Competition

Jake watched with boredom, patiently awaiting the auction of his own calligraphy piece. Dirk, on the other hand, was also waiting, but unlike Jake, he occasionally placed bids. However, he hadn't come across anything particularly appealing, so his bids were merely for participation, without a strong intention to purchase.

However, this changed when they laid their eyes on an ink painting. When a painting named "Spring Mountains and Flying Birds" was presented, Jake clearly noticed Dirk's eyes lighting up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we have for auction now is this 'Spring Mountains and Flying Birds,' created by the renowned Tang Dynasty master, Li Yanzhi. Li Yanzhi's ink paintings hold a prestigious place in the history of ink art, and this 'Spring Mountains and Flying Birds' is considered his pinnacle work. I believe you can all discern its excellence without me saying much—the delicate brushwork, the lifelike character portrayals, the precisely rendered atmosphere..." The auctioneer began to introduce the artwork.

After the introduction, those interested moved closer for a closer look, and surprisingly, Dirk also took the initiative to approach the stage. Jake observed that, aside from Dirk, there were many others in the audience showing keen interest. Jake casually employed an appraisal technique and discovered...

Once everyone had finished inspecting and returned to their seats, the auctioneer spoke once more, "Alright, let's not delay any further. We will now begin the auction for this painting. We'll start with an opening bid of ten million! Each subsequent bid must be no less than one hundred thousand! The bidding begins!"

"One million and ten thousand!"

"I bid one million and twenty thousand!"

"One million and fifty thousand!"

"One million two hundred and fifty thousand!"

As the bidding commenced, the price of this ink painting soared from its initial ten million, quickly exceeding twenty million, and the upward momentum remained strong. Unlike the previous casual bids, Dirk was notably more serious this time, displaying a focused demeanor as he repeatedly raised his bidding paddle.

"My old man is a big fan of collecting ink paintings," Dirk seemed to sense Jake's scrutiny and explained casually, "especially works by Li Yanzhi. This is a rare find, and I can't let it slip away easily."

While Dirk was speaking to Jake, his eyes remained fixed on the ink painting held by the attendant, underscoring his deep interest in the artwork.

Jake understood why Dirk valued the painting so highly. However, just as he was about to say something to Dirk, a slightly audacious voice echoed through the venue.

"I bid twenty-five million!" When this voice rang out, the venue fell into a momentary hush. Many people turned their attention to the bidder, including Dirk and Jake. Considering that the previous bid was only twenty-two million, this new bidder had instantly added an additional three million, a significantly larger increase than the previous bidders. This bidding approach not only indicated the bidder's financial capability but also revealed their determination to acquire this painting. Additionally, there was another factor—the previous bidder at twenty-two million was none other than Dirk!

"Is it him?!" Dirk saw the bidder and couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"Who is it?" Jake asked, curious. He had seen the person's face but didn't recognize them.

"Jude!" Dirk said, his tone tinged with some contempt and disgust. Jake could tell from Dirk's expression that their relationship wasn't particularly friendly.

After Jude finished bidding, he looked towards Dirk with a hint of arrogance and hostility on his face, saying, "I know Dirk's father has a liking for Li Yanzi's ink paintings. In theory, I shouldn't be competing with Dirk. But, unfortunately, my father also admires Master Li's ink paintings. So, I have no choice but to compete for it. I hope Dirk understands."

While he said he hoped Dirk would understand, Jude's expression didn't show a trace of embarrassment; instead, it seemed somewhat provocative.

Dirk's expression darkened a bit as he replied, "Jude, how did your father's interests change? Since when did he start liking refined art? Wasn't he always into gambling? I heard he lost tens of millions at sea last week, nearly losing everything. Does he still have the money to buy this painting?"

Jude's face turned somewhat grim, and he retorted coldly, "Tens of millions are just a drop in the bucket for our family. If I want, I can buy ten paintings like this."

"Is that so? But today, you might not even get one!" Dirk fired back.

The two of them locked eyes, the tension between them palpable. As for the others at the scene, some had some understanding of their rivalry and watched the drama unfold without intervening.

"Gentlemen, please remain calm. Let's continue with the auction," the auctioneer intervened, inwardly enjoying the rivalry. He knew that with these two bidding against each other, the final selling price of the painting would undoubtedly soar.

"Now, Jude has bid twenty-five million. Is there a higher bid?" The auctioneer said this, but his eyes were fixed on Dirk, clearly waiting for his response. Many others in the audience were also waiting for Dirk to make his move.

"Twenty-six million!" Dirk didn't disappoint and quickly placed a new, one-million-higher bid than Jude's.

"Twenty-eight million!" As Dirk finished speaking, Jude countered, this time bidding two million higher than Dirk. Many in the audience sensed the tension between the two, wisely opting out of the competition. However, some still participated because they, too, admired the painting. With several parties competing, the price quickly reached forty million.

At this point, except for Dirk and Jude, everyone else had given up on the competition. Even those who liked the painting realized that the value had already reached their estimated maximum, and Dirk and Jude showed no signs of giving up. Others knew they had no chance.

"Forty-one million!" Dirk declared.

"Dirk, one million increments? That seems a bit stingy. Do you happen to be short on cash? If you are, I can lend you some," Jude retorted before announcing his own new bid, "Forty-five million!"

Forty-five million! This was a price that had already exceeded the intrinsic value of the painting itself. Everyone understood that, regardless of who won the bid, it would be at a premium.