“Fifteen percent equity of Jinse Technology!”
The entire hall went into an uproar.
Whispers rose like a tide as many guests exchanged shocked looks.
Jinse Technology.
That was the star enterprise Su Jin had founded with her own hands! Fifteen percent equity wasn’t just a simple investment; it was a heavy-hitting transaction that could potentially shake the company’s control.
Lin Luan felt a chill run from his spine to the top of his head.
‘Equity in Jinse Technology? Does Su Jin know?! Does Su’s Father know?! How did this thing get to the auction?!’
He hurriedly pressed his earpiece, his tone urgent. “Song Li! Song Li! Do you hear me?! What’s going on?!”
There was dead silence in the earpiece.
No static, no voice from Song Li—nothing. There was only a vacuum-like, heart-pounding silence.
“Song Li? Can you hear me?!” Lin Luan tried again.
There was still no response.
The connection indicator light on the Bluetooth earpiece had gone out at some point.
Lin Luan’s heart sank. He tried to reconnect the earpiece, his fingers trembling slightly from tension.
But after fumbling for a long time, the other end remained silent.
He had lost the connection.
And it had to happen at a time like this!
Lin Luan punched his thigh hard.
‘Damn it!’
Regardless, he had to tell Su Jin first.
Lin Luan reached for the phone in his pocket and frantically pressed the screen.
Taking advantage of the gap while the crowd was buzzing with discussion, he quickly lowered his head, unlocked his phone, found Su Jin’s number, and dialed.
A long dial tone came through the receiver.
[Beep… Beep… Beep…]
Lin Luan’s hand began to shake violently.
‘Pick up, Su Jin!’
However, at that moment, Su Jin was in a meeting room, calmly explaining the company’s future plans. Her phone was in her pocket, set to Do Not Disturb.
After seven or eight rings, the call was automatically disconnected.
No answer.
Lin Luan grew anxious.
Right, Song Li had mentioned that Su Jin had an unavoidable international video conference tonight that would last until at least 10:00 PM. It was impossible to reach her.
Cold sweat slid down Lin Luan’s forehead.
He quickly flipped through his contacts again. He didn’t have Su Bingren’s number either. Su’s Father had never given him a direct way to contact him; all communication was handled through Song Li.
Lin Luan scrolled to the very bottom of his phone…
He had no one to rely on.
He turned off his phone and redirected his gaze to the auction stage.
As the number one company in Chang city, there were many people who wanted Jinse Technology to fall. Once these auctioned shares fell into someone else’s hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The auctioneer on stage seemed very satisfied with the sensation he had caused.
He smiled and added, “This batch of equity is provided by an anonymous client. It is legal and compliant, and it comes with complete legal documents.”
“The starting price — 300 million.”
300 million!
This figure caused an even greater commotion in the hall.
But soon, some people snapped out of their shock, a cunning glint appearing in their eyes.
300 million to win fifteen percent equity was more than worth it. The market value of Jinse Technology was at least 3 billion; this was a deal of pure profit.
“Now, let the bidding begin! 300 million, do I hear an opening bid?” the auctioneer called out loudly.
“310 million!” someone behind and to the side immediately raised their paddle.
“320 million!” someone on the other side followed up with a raise.
The price began to climb in increments of ten million, and the competition quickly reached a fever pitch.
Lin Luan’s mind was a mess.
He couldn’t contact Song Li, and he didn’t know if this was an accident or intentional.
The bank card Su’s Father had given him to buy the vase had 500 million on it… Was 500 million enough?
What should he do?
Should he just watch the equity of Jinse Technology fall into someone else’s hands?
Su Jin’s face flashed through his mind. Usually, she was cold and proud, but occasionally, she would show signs of exhaustion.
Jinse Technology was her life’s work. it was the pride she used to prove herself to the world.
Although he didn’t know how this thing had ended up at the auction, he knew one thing…
‘I absolutely cannot let anyone else take it!’
“I bid 400 million!”
Lin Luan’s voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly pierced through the noisy bidding.
He raised his number paddle toward the auctioneer.
The hall fell silent for a moment as countless gazes focused on him in unison.
This young man had actually raised the price from 360 million to 400 million in one go?
After a brief silence, the bidding resumed.
“410 million!”
A middle-aged wealthy businessman spoke up, continuing to raise the price. He was surrounded by two women who leaned against him like delicate birds. He held a cigar in his hand, his face oily and smug.
“430 million!”
Lin Luan gritted his teeth.
“450 million!”
A middle-aged woman continued the raise.
Slowly, the number of competitors decreased significantly, but those remaining were all powerful titans.
The price continued to climb. Every raise felt like a heavy hammer striking Lin Luan’s heart.
The limit on the card in his hand was 500 million. Once it exceeded that, he would be powerless.
“480 million!”
Lin Luan raised his paddle again. He still looked calm, but the back of his shirt was already soaked with cold sweat.
Only one competitor remained in the hall.
It was the wealthy businessman who had been raising his paddle frequently.
“490 million!” The businessman gritted his teeth and followed.
Lin Luan took a deep breath. He knew he had no more chances left. He could only pray that this number was the businessman’s psychological limit.
He had to deliver a decisive blow.
“500 million.”
He called out the figure, which was also the limit of the card in his hand.
The entire hall was silent.
The auctioneer scanned the room. “500 million! A bid of 500 million from Number 88! Are there any higher bids?”
The businessman shook his head and lowered his paddle.
Buying these shares for 500 million was definitely a loss when calculated carefully.
The businessman felt that this young man truly lacked experience. In his life experience, young people could sometimes be as stubborn as mules. There was no need to fight him; he would just let him have it.
Lin Luan clenched his fists, his fingertips ice-cold.
‘Did I succeed?’
“Number 88, 500 million once!”
The auctioneer excitedly raised his gavel.
“Number 88, 500 million twice!”
“Number 88, 500 million thr—”
But just as the auctioneer was about to strike the gavel—
A cold female voice drifted in clearly from the entrance at the very back of the hall.
“I bid 550 million.”
*Buzz—*
Lin Luan felt his mind go blank.
When he heard that voice, he felt as if he had heard two overlapping sounds.
One was far, and one was near.
But this wasn’t an auditory hallucination caused by his extreme nervousness; there were indeed two sounds.
One came from behind him, and the other originated from—
His Bluetooth earpiece.
Lin Luan whipped his head around, looking toward the sound.
Under the spotlight at the entrance, Song Li stood tall in a sharp black suit dress.
She held up the No. 100 paddle, her face expressionless. Her eyes were as calm as a deep pool as she looked straight at the auctioneer on stage.
Song Li?!
How could it be Song Li?!
Wasn’t she supposed to be waiting in the car? Wasn’t she supposed to be just as ignorant of this as he was?!
Where did she get 550 million?!
On whose behalf was she bidding?!