HLM – Chapter 1000 A New Gain at the Auction

Wang Bo turned around, surprised to see an unexpected face: the top boss of Northern Grain, Ye Qipeng. Accompanying him, as always, was his middle-aged assistant, exuding a refined elegance and smiling as he observed Wang Bo.

“President Ye? Hello, hello! I truly didn’t expect to run into you here,” Wang Bo said, extending his hand in greeting.

Ye Qipeng shook his hand and smiled. “How else can this be explained other than fate?”

Wang Bo asked in surprise, “Aren’t you recently busy with the acquisition battle in India?”

Ye Qipeng nodded. “Yes. I came to this auction at the invitation of an old friend. I didn’t expect to see you here. Earlier, I saw you and couldn’t quite believe it. It wasn’t until I saw your fiancée that I was sure it was really you.”

Wang Bo smiled. “My fiancée is the hallmark of my identity, of course.”

As their conversation went deeper, Wang Bo learned that Ye Qipeng had come to Wellington this time because a friend invited him to the auction before the new year. The acquisition battle was still ongoing but had entered a short negotiation period. Originally, Ye Qipeng needed to stay at headquarters, but he had promised his friend beforehand, so he decided to come to Wellington.

“I hadn’t planned to visit Sunset Town to discuss cooperation with you—business has been too busy. Yet, heaven arranged for us to meet here. What can I say? Fate brings people together even from thousands of miles apart. We clearly have more than just potential,” Ye Qipeng said, laughing heartily at the end.

Wang Bo noticed that his energy and spirit weren’t as vibrant as the last meeting. The boss gave a good impression, especially regarding the grain acquisition deal.

The Indian grain reserve group, strongly backed by their own government’s right-wing faction, had long been promoting that China’s plateau regions were historically Indian territories. The acquisition deal also had both countries’ governments involved behind the scenes, making Ye Qipeng a sort of “red capitalist.”

“President Ye, this acquisition must be difficult to handle, right? You look a little tired; even the corners of your eyes are wrinkled,” Wang Bo remarked.

Ye Qipeng smiled wryly. “This concerns the life and death of our group, so of course I have to give it my all. The acquisition has been going on for two months; I haven’t had a good night’s sleep yet.”

Wang Bo said, “How many days have you arranged for your trip to New Zealand? Why not come to my town as a guest? No business, no politics—just a vacation!”

Ye Qipeng shook his head. “I don’t have that much time.”

His assistant smiled. “President Ye, you should rest. Sunset Town’s reputation has spread worldwide, and you’ve been curious before, haven’t you? This is such a good opportunity. Moreover, taking two days to recharge will let you strike harder later. You should know, the next two months may be sleepless too. You can’t rely on medicine alone.”

Ye Qipeng hesitated a few seconds before nodding. “Then after the auction, we’ll go?”

Wang Bo said, “Tomorrow I’m participating in the ANZ Legion Day event. You can go first; I’ll arrange someone to host you. After my event, I’ll come over. How about that?”

“Fine.”

With the arrangement set, they were guided into the auction hall, and the auction officially began.

Inside, a middle-aged Chinese man wearing a Tang suit approached them, smiling broadly upon seeing Ye Qipeng.

Ye Qipeng embraced him and was about to introduce him to Wang Bo. Wang Bo said, “Mr. Yang Zhilong, President of the New Zealand Chinese United Association and Oceania Chinese Chamber of Commerce, it’s an honor to meet you.”

Indeed, this was a well-known figure. Yang Zhilong had studied in New Zealand during the early years of China’s reform and opening-up. After graduating, he stayed in Wellington and founded one of New Zealand’s largest electronics and telecommunications groups, Red Dragon Telecom, commanding great respect across Oceania’s business circles.

Yang Zhilong also knew of Wang Bo. They hadn’t met before but had seen each other in media reports. Especially now, Wang Bo had become a frequent media presence, or more accurately, Sunset Town had become one.

Thanks to Ye Qipeng’s presence, Wang Bo and Yang Zhilong finally interacted. Yang Zhilong suggested discussing matters after the auction, and Wang Bo anticipated he’d likely be joining another association.

Spring and autumn auctions were both heavyweight events. As Christie’s top representative in New Zealand, Adams-Georgetown personally gave a welcoming speech.

The auction opened with a Japanese vase, named a “Soy Yellow Glazed Saga Arita Porcelain Vase,” roughly fourteen or fifteen centimeters tall. It was said to be a favorite vase of General Nogi Maresuke.

Wang Bo knew little about collectibles but understood military history. Nogi Maresuke was a controversial modern Japanese general, having participated in the Russo-Japanese War and capturing Lushun in China.

Yang Zhilong whispered, “Wang, what do you think of this vase?”

Wang Bo replied, “If it were free, I’d smash it. Back in college, I was a radical youth. People like Nogi Maresuke? I have no respect for them—their possessions disgust me.”

“Then why don’t the three of us bid together and smash it?” Ye Qipeng joked.

Of course, it was just a joke. Doing so would not show Chinese confidence, only poor taste.

The vase sold at a modest price of 150,000 NZD.

After several rounds of auctions, none of the three made a move. Wang Bo assumed Yang Zhilong and Ye Qipeng were serious collectors, but their behavior suggested they weren’t very interested in collecting.

Next, the set of jewelry that Eva had her eye on appeared.

In the Bible, rubies are the most precious of all gemstones. Their fiery red color links them to passion and love. Known as the “stone of love,” rubies symbolize ardent romance, beauty, eternity, and fidelity.

“Rubies of different shades come from different lands, yet all carry auspicious meaning. Red is forever the messenger of beauty, and rubies are the best guide to conveying wishes to others.”

“Among rubies, the most valuable are the deeply colored ones, known as pigeon-blood red. Unfortunately, most rubies are light red, sometimes with pinkish hues, leaving something to be desired.”

“But now, a rare and magical treasure set will be presented to you. Let us welcome the masterpiece of Sri Lanka’s chief gemstone designer, C-S-J-Puriyange Jaya-Singh—the incarnation of the immortal phoenix from the Indian Ocean, the fantasy stone set of Sri Lanka!”

The auctioneer, in white gloves, shouted passionately.

On the auction stage, the jewelry set looked even more stunning than in the exhibition hall. The hall lighting was soft, while the auction stage had specialized lighting, enhanced by HD projectors. The set appeared not only luxurious and elegant but also grand and imposing.