"We're doing a good deed for ourselves. Everyone, don't be stingy. Take out the treasures you don't need for the auction and donate them to those in need..."
After saying that, Mrs. Sun began to cough violently. Her body couldn't hold up anymore.
The stepmother quickly wheeled Mrs. Sun off the stage. Then she took out the speech she copied from the internet and rambled on the stage.
The stepmother portrayed herself as a kind - hearted person like the Virgin Mary.
There were so many nonsense words in her speech that anyone could see her eagerness to show off.
She didn't stop until Xu Qingqing started to doze off.
"That's all I have to say. I hope everyone can be kind - hearted and save those poor children."
After saying that, the stepmother wiped her tears and stepped off the stage.
Xu Qingqing remembered what Lu Chuanbai had investigated about the stepmother's intention to embezzle the relief fund and silently rolled her eyes.
When it came to acting and creating an image, the stepmother was truly one of the best.
The stepmother handed the microphone to the host. The host asked the attendants to distribute number plates to everyone, which represented the order of the antique auction.
Xu Qingqing drew number 15, neither too early nor too late.
"Now, let's welcome Ms. Zhuang Yutong, the appraiser of this banquet!" The host pointed towards the audience.
All the lights in the hall went out, and only a single spotlight shone on Zhuang Yutong. It was quite a grand entrance.
Zhuang Yutong struggled to lift her skirt and squeezed onto the stage. "Hello, everyone. I'm Zhuang Yutong. I'll do my best to appraise for everyone."
Zhuang Yutong waved with a smile.
The next moment, the lights came back on. The first item for auction was wheeled onto the stage by the staff. Inside the brocade box was a bright green bracelet.
"This is the bracelet donated by Mrs. Sun."
The host pointed towards the audience. Mrs. Sun, sitting in a wheelchair, waved to the audience.
"Ms. Zhuang Yutong, it's your turn to appraise."
"Okay."
Zhuang Yutong held a small flashlight and shone it on the bracelet, thinking about the words of praise in her mind.
This was Mrs. Sun's bracelet. Of course, she had to praise it desperately to make Mrs. Sun happy.
"This jadeite bracelet has a delicate and transparent texture. The material is thick. It's a very rare jadeite variety."
"Everyone can take a look." Zhuang Yutong picked up the bracelet and showed it to the audience.
"The color is bright, green and pure. It should be cut from a whole piece of material. It reveals a fashionable atmosphere under its classical and gentle appearance."
"I have to say that Mrs. Sun really knows how to choose jewelry. Donating such a good piece of jewelry for the auction, Mrs. Sun is really kind - hearted."
Hearing Zhuang Yutong's praise to flatter Mrs. Sun and looking at the quality of the bracelet, Xu Qingqing covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
This bracelet was just a bit darker in color, and its texture was ordinary.
When Zhuang Yutong picked it up to show the audience, she deliberately turned off the flashlight, probably afraid that the audience would see the cracks inside.
A cracked bracelet wasn't worth much, at most 10,000 yuan.
Hearing Zhuang Yutong's praise, Mrs. Sun in the audience beamed with joy and gave Zhuang Yutong a thumbs - up.
"Ms. Zhuang really has a discerning eye."
Seeing their interaction, Xu Qingqing sighed in her heart.
Zhuang Yutong wasn't acting as an appraiser but as an expert in social etiquette.
"Okay, the auction starts. The starting price is 150,000 yuan!" As soon as the host finished speaking.
Immediately, someone raised their sign out of respect for Mrs. Sun.
"Mr. Chen, 160,000 yuan."
"Mr. Wang, 170,000 yuan."
Finally, the price was bid up to 190,000 yuan.
"Next is the second item for auction."
The staff wheeled out another piece of jewelry. A blue plum - blossom velvet hairpin lay quietly in the box.
"Okay, it's time for our appraisal session again."
Zhuang Yutong glanced casually at the hairpin and then focused on the owner of the hairpin. It was the jewelry of Mrs. Ruan, the wife of a real - estate tycoon.
Zhuang Yutong didn't care about the real value of the hairpin. She pretended to shine the flashlight on it and then started to brag.
"This hairpin is so beautiful! Its craftsmanship is no less than the velvet hair accessories worn by the imperial concubines in the Qing Dynasty."
"The blue color is deep, and the plum blossoms exude a delicate fragrance. Since ancient times, plum blossoms have been known as pure and noble, which suits Mrs. Ruan's temperament very well."
"And Mrs. Ruan is auctioning off such a beautiful hairpin for those children, just as pure and kind as the meaning of the plum blossom."
Mrs. Ruan Yuhua in the audience was also overjoyed by Zhuang Yutong's praise and greeted the others.
Xu Qingqing couldn't stand it anymore. This was just an ordinary blue velvet hairpin. Although the craftsmanship of the hairpin maker was exquisite, it would never sell for more than 10,000 yuan.
"The starting price is 30,000 yuan..."
Hearing the starting price announced by the host, Xu Qingqing felt dizzy and completely lost interest in this auction.
This was simply misleading people.
After five items were auctioned in a row, all of Zhuang Yutong's appraisal results were full of exaggerated praise, and she appraised each item with just a glance.
Xu Qingqing even suspected whether Zhuang Yutong could really appraise them, but it wasn't her concern.
Until it was time to auction the 14th item, the staff came to collect the item that Xu Qingqing was going to auction.
"Here." Xu Qingqing opened the brocade box and showed the five jade pendants she was going to auction.
The first 14 items were all very gorgeous. The staff was stunned when they saw the five gray and dull jade pendants that Xu Qingqing took out.
This was an antique auction, not a scrap - collecting event.
"Ms. Xu Qingqing, are you sure this is what you're going to auction?"
The staff even double - checked with Xu Qingqing.
Xu Qingqing nodded. "Yes, it is."
Lu Chuanbai, sitting beside Xu Qingqing, looked at the gray jade pendants.
He knew that Xu Qingqing must have taken out something that looked ordinary but would definitely shock everyone.
"Qingqing, what are these?" Lu Chuanbai whispered.
"Only those who know the value can tell." Xu Qingqing hooked her lips into a smile and explained to Lu Chuanbai.
Empress Dowager Cixi was extremely extravagant and in poor health. She knew that good jade could nourish the body, so she had people collect famous jade from all over the world to make five jade pendants for her.
Empress Dowager Cixi wore them all day long, hoping that the jade pendants could nourish her.
After Empress Dowager Cixi's death, these five jade pendants were taken off her body by a young eunuch who had served her and were taken out of the palace.
When taking them out of the palace, in order not to be discovered during the search,
the eunuch used a secret method to drip wax on the jade pendants, completely covering them and making them black, thus avoiding the inspection of the searchers.
The eunuch took them out of the palace and passed them down as family treasures. However, his son was a drug addict. Being chased by debt collectors, he sold these five jade pendants.
They had been wandering ever since.
At first, Xu Qingqing was almost scared away by the ordinary appearance of these five jade pendants. Fortunately, her intuition told her to buy them, so she didn't miss them.
"Okay, next, let's welcome the 15th item. It's the items to be auctioned by Ms. Xu Qingqing, five jade pendants."