King of Gamblers: Growing from a Student to a Jade King

My words left everyone slightly bewildered, and I myself felt equally perplexed. Boss Wei was visibly tense, inquiring, "Zhao Fei, how does this cut look?"

Observing the beads of sweat on Boss Wei's brow, I gauged his profound fear. He'd gambled with sixty million yuan worth of material before, yet this didn't imply he could withstand the consequences of a ruinous cut. His gamble was predicated on winning; therefore, failure would be devastating. This held true not only for him, but even for billionaires; a disastrous cut on a promising, high-quality stone would invariably result in considerable distress.

It had nothing to do with the sum involved.

I declared, "Boss Wei, good news! Observe this mist; it's expanding towards the edges, indicating it's encasing the jade's flesh. Furthermore, notice its darkening. This black mist closely resembles the hue of black jade—dark and lustrous. This cut has yielded a significant profit."

My words eased Boss Wei's apprehension somewhat, but he remained curious, questioning, "But I don't see any color."

I furrowed my brow. The greatest challenge presented by this stone was its exceptionally thick mist layer. This cut was at least three centimeters deep, yet the mist remained uncut. The large cross-section revealed a black encasement, exposing only a bluish undertone, yet the texture was exceptionally fine and mature.

I stated, "The base is excellent; the color has jumped, reaching at least an icy-糯 (nòu) grade. This is positive; the stone's value has increased substantially. Another cut is necessary; we must first remove the stone's black mist."

Boss Wei nodded, a smile returning to his face. I observed Boss Zeng, drenched in sweat and visibly anxious. I abruptly suggested, "Boss Wei, if you're apprehensive, you could partner with Boss Zeng. This stone is now worth at least ninety million yuan; you could cede a thirty-million-yuan stake to Boss Zeng, recouping half your investment. Alternatively, you could defer the cut and sell it later."

Boss Wei, considering this, turned to Boss Zeng. I noticed a flicker of excitement across Boss Zeng's face, quickly suppressed. Boss Wei shook his head, saying, "Naturally, I intend to proceed with the cut. I have great faith in this stone, but I'm reluctant to relinquish such a substantial share…"

Boss Zeng, displeased, retorted, "If I hadn't yielded it to you, I would have cut it myself."

From Boss Zeng's words, I understood his preparedness. I quickly interjected, "Boss Wei, Boss Zeng is correct. Such a rare stone deserves a shared gamble. The stone's current ambiguity necessitates a wider distribution of risk. As an experienced gambler, you should understand this principle."

Boss Wei, hands clasped behind his back, scrutinized the stone for a protracted period before finally conceding, "Agreed. I'll grant you a thirty-million-yuan stake, but I retain control over the stone."

Boss Zeng, after careful consideration, acquiesced, "Fine. I'm not an expert; I'll leave it to your judgment."

A wave of relief washed over me upon hearing Boss Zeng's words. The two swiftly engaged in the financial transaction. While lacking written documentation, neither party would renege; such is the nature of jade gambling—verbal agreements govern even substantial transactions. This is why, sometimes, when you encounter a counterfeit in jade gambling, you're left with no recourse.

Once the transaction concluded, Boss Wei asked, "Zhao Fei, how should we proceed with this cut?"

Examining the stone, I furrowed my brow. It weighed heavily on me; I knew it was a fake, yet I couldn't pinpoint the deception. Each cut was fraught with suspense; a misstep would derail my entire plan. Old Niu might be oblivious to my intentions, thus unconcerned about the possibility of a disastrous cut. I felt a profound sense of self-inflicted misery—digging my own grave and having to bury myself in it, tears and all.

This cut had to succeed; I needed to accelerate the process and draw Chen Xi into the game. I instructed, "The stone requires further trimming. The mist is thick; I don't know how thick, so we must remove it first to reveal the color. Rest assured, once we see the color, it will be vibrant."

The two nodded, entrusting me with the stone. Addressing Wang Gui, I said, "Five centimeters, a little thicker…"

Wang Gui nodded, continuing the cut. This time, he went deeper than instructed; while aiming for five centimeters, the total depth reached six or seven. We all retreated, watching the flying stone dust. This cut couldn't fail; if it did, the consequences would be catastrophic. My next step was to involve Chen Xi, so failure was unacceptable.

My anxiety surpassed that of Boss Zeng and Boss Wei. My objective wasn't to win the gamble, but to lure Chen Xi into the game. Therefore, I needed this gamble to succeed more than anyone.

Yet, I knew the stone was fake, like a landmine on the surface. You know it's there, but you don't know where, and you keep walking on it, risking a fatal detonation at any moment.

The feeling was one of intense tension and excessive expectation, devoid of any other thoughts.

I watched everyone fixated on the stone, awaiting the outcome. I discreetly nudged Siyan; he glanced at me, then quickly returned his gaze to the stone, feigning composure and nodding. This was my signal to him. Relieved, I confirmed everything was in place, awaiting the unveiling of the cut.

The whirring abruptly ceased. My heart leaped into my throat; the tension made me sweat. Watching Wang Gui lift the cut piece, he suddenly exclaimed, "Brother Fei, look! There's color! It's jumped!"

This announcement ignited Boss Zeng and Boss Wei, both vying to examine the stone. Their struggle for possession created an awkward moment. I quickly intervened, saying, "Give it to me…"

They exchanged glances, reluctantly handing it over. Examining the cut, I frowned. The cut was clean, the mist still dense and deep, continuing to expand towards the edges, but also showing signs of inward expansion.

However, the mist felt peculiar; it resembled dried, water-soaked paper, leaving behind water stains. This unusual sensation eluded immediate explanation.

I focused on a thumbnail-sized green spot in the center, unfortunately dispersed rather than concentrated. In other words, the stone showed scattered color jumps.

Maintaining composure, I addressed the two, "Exceptional texture, pure white base color, vibrant scattered emerald green. If this stone yields a full piece, suitable for bangles, imagine the beauty of such a jade bracelet!"

My words elated them, particularly Boss Zeng, who continuously examined the stone, speechless.

Seeing Boss Wei's exuberant excitement, I quickly cautioned, "Boss Wei, the stone's value has skyrocketed. With this color and mist layer, even half the stone would be exceptional, worth at least 120 million yuan. But don't celebrate prematurely; risk remains. Observe this thick mist; nearly ten centimeters deep, still uncut."

Boss Wei, frowning at the stone, was interrupted by Siyan's cold remark, "Boss Wei, I'd like to participate. Is that possible?"

We all stared, surprised. Boss Wei responded, "Siyan, you've just been promoted; do you have the funds?"

Siyan smiled, "I have a little, five million yuan. Would that suffice?"

Boss Wei shook his head, "Five million is insufficient."

This slight dismissive tone offended Siyan. Turning to Chen Xi, he said, "Brother Chen, his refusal is either due to our lack of funds or disrespect towards you."

Chen Xi frowned, but quickly smiled, "Boss Wei, when money is involved, everyone benefits. You doubt Siyan's funds; surely you wouldn't doubt mine as well? I'd like to invest; is that possible?"

Boss Wei chuckled, "Chen Xi, I have some standing in Ruili; people generally respect my judgment. Investment is welcome, but we're playing big; forget about three or five million."

Chen Xi replied, "Boss Wei, while I'm not as wealthy as you, I can easily afford thirty to fifty million yuan. It depends on how much equity you're willing to release."

Boss Wei smiled, "I can only release thirty million yuan. This secures my investment. However, if even half the stone is viable, we'll profit three hundred million yuan; I'll still be the biggest winner, wouldn't I?"

"Boss Wei, I also want in. Release more shares; we can split it fifty-fifty," Malan chimed in.

Before Boss Wei could respond, Qian Guang added, "Boss Wei, considering our relationship, you should be willing to release a quarter of the equity; give me thirty million."

Boss Wei appeared conflicted. Observing everyone's tense expressions, I inwardly smiled. Let them squabble; some will laugh, some will cry, but the one laughing will be me.

I glanced at Siyan; his simple statement had drawn Chen Xi into the game. It was subtle yet crucial. Chen Xi is greedy; seeing the potential for a three-hundred-million-yuan profit, he naturally wanted a piece, but lacked the opportunity. Siyan acted as the catalyst, providing that opportunity. Now that he's seized it, Chen Xi will cling to it fiercely.

He, too, believed this gamble would succeed. Such is jade gambling; when an opportunity arises, everyone will seize it. A winning gamble means exponential profits; who wouldn't want a share?