177: slow!

Zhuang Kongming sighed:

"This child is deep in thought. I'm afraid he can guess seven-tenths of what happened back then."

Zhuang Kongming continued to reject candidates.

The so-called A Qiang was his second son's child.

The child's mother was Su Xin, the woman who sowed discord between the brothers.

Whether Su Xin left or died back then, others might not know, but how could he not be clear?

How could a seed of hatred blossom into a warm flower?

But with such great external conflict, he couldn't help but consider who would succeed him in advance.

Looking at the children in the main branch, not one could take on this responsibility.

It was difficult.

"If the Family Head trusts me, let Xiao Shao go to the Medicine Field for thirty years, and take a gamble." Zhuang Qi still did not compromise.

Xiao Shao?

Zhuang Kongming's cheeks flushed slightly. This was his third son, born last year. Because his mother's identity was not honorable, he had always been raised by Zhuang Qi, and it was said publicly that he was adopted... The lively atmosphere in the venue continued.

"Next up for auction is the Ghost Vine. Starting bid, ten thousand gold." With a thud, Tong Tu struck the auction hammer.

"Fifteen thousand!"

"Seventeen thousand!"

"Eighteen thousand!"

...Including the previous golden bed, Jiang Hanwen brought a total of one hundred and eight thousand this time. After deducting previous expenses, he now had over forty thousand.

When the bidding reached twenty-two thousand, only two parties were bidding: number five on the top floor and number twelve, second to last.

Zhong Yunzhou looked at Zhong Xiaoran.

"Third Uncle, at this price, they shouldn't bid anymore, right?"

Zhong Xiaoran frowned: "I hope the Li Family knows when to advance and retreat, and not be ignorant."

He hadn't expected a Ghost Vine to be auctioned. If he had known, he would have sold everything in his Family long ago.

It was just that he didn't have much money with him now, and it was too late to go back and get more.

If the final Illusory Dream Flower was delayed because of the Ghost Vine, he would absolutely not be able to explain it to his Family. But for him to give up the Ghost Vine was too difficult, too difficult.

The Treasure Pavilion's rules were very strict. If the auction hammer fell and he couldn't produce that much money, the item would go to the second-highest bidder. At the same time, he would have to pay a breach of contract fee ranging from thirty to eighty percent.

If he couldn't pay, it would mean making an enemy of the Treasure Pavilion, being permanently blacklisted, and even being hunted down.

The Illusory Dream Flower was for his Family, and the Ghost Vine was for himself. Now, he could only hope that the Li Family wouldn't bid again; otherwise, this Ghost Vine would slip through his fingers.

"Twenty-four thousand once, twenty-four thousand twice, twenty-four—"

Just as Tong Tu raised the auction hammer into the air.

"Twenty-five thousand!"

Room seven on the second floor made a bid.

Zhong Xiaoran's face turned cold. Where did this greenhorn come from? Was he looking for death!

"Oh!

Are there so many rich people today?

First they snatched the Alchemy, now they're snatching the Ghost Vine."

"This is much more interesting. It's not like in Blackrock, where the top floor always bought everything."

"Haha, let's see how Room Five responds."

...In Room Five, Zhong Yunzhou glanced at his Third Uncle, not daring to speak.

If the difference was large, it would be fine, but if it was only a thousand, it was indeed uncomfortable.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Xiaoran picked up the crystal again, cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Twenty-seven thousand!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Room Seven bid again.

"Twenty-eight thousand!"

Not too much, not too little, just one thousand more.

Zhong Xiaoran picked up the crystal again.

"Thirty thousand!"

"Thirty-one thousand!"

After three consecutive bids, not only Tong Tu but even the audience below realized something was amiss.

This familiar scene seemed to have just happened.

Only this time, the attacking side had become the defending side.

When the Zhuang Family bought the book just now, they were disgusted by Room Five adding a hundred by a hundred.

Now, a big shot had arrived, adding a thousand by a thousand, using the same method, a taste of their own medicine?

"Damn, that's impressive.

For a fit of pique, one thousand gold could buy five thousand qi and blood pills."

"This is what's interesting. It's so boring when it's always those few people bidding."

"What do you think, is this gentleman in Room Seven deliberately adding a thousand to raise the price, or is he both attacking and buying?"

"Interesting..."

Zhong Xiaoran clenched his fists. Thirty thousand gold was his limit. He couldn't spare even one more coin right now.

"Thirty-three thousand!" Zhong Xiaoran shouted.

Jiang Hanwen calmly replied: "Thirty-four thousand!"

Zhong Yunzhou saw that his Third Uncle was getting a little emotional and panicked.

He grabbed Zhong Xiaoran's hand:

"Third Uncle, we still need our money to bid for the Illusory Dream Flower."

Zhong Xiaoran grinned:

"Don't worry, this kid wants to compete with me. I'll make two more bids and then let go. Since he has so much money and likes to show off, let him show off."

Zhong Yunzhou breathed a sigh of relief and released his hand.

It was good that he wasn't getting emotional. If they could win the bid for the final Illusory Dream Flower, it would be very effective for Breakthrough.

The other Families were also the same, all waiting for the final Illusory Dream Flower. This was the most important thing today!

"Thirty-six thousand!" Zhong Xiaoran raised it by another two thousand.

"Thirty-seven thousand!" Jiang Hanwen's tone was still unhurried, everything under control.

Zhong Xiaoran narrowed his eyes. The time was right to round up the price for this rich patron.

"Thirty-nine thousand!"

Everyone's gaze returned to Room Seven on the second floor, silently waiting for the person inside to speak.

The Treasure Pavilion's glazed windows were very interesting. If the windows were not opened,

You couldn't see inside from the outside, but you could see outside from the inside.

The lights in the room were full, and people vaguely saw a standing figure by the window.

However, the person was clearly standing by the window, standing straight, yet motionless, like a still tree stump, not bidding again.

One breath, three breaths, ten breaths.

As time passed, the figure by the window did not move, and there was no sound.

A drop of sweat slid down his cheek. Zhong Yunzhou looked at Room Seven downstairs, feeling empty inside. He suddenly had a bad premonition.

If... if the other party didn't bid again, his Third Uncle's thirty-nine thousand would be the highest price.

This was a full fifteen thousand more than the initial twenty-four thousand.

Don't think that these old Families were rich; money didn't just fall from the sky.

Fifteen thousand, wasted for nothing, would be enough to make them ache, not to mention if it delayed the bidding for the Illusory Dream Flower, then this time, it wouldn't be as simple as just Family law punishment.

Thinking of his grandfather's truly angry expression, Zhong Yunzhou swallowed, his heart chilling.

Beside him, Zhong Xiaoran rested his hands behind his head, leaning back on the soft plush sofa, looking relaxed.

"Don't worry, he just wants to make me anxious.

Yunzhou, remember, there's sometimes only a fine line between hunter and prey."

Tong Tu picked up the auction hammer, glanced at Room Seven, and slowly chanted:

"Thirty-nine thousand once... Thirty-nine thousand twice... Thirty-nine thousand thrice, so...ld, thud!"

As the auction hammer struck the table, Zhong Xiaoran, who had been confident of victory, remained motionless, as if petrified.

Just as he had said, there was only a fine line between hunter and prey.

Zhong Yunzhou's heart turned cold. He knew that something had really gone wrong!

"Haha, it seems someone made the Zhong Family suffer a great loss, excellent!

Xiao Meng, send a fruit platter to Room Seven."

"Yes!"

The Treasure Pavilion had a rule to prevent angry outbursts.

The top floor and the second and third floors were separate. The second and third floors and the first floor were also separate.

If they wanted to get to know each other, they could only do so through the Treasure Pavilion staff; there was no other way.

Three groups of people pushed exquisite fruit platters to the door of Room Seven and knocked.

No one answered inside. Before the auction ended, this door was controlled by a Formation, and only a token could open it; their staff couldn't either.

Fortunately, through a sound transmission talisman, the people in the hall said that the figure was still by the window, presumably the guest didn't want to open the door.

Pure copper carts with fruit platters were neatly arranged against the wall.

"Senior, Rooms Three, Four, and Ten on the top floor have sent you fruit platters. We've placed them by the door. If you're interested, just open the door and take them.

We'll leave first and won't disturb you."

Facing the graceful greetings of the women, there was no movement inside the door, a dead silence.

On the other side, as the fruit platters arrived on the second floor, Room Five's door was knocked.

The steward, accompanied by guards, stood at the door. The Ghost Vine they had bought for thirty-nine thousand had already been delivered.

Zhong Xiaoran looked at the Ghost Vine within reach, sighed, looking troubled, and slowly pulled out his storage ring.

Just as he was about to pay.

"Wait!"

A deep shout interrupted Zhong Xiaoran's action.