Auction Company

The next day.

Capital City.

Dong Xuebin had plenty of questions about the reason behind Zhai Yunxuan's job transfer, but the first thing he did after returning to the capital was not head back to the North Entrance of Heping Street. Instead, he wanted to auction off the pearl necklace in his combination case first. Keeping it on him made him uneasy; he was afraid someone might steal it if he let his guard down. So after getting off the train and having lunch, Dong Xuebin took a bus to South Xinhua Street. After asking a newspaper-selling woman near the Xinhua Bookstore, he strode into the Liulichang area.

Hanhai Auction House.

The place was not very large. Small groups of people gathered together, speaking in low voices. One person held something resembling a Yuan blue-and-white porcelain vase, while another carried a bronze ding. Experts seemed to be appraising their items, since only appraised items could be accepted for auction. This two-story Auction Company in eastern Liulichang was not the actual auction venue. Auctions generally rented hotel conference halls depending on their scale; this place was only responsible for accepting and appraising items.

Dong Xuebin walked to the front desk and said to a female staff member behind it, "I have something I'd like to put up for auction."

The staff member looked at him. "Hello, sir. What category is your item?"

"Jewelry, I suppose," Dong Xuebin said. "A pearl necklace."

"Please wait a moment." The staff member picked up the desk phone and made a call. After saying a few words to the person on the other end, she hung up with a professional smile. "Teacher Sun will be down shortly. Please have a seat over there while you wait."

"Okay."

There was a water dispenser in the lounge area. Dong Xuebin did not stand on ceremony, pouring himself a cup of hot water and gulping it down.

Before long, a man in his thirties, not particularly old, came down the stairs. When the female staff member pointed Dong Xuebin out to him, Dong Xuebin set down his cup and went over. Teacher Sun glanced at the combination case in Dong Xuebin's hand and smiled. "May I take a look at the item first?"

Dong Xuebin was wary of prying eyes. "Could we go somewhere else?"

Teacher Sun hesitated, then nodded. "Sure. Come with me."

An office on the second floor.

"Heh, no one will disturb us here." Teacher Sun sat down with him on the leather sofa. "It's a pearl necklace? Where did you buy it? Has anyone appraised it before?"

"It hasn't been appraised. I just acquired it in Zhuji."

"Oh?"

Dong Xuebin dialed the combination and opened the case. "Please take a look."

In truth, Dong Xuebin was asking a needless question. He had watched the pearls come out of the clams with his own eyes, so they could not possibly be fake.

Teacher Sun had not thought much of it at first. He specialized in appraising jewelry and saw countless pieces sent in for auction every day, but ninety-five percent of them were not worth putting up for auction. Many were no different from things bought at department stores, making auction unnecessary. When he heard it was a pearl necklace, he had formed a general impression, assuming it was probably an ordinary piece with pearls only a few millimeters across. But when he saw the glittering Golden Pearl necklace, with every pearl nearly 1.5 centimeters in diameter, Teacher Sun froze. "Golden pearls? This large? Oh, this is a treasure."

"Do you have any major auctions coming up soon?"

"Let me take another look." Teacher Sun was greatly surprised as he looked at the unremarkable Dong Xuebin. He had not expected him to bring out such a treasure. Carefully taking the pearl necklace from the case, Teacher Sun examined it again and again, then studied it for a long while with magnifying glasses and other tools. Finally, he sighed. "Fine stuff! Truly fine stuff! The only slight flaw is that the chain holding these pearls... doesn't quite match them. The chain is a little rough, but it doesn't really matter. It doesn't really matter."

Dong Xuebin had been in a hurry to see the finished product back in Zhuji, so perhaps some corners had been cut in the process.

After making a phone call, Teacher Sun said, "Let's sign an agreement. We'll keep this necklace here for the time being. If you agree, I'd like to replace its chain with a new one. It'll look better that way, and the final price might be higher. What do you think?"

They were the professionals, so Dong Xuebin naturally trusted their judgment. "Sure, I'll follow your advice."

Teacher Sun added, "When would you like to put it up for auction? The Autumn Auction has just ended, and the Spring Auction is still a few months away. Hanhai does not have any especially large auctions coming up soon. I recommend waiting. There should be a major auction in about one or two months, or you could wait until the Spring Auction..."

Dong Xuebin interrupted him. "I really can't wait that long." He knew that the Spring Auction and Autumn Auction were the largest auctions in the country, and most items sold there fetched good prices. But Aunt Xuan's job was in trouble. After offending her superior, she certainly would not have an easy time, and she might even resign at any moment. This was exactly when she needed money to start a business. Dong Xuebin had to get the money as soon as possible. "Could you make it faster? How about putting it in the next auction?"

Teacher Sun gave a wry smile. "I only suggested that because I think your item has the potential to fetch a high price. But if you insist on selling it quickly, that can be arranged." Seeing him nod, Teacher Sun guessed that he urgently needed money. "The soonest one is tomorrow, I think. That'll be the preview for a small auction, with the auction held the day after the preview. If the buyer pays quickly, the money can reach your account on the fourth or fifth day."

Heh, that was fast. "All right, let's go with that one."

"...Are you sure?"

Dong Xuebin gave a hesitant sound. "For a small auction, it won't fail to sell for even one million, will it?"

"Heh, not a chance. With something this good, it should fetch at least 1.2 million."

At 1.2 million, after deducting the auction commission, taxes, and all other expenses, Dong Xuebin would still receive around one million yuan. That was his target. Well, even if the necklace went to the Spring Auction, it probably would not sell for much more than that. There was no need to wait two months just for a few extra tens of thousands. He did not have that kind of time. "All right, then we'll put it in this small auction. As for the starting price, what do you think...?"

Teacher Sun pondered it. "Lower would be better. I think five hundred thousand is appropriate. Let the price rise little by little, build the atmosphere bit by bit, and the final selling price may be higher. Of course, that is only my personal suggestion. If you..."

Without even thinking, Dong Xuebin said, "I'll follow your advice. Five hundred thousand it is."

After discussing the details for a while longer, Dong Xuebin finally signed the agreement with satisfaction. The pearl necklace was left with Hanhai for refinishing, while Dong Xuebin left Liulichang with his now-empty combination case and caught a ride home.

Just two or three more days...

Whew, all he had to do now was wait for the auction to end and collect the money!