In China, society has always been built on personal connections. To hold such a high position in a company at such a young age, one must certainly rely on background and relationships. As for graduating from a prestigious university? University students are everywhere nowadays.
Ye Pengfei had risen through connections and wasn't particularly skilled, which led to some murmurs within the company. Although no one spoke ill of him to his face, Ye Pengfei knew they must be discussing him behind his back.
With others' tongues wagging, Ye Pengfei could do nothing about the gossip. However, he harbored a strong desire to achieve something significant and prove his capabilities.
In the jewelry industry, the most effective ways to demonstrate one's prowess are through seniority and performance. Whoever can secure high-value items at auctions and bid even higher prices is seen as capable by others. Ye Pengfei needed to ensure that the branch he managed auctioned off some "heavyweight" items to prove his worth.
The problem was, acquiring such significant items wasn't easy. Firstly, Shun Jin Auction Company was renowned throughout the triangular region, but that was the main headquarters. Ye Pengfei had merely been sent by his father to manage a branch in a remote coastal town. This branch was located in a less accessible area. While ordinary treasures were frequently brought in for auction, there hadn't been a single "heavyweight" item in months.
"I wonder when someone will bring in a 'heavyweight' treasure for auction," Ye Pengfei mused, sitting at his desk.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Who could it be?" Ye Pengfei wondered aloud, before saying, "Come in."
A beautiful woman and a young boy, who looked as though he had just outgrown childhood, entered.
"Mr. Ye, this handsome young man wishes to auction an item he possesses," the woman said directly to Ye Pengfei.
"An item?" Ye Pengfei looked at the woman with a puzzled expression.
This woman was the receptionist. According to company policy, receptionists were only to provide introductions and consultations at the front desk. It was against regulations for her to enter his office during work hours without prior arrangement, though knocking was permissible. If a receptionist left her post, the front desk would be unattended, and what if another customer arrived? Why was she here now, bringing a customer directly to his office and knocking?
Ye Pengfei was filled with questions. For a receptionist to come directly to him, the general manager, it could only mean that the item the customer wished to auction was of immense value, prompting the receptionist to disregard company rules and knock directly. This was the only plausible reason.
However, Ye Pengfei didn't believe this customer possessed any valuable treasures. The young boy before him, though exceptionally handsome – the most beautiful boy Ye Pengfei had ever seen – could not hide his youth. Ye Pengfei could only see a face and physique brimming with childish innocence. He estimated the boy to be around fourteen or fifteen years old. What kind of treasure could a boy of that age have to auction?
Furthermore, the boy was dressed in ancient attire. Had he just finished filming and come directly without changing? Ye Pengfei was perplexed, but the exceptionally handsome young boy was a customer. As a customer, he had to set aside his doubts. The company was there to make money, not to investigate customers. What was the boy's background, or whether he had come straight from a film set without changing, was none of his business and certainly not something to inquire about.
"Young man, what do you wish to auction?" Ye Pengfei asked the boy.
The boy revealed his pearly white teeth and replied politely, "I wish to auction a pearl."
"More accurately, a water-repelling bead, a bead that possesses the ability to repel water."
After the boy finished speaking, both the receptionist and Ye Pengfei gave him a strange look. That peculiar gaze seemed to convey the question, "Is this person a fool?"
A water-repelling bead? Was such an item meant to exist in the real world? It repels water? Had he watched too much Journey to the West or read too many online novels? How incredibly chuunibyou. Looking at his ancient attire… it was understandable that the boy was chuunibyou; it was already evident.
Ye Pengfei looked at Fang Ming, then took a deep breath to calm himself. The boy's age truly seemed as if he had just stepped out of the second year of middle school. This was true chuunibyou, in both its original and derived meanings. He probably read too many manga; it was understandable for a young person. Ye Pengfei had no intention of arguing with a customer.
He then said, "Little brother, may I see the water-repelling bead?"
"I will appraise its value."
The handsome young man in white ancient attire seemed to obey, placing a pearl from his palm onto the table. It was a pearl approximately five centimeters in diameter, with a lustrous sheen.
Ye Pengfei was an expert and his eyes brightened as he looked at the pearl. Pearls are divided into natural and artificial. Natural pearls are produced by oysters. A pearl of this size would be worth at least one million Lanxing coins. While not a true "heavyweight" treasure – those were worth at least ten million Lanxing coins – one million Lanxing coins was still a top-tier treasure, just below the heavyweight category. He hadn't acquired a pearl of this value recently. If this were truly a natural pearl, produced by an oyster, then it would explain why the receptionist had brought the customer directly to him. Ordinary treasures could be handled by appraisers, and Mr. Ye wouldn't need to personally inspect every single item.
Artificial pearls, on the other hand, could be made to any size, significantly reducing their value, even rendering them worthless. An artificial pearl might be worth a few hundred Lanxing coins at most, a far cry from the one million Lanxing coins of a natural pearl.
However, at first glance, Ye Pengfei felt it was likely a natural pearl, not an artificial one. Artificial pearls wouldn't be so smooth, their color wouldn't be so natural, and they wouldn't appear so flawless. The technology for artificial replication couldn't be that advanced.
Ye Pengfei used a magnifying glass to examine the pearl closely, carefully studying it for ten minutes before reaching his final conclusion. It was genuine. It was not a fake artificial pearl, but a pure natural pearl. A five-centimeter natural pearl with such perfect luster – he had made a significant find today!
After confirming its authenticity, Ye Pengfei said to the handsome young man in white, "Little brother, congratulations. This pearl, in both color and shape, is close to perfection. At auction, it can be preliminarily valued at at least one million Lanxing coins."
"Would you like to consign it to our company for auction?"
"To consign it for auction with our company, an appraisal certificate is required. I have now prepared an appraisal certificate for you."