Chapter 259: Willing to Bid
Xu Youyou didn’t particularly enjoy being in the spotlight, and besides, she felt that Xie Ran was more skilled at dealing with people.
Lu Jingyao was indeed reliable, but Xie Ran was Xu Youyou’s subordinate. She preferred to leave such matters to him, believing he would be able to maximize the profit.
The staff member, though disappointed, understood and responded, “Miss Xu, don’t worry. We will fully accommodate your arrangements and will not make things difficult for you.”
After sending off the staff, Xu Youyou immediately set off.
Her destination was still in Europe, but after a quick detour through Finland and Germany, she was back in Paris.
This place had long been known as the city of romance, but as Xu Youyou watched the golden needle of the system constantly shifting, she couldn’t help but feel anger rising in her heart.
She didn’t need to guess much; she could already imagine that the target for her “hidden treasure” mission was likely another national treasure that had been smuggled out of the country.
Following the guidance of the golden needle, Xu Youyou’s car drove for about half an hour and eventually stopped outside a standalone villa.
A bodyguard went forward and rang the doorbell. After a moment, a middle-aged woman in her forties, looking weary and disheveled, opened the door.
Xu Youyou immediately noticed that this woman didn’t appear to be French. Most French women were very particular about their appearance, so even if they were down on their luck, they would still care about their dignity.
The woman in front of her had messy hair tied back at the back of her head, wearing a dull-colored long dress with several dirty spots on the hem. Even her face had traces of some unknown food remnants.
“Who are you looking for?” The woman asked, her eyes alert.
Xu Youyou spoke in English, “We’re here to buy something.”
The woman became even more wary, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Xu Youyou heard her accent and couldn’t help but smile, saying, “You must be British.”
The changing expressions on the woman’s face confirmed that Xu Youyou had guessed correctly.
“I don’t know what you want to buy,” the woman replied in English.
“You must be facing some difficulties,” Xu Youyou said.
The woman in front of her paused for a moment upon hearing this.
Xu Youyou really wanted to investigate the woman carefully, but the time the system had given her was tight. She couldn’t figure out the exact location of the target before meeting with it.
This time, the task was particularly urgent, with only two days to complete it. Xu Youyou had already wasted nearly a day on the journey.
Although she had contacted a private detective before knocking on the door to investigate the owner of the villa, she wouldn’t get feedback anytime soon.
Xu Youyou had no choice but to take a risk and negotiate with the woman. She had made the comment based on the woman’s unkempt appearance and her hunch, as well as the system’s typical behavior.
The system’s “hidden treasure” tasks generally had two possible scenarios. One was that the original owner didn’t know the true value of the treasure, mistaking a valuable item for something insignificant. The other scenario was that the original owner had encountered troubles and desperately wanted to get rid of the item, selling it at a much lower price.
In most cases, Xu Youyou encountered the first scenario, and she had occasionally felt guilty, as if she were committing fraud.
But the system’s explanation was somewhat shameless.
【People can’t make money beyond their own understanding. When you buy genuine goods with real money and exchange those goods for real money, you’re entitled to the proceeds.】
【Do you think you’re the only one picking up bargains? Those in business, do their purchase prices match their selling prices? The market is inherently asymmetric in information. If information were perfectly symmetrical, where would the money be?】
Xu Youyou was gradually persuaded by the system’s explanation and comforted herself that knowledge was also a form of wealth.
Money was too alluring. Initially, she would feel guilty, but as time passed and she grew accustomed to a life of wealth and leisure, she could no longer go back.
The middle-aged woman in front of her was evidently struck by Xu Youyou’s words. She remained silent for a full three minutes, and Xu Youyou patiently waited for her.
Perhaps it was Xu Youyou’s patience that moved her, for the woman spoke up, “I do have something to sell, but I already have a buyer lined up.”
Xu Youyou asked, “Can I take a look at what you have?”
The woman’s gaze shifted to the row of bodyguards behind Xu Youyou and replied, “I don’t feel comfortable letting so many of you in.”
Xu Youyou thought for a moment, “I’ll go in alone.”
She had the martial arts skills granted by the system and basic self-defense capabilities. She wasn’t afraid that the woman would suddenly attempt to rob her, especially since she wasn’t carrying anything particularly valuable.
The woman nodded slightly and said, “Alright, I’ll let you take a look.”
Although Xu Youyou hadn’t seen the item yet, she felt optimistic. After all, if the woman had truly decided to sell the item to her prearranged buyer, she wouldn’t have let Xu Youyou inside to inspect it.
Her willingness to let Xu Youyou see it likely indicated, subconsciously, that she wasn’t entirely satisfied with the price her original buyer had offered.
The item the woman wanted to sell was kept in the basement of the villa.
As Xu Youyou followed her down, she softly asked, “Can you tell me what difficulties you’ve been facing?”
The woman paused in her steps, turned back to look at Xu Youyou, and when she saw the pure concern in Xu Youyou’s eyes, her expression softened.
“My husband passed away, and my daughter fell severely ill. We need a lot of money for her treatment. Not only can I no longer keep this item, but I’ll also have to sell this house soon,” the woman said, her voice choked with emotion.
Xu Youyou hurriedly comforted her, “There’s an old saying in our country: ‘Good people have heaven’s protection.’ As long as we pray sincerely and do everything we can, your daughter will be safe.”
The woman seemed comforted by Xu Youyou’s words. “Thank you, kind Chinese girl.”
Xu Youyou continued, “What illness does your daughter have? What does the hospital say?”
Upon hearing this, the woman grew angry again. “The hospitals are all a bunch of swindlers! They can’t even figure out what’s wrong, but they keep demanding money from me!”
Xu Youyou paused for a moment and said, “If they can’t find the cause, have you considered trying traditional Chinese medicine? We have many excellent doctors in our country, and if they can’t cure her there, perhaps you could come to China and try.”
The woman’s eyes lit up, as if she had just heard such an idea for the first time.
By then, the two of them had arrived at the basement.
As Xu Youyou had guessed, the system’s golden pointer also led to the basement, where it finally stopped in front of a large safe.
The woman was about to open the safe when suddenly, there was a knock on the door from outside, and her phone rang.
“Is the original buyer here?” Xu Youyou asked.
The woman nodded slightly.
Xu Youyou sincerely said, “Let them in. Although I haven’t seen your item yet, I’m already very interested. I’m willing to compete with them in the bidding.”
