Chapter 107 Chapter Bet
Ding Ning did not understand, and did not need to understand the experience of selecting the crude raw jade stones such as checking the rough skin, fine skin, sand skin, bryolichenes, python pattern, sand, etc., as well as the professional terms such as window material, full gambling material, semi-transparent material, variety, etc.
Gambling on stones was only a means for him to earn the first bucket of gold thus to accumulate primitive capital. He would never make a fortune with it. He was disciplined enough.
Since his childhood, he had remembered that what his father hated most was gambling. Gambling on stones was essentially a kind of gambling despite of its different form.
It was just a kind of gambling during which Ding Ning was sure that he would win. Of course, the premise was that he had to know what kind of jade was valuable.
The entire hall of the auction house was silent. All people were waiting quietly for the identification of Mr. Liu and enviously looking at the guy who got a jade of higher value.
The jade was a green jade as big as a baby’s fist. Mr. Liu had taken out a magnifying glass to identify it.
What was going on here had aroused the attention of all people, and many people who came to handle business stepped forward to have a look.
The young man who had cut the jade seemed to be gambling often. He had a good eyesight. Otherwise, he would not dare to ask for five million yuan. He said with confidence.
"Although this jade is not big, it must be of Ice Type based on its variety and color. The crux is how much it is worth."
The fat man Mr. Zhang nodded and echoed, "We are basically sure that it’s of Ice Type. The crux is whether it is not worth five million yuan."
Mr. Liu stood at the door, looked at it in the sun again and said to the young man with a smile, "Congratulations. No crystal particles can be seen on this jade. It’s translucent and bright-colored with no living light. It’s a fully green jade of Ice Type."
The Queen said coldly, "Even if you didn’t say that, we know that it is Ice Type. Just tell us whether it is worth five million yuan."
The fat man Mr. Zhang also urgently said, "Yes, Mr. Liu. In Fantastic Stones Shop, it has been identified as Ice Type by an expert. The crux is that they are not sure of the price. So we come here to ask you to offer an accurate price!"
Liu Lao was well-educated. He didn’t look displeased, but frowned and said perplexedly, "It’s hard to determine the price. The crux is that there is a problem with the size of this jade. If it’s bigger, it can be made into two pendants for which you can sell seven or eight million yuan. If it catches someone’s eye at auction, you can possibly sell it for ten million yuan. If it is smaller, it can just be made into a pendant which is worth three or four million yuan. However, This jade is more than enough to make a pendant but completely not enough to make two pendants. So it is difficult to evaluate it. It depends on the skill of the jade carving master. If the jade carving master is highly-skilled, it can be made into two pendants without scrap. In this way, this jade is worth five million yuan. If the jade carving master is not skilled enough, it can only be made into one pendant which is only worth about three million yuan."
After Mr. Liu finished his words, all people fell silent, while the fat man Mr. Zhang and the queen both frowned. Unexpectedly Mr. Liu gave such an answer, which made them very perplexed.
Ding Ning whispered in puzzlement, "They don’t need to be so perplexed. They can find a good jade carving master."
After finishing his words, he knew that he had said something wrong. All the people who knew the business looked at him, as if he was an inexperienced person.
However, Mr. Liu Lao who was very modest said with a smile, "This little buddy may not have contact with this industry."
Ding Ning scratched his head in embarrassment, "I haven’t. I come here to handle some business and interrupt out of curiosity."
"I see. You don’t know that there are two top jade carving masters in Ninghai. But the problem is that it is not easy to ask them to take the shot."
Mr. Liu stroked the sparse beard on his chin and said with a smile.
"Since they don’t engrave, why would they work as jade carving masters?" Ding Ning felt more confused and asked in astonishment.
The fat man Mr. Zhang said with a bitter face, "You don’t know about the situation. It cost a lot to ask a top jade carving master to take the shot. The key is that they focus on art. The first thing is to look at the material. Ice Type can be considered a pretty good jade material. However, in the eyes of the top jade carving masters, it’s just so so."
Mr. Liu added, "As a top jade carving master, every work can be a production that will be handed on from age to age. Without rare materials, they will not easily take the shot. Otherwise they will only destroy their reputation. "
Ding Ning suddenly realized that it was like asking a traditional Chinese painting master to draw on the toilet paper at a high price, mounting it and selling it. It was so humiliating.
Nevertheless, he considered that they just pretended to be lofty. He couldn’t help but laugh, "What jade carving master is so terrific? I think they just pretend to be lofty."
"Brat, don’t talk rubbish if you don’t know about it. You can’t insult the top jade carving masters."
The fat man Mr. Zhang yelled at him with dissatisfaction.
"It’s true, young man. If there is jade carving masters among us, they will definitely kill you. The two jade carving masters are the idols of all jade carving masters."
Mr. Liu’s face also changed. He advised him in earnest.
Even the queen glanced at him with disdainful eyes, seemingly considering him too frivolous.
Her gaze provoked Ding Ning who had intended to accept criticism with humility. He squinted at the queen with a sneer.
"Who dares to make a bet with me? I can carve two pendants with this jade."
"Bet on what? I’ll make a bet with you."
The one talking was the young man who had cut a jade. With obvious scorn in his eyes, he seemed to really dislike Ding Ning seeking the limelight.
Ding Ning said confidently with a grin, "I bet on your jade. If I can carve two pendants with it, it belongs to me. If I can’t, I will pay you five million yuan. "
"Humph, what is worth five million yuan all over you? It’s funny. My jade is worth at least three to four million yuan. If you can show me three million yuan, I will gamble with you."
The young man looked Ding Ning up and down. Seeing everything on him was worth less than three hundred yuan, he said with a sneer.
After that, he stole a glance at the queen, seemingly wanting to attract her attention by taking Ding Ning down. Seeing the queen really gave him another look, he became ecstatic more aggressive.
"If you don’t have cash, you can transfer. But I don’t think you have seen three million yuan in your life. Brat, don’t show off, as if you are so capable."
Ding Ning didn’t look embarrassed. He shrugged with a smile, "I have no cash, and there aren’t enough money in my account. Nevertheless, I got something far more valuable than three million yuan. I can sell them for five million yuan easily."
After finishing his words, he opened the bag, carefully took the herbs out of the bag, picked a seven-star grass and asked Mr. Liu, "Mr. Liu, I’m wondering if you can recognize it?"
With sudden sparkle in his eyes, Mr. Liu said excitedly in a trembling voice, "This... this is Seven-Star Grass!"
"Exactly. Mr. Liu, you have a good eyesight. How much do you think this seven-star grass is worth?"
Ding Ning asked calmly.
"What seven-star grass? It’s just grass. How much can it be worth?"
The young man laughed at him with disdain, without noticing several surrounding drug dealers whose eyes suddenly lit up.
A thin and tall drug dealer rushed forward and asked excitedly, "Little buddy, is this seven-star grass for sale? I offer 300,000 yuan."
"Pooh. Liu Wei, you want to buy seven-star grass with 300,000 yuan? You are really a profiteer. Little buddy, I am Li Qian from Wanlong Firm. This is my business card. If you want to sell this seven-star grass, I’ll offer 500,000 yuan. Different from Liu Wei, I’m an absolute honest person and will not let you suffer a loss."
A fat drug dealer next to the thin and tall guy pushed him away and handed out a business card with a greasy face.
"Li Qian, you are so shameless to call Liu Wei a profiteer. You only offer 500,000 yuan for the seven-star grass which is worth 800,000 yuan, and said that you are honest. Little buddy, don’t be fooled by him. I, Chen Junting, will offer 800,000 yuan."
A sturdy middle-aged man struggled out beside the fat man and shouted.
"Okay, stop arguing. I’ll buy this seven-star grass with one million yuan."
With a red face, Mr. Liu pushed a few profiteers to the side with the vigor beyond that of his age and looked at Ding Ning excitedly.
"I offer one million and one hundred thousand yuan." Chen Tingjun shouted, unwillingly to give up.
Ding Ning startled slightly. He knew that Seven-Star Grass was a rare herb with a price but no sales. 800,000 offered by Chen Junting was fair, but he did not expect that Mr. Liu was willing to offer one million yuan and Chen Tingjun bade on the spot.
After thinking for a while, he understood it and immediately handed the seven-star grass to Mr. Liu, "Mr. Liu, this seven-star grass is yours, but you don’t need to offer one million yuan. Just offer 800,000 yuan according to the market price."
"Thank you, little buddy!"
Mr. Liu immediately took out his phone to transfer to Ding Ning, seemingly fearing that Ding Ning would go back on his word.
"Wait a minute, little buddy. Why do you sell it to him instead of me? I’ve offered one million and one hundred thousand yuan." Chen Junting asked unwillingly.
Ding Ning said softly with a grin, "Boss Chen, right? Don’t be angry. The market price of seven-star grass is about 800,000 yuan. But unfortunately, this rare herb with a price but no sales can be sold for one million and three hundred thousand to one million and five hundred thousand yuan in the black market. I didn’t guess wrong, right?"
Chen Junting blushed. Knowing that with so many experts present he couldn’t deny it, he could only nod.
Ding Ning said with a smile, "Mr. Liu Lao is different from you. You want to buy seven-star grass in order to resell it and make a profit from the price difference. If I didn’t guess wrong, Mr. Liu has a relative or a friend waiting for the Seven Star Grass to save his or her life. So I sold it to him."
Mr. Liu was so excited that he wept bitterly. He repeatedly nodded and said,"Yes, you are right. My granddaughter has come down with uremia and needs a kidney transplant, but it is difficult to find a matching kidney source. Now she can only maintain her life through hemodialysis. Later, I found an old traditional Chinese physician who offered me a prescription which only lacks the primary medicine seven-star grass. Mr. Chen, we have been neighbors for so many years. Please give it to me. I am begging you. "
Chen Junting said forthrightly with a smile. "Mr. Liu, I didn’t know that before. Since your granddaughter is in urgent need of seven-star grass, you don’t need to say anything and I’ll give it to you. Money is less important than life. I will never take it from you. Seven-star grass belongs to you now. "
"Yeah, Mr. Liu. Although we are businessmen who value profit a lot, we do business based on the situation. If your granddaughter is sick, you naturally have priority."
"A distant relative is not as close as a neighbor. We have been doing business in this street for so many years. All of us are old friends. The life of your granddaughter is the most important."
...
A group of drug dealers all talked in confusion at this moment, showing their proper friendship. It made Ding Ning feel warm. There weren’t all profit-making people in this world.
"Thank you, everybody!"
Mr. Liu repeatedly bowed with his grateful tears almost falling down.
The people around were already dumbfounded. The quiet queen also glanced at Ding Ning in astonishment. She didn’t expect that this lad whose eyes were not honest at all could be so benevolent.
With his face darkening, the young man muttered deliberately, "Bullshit seven-star grass. Who knows if they colluded to put on such a show."
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