Dong Gua and Mantou were laid out on the display table, immediately capturing the attention of the stone gamblers.

"Look, these two roughs are interesting."

"One is smooth and glossy, the other is covered in pox marks—truly two extremely different stones."

"He actually bought that Dong Gua piece? He must have too much money to flaunt."

"Someone is playing with such an obvious brick-like stone; I truly don't get it anymore."

"In this business, the bold survive, and the timid starve. See that cracked Mantou piece? Eighty thousand, is it expensive? Someone dares to gamble on it."

"Too much risk. I wouldn't touch a stone like that; it's too easy to lose everything."

As expected, no one was optimistic about these two stones, but that didn't dampen their enthusiasm for watching. The thrill of stone gambling lay in that single cut—ecstasy or despair, heaven or hell—it all happened in an instant, and no one wanted to miss it.

Wang Zhuo rubbed his hands together: "Which one should we cut first?"

"You go first. Our Mantou piece is smaller; no rush," Qi Fei said.

"Alright, I'll go first then." Wang Zhuo picked up an angle grinder and prepared to start cutting.

An old man nearby quickly called out, "Hey? Young man, are you using the wrong tool?"

"Yeah, buddy, where are you planning to start?" a young man chuckled. "For a stone this big, if you start cutting small windows piece by piece, when will you finish?"

"Right, buddy. I say, just use the big saw blade and split it right down the middle. You'll see everything; whether there's jade or not will be clear immediately, and it won't affect the value."

Won't affect the value? Wang Zhuo let out a wry laugh. Indeed, many stone gamblers preferred the straightforward approach, daring to cut straight through the center regardless of the stone's shape. However, they didn't realize that while this method was quick and clean, it often led to unpredictable consequences.

If the cut revealed a worthless brick stone, there was nothing more to say—it was just scrap. If jade was present, it was usually carved into strings of bangles, flat safety pendants, or small decorative pieces, so this straight-cut method wouldn't affect the overall value of the rough. But what if it cut into a uniquely shaped stone, like this future 'Great Cabbage'? The loss from that single cut could easily amount to hundreds of thousands.

Ignoring the idle chatter of those offering unsolicited advice, Wang Zhuo deliberately ground a spot on the butt of the Cabbage stone, grinding away a piece of the skin the size of a coin, revealing the white flesh beneath.

"Damn, we hit white."

"It's truly white. Even a porcelain plate couldn't be whiter?"

"Is this considered a small loss? Who knows how much he paid for this stone?"

"The head is white, and the tail has a crack; a small loss is now certain."

"Hurry and check, what kind of clarity is it?"

Qiu Lu stepped forward, rinsed it with mineral water, and examined it under the flashlight for a moment before shaking his head. "Ice-Glutinous (Bing Nuo) grade. This cut neither rose nor fell in value."

Ice-Glutinous grade was a layer between Ice grade and Glutinous grade. Since jade is naturally formed, there is no distinct dividing line between the two layers, and this type of stone was common.

Qi Fei pondered, "Let's cut some more. If we get green, that's best, but even if it's all white, it's still a gain."

"Little brother, are you selling this stone?" A portly man suddenly asked.

Before Wang Zhuo could reply, he extended his palm. "I'll offer fifty thousand. Think about it?"

This fat man was Minister Li, whom Zheng Mingshun had encountered earlier. Seeing how young Wang Zhuo was and noticing that no one else was bidding, he suddenly thought of picking up a bargain and spoke up to test the waters.

Among those present, about half did not know about Wang Zhuo's previous exploits; he was one of them.

This stone had already yielded Ice-Glutinous jade. Even if the rest was entirely white, it would still be worth more than fifty thousand. Minister Li’s offer was truly bordering on insulting. Wang Zhuo thought, Does he take me for a fool? and couldn't help but retort coolly, "Elder brother, if you add a zero after the five, I might consider it."

Fifty thousand? Minister Li was stunned for a moment, then slightly annoyed. "Young man, you shouldn't speak like that. If you don't want to sell for fifty thousand, just say so. Why make such snide remarks?"

"What do I mean?" Wang Zhuo glanced at him and sneered, "If you want to pick up a bargain, you need to know who you're dealing with. I paid over fifty thousand for this stone when I bought it. Now that it's increased in value, you still want to pressure me into buying it cheap? Do you think I’m an idiot?"

Minister Li knew he was in the wrong but refused to back down. "Even if my price was low, you could just say no, couldn't you? Why be so confrontational? Are you looking down on me? Do you think I don't have fifty thousand?"

"I don't care if you have fifty thousand. Even if you pulled out a million right now, you aren't taking this stone," Wang Zhuo snorted, unwilling to waste more time on him, and started the angle grinder, cutting into the rough.

This time, he cut three small windows on the opposite end of the stone, working continuously without a break. When he stopped, the area was coated in dust, causing those nearby to cough repeatedly and retreat a few steps.

A splash of mineral water revealed the shocking sight: all three windows showed a deep green color. It had risen in value!

Minister Li, who had prepared a stomach full of sharp retorts, suddenly felt the painful sensation of throwing a punch into thin air. After a long pause, he coldly sneered, "So what if it's green? There are three huge cracks waiting right beside it. Let's see what makes your stone worth a million."

"Is that so?" Wang Zhuo immediately shot back, "How about a bet? If my stone isn't worth a million, I lose, and I will present it to you with both hands. If it's worth a million or more, what do you lose to me?"

"You said that!" Minister Li was overjoyed. In his view, although the stone had increased in value, with three cracks nearby, it absolutely couldn't appreciate much, topping out at perhaps three or four hundred thousand at most. This was a risk-free deal; it was absolutely worth the gamble!

"Yes, I said that," Wang Zhuo replied with a faint, cold smile. "There are over a dozen friends here, more than ten or twenty of us. Everyone here can witness this. Tell me, what happens if you lose?"

"If I lose, I’ll give you one million!" Minister Li was about to blurt out the words when someone behind him grabbed him.

Minister Li turned sharply. It was Li Qing, Zheng Mingshun's driver, hiding behind him and frantically signaling.

Is there something else going on? Minister Li pondered for a moment and said to Wang Zhuo, "Wait for me for a moment!"

Following Li Qing to a nearby tree, Zheng Mingshun approached and got straight to the point: "Minister Li, you really shouldn't make that bet."

"What do you mean by that?" Minister Li looked dubious.

"Haven't you noticed?" Zheng Mingshun glanced at Minister Li and whispered, "That stone, white on one end and green on the other, and it's elongated—doesn't it remind you of something?"

Minister Li wasn't an idiot like Wang Zhuo; he had been dealing in jade for six or seven years. Prompted by Zheng Mingshun, he instantly understood and slapped his thigh, saying, "It looks like a cabbage!"

This pig isn't completely dull, Zheng Mingshun thought grimly. If it weren't for preventing that young punk from making a huge, easy profit, I wouldn't care about your win or loss, Fat Pig. You’re lucky this time.

Thinking this, Zheng Mingshun didn't say it out loud; he still had to play the part of being helpful to maximize mutual benefit. "Minister Li, I don't think this rough will necessarily carve out a cabbage, but it's always wise to be cautious, right? If there's even a slight possibility, you know the value involved. So, I felt I had to warn you. That's why I had Little Li call you over."

Minister Li was already sweating. Zheng Mingshun was absolutely correct. Although the cut section of the rough was small, the possibility of it being a cabbage stone wasn't huge, but it wasn't zero either. If that scenario occurred, he stood to lose a million!

While the two were talking, the other stone gamblers, seeing that the bet was likely off, began placing bids.

"Stop arguing, I bid thirty million."

"Thirty million isn't enough to make me step aside. I bid thirty-five million."

"Thirty-five million isn't low, but I still want to take the gamble. How about forty million? Anything higher is out."

"Then I bid forty-one million."

"Let's all be harmonious and make money. See? I have no temper at all. Forty-two million."

The one who bid forty-two million was Jiang Xianghe, the owner of Tan Hua Ju. He came with Zheng Mingshun today specifically to offer bribes. Wang Zhuo’s rough was exactly what he wanted. If he could curry favor with the Finance Bureau Chief, it was like latching onto a money tree; he wouldn't hesitate to spend any amount.

Wang Zhuo observed the bidders with a faint smile, his eyes cool. These people were clearly experts; they were all gambling that this stone could yield a jade Great Cabbage. However, just like the last time he cut out Imperial Green, everyone tacitly avoided mentioning the word 'cabbage.'

Only Qi Fei and Qiu Lu whispered to each other for a moment before writing a line of text on a phone and quietly passing it over to him: "This stone is very likely suitable for carving a Great Cabbage. Be careful not to be tricked. If someone offers a price you are satisfied with, please don't sell; I can buy it at the same price."

Wang Zhuo beckoned her over, leaned down close to her ear, first inhaling her unique fragrance deeply, and then whispered, "This stone, I'm not selling to anyone."

Qi Fei’s ear tingled from the warm air he exhaled as she looked at him questioningly.

"Because I also want to open a jewelry store and be my own boss," Wang Zhuo chuckled. "Don't you think it would look really impressive to have a Jade Great Cabbage displayed in the center of my jewelry store lobby?"

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