Rubbing the stone was no simple feat; it demanded both skill and energy. After a few minutes of friction, Liu Hua'en’s forehead began to glisten with sweat.

A little while later, Liu Hua'en managed to rub away a patch of the outer shell and finally stopped the mechanical grinding. As he took a breath, An Shengxian casually scooped up a ladle of water and splashed it onto the exposed spot. After a quick rinse to reveal the condition of the opening, the others immediately frowned. The area revealed was utterly white, showing no trace of green whatsoever.

Right next to where the green should have been, there was only a shocking white—a clear sign that the stone might be worthless, which explained the general disappointment.

“Don’t rush it, there seems to be a mistiness around the opening.”

Jia Qin examined it closely before stating calmly, “Actually, the fact that the green hasn't formed a solid patch might be a good thing…”

“Exactly. Better to buy a sliver than a sheet,” others chimed in, nodding in agreement. A thin green band suggested the color could penetrate deep into the stone’s interior, whereas a solid patch of green might just be a very thin surface layer.

With Liu Hua’en translating, Wu Gang’s expression settled. After a moment of hesitation, he suddenly gritted his teeth and made a cutting gesture with his hand. Even those who didn't understand Burmese knew exactly what he meant: Stop rubbing, cut straight away.

Liu Hua'en immediately complied and returned to his study of the stone.

After all, removing the outer layer was easy, but determining how to cut, and where to place the blade, required great deliberation. One couldn't simply hack away, or a single misplaced stroke could split perfect jade in half, resulting in a massive loss.

Simultaneously, others offered their opinions. Ultimately, it was Jia Qin who persuaded the group: start by cutting a piece the thickness of a finger where the mossy green was visible. If green showed up, everyone would rejoice, and the loss of material would be minimal. If there was no green, or insufficient green, the mist and the songhua (surface patterns) could still offer clues about the stone’s interior.

“Let’s do it that way!”

With the decision made, Liu Hua'en carefully positioned the stone and brought the blade down with a steady hand.

Soon, under the gaze of the crowd, the finger-thick slab dropped away. After cleaning the cut surface, everyone crowded around for a closer look, and a flash of jade-green color immediately greeted their eyes.

“It’s paying off.”

At first glance, the sight was genuinely exhilarating. It proved Jia Qin’s speculation correct: the green band had seeped inward. Furthermore, judging by the cut surface, this green band was no longer just a thin thread; its area had expanded significantly.

Seeing this, even Wang Guan, a complete novice, could tell there was definitely jade inside. As for the size of the jade, that depended on Wu Gang’s luck.

Evidently, Wu Gang’s luck was holding out well. Liu Hua’en continued with the blade, left slice, right slice, top cut, bottom cut—working meticulously and with extreme caution for over half an hour until a long, strip-shaped piece of jade was exposed within the stone.

Judging by its shape, while it couldn't be made into large items like bangles, it was certainly more than enough to craft ring faces or small pendants. Of course, the most important factor was the quality of the jade. Although it wasn't an intensely pure green, it possessed a subtle elegance, radiating a soft luster.

“A Furong variety!”

At this point, Boss Yang was also somewhat envious. “That’s considered high-grade jade. This rough piece is probably worth one or two million. Judging by Wu Gang’s expression, he’s made a fortune.”

The others nodded in unison; Wu Gang’s beaming, joyous face clearly showed he had profited handsomely.

At the same time, Wu Gang, beaming, said a few words to everyone, with Liu Hua'en translating beside him: “He says he is very grateful for everyone’s help, claiming you all brought him good luck, and therefore wishes to invite you all to be guests at his manor.”

This statement revealed that Wu Gang indeed held some standing in Myanmar, otherwise, he wouldn't possess a manor.

Befriending a figure like this would certainly have its benefits. Boss Yang was tempted but frowned, “We still have business; we need to secure our entry passes for the Gem Fair.”

“Yes, the auction starts tomorrow. If we can’t get the passes today, we’ll miss out.”

“Please ask Mr. Liu to convey our apologies, and say we will certainly visit another day when we are free.”

As they spoke, Liu Hua’en smoothly translated. Upon hearing this, Wu Gang laughed, patted his chest, and spoke a few sentences.

“He says you don’t need to worry about that; it’s a small matter, and he will handle it.”

After translating, Liu Hua'en explained with a smile, “Wu Gang has connections with the Gem Fair management. A quick word will have someone arrange your entry passes.”

Hearing this, everyone’s faces lit up with joy. Human nature is peculiar; everyone detests backdoor dealings, but when one is the beneficiary of the special treatment, it’s an entirely different matter.

Liu Hua'en then added with a laugh, “Let’s go to the manor as guests first, and the passes will naturally be delivered there.”

With such an assurance, Wang Guan and the others had no reason to refuse. They all nodded in acceptance of Wu Gang’s invitation and thanked him for his help. Wu Gang was delighted and ushered everyone out to his waiting car.

Wu Gang’s manor wasn't far. A few minutes’ drive outside the city limits, they spotted a manor brimming with local character. Taking a moment to look around, they couldn't help but utter small sounds of awe.

The manor was constructed primarily of bamboo, situated beside a lake, surrounded on all sides by dense trees and groves. Behind it lay cultivated fields and vegetable gardens—a scene entirely steeped in rural serenity. Such an environment was rarely seen in China, so after stepping out of the car, everyone followed Wu Gang excitedly on a tour of the grounds.

After completing the circuit, they finally, though reluctantly, followed Wu Gang into the main building.

The architecture resembled ancient Chinese manor houses but incorporated local characteristics, which immediately caught everyone’s eye. Simply standing inside, they felt a cooling atmosphere envelop them, far more comfortable than mere air conditioning.

Inside the house, everyone noticed a statue of the Buddha enshrined in a prominent position.

Considering the strong religious atmosphere of Myanmar, this was understandable. However, Wang Guan noticed that this Buddha statue differed from those found in China.

As for the precise difference, Wang Guan couldn’t articulate it immediately, but after observing for a moment, enlightenment dawned.

Buddha statues in China were generally depicted with great solemnity, projecting an impression of steadiness and grandeur. However, the statue in Wu Gang’s house appeared rather slender, especially the expression on its face—the eyes were long and narrow, the corners of the mouth distinctly curved in a slight smile, giving it an almost alluring quality.

It seemed that even though they depicted the same Buddha, regional differences manifested in diverse artistic expressions.

“Oh.”

Amidst his admiration, Wang Guan couldn’t help but look back a few more times, his expression shifting to one of mild perplexity.

“What is it?” Jia Qin, standing nearby, noticed Wang Guan’s unusual look and glanced over. “Is there something wrong with the statue?”

“It’s not the statue that’s wrong, but the niche holding it…” Wang Guan shook his head slightly. “Forget it, perhaps I misread it.”

After all, this was his host’s revered object of worship, a matter of devout faith, and it was naturally improper to meddle unnecessarily. As guests, they had to observe basic etiquette; anything that might annoy the host must be avoided, lest they be summarily kicked out.

Yet, Jia Qin was intensely curious and couldn’t help asking, “What about the Buddha niche?”

Since they had just sat down and everyone was observing the layout of the room, the atmosphere was relatively quiet, so their brief exchange drew the attention of the others, who also turned to look at the enshrined Buddha and its niche.

Generally, Buddha statues enshrined within a home would not be excessively large. This one was no exception, roughly the size of a palm. It was difficult to tell if it was bronze or solid gold, but its glittering appearance was visually striking. As for the niche, it was a yellowish-brown color, appearing to be made of ordinary wood, with nothing overtly special about it.

Noticing everyone’s attention drawn to the altar, Wu Gang immediately spoke a few pleasantries, which Liu Hua'en relayed, and the two began conversing.

A moment later, Liu Hua'en explained, “He asked what we were looking at. I said we were admiring the Buddha. Wu Gang was very pleased, so I took the opportunity to inquire about the statue’s origin. He said he acquired it from the Thousand Buddha Temple, and after being consecrated by the temple masters, the statue has acquired spiritual efficacy and can protect him and his family’s safety…”

“Mr. Liu, please ask him about the origin of that niche,” Wang Guan said with a smile. “If he is willing to part with the niche, I would pay to buy it.”

“Huh?”

The others were momentarily stunned, finding the situation even stranger. Logically, the statue should be the more valuable item. Why was Wang Guan acting contrary to common sense, seemingly interested only in the container rather than the treasure within?

Liu Hua'en was also somewhat perplexed but diligently relayed the question.

Just then, Wu Gang burst into laughter, walked over to Wang Guan, patted his shoulder, and gave him a thumbs-up, seemingly offering praise.

At this moment, Liu Hua'en wore an expression of utter bewilderment. The others, unable to understand, urged him on: “Mr. Liu, what is he saying?”

“He says the niche is not for sale, and simultaneously praises this young man for having sharp eyes, realizing the niche is more precious than the statue,” Liu Hua'en explained, his own face full of surprise and confusion.

“Ah, what a pity,” Wang Guan sighed, shaking his head. “Indeed, no one is a fool these days. Even abroad, it’s not so easy to find a bargain.”

“Young man, quickly tell us—what is so special about the niche that makes it more valuable than the statue?”

The others were completely perplexed. To their eyes, the niche looked like plain wood, surely not as valuable as the statue, which might be solid gold.

“If something is precious, there must be a reason,” Wang Guan said, radiating immense confidence and authority when discussing something familiar. “When everyone walked into the room, did you smell anything?”

“A scent?”

Everyone paused, instinctively sniffing the air. Some, with less sensitive noses, smelled nothing. Others, with keener senses, detected a faint, sweet fragrance.

“The smell of incense,” Boss Yang confirmed. “The incense burned during worship…”

As he spoke, everyone looked toward the altar. They noticed there was no incense burning, but rather many fresh flowers were arranged there.

This was a local custom in Myanmar for offerings to Buddha—flowers instead of burning incense. Moreover, these flowers were replaced daily, ensuring the flower industry in Myanmar was certainly booming.

Wang Guan smiled faintly at this. “They don’t burn incense, so you guessed incorrectly.”