"Two hundred and fifty million!"
The middle-aged man immediately bid again. Upon hearing the price, those around him frowned. Wang Jun looked at the middle-aged man and said, "Is that guy doing it on purpose?"
"Heh, maybe he's a plant, otherwise, why would he bid like this!" Zhang Huamao sneered.
Kang Hongwen frowned, then shook his head slightly. "It's no longer interesting. Although I really want to save the last bit of face for Old Mr. Huangfu, my money doesn't grow on trees."
As he stopped, the scene fell silent. No one else bid, causing Huangfu Hongfang's heart to tremble. Seeing that Kang Hongwen wasn't continuing, he already had a bad premonition.
The standing middle-aged man's expression changed when he saw Kang Hongwen stop. He immediately turned his gaze to Huangfu Hongfang!
Someone immediately noticed the middle-aged man's action and understood what was happening. They felt disdain in their hearts...
"Are there any more bids?"
Jiang Xiaoying, standing on the stage, looked at the quiet audience. After a ten-second pause, she began to speak into the microphone, "Two hundred and fifty million for the first time, two hundred and fifty million for the second time, two hundred and fifty million..."
"Five hundred million!"
However, just as everyone thought Old Mr. Huangfu's painting "Harbor of Love" would end with a transaction of two hundred and fifty million, a voice suddenly interrupted Jiang Xiaoying. Everyone in the room immediately turned their heads, their gazes falling on Wan Yunting, who had made the bid. Everyone was stunned, seeming to have not expected it to be him.
Huangfu Hongfang, Gao Jiaxu, Liang Hongda, and Wang Fuyi also turned to look at Wan Yunting, their expressions dazed and surprised, showing confusion and bewilderment.
Why him?
Kang Hongwen, Ling Wei, Wang Jun, and Zhang Huamao also looked at Wan Yunting with surprise, but they quickly understood why he had done this.
Jiang Xiaoying, standing on the stage, looked at Wan Yunting in surprise, forgetting to speak. He smiled and said, "Is there anyone else who wants Old Mr. Huangfu's work? If not, then let me have it."
At this moment, the local literati and scholars in the audience looked at Wan Yunting with changed expressions. They all knew why he had bid such a high price for Old Mr. Huangfu's painting, which was simply to save the old gentleman's last bit of face.
Huangfu Hongfang froze completely.
Jiang Xiaoying, having reacted, immediately shouted, "Five hundred million for the first time, five hundred million for the second time, five hundred million for the third time, sold! Congratulations, Mr. Wan, on acquiring Old Mr. Huangfu's painting 'Harbor of Love.' Please proceed to the back for the transaction procedures later..."
As the gavel fell, everyone in the hall stood up, turned towards Wan Yunting, and began to applaud thunderously. They looked at him with respect and admiration. His magnanimity was worthy of being called "Wan Shuxian."
"Hongfang, help me up."
Huangfu Xueyi looked at his grandson, Huangfu Hongfang, whose expression was stiff and stunned, standing beside him. Huangfu Hongfang snapped back to reality, quickly responded with a "yes," and helped Huangfu Xueyi to stand up with his cane. He slowly turned around, faced Wan Yunting, smiled, and bowed slightly in thanks.
Wan Yunting quickly bowed in return, smiling and nodding slightly in acknowledgment.
"Let's go."
The last auction item was finished, and the event concluded. Huangfu Xueyi said softly. Huangfu Hongfang, who was beside him, finally regained his senses and, with the help of Gao Jiaxu and Liang Hongda, supported the elder as they walked towards the exit, leaving the auction house. Huangfu Xueyi said to his grandson, "Hongfang, this is the gap between you and him. Your mindset is different, your vision is different. Your path has become narrow. He never took you seriously, which is why he didn't bother with you. Think about it carefully."
Hearing his grandfather's words, Huangfu Hongfang was overcome with shame. He knew that his grandfather had seen through his schemes and ill intentions. He quickly lowered his head and apologized, "Grandpa, I'm sorry..."
Huangfu Xueyi waved his hand and continued walking out with the support of Liang Hongda and the others, not saying anything further.
Huangfu Hongfang stood alone in the corridor, his face pale, his body trembling slightly. He gritted his teeth tightly. After a moment, he looked back at the lively sounds emanating from the auction house...
Tonight, he had lost completely, utterly, and without any semblance of magnanimity...
"Wan Shuxian, could you please write a few more works for auction? We really want to collect your calligraphy!"
"Alas, it's too difficult to see your calligraphy. Your brushwork is majestic. Your Slender Gold script is comparable to the reincarnation of Emperor Huizong of Song, and your cursive script is filled with sword intent, making it a masterpiece in the art of calligraphy!"
"Yes, yes, I really love your cursive script..."
Even though the auction was over, many people remained in the hall, standing and their gazes all focused on Wan Yunting. The collectors and enthusiasts who admired his calligraphy were all agitated, earnestly pleading with him to write more calligraphic works for auction, as they all loved his calligraphy dearly.
This made Wan Yunting feel a bit embarrassed. He cupped his hands towards everyone present and said with a humble and polite smile, "Thank you all for thinking so highly of me. If there's an opportunity in the future, I will definitely write more works. Thank you..."
Since he still had to go to the back of the auction house to complete the transaction procedures, Wan Yunting, Kang Hongwen, Wang Jun, and Zhang Huamao also headed backstage, guided by the staff. Everyone crowded around, eagerly greeting Wan Yunting. Several local literary masters even bowed to him and said, "Mr. Wan's generosity in not letting Old Mr. Huangfu lose face is truly admirable. Such magnanimity makes us feel ashamed."
"Indeed."
A literati named Mao Zhe, a master figure of the Lingnan School of Painting, cupped his hands towards Wan Yunting with an apologetic expression. "Mr. Wan, we judged a gentleman with the heart of a villain, speaking ill of you and belittling you. It is truly a shameful act. Yet, Mr. Wan's magnanimity is vast, scattering gold simply to salvage Old Mr. Huangfu's reputation. Such great vision makes us all admire you."
"We hope that Mr. Wan and his companions will not hold this against us. We will apologize to you in the future..." another local literati bowed and said apologetically.
This turn of events made Wan Yunting somewhat confused. He had indeed bid for Huangfu Xueyi's work to save the old gentleman's face.
After all, in such an occasion, no one wanted to see a contemporary master of the Lingnan School of Painting lose face. Moreover, Wan Yunting hadn't held onto the past grievances with Huangfu Hongfang.
In the eyes of others, Wan Yunting was tolerant and magnanimous, looking down upon and accommodating everything. This was exactly why Huangfu Xueyi had said earlier that Huangfu Hongfang was inferior to him.
However, the reason Mao Zhe and the others were apologizing to Wan Yunting was that during this period, the hype surrounding Wan Yunting's calligraphy outside had caused dissatisfaction among many local literati in Huadu City. They believed that Wan Yunting was just a young upstart who had been praised a few words by Fan Liren at the Lanting Award and had thus become the foremost contemporary young calligrapher. Such superficial fame had aroused jealousy among the local literati.
Consequently, they had spread unfavorable remarks about Wan Yunting within the local literary circles.
However, Wan Yunting was completely unaware of these remarks, as he had no time to pay attention to the issues within the local literary circles. Of course, he had heard Fang Guowen mention a few things at noon, but Wan Yunting didn't care at all.
"Everyone, there's no need for this. I bid for Old Mr. Huangfu's 'Harbor of Love' because I have admired him for a long time, so I couldn't help but bid for his work to collect it. I didn't overthink it." Wan Yunting cupped his hands towards Mao Zhe and the other literary masters, not wanting them to think that he had only bought his painting to save Old Mr. Huangfu's face.
Seeing his humility and low profile, Mao Zhe and the other literati felt even more ashamed. They all cupped their hands in greeting, unable to say anything further.
Wan Yunting did not linger. He continued towards the auction house's backstage with Kang Hongwen and the others. Some people were already processing the transactions behind the scenes. Fang Guowen and Han Shumei were also busy. Upon seeing Wan Yunting and Kang Hongwen enter, they immediately greeted them, "Yunting, President Kang, Mr. Wang..."
While others were going through the procedures, Wan Yunting and Kang Hongwen sat aside to wait with Wang Jun. Han Shumei and Lin Xinlan walked over, saying with great confusion, "Yunting, why did you spend so much money to bid for the last item? It's definitely not worth the sky-high price of five hundred million."
Fang Guowen and the others also walked over and smiled, "Manager Han, you don't understand. Little Wan did this just to save Old Mr. Huangfu some face. Although spending five hundred million is indeed not worth it, he has earned the respect of all our local literati."
Indeed, Wan Yunting's actions tonight would soon spread throughout the literary circles.
Wan Yunting waved his hand at Fang Guowen and said with a smile, "Uncle Fang, you flatter me. I didn't think that much at the time. I bought Old Mr. Huangfu's work also for charity." wap.kanshu伍.net
Han Shumei rolled her eyes at him speechlessly and said, "Yunting, your two works together fetched seven hundred and fifty million, which is definitely the ceiling for charity auctions in China, unmatched by anyone. Your contribution is already immense, why bother."
"Yes."
Lin Xinlan was filled with excitement, her eyes shining even more brightly as she looked at Wan Yunting. "In previous years, when I organized charity auctions, I've never seen a scene like tonight. A piece of calligraphy sold for four hundred and fifty million, which is truly a legend."
"Alright, alright."
Wan Yunting waved his hand and said with a smile, "Sister Shumei, Sister Xinlan, you don't need to praise me anymore. Hurry up and get back to your work."
"You, you, I can't argue with you."
Han Shumei pointed at his nose, rolled her eyes, shook her head, and said nothing more, turning to continue her work with Lin Xinlan.
Kang Hongwen and Wang Jun were watching those handling the procedures in front and said, "We didn't see the person who bid for Little Wan's cursive script. We don't know who it is!"
Wan Yunting also glanced over, only to see the young man beside the casually dressed middle-aged man coming to handle the transaction procedures, but the middle-aged man himself was nowhere to be seen. This made everyone curious about the identity of that person.
After all, someone who could spend four hundred and fifty million on a piece of calligraphy was definitely a hidden boss. His absence might be a gesture of low-keyness.