Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan select their raw stones, with Chu Chen choosing a seemingly worthless white sand skin one out of curiosity.
• Zhang Yanbin and his group select their raw stones, choosing two yellow sand skin ones for the competition.
• They start cutting the stones, with Zhang Yanbin's first stone yielding scrap material and his second one yielding a mid-grade Jade worth around fifty thousand yuan.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates his keen eye and understanding of raw stones, choosing a faked one with buckwheat python patterns.
• Zhang Yanbin shows disappointment but maintains composure after his first stone yields poor results.
• Chu Yulan shows trust in her brother's judgment, not questioning his choice of the white sand skin raw stone.

Significant Themes

• The unpredictability of gambling on stones, where even seemingly worthless raw stones can contain valuable Jade.
• The importance of observation and intuition in selecting raw stones.
• The acceptance of disappointment and maintaining composure in the face of setbacks.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan interact as siblings, with Chu Yulan showing trust in Chu Chen's judgment.
• Zhang Yanbin and his group interact with Chu Chen and the others, showing curiosity and surprise at Chu Chen's choice of raw stones.
• The group interacts with the boss, who shows honesty and integrity by honoring his rules despite his initial reluctance to sell the white sand skin raw stone.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Yanbin wins big by selecting a "raw" stone that yields high-value jade, costing the boss a significant loss.
• Chu Chen cuts open his piece of yellow sand skin, revealing a high ice type emerald green worth around one million yuan.
• The boss suffers a loss of two million yuan due to Chu Chen's and Zhang Yanbin's winnings.
• Onlookers rush to buy the remaining "raw" stones, but the boss's deficit remains un-covered.

Character Developments

• Zhang Yanbin: Becomes more cautious and decides not to gamble on stones with Chu Chen again after realizing his repeated losses.
• Boss: Struggles to maintain composure despite significant financial losses.
• Chu Chen: Reflects on his past mistake of selling an emerald green for too low a price, vowing to understand the value of his items better in the future.

Significant Themes

• Risk and Reward: Gambling on stones involves high risks but also high potential rewards.
• Regret and Learning: Chu Chen learns from his past mistake and decides to be more informed about the value of his items.
• Financial Struggles: The boss faces severe financial difficulties due to his customers' winnings.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Yanbin and Chu Chen: Their friendly competition leads to significant winnings for both, causing substantial losses for the boss.
• Boss and Customers: The boss's relationship with his customers becomes strained as their winnings increase his losses.
• Chu Chen and Onlookers: The crowd becomes excited and eager to buy "raw" stones after seeing Chu Chen's success.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen cuts open the rough stone, revealing a glass type Imperial Green, valued at around 20 million yuan.
• The group proceeds to a jade processing plant to extract the jade, taking several hours due to the stone's complexity.
• A high ice type vivid green jade is extracted, but its shape prevents it from being made into a bracelet, reducing its value.
• Zhu Shenliang, the plant owner, shares his past struggles in the gambling on stones industry as a cautionary tale.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen maintains his calm and content demeanor, even when faced with a significant win.
• Zhu Shenliang reflects on his past mistakes and the importance of a balanced mindset in gambling on stones.

Significant Themes

• Luck and Skill: Chu Chen's luck is emphasized, but his skill in choosing the right rough stone is also acknowledged.
• Patience and Contentment: The process of extracting jade requires patience, and Chu Chen demonstrates contentment with his winnings.
• The Dangers of Gambling: Zhu Shenliang's story serves as a warning about the risks and potential pitfalls of gambling on stones.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen interacts with the group, showing camaraderie and generosity by sharing the extracted jade with them.
• Zhu Shenliang shares his personal story with the group, fostering a sense of connection and mutual understanding.
• Zhang Yanbin defends Chu Chen's decision not to sell the Imperial Green, highlighting their friendship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen and his sister, Chu Yulan, meet in the morning, and she expresses her excitement about potentially receiving Imperial Green jade jewelry.
• The group attends the public auction, where they see two piles of raw jade: one for sealed bids (over 10,000 pieces) and one for open bids (a few hundred pieces).
• The public auction begins with an opening ceremony, followed by the unveiling of raw stones at stalls for direct transactions.

Character Developments

• Chu Yulan: Expresses her excitement about the potential Imperial Green jade jewelry and her desire to live independently.
• Chu Chen: Shows understanding and support for his sister's wishes, ensuring she has a place to live with him and his future wife.

Significant Themes

• Family bonds: Chu Chen's support for his sister and her happiness.
• Greed and excitement in the jade and stone gambling world: The intense interest and competition among merchants and enthusiasts.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan: Brother and sister interact, with Chu Chen reassuring his sister about her future living arrangements.
• The group and other merchants: They greet and exchange pleasantries with other jade merchants, with some showing respect to Chu Chen due to his recent competition win.
• Yi Hongguo, Wan Jun, and Zhang Yanbin: They bid farewell to Chu Chen's group to attend to their company affairs after the public auction opens.

Plot Points & Events

• The public auction has different opening times and rough stone types for sealed and open bid sections.
• Ordinary rough stones, despite their high gambling potential, are affordable and abundant.
• Chu Chen participates in the sealed bid section, while Liu Sizhe and his companions focus on ordinary rough stones.
• Chu Chen buys a rough stone for 150,000 yuan, containing jade worth over two million yuan.
• Chu Chen realizes he needs to upgrade Treasure Sense to handle the vast number of rough stones.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates his expertise in gambling on stones, negotiating a fair price for his purchase.
• Chu Yulan shows her support and belief in Chu Chen's abilities.

Significant Themes

• The importance of appearance in gambling on stones, where price is determined by visible characteristics.
• The value of patience and strategy in gambling on stones, as seen in Chu Chen's approach to the public auction.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and the seller negotiate the price of the rough stone, with Chu Chen successfully securing a fair deal.
• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan discuss their findings, with Chu Yulan expressing her confidence in Chu Chen's abilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen and his sister, Chu Yulan, visit a stone stall where Chu Chen examines a 'raw' stone with dot pine flower, which turns blue when he blocks the green dots, indicating a potential failure when cut.
• Chu Chen meets the stall owner, Song Jinhui, who has 'raw' stones for sale. Chu Chen buys an old Houjiang stone weighing 0.8 kg for 220,000 yuan.
• Chu Chen finds a white wax shell from the old mining area Padoma, weighing 15-16 kg, which interests him.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates his skill in evaluating 'raw' stones, impressing the stall owners and his sister.
• Chu Yulan learns from her brother about 'two points without green' and the importance of dot pine flower in jade evaluation.

Significant Themes

• The value and rarity of old Houjiang stones and their unique characteristics.
• The importance of understanding 'raw' stone surfaces and their reflections of the jade inside.
• The role of skill and knowledge in evaluating and gambling on 'raw' stones.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan interact as siblings, with Chu Chen teaching and guiding his sister.
• Chu Chen interacts with stall owners, demonstrating his skill and making purchases.
• Stall owners interact with Chu Chen, impressed by his skill and hoping to do business with him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen buys a semi-gambling "rough" stone with signs of green but thick skin, which he upgrades using his ability.
• Chu Yulan buys a "rough" stone containing Jade worth over six hundred thousand yuan.
• Fatty Dong's group buys a "rough" stone tricked into by Mi Cong, which turns out to be a bust.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen shows his ability and knowledge in gambling stones, gaining respect from others.
• Fatty Dong shows impulsiveness and lack of judgment, leading to a poor decision.
• Mi Cong is revealed to be deceitful and manipulative.

Significant Themes

• Foresight and luck in gambling stones.
• The consequences of impulsive decisions.
• The importance of learning from mistakes.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen helps Fatty Dong's group, showing his willingness to assist friends.
• Mi Cong causes trouble for Fatty Dong's group, showing his malicious intent.
• Chu Chen and Mi Cong's paths cross again, hinting at potential future conflict.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen discovers a thin strip of Imperial Green (a highly valuable jade color) in the "rough" stone.
• He carefully polishes the stone, revealing more Imperial Green, stunning the audience.
• Mi Cong, who had dismissed the stone as a bust, is astonished and enraged by the revelation.
• A middle-aged man offers three million yuan to buy the stone from Chu Chen.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates his skill and patience in polishing the stone, revealing his expertise and composure under pressure.
• Mi Cong shows his ruthless and vengeful nature, as well as his impulsiveness in dismissing the stone's potential.
• The middle-aged man displays his interest and willingness to invest in valuable jade.

Significant Themes

• Uncertainty and luck in gambling on stones.
• The value and allure of Imperial Green jade.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponents.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen, Li Guodong, and Wen Yuting discuss the handling of the stone, hinting at a potential deal or partnership.
• Mi Cong interacts with Master Nian, expressing his anger and dissatisfaction with the jade gambling master's advice.
• The middle-aged man interacts with Chu Chen, showing interest in purchasing the stone.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen continues polishing the "rough" stone, revealing more Imperial Green, increasing its value.
• Bidding for the stone starts at 3 million and quickly escalates to 22 million.
• Chu Chen decides not to let his friends buy the stone to prevent it from falling into Mi Cong's hands.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates his skill and patience in polishing the stone, increasing its value significantly.
• Mi Cong shows envy, jealousy, and hatred towards Chu Chen's success, plotting revenge.
• Xu Jiangcheng, an acquaintance of Chu Chen, actively bids for the stone, showing determination.

Significant Themes

• Luck and Opportunity: Chu Chen's luck in finding Imperial Green and the opportunity to increase its value.
• Greed and Ambition: The jade merchants' desire for profit, driving them to bid high for the stone.
• Rivalry and Revenge: Mi Cong's envy and hatred towards Chu Chen, plotting revenge.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Jade Merchants: The jade merchants admire Chu Chen's skill and try to buy the stone from him.
• Chu Chen and Xu Jiangcheng: Xu Jiangcheng actively bids for the stone, showing determination and acquaintance with Chu Chen.
• Chu Chen and Mi Cong: Mi Cong's envy and hatred towards Chu Chen, plotting revenge, while Chu Chen is determined to teach him a lesson.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A "rough" stone with a promising green strip is up for auction.
• Xu Jiangcheng bids 19 million but hesitates at 22 million due to the risk.
• Chu Chen, not wanting his friend to acquire the stone, allows it to be sold to a middle-aged man for 22 million.
• Mi Cong, through an intermediary, buys the "rough" stone, hoping to profit from it.
• Mi Cong takes the stone to a processing factory for cutting, revealing a husk pine flower and a significant amount of green jade inside.

Character Developments

• Xu Jiangcheng shows caution and risk assessment in his bidding.
• Chu Chen demonstrates his integrity by not allowing his friend to profit excessively.
• Mi Cong exhibits impatience and a desire for revenge, willing to take risks to outdo others.
• Master Yan, despite his expertise, struggles with honesty and faces Mi Cong's displeasure.

Significant Themes

• Risk and Reward: Characters weigh the potential gains against the risks involved in their decisions.
• Integrity and Honesty: Chu Chen's actions highlight the importance of honesty, while Master Yan's struggle with truthfulness has consequences.
• Revenge and Competition: Mi Cong's desire to outdo others and seek revenge drives his actions.

Character Interactions

• Xu Jiangcheng and Chu Chen interact as friends, with Chu Chen influencing the sale of the "rough" stone.
• Mi Cong and Chu Chen have a tense relationship, with Mi Cong trying to outdo Chu Chen.
• Mi Cong and Master Yan have a strained relationship, with Mi Cong planning to discard Master Yan after his usefulness ends.
• Mi Cong and Boss Li interact as acquaintances, with Boss Li admiring the quality of the "rough" stone Mi Cong bought.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Guodong and Wen Yuting express relief and satisfaction with the outcome of selling the jade rough.
• Wan Si Jun reveals that the buyer of the jade rough, Mi Cong, is claiming it's fake and plans to sue.
• Chu Chen and his friends decide to strike back against Mi Cong, leading to his downfall.
• Old Liu and Chu Zhengrong, influential figures, discuss the situation and its implications.
• Mi Cong assaults Master Nian, causing his death, and then flees, leading to severe consequences.
• Chu Chen and his friends cut their selected jade roughs, with Sun Xingnan's containing a piece worth over a million.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen: Shows concern for his friends' feelings regarding the financial matters and takes the initiative to address potential issues.
• Wen Yuting: Expresses contentment with the current outcome and appreciation for Chu Chen's help.
• Mi Cong: Demonstrates his vengeful nature and reckless behavior, leading to his downfall.
• Master Nian: Dies due to Mi Cong's assault, highlighting the consequences of Mi Cong's actions.
• Old Liu and Chu Zhengrong: Show their influence and involvement in the situation, indicating their power and wisdom.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and Trust: Chu Chen's actions show his concern for his friends' feelings and his desire to maintain their trust.
• Consequences of Actions: Mi Cong's reckless behavior and lack of remorse lead to his downfall, highlighting the theme of cause and effect.
• Luck and Skill: The jade gambling process shows the role of both luck and skill in determining success, with newcomers sometimes having exceptional luck.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and his friends: They work together, share their thoughts, and support each other's decisions, demonstrating their camaraderie.
• Mi Cong and Master Nian: Their interaction highlights Mi Cong's impulsive and vengeful nature, leading to tragic consequences.
• Old Liu and Chu Zhengrong: Their conversation shows their influence and involvement in the situation, indicating their power and wisdom.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen cuts a Namo Bang Ao yellow salt sand skin, which increases in value, revealing old pit ice type yellow-sun green Jade.
• He then cuts a Houjiang stone, which also increases in value, revealing glass type Jade.
• Liu Sizhe and Tong Hangqi's rough stones also increase in value.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates exceptional skill in gambling on stones, attracting attention and admiration.
• Fatty Dong feels pressured to pick a rough stone after seeing his companions' successes.
• A young man shows envy and jealousy towards Chu Chen's luck, only to be educated by a local master of gambling on stones, Master Mao.

Significant Themes

• Luck and skill in gambling on stones.
• The importance of knowledge and experience in the gambling on stones community.
• The dynamics of envy, jealousy, and admiration among competitors.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen interacts with Fatty Dong, Liu Sizhe, and Tong Hangqi, supporting and encouraging them.
• The young man envies Chu Chen and argues with Master Mao, highlighting the tension between inexperience and expertise.
• Master Mao educates the young man and the crowd about gambling on stones, showcasing his knowledge and wisdom.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen rubs out two windows of glass type vivid green from an old Houjiang stone, causing a stir among Jade merchants.
• Chu Chen cuts the first rough stone, revealing a big gain of glass type vivid green.
• Fatty Dong returns with a rough stone he bought for 500,000 yuan, hoping Chu Chen will cut it.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen: Proves his skill in gambling on stones, gains respect and envy from others.
• Fatty Dong: Shows his luck in gambling on stones, despite not understanding it, and makes a significant bet with Su Jinning.
• Su Jinning: Displays her concern and care for Fatty Dong, willing to make a bet to encourage him.

Significant Themes

• Luck and skill in gambling on stones.
• The value of old Houjiang stone and glass type vivid green.
• The tension and excitement of public auctions and gambling on stones.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen interacts with Jade merchants, proving his skill and refusing to sell his rough stones.
• Fatty Dong interacts with Su Jinning, showing his excitement and making a bet with her.
• Chu Chen and Fatty Dong discuss the cutting of Fatty Dong's rough stone.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen buys a "rough" stone for 500,000 yuan based on Fatty Dong's intuition.
• They attempt to reveal the jade inside, but the first two windows turn out blank.
• Chu Chen discovers a faint green color in the third window using a method taught by Liu Zhiqing.
• They cut the stone, revealing a large piece of glass type scallion heart green jade worth over 12 million yuan.
• Fatty Dong wins the bet with Su Jinning and plans to teach her a lesson.

Character Developments

• Fatty Dong's intuition proves accurate, boosting his confidence in gambling on stones.
• Chu Chen demonstrates his skill and knowledge in gambling on stones.
• Su Jinning feels conflicted about Fatty Dong's win, not wanting him to lose but also not wanting him to win.

Significant Themes

• Luck vs. Skill: Fatty Dong's intuition (luck) vs. Chu Chen's knowledge and skill.
• The unpredictability of gambling on stones.
• The excitement and thrill of revealing high-quality jade.

Character Interactions

• Fatty Dong and Chu Chen work together to reveal the jade, with Fatty Dong relying on Chu Chen's expertise.
• Fatty Dong and Su Jinning's bet adds tension and drama to the scene.
• Fatty Dong's interaction with Wen Yuting shows his playful and mischievous side.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen cuts an ice type spinach green jadeite, increasing its value.
• Liu Sizhe expresses displeasure at Chu Chen's lack of excitement over others' successful cuts.
• Fatty Dong and Zhang Yanbin reveal that Luo Qiming, a rival of Chu Chen, is deliberately setting off firecrackers to provoke them.
• Liu Sizhe learns that Luo Qiming has cut another glass type ocean blue worth about fifteen million and is mocking Chu Chen's win.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen remains calm and unperturbed by Luo Qiming's provocation, focusing on his own tasks.
• Liu Sizhe shows loyalty to Chu Chen, getting upset on his behalf and wanting him to respond to Luo Qiming's challenge.
• Fatty Dong and Zhang Yanbin display their close friendship and similar personalities, while also revealing their flirtatious nature.
• Su Jinning expresses concern for Fatty Dong's behavior, indicating her protective side.

Significant Themes

• Competition and rivalry in the world of gambling on stones.
• The importance of skill and confidence in one's abilities, rather than relying on luck or others' failures.
• The theme of friendship and loyalty, as seen in Liu Sizhe's reaction to Luo Qiming's provocation.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Liu Sizhe: Liu Sizhe is protective of Chu Chen and wants him to respond to Luo Qiming's challenge, while Chu Chen remains calm and focused on his own tasks.
• Fatty Dong and Zhang Yanbin: They display their close friendship and similar personalities, often seen joking around together.
• Su Jinning and Fatty Dong: Su Jinning expresses concern for Fatty Dong's behavior, indicating her protective side and her disapproval of his flirtatious nature.
• Chu Chen and Luo Qiming: Although not directly interacting, their rivalry is evident through Luo Qiming's provocative actions and Chu Chen's calm response.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen and his group inspect a "rough" stone, distinguishing between "dead black" and "living black" on its surface.
• They decide to cut the stone, revealing a mix of Jade types: initially "ice glutinous seed," then "high ice type parrot green," and finally "glass type parrot green."
• The stone is cut further, revealing that about three-quarters of the Jade is "glass type," worth approximately forty million yuan.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen: Displayed patience and composure, even when the initial cut revealed low-quality Jade. He remained confident in the stone's potential.
• Liu Sizhe: Initially disappointed with the low-quality Jade, he later became ecstatic when higher-quality Jade was revealed. He was eager to celebrate their victory over Luo Qiming.
• Luo Qiming: Initially arrogant and confident, he became upset and annoyed when Chu Chen's stone revealed higher-quality Jade than his own.

Significant Themes

• Luck vs. Skill: The chapter explores the idea that luck can play a significant role in gambling on stones, but skill and knowledge are also crucial for making informed decisions.
• Patience and Composure: Chu Chen's patience and calm demeanor, even when the initial cuts did not reveal high-quality Jade, contrast with the impulsive and arrogant behavior of Luo Qiming.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Liu Sizhe: Their interaction shows a mix of mentorship (Chu Chen teaching Liu Sizhe about distinguishing Jade types) and camaraderie (they celebrate together when the stone reveals high-quality Jade).
• Chu Chen and Luo Qiming: Their interaction is primarily competitive, with each trying to outdo the other in revealing high-quality Jade.

Summary of “Dark Bidding (Part 1)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Qiming’s attempt to damage Chu Chen’s reputation fails. He had spread rumors because he resented losing to the younger Chu Chen, but he had not known about Chu Chen’s connection to Wanqi Jun. When Chu Chen’s jade proved valuable, Luo angrily abandoned the competition and left. His subordinate, disgusted by Luo’s impulsiveness, decides to resign.
• Chu Chen finishes cutting the enormous rough stone and reveals a mixture of icy glutinous, high-ice, and glassy parrot-green jade. Most of the stone is valuable glassy jade, bringing its estimated worth to roughly fifty or sixty million yuan.
• The spectacular jade attracts a huge crowd, both because of its quality and because five pieces of high-grade jade have been produced at the auction—an unusually rare occurrence.
• Over the next two days, Chu Chen and his companions buy forty-seven rough stones from stalls, including several intentionally poor stones to avoid attracting excessive attention. They also purchase three inexpensive altered stones at the open-bid auction.
• Although Chu Chen’s own later cuts produce mixed results—mostly high-ice jade and one badly failed stone—the group still does extremely well. Each member obtains jade worth over a million yuan, while Yi Hongguo acquires several valuable stones with Chu Chen’s assistance.
• Chu Chen’s success makes him and his companions famous throughout the auction. Merchants whose stalls supplied their successful stones, especially Song Jinhui, benefit enormously as customers rush to buy from them.
• On the final day, Chu Chen plans to focus on the dark-bid section. His companions decide to examine and bid on stones themselves as a final gamble.
• In the dark-bid area, the group discovers a massive 1,076-kilogram half-gamble rough stone. Its exposed surface appears to contain high-ice lemon-yellow jade mixed with powder-purple coloring, but Chu Chen notices a serious defect: bristle-ringworm blemishes near the bottom.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen remains calm, skilled, and strategically cautious. He handles public attention without becoming distracted and deliberately includes low-value stones among his purchases to conceal his extraordinary abilities.
• Luo Qiming is revealed as proud, jealous, and impulsive. His resentment toward Chu Chen causes him to act recklessly, and his failed attempt to undermine Chu Chen leaves him humiliated.
• Luo Qiming’s subordinate becomes disillusioned with him. After being blamed for Luo’s failed scheme, he decides that following such an unreasonable employer offers no future.
• Liu Sizhe gains confidence after cutting valuable jade and enjoys Luo’s defeat. He becomes more enthusiastic about taking part in the dark bidding.
• Yi Hongguo benefits substantially from Chu Chen’s guidance and secures a reliable supply of high-quality jade materials.
• Wanqi Jun demonstrates independence and consideration by not asking Chu Chen to select open-bid stones for him, avoiding a conflict of interest with Yi Hongguo.
• Song Jinhui prospers after one of his stones produces Chu Chen’s glassy parrot-green jade, though he regrets not having more stock available.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and pride: Luo Qiming’s envy of Chu Chen’s youth and success leads directly to his humiliation.
• Skill versus luck: Chu Chen’s judgment guides the group, but the narrative emphasizes that successful jade cutting also depends on chance.
• Strategic concealment: Chu Chen intentionally buys losing stones and limits how much he cuts publicly to avoid exposing his abilities and attracting excessive suspicion.
• Wealth and reputation: Valuable jade rapidly changes social standing, draws crowds, and increases merchants’ commercial success.
• Appearances versus reality: The massive dark-bid stone looks extremely promising from its exposed surface, but the bristle-ringworm blemish suggests that its apparent value may be deceptive.

Character Interactions

• Luo Qiming argues with and abandons his subordinate after the failed attempt against Chu Chen.
• Liu Sizhe takes pleasure in Luo’s defeat and later consults with Chu Chen about plans for the final auction day.
• Chu Chen and his companions examine the enormous rough stone together, with Liu Sizhe and Wen Yuting reacting enthusiastically to its colors.
• Li Guodong notices the purple coloration, while Chu Chen is the one who identifies the hidden bristle-ringworm defect, reinforcing his superior ability to assess rough stones.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A "rough" stone with poor signs (pig bristle blemish, straight blemish, pockmark blemish, fly dung blemish, green-intercepting cracks) has a high reserve price of six million.
• Chu Chen uses his special ability on the stone, revealing its low internal value of around a hundred thousand.
• Chu Chen observes and learns from nearly a thousand "rough" stones, marking around seventy to eighty stones in his notebook.
• He encounters Xu Jiangcheng and two other Jade merchants discussing a Denika skin "rough" stone with good window signs but poor overall signs and a fire smoke vein.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen's gambling on stones skills improve as he learns from various "rough" stones.
• He demonstrates his expertise by identifying a problematic "rough" stone with a fire smoke vein.

Significant Themes

• The uncertainty and risk involved in gambling on stones, with a high chance of loss.
• The importance of careful observation and understanding of signs and veins in "rough" stones.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen, Li Guodong, Wen Yuting, and Liu Sizhe continue to explore the "rough" stones together.
• Chu Chen meets Xu Jiangcheng and two other Jade merchants, sharing his expertise and helping them avoid a poor investment.

Summary of Dark Bid (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Chen continues inspecting rough stones, causing a middle-aged man to remark on his sharpness and high starting point.
• Xu Jiangcheng reveals he's not close to Chu Chen but acknowledges his amiability.
• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan encounter a massive thunder crack stone with a cut surface revealing vivid green. Despite its poor appearance, Chu Chen is intrigued.
• Someone notices Chu Chen's interest in the rough stone, causing him to worry about competition and regret his prolonged examination.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates his sharpness and keen eye for jade, causing others to take notice.
• Xu Jiangcheng shows understanding and appreciation for Chu Chen's character.
• Chu Yulan exhibits curiosity and excitement about the bidding process.

Significant Themes

• The value of jade is not solely determined by its size but also by its appearance and quality.
• The tension and anxiety of bidding, especially when there's a high-stakes prize involved.
• The importance of vigilance and discretion in the jade bidding world.

Character Interactions

• Chu Chen and Chu Yulan interact as siblings, with Chu Chen guiding and teaching Chu Yulan about the bidding process.
• Xu Jiangcheng and the middle-aged man discuss Chu Chen's character and their shared experience of being warned by him.
• Manager Luo, unknowingly, interacts with Chu Chen by observing his actions, leading Chu Chen to realize he's being watched.

Chapter Summary: “Sealed Bids (Continued)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Manager Luo realizes that Chu Chen likely planted the unimpressive “thunderstruck stone” to mislead him. Believing he has figured out Chu Chen’s selections, Luo identifies more than twenty rough stones that Chu Chen appeared to study and plans to bid on them.
• However, Chu Chen had anticipated being watched. He memorized the numbers of stones he genuinely wanted while deliberately writing notes beside unrelated stones. Manager Luo is therefore completely misled.
• Chu Chen remains anxious that Manager Luo may bid on the thunderstruck stone, whose extraordinary jadeite he desperately wants to secure. He reminds himself to stay calm but knows he will not learn the result until the bids are opened.
• With thousands of stones still to inspect and the bidding deadline approaching, Chu Chen accelerates his examination. By late morning, he has reviewed more than half of the available rough stones.
• Chu Chen encounters Qiang Zhaojun, who asks him to evaluate a large yellow-sand-skinned rough stone showing signs of possible red jadeite. Chu Chen explains that while there is roughly a sixty percent chance of high-grade red jadeite, the stone remains risky because red jadeite is generally less valuable and often has inferior texture.
• Chu Chen conservatively advises Qiang to bid around three million. Pleased by this assessment, Qiang has the stone recorded and invites Chu Chen and the others to lunch, though their busy schedules prevent them from enjoying the promised feast until the following day.
• After lunch, Chu Chen returns to the area near the red-jadeite stone and secretly examines a neighboring rough stone. His ability reveals that it will produce enormous profits—nearly as valuable as a previously discovered top-ranking stone, though still inferior to the thunderstruck stone.
• Chu Chen finds no other similarly spectacular stones. He also observes that the quality of the sealed-bidding inventory declines significantly toward the end, while some better-looking stones have unrealistically high reserve prices, suggesting their owners are merely testing the market.

Character Developments

• Chu Chen demonstrates caution, strategic thinking, and growing confidence. He successfully protects his discoveries from Manager Luo and continues balancing his supernatural ability with the need to appear ordinary and avoid suspicion.
• His emotional attachment to the thunderstruck stone becomes clear. Although he understands that excessive concern may cloud his judgment, he finds it difficult to treat such a rare treasure casually.
• Manager Luo becomes overconfident after believing he has deciphered Chu Chen’s strategy. His assumption that Chu Chen’s notes reveal his true choices exposes his lack of understanding and leads him into a trap.
• Qiang Zhaojun continues to trust Chu Chen’s judgment. His hesitation over the red-jadeite stone shows that he is cautious but willing to rely on Chu Chen’s expertise.

Significant Themes

• Strategy and deception: Chu Chen’s false notes allow him to mislead Manager Luo, showing that success in stone gambling depends not only on technical knowledge but also on concealing one’s intentions.
• Greed and overconfidence: Manager Luo’s smug certainty causes him to mistake deception for insight.
• Emotional control: Chu Chen recognizes that his desire to obtain the thunderstruck stone may interfere with rational judgment, emphasizing the difficulty of remaining detached when faced with extraordinary opportunity.
• Risk and uncertainty: Even with strong observational skills and supernatural assistance, Chu Chen cannot guarantee results. The value of red jadeite, the unpredictability of bidding, and inflated reserve prices all underline the speculative nature of the trade.
• Expertise versus appearance: Stones with attractive exteriors may be overpriced or disappointing, while valuable jadeite can be hidden inside rough stones that look ordinary.

Character Interactions

• Manager Luo observes Chu Chen from a distance and misinterprets his behavior, creating an indirect contest of wits.
• Chu Chen and Qiang Zhaojun have a cooperative consultation. Qiang seeks Chu Chen’s honest evaluation, and Chu Chen gives restrained, credible advice rather than revealing the full extent of his knowledge.
• Qiang’s attendants record Chu Chen’s recommended bid, reinforcing his growing influence and trust within the group.
• Chu Chen’s interactions with the surrounding bidders and consultants remain limited, as he focuses on completing his inspection before the bidding deadline.