Chapter 37 A Hotel Worth Three Billion!

Hearing this, several of Ling Feng’s companions began to stir things up.

“If you’re so capable, then show us. If you really have money, we’ll have nothing to say.”

“If he’s really rich, Young Master Ling, then make him bleed! Who does he think he is, daring to compete with you for a woman? Overestimating himself!”

The others present joined in the commotion.

“This is one hell of a show tonight! Two rich fools throwing money around over a woman—it’s like something straight out of a TV drama...”

“Maybe he doesn’t care about the money at all; just wants to save face. Rich people are all superficial like that.”

Seeing the situation, the auctioneer quickly stepped in to calm the crowd. He, too, was eager for the two heirs to bid higher and higher.

Lin Fan didn't bother to show any so-called proof of assets; he’d already registered upon entering the hall. All bidders were required to pay a deposit—minimum one hundred thousand, maximum one million. Lin Fan had paid the full million without hesitation!

So the auctioneer knew Lin Fan was truly wealthy.

He spoke up to defend Lin Fan, “Young Master Ling, if you’re not sincerely bidding, please don’t make malicious offers. Otherwise, I have the right to ask you to leave.”

“Who says I’m not interested? I want this ink painting too—forty million!” Ling Feng immediately raised the bid to forty million.

The crowd once again exclaimed at their extravagance.

Many ancient paintings weren’t actually worth much, and now no one else was competing. To raise the price by five million each time was, in their eyes, sheer foolishness.

Usually, increments would be in the one million range.

But for these two heirs, tens of millions were just pocket change.

“Fifty million!”

After Lin Fan called out his price, he sat back down.

He had no intention of acquiring the painting; his goal was to force Ling Feng to pay double its value.

“Fifty-five million!” Ling Feng shouted again, laughing maniacally.

Then he loudly demanded, “Auctioneer, I strongly suggest verifying his assets. If he doesn’t have that much money, he’s bidding maliciously!”

Though he shouted boldly, the higher the bidding went, the more uneasy he felt.

He feared Lin Fan would back out suddenly.

Lin Fan glanced back at him, chuckling, “A mere few tens of millions—a drop in the ocean. If I wanted, I could buy this entire hotel right now.”

At these words, the entire room broke into genuine uproar.

“What a boast! Is his pocket money measured in hundreds of millions?”

“That’s why they call them rich fools. If I worked for the auction house, I’d be laughing in my sleep!”

“This hotel is worth at least three billion. If he really buys it on the spot, I’ll take his surname!”

“Isn’t this hotel owned by Hang City’s richest man? I heard he’s strapped for cash right now—several of his projects are short on funds due to the tough economy...”

Ling Feng’s friends were irritated by Lin Fan’s arrogance.

“Big talk! If you can actually buy this hotel, I’ll eat shit standing on my head!”

“That’s three billion! Does he think it’s ghost money? Even if we pooled our four families’ assets, we wouldn’t have that much. He’s just talking nonsense.”

“He’s probably an idiot, Ling. Why not keep pushing the price up? Maybe bleed him for a hundred million!”

At this, Lin Fan made another shocking declaration.

“Is the hotel manager here? Because I really want to buy this hotel right now!”

“You’re not serious, are you?” Ouyang Qi, beside him, cried out in disbelief, her eyes wide.

Was he really so extravagant?

Spending three billion on a hotel just for the sake of his pride?

In all of Hang City, no one could just pull out three billion on the spot to buy a hotel.

“I am the general manager of the Emperor Grand Hotel, He Hongyu. May I ask if you’re truly interested in making this purchase?” he said, stepping forward.

As a member of the Emperor Group, he was well aware of the company’s urgent need for capital to cover other project shortfalls.

The group’s chairman, Wang Jianguo—the wealthiest man in Hang City—was indeed looking to sell off several prime assets, including this very hotel.

“I’m serious! Get the contract ready. I can transfer three billion on the spot!” Lin Fan rose, looking directly at the suited man to his right, nodding resolutely.

“My god, he’s serious? That’s three billion, not thirty million! Who is this guy, to have so much money?”

“If he really buys this hotel, even Chairman Wang would have to come greet him personally!”

“Compared to him, Young Master Ling is nothing! Ling Feng wouldn’t even qualify to carry his shoes...”

Naturally, Ling Feng and his friends refused to believe Lin Fan would actually buy the hotel and continued to mock him.

“Such a phony! Even the richest man wouldn’t make such big talk.”

“Looks so average, but has such a big mouth! Does he think he’s China’s richest man or something? Three billion? If he really buys it, I’ll call him Grandpa!”

Ling Feng was more dismissive than anyone; deep down, he was convinced Lin Fan was just putting on a show.

But Lin Fan ignored him, turning instead to He Hongyu.

“Manager He, go prepare the contract. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss such an opportunity, would you?”

He Hongyu hesitated for only a moment before hurrying to prepare the paperwork.

He would never let this chance for promotion within the group slip through his fingers.

If he managed to sell this hotel, he’d be celebrated as a hero at Emperor Group!

Then Lin Fan glanced at the auctioneer on stage.

The auctioneer immediately snapped back to attention, his gaze toward Lin Fan now filled with respect.

“The current bid is fifty-five million! Sir, would you like to continue? Sixty million?”

Lin Fan nodded and sat back down.

“Sixty million! Young Master Ling, would you like to bid sixty-five million?” The auctioneer looked eagerly at Ling Feng, more excited than anyone else in the room.

The higher the price soared, the greater the profit.

He was hoping the price would reach one hundred million!

Ling Feng did not respond immediately, just waved his hand.

“Sixty million! Sir, sixty-five million?”

“I’ll bid seventy million!” Lin Fan raised his hand.

“Seventy million!” the auctioneer cried, then turned to Ling Feng.

Ling Feng, unlike Lin Fan, did not dare to raise by ten million at once, sticking instead to five-million increments.

“Seventy-five million!”

Lin Fan immediately followed, “Eighty-five million!”

The room gasped again.

Everyone sat up straight, their eyes fixed on Lin Fan.

Ouyang Qi’s face remained a mask of astonishment and disbelief—this was madness! A painting worth at most forty million had been pushed to such heights by Lin Fan. Could eighty million really be nothing to him?

But thinking of how he’d just offered to buy the entire hotel to show off his wealth, perhaps eighty million meant little to him after all.

“Eighty-five million! Young Master Ling, will you follow?”

“Of course! Ninety million!” Ling Feng shouted, but as soon as the words left his lips, his heart pounded violently, as if it might stop.