I had just put my backpack down in the room when someone knocked. I opened the door to find Lanya. She told me Brother Bao wanted me to come to his room.
Lanya and I went over, and Da Kui stood guard outside the door.
Brother Bao had us sit on the sofa, then pulled up a chair and sat opposite us.
Brother Bao: "Hua Zi, tomorrow when you enter the public auction, try to get close to that stone first. Gather as much information as possible. I'm a bit unsure about this matter."
I asked, "Are you afraid the stone is a trap?"
Brother Bao: "Brother Qing has huge expenses in Myanmar. He has to spend a lot of money every day to support his subordinates and maintain his own massive expenditures. Most of his income comes from the mines, through protection fees from mine owners and his underworld dealings. He never participates in stone gambling. As the saying goes, you lose nine out of ten bets. He can afford to win but can't afford to lose. He told me he's partnering with me fifty-fifty on this stone. I don't think he would put millions on a single stone, especially one with such a significant change and a dark, sandy surface. So, I can't shake this uneasy feeling."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Even though I feel uneasy, I can't pinpoint what's wrong. After all, he has no reason to trick me. He can ask me for money directly. Spending over ten million to take such a big risk seems like a loss. That's why I'm asking you to observe the stone carefully. If there's no problem, even if it turns gray or black, I'll accept it. Since it's a gamble, there will be wins and losses. I'll accept whatever the outcome."
I said, "I understand, Brother Bao. Such a large stone, revealing a patch of green doesn't prove anything. If it doesn't extend inward, it's just granite. The transportation cost alone would be more than the stone."
Dark, sandy surface stones are prone to variations. Even if a full green is revealed, it's not guaranteed to be a win. The green might just be on the surface. A single cut could make it disappear entirely. Ultimately, it comes down to cutting to determine its fate.
Honestly, I have no concept of large stones, especially one weighing over ten tons. Such a massive stone is prone to associated phenomena. After thousands of years of erosion, its exterior appears uniform, but no one knows what's inside. The only indication is the excavation site. It's not a given that all stones from a high-quality deposit will be jade.
Right now, I have no confidence to make a decision. I can only say something once I see the actual stone tomorrow.
Lanya and I left. She followed me into my room. After entering, she locked the door and asked me, "Do you know why Brother Bao is so worried?"
I said, "I don't know. Brother Qing thinks highly of him, so what is he worried about? At worst, he'll lose some money. He won't go bankrupt over a few million."
Lanya: "Of course not. That's not what I'm worried about."
I said, "I've always been confused about this matter. You need to give me some hints so I can make a proper judgment when I see the stone."
Lanya: "When we left the airport, you said something about putting on a show. Do you know why I sneered? Did you think such a grand display was because we were honored guests? Don't forget, Brother Bao used to be his subordinate. Coming here, a car picking us up would have been good enough. The purpose of such a grand display is to show us his strength, to tell us in this way that this is his territory, and we are only meant to obey, otherwise, we will die without a burial place."
I became even more confused and asked, "Why would he do that?"
Lanya: "Don't ask why for now. It's better for Brother Bao to tell you these things. I'm not comfortable speaking ill of others behind their backs. Remember, don't let appearances cloud your judgment. You are here to look at the stones, focus on that. Leave the rest to Brother Bao to handle."
After Lanya finished speaking, she returned to her room. I watched her retreating figure, sensing that she had many unspoken words, appearing hesitant to speak.
Regarding Brother Qing and Brother Bao, there seemed to be an invisible force between them, like the two poles of a strong magnet, very close yet repelling each other with intense force.
Brother Qing was in his fifties. Years of struggle had left many lines of hardship on his face. Although his spirit was undiminished, he appeared as an elder of considerable age.
As for Ah Xiang, she was at most thirty, still like a budding flower. No matter how you looked at it, they didn't seem compatible, more like a father with his daughter.
Yet, Ah Xiang acted completely obedient to Brother Qing, appearing devoted, showing no impact from the age difference.
Then there's Brother Bao. He was once Brother Qing's subordinate, dating back at least ten years ago. Brother Qing said Brother Bao saved Ah Xiang when she was probably a teenage girl, and Brother Bao was only in his early twenties. How he saved her, and how he met Brother Qing and became Brother Qing's wife, is a mystery. I suddenly felt that this strong magnetic force originated from Ah Xiang, and their subtle relationship made me have this strange feeling.
Could there be some hidden history between Brother Bao and Ah Xiang that makes their relationship so perplexing? Or perhaps, it wasn't Brother Bao's intention to develop in the mainland initially, but for some other reason.
My head hurts, it truly hurts.
Lanya surely knows very clearly, yet she doesn't say anything, making my immature brain rack its brains to no avail.
Forget it, I won't think about these things. I just need to complete my mission. I don't need to know anything else.
The night passed without incident. We got up early, had breakfast in the hotel lobby, and waited in the lobby for Brother Qing to send a car to pick us up.
Although Yangon is a relatively safe city, it is still a foreign country, so we were all quite cautious. Da Kui stayed by Brother Bao's side at all times.
It was the same van as yesterday, but Brother Qing didn't come, only the driver. The rest of us got into the car.
The interior of the car was very spacious, with two rows of facing seats and a table in between, allowing for business to be handled while on the move.
Shortly after the car started, we arrived at a plaza. The plaza was enclosed by huge tarps. Outside, there were many armed men in camouflage, carrying firearms, and a number of police officers stood on either side of the entrance.
Brother Qing was waiting for us at the entrance. Seeing us arrive, he said something to the police officers at the door, pointed at us, and the police each handed us a tag to wear around our necks. Then we followed Brother Qing inside.
I didn't see Ah Xiang. I estimated that Brother Qing wouldn't bring her to such an occasion. This place was a mix of everything, with all sorts of people, and safety couldn't be guaranteed.
The public auction hadn't started yet. Brother Qing led us into a large tent that had been set up inside. Several high-powered fans were blowing, and rows of chairs were arranged. Brother Qing said it was the VIP lounge and asked us to wait there for a while.
With the fans blowing and no sun exposure, it was indeed much cooler inside.
Many people were already seated inside. Judging by their accents, they were all from the mainland, speaking in different dialects and sitting in separate groups, discussing something animatedly.
We sat together. Brother Qing didn't sit; he stood nearby, seemingly waiting for someone.