C25 You Won't Give Me Any Face!

Ah...

The hall was bustling with people, all eyes riveted on the piece of jade. Some were curious as to why Zhang Xiaolong had the audacity to challenge Xu Shaoning, while others were eager to witness this fool's embarrassment.

When the jade, after being subjected to heat, was effortlessly flattened by Zhang Xiaolong, a collective gasp of surprise echoed through the crowd.

It was common knowledge that jade is a hard substance; burning it does not reveal its authenticity, let alone render it malleable like clay.

Yet, before their very eyes, it had softened, taking on the consistency of putty. Zhang Xiaolong was now letting his imagination run wild, transforming the original pair of auspicious ruyi into the shape of a plump goose.

The verdict was clear without question: the piece was a fake. If anyone still insisted it was genuine jade, they must be out of their mind—and not for the first time.

"Actually, if a craft piece isn't masquerading as jade, creating it in this style can be quite attractive," Zhang Xiaolong remarked. Within half a minute, he had fashioned an abstract, large green goose in his hands.

From an artistic standpoint, it was hard to find any appealing aspect, but now no one was delving into that. Instead, their gazes were split between Xu Shaoning and Wang Changyu.

"It can't be, how is this possible?" Wang Changyu was in disbelief, suspecting a trick of the eyes. "No, even if it were plastic, it couldn't soften that quickly with just a burn. You must have switched it out."

Though it sounded like a desperate excuse, the crowd had to admit it made sense. Even plastic wouldn't soften to the consistency of clay with a mere flick of a lighter.

"Switched it out?" Zhang Xiaolong chuckled. "I hadn't even touched this piece of jade before this moment. Moreover, how could I possibly have known Xu Shaoning would present such a piece, let alone find an exact replica to swap it with?"

The crowd pondered and nodded in agreement. They had all seen Zhang Xiaolong take the jade out of the box, not once handing it off, before he began to burn it and then, in full view, transformed the finely carved jade ruyi into the current portly goose...

Not even the most skilled magician could have found an identical substitute on the spot, much less switched it while burning.

"Anyway..." Wang Changyu's face turned beet red, clearly unwilling to believe what had transpired.

"It's okay. If Young Master Yu doesn't believe me, I can do it again. This time, you can try it yourself," offered Zhang Xiaolong generously. "And if you're still not convinced, let's just say we were having a bit of fun earlier. Don't take it too seriously, Young Master Yu."

Wang Changyu was seething with frustration. If it weren't for the audience around them, he might have wanted to grind Zhang Xiaolong to a pulp. But, catching the crowd's gleeful stares and Xu Shaoning's increasingly pale complexion, he begrudgingly swallowed his anger. "A bet's a bet. I can cough up twenty thousand yuan."

With a flick of two fingers, he signaled someone behind him. Promptly, an attendant approached with two stacks of cash and handed them to Zhang Xiaolong.

"Well then, I won't be shy about it," Zhang Xiaolong said with a smile, unapologetically pocketing the money. He then turned and handed it to Chen Yaru, "Here, you take it."

"Why are you giving this to me?" Chen Yaru asked, her voice tinged with a bashful undertone, reminiscent of a man entrusting his earnings to a woman.

Leaning in, Zhang Xiaolong murmured, "Consider it repayment for the clothes."

At his candid remark, Chen Yaru was at a loss for words, half amused, half annoyed. "Do you believe I might bite you?"

The onlookers couldn't catch their quiet exchange and mistook their whispers for intimate banter, which only soured some of the spectators' expressions further.

"I apologize, Yaru. It seems I was indeed tricked. I'll make sure to prepare another gift for you soon," Xu Shaoning said, quickly regaining his composure.

"It's fine. Xu Shaoning, you didn't mean for it to happen," Chen Yaru responded, her attitude towards the gift mishap now more relaxed. "I've accepted your kind gesture. And as Xiaolong suggested, I've cut ties with it. Besides, I find this silly goose far more endearing than the jade scepter!"

As she spoke, a sharp glare was directed at Zhang Xiaolong. Clearly, he was the one being labeled the biggest fool.

"Mr. Zhang seems to have quite the eye for jade. I've heard about a new stone gambling venue on the outskirts of Qingyang City. I'd like to invite you to try your luck with me. Would you be interested?" Xu Shaoning, witnessing the woman he admired cozying up to another man, forcefully suppressed his irritation and resumed his trademark smile.

"Sorry, Mr. Xu, I really don't have the time," Zhang Xiaolong replied honestly. His trip to the city was to purchase glass, not to gamble on stones. "Besides, I truly don't know much about jade, let alone stone gambling."

"Mr. Zhang, you're far too modest. Being able to spot a fake piece of jade at a glance is no small feat. I doubt there's anyone else in Qingyang City with such discernment. If you claim to be ignorant about jade, then no one else could possibly claim expertise," Xu Shaoning said, his tone suggesting he was elevating Zhang Xiaolong to an almost celestial status.

Young Master Yu chimed in with a chuckle, "Even a blind cat may stumble upon a dead rat now and then. Anyone can get lucky."

"Young Master Yu has a point. It was sheer coincidence that I'm acquainted with plastic crafts, which is why I recognized the fake immediately. It really has little to do with jade," Zhang Xiaolong said with a smile, effortlessly deflecting the praise.

"Your humility is astounding. With the intellect of a national College Entrance Examination Top Scorer, you're bound to excel in anything you undertake, stone gambling included. Mr. Zhang, with your brilliant mind and exceptional luck, you might just find a gift that Yaru will adore," Xu Shaoning persisted. "And even if you're not familiar with it, you could still go along for the experience, perhaps as a pleasant outing with Yaru."

"There's no need to insist, Young Master Xu. He's already said he's busy. Perhaps he's eager to return to his farming," Wang Changyu said sarcastically.

The two men played their parts well—one intent on diminishing Zhang Xiaolong, the other seemingly eager to sing his praises. It was clear to the onlookers that their true intent was to provoke Zhang Xiaolong's animosity.

"Xiaolong, maybe you could..." Chen Yaru pondered, her mind racing with thoughts. If Zhang Xiaolong were to leave now, she had no idea when she might see him next.

Even if staying meant he could only remain for one more day, that was still one more day she could spend with him. He was like a magnet to her; from the moment she laid eyes on him, she felt an irresistible pull to be near him.

"But I really don't have the time. I've got vegetables that need planting," Zhang Xiaolong quickly dismissed Chen Yaru's suggestion.

"It looks like he's not just refusing to give Young Master Xu respect, but he's also snubbing Miss Chen!" Wang Changyu chimed in, stirring the pot.