Deng Jiao and Ping Ping were both promotional models, their pure young souls tainted by the smog of the bustling metropolis—they were just two among many.

After Fat Dragon had previously chased them out of the Shengshi Dynasty store, they were completely unaware of Wang Zhuo’s true identity. That incident should have ended there, but Ping Ping happened to mention it backstage at an electronics exhibition, embellishing her tale with exaggerated criticisms of the Shengshi Dynasty’s barbaric conduct.

Unbeknownst to her, one of the models present had previously worked at a jewelry exhibition for Shengshi Dynasty, having stood beside the Jiulong Jiguang Bi for three whole days, thus seeing Wang Zhuo twice and confirming that the boss of Shengshi Dynasty was indeed named Wang Zhuo. So, she asked Ping Ping what that security guard, Wang Zhuo, looked like.

Ping Ping had an extremely poor impression of Wang Zhuo and naturally offered no kind words, describing him as being six feet tall, dressed plainly, and looking like a migrant worker.

Despite how utterly unremarkable Wang Zhuo seemed in her eyes, to the other model, he was a diamond-level, wealthy, and handsome man. Their descriptions of Wang Zhuo were drastically different; aside from matching height and age, every other detail was contradictory.

At this point, another model in the audience suddenly recalled that a video on her phone starred someone rumored to be the young master of a jewelry company, whose appearance was quite similar to the man both women described. She quickly pulled out her phone to show everyone.

She had filmed that video herself, capturing the precise moment Wang Zhuo struck Zhuozi down outside the Mirror Dream Bar. Ping Ping and the other model recognized Wang Zhuo instantly—the match was finally confirmed!

This revelation left Deng Jiao and Ping Ping stunned! Wang Zhuo was actually the Chairman of the Shengshi Dynasty Group. Their astonishment knew no bounds, and when they saw the video conclude with Wang Zhuo speeding away in a fiery red sports car with an exquisitely beautiful young woman, Ping Ping was struck dumb, and Deng Jiao’s heart sank into a profound sense of loss as the screen went dark.

From that day forward, the incident became a persistent ache in Deng Jiao’s heart; whenever she thought of it, her mood would become deeply depressed.

She remembered that on the day she first encountered Wang Zhuo, she had contrasted her glamorous life with his downcast appearance, feeling a sense of relief and superiority. Relief that nothing had transpired between them, and superiority stemming from his status as a doorman and her own perceived higher standing. But learning that Wang Zhuo was the owner of a listed group company caused a sudden, crushing drop in status that plunged her into agonizing regret. The one who was worthless, after all, was herself!

Indeed, Deng Jiao understood perfectly: in Wang Zhuo’s eyes, she was truly worth nothing. The rich men she usually courted were, at best, mid-level executives in listed companies. Given Wang Zhuo’s stature, why would he ever spare a glance for a third-tier model like her? He could easily sleep with movie stars!

With her level of status, she didn't even have the connections to offer herself to someone like Wang Zhuo. The women he dated were, at minimum, moderately famous actresses or singers, rising idols, or popular contestants from talent shows. He would even pour money into nurturing an unknown woman, turning her into a popular idol just for entertainment. Stories often circulated in their circles about some starlet being spotted by a major figure early in her career, only to skyrocket to fame with movies, album releases, and fan meets—that was the world Wang Zhuo inhabited!

During their regular gatherings with Ping Ping and other mutual friends, Deng Jiao and the others often lamented the unfairness of fate: why were some girls, clearly unremarkable, chosen by powerful figures to live out their Cinderella stories, while they never stumbled upon such luck?

But when the opportunity had brushed past their very noses, both women realized that the chance hadn't been absent; they simply hadn't seized it.

Truthfully, given Deng Jiao’s appearance, if she hadn’t acted in a way that disappointed Wang Zhuo that day, her prior relationship as his old classmate could have at least secured her a long-term contract as a promotional model for Shengshi Dynasty. If she had applied herself further, she might have even taken over that segment of their business, developed a solid career, and perhaps become a successful modeling agent.

A benefactor, perhaps, is present near everyone; the question is whether you have the strength to grasp them when they appear…

Even as she stepped onto the podium, Deng Jiao was still distracted, one hand resting on the raw jade rough she was responsible for displaying. Even her professional smile felt strained.

Below the podium, Wang Zhuo sat in a conspicuous spot, surrounded by many people. His young female companion was so fresh and pure that Deng Jiao was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy.

A mere few meters separated them, yet it felt like an impassable gulf between two different worlds.

She wanted to cry, but no tears would come.

“The rules of the competition are very simple!”

The host announced loudly from the center of the podium: “Each contestant must write down their estimated price for each of the four rough stones on a card. Afterward, the stones will be cut, and five judges will estimate the final price for each one. The contestant whose single-stone estimate is closest to the judge’s price earns one point. The contestant whose total price estimate is closest earns three points. The final accumulated score will determine the winner.” As the host finished speaking, the venue immediately erupted in enthusiastic discussion.

“Whoever came up with this idea has excellent creativity!”

“The rules seem quite fair.”

“Since there’s no entry fee, I might as well try. If I happen to guess the total price correctly, I could at least snag a second prize, right?”

“This task is certainly not easy. I predict the winner will be the person who gets the three points for the total price.”

“A tie for first is unlikely, I think. If there are many participants, the scores will definitely spread out.”

The members buzzed with speculation. Wang Zhuo gazed at the four pieces of rough jade on the podium, deep in thought.

After a moment, he asked Si Ni, “What do you think of these rules?”

“They’re singular; the score will only be three or four points,” Si Yuan replied without hesitation. “If there are more than twenty participants, it’s highly probable that the person who gets the three points for the total price will win with three points.”

Wang Zhuo glanced at the contestant cards in the host’s hand. His X-ray Vision easily penetrated the paper, calculating the exact number of cards—coincidentally, there were exactly twenty, just as Si Yuan had predicted.

He chuckled, and while those around him weren't looking, he leaned into Si Yuan’s ear and whispered, “If one wanted to cheat, what would be the safest method?”

Stone gambling is a business where one slice can bring poverty or wealth. Before the rough stone is fully cut, no one—except Wang Zhuo—can truly know its final value; they can only analyze its external appearance. The organizers couldn't possibly rig that part.

However, since they designed this specific challenge, they must have considerable confidence in their setup. Furthermore, if Jing Tianhui and his associates intended to target Wang Zhuo, they would surely participate as contestants while simultaneously acting as judges, colluding to suppress Wang Zhuo.

They could then create a buzz within the circle, claiming that people from Shengshi Dynasty were nothing special, incapable of securing even a minor placement in a jade gambling competition, proving they knew nothing about jade. This would both embarrass Wang Zhuo and degrade the image of Shengshi Dynasty.

Si Yuan considered this, then smiled confidently. “The easiest method of cheating would be to arrange for several contestants to write down prices that are easily achievable. Then, after the stone cutting, have the judges set the final total price to match one of those stated totals. That way, it would be foolproof.”

“You read my mind!” Wang Zhuo laughed, patting her back, then stood up and said, “I’ll go get a contestant card.”

Quite a few people stepped forward to claim contestant cards, but Jing Tianhui had somehow positioned himself next to the host and taken the stack of cards. He politely turned away the generic applicants and distributed the cards only to recognized gambling experts or well-known figures in the industry.

Wang Zhuo’s famous gamble was an Imperial Green, which in this circle was considered only average. However, his 'Watermelon Jadeite' was the kind of find most gamblers would never achieve in eight lifetimes, so him receiving a card was expected by many.

It was a beautifully printed cardstock, about the size of a business card, featuring a large grid divided into four sections, corresponding to rough stones numbered one, two, three, and four, plus a signature line at the bottom for the contestant’s name.

The back of the card detailed the competition rules: estimates must be denominated in hundreds of Yuan, with no upper limit. It also clearly stated that the four rough stones were exclusively sponsored by Aiyu Ju and would be auctioned live after the competition, with proceeds donated to the One Foundation for charity.

Ever since Hong XX’s sordid affair involving a mistress as a general manager surfaced, a series of shocking corruption cases had been exposed, thoroughly wounding the hearts of the Chinese people. Consequently, the privately established One Foundation had become the preferred recipient for donations. Justice prevails in the hearts of the people; after all, the top management of the One Foundation could afford villas and private jets themselves, so they didn't need to skim profits from charity, and they were capable of doing tangible good for the public.

The contestant cards were distributed, and the twenty participants walked onto the podium to meticulously examine the four rough stones. It was exactly eight o’clock in the evening. The time allotted for filling out the cards was thirty minutes, followed by thirty minutes for the cutting and evaluation stages, and then the awards ceremony and auction, scheduling the end of the event for precisely ten o’clock.

“Wang Zhuo.”

Luo Lan, also holding a contestant card, approached Wang Zhuo and offered him a friendly smile.

Wang Zhuo smiled and nodded in return. “So, Miss Luo is also interested in jade gambling.”

Luo Lan proudly pushed up her magnificent G-cup breasts and gave a charming smile. “It’s just a hobby. My skill pales in comparison to yours.”

Unfortunately, Wang Zhuo’s tastes had been spoiled by the women around him; while Luo Lan’s G-cups were certainly large, she had some flab around her waist, and her arms and shoulders were somewhat thick. Moreover, her looks were merely average, so she failed to capture Wang Zhuo’s interest.

However, a gentleman standing nearby audibly swallowed as he stared at the valley between her breasts, thinking that pair of ‘sea-breasts’ was truly remarkable, nearly as large as Shengshi Dynasty’s pair of Watermelon Jadeites!