that anyone who spends hundreds of thousands to gamble on luck is a wastrel?"

You, Xu Ke! You were just lecturing me about not paying for some vague hope, and not five minutes later, you turn around and blow millions gambling on luck? Are you kidding me?

"That's right," Xu Ke nodded seriously. "Spending hundreds of thousands to gamble on luck makes you a wastrel. But I never said spending *millions* on it does."

"Haven't you heard the saying, 'Steal a hook and they hang you, steal a kingdom and they make you a prince'? The difference in scale changes the very nature of the act. When I spend millions, it's not being wasteful; it's being a capitalist. Understand?"

He couldn't tell Bai Qian'er the real reason, so he had no choice but to spout nonsense.

Bai Qian'er laughed, though she was fuming. "...And to think you claimed to be from a small, insignificant family."

"Ever heard of humility?" Xu Ke retorted without batting an eye.

Flushing with anger and embarrassment, Bai Qian'er huffed, "I'm done talking to a wastrel like you!"

Meanwhile, Xie Jiancheng, sitting nearby, was stunned when he realized Xu Ke was the bidder. Then, a look of profound gratitude slowly spread across his face.

I get it! Xu Ke isn't being a wastrel on purpose. I know he's a prudent man who dislikes gambling. My investigation also showed that he has no interest in antiques. So there's only one possible explanation for his actions—he's saving my face!