The crowd was abuzz with discussion, their eyes filled with incomprehension and doubt as they looked at Zhou Changke, thinking he had simply lost his mind.
Bai Donghua looked at Zhou Changke as if he were an idiot, and sarcastically remarked, "Zhou Changke, Zhou Changke, I thought you were so clever, but you're just a fool! You've been made a fool of, completely fooled, and you're still eagerly handing over your money? Did your money grow on trees? Or are you in cahoots with him, deliberately trying to inflate prices and rip people off?"
Zhou Changke's face darkened, and he was about to retort when a steady and strong hand gently pressed down on his shoulder from behind.
Xu Kuo had somehow walked up to him, a faint sneer on his face, and shook his head at Zhou Changke: "Boss Zhou, I appreciate your kind offer. However, this small amount of money is not worth your trouble."
His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
Zhou Changke was taken aback, and looked at Xu Kuo with some doubt: "Brother Xu, you..."
Xu Kuo didn't explain further, but gave him a reassuring look before turning his gaze to the crowd that was bursting into laughter again because of his words, and to Bai Donghua, who looked at him with disdain and was convinced that he was stubbornly holding on to the end.
"Hahaha! Listen to this! He's here again!"
"A mere pittance? Who does he think he is?"
"Keep pretending! Let's see how long you can keep this up!"
Bai Donghua's arrogance reached its peak as he urged the auctioneer, "Host! What are you waiting for? Can't you hear this piece of trash spouting nonsense? Hurry up and take action! Cripple those arrogant hands of his! Let him know what happens when someone dares to act wildly here without money!"
The auctioneer was thoroughly enraged by Xu Kuo's "stubborn" attitude. Veins bulged on his face, and without any further hesitation, he shouted at his men, "Attack! Seize him! I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!"
The security guards exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with malice, gripped their rubber batons tightly, and suddenly lunged at Xu Kuo!
At this critical moment—
"Stop!"
An aged yet authoritative voice, like a resounding bell, suddenly rang out in the hall, clearly overwhelming all the noise and clamor.
The security guards, who were about to take action, suddenly froze and stopped instinctively.
The noisy crowd quieted down instantly, and everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
Outside the crowd, a sprightly elderly man in a gray Zhongshan suit stood, accompanied by a young man. Although not young, the old man stood upright with sharp eyes, exuding an air of authority.
"Mr. Ye...?" The auctioneer was taken aback when he saw who it was. He quickly forced a smile and respectfully went to greet him. "What brings you here?"
Bai Donghua's arrogance vanished instantly, replaced by a fawning smile as he bowed slightly: "Elder Ye, what brings you here?"
A murmur of surprise and discussion arose from the crowd.
"It's Elder Ye from Huichuntang!"
"Why would he come to a place like this?"
"I heard that there was an infectious disease outbreak in town a while ago, and it was Huichuntang that turned the tide. Old Master Ye was a great hero!"
"That's right, that's right. Huichuntang is now the biggest pharmacy in our town. Who would dare not give Old Master Ye some face?"
This Mr. Ye is the old manager of Huichuntang and Ye Caifeng's father.
Huichuntang is not only the oldest and largest pharmacy in town, but also enjoys a thriving reputation due to its recent successful resolution of a sudden infectious disease crisis in the town. Old Master Ye himself is highly respected.
When Xu Kuo saw Elder Ye, the tense lines on his face finally relaxed, and a hint of joy appeared. He quickly called out, "Elder Ye! You've come at the perfect time! Quickly, help me prove to them that I can afford to pay!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Donghua's expression changed drastically. He quickly turned around and scolded Xu Kuo before Elder Ye could speak, "Shut up! Elder Ye is someone of such status as you, a country bumpkin, who can just casually try to befriend him? Elder Ye, don't listen to this kid's nonsense. He's just a troublemaker and a fraud, and he's not worthy to speak to you!"
While belittling Xu Kuo, he flashed a fawning smile at Elder Ye, attempting to curry favor.
However, Elder Ye didn't even glance at him, his brows furrowing slightly, clearly extremely displeased with Bai Donghua's words.
He walked straight up to the auctioneer, his gaze sweeping over the tense scene before finally settling on Xu Kuo. In a calm yet authoritative tone, he announced to the auctioneer and everyone else, "I'm here to testify for him that what he said is true."
"What?!"
These words shocked everyone present!
Everyone looked at Elder Ye with disbelief, then at Xu Kuo, wondering if they had misheard.
Old Master Ye actually came to testify for this seemingly impoverished country boy who was despised by everyone?
Bai Donghua's smile froze instantly, his eyes widened in disbelief. "Old Ye... Old Ye? Are you sure you're not mistaken? It's... it's him?" He pointed at Xu Kuo, his tone filled with absurdity and skepticism. "How could a country bumpkin like him... how could he possibly afford so much money? It's impossible!"
Old Master Ye glanced coldly at Bai Donghua and let out a disdainful snort.
"Mistaken identity? Boss Bai, you're underestimating me far too much." Old Ye's voice suddenly turned stern, carrying a chilling aura. "A while ago, the deadly infectious disease in town caused widespread panic, and so many people were at a loss! In the end, who came up with the life-saving prescription?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping sharply across the room, and spoke each word clearly and forcefully:
"It's this young friend Xu Kuo! He not only provided the prescription but also guided us in preparing it. Xu Kuo deserves immense credit for Huichuntang's success in controlling the epidemic and saving so many lives! As agreed, he received his share of Huichuntang's profits. That amount is more than enough to buy the items he bid on today, or even several times more!"
Old Master Ye's resounding words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples!
After a deathly silence, the entire auction hall erupted in an uproar even more violently than before!
"What?! That...that prescription was provided by this kid?"
"My God! Is this for real? The life-saving prescription from Huichuntang... he actually provided it?"
"No wonder Elder Ye personally intervened! This kid... he's been hiding his true abilities far too well!"
"My goodness! That's a huge sum of money! Back then, Huichuntang was making a fortune every day!"
Countless gazes focused on Xu Kuo, filled with shock and disbelief.
The previous disdain and ridicule had long since vanished without a trace.
The auctioneer's mouth dropped open. He looked at Elder Ye, then at Xu Kuo, cold sweat beading on his forehead. How could he dare mention the verification of funds now? He hurriedly nodded and bowed, "Yes, yes, Elder Ye is right. I was blind to your greatness; I was confused!"
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