Chapter 416 - 415: Going to the Lu Family Auction House

Yun Zijin was still sitting in the same chair from the morning, watching the filming progress from the side.

Yun Zijin didn’t know how the other actors were doing, but seeing the two leads get their scenes with very few NGs, she felt quite relieved.

After all, the production’s equipment was burning through money every day. If the actors kept needing retakes, it would slow down their progress, and the production’s budget would take an even bigger hit.

It had to be said, Gao Mi was truly something else; his eye for casting was excellent.

However, not long after Yun Zijin sat down for the afternoon, she received a call from Lu Yunque.

Yun Zijin didn’t bother hiding from anyone, simply answering the call right there in her chair.

"Hello..."

"I’m outside the film studio. Are you free right now?"

Yun Zijin glanced at the time. ’Isn’t it still before closing time for the Lu Corporation?’

But as the CEO of the corporation, it was perfectly fine for Lu Yunque to leave work early once in a while.

"I’m free. I was just here to fill a seat, anyway. It’s not like they need me for the actual filming."

To be honest, after watching a full day of shooting, Yun Zijin was only just realizing how many times the crew had to try just to get a single shot right.

"Then how about you come out and go somewhere with me?"

Lu Yunque didn’t say where they were going, but Yun Zijin agreed without hesitation.

Even if Lu Yunque hadn’t called, Yun Zijin had been planning to leave after a little while anyway.

"Okay, just a minute."

After agreeing, Yun Zijin told Gao Mi she was leaving, then grabbed her bag and headed for the studio exit.

Along the way, she was stopped by someone who wanted to invite her for a cameo in some historical drama, an offer Yun Zijin refused without a second thought.

’Even if I were to get into the entertainment industry,’ she thought, ’it would only be as an investor, not an actress.’

The man tried to stop her again, but Zero One blocked his path with an arm. "Sir, please conduct yourself with dignity."

Clearly, the man hadn’t expected that picking someone at random would land him a person with a bodyguard. What a sad, bitter tale.

Having successfully gotten away from him, Yun Zijin hurried toward the studio entrance.

The moment she reached the entrance, she saw Lu Yunque’s unmistakable Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Seeing Yun Zijin emerge, Lu Yunque got out of the car, his gaze softening instinctively as he looked at her.

"What made you decide to come pick me up?"

"I wrapped up some work, and the person in charge of the auction happened to call. I figured I’d bring you along to take a look. You can even give me your opinion."

The Lu Family had its own auction house, and this time, Lu Yunque was holding an auction in the name of the Lu Corporation.

The grand finale items for this auction were the fully grown Ice Tree and Fire Tree. As the one who had provided the seeds, it was only natural for Yun Zijin to go see the lots.

"You put it all together so quickly?"

Auctions aren’t so easy to organize. Just gathering all the necessary lots is a challenge in itself.

Lu Yunque nodded. "The Lu Corporation has its own venue, which houses many items consigned for sale by other individuals and families."

"Of course, we can’t hold auctions every day. We typically have only one or two a year, and most of the lots are selected from that collection."

"Of course, we sometimes add in items we’ve sourced ourselves at the last minute."

At the Lu Family’s own auction house, there was nothing wrong with adding a few extra lots.

And this time, Lu Yunque had done just that, adding the Ice Tree and Fire Tree and positioning them as the grand finale.

Strictly speaking, the two trees couldn’t be considered particularly valuable, but they were a new species that had never been officially introduced to the public.

"So this time, you just squeezed in the Ice Tree and the Fire Tree?"

After hearing Lu Yunque’s words, Yun Zijin came to a conclusion.

Lu Yunque replied, "Theoretically, yes."

Yun Zijin gave Lu Yunque a mental thumbs-up. ’Mr. Lu really is in a league of his own.’

"So what are we doing now?"

’An auction shouldn’t require Lu Yunque’s personal attention, right?’ Yun Zijin thought.

"This is the first thing I’ve gotten from you to be auctioned. I don’t want any last-minute slip-ups."

This was, without a doubt, the auction Lu Yunque had cared most about in many years.

It dawned on Yun Zijin, so she didn’t ask any more questions, just waited quietly for the car to reach their destination.

The Lu Family’s auction house was connected to a showroom. This showroom was filled with consigned goods and was typically open for public viewing. If a visitor took a liking to a particular item, they could negotiate a direct purchase with the auction house.

The price might be lower than at auction, or it might be higher. It all came down to a person’s luck.

The black Rolls-Royce Phantom came to a stop. The car driven by Zero One and the others pulled up right behind Lu Yunque’s vehicle. Zero One then got out nimbly, walked to the front car, and opened the door for Yun Zijin.

The moment Yun Zijin got out of the car, she attracted the gazes of many people passing by.

Meanwhile, the staff inside the auction house were also craning their necks to see.

They had heard their CEO had a new girlfriend but had never gotten the chance to see her in person.

They never expected to be so lucky today; the wait was finally over.

Lu Yunque took Yun Zijin’s hand, and they walked shoulder to shoulder toward the auction house entrance.

"Good afternoon, Mr. President!"

Anyone they passed would bow their head slightly to greet him. Lu Yunque would just give a small nod in return to acknowledge them.

Following by Lu Yunque’s side, Yun Zijin quickly entered the innermost part of the venue.

Yun Zijin saw the Ice Tree and Fire Tree covered by transparent glass cases.

"Wow... you’re certainly giving them the deluxe treatment."

Thinking about the two trees she had planted in the garden at Xingyu Mansion, which she might only water once a month, Yun Zijin felt she was failing her own pair.

She, their "mother," was incompetent, unable to provide them with a life of pampered luxury.

"They’re the only two in existence right now, so of course they require delicate care."

"This way, we can create the impression that they’re extremely valuable. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare let the bidding get too high at the auction."

"So what else is up for auction this time?"

An auction couldn’t possibly feature only two trees as lots.

Lu Yunque led Yun Zijin into a showroom deeper inside the venue.

"Here. This entire wall is filled with the lots for the upcoming auction."

They were kept back here to prevent visitors from seeing them and trying to buy them before the auction even began.

Yun Zijin’s eyes were immediately drawn to a blue-and-white porcelain vase in the very center.

"This blue-and-white porcelain is gorgeous! Who could bear to part with it at auction?"

’Shouldn’t something this rare be kept safely tucked away in a private collection?’

"It belongs to a prominent family whose business is failing. They’re on the verge of bankruptcy and are selling it to cover their massive financial shortfall."

"It probably won’t be enough, though."

It was a coincidence. The vase had only just been brought to the venue when Lu Yunque decided to hold an auction. Otherwise, they might not have had the chance to handle it.

After all, the owners needed to liquidate the antique for cash; they couldn’t afford to wait too long.