C20 Stone Gambling(2)

Wang Tieshan's smirk deepened as he noticed Su Hao's silence.

Kwoo Guangkun glanced up at Su Hao and spoke with a hint of detachment, "This smooth raw stone has decent transparency, and the areas with a hint of green tend to be of better quality. It's highly likely that it contains jade."

He then turned to Zeng Ziyuv, "Mr. Zeng, it might be worth checking the price of this stone."

"Sure," Zeng Ziyuv agreed, ready to inquire about the cost.

But Su Hao intervened, cautioning him, "Ziyuv, there's really no jade in that stone."

"Su Hao, I went through a lot of trouble to bring Master Kwoo here. We're here on serious business, so let's not kid around," Zeng Ziyuv said, glancing at Kwoo Guangkun before pulling Su Hao aside to speak earnestly.

He had moved a significant amount of money from his family for this gamble on stones. If he failed to find jade, he'd face a guaranteed scolding from his parents.

"I'm not joking," Su Hao said with a wry smile. "The stone is hollow; there's no jade in it. Buying it would be a sure loss."

"How can you be certain it's hollow?"

Before Su Hao could respond, Zeng Ziyuv had already headed to the stall to ask for the price.

Clearly, Zeng Ziyuv didn't believe him.

Su Hao felt powerless. He knew Zeng Ziyuv was the type to stick to his guns, unswayed by persuasion once his mind was made up.

And without solid proof to show the absence of jade in the smooth raw stone, Su Hao could do little.

With a resigned sigh, Su Hao's gaze shifted to another stall. A particular raw stone caught his eye, causing him to stop in his tracks.

Tucked away in the corner of the stall was a football-sized raw stone, its two ends notched and worn as if it had been cut. Passersby spared it only a brief glance before moving on, showing no interest in what they deemed a worthless stone.

Yet, this neglected raw stone had a rich history. Its water and base were of high quality, with minimal cracks. It was a superior variety of green or fully green jade, housing ice jade that filled two-thirds of its mass.

The details relayed by the Appraisal Eye caused Su Hao's eyes to gleam, a sharp light flickering within them.

Ice jade, with its ample fluidity, exceptional quality, and unparalleled transparency, ranked second only to glass jade in the hierarchy of jades.

In an age where glass jade is rare, ice jade has become a byword for top-tier jade. A jewelry store boasting a selection of ice jade pieces could easily enhance its prestige.

"If I can secure this jade for Ziyuv, he'll surely be able to satisfy his parents," Su Hao mused, glancing at Zeng Ziyuv, who was haggling with the shopkeeper. Resolute, he turned and made his way to the stall with the Waste Raw Stone.

The stall owner, exuding an air of authority, was casually lounging with a phone in his left hand and a cigarette in his right.

Su Hao refrained from inquiring about the Waste Raw Stone's price directly to avoid drawing attention and giving the owner leverage to hike up the price.

Instead, he pointed to a large raw stone with a seemingly better appearance and asked, "Boss, how much for this raw stone?"

His inquiry was a ruse, aimed at shifting the owner's focus from a stone that, in truth, contained no jade.

"Good eye, young man. This is a Kuan Bottom Raw Stone, sourced from the riverbed with excellent water and base, often yielding rich green jade with minimal fog and numerous cracks. It's also highly workable, making it an ideal choice for crafting rings," the owner replied, setting down his phone and smiling as he pitched the stone.

Su Hao, caught between amusement and frustration, said, "Boss, just the price, please."

The owner humanely gestured with five fingers.

Su Hao blinked in surprise. "Fifty thousand?"

"Five hundred thousand!"

Su Hao was taken aback. "..."

Half a million for a stone devoid of any jade?

That's not just overpriced—it's highway robbery!

He swiftly averted his gaze and pointed to another jade-less raw stone, asking nonchalantly, "And what about the price of this raw stone, Boss?"

"This is a Dragon Pit Raw Stone, primarily featuring a yellow sand or grayish-white fish skin surface. The skin is coarser, and most have excellent water and base quality. The green hue is particularly vibrant, often yielding high-grade jade," the boss explained with a smile before making an offer. "If you're interested, I can give you a discount—eight hundred thousand."

Su Hao was left speechless.

Two raw stones without a trace of jade inside, one priced at five hundred thousand, the other at eight hundred thousand? It's no surprise they say stone gambling can either make you a fortune or ruin you overnight.

Without his Appraisal Eye, no amount of money would prevent him from squandering it all.

Taking a deep breath, Su Hao glanced around and pointed to the discarded Waste Raw Stone on the edge, feigning ignorance. "Boss, why does this raw stone have a notch?"

The boss followed Su Hao's gaze, his expression turning to one of surprise. This Waste Raw Stone had been left over from a previous buyer's cut and discarded in the trash. Noticing a faint green at the chipped corner, he thought it might still fool the uninformed, so he displayed it on his stall.

Noticing Su Hao's apparent interest, the boss pitched, "Young man, you might not be aware, but this is a Wasteland Stone. It has a solid water and base, minimal cracks, and is a high-quality green or rich green variety with few impurities. The glass base is quite common. It got chipped during transport, hence the notch. But you see that green light shining through? Clearly, there's jade inside. It's a sure bet."

"How much?" Su Hao feigned eagerness as he inquired.

The boss held up three fingers. "Three hundred thousand!"

Su Hao kept a poker face, but inwardly, he snickered. This Waste Raw Stone, discarded and unwanted, was barely worth thirty thousand, yet the asking price was a staggering three hundred thousand?

After a moment's thought, he fixed the boss with a stern look and said, "Boss, don't think you can fleece me just because I'm new to this. The gaps in the corners of this Waste Raw Stone are clearly from cuts, not from being dropped as you claimed. And asking for three hundred thousand is just plain unreasonable, don't you think?"

"Ah, I must have remembered it wrong... If you're interested in this Waste Raw Stone, thirty thousand will do," the boss replied, scratching the back of his head in evident embarrassment.

Su Hao rolled his eyes. "Thirty thousand? I wouldn't pay more than three thousand. I'm only taking a chance on this piece because it seems to have some potential, otherwise, I wouldn't take it off your hands even if it were free."

"Fine, since it caught your eye, it's yours," the boss quickly conceded without further ado.

After all, he had found the Waste Raw Stone and hadn't spent a dime on it. Selling it for three thousand was still a tidy sum.

Su Hao didn't haggle any further. He promptly opened his payment app and sent three thousand to the boss.

No sooner had Su Hao taken possession of the Waste Raw Stone than a mocking sneer reached his ears.

"Spending three thousand on a piece of junk? Mr. Su sure knows how to spot a bargain!"