The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 403

Chapter 403: Chapter 403 Stone Auction
It was only natural that many would want a piece of these stones. If they managed to acquire stones containing jade worth millions, they could turn them into jewelry and sell them for an even higher profit.

He believed his daughter was still too naïve to fully grasp the complexities of society, so he studied Hera with skepticism. Stone betting was a high-stakes gamble, far riskier than most, relying on a blend of knowledge, keen observation, and luck.

Most importantly, luck alone couldn’t turn someone into an overnight millionaire by randomly picking stones, as Hera seemed to have done. He doubted the truth of his daughter’s claims but chose not to embarrass her. With so many prominent companies and rivals around, belittling his daughter would only undermine his own reputation and make others think she was incompetent.

So, he allowed Hera and Zhane to wander around, subtly distancing himself and his inspector. This gave the impression that his daughter had simply invited them to observe. If they chose to participate in the auction and place any bids, it would be entirely their responsibility to cover the costs of their purchases.

Upon realizing her father’s intentions, Miss Goldsmith was deeply upset, feeling as though she was being treated like a naive child. However, since she had invited Hera and Zhane, she chose to stay with them. With an embarrassed smile and red-rimmed eyes, she approached them. Hera, seeing her vulnerability, thought the girl wasn’t so bad after all. Despite their rocky first encounter, Miss Goldsmith seemed far more genuine than the other snobby ladies from prominent families.

Hera immediately took a liking to the girl, who looked on the verge of tears as she struggled to find the right words to explain her father’s blunder without offending Hera or Zhane, or putting her father in a difficult position.

To ease the girl’s discomfort, Hera took the lead. “Miss Goldsmith, would you mind showing us around and explaining how the bidding works? This is my first time at an event like this,” she said with a warm smile, completely unbothered by her inexperience. Her amiable demeanor and confidence made Miss Goldsmith instantly agree, this time without any judgment.

The stone auction differed slightly from typical auctions. In this format, bidders walked around the entire floor, inspecting stones displayed on tables. An overseer was stationed at each table to ensure fairness and prevent any damage that could decrease the stones’ value.

After inspecting a stone, bidders would write their offer on a slip of paper and place it in a securely sealed box next to the stone, where the overseer stood watch.

After inspecting a stone, bidders could move on to the next one. When the allotted time was up, the host would gather all the overseers in the center of the room and seat the bidders. The overseers would then open the boxes, present the stones, and read the bids. A live feed on a large screen would display the current bidding progress, showing each bidder’s name and amount. If a new, higher bid was placed, the bidder’s name would move to the top of the list.

Miss Goldsmith explained each detail enthusiastically, pointing out key areas and stations to ensure Hera and Zhane understood everything. “By the way, you can just call me Liz,” she said with a warm smile, extending her hand to Hera. This gesture was her way of making amends for her earlier misconceptions and snide behavior.

Hera chuckled as she shook Liz’s hand, finding her to be a refreshing change from the other crazy heiresses she had encountered recently. ‘This is how a true heiress should behave,’ Hera thought. ‘Proud but not arrogant, aware of her mistakes, and willing to make amends without causing a fuss. Moreover, she’s skilled at socializing, which is essential for any socialite.’

Hera’s mind began to churn as she observed Liz, a foxy smile spreading across her face. Zhane, noticing Hera’s mischievous grin, turned away to stifle a laugh. He knew that smile all too well—it was the same one she wore when she was scheming, whether for good or ill, reminiscent of a cat who had just stolen a fish.

‘She’s mischievous, alright,’ Zhane thought with a doting smile after composing himself. His brief laughter went unnoticed by Liz and Hera, who were too engrossed in their conversation as they waited for the bidding to begin.

Once all attendees, including their Professional Inspectors and secretaries, were accounted for, the host called for everyone’s attention to commence the bidding. “Good morning, everyone. It’s a pleasure to see you all here,” he began, pausing to smile as he surveyed the crowd, noting some new faces without commenting. “As you know, we have sourced some exceptional stones from the mines. These stones are fresh, having just arrived, and their quality is assured, having been thoroughly inspected by our in-house experts.”

Hera leaned in and whispered to Liz, “If the stones have already been inspected by in-house experts, why allow others to bring their own inspectors? Why not just sell the stones after opening them up?” She tilted her head, clearly baffled as she tried to understand the reasoning behind the process.

Liz couldn’t help but smile at Hera’s cute, confused expression. “It’s true that the stones have been inspected,” she explained, “but buyers want to ensure they’re getting what they’re promised. They prefer not to rely solely on one or two inspectors, no matter how trustworthy. These businessmen need to verify the stones themselves to feel at ease.”

“After all, we’re talking about millions of dollars for a single stone. Additionally, there have been past incidents where inspectors disagreed, and it was later discovered that a stone, which seemed promising with a jade-rich outer layer, was actually a sham. The outer layer was just a façade, and the inner part was worthless. This is why buyers need to conduct their own inspections to avoid such pitfalls.”

“Therefore, a buyer who spent ten million on a massive stone, hoping to make ten times his investment, ended up barely earning a fraction of that.”

Hera nodded in understanding. Once the host finished his introduction, he signaled the start of the bidding. Liz’s father wasted no time and began inspecting each stone, ready to make his offers. Seeing the excitement, Hera decided to join in. Zhane, ever supportive, assisted her by holding the paper and pen provided for bids, handing them to her whenever she was ready to make an offer.

Liz, intrigued by Hera’s judgment process, watched her intently, hoping to learn something new. However, the longer she observed, the more confused she became, unable to discern any clear pattern in Hera’s choices.

Zhane assisted Hera by writing her name on all the bid papers while she inspected the stones. Whenever she liked a stone, she wrote down the amount she felt was appropriate. After her experience downstairs, Hera had picked up on certain nuances and felt a stronger pull towards specific stones. She put her newfound insights into practice, carefully choosing and bidding on the stones that resonated with her.

It took two and a half hours for the bidding to conclude. Once everyone had finished, bidders gathered with their professional inspectors to discuss the stones they had bid on and evaluate their chances of success.