Old Master Ye waved his hand, his tone returning to its previous calmness, yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Auctioneer, there's no need to verify the funds. All of Young Friend Xu's expenses today will be recorded in Huichuntang's account! If there are any problems, you can go directly to Huichuntang to find me, Old Master Ye!"
"Whoosh—!"
Another commotion arose in the crowd. Old Master Ye's words were tantamount to using the entire reputation of Huichuntang to vouch for Xu Kuo! This was an immense favor! Countless people looked at Xu Kuo with eyes brimming with envy.
Having climbed onto the big tree of Huichuntang, who in this town, or even the county, would dare to provoke us easily in the future?
Bai Donghua's face turned a deep purplish-red, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his teeth were practically grinding to powder! He stared intently at Xu Kuo, his eyes filled with a desire to devour him alive, yet he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
With Old Master Ye testifying in person, what could he possibly say? Say Old Master Ye was lying? He didn't have the guts! He felt a burning pain in his face.
The auctioneer wiped his sweat, eager to end this farce, and quickly picked up the gavel: "Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, let's continue... uh..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a cold voice.
"etc!"
Xu Kuo's lips curled into a cold smile, his gaze shooting like a sharp sword at Bai Donghua, whose face was ashen.
"Auctioneer, don't rush to continue." Xu Kuo's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the hall. "Boss Bai, we still have a bet we haven't settled, right? What was it you said you'd do if I could come up with the money?"
Bai Donghua's body stiffened abruptly, his face instantly turning even more ashen. He never expected Xu Kuo to bring up that damned bet at this moment, in front of so many people! He had previously assumed Xu Kuo was a penniless wretch, and to humiliate him, he had indeed boasted that if Xu Kuo could pay, he would…
He stammered, his eyes darting around, trying to bluff his way out: "W-what bet? I-I don't remember... Xu Kuo, don't make false accusations!"
"Ha!" Before Xu Kuo could speak, Zhou Changke couldn't help but sneer. He despised hypocritical scoundrels like Bai Donghua the most. "What? Is Boss Bai trying to renege on his debt? Weren't you so arrogant just now? Calling him a good-for-nothing and a peasant, and now you're chickening out? You dare to do it but not admit it, you good-for-nothing!"
Zhou Changke's words were like a resounding slap, making Bai Donghua's face turn pale and then red.
Xu Kuo added insult to injury without holding back, his tone full of mockery: "Ha, you can't even tell the difference between real and fake, yet you want to play auctions? I think you're not only blind, but also black-hearted. You try to cheat when you lose. You're a complete scoundrel! A disgrace!"
"Hahaha……"
"Exactly! If you can't handle losing, don't gamble!"
"I thought he was something special, but he's just a coward!"
"He can't even compare to a country bumpkin."
A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd, and a tidal wave of mockery and disdain surged toward Bai Donghua.
Bai Donghua trembled from the overwhelming ridicule, his face turning bright red as if it were about to bleed.
He suddenly raised his head, stared at Xu Kuo with resentment, and growled through gritted teeth, "Kid, don't be so smug! Leave a way out for others, so you can meet again in the future! If you push me too far, it won't do you any good! You just wait!"
"Oh?" Xu Kuo raised an eyebrow, his face showing no fear, but rather a playful smile. "I'm ready anytime. I want to see what tricks you have up your sleeve."
"You!" Bai Donghua was so angry that his vision blurred, and his finger pointing at Xu Kuo trembled. He knew that he had completely lost face today, and staying any longer would only bring him further humiliation.
"Hmph!" Bai Donghua angrily flung his sleeves and, amidst the snickers of the crowd, squeezed out of the auction hall in a disheveled state.
As soon as Bai Donghua left, the atmosphere in the auction hall immediately became lively.
"Wow, young Xu! You're really something for someone so young!"
"Brother Xu, I was blind just now. Please forgive me!"
"Young friend Xu, please come to town often so we can learn from you!"
"Yes, yes, if we associate with Huichuntang more often, we can also benefit from their influence..."
A group of people immediately surrounded him, their faces beaming with obsequious smiles, vying to curry favor with Xu Kuo. Their purpose was clear: they wanted to use Xu Kuo to climb the social ladder and gain access to Huichuntang.
Xu Kuo had no liking for these opportunists, merely nodding indifferently, his face expressionless, neither warm nor distant. He turned to the auctioneer, his tone calm: "Shall we continue?"
"Ah? Oh, okay, okay! Let's continue right away!" The auctioneer was overjoyed and quickly picked up his gavel to resume the auction.
The ensuing auction almost became a personal showcase for Xu Kuo.
Perhaps to make up for his previous neglect, or perhaps because he really had his eye on something, Xu Kuo frequently raised his paddle and bought up most of the remaining items, including some seemingly insignificant miscellaneous items, which aroused both envy and doubt among the crowd.
"Xu Kuo... he's incredibly rich!"
"Why did he buy so much stuff? Some of it doesn't even look worth much."
Zhou Changke was also amazed and leaned closer to Xu Kuo, asking in a low voice, "Brother Xu, what exactly do you do? How come I've never heard of you before?"
He was incredibly curious. It was highly unusual for a seemingly ordinary country youth to not only be knowledgeable about antiques and courageous, but also to have such a close relationship with Huichuntang.
Xu Kuo smiled mysteriously and replied casually, "Brother Zhou is joking. I'm just a country bumpkin who farms and raises fish. I've just gotten lucky."
Zhou Changke clearly didn't believe it, but seeing that Xu Kuo was unwilling to talk more, he had no choice but to give up, though he was determined to make good friends with him.
The auction ended quickly. The auction house staff's attitude towards Xu Kuo completely changed; they were extremely attentive, helping him pack all the auction items and promising to send them to the village entrance free of charge.
Zhou Changke warmly invited Xu Kuo to a meal, during which he subtly tried to learn more about Xu Kuo, but Xu Kuo skillfully deflected his questions.
As the sun sets, it paints the clouds on the horizon red.
After bidding farewell to Zhou Changke, Xu Kuo returned to the village in an oxcart arranged by the auction house. From afar, he saw a large crowd gathered under the old locust tree at the village entrance, pointing and discussing animatedly.
The oxcart stopped, and several neatly dressed auction house staff carefully unloaded the items wrapped in tarpaulin and piled them on the roadside.
These items are all different in shape, and although they are covered with cloth, they can be seen to be quite valuable. For the villagers who have spent their whole lives working the land, they are undoubtedly rare items.
"Hey, what is this thing?"
"It looks rather heavy; it must belong to a wealthy family in the city."
"It definitely is! Look at the workmanship, we've never seen anything like it before."
Xu Kuo stepped forward, intending to take stock of his spoils. He had a very fruitful day; he would have to use the "Super Treasure Hunt System" to appraise them again when he got back—who knows, there might be some surprises hidden inside.
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