"Of course. What, I don't look like it?"
Xiao Yan nodded blandly.
"What a fascinating, mysterious little fellow."
Ya Fei rested her fragrant cheek on her hand and stared at Xiao Yan dreamily, murmuring to herself.
"The third auction item is Cloud Grass, with a starting bid of three thousand gold coins."
The auctioneer lifted the red cloth, revealing a single herb beneath it.
"Three thousand!"
"Three thousand three hundred!"
"Three thousand seven hundred!"
As the third item up for auction, everyone raised their bids cautiously.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to have Ya Fei place a bid, he heard a familiar voice from the private room next door.
"Four thousand two hundred!"
"Oh, it's our old acquaintance—Master Xu, the ambitious and accomplished one."
Xiao Yan chuckled.
"Master Xu? The Master Xu from the Imperial Capital Alchemist Guild? Should we keep bidding?" Ya Fei asked.
As an apprentice auctioneer at the Mite'er Auction House, becoming familiar with the Imperial Capital's influential figures and powerful experts was mandatory coursework for Ya Fei.
"Bid. Why wouldn't we? Old Man Hai is reimbursing all the expenses here anyway."
Xiao Yan took out a gold card embroidered with the Mittel Family emblem and spun it deftly between his fingers.
"Alright."
Ya Fei looked at the familiar gold card in Xiao Yan's hand and bit her luscious red lip.
"Four thousand five hundred!" A seductive female voice rang out from the private room.
"Four thousand eight hundred!" Master Xu wondered who was so blind to propriety.
"Five thousand!" Ya Fei pressed on relentlessly.
"Five thousand two hundred!" Master Xu was becoming annoyed.
"Five thousand five hundred!" The female voice from the neighboring room raised the bid again, unhurriedly.
"Hmph, forget it. I don't want it."
Master Xu ultimately decided to withdraw from the bidding.