Chapter 044

As soon as the words fell, the entire room gasped in shock.

No one expected the auction to start off with such a grand gesture right from the beginning.

Everyone had assumed it would begin with lower-value items, but no one could have anticipated this.

No one doubted the value of the necklace, as it was embedded with the largest sapphire in the world. That alone made countless people desire to possess it.

The socialites, both genuine and pretentious, could no longer sit still.

"My goodness! It's 'Eternal Love'! If someone were to buy this necklace for me, I’d be willing to have their child!"

"Ridiculous, would you not get married without the necklace? Is this something you can even dream of?"

"Stop yapping, you poor fool. Without money, where’s the romance?"

Hearing this, Lin Ran frowned, thinking to himself that he didn’t have much money either, yet Luo Yao loved him wholeheartedly.

"140 million."

Soon, someone started bidding.

"170 million."

"170.1 million."

"180 million."

"..."

Quickly, the price reached 200 million. Such a luxurious necklace, even if resold, wouldn’t depreciate in value.

The wealthy in the room began to bid aggressively, with one female tycoon offering the highest bid.

Lin Ran was also deeply moved by the necklace. He could already picture Luo Yao wearing it, and a faint smile appeared on his lips as he raised his bidding paddle.

"300 million."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the room fell into dead silence.

Wu Zhishang’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"Bro, everyone else is raising the bid by tens of thousands, and you just went up by a whole billion? And you only have 300 million to your name. Are you out of your mind?"

Well… he does have a wife to support him. Damn it, just kill me now.

Uncle Fu was also taken aback. He hadn’t expected Lin Ran to make a move, let alone spend the young lady’s money.

But this was a good thing.

The auctioneer was equally startled, his hammer trembling slightly in his hand.

At this price, no one would dare to compete.

It simply wasn’t worth it.

At least not at this moment.

"300 million, going once."

"300 million, going twice."

"300 million, going three times."

The auctioneer’s hammer came down with a decisive thud. "Sold! Congratulations to the gentleman in seat number one for winning 'Eternal Love' at 300 million. May your career and love be everlasting."

Selling the necklace for 300 million was a significant achievement for the auctioneer.

From today onwards, 'Eternal Love' firmly secured its position as the number one necklace.

The entire room was in shock, and all eyes turned to Lin Ran.

With just one glance, countless socialites were captivated.

Not only was he wealthy, but he was also incredibly handsome. What kind of fairy-tale prince was this?

Many of the socialites’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads, like demons catching sight of the Tang Monk, their gazes filled with greed.

Lin Ran had obtained the necklace he desired. Uncle Fu wanted to handle the transaction on the spot, but Lin Ran stopped him.

"I’ll take care of it myself."

A gift for his wife had to be purchased by his own hands. Although 300 million was a staggering amount, Luo Yao’s place in his heart was priceless.

He had his reasons for bidding 300 million in one go.

First, to prove that his love for Luo Yao was all-encompassing. Second, to intimidate those who kept raising the bids.

He wanted to crush them with a single, decisive blow.

Uncle Fu was momentarily stunned, then sighed inwardly, refraining from objecting.

It seemed that getting Young Master Lin to spend the young lady’s money was still a bit too idealistic.

Although Lin Ran had previously spent a few hundred thousand on renting an office, decorating, and other expenses, was a few hundred thousand even considered money?

It wasn’t even enough for the daily maintenance of the estate.

Before long, Lin Ran was once again a "penniless man," holding the luxurious packaging box as he returned to his seat. All the women were envious, and the men were green with jealousy.

Lin Ran instinctively glanced around, only to remember that Luo Yao wasn’t by his side. He scratched his head awkwardly.

Why did it feel so strange without Luo Yao around?

He really wanted to put the necklace on her right now, but unfortunately, she wasn’t here—she was away on a business trip today.

Meanwhile, the most shocked individuals in the room were Liu Yuemei and Liu Ruxue.

They both knew Lin Ran had 300 million, but they never expected him to spend it all in one go.

Wait, Liu Yuemei suddenly frowned.

Lin Ran had arrived in a sports car. If he had just bought the car, how could he still have 300 million left?

Unless…

The car must have been rented, just to put on a show of wealth.

Thinking this, Liu Yuemei’s mood improved slightly, and the corners of her mouth twitched upward.

But then she remembered that Lin Ran had spent the Lin family’s 300 million, and her heart ached again.

That lowly brat had spent all the money. No, she had to find a way to get the necklace back. It was the Lin family’s property.

Liu Ruxue, on the other hand, had a different thought. She wondered what Lin Ran’s purpose was for buying the necklace.

Could it be for that woman from the Luo family?

No, that couldn’t be. Lin Ran hadn’t known her for long. How could she compare to her, his childhood friend?

Suddenly, seeing Lin Ran glance around as he returned to his seat, Liu Ruxue froze.

Could it be that Lin Ran had bought the necklace for her? Was he looking for her? Oh my goodness.

Liu Ruxue covered her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes.

She had to admit, she was deeply moved.

The auction continued, with items ranging from a few thousand to several million, even tens of millions. Lin Ran didn’t bid again.

After all, he was out of money.

Of course, if something caught his eye, he might consider spending Luo Yao’s money. After all, spending your wife’s money wasn’t something to be ashamed of.

Toward the end, some unexpected items came up for auction, and Lin Ran’s interest was piqued.

There were companies, land plots, and real estate properties. The land plot, in particular, sparked a fierce bidding war among developers.

Unlike physical items that required immediate payment, land auctions allowed developers to pay a deposit and use the pre-sale contract to secure a loan.

Once the loan was approved, they could use the land as collateral for a second loan to fund the development project. After building a few structural frames, they could start pre-selling units to quickly recoup their investment, leveraging a small amount of capital to tap into a large market.

Although the real estate industry was becoming more transparent, with the right strategy, the profits were still considerable.

The Suran Group’s main business was real estate development. Although it wasn’t a major player, it was a legitimate real estate company, so Lin Ran had some understanding of the industry.

What caught Lin Ran’s attention wasn’t the land plot but the few properties.

Squinting his eyes, Lin Ran noticed that some of the properties seemed to belong to the Lin family.