"It's out in the green!" Master Zhang's excited voice rang out again.
Everyone's gaze immediately turned to the jade in Master Zhang's hand.
"This is purple jadeite, my goodness! What incredible luck to cut out two pieces of superb jade in a row."
"Will you sell this piece of jade? I'll offer two million!"
"Three million!"
"Four million!"
"Five million!" The people started bidding again, their eyes tinged with hope. This purple jadeite not only had good color and luster, but was also fine and translucent, a rare gem among purple jadeites. It's known that purple jadeite is extremely rare in the world of jade, and when it does occur, it's usually in small bean or milky varieties, which is why the saying goes: "Nine out of ten are wood, one in ten is jadeite."
When the bidding slowed down around Ling Yue, she spoke softly: "One hundred million, and I'll sell it." Although this purple jadeite was small, it was a glass-type variety, enough to make three bangles, eight pendants, with the remaining fragments used for rings and inlays – its value would certainly exceed one hundred million.
"Little girl, you're shooting for the moon. This jade hasn't even been fully uncovered yet, and you're already asking for one hundred million. Have you gone money-crazy?"
"This jade is worth at most ten million."
"Exactly, if you don't want to sell, just say so. Don't waste our time."
Ling Yue's expression remained calm. "Master, could you please grind off the outer layer of the jade?"
"Sure." Master Zhang deftly started grinding with the sanding machine.
As time ticked by and the whirring sound of grinding stopped, the jade revealed its true splendor. Not very large, about the size of two adult fists, but its color was a gorgeous deep purple, its luster transparent – unmistakably a top-quality glass variety.
The people present were transfixed by the jade, mentally calculating how much profit they could make if they bought it for one hundred million.
"I'll take this purple jadeite for one hundred and ten million." The booming voice came from Older Tang, who walked out from the crowd with a smile. He had been waiting at the hotel for a long time and came looking for them when they didn't return. He had just arrived when he saw the purple jadeite in Ling Yue's hand. This girl's luck was too incredible – first the emerald green glass jadeite, now this glass purple jadeite. He had been gambling with jade for over a decade and had never encountered luck like hers.
"Grandpa!" Tang Xin ran over to him, showing the jade she had uncovered. "Look at the jade I uncovered, isn't it beautiful?"
Old Mr. Tang glanced at the jade in Tang Xin's hand, somewhat surprised. "Not bad luck!"
Tang Xin smiled proudly. "Ling Yue helped me choose this one."
"Oh?" Old Mr. Tang looked at Ling Yue in surprise. Could she really tell if there was jade inside the raw stones? If not, how could her luck be so outrageous?
Ling Yue smiled back at him. "One hundred million for you, Old Mr. Tang."
"Sure, but since you helped Xin Xin choose this stone, I should give you some money too." Old Mr. Tang glanced at the jade in Tang Xin's hand, mentally calculating how much he should give Ling Yue.
"That was just Tang Xin's luck, it had nothing to do with me," Ling Yue smiled and declined. If she were to claim credit for every stone, she might as well have bought that thirty-piece lot for herself in the first place.
"No way, you picked out the raw stone for me. The luck is half mine, half yours, so the money should be split too," Tang Xin insisted after the jade was uncovered.
Ling Yue smiled helplessly and pointed to the previously discarded waste stone. "I picked that one too."
"That one doesn't count," Tang Xin was stubborn.
Unable to sway Tang Xin, Ling Yue said, "Alright, if you insist on thanking me, then you can take me out for a nice meal when we get back home. I'll choose the place."
Tang Xin thought for a moment, glanced at Old Mr. Tang who nodded, and replied, "Okay then, but you have to pick an expensive place."
"Sure," Ling Yue smiled and handed the jade to Old Mr. Tang. "Old Mr. Tang, the jade is yours."
Old Mr. Tang happily accepted it, his eyes crinkling into crescents. "Wonderful! Truly wonderful! The color and texture of this purple jadeite is superb, not a single flaw. Such a rarity!"
The people who hesitated watched Old Mr. Tang with envy, regretting their inaction. They had calculated that if they bought this purple jadeite and had it made into bangles, Buddha pendants, and rings, they could easily profit thirty to forty million. But alas, it was too late now.
"It's my turn now." Lan Ji stepped forward and placed the raw stone he had chosen into the machine.
