30 An Auction of Eccentricity
Just as Wan Xue in the midst of struggling to comprehend the presence of the divine doctor Tai Zi Hua, he had already chased everyone out of the room, claiming the necessity of a one-on-one conversation with the patient. Apparently, her mother couldn't understand his sudden appearance as well, for mother and daughter could only stare in each other's eyes helplessly.
Just fifteen minutes later, the door burst open as Tai Zi Hua nonchalantly walked out, shaking his long sleeves as he looked moderately pleased. Within the hospital room, a pale Wan Ning sat upright on the bed; compared to before, her temper was quite behaved and obedient, and some life had sparked into her eyes.
"Prepare my personal operation room. If someone dared to use it without my permission, kick them out! Nobody is to witness during the operation!"
Before them, Tai Zi Hua could be seen directing the hospital director to prepare him an operation room. The hospital director was forever wiling to bow his head and acquiesce to his demands, for this was Blue Rose City General Hospital's first time hosting an imperial-tier medicinal practitioner, especially not someone as renowned as Bei Zhong's Tai Zi Hua.
With earnest bows and an extremely wide smile across his face, the director thanked Tai Zi Hua before turning around to face the nearby nurses and doctors, hollering for them to quickly get the restricted operation room prepared. Tai Zi Hua returned to stand before Wan Ning, staring at the young girl with a serious expression on his face.
"Are you sure you desire this choice?" He asked. "Remember my words. The moment you take this path, obtaining your desires would be much harder in this modernized society, albeit it is slightly easier than compared to the ancient times."
Wan Ning fiercely nodded, her eyes lighting with a blaze as she stared hotly at Tai Zi Hua. Determination and vindication could be seen within the depths of her eyes as she clenched her fists, her body trembling. Tai Zi Hua gave a short nod, of which Wan Xue noticed his eyes flashing with an extremely brief moment of disappointment before returning to normal. With a light sigh, he detached Wan Xue's bed from the wall, before wheeling her towards the operation center.
"So be it then. Youngsters, ah! Always with your decisions and hasty thoughts, be it average or genius, all of you are the same."
Wan Xue and her mother were made to stare blankly at the departing doctor and patient. Unable to comprehend how Wan Ning had broken from her depression within minutes of conversing with Tai ZI Hua, the mother and daughter sat slumped on the benches for several hours until Tai Zi Hua came back to their hospital floor. Wan Ning was nowhere to be seen.
"Esteemed Doctor, where's my second daughter?"
Wan Xue's mother anxiously asked, her slightly aged face displaying unbridled worry. In response, Tai Zi Hua merely shook his head lightly, before noisily clearing his throat. Staring directly at Wan Xue, his mouth moved slightly, before his hoarse voice echoed directly within her ear.
Wan Xue's mother tilted her head in confusion, unable to hear anything, but able to see his mouth forming words.
"I've kept my side of the bargain. All she will need now is a Yin Restoration Pill. You get that on your own, this old man won't help you much more on this matter!"
Shaking his sleeve, Tai Zi Hua gave a muffled snort as he turned and departed. Overwhelmed, Wan Xue gave a full bow to his distant figure, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Her mother stood near the side, until Wan Xue neared and quietly cleared her confusion. Only then did her mother break down in tears, before hastily withdrawing her terminal to alert her husband and son.
-
From Tai Zi Hua's visit, Wan Xue didn't appear in Blue Rose University until a week later. Li Mo Shang was conversing with his father Li Yuan in his room when Su Yuan'er suddenly barged in, telling him that an important visitor had asked for him and was waiting in the commons. Li Mo Shang shooed her away, before giving his greetings to his father.
"I'll call you later after this inconvenience."
"Inconvenience? Did you get yourself a woman, to dare hang up on your father?"
Li Yuan gave a snide remark towards Li Mo Shang, of which the latter immediately ended the communication with a merciless crystalline sound, the terminal clearly informing Li Yuan that the call had been terminated. Letting loose to a light round of swearing, Li Yuan's face suddenly broke into a smile, then changed into a gloating smirk. His son dared to hide a woman from his parents?
Then he, Li Yuan, should escalate that matter to no return as a proper father! Humming a happy tune, the forty-seven-year-old Li Yuan pranced around in Spring Courtyard, waiting for Jiang Lanying to return to unleash his prank.
-
Li Mo Shang could feel both eyebrows twitching in annoyance. Hadn't this woman pestered him enough already? Applying the moral card in tandem with the Ah Di Restaurant storeowner, causing him to call Tai ZI Hua to sow a favor, he had spared enough time and mental strength for this homebound professor.
But she wasn't satisfied after bugging him every day after her sister's treatment, giving emotional soliloquies of thanks!? She still had to sit meekly in the commons, sipping coffee without a single care in the world!? Perhaps Li Mo Shang's unhappiness was properly conveyed to Wan Xue this time around, for she promptly stood when she noticed his presence, before quietly asking.
"Student Li, can we find a place to talk?"
"Professor Wan, please make it quick. I need to get somewhere soon."
Li Mo Shang impatiently replied, ignoring the gossiping stares by Su Yuan'er and Li Zhen Yue. Wan Xue gave a thin smile before suggesting buying him a coffee at the university cafeteria. With a helpless sigh, Li Mo Shang could only follow, doing his best to avoid another usage of the emotional play.
He could easily ignore it and present a cold expression when in private, but the public pressure was something to be undesired as he, a scion on the Li Family, had to provide an amiable image.
Holding a medium roast coffee in his hand and blankly staring at Wan Xue, indicating for her to hurry up, Li Mo Shang could not help but observe Wan Xue.
Compared to the other times he had seen her, though she wore the same professor uniform, her atmosphere and personality was more pleasant and uplifting compared to her slight periods of depression. The tension within her forehead had loosened considerably, and when combined with her already attractive appearance, caused more than a few boys to stare admiringly. Wan Xue gave a delicate cough before speaking in a soft voice that itched at the heart.
"Student Li, thanks…ah, nevermind. Can we talk about the auction you mentioned earlier?"
Sensing Li Mo Shang's ire peak when she began to say her thanks, Wan Xue stiffened before directly changing the topic. Carrying little that her slightly embarrassed appearance was exposed to the public, she directly poured out her questions before Li Mo Shang, her large eyes blinking expectantly for an answer and not a denial.
"How does someone enter the auction you mentioned? Is there a required social status or financial power? Is there an entry fee? What are the goods sold?"
Faced with a barrage of questions, Li Mo Shang hesitated for a bit, pondering on what to reply with. Letting out a faint sigh, he poured out everything his father had informed him just earlier, giving little regard whether Wan Xue was paying proper attention or not.
"The auction is held twice a year, and is hosted in either Nan Qing, Bei Zhong, or the western Tian Xian Confederate. There is no social status verification to enter these auctions, although an entry fee of 15,000 RMB is set for all participants, 30,000 RMB for a private room. Items sold in these auctions can range from virtually any interesting object of worth, be it limited-edition classics, rare antiques, mystical items, rare medicines, or even production rights for an unreleased product. Likewise, any method of payment is permitted, be it in physical or intellectual form. Physical items will be auctioned with their initial values set to the market price, and intellectual items at the estimated profit after one year of operation. Does that satisfy you, Professor Wan?"
Wan Xue nodded her head. If she was permitted to sell intellectual property, then several research projects could be sacrificed to cover the cost of the Yin Restoration pill. Even if her and her parents' work was to be sacrificed, none of them would hesitate if doing so would save a family member. Suddenly, Wan Xue raised her head, her expression serious as she asked a question that burned her heart.
"You said that the Yin Restoration Pill was arduously expensive. Just how much did it sell for in the previous auction?"
"The initial price was set at 1.5 billion RMB. The end result, however, was approximately 43.2 billion RMB per pill for a total of three."
Li Mo Shang's instant and indifferent reply caused waves to rock Wan Xue's heart. 1.5 billion RMB as an initial bidding price and 43.2 billion as the winning price for the previous auctions? Her expression could not help but sink. Even if they sold all of the academic material the Wan Family possessed ownership rights of, they could barely amass 30 billion.
And she had no doubts that 43 billion wasn't the final value of this pill in this auction, for the limited supply and extremely potent effects made people shed blood simply for a glance! Helpless, her lips pouted as she looked at Li Mo Shang with slightly misty eyes, once again resorting to the emotional play.
"Student Li, you can't help your professor this one time? Just one time?"
"I can't help you, since the auction is commanded by the Treasure Pavilion. The Treasure Pavilion is the one who set the price, not me. Besides, didn't I contact old Tai for you? He even made me promise to several conditions before he agreed to help too."
"B-but-!"
"I sincerely can't help you, Professor Wan. The next auction is within two weeks, I hope you won't miss this chance. I'll buy the ticket for you, that's all."
With that, Li Mo Shang swiftly departed towards the general studies library, intending to take a nap until dinnertime. With this, he had fulfilled the duty of the Jianghu's code of morality and honor, no? Even the ancients should be satisfied with this much assistance, so she wouldn't come pester him anymore, right?
Resting his head on his crossed hands, Li Mo Shang settled for a short nap besides the <Ancient Cultures> bookshelf in the general studies library, his mind roaming through wonderful ancient teatime ceremonies and rituals.
-
A week later on a slightly chilly but sunny afternoon, Li Mo Shang stood before a middle-aged man known as Appraiser Wu of the Treasure Pavilion. Gazing at the teenage youth before him with his large circular glasses, Appraiser Wu stood, his grey suit fully displaying his extravagance as an imposing demeanor, though slightly inadequate in dominance, was emitted, causing the nearby maids to blanch.
"So, what are you selling, young boy?"
In response, Li Mo Shang reached for the long bag beside him, before unzipping it to reveal a steel sword engraved with flying cranes and petals. Lightly swinging it in the air before Appraiser Wu, Li Mo Shang casually dropped the sword with the blade point aimed downwards onto the appraisal table. Slicing though the cast iron table like butter, the sword created a deep groove on the ground much to Appraiser Wu's complete shock. All eyes shot towards the gently vibrating blade, unable to contain their surprise.
