The beautiful young married woman quickly recovered and smiled politely. "You really love to joke, young man. Could this rough jadeite qualify for a two-hundred-million risk agreement?"
"Two hundred million? That really was a joke."
Zeng Shen chuckled.
The woman looked as though her suspicions had been confirmed and slowly breathed out.
"It should qualify for a five-hundred-million risk agreement."
Zeng Shen's words hit her like a powerful dose of medicine, making her choke abruptly before she had finished exhaling.
"Ahem, at least five hundred million? Impossible. You're so naughty, young man, always teasing me," the woman said incredulously.
"It certainly is impossible."
Shi Mingqiang's voice suddenly came from behind them, with two people following briskly at his heels.
Hearing Shi Mingqiang's words, the woman once again looked vindicated, then turned a slightly irritated gaze on Zeng Shen.
Like an angry little cat, she seemed thoroughly annoyed that the young man before her kept teasing her over and over.
"Unless removing the outer stone reveals a piece of green dew imperial jadeite half the size of a fist, the risk agreement can only cover two hundred million at most," Shi Mingqiang added as he came to stand beside them.
"Ah!"
Hearing the rest of Shi Mingqiang's explanation, the woman's irritation instantly vanished, replaced by utter astonishment.
She did not know the young man before her.
She had assumed he was just a flashy young fellow who liked to joke around, so she had not really believed him.
But she knew Shi Mingqiang. He meant exactly what he said and would never joke about something like this.
In other words, the rough jadeite in front of the young man really was worth a conservative two hundred million, just as he had initially said.
It could qualify for a two-hundred-million risk agreement.
If she could use that agreement as collateral to negotiate a hundred-million loan with the bank, she could not only resolve her company's cash-flow problems but also pull the company her grandfather had entrusted to her back from the brink of liquidation, barely keeping it alive for another year.
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in that single second, and her astonishment gave way to a complicated expression.
After finishing his explanation, Shi Mingqiang turned toward the two men beside him and introduced them. "This is Master Kuo Jun, the most skilled and accomplished rough jadeite peeling expert in Jinhai City, and a world-class professional. The young man beside him is his apprentice, Master Zhao Xiaoman, one of the finest peelers of the younger generation."
Zeng Shen, Li Yuqing, and the beautiful young married woman all stood and turned toward Master Kuo beside Shi Mingqiang.
"Hello, Master Kuo, Master Xiaoman."
"Hello," Xiaoman replied politely.
"You're very well." Master Kuo parted his lips and absently gave a perfunctory response, oblivious to his own lapse.
His gaze had already been captivated by the glimmer of green showing through the stone on Zeng Shen's table.
Green dew imperial jadeite!
He had been fortunate enough to peel a piece once in his youth.
That single opportunity had made his name.
Now, more than forty years later, he had never expected to encounter another stone containing green dew imperial jadeite.
He would even get to experience once more the peculiar energy within it that scientists still could not explain.
The greatest honor and lifelong pursuit of a jade peeler was to peel the finest jadeite.
Shi Mingqiang understood Master Kuo's reaction perfectly. Smiling faintly, he stepped forward, picked up the rough jadeite from the table, and handed it to him. "Master Kuo, I'll leave peeling this rough jadeite to you."
"Yes, yes. Good, good."
Excitement filled Master Kuo's voice as he carefully accepted the stone, gazing entranced at the hint of green shining through the crack Zeng Shen had hacked open with a kitchen knife, as though he were looking at a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
Only after a long while did he turn to his apprentice beside him.
"Xiaoman, get the tools ready. Quickly."
"Yes, Master."
Zhao Xiaoman quickly opened the tool bag he was carrying, deftly taking out the various implements needed for peeling and setting them on the table.
Shi Mingqiang helped as well, though he prepared a separate set.
At the same time, he told Zhao Xiaoman, "You'll peel Ms. Liu's rough imperial jadeite in a moment."
Zhao Xiaoman froze briefly at those words, then broke into an excited expression.
After all, the greatest honor and lifelong pursuit of a jade peeler was to peel the finest jadeite.
He immediately expressed his gratitude. "Thank you for your confidence in me, Mr. Shi."
Soon, both peeling trays were ready.
Master Kuo put on white plastic gloves and slowly lowered the stone into the clean water mixed with a special solution in front of him.
Meanwhile.
He took out a small peeling knife and carefully began removing the stone layer around the crack Zeng Shen had crudely hacked open with his kitchen knife.
Beside him, Zhao Xiaoman also began peeling Ms. Liu's rough jadeite in another tray of specially treated water.
Everyone present watched the peeling procedure anxiously, except Zeng Shen, whose expression remained calm and composed.
The beautiful young married woman likewise watched Zhao Xiaoman's hands with nervous anticipation, hoping he would uncover a larger piece of imperial jadeite.
But before long.
Her attention was drawn to the luster of the green dew imperial jadeite gradually emerging in Master Kuo's hands.
When Zhao Xiaoman stopped working beside him and let out a faint sigh.
Only then did she snap out of her daze and turn to look.
At that instant, she clenched her teeth, staring blankly at the mere thin layer of imperial jadeite in Zhao Xiaoman's hands.
Her intuition had not deceived her.
There was far too little imperial jadeite inside this rough stone.
At most, she could secure a ten-million risk agreement through Shi Mingqiang.
With a ten-million risk agreement, there was no way she could obtain the thirty-million bank loan she needed to resolve her immediate crisis.
In that instant, her eyes dimmed. As though she had lost all hope, she collapsed onto the sofa and tilted her head slightly toward the ceiling.
She had already tried every possible avenue for borrowing money.
But many investment firms in the industry knew that her company lost money year after year and was on the brink of bankruptcy and liquidation. No one was willing to fund her or lend her money.
As these thoughts ran through her mind, a brilliant flash of emerald green caught her attention again.
She glanced over gently. Master Kuo had already peeled away most of the rough stone in his hands, revealing a piece of green dew imperial jadeite half the size of a fist.
Her beautiful eyes immediately widened, her long lashes trembling faintly.
Judging by the area of green dew imperial jadeite exposed alone, wouldn't it be worth at least four hundred million?
Her breath caught. She raised her head to look at the jadeite's owner, the young man opposite her.
The young man was calmly watching Master Kuo peel the rough jadeite, showing none of the nervous anticipation everyone else wore, as though he were merely admiring a craftsman's technique.
All at once, Zeng Shen's calm face and expression inexplicably stirred her curiosity.
This was rough jadeite worth hundreds of millions.
How could he remain so composed?