A few more recommendation tickets, and we can hit the front page of Qidian; if you have any, please support us! ..................................... Sometimes, for certain matters, you are not faced with a choice; you simply have none.

Thankfully, Guan Shichen was truly adept at handling affairs. Not only did he arrange for armed transport, but he also secured a temporary overnight spot for the jade at a local commercial bank—a safe weighing five tons!

While this measure might seem slightly over the top, it perfectly highlighted Guan Shichen's shrewdness. It successfully quelled Wang Zhuo’s concerns while simultaneously elevating the jade’s perceived value. Having just surfaced, it immediately caused a stir, and then requiring armed escort and bank custody—even an ordinary piece of jade would appreciate significantly after such an elaborate handling.

In truth, although this jade was valuable, it wasn't priceless enough to warrant such high-level security. However, this wasn't one of those cities where the jade market was booming; such a valuable piece was still quite novel here. Besides, everyone had seen the movie Crazy Stone, which spun numerous tales around a piece of jade worth eight million yuan, so nobody thought Guan Shichen was making a fuss over nothing.

Wang Zhuo arrived home near midnight. The day had been like a rollercoaster ride, full of sharp ups and downs, but it finally concluded smoothly in shared joy.

Dinner was at a restaurant booked by Guan Shichen. In attendance were Guan Shichen and his daughter, Wang Zhuo, Qi Fei, Qiu Lu, Lu Weimin, a manager and an assistant from the armed transport company, and a section chief from the commercial bank branch.

Though they had only spent a day together, the shared experience of cutting out the Dragon Stone Type Imperial Green jade had already advanced Wang Zhuo's relationship with Guan Yingying, Qi Fei, and Qiu Lu to the level of close friendship. Over dinner, they deepened their mutual understanding.

It turned out that Qi Fei, thirty years old, was a seasoned jewelry designer, working as a freelancer rather than being employed by any single company. She usually worked in Hong Kong and Macau and was currently on an extended vacation visiting family in her hometown, which is how she happened to be present for this event.

Qiu Lu, though only twenty-six, had been in the industry since he was sixteen, giving him ten years of professional experience. If one disregarded his age, his technical skill among the many jade masters at Qishi Workshop ranked among the top one or two; he only lacked a bit more experience carving expensive materials.

After today, Qiu Lu would become instantly famous on Antique Street, finally shaking off the reputation of having every cut result in a loss, marking a major ascent in his career.

During the meal, Qi Fei hinted at wanting to recruit talent for her own endeavors from Qishi Workshop, expressing interest in Qiu Lu. Qiu Lu also mentioned wanting to develop his career in a broader arena. They exchanged contact information.

Qi Fei advised Wang Zhuo to hold off on any major decisions until the official appraisal results for the jade were in. The best scenario, she suggested, would be to take it to auction in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or even Hong Kong; at the very least, they could invite several large and medium-sized jewelry houses to bid, selling to the highest bidder.

Wang Zhuo gratefully agreed. This was professional advice from seasoned experts; as an outsider, he had to humbly heed their counsel.

When Wang Zhuo proposed giving away thirty percent of the profits to Guan Yingying, Qi Fei, and Qiu Lu, everyone present was stunned, wondering if the young man had gone mad.

After all, that thirty percent share could easily amount to several million yuan. While Guan Yingying and the other two had certainly contributed effort and help, it didn't warrant such a massive sum. By conventional standards, Wang Zhuo only needed to offer a few tens of thousands in "happy money" to show courtesy, and that would suffice!

Specifically, Qiu Lu was an employee of Qishi Workshop; ten thousand yuan would not be considered meager. Qi Fei had only just met Wang Zhuo and Guan Yingying, so Wang Zhuo could choose any amount between one and five thousand without causing offense. Even for Guan Yingying, who contributed the most effort, ten thousand wouldn't make Wang Zhuo seem stingy!

All three immediately refused, telling Wang Zhuo this broke convention, and that one should not accept reward without merit. The rough stone was purchased solely with Wang Zhuo’s own money; they had merely offered some casual assistance, and a simple red envelope would be a sufficient gesture.

But Wang Zhuo saw things differently, and he held a private plan that he hadn't shared with anyone.

Through today’s stone gambling adventure, he had discovered the immense commercial potential latent in his X-ray vision. Gold has a price, but jade is priceless; a clairvoyant eye capable of seeing through stone to judge jade was an inestimable treasure. He already saw a spectacular future for himself in this field, and in that future, Qi Fei and Qiu Lu were talents he absolutely could not afford to miss!

Although Wang Zhuo harbored no immediate ambition to recruit them fully, the seasoned experience these two possessed in the jewelry industry was exactly what he needed right now. By building a strong rapport with them, Wang Zhuo felt he could truly step across the threshold into this domain, and he considered the investment worthwhile!

Having made this decision, Wang Zhuo understood the meaning of "one sees farther standing higher" even more profoundly. From an ordinary person’s perspective, his generous act of spending lavishly seemed reckless and ill-advised. But from the perspective of a clairvoyant, this investment was worth making, and it was guaranteed to yield greater returns in the future.

The dinner concluded without a final decision on the profit-sharing; Wang Zhuo insisted on giving it, and the three steadfastly refused to accept. It seemed this matter could only be resolved after the jade was sold.

His excitement finally subsided around 1 AM, and Wang Zhuo drifted into sleep.

...

In the morning, Wang Zhuo awoke to the sound of drizzling rain. The sky was somewhat dim, and the clock showed 6:05.

Strangely, he felt no fatigue at all. Indeed, joy keeps a person spirited. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, the Wang Zhuo in the mirror looked radiant, more energetic than after a full seven hours of sleep.

Outside, a steady, moderate rain was falling, making his usual run impossible. Wang Zhuo settled for doing push-ups, squats, and sit-ups on the living room floor. After sweating, he took a shower and dressed cleanly before heading out.

Vegetable buns, multigrain porridge, and a few small dishes of fresh pickles constituted Wang Zhuo’s breakfast today. Before picking up his chopsticks, he called Ding Ren, nicknamed Old Blade.

“Wang Zhuo, calling so early—is the money ready?” Ding Ren’s voice was, as always, direct and efficient.

“It’s ready; a cash withdrawal check from the ICBC,” Wang Zhuo replied quietly, mindful of the crowd at the breakfast stall.

That cash check was currently tucked inside Wang Zhuo’s coat pocket. Guan Shichen had issued it on the spot last night when Wang Zhuo mentioned needing immediate cash for business. Wang Zhuo had, of course, given him an IOU in return. Wang Zhuo hadn't disclosed the money’s purpose to the others present, telling his cousin, Lu Weimin, while stepping into the restroom.

Since the money was intended to cover costs related to his father's trouble, it was inconvenient to let others know. Lu Weimin, who served as Guan Shichen’s driver and bodyguard, would relay the message for Wang Zhuo.

Ding Ren sounded surprised when he heard, “A check? Why not cash?”

Wang Zhuo laughed, “Cash is fine too; I can withdraw it first.”

Ding Ren paused for a few seconds before saying, “I’ll go with you to withdraw it. Where are you now?”

“The back gate of Huangshao Park. Uncle Blade, have you eaten breakfast yet? If not, come join me.”

“Wait for me, I’ll be right there.” Ding Ren hung up.

Putting down his phone, Wang Zhuo slowly sipped his porridge and ate his bun. He didn't notice that when he mentioned the cash check, two people nearby had been paying attention. However, upon hearing him address the other person as "Uncle Blade," the two exchanged a subtle glance, barely perceptible, before shaking their heads and returning to their meal.