Chapter 10

Charlie is a typical European, with a well-defined facial structure and a high nose bridge. He is several centimeters taller than Wang Hao. His Chinese is quite fluent, making him easier to understand than most foreigners, which might be the reason he was sent to head the Chengdu office.

Compared to the English conversations he had heard from a few foreigners before, Wang Hao still preferred Chinese; it was much more comfortable to hear his mother tongue. He nodded and said, "My name is Wang Hao."

"Mr. Wang, this is how it is. Our British headquarters is currently promoting the annual autumn auction. Your painting can definitely be included. The wealthy in Europe are quite fond of Picasso, and it will certainly fetch a higher price at the auction," Charlie carefully chose his words. "Our company never gets involved in the origin of artworks. However, if you decide not to auction it, our auction house can also provide storage services with a dedicated security company."

Wang Hao frowned; he was in urgent need of money and couldn't wait too long.

"How many days are left for your auction? I need the money to buy a farm or a ranch."

After hearing his words, Charlie understood that Wang Hao was genuinely interested in selling the painting and didn't want to beat around the bush. "There's still a week left, and we are currently promoting it vigorously. Of course, if we include this 'Lady with a Red Hat,' it will definitely attract more attention."

"How much is this painting worth?" Wang Hao pointed at the painting surrounded by experts, curious to know more.

"You know, Picasso is considered the greatest painter of the 20th century. He was also a prolific artist, with nearly 60,000 paintings almost all collected by different people. These collectors rarely put them up for circulation. Six months ago, Christie's auctioned a Picasso painting of Marie, 'The Sleeping Girl,' with an expected price of 9 million pounds, but it sold for 13.5 million pounds. Your painting is even rarer."

Charlie looked at the painting that had been missing for decades. "Picasso rarely painted on glass, and your painting hasn't been seen for a long time. We estimate it at 10 million pounds, and the selling price might be even higher. Of course, we will charge a 2% commission on the selling price. What do you think?"

Ten million pounds, at the current exchange rate, is nearly 100 million RMB! Wang Hao was stunned, a silly smile spreading across his face. How many acres of land could 100 million RMB buy?

"Mr. Wang? Mr. Wang?"

Charlie's voice brought Wang Hao back from his endless daydream. He looked at Charlie blankly and asked, "Sorry, what did you just say? I was just getting excited!"

Charlie gave a sympathetic smile and repeated, "I said, our auction house will charge a 2% commission on the selling price. What do you think? I'll prepare the contract, and once you sign it, you'll be a millionaire."

Wang Hao's breathing became heavy, and he nodded in agreement.

In just a few hours, he had gone from a laid-off worker to a millionaire. The change was too drastic! Wang Hao quickly drank some water to calm himself down and avoid making a fool of himself.

Li Chen and the other experts were looking at the painting as if it were a rare treasure, their eyes gentler than when they looked at their lovers. They were completely focused on the painting and paid no attention to Wang Hao.

"Here is the contract we just printed. You can have a lawyer review it. The painting will be directly transported to our British headquarters for the auction. During this period, we will take care of it, and if there is any damage, we will compensate you at 10 million pounds. What do you think?"

The contract was not complicated, with clear and simple terms that defined the rights and obligations of the seller and the auction house, as well as the rules to be followed.

Wang Hao thought for a moment, then picked up the pen and signed his name.

"Alright, we have already sent the information about the painting to our British headquarters, and they have agreed to feature it as the highlight. Congratulations! I hope we can work together again in the future!" After signing the contract, Charlie stood up and shook Wang Hao's hand again. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something important.

"By the way, could you give us your bank account number? We will deposit the money directly into your account. If you don't mind, you can use a different bank. Our company mainly works with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Would you like to open an account there?"

Wang Hao was not confused but asked, "Will it be convenient for me to use it in China? I don't seem to see this bank in Chengdu. What if I want to buy land but can't get the money out?"

"You want to buy land?" Charlie asked, puzzled. "Are you planning to buy land in China with this much money? While I'm not very familiar with your country, I know that land is generally state-owned, and you only buy the right to use it. What if the state decides to reclaim the land and only gives you a small compensation?"

That's right! Wang Hao slapped his thigh. Buying land in China wasn't very cost-effective, and it came with various restrictions. The land wasn't his, and spending so much money would be painful.

"Hey, do you have a solution?"

Seeing Charlie's smiling face, Wang Hao felt he definitely had a solution.

"To be honest, my cousin has a ranch in Australia. It's not really a ranch, but a mixed farm with wheat fields and sheep, and some other things. It's in Victoria, and the scenery is nice. You can go and see it for yourself," Charlie enthusiastically introduced the ranch. "It's about 80 million square meters, and the price is relatively low. They mainly want to retire, and their children don't want to stay on the ranch."

Eighty million square meters, how big is that? Wang Hao had no concept, but it was definitely huge!

"Eighty million square meters, how much would that cost?" Wang Hao sighed, "I might not be able to afford it!"

Charlie shook his head and smiled, "Don't worry, you can definitely afford it. This painting will easily fetch over 10 million pounds. I think the market price is around 25 million pounds. Trust our auction house; it will definitely sell for more. The ranch is about 32 million Australian dollars, which is roughly 18 million pounds, or about 180 million RMB."

Seeing Wang Hao's interest, Charlie added, "The land, house, and all agricultural facilities are included in the package. The livestock will be sold separately, either at market price or at a discount. In Australia, land is privately owned and can be passed down to future generations. Compared to China, this farm is a great deal!"

"But for an 80 million square meter ranch, how many workers will I need to keep it running?" Wang Hao didn't want the ranch to turn into a factory with people everywhere.

Charlie waved his hand and said, "That's not a big ranch in Australia. Ranches that are not a few thousand hectares are not even considered ranches. You don't need many workers; they use machines there. You can apply for a visa now and go to inspect it in person. I'll notify them in advance."

"Alright, I'll go and see it!"

Since he was going to see it first, Wang Hao agreed straightforwardly. Spending over 30 million Australian dollars to buy a ranch would easily get him a visa, and the immigration office might even approve his residency.

Reluctantly leaving 'Lady with a Red Hat' at the auction house, Wang Hao walked out alone. He was still in a daze, not even aware of how he got home on the bus.

Eighty million square meters is about 120,000 acres, or roughly 20,000 hectares. Such a vast ranch in Australia is considered only average. Going to Australia to farm and raise livestock should be quite interesting, right?

(New author, new book, looking forward to your support. Please add to your bookshelf and give some votes~)

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