"What?!" Instantly, the whole place erupted in gasps!
Everyone turned their gaze back to the rough stone on the cutting machine.
However, the cut surface had now been wiped clean. Although the cut was full of green, it was riddled with tiny cracks. It could be said that this high-quality rough jadeite had completely turned into a废石 (waste stone).
"This, how is this possible!"
"Why don't we try cutting from another side?"
"It's useless. Don't you know that once a jadeite with such full cracks is cut on one side, the entire jadeite is ruined."
"Alas, it's such a pity. This is a glutinous ice jadeite with full green. If it weren't for the cracks, the jadeite ornaments made from this piece would be worth millions at least!"
Everyone lamented.
"But this doesn't mean Master Tang's skill is not good. After all, even professional equipment cannot detect what's inside the rough stone."
"Right, right. Being able to pick out glutinous ice jadeite and full green is already very good."
"Perhaps that kid named Chen Fan will cut out a rock!"
Sensing Tang Yuchen's extremely displeased expression, the crowd quickly offered words of comfort.
Chen Fan sneered and glanced at the man nearby. "It's my turn now. Please be a bit quicker. I'm in a hurry to get to work."
The man was stunned and looked at Tang Yuchen.
Tang Yuchen shot Chen Fan a dark look, then nodded at the man.
The man stepped up to Chen Fan and placed the rough stone Chen Fan had chosen onto the cutting machine.
As the cutting machine started, the atmosphere in the venue became extremely tense.
"Master Tang, you don't need to worry. That kid hasn't even touched gem gambling for a day. How could he possibly win against you."
"Old Zhao is right, Master Tang. I think that kid probably won't even be able to cut out a bean-grade jadeite. It's highly likely to be a rock."
"There isn't that much jadeite; most of it is rock. So many people have gone bankrupt because of it. How could that kid possibly cut out jadeite? You've already done very well to pick out a glutinous ice, full-green jadeite!"
Zhao Zhihong and others crowded around Tang Yuchen, fawning over him again.
Hearing these words, Tang Yuchen felt a little better.
He looked at Chen Fan and said, "Chen Fan, I've given you a chance. Don't embarrass yourself by cutting out a rock."
His words implied that he had cut out a cracked jadeite to give Chen Fan some face.
Chen Fan's lips curved upwards. He glanced at Tang Yuchen and replied, "Don't worry, Master Tang. I won't end up cutting out a cracked waste stone like you."
"You!" Tang Yuchen was struck at his sore spot again, and his eyes widened in anger.
Zhao Zhihong roared, "Kid, you've got a big mouth. Do you know how difficult it is to select jadeite from rough stone?"
A middle-aged woman chimed in, "Exactly. If you don't understand, don't talk big here, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue? Master Tang at least managed to select an ice-grade, full-green jadeite. Your piece is at best a rock. I really don't know what right you have to mock Master Tang here."
Just then, the sound of the cutting machine running idly could be heard.
The man opened the cover of the cutting machine.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on the grinding wheel of the cutting machine, waiting for the man to lift it so they could see what was inside.
Qin Shuran nervously held Chen Fan's hand, her palm covered in sweat.
Chen Fan tightened his grip on Qin Shuran's small hand and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, you have to believe in my luck."
Qin Shuran really wanted to roll her eyes at Chen Fan. At a time like this, he was still joking.
Her eyes were fixed on the grinding wheel, waiting for the final result to be revealed.
Under everyone's gaze, the man lifted the grinding wheel.
"Hiss!"
A collective gasp of cold air swept through the venue. The moment everyone saw the cut surface, their eyes widened in shock.
Some people's jaws almost dropped to the floor.
"This, how is this possible!"
"This is ice-grade imperial green?!"
Zhao Zhihong and the others were so stunned that their voices changed, their faces filled with disbelief.
The person with the most unsightly expression in the venue was Tang Yuchen himself. The moment he saw the cut surface, he felt like countless alpacas were stampeding across his head. All expression froze on his face.
"Quick, quick, wipe it clean and see if this jadeite of his is also full of cracks!" After a moment, Tang Yuchen, who had recovered, roared at the rough stone on the cutting machine.
The man heard this and quickly nodded, not daring to delay in the slightest. He grabbed a towel and began to wipe the surface of the rough stone.
Soon, the cut surface was wiped so clean it could almost be used as a mirror. Apart from a deep green band in the center that was unaffected, there wasn't a single other crack.
The man looked at Tang Yuchen tremblingly, "Master Tang, this, this jadeite has no cracks!"
Boom!
These words struck Tang Yuchen's ears like a clap of thunder.
Tang Yuchen stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. His face turned even more ghastly than if he had eaten ten pounds of dead rats.
He never expected such a result. This time, he, Tang Yuchen, had lost all face!
The venue fell into a profound silence. Everyone stared blankly at the vibrant green rough jadeite, lost in thought for a long time.
Chen Fan had casually kicked a stone and chosen a rough stone, and then cut out ice-grade imperial green!
If this was luck, it was no less than winning the first prize at a lottery center, or even much more difficult.
"Manager Zhao, didn't you say you would eat the rough stone if I won? You can start now, can't you? I'd really like to see how a person eats a stone," Chen Fan said mockingly to Zhao Zhihong.
Zhao Zhihong's face instantly turned red to the roots of his neck. He said awkwardly, "Mr. Chen, I, I was just joking. With my teeth, I'm afraid I'd break my teeth before I could even chew through the stone."
Even his address had changed from Chen Fan to Mr. Chen.
Chen Fan ignored the embarrassed Zhao Zhihong and turned to Tang Yuchen, who was still in a daze. "Master Tang, I'm in a hurry to get to work. There are patients waiting for me at the hospital, so I'll be taking my leave. As for calling Ms. Qin, you can do that yourself."
With that, Chen Fan pulled Qin Shuran and left the warehouse.
Qin Shuran was also in a state of shock.
Although she had prepared herself mentally to some extent, seeing the ice-grade imperial green still left her speechless.
Chen Fan's words were like a thorn that pierced Tang Yuchen's heart.
Especially the title "Master Tang," which made Tang Yuchen feel like a mockery.
"Master Tang, I, I'll be leaving too. I have appointments with some clients."
"Me too, I have a client appointment."
"Master Tang, I suddenly remembered I forgot to turn off my gas at home. See you on the weekend, I'm going home now."
In just a moment, only Tang Yuchen and the stone cutter were left in the warehouse. For Tang Yuchen, who had been fawned over by everyone just moments ago, this was a complete mockery.
"Mr. Chen!" After leaving the warehouse, everyone saw Chen Fan about to leave and hurriedly chased after him with smiles on their faces.