C21 The Jade Came out Green(1)

Looking up, he saw Wang Tiehzhu approaching with a sneer on his face. Five meters behind him, Zeng Ziyuv and Kwoo Guangkun were walking towards them, chatting and laughing.

At that moment, Zeng Ziyuv cradled a smooth raw stone in his arms, his eyes twinkling with delight. Clearly, he was convinced that the stone harbored jade within.

Turning his attention away, Su Hao faced Wang Tiehzhu's scorn without flinching and spoke calmly, "And how exactly do you know that the stone I'm holding is worthless?"

Caught off guard, Wang Tiehzhu paused, then erupted into laughter. "It's simple. A raw stone that's been discarded after cutting has been confirmed to have no jade inside, rendering it valueless—a mere piece of waste. Otherwise, why would anyone foolishly throw it away?"

"I had assumed that despite being a spoiled rich kid, you'd at least possess some basic knowledge. Now I see you truly lack insight."

The shop owner remained silent, not commenting. Though Wang Tiehzhu's remarks were somewhat harsh, they weren't without merit.

"A few words from you aren't enough to determine whether it's a waste stone or not," Su Hao said, giving Wang Tiehzhu a cool glance, his voice steady.

Without the gift of the Appraisal Eye, buying a waste stone would indeed seem foolish. But the Appraisal Eye had provided irrefutable evidence—there was a valuable jade inside this discarded stone!

To Su Hao, forgoing such a treasure due to the opinions of others was sheer folly.

Ignoring Wang Tiehzhu, Su Hao's gaze settled on the stone cutter next to the stall. After a brief contemplation, he requested, "Boss, would you mind firing up the stone cutter? I'd like to have this stone cut."

"Pfft... using a raw stone that's been confirmed to have no jade for cutting? You're a real piece of work!" Wang Tiehzhu couldn't contain his amusement, his face turning beet red with laughter.

The boss was taken aback as well. He had assumed Su Hao had purchased the discarded raw stone as a trinket, never expecting him to actually intend to cut it.

He had checked the discarded raw stone countless times; it was utterly worthless. There was no sense in Su Hao taking it to be cut.

"Boss, start the stone cutter," Su Hao said, unfazed by Wang Tiehzhu's sneers. He signaled the boss with a glance and placed the discarded raw stone onto the machine.

The boss, seeing Su Hao's determination, relented and activated the stone cutter.

At that moment, Kwoo Guangkun and Zeng Ziyuv approached.

Observing Su Hao in conversation with the boss, Zeng Ziyuv turned to Wang Tiehzhu, puzzled, and asked, "What's Su Hao up to?"

"Mr. Su has an exceptional eye, having chosen a once-in-a-lifetime raw stone. He's cutting it now!" Wang Tiehzhu said with a smirk, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Zeng Ziyuv paused, then looked up at the football-sized raw stone on the cutter, his expression turning quizzical.

The stone Su Hao had selected was chipped and worn at both ends, as if it had been previously cut, clearly a waste stone.

Wang Tiehzhu's odd tone made sense now; he was being facetious. While he appeared to compliment Su Hao, he was actually mocking his judgment.

Zeng Ziyuv was about to inquire why Su Hao had chosen a waste stone when Kwoo Guangkun gestured to another stone cutter and said, "Mr. Zeng, let's cut the smooth raw stone you have first."

"Sure," Zeng Ziyuv replied after a brief hesitation, nodding. He decided not to concern himself with Su Hao, and together with Kwoo Guangkun, he headed to another stone cutter, cradling the smooth raw stone.

Meanwhile, Su Hao had learned the stone-cutting procedure from the boss.

The process involved three steps: washing, cutting, and grinding the stone.

Washing the stone, the initial step, also known as skinning, was a cautious approach. Without pinpointing the exact location of the jade, cutting could easily damage it, making washing both effective and safe.

When assessing a stone's potential, the focus is on the green haze on the surface and the underlying color. A slight rub allows the use of strong light to peer into the stone's interior, revealing changes that help gauge the green's depth, width, and intensity.

Once the jade's location within the stone is identified through this initial washing, the next step is cutting. Traditionally, a bow saw with sand is used to slowly saw through the stone, ready to implement rescue measures if the cutting can't proceed. However, modern times have seen most people switch to stone cutting machines, which employ blades coated with diamond grit for precise, swift, and labor-saving cuts.

After cutting comes the third step: polishing. Polishing enhances the stone's transparency, allowing a clear view of the jade's quality and water content. If the jade appears cloudy and unpolished, applying water can increase its transparency, aiding in a better assessment of its quality and color nuances.

The Waste Raw Stone Su Hao selected had already been subjected to previous attempts at polishing and cutting. Regrettably, the former owner only made two cuts, both in empty areas devoid of jade. One more cut could have revealed the green, but lacking patience, the owner discarded the stone after the unsuccessful attempts.

"The Appraisal Eye's notes indicate a small void on the right side of this Waste Raw Stone," Su Hao mused. "First, I'll cut away that small void on the right, then proceed to polish the stone. With any luck, the jade within will be brought back into the light." With that thought, he stepped up to activate the stone cutting machine.

Wang Tiehzhu, witnessing the scene, shifted his gaze and suddenly bellowed, "Start the stone cutter!" His shout pierced the subdued atmosphere of the stone trading venue, standing out starkly.

Curious heads turned in Su Hao's direction, with some onlookers even making their way over for a closer look.

The majority were stone buyers, hesitant due to the steep prices of raw stones. A single misjudgment could mean buying a stone devoid of jade, turning their investment into a fruitless chase, much like throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone without return.

Now, with someone cutting a stone, they seized the opportunity to observe, possibly picking up some stone assessment techniques in the process.

Yet, upon seeing the stone on the cutting machine, their brows knitted, followed by derisive laughter.

"What's with these people, bringing a waste stone to be cut?"

"Exactly. The top and bottom corners of this stone are chipped and worn; it's clearly trash that's been cut and tossed aside."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, someone's clearly desperate for money."

...

The surrounding murmurs were grating to Su Hao's ears, one after another.

He glanced at Wang Tiehzhu with an icy look.

This man had been antagonizing him from the start. Now, during his own stone-cutting, Wang had the audacity to draw a crowd. If not for legal concerns, Su Hao would have gladly silenced this nauseating pest with a punch.

Wang Tiehzhu, reveling in Su Hao's frosty demeanor, seemed struck by a thought and called out shrilly, "You all might not realize, but Mr. Su here paid three thousand yuan for this waste stone!"

"What?" The crowd reacted with shock.

They had assumed Su Hao had simply found the waste stone, not that he'd actually paid three thousand yuan for it.

Spending that much on a waste stone? That's madness.

Many shook their heads and walked away, devoid of any interest in watching further.

Observing a fool cut a waste stone was, without a doubt, an exercise in futility.

Su Hao caught every shift in their expressions. Despite his discomfort, he didn't utter a single word of defense from start to finish.

After all, he couldn't control what others said; and besides, these onlookers were unaware of the waste stone's internal potential, so their skepticism was to be expected.

Wang Tiehzhu had made an impression on him, and he was ready to give him a piece of his mind later on with some choice words!

Su Hao took a deep breath and used his Appraisal Eye to scan the discarded raw stone. Once he had gauged the volume of jade within the waste stone, he confidently operated the stone cutter, making a cut on the right side of the discarded stone.

This action caused many onlookers to furrow their brows in disapproval.

The initial step in stone cutting is to rub the stone, as cutting blindly can easily damage the jade within, ruining its aesthetic value. That's why most stone cutters start by rubbing the stone to get a rough idea of the jade's location before proceeding with the cut.

But Su Hao's approach defied convention; he went straight for the cut. If there was indeed jade inside that discarded stone, his first cut could have damaged it.

"This kid probably just wants to cut the stone for kicks; he doesn't seem to care whether it's a waste stone or not," remarked a middle-aged man with glasses, shaking his head in disbelief. He watched as Su Hao stopped after making a single cut on the right side of the stone, then turned and walked away.