"Alright, Mr. Fu," the stone cutter took a deep breath, adjusted his stance, and pressed down the third cut.
Everyone held their breath until the blade was lifted, then exhaled.
But before they could fully inhale, someone exclaimed, "My heavens! It's flawless jade!"
"What does that mean?" someone asked, confused. "What grade is flawless jade?"
"It's not about grade, it's about the internal purity of the jade," someone immediately explained. "You're new, so I'll tell you in detail. Jade is different from ordinary gemstones. Its internal structure is very complex, so almost every piece of jade has flaws, cotton inclusions, black spots, or even cracks. Cracks devalue jade the most, while black spots devalue it the least."
"Why do black spots have the least impact? I feel like cotton inclusions floating in jade look better than black spots," someone asked, puzzled.
Another person quickly clarified, "You don't understand the craft. Black spots can be removed through artificial modification, which is why you rarely see black spots in mid-to-high-end jade jewelry."
"This piece of jade, however, is naturally flawless, without any black spots, flaws, or cotton inclusions, and it hasn't undergone any artificial modification. It's incredibly rare."
Some people suddenly understood, "So that's what it means. No wonder they call it flawless jade."
"Flawless jade can actually be found in small patches on larger jade stones. They're usually used for cabochons, known in the circle as 'cabochon material' or 'cab material.' What's astonishing about this piece is that the entire cut section is flawless. This means it can be used for more than just cabochons; it can be used for other significant purposes. Even if it's just ordinary ice jade, its value would likely not be less than thirty million."
"Hiss, flawless jade, truly terrifying!"
"Mr. Fu, are you selling..." someone, after taking a few breaths, immediately asked Fatty Fu.
But before they could finish, Fatty Fu waved his hand and shook his head, saying, "Not selling. I won't sell this flawless jade for any amount of money. I'm keeping it as an heirloom. Don't even think about my treasure!"
"Damn it!" everyone could only offer helpless wry smiles.
As for Boss Zhuang, he was completely numb. Looking at the precious jade cut from the stone with just three cuts, he almost fell to his knees.
He knew that there were still two more stones that hadn't been cut yet, and who knew what treasures might emerge from them. And all of this was originally his. But he hadn't believed Li Yang's words, thinking Li Yang was trying to trick him, and had outright refused.
"Xiao Zhang,"
"Old, boss, this must be fake. How could jade of this grade be cut from a stone like this? Maybe they switched the items while we blinked and used some illusion." Master Zhang quickly argued.
Boss Zhuang gritted his teeth and glared at him fiercely, "Do you believe that yourself?"
"I..."
"Shut up! If it weren't for you, I would have struck it rich just now!" Boss Zhuang truly wanted to tear his mouth apart. "You don't need to follow me anymore."
"Boss, what do you mean?" Master Zhang's face changed dramatically. "Are you firing me?"
"That's right. What's the point of keeping someone with your lack of foresight?" Boss Zhuang said coldly.
Master Zhang's face turned pale. "You,"
"Get out of here immediately!" Boss Zhuang interrupted him directly, glaring at him coldly.
Master Zhang's expression shifted. Although unwilling, he looked at what Fatty Fu had cut and had nothing to say. He could only lower his head, with a dejected face, and leave. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have spoken ill of Li Yang and caused his own misfortune.
With Master Zhang gone, Boss Zhuang felt slightly better. He immediately walked towards Li Yang, smiling obsequiously, "Boss Li, do you have any more stones you can recommend for me to buy?"
"I'm sorry, Boss Zhuang, not at the moment," Li Yang shook his head and said. "However, I believe in your excellent professional judgment. Even if you act on your own, you'll surely reap some rewards."
"This, this," Boss Zhuang smiled bitterly, unsure of what to do.
Li Yang said, "It's getting late, Boss Zhuang. I wish you a pleasant time. Sister Shui, let's go to the office."
"Manager Fang, please entertain Boss Zhuang. Everything will be twenty percent off," Shui Xiang said, then hooked her arm around Li Yang's and walked away.
Manager Fang nodded, then said to Boss Zhuang, "What would you like to play? I can introduce you."
"No need," Boss Zhuang shook his head bitterly and turned to walk out of the stone gambling hall.
The driver, Old Bai, was waiting outside. Seeing him come out, he immediately walked over and asked, "What happened, Boss Zhuang? Why did Master Zhang sneer at me and then leave alone?"
"Nothing, Old Bai. You did a good job this time. You made me realize that Boss Li's strength is indeed extraordinary. I underestimated him before." Boss Zhuang shook his head. "Go get the car."
"This Boss Zhuang, doing wholesale business but eyeing retail profits, is quite troublesome," Li Yang said softly, standing by the office window and watching Boss Zhuang outside the stone gambling hall. "His return trip was probably because he knew we got a bargain and wanted to renegotiate the price."
"It's a pity that when you gave him a chance, he thought you were trying to trick him and refused," Shui Xiang said lightly.
Li Yang chuckled, "Isn't that the truth? If they don't seize the opportunity when it's given, then I really can't offer any concessions."
"If this causes him to not cooperate with us and deliberately cause trouble later, then Sister Shui, you'll have to consider finding another supplier."
"I will," Shui Xiang nodded.
Li Yang suddenly cupped her delicate chin, a slight smile playing on his lips. "We came to the office to get things done. Let's not talk about that guy anymore."
"What do you want to get done?" Shui Xiang's body immediately felt heated. She slowly backed away, leaning against the desk.
Li Yang chuckled, "Sister Shui, don't you already know?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"It's okay, I'll take the initiative anyway," Li Yang said with a smile, then picked her up.
In the blink of an eye, the beauty was lying on the desk, her slender legs resting on Li Yang's shoulders.
Li Yang whispered, "Can I come in now, Sister Shui?"
"No, don't, mmmph!" Shui Xiang's cheeks flushed red. She said "no," but actively rubbed against him.
How could Li Yang resist? He attacked directly, aiming for the heart.
After a period of passionate intimacy, Shui Xiang lay panting on the desk, her body covered in fragrant sweat. She playfully chided, "You're so wicked. You went in so deep all at once, all the way to the bottom, you know!"