I don't really care for the beginning of the month, especially the first day, when all those thousands of monthly tickets vanish, forcing me to start over again. Please, give me some monthly tickets; I need everyone’s support.

Hearing Jia Qin’s question, Wang Guan made no move to deny it, simply smiling faintly and nodding. “Yes, they are all mine. Knowing your interest in jadeite, I sent you an invitation.”

“However, aren’t you afraid that those big bosses will have already snatched up all the good pieces by the time you get there?” Wang Guan helpfully reminded him at the right moment. “You must understand, business requires fairness; if they offer a high price, I can’t exactly favor you.”

“I don’t need you to favor me; someone is already taking care of that,” Jia Qin replied coolly. One of those jewelry companies was, after all, an asset of the Jia family. Before coming to find Wang Guan, Jia Qin had already subtly instructed the general manager of that company to ensure they secured the several pieces of jadeite with the absolute best quality.

“Oh.” Wang Guan considered this, understood the implied meaning, and immediately laughed. “That’s good. I’ll give you a discount then!” Ninety-eight percent might seem a bit stingy, so perhaps ninety-five percent.

Just as Wang Guan was weighing whether a ninety-five percent discount would be too much of a loss, Jia Qin shook his head. “No need for a discount. I just want to know how... how you really…” Jia Qin trailed off after two attempts to phrase his question. It wasn't that he didn't know what to ask, but the matter was so important that he feared Wang Guan would evade the subject, leaving him hesitant.

“You want to ask how I came to possess so much jadeite, is that it?” Wang Guan chuckled. “Haven't you seen? I bought it all at the Myanmar Public Auction. Didn’t the cargo you successfully bid on arrive?”

“Don’t change the subject.” Jia Qin wasn’t foolish. Composing himself, he stated plainly, “I just want to know how you can be certain that the rough stones contain top-grade jadeite?” As he spoke, Jia Qin’s expression was tense and expectant. He felt Wang Guan wouldn't give an answer, yet he desperately hoped for a clear explanation, simultaneously fearing Wang Guan might lie to placate him, leaving his mood quite conflicted.

At that moment, Wang Guan answered without hesitation: “Intuition.”

“As expected…” Jia Qin sighed softly, raising his cup to drink tea, knowing that such a question would rarely yield an easy answer.

“What, do you think I’m trying to fool you?” In truth, it wasn't just Jia Qin who didn't believe it. Wang Guan himself didn't fully believe it, but he genuinely couldn't conjure any other reason, so he had to use this vague, somewhat mystical phrasing that made people half-believe and half-doubt.

“If you knew my background, you would realize I’m not lying.” Simultaneously, Wang Guan continued to spin his tale. “I don’t really know much about stone gambling, but my intuition seems to have a very high success rate. If something feels right, I just buy it. It’s similar to how I always manage to find bargains; I can sense the difference in items others overlook, so I naturally pick up the hidden treasures.”

“Actually, you don’t need to be so surprised. I looked it up, and there are many examples like this.” Wang Guan put on a serious face. “For instance, some people have incredibly strong memories and can memorize an entire dictionary after studying it for an hour. Others are naturally gifted with numbers; four or five-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are child’s play for them. Some people have an acute sense for impending danger and can often avoid sudden calamities in advance…”

After listing many real-world examples, Wang Guan shrugged nonchalantly. “And I am one of those people. I am inherently drawn to treasures and rare objects, and I’ve put in diligent, hard work studying them. So, my intuition is just a little more accurate—it’s not a big deal.”

After this speech, Jia Qin found himself caught in a contradiction; he didn't quite believe Wang Guan, yet what he said sounded somewhat plausible. Subconsciously, however, he still felt he was being misled. Regardless, Wang Guan had achieved his immediate goal: Jia Qin was now wavering between belief and doubt. He was successfully entangled, and it wouldn't be easy for him to break free. Until he could definitively determine whether Wang Guan was telling the truth or a lie, Jia Qin did not press the matter further, which allowed Wang Guan to breathe a small sigh of relief.

However, just to be safe, Wang Guan felt he needed to shift Jia Qin’s attention away, lest he circle back to the topic. He immediately pulled a small, eggshell-shaped box from his pocket and beamed. “Oh, right. I think you might be interested in this item.”

“What is it?” Jia Qin was momentarily stunned, taking the small box with a puzzled expression. He casually opened the lid, and instantly, a shimmer of crystal clarity and an intense, indescribable emerald green luster flashed out.

At that moment, it wasn't just Jia Qin widening his eyes to examine it closely; Tang Qinghua, standing beside them, despite having little knowledge of jadeite, couldn't help but stare fixedly. The main reason was that the jadeite in the box was simply too beautiful. After meticulous polishing, the jadeite was shaped into an oval, resembling an egg, and was about the same size. Most importantly, however, was the intrinsic texture of the jadeite itself: as smooth and fine as silk, crystalline and completely transparent, containing no visible impurities, radiating an extremely gentle warmth. Under the sunlight, it emitted a vibrant emerald hue reminiscent of a thousand-year-old deep pool. At first glance, it made one feel the jadeite was so verdant it could drip, its color like clear blue-green water, the substance full and abundant, seemingly ready to overflow.

“Dragon Skin Jadeite!” At this point, Jia Qin took the jadeite, observed it briefly, and an expression of utter disbelief crossed his face. Excitement and elation flashed in his eyes, and his body trembled slightly. Tang Qinghua blinked. She just thought the jadeite was exceptionally fine and didn't understand why Jia Qin had suddenly become so agitated. She nudged Wang Guan and whispered, “What is Dragon Skin Jadeite?”

“I’m not entirely sure either, just that it’s the top tier of jadeite,” Wang Guan whispered in explanation. “It’s said to be a superior jadeite piece from an old mine, possessing bright, pure color, strong fluorescence, no visible root color, extreme uniformity, and very few cotton inclusions. It’s also called Divine Dragon Jade or Dragon Species Jade. It carries the characteristic of being cool in summer and warm in winter.” As he spoke, Wang Guan added with a smile, “Because its yield is extremely low, it’s a rare treasure unseen in Myanmar for a hundred years. Its meaning is perhaps that it is as hard to encounter as a divine dragon, hence the name Dragon Skin Jadeite.”

“I see.” Tang Qinghua nodded slightly, grasping the situation a little better. Knowing it was a rare treasure explained Jia Qin’s agitation. It was a case of being instantly smitten with something one loved—like a turtle falling for a green bean. Tang Qinghua had seen this many times with Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, so she was no longer surprised.

“Smooth and delicate, perfectly round and lustrous…” Jia Qin slowly regained his composure, but the excitement on his face had not faded; rather, a blush had appeared. “This is the highest quality among Dragon Skin Jadeite!” Hearing this, Wang Guan nodded with deep satisfaction, his smile broadening. Since Jia Qin himself admitted its quality, he certainly wouldn’t be too ruthless with his asking price later.

After a considerable pause, Jia Qin finally calmed down and stated frankly, “I want it. Name your price.”

“Are you sure? A treasure like this won’t be cheap,” Wang Guan said with a dazzling smile, wiggling two fingers. There was no doubt that this price was not two million or twenty million; Dragon Skin Jadeite was not that inexpensive. Wang Guan thought he was already asking for an exorbitant price, but to his surprise, Jia Qin didn't even flinch. He nodded directly. “The price is reasonable. I won't bother haggling. Done!”

“Uh?” Wang Guan froze, immediately filled with regret. He had lost out; he should have added tens of millions more.

At the same time, Jia Qin added, “But I don’t have that much cash on hand.”

“What?” Wang Guan was startled again, glancing suspiciously at Jia Qin. It wasn't that he suspected Jia Qin was lying; after all, having gone to the Myanmar Public Auction together, he knew Jia Qin had placed numerous secret bids and participated in competitive open bidding, spending at least several hundred million. It was normal for him to be short on liquid funds now. Wang Guan was just puzzled about how Jia Qin intended to complete the transaction if he lacked the money. A loan? Wang Guan instantly dismissed the idea; they weren’t that close. Installment payments? That was a decent idea, but Wang Guan lacked the patience for it. So, after racking his brain, he couldn't fathom where Jia Qin’s confidence came from.

Confused but keeping his thoughts to himself, Wang Guan watched Jia Qin, waiting for him to provide the answer. Jia Qin clearly struggled with hesitation for a long moment before steeling his resolve and saying solemnly, “I know you are fond of antiques. I can trade you an antique for it. However, my antique is extremely precious. Your Dragon Species jadeite isn't valued highly enough, so you’ll need to compensate me.”

“Hmm?” Wang Guan was astonished and immediately very curious. Just as jadeite was Jia Qin’s weak point, he couldn't resist the mention of rare and precious antiques. The Dragon Skin Jadeite was something Jia Qin himself admitted was worth two hundred million, yet he claimed to possess an antique at home far exceeding that value. How could Wang Guan remain unmoved? Without a second thought, he stood up. “Let’s go see it.”

“Good, lead the way.” Jia Qin was even more eager and immediately went ahead to guide him.

“Qinghua, I’ll leave the matters here to you. You know the reserve price anyway; just make sure it doesn’t go below the bottom line, and raise it as much as you can,” Wang Guan said with a smile. “I’m stepping out for a bit, and I’ll cut you in on the profits later.” As he spoke, Wang Guan followed Jia Qin, and together they arrived at his villa.

On the way over, Wang Guan tried to subtly pump Jia Qin for information about the antique. However, Jia Qin remained tight-lipped, only maintaining a mysterious expression and insisting that Wang Guan would know soon enough. Wang Guan had to admit, he was genuinely curious now. What could this antique be that Jia Qin mentioned? Ceramics? Calligraphy and painting? Or perhaps a pagoda or a Buddhist statue? While speculating, Jia Qin led him directly to a study on the second floor of the villa.

The study was exceptionally refined and tranquil, with numerous books lining the shelves, exuding an air of scholarly elegance. Wang Guan took a quick look and noticed that most of the books were professional volumes concerning jadeite identification. Some book covers were yellowed and dog-eared, indicating frequent handling.

“Wait here!” As Wang Guan casually browsed, Jia Qin slipped through a small door in the study into another room. Five or six minutes later, he returned holding an exquisite box. At that instant, Wang Guan knew that the precious antique must be inside that box... (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on.)RT