Chapter 13: Unexpected Respect
Xu Youyou realized she shouldn't be too rigid in her thinking.
After receiving the auction invitation letter, she took a careful look at the organizer.
It was from one of the top auction houses in the country. A quick background check confirmed what she suspected—anyone who received an invitation from them must hold significant status, especially in Shanghai.
Her eyes shifted to the Doucai Cup sitting nearby. The last time a similar piece had been auctioned, it fetched a sky-high price. Knowing the system never handed out rewards without reason, Xu Youyou began to sense a connection between the cup and the invitation.
Without hesitation, she called the private number printed on the invitation.
A middle-aged man answered, his voice calm and polished. "Good day, Madam. How may I assist you?"
"I have a private collection I'd like to auction," Xu Youyou said.
The man asked for her invitation number.
As soon as she gave it, she sensed a noticeable change in his tone—more respectful, almost reverent.
"Understood. At 10 a.m. tomorrow, our expert team will arrive to appraise your collection."
After hanging up, Xu Youyou felt a surge of relief. She'd stumbled upon something incredibly valuable, yet antiques weren't her expertise. She didn't want to end up like that yellow-haired kid, unknowingly selling a treasure for a pittance.
What she didn't know was that the auction house was just as stirred as she was.
"Are you sure it's a young woman?" the auction director asked the man who took the call.
"From her voice, yes. Quite young."
"Doesn't matter. Regardless of age, we treat this seriously. Have you arranged the appraisal team?"
"Of course. Only the best. We understand what's at stake."
The next morning, at around nine o'clock, Xu Youyou got a call: the expert team had arrived at Tangchen Yipin.
After she granted them access, the team entered quickly and efficiently. The moment they laid eyes on the Doucai Cup, their expressions grew focused and intense.
The experts studied it meticulously.
"It's the real deal. A Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup!" one exclaimed, eyes shining. "This will be the crown jewel of the auction."
Xu Youyou was soon handed a formal certificate from the appraisal agency, and the auction house finalized a commission agreement on the spot.
The starting bid for the Doucai Cup? 200 million yuan.
That wasn't surprising, considering a nearly identical one sold for 280 million nine years ago. With inflation and growing demand, its value had only increased.
However, as she skimmed through the contract, Xu Youyou paused.
"The commission rate is only 0.5%?" she asked, puzzled. Most top auction houses took the maximum state-allowed commission of 5%.
A sharply dressed middle-aged man smiled respectfully. "It's correct, Miss Xu. You're one of our most distinguished clients."
"But... I've never worked with you before."
"All our invitation letters are numbered. Those who receive certain numbers are considered our highest-priority guests and receive exclusive privileges—including the lowest commission rates."
Xu Youyou glanced at her invitation again. The number printed was: 000.
Normally, numbering started from 1. A zero-numbered invite was definitely out of the ordinary. But considering it came from the system, she accepted it without further questioning.
"I understand now," she said, nodding.
Despite her youth and casual demeanor, the auction team never once looked down on her. They treated her with unwavering respect from start to finish.
As they prepared to leave, they carefully secured the Doucai Cup in a specialized safe and took it away.
Xu Youyou looked at the cup one last time. It was charming—she'd grown fond of the cheerful chicks painted on it. But sentimentality couldn't outweigh the reality of hundreds of millions of yuan.
Soon after, news of the reappearance of a Chenghua Doucai Cup at auction swept through Shanghai's elite circles. The invitation to this event quickly became one of the hottest tickets in town.
Collectors from not only Shanghai, but Beijing, Hong Kong, and even overseas, scrambled to attend, eager for a glimpse of this legendary cup.
But Xu Youyou had already shifted her focus—onto the short drama project that was about to begin filming.
Song Zhibai, as promised, kept his word and took the shoot seriously.
At the pre-shoot meeting, director Ouyang was initially anxious that the male lead wouldn't match the script. But the moment he saw Song Zhibai walk in, his worries vanished.
"Boss, where did you find him?" Ouyang gasped. "He looks like he walked right out of the script! I can't imagine anyone more perfect."
This short drama was male-lead focused, centered on a character with a tragic edge that made people fall in love with his brokenness. As long as the male lead worked, the drama would be halfway to success.
Xu Youyou smiled knowingly. The script was written specifically with Song Zhibai in mind—no one else would do.
Nearby, the actress cast as the female lead suddenly felt a bit plain standing next to him. Her beauty seemed to pale in comparison to Song Zhibai's magnetic presence.
"Let's begin filming today," Xu Youyou ordered. "Target release—next month."
Short dramas moved fast. Filming was quick, editing was quicker, and online platforms had loose, speedy approvals. If everything went smoothly, they could go live in a matter of weeks.
Ouyang could barely contain his excitement. His first project might hit screens within the month—it was hard to believe.
From day one, the filming process went smoothly. The team was full of newcomers, but everyone brought passion and commitment. They all wanted to make something great.
Half a month later, the drama wrapped up. Ouyang immediately led the post-production team into high-speed editing.
At the same time, Xu Youyou changed into a luxurious gown. With Xu Fang's help, she got into her new car—a customized, bulletproof Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Originally, she hadn't expected to get this car so soon. But thanks to the original owner's bankruptcy, she'd snagged it at a huge discount—an accidental win even without system help.