"Sister Shui, you really want to thank me?" Li Yang asked with a smile.
Sister Shui replied, "Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you? Hurry up and tell me."
"Then I'll be direct," he said.
"Go ahead."
"How about offering yourself to me?" Li Yang teased.
Sister Shui was taken aback, then her pretty face flushed. She glared at him and said, "Don't be silly. I've already been with a man, I'm not suitable for a young man like you."
"If you really want to find a girlfriend, I think Xiao Yu is quite good. I can set you two up."
"Oh, Sister Shui, you wanted to thank Brother Li, but you sold me out directly," Lin Xiaoyu said coquettishly. Her bright, watery eyes, however, shyly looked towards Li Yang.
Li Yang's display of strength earlier had stirred something in her. Moreover, Li Yang wasn't bad-looking and should be a good catch.
Li Yang asked in surprise, "Sister Shui, you have a husband? How come I never heard about it before, nor have I ever seen him?"
"Of course you wouldn't see him, he passed away many years ago," Sister Shui said with a wry smile. "That's why I said I'm a withered flower, don't get any ideas about me. It's much better to find a proper young lady."
"So, that means you're single now, Sister Shui?"
"Yes."
"Then there's no problem!" Li Yang said with a smile.
"What?"
"I mean, you're single, which means you can find another man," Li Yang said with a smile.
Sister Shui's heart skipped a beat, but she said sternly, "Stop talking nonsense. I have a child. What man would be willing?"
"I..."
"You're not allowed to say it!" Sister Shui glared at him, then immediately turned and walked outside. "Let's go, let's go eat."
"Alright," Li Yang said, following her.
They ate lunch together. Lin Xiaoyu stood up to bid farewell, "Sister Shui, Brother Li, it's getting late, I have to go back to Shancheng. Next time you come to Shancheng, remember to contact me, I'll definitely host you well."
"Okay, I'll remember that. If you don't host us well when we get to Shancheng, I'll be angry," Li Yang said with a smile.
Lin Xiaoyu giggled, waved goodbye, and then drove away. "See you."
"What a good girl. Why don't you consider her? I can play matchmaker for you," Sister Shui said.
Li Yang looked at her and said, "She is a good girl, but Sister Shui, I'm serious, why don't you consider me?"
"Stop fooling around, let's go back," Sister Shui said, giving him a sideways glance. "Those few stones haven't been cut yet. Whether you can become my partner is still uncertain."
"Don't worry, the stones I had you bid on will definitely be good," Li Yang said with a smile.
"Don't just talk, prove it with your actions."
"Alright."
A while later, they returned to the Fortune Jade Cutting Center.
Sister Shui led him to a specialized cutting room and said, "All the tools are complete here. Once you draw the lines, I'll call the master over."
"Alright, Sister Shui, you were planning to cut the stones yourself from the start, weren't you?" Li Yang said, looking at the complete equipment and tools in the room.
Sister Shui nodded and said, "That's right. Although it's a rule that jade gambling bosses don't cut stones themselves, seeing others make huge profits from low prices sometimes makes it hard not to want to try."
"So I've been learning about jade gambling privately, but I've never dared to play big."
"Then you don't have to worry anymore. With me here, no good stones will escape," Li Yang said, picking up a pen and drawing lines on the stone.
After he finished drawing, Sister Shui also called over the cutting master, Old Hu.
Seeing Li Yang there, Old Hu was surprised. "Young Master Li, what's wrong?"
"Don't be surprised, Sister Shui and I are partners now, and I'll soon be a partner in the jade cutting center," Li Yang said with a smile.
"Oh, if that's the case, should I call you the second boss?"
"Old Hu, let's cut the stones," Sister Shui said.
Old Hu nodded and immediately began cutting the stone. Seeing numbers on the stone, he asked curiously, "What do these numbers mean?"
"Oh, this is the auction price. This stone has 'thirty-one' on it, so it's three hundred and ten thousand," Li Yang explained. "It doesn't affect anything."
"Okay."
Old Hu was indeed a master cutter. His hand holding the blade was very steady. With one cut, water sprayed out, looking exceptionally beautiful.
*Crack*, the first cut was made, and the stone split into two pieces.
Sister Shui leaned closer and asked, "How is it?"
"Judging by the color, it's purple. Oh, it looks a bit like ice-grade violet jade," Old Hu said, washing the cut surface with water. He immediately saw a faint purple hue.
Purple jade, at least ice-grade, was common knowledge, with no exceptions for thousands of years.
Sister Shui was delighted upon hearing this. "Such a large piece of ice-grade violet jade, it should be worth at least seven million?"
"It's a pity the color is too pale, otherwise this price would double," Li Yang said with a smile.
The saying "a millimeter difference in color, a tenfold difference in price" referred to jade.
Therefore, some unscrupulous merchants would use rhetoric to deceive consumers, selling pale colored jade as jade with normal color intensity to consumers, thereby gaining illicit profits.
"Sister Shui, was this three hundred and ten thousand worth it?"
"Worth it," Sister Shui nodded. "Old Hu, cut the other stones too."
"Yes, Boss."
Old Hu immediately complied. The results of the other stones were similar to this one, all selling for several times their auction price, making a substantial profit.
"Now Sister Shui should be able to confirm that our partnership is definitely a highly profitable endeavor, right?" Li Yang said with a smile.
Sister Shui's beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Li Yang, you are truly amazing. Is it true what others say, that you are like a phoenix that doesn't sing for three years, and then sings with astonishing impact?"
"It's all accumulation of quantity, leading to a qualitative change," Li Yang said with a smile.
Sister Shui shook her head and said, "We also have to add your extraordinary talent. I've been opening my shop for so long, and I've met many people obsessed with jade gambling, but many of them made no progress in the end."
"Li Yang, thank you very much for being willing to cooperate with me."
Saying this, she extended her hand to Li Yang.
"You're welcome, we'll make money together," Li Yang said, taking her hand.
Sister Shui smiled and said, "That's true, but I don't understand, with your skills, why don't you do it alone?"
"It's too tiring to be the boss of your own company, as I know very well," Li Yang said with a smile. "Besides, even if I have the skills, I might not have the sales channels, nor the inclination to manage all this. It's better to focus on refining my skills and leave this part to professionals."
"I think you are very professional, Sister Shui."
"Thank you for the compliment. Come, let's go to the office, I'll sign the contract for you," Sister Shui said, her last trace of doubt gone. She linked her arm with his and headed towards the office.
Li Yang inhaled the faint fragrance emanating from her, feeling invigorated.
If he hadn't already established a relationship with Tang Xinyu, he would have genuinely considered pursuing Sister Shui, rather than just teasing and joking around.
After signing the contract, Sister Shui said, "From now on, we are officially partners. Are you free tonight? Come to my place, I'll cook a few dishes for you to celebrate?"