Rebirth 05: From Coal Mine Owner to Mobile Phone Tycoon

Lu Yuan got into the car, still feeling dizzy and lightheaded. He greeted the driver and closed his eyes to rest.

Lin Shaoyang glanced at it and then gestured to his assistant Ryan.

Ryan understood, and the car slowly started moving, smoothly driving away from the hotel.

It wasn't until the car had been traveling for about 10 minutes that Lu Yuan opened his eyes, and only then did he realize that his body was fully awake.

"Boss Lu looks very handsome today."

When Lin Shaoyang saw that Lu Yuan had recovered, his eyes regained their sharpness, no longer as they had been when he first got into the car, with a sluggish and unfocused gaze.

So he spoke to Lu Yuan

"Oh, no, no, I just threw something on randomly. I was in a rush when I left, so I just wore whatever looked good."

"Boss Lu is joking. If this were just a random combination, most fashion professionals in Hong Kong would be speechless."

Indeed, Lu Yuan's outfit would be considered novel and fashionable even in later years, let alone in 05.

In addition to Lu Yuan's solid height of 185 cm, coupled with this outfit, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a top-tier male celebrity.

"I'm just a coal mine owner from the mainland, what do I know about fashion?"

"If all coal bosses in mainland China were like this, then the entertainment industry wouldn't need to hire any male actors; the coal bosses could just produce and sell their own, hahaha."

"If you keep praising me, I'm really not going to help you make money anymore, and I'll go back to making movies."

"That won't do. You need money to make movies, right?"

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the car was quite relaxed and pleasant.

"Let's get down to business. What's the schedule for tonight's event?"

Lin Shaoyang took out a beautifully crafted envelope from his bag and handed it to Lu Yuan.

"What is this?"

"An invitation letter, along with some information about the event."

Lu Yuan took it and opened it. It was called an invitation, but it was actually more like a small booklet.

In addition to an invitation, there was a program, followed by the menu for tonight's dinner, as well as a list of auction items and brief descriptions.

"This dinner looks so formal. Is it really okay for me to dress like this?"

"It's okay, you'll see when you get there. You'll find people wearing all sorts of clothes."

"Although social celebrities do come, it's only on a small scale. Those who attend are usually invited by friends, so all sorts of people from different walks of life are likely to be there."

Lu Yuan expressed great interest, saying it seemed much more interesting than a formal banquet.

"The dinner, entertainment, and auction all start at 6 PM?"

"Yes, they actually start at the same time. There is a short interval between each item being auctioned, and there is a performance before each auction."

"The performances are quite casual; they're usually not specially invited professional performers."

"Anyone who's interested can go up and perform."

Lu Yuan glanced at the menu: appetizers, soft-shell crab, shrimp, Vietnamese spring rolls, and Kiel Piketta oysters.

For the main course, you can choose one of the following: French-style lamb chops, pan-fried Arctic cod, or Dongpo beef steak.

The dessert is fruit with Italian panna cotta.

The whole meal had a fusion of Chinese and Western styles, and it seemed to have everything and take care of every aspect.

Lu Yuan glanced at the program list and realized he didn't recognize a single person. In fact, there were two school performance groups listed, one from an elementary school and the other from a middle school.

The person who organized this dinner was quite easygoing, and it suited their own tastes somewhat.

Looking at the list of items to be auctioned, Lu Yuan was quite taken aback.

I originally thought it would be like the Bazaar Charity Night in mainland China, where everyone would send in their belongings, like bags and dresses, for a photoshoot.

The average price is around 70,000 to 80,000, with a few hundred thousand at most. A few hundred thousand is basically considered the top bid.

Although the quantity of items on this list is not large, their value must be at least several hundred thousand.

Wang Yuanqi's authentic work "Autumn Mountains", a Qing Dynasty Kangxi period Langyao red-glazed long-necked gall-shaped vase, a white jade bi disc with "Changle" grain pattern, etc.

These are mostly antique paintings and calligraphy, jade and porcelain pieces. The items in this auction are quite interesting, likely ranging from one to two million yuan, and they are all highly collectible.

"Um?!"

"Boss Lu, have you seen anything that interests you? You can try bidding on it. The auction is fair and open to everyone present, so anyone can participate."

"A set of kingfisher feather headdresses used by Mr. Mei Lanfang during his performances?!"

"Could this be fake?"

Lin Shaoyang pondered for a moment

"I'm not sure how valuable this thing is, but at Sir Zheng's dinner party, no one would usually try to pass off fakes as valuables."

Lu Yuan roughly recalled based on his memories from later generations.

"Let's talk about the kingfisher feather inlay technique first. If it's a traditional technique using the feathers of blue kingfishers and white kingfishers, it's worth around 30 to 40 yuan. And this technique is no longer allowed to be made in inland areas."

"If we add the blessing of Master Mei Lanfang, it's estimated that tripling the price wouldn't be a problem."

Lu Yuan started to think to himself, if no one recognizes the value of this item, then he could really snag a bargain.

It may seem useless now, but when traditional Chinese style becomes popular in later generations, it will be a great way to show off.

Think about it, some people say I like traditional Chinese style, others say I like opera singing, and still others say I like Hanfu, but when I make a set, it's the same headdress worn by emperors and empresses. If I want another set made, I'll have to get a pair of rose gold bracelets in return.

Lu Yuan was immediately tempted; it would be even better if the inheritance were in an orderly manner.

"We're almost there. Our car can't go any further. We need to get out at the entrance and walk in ourselves."

Lin Shaoyang was a little embarrassed, but Lu Yuan waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind.

After all, neither he nor Lin Shaoyang were particularly famous, and they didn't need any special treatment to elevate their status.

Upon getting out of the car, Lu Yuan was stunned by the private estate. It was estimated to cover 4000 square meters. In Hong Kong, where land is incredibly valuable, how much would that be worth?

Fortunately, I got off the bus inside the manor, at the main gate of the courtyard. Otherwise, it would have been a little awkward to walk in through the main gate of the manor.

Upon entering, you'll see a long table laden with poured drinks.

The waiter behind the table immediately greeted Lu Yuan and his companion.

"These are welcome drinks; guests are welcome to take them as they please."

Lu Yuan stepped forward and took a look. They had everything: dry white wine, dry red wine, beer, mineral water, juice, carbonated drinks.

But high-proof alcoholic beverages do not.

Come to think of it, this is for everyone to stroll around and chat before the banquet starts, to soothe their throats, so naturally there won't be any high-proof spirits.

Lu Yuan thought for a moment and asked the waiter.

Do you have champagne?

"Yes, sir, please wait a moment."

As he spoke, the waiter took out a bottle of champagne that had already been opened from an ice bucket next to the table.

He skillfully uncorked the temporary stopper and then picked up a champagne glass.

Tilt the glass at a 45-degree angle and pour the wine into it. As the glass is filled to the brim, it will slowly stand upright.

Finally, a glass of champagne, with just a small layer of foam on top, was handed to Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan looked at the champagne in his hand.

The glasses are full, the wine doesn't spill, and it looks pleasing to the eye; it's very professional.