"Twenty-five billion, second time..." Ling Xiao didn't waste any time and started the countdown decisively.
Lin Tian, who had been motionless in the private box, suddenly stood up and reached out to strike the copper bell beside him. But just as his hand extended, a "ding" sound echoed in the auction hall.
The sound of the copper bell signified someone was raising the bid. Ling Xiao immediately stopped the countdown, and everyone turned to look at the bell ringer. To everyone's surprise, it turned out to be someone from the first floor.
Through the bead curtains, Lin Tian saw that the one who rang the bell was a woman in a plain long dress, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, its veil obscuring her face, making it hard to discern her appearance.
The woman's hat wasn't anything special, just a usual sun hat worn by women, with an added circle of veil around the brim. She sat in an inconspicuous corner and had never made a sound, so no one had noticed her presence until now.
