C20 Reversal

The two quickly got into a heated argument.

The shopkeeper feigned indecision, dragging his feet on whom to sell to.

To the onlookers unaware of his true intentions, the situation seemed clear-cut:

On one side stood the middle-aged man with whom a deal had already been struck.

On the other, a young man ready to outbid with a higher offer.

Common sense and fairness dictated that the sale should go to the middle-aged man, but everyone was there to make a living. Why sell for less when a bigger profit was at hand?

The middle-aged man was the victim, clearly in the right.

The shopkeeper's position was also understandable to everyone.

Consequently, the crowd turned on Hou Junxiong, unleashing a barrage of criticism:

"Listen, young man, why can't you play by the rules?"

"Kid, you've got to know when to hold back."

"Think you're something special with your money?"

...

Hou Junxiong was unfazed by the insults.

"Hey, it's not what I wanted, but who can argue with a higher bid?" he said, smugly satisfied.

"I..." The middle-aged man clenched his jaw, "I'll offer 200,000 yuan too. Sell it to me."

With that, he reached into his bag to pull out the money.

Through the small opening, the crowd caught sight of stacks of hundred-yuan bills.

There were audible gulps from those standing nearby.

Yin Tian had a clear view and thought to himself that the bag, which supposedly contained 3,000 yuan, made the man look like a millionaire.

The shopkeeper was ready to accept the offer.

Both men were proving to be quite the accomplished actors.

Seeing this, Hou Junxiong's anxiety spiked.

"Wait, don't rush into selling! I'll offer 400,000 yuan."

The shopkeeper's hand, already extended, froze mid-air.

"Why are you raising the price again?" the middle-aged man demanded, pointing at Hou Junxiong in a panic.

"I have the money, and I'll raise the bid if I want to. Is there a problem?" Hou Junxiong relished the thrill of one-upmanship, echoing his brother's haughty tone.

The crowd began criticizing him once more.

The middle-aged man seemed unwilling to throw in the towel. After a quick phone call, he was back in the game.

The two went back and forth, driving the price up to a million yuan.

Yin Tian watched, shaking his head in disbelief.

Hou Junxiong was really getting carried away, allowing himself to be manipulated into raising the stakes so high by those con artists.

Was he truly prepared to win the item at any cost?

Now, Yin Tian's curiosity was piqued about what they were so desperately vying for.

As the bid hit a million yuan, the middle-aged man appeared increasingly desperate. After Hou Junxiong upped the ante, he impulsively raised the bid by another million.

"Two million yuan. If you can top that, I'm out!" he declared, his eyes bloodshot, embodying the desperation of a gambler going all-in.

But Hou Junxiong wavered.

He had splurged on a new car this month, leaving him with just over 1.5 million yuan in disposable cash, and he had plans to meet up with some buddies later...

It was then that an elder leaned in to whisper in his ear.

Yin Tian caught every word: "Young Master Hou, two million for ten million. It's a surefire gain."

Could this elder be another stooge in the scam?

Yin Tian glanced at the elder's profile:

"Name: Sheng Tian Gong.

Age: 54.

A renowned expert in antique appraisal, seldom mistaken.

His inner thought: 'This treasure must not fall into the wrong hands.'"

The elder was one of Hou Junxiong's own.

So, was this a tale of a swindler aiming to deceive, only to accidentally part with a genuine treasure?

Yin Tian observed the two fraudsters. They feigned ignorance of each other, but upon witnessing Sheng Tian Gong's counsel to Hou Junxiong, they exchanged a covert glance, their eyes alight with fervent anticipation.

"What kind of treasure is worth ten million?"

Yin Tian's curiosity deepened.

As Hou Junxiong continued to hesitate, the shopkeeper played along with the middle-aged man, pretending to initiate the sale.

Meanwhile, the onlookers, seeing the middle-aged man emerge victorious, began to jeer:

"What kind of wealthy man is this? Scared off by a mere two million?"

"At first glance, he oozed confidence—I actually thought he was a dragon. But now? He's nothing more than a worm."

"I recognize him. Isn't he the youngest son of the Rain Heaven Real Estate chairman? Seems like he's not the favored one, huh? With such a vast family fortune, how come he didn't get a slice of it?"

Hou Junxiong's complexion turned a sickly shade of green as their words stung. He was in a tight spot.

It wasn't that he was stingy; he simply didn't have that much cash on hand at the moment.

Had it been the start of the month, he would have upped the ante without a second thought.

Hou Junxiong could muster the funds now, but he was loath to borrow from anyone.

His reputation for largesse and his unspoken leadership in their social circle were at stake. Borrowing money, even once, would be a blow to his pride.

Turning to his father was out of the question. The old man had always drilled into him not to throw money around like it was nothing; he certainly wouldn't be open to lending it now.

And asking his brother for help? That was a route Hou Junxiong refused to take.

As time pressed on and the middle-aged man seemed close to sealing the deal with the shopkeeper, Hou Junxiong's patience snapped.

"Three million!"

He matched the middle-aged man's bid, upping the stakes by a cool million.

Delight flickered in the shopkeeper's eyes, barely concealable.

He'd aimed to swindle a few thousand at most, never anticipating a windfall from a naive rich kid to the tune of three million.

The middle-aged man froze, torn over whether to raise his bid again.

The shopkeeper shot him a meaningful glance.

Couldn't he see Hou Junxiong was at his breaking point? Raise the bid any higher, and he'd risk losing everything.

So, before the watchful eyes of the onlookers, the middle-aged man clenched his fists in frustration, shot Hou Junxiong a venomous look, and exited the scene, defeated and forlorn.

The shopkeeper then turned to Hou Junxiong to conclude their transaction.

He retrieved a porcelain piece resembling a flower pot from beneath the counter.

"Southern Song Dynasty Official Kiln Hawthorn-Style Small Basin

Price: 10 million."

Indeed, it was worth every penny of 10 million!