For half a day, the two only managed to buy three raw jade stones. One was less than thirty catties, and the jade inside should be Imperial Green. The other two were around ten catties each, and their quality was quite high. Guo Xuyang, having learned his lesson, didn't cut them open on the spot. Instead, he contacted Wu Youzhi directly to have him drive over and collect the stones.
To avoid appearing too conspicuous, he bought three more small stones, each weighing less than three catties. Their jade quality wasn't great, but they wouldn't incur a loss either.
By the time Wu Youzhi arrived, they had just finished paying.
"Mr. Guo, hello, hello. What kind of materials do you have this time?"
"Here, they're all here," Guo Xuyang kicked the stones by his feet with his foot. "Your place can cut stones, right?"
"Yes, yes, we have specialized stone cutters and sculptors," Wu Youzhi said, opening the tarp on the back of the pickup truck. He and Guo Xuyang loaded the stones into the truck bed.
The group headed to Wu Youzhi's shop together.
This was Guo Xuyang's first visit to the Jin Bao Lai Jade Specialty Store. The entire shop was about six hundred square meters, spread across two floors. The jade quality in the store was excellent, suggesting a focus on the mid to high-end market. Of course, the prices were also quite high, out of reach for ordinary people.
Wu Youzhi called two workers to bring the stones to the second floor and cut them all open. The second floor had three workrooms specifically for cutting and carving stones.
He, along with Guo Xuyang and Xiao Yun, went to the manager's office nearby to drink tea and chat. Before they even finished a pot of tea, the stone cutter rushed over, shouting, "Mr. Wu, Imperial Green, Imperial Green! Such a large piece of Imperial Green!"
The Imperial Green Wu Youzhi had bought for five million last time was much smaller. He couldn't help but wonder how much bigger this one could be. He then invited Guo Xuyang and Xiao Yun to the stone cutting room to see today's haul.
When he saw the Imperial Green stone, which was as large as a soccer ball, he was stunned. The entire jade was crystal clear. When illuminated by a flashlight, the light shone directly through, brimming with vibrant green. How much incredible luck could one have to find such a large piece of Imperial Green?
He could only feel envious and jealous. Why did he always get to see these things? This was blatant flaunting of wealth. It made sense why they came here to cut stones; he knew the importance of not showing off one's wealth.
"Mr. Guo, you're incredible." He couldn't help but give Guo Xuyang a thumbs-up. "Brother is truly impressed."
Guo Xuyang smiled and said, "Mr. Wu, I can't give this one to you; I have a use for it. I can give you the other pieces, though. You can set the price, of course."
"Rest assured, Mr. Guo. I will give you a satisfactory price."
Having been solely focused on the Imperial Green, the other five stones had been overlooked.
It was only then, as they were brought up, that he looked at the remaining five. One was a fiery red, like a burning flame, with red jade and green jade, weighing about three catties. Another was a "spring color" piece, uniquely shaped like an ageless immortal sitting under a peach tree, weighing about six catties. The remaining three, while less striking, were also of high quality, bordering on ice jade.
Any one of these pieces would be enough for an ordinary family to live on for a lifetime, yet Guo Xuyang had managed to acquire them all. His luck was truly off the charts.
"Mr. Guo, thank you for your trust and for considering me, brother. Let me quote a price, and you can see if it's acceptable," Wu Youzhi said. "This red jade, one hundred million; this spring color piece, eighty million; the other three, thirty million; totaling two hundred and ten million."
Although Guo Xuyang didn't know much about jade, he could sense Wu Youzhi's intentions. "This is Mr. Guo's first visit, and there will be many more opportunities for cooperation in the future. If I quote too low, not only would it betray your trust, but it would likely be a one-off deal. By pricing it a bit higher this time, even if the profit is less, it allows for a long-term relationship. With such a valuable customer, why worry about future business?"
Wu Youzhi, of course, didn't know Guo Xuyang could sense his thoughts. He looked at Guo Xuyang eagerly, afraid he wouldn't agree.
Guo Xuyang said, "Since Mr. Wu has given this price, I assume you won't shortchange your brother. Alright, please proceed with the transfer."
Wu Youzhi was momentarily stunned by Guo Xuyang's prompt agreement.
"What's wrong, Mr. Wu?" Guo Xuyang asked, looking at the dazed Wu Youzhi.
"Brother, that's straightforward. I've made a true friend in you." Wu Youzhi reacted.
Although it wasn't his first business transaction, the level of trust shown made Wu Youzhi feel an indescribable sense of joy. A true friend in life is enough.
Just as the transfer was completed, the phone rang.
"Mr. Guo, this is Liu Qiang, President Cheng's driver. I'm here to pick you up. Are you at the hotel?"
"I'm currently at the Jin Bao Lai Jade Specialty Store. Please wait a moment, I'll be right back."
"Where are you? I'll come pick you up now. I'm right below the hotel where you're staying, about a fifteen-minute drive from your location. Please wait a moment."
After hanging up, Guo Xuyang looked at Wu Youzhi and said, "Mr. Wu, I have a sudden matter to attend to. Could you please help me keep this Imperial Green jade? It's inconvenient for me to take it with me."
"Don't worry, my shop deals with high-end jade and has specialized safes. I'll deliver it to you whenever you're free," Wu Youzhi quickly replied.
"Thank you, then." Guo Xuyang bid farewell to Wu Youzhi and, with Xiao Yun, went downstairs to wait for the driver.
Wu Youzhi hurried to have someone take the Imperial Green to his office and place it in the safe. If it were stolen, he might have to sell his entire shop to compensate, which would be a huge loss.
Upon reaching the ground floor lobby, Xiao Yun was captivated by the jade in the store. There were bracelets, pendants, all truly beautiful, especially the display pieces, with their diverse shapes and profound meanings. She couldn't help but nudge Guo Xuyang. "You know, the red jade you gave me last time, would it be better for a bracelet or a pendant?"
Guo Xuyang's perceived true thoughts from Xiao Yun were: "How much money do all these jades cost? This kid doesn't even ask if I like them. Does he really have no regard for me? So stingy."
He couldn't help but look at his precognitive ability with newfound appreciation. This ability was simply too powerful, like a demon-revealing mirror. He smiled and said, "I think it's best to make both a bracelet and a pendant, since it's big enough." He then deliberately glanced at her.
"You pervert, where are you looking? I'm willing to warm your bed, and you get scared and run around. Now you're peeking around with a lecherous gaze. Do you know what it means to have the desire but not the courage? That's you." Xiao Yun, unwilling to back down, reprimanded Guo Xuyang fiercely. She finally got to vent the anger from the morning.
So, it's said that it's better to offend a villain than a woman. Women are tigers, not to be provoked.
"How about this? If you can guess what's wrong with the Cheng family patriarch, I'll give you the Imperial Green that was just cut. That way, you won't complain about me being stingy all the time?" Guo Xuyang said.
"Is he a worm in my stomach? How would he know I think he's stingy? Hmph, he *is* stingy. You want to know what's wrong with the Cheng family patriarch? He's possessed. What else could it be?" Xiao Yun had no idea that Guo Xuyang could perceive all her thoughts.
"I guess he's possessed. Ever since he returned from his hometown, he's been like this. He must have encountered something unclean."
"Mm. Well, let's wait and see. If you guess correctly, I'll give you the Imperial Green from upstairs."
Those who didn't know would think these two were bragging, casually offering Imperial Green as a gift. This Imperial Green was sold by the gram. Ignorance is truly terrifying.
As the two were bickering, Liu Qiang arrived at the shop entrance. They got into the car and headed to Songshan Villa.