Chapter 80

Little Dadan furrowed his brows, sensing that this matter wasn’t so simple. Before he could even respond, the sales clerk was already smiling as she pitched the product:

“Such a big kid—drinking formula will help him grow taller.”

Ji Chenbiao was tall himself, so of course he hoped his Dadan would grow up tall too. Without asking Dadan for his opinion, he let the clerk pack up two cans right away.

On the way home, they had bought so much that Ji Chenbiao didn’t have a free hand to carry Dadan. Even Dadan had to carry a can of formula himself.

To Dadan, even just one can felt heavy. His little face turned bright red as he toddled along behind his dad, trying hard to keep up.

He was terrified his dad would walk too fast with all the stuff and forget him, leaving him behind.

Ji Chenbiao did, in fact, walk quite a distance before remembering little Dadan. Seeing how hard he was struggling, he gave a cough to cover his embarrassment, then led him to a bench by the road for a break.

After sitting down, Dadan wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve and mumbled softly:

“Daddy, wasteful.”

“What’s wasteful?”

Ji Chenbiao had worked hard learning how to cut open raw jade stones and was usually swamped with work. Most of the time, he didn’t have the energy to properly care for Dadan.

Now that he finally had a day free, he wanted to buy everything they might need all at once—so they wouldn’t have to make this long trip again anytime soon.

Dadan didn’t know how to explain it, but just looking at the pile of clothes, toys, and formula made his heart ache. How could Daddy spend money so wastefully?

“Daddy, I can eat food.”

After following behind Daddy and eating regular meals for so long, Dadan felt like there was no need to drink formula anymore.

Compared to this formula he’d never had before, Dadan would much rather that money go toward finding Auntie. He just wanted Daddy to be happy.

Ji Chenbiao was actually a bit afraid this stubborn little guy wouldn’t drink the formula once they got home. So right there on the sidewalk, he tried to reason with him.

“Drink formula, grow taller.”

Dadan raised his right hand and lightly thumped his left shoulder, lifting his chin slightly as he replied:

“Formula is for little babies. Dadan is a big baby.”

Not even up to Ji Chenbiao’s waist, little Dadan sat there seriously insisting he was a “big baby.” Ji Chenbiao couldn’t help but smile and reached out to ruffle his hair.

“Dadan is still small. Drinking formula can help you grow tall—like Daddy.”

Ji Chenbiao raised his hand to gesture his own height. Dadan stared at that hand and asked quietly:

“Grow tall?”

“Yeah, don’t you want to be tall like Daddy?”

Dadan, who barely reached someone’s knee, didn’t fully understand the importance of height. But he knew that in any group, his dad would definitely be the most handsome.

Still, he looked skeptical, his chubby face full of doubt. He lowered his voice and asked:

“Really makes you taller?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Does it taste good?”

Dadan was already mentally prepared for the formula to taste awful—just like those carrots an auntie once said would make him grow taller. Those were terrible. He only forced himself to take a couple bites because they were “good for growing.”

Ji Chenbiao could tell Dadan was starting to waver, so he gave one final push.

“Want to try it when we get home?”

“Okay!”

This time, Dadan didn’t find the formula heavy at all. He had completely forgotten how expensive he thought it was just moments ago. With his little legs chugging along, he even managed to run ahead of Ji Chenbiao.

At the store, Ji Chenbiao had already asked the clerk how to prepare the formula and also bought matching bottles. Once the water boiled, he set it aside to cool.

While waiting, Ji Chenbiao washed the new bottles and sorted all the clothes they’d bought, putting them neatly into the closet.

When he came back out, he saw Dadan still sitting there, looking like he’d been sealed by the bottle. Ji Chenbiao poured the cooled hot water into the bottle, scooped in three level spoonfuls of formula, and stirred.

The scent of milk drifted out, and Dadan couldn’t help swallowing his saliva, staring at his dad eagerly.

Ji Chenbiao didn’t tease him—once the powder had fully dissolved, he handed it over.

Dadan cautiously took a small sip, and after confirming that the taste was fine, began gulping it down in big mouthfuls. Watching him drink like a little calf at a water trough, Ji Chenbiao once again felt confident in his choice.

Leaving that village had been the right move. If they’d stayed, little Dadan might never have gotten the chance to drink formula.

“Is it good?”

Ji Chenbiao asked. Dadan couldn’t bear to let go of the bottle, so he just nodded.

Squatting down to look into his son’s beautiful eyes, the golden sunset poured in through the window, lighting up one side of Dadan’s chubby face with warmth.

In that moment, Ji Chenbiao suddenly felt a long-lost sense of happiness.

Dadan, still gulping his formula, began to slow down under his father’s gaze. When there was about a third left, he fought the reluctance in his heart, held out the bottle with one hand, and asked tentatively:

“Daddy, want to try?”

“No, that’s for kids.”

“Huh?”

Dadan frowned in confusion at that statement, not understanding why there was special formula just for children.

“What about Daddy?”

“Daddy’s going to make dinner.”

“Oh.”

Ji Chenbiao got up and headed into the kitchen, where the trendy vegetables he’d bought earlier were still waiting.

Even after all this time, Ji Chenbiao’s cooking hadn’t improved much. Luckily, they usually ate at the staff canteen.

That night at the dinner table, faced with a plate of scorched cabbage and a bowl of very questionable tomato soup, Dadan wasn’t surprised at all.

Last time, Mr. Zhou had given his dad a few crabs. Dadan had played with them in the kitchen for a long time—until his dad cooked them. When Dadan went to try one, a crab grabbed his spoon with its claw.

Ever since then, Dadan had given up all hope on his dad’s cooking.

Just pick up the food, put it in your bowl, close your eyes, grit your teeth, and eat. As long as you can’t see it and convince yourself it’s not that bad, then it really won’t be that bad!

Every time Ji Chenbiao saw his son acting like he was swallowing poison, he found it hilarious. Then, unable to resist, he’d grab a bite himself to see if it really was that bad.

After trying it, Ji Chenbiao was silent for two seconds—and decided they’d better just stick with the staff canteen. Yeah, it really was that bad.

“By the way, do you still remember that Uncle Zhou?”

While they were eating, Ji Chenbiao suddenly remembered the promise he’d made before. He said he’d help, and he couldn’t go back on his word.

If Dadan really did have a lifelong connection to the jade business, then it was better to start with a reliable partner. Mr. Zhou was the ideal choice.

“Yeah.”

Eager to finish his meal as quickly as possible, Dadan didn’t even look up as he answered. Of course he remembered—the man had come looking for his dad many times.

“He wants your help looking at a batch of raw jade stones. Pick the one you like best, alright?”

“Okay.”

Unaware of the situation, Dadan simply thought his dad wanted to play with him. He happily wiggled his body like a chubby little caterpillar.

After settling things with Dadan, Ji Chenbiao contacted Mr. Zhou to confirm the exact time.

The batch of goods was being shipped from Myanmar. The mine over there had a high yield rate, and even produced a rare piece of pink glass-type jadeite that sold for a high price at auction.

Goods like this were usually pre-selected by their team before being put up for exhibition and sale at auctions.

While gaining fame at auctions was important, it couldn’t compare to the profits they made from their own finds. Mr. Zhou had gone through great trouble to acquire this batch—not just to make a name for them at the auction.

On the agreed-upon day, Ji Chenbiao dressed An’an in a beautiful new outfit, making sure he looked sharp and spirited.

Before they left the house, Dadan stood in front of the mirror admiring himself for quite a while.

Ji Chenbiao didn’t rush him—he just leaned against the doorway, quietly watching.

After finally finishing his preening, Dadan belatedly realized his father had been watching him the entire time. His fair little cheeks flushed pink, and he muttered under his breath:

“Daddy, you’re mean.”

He hadn’t even said anything—just stood there watching him make a fool of himself! The more Dadan thought about it, the angrier he became. He puffed up his cheeks all the way there, looking like a pufferfish dragged in to shine shoes.

Mr. Zhou had invited most of the top jade evaluators in the circle. Ji Chenbiao was a few minutes late due to transportation issues.

Someone offered to leave early, but Mr. Zhou declined.

These were all prominent figures in the industry, and Mr. Zhou had gone to great lengths to bring them in for this.

Now that they were asked to wait a little, and the request was refused, some of them couldn’t help feeling a bit displeased.

Still, out of respect for Mr. Zhou, no one showed it on their faces.

They exchanged glances, curious about what kind of person could make Mr. Zhou wait like this.

There weren’t many people in the industry who were harder to book than them.

Mr. Zhou kept glancing at his watch anxiously, worried Ji Chenbiao might back out. He was already thinking that if they didn’t show up soon, he’d send someone to fetch them.

Exactly ten minutes after the appointed time, Ji Chenbiao finally arrived, carrying An’an.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Zhou. We ran into a small issue on the way.”

They’d come across a scene on the street where a child was crying loudly, being dragged along by a man. The man claimed the child was just being rebellious and denying their father-son relationship after a fight.

Passersby hesitated to get involved, thinking it was a family matter. But Ji Chenbiao sensed something was off. Using his strength, he sent both of them to the police station.

If it was a real case of child trafficking, he did a good deed. If it wasn’t, then the unruly kid could be lectured by the police—and possibly get a beating at home.

Ever since Ji Chenbiao became a father, he couldn’t stand watching such situations unfold before him.

He couldn’t imagine what would happen if someone used that excuse to take Dadan. Would Dadan be able to get away?

If possible, he hoped that when his own son was in danger, some well-meaning bystander would be willing to “interfere.”

Mr. Zhou had already held Ji Chenbiao in high regard since he saved Mr. Zhou’s child before. Hearing it was once again to save a child, all his annoyance from waiting vanished.

“It’s fine. You weren’t too late. Let’s get in the car.”

“Alright.”

From the moment Ji Chenbiao arrived, the other industry professionals had been eyeing him up and down, trying to see what made him special.

But no matter how they looked, they couldn’t find anything remarkable. He was tall and broad-shouldered—seemed more suited to being a bodyguard than a jade evaluator.

Noting his intimidating physique, they all kept their thoughts to themselves.

As for Dadan, none of them gave him a second glance. Some even inwardly disdained how unprofessional it was to bring a kid along.

On the bus, Dadan leaned against the window, curiously watching the scenery go by. Everything outside was new and exciting to him.

Even when a bird flew by in the sky, he pointed it out for his dad to see.

They headed out to a warehouse in the suburbs. Several guards stood watch there, and only after confirming Mr. Zhou’s identity did they let the group in.

Inside the massive warehouse, raw jade materials were piled high. Compared to those displayed in the regular stone markets, these were much more beautiful.

Freshly mined and directly transported here, some even retained traces of their original condition.

Once Ji Chenbiao walked in holding Dadan, Dadan’s eyes started darting around, trying to take in everything. He looked like a hungry little wolf cub dropped into a flock of sheep.

“Waaah, Daddy, so pretty!”

Dadan couldn’t help but exclaim in wonder. The seasoned professionals were also stunned by the quality of the stones, and his childish voice broke the silence.

The oldest among them shot him a displeased look, clearly annoyed that he’d interrupted their thoughts.

Dadan didn’t notice at all—his eyes were full of dazzling stones.

He squirmed, trying to get down from his father’s arms. He felt something was off with this batch and wanted to check for himself.

Ji Chenbiao didn’t see anything unusual, only that the quality of these stones was far better than what he’d previously encountered. He also glanced over at the other guests who’d come with Mr. Zhou.

He just so happened to catch one of them secretly glaring at his son. Ji Chenbiao wasn’t intimidated in the slightest and glared right back.

With his physique, he was plenty intimidating. That man, no matter how annoyed he was, had to turn away and pretend nothing happened.

Already irritated from having to wait so long due to the delay, the man’s mood only worsened now that Ji Chenbiao dared to glare at them.

Ever since he gained status in the industry, no one had dared treat him like that!

“Alright, everyone, take a look. Each person can choose two pieces of rough jade. I’ll keep the ones you pick.”

Same rules as before: everyone could select two stones. If their selection revealed jadeite upon cutting, they’d receive 5% of the market value as a reward.

The group nodded, pulling out flashlights from their toolkits and starting to examine the stones one by one.

They shined the lights against the stones to check for jadeite inside.

Ji Chenbiao didn’t bring any tools—he was a stone cutter, not a jade evaluator.

Dadan didn’t have any either. He was still young, and everything he did was based on instinct.

Mr. Zhou told Ji Chenbiao to put Dadan down, and Dadan began to imitate the others, examining the rough stones one by one.

In Dadan’s clean, bright eyes, it was as if only the raw stones existed in the world.

Ji Chenbiao could sense that the others had misunderstood something—perhaps they believed that the person Mr. Zhou valued so highly was him.

When Dadan squatted in front of a raw stone and reached out to touch it, Ji Chenbiao realized what was going on. He had no intention of clarifying the misunderstanding. Instead, he even crouched beside Dadan to look at the stone with him.

At that moment, Mr. Zhou also understood what he meant. For someone with a special identity like Dadan, the fewer people who knew, the better.

Mr. Zhou only had some influence in Shancheng and couldn’t guarantee Dadan’s safety if the rumors about the “Jade Child” spread outside.

If word got out that such a young child could identify jade within rough stones, anyone who knew about the Jade Child legend would immediately connect the dots.

Even the children of prestigious jade families wouldn’t be able to judge whether a rough stone contained jade at such a young age.

Let alone a kid from a small village who hadn’t been exposed to any knowledge of rough stones before this.

But for someone like Ji Chenbiao, it was different. He was old enough. Even if he had never shown such talent before, others would simply assume he had been hiding it and had only recently chosen to reveal himself.

Once he became famous, people would retroactively explain everything he’d done—saying things like “Ji Chenbiao is just naturally low-key and doesn’t like drawing attention.”

Mr. Zhou handed his personal flashlight to Ji Chenbiao, who took it and copied the professionals, shining the light onto the raw stones.

But even with the flashlight illuminating the material, Ji Chenbiao couldn’t tell the difference between stones that could produce jade and those that couldn’t.

Dadan’s chubby little hand kept feeling around on the raw stones. One of the industry insiders noticed and frowned, clearly unhappy, then reminded him:

“Better move your kid aside for now. He’s in the way. What if he blocks my view while I’m examining a stone?”

“No offense, but do you really know how to identify stones that contain jade?”

“If not, you’d better leave before you embarrass yourself here.”

Ji Chenbiao didn’t argue back. He just picked Dadan up and moved to another area. But Dadan, having been scolded for no reason, was clearly upset, kicking his little legs in the air twice.

Like a cat peacefully sunbathing that suddenly got kicked for no reason.

“Dadan, be good,” Ji Chenbiao said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Even though he had done nothing wrong, being scolded made Dadan visibly unhappy. He wasn’t acting as obedient as usual.

When he heard his father tell him to behave, a wave of grievance welled up in his heart.

He hadn’t done anything wrong! That man had been mean and insulted his dad first—and now Dad was telling him to behave?!

“Daddy…”

Seeing Dadan’s drooping head and suddenly dimmed eyes, Ji Chenbiao realized he’d said the wrong thing.

“Dadan, there are some things that are our little secret, okay? We can’t let anyone else know.”

“And Daddy believes in Dadan—he’s definitely better than all of them, isn’t he?”

“What if someone found out how amazing Dadan is and tried to take him away from Daddy?”

After raising Dadan himself, Ji Chenbiao knew exactly how to coax him when he was upset.

Soothing a child was like petting a cat—you had to stroke with the grain.

First came the thrill of sharing a secret with Daddy, then the trust Daddy placed in him. Dadan, who wasn’t entirely sure of himself a moment ago, suddenly brimmed with confidence.

“Yes!”

Dadan nodded seriously. Of course he was better than those arrogant adults.

Turned into a totally average yet super confident little guy by his dad’s praise, Dadan clung to his father’s arm and gently rubbed his cheek against it.

“Don’t worry, Daddy. Dadan is Daddy’s!”

“Yes, you’re mine,” Ji Chenbiao replied.

He never liked bringing up that Dadan had been someone he picked up. He didn’t want his child to feel like he was abandoned.

On the contrary, he’d boast about Dadan in every possible way, as if he wanted to praise him into the sky.

Dadan didn’t need any tools. Just by touching, he could sense something special—as if the jade inside the raw stones turned into flowing spiritual energy, eagerly rushing into his fingertips.

It felt wonderful. The more he touched, the more addicted he became. He wanted to touch every single stone.

The warehouse was big, and the raw stones were piled up high. As Dadan moved from one to the next, he inevitably began to sweat.

Ji Chenbiao noticed and wanted to wipe the sweat off for him, but Dadan, eager to touch the next stone, pushed his father’s hand away and wiped it himself with his arm.

He didn’t realize that with dust from the raw stones all over his hands, wiping his face left dirty smudges on his bright, clean little cheeks—standing out starkly.

Ji Chenbiao squatted there in silence for a moment. With such a dusty little kid, he almost didn’t want to admit this was his son.

Mr. Zhou had been watching silently the entire time. No matter what they did, he never rushed them, giving them all the time they needed.

In the large warehouse, everything was quiet. Only the sound of breathing, footsteps, and the flashlight tapping against stone echoed in the stillness.

Among the piles of rough stones, Dadan picked and touched, and whenever he found one that felt especially good, he tried to lift it and hand it to his dad.

Knowing Dadan couldn’t move them on his own, Mr. Zhou had his assistant follow them around, helping to move the selected stones aside and label them.

From morning until dusk, they kept at it, only eating a little in between to stave off hunger.

No one in the trade could resist the temptation of high-quality jade. For rough stones from such a legendary mine, with high output potential, they didn’t want to waste a single second.

Among them, Dadan was the most obsessed. He carried his milk bottle around and refused to leave. After finishing one bottle, he continued feeling the stones and eventually picked three.

He remembered what Uncle Zhou had said earlier—that everyone could choose two stones.

Two for Daddy, two for Dadan. That made sense.

Ji Chenbiao had been worried that Dadan’s greedy behavior would annoy Mr. Zhou and was just about to explain when he noticed Mr. Zhou not far away giving him a subtle shake of the head.

If Dadan really was the legendary Jade Child, then picking four raw stones was nothing—Mr. Zhou was the one benefiting.

At 5 p.m., seeing that they were still carefully inspecting each stone, Mr. Zhou had his assistant remind them.

It was getting late. Once the selections were done, they still needed to cut the raw stones. If they didn’t wrap up soon, it would be too late to return afterward.

After picking three stones, Dadan still couldn’t find a fourth that satisfied him. His short little legs ran all over the warehouse.

No one believed that a child that young could really find jadeite. They just assumed he was being mischievous and running around aimlessly.

In the final fifteen minutes, the professionals stood off to the side, adjusting their well-tailored suits as they watched the child with a mocking gaze.

After Dadan ran around for a while, as he neared a certain spot, he suddenly had a strange feeling and instinctively stopped in his tracks.

Ji Chenbiao, understanding Dadan well, reached out to cover Dadan’s mouth from behind and called out loudly,
“What’s back here?”

Dadan, who had been about to struggle, fell silent once his father asked the question he himself had wanted to ask.

The few men nearby chuckled when they heard Ji Chenbiao’s words. Even Mr. Zhou looked displeased, but he still walked over to explain:

“These are also raw stones that will be used in the auction. But because they only have a very thin layer and it’s already exposed on the surface, so…”

At that, Ji Chenbiao understood—these were used to fool people who didn’t know the jadeite trade. Seeing a hint of jadeite poking out, they’d rush to buy it, only to get scammed out of everything, down to their underwear.

Dadan’s mouth was still being covered. He obediently stayed quiet, only reaching out to tug gently at his father’s pants.

“This one—is it okay?”

Ji Chenbiao pointed at a large raw stone in front of him. It was nearly as tall as he was. A layer of light purple jadeite was exposed on the surface, with a lovely floating pattern.

Although, based on the little he’d learned about raw stones so far, this kind had a zero percent chance of producing anything good. Still, if he didn’t say something quickly to Mr. Zhou, he had a strong suspicion Dadan would yank his pants right off.

Mr. Zhou didn’t miss the little hand tugging at Ji Chenbiao’s trousers. His earlier doubts began to fade, and he pulled a smile at the corner of his lips for a second.

“Of course.”

The others burst out laughing even louder. When they had passed this raw stone earlier, they hadn’t even spared it a glance.

Stones like this could only deceive amateurs.

They had previously suspected Ji Chenbiao might be a low-key veteran in the industry, but this move made them all believe he was nothing special.

As dusk fell, dinner arrived—a luxurious meal specially ordered from the city by Mr. Zhou’s assistant.

Ji Chenbiao noticed that Dadan liked the broccoli, so he gave him all of his. Seeing Dadan’s cheeks bulging as he munched made Ji Chenbiao even happier than eating it himself.

During the meal, Mr. Zhou received a phone call and stepped out.

With only Ji Chenbiao and the other industry professionals left in the room, they dropped the pretense and started speaking in overtly disdainful tones:

“Why would Mr. Zhou invite someone like you?”

Ji Chenbiao acted as if he hadn’t heard, calmly using a napkin to wipe Dadan’s mouth. There was no point arguing with people like them—they would stick to their own beliefs no matter what he said.

“We’re talking to you. Are you Mr. Zhou’s relative?”

“No. Mr. Zhou invited me because he trusts my ability.”

Ability? Picking a raw stone that only a complete novice would choose—was that the kind of “ability” he meant?

The man wanted to mock him further, but Mr. Zhou returned just in time, cutting him off.

The jade-cutting craftsmen arrived around dusk. Two of them were people Ji Chenbiao recognized. As they passed by, they quietly greeted him in hushed tones.

Five industry professionals, plus Ji Chenbiao and Dadan—fourteen raw stones were laid out, each labeled with a tag marking their owner.

When the craftsmen saw that the large raw stone was also placed among those to be cut, they froze. Out of caution, they approached Mr. Zhou to confirm.

“That big one too? Should we cut it?”

“Cut it!”

Even if there was nothing inside, the loss was within Mr. Zhou’s acceptable range.

But if there was something… such a large raw stone—he’d make a fortune!

The five industry insiders did have some skills. Among the two raw stones each picked, most had one that yielded jadeite—but the quality was mediocre, which left Mr. Zhou a bit disappointed.

Those men thought they’d done well today, but Mr. Zhou’s expression said otherwise. As they were getting disgruntled, the jade cutter began working on the largest raw stone.

Mr. Zhou stood up, visibly excited. It was his first time opening such a large raw stone, and he was nervous. The clear difference in attitude made the others even more dissatisfied.

Driven by curiosity, they all gathered around, wanting to see what would come from this obvious piece of trash.

Among them, the one who should have been the most nervous—little Dadan—had already dozed off after dinner, unable to resist sleepiness.

Before falling asleep, he had mumbled that someone must wake him when they cut the jade.

Ji Chenbiao held him while sitting off to the side. He took off his jacket and draped it over Dadan. Seeing his peaceful sleeping face, Ji Chenbiao fell into thought.

He didn’t really care about the outcome. Compared to what might come out of the stone, what he wanted to know more was—when could they go home?

No matter how steadily he held Dadan, it would never be as comfortable as sleeping in bed.

Just as things were about to begin, Ji Chenbiao gently shook Dadan’s shoulder to wake him up. But disturbed from his nap, the half-asleep Dadan cracked one eye open, balled up his tiny fist, and threw a punch at Ji Chenbiao.

Ji Chenbiao dodged in time. When he looked back again, Dadan had already curled up into his arms, so he let him be.

Based on the craftsman’s many years of experience, the best and most efficient way to cut such a large raw stone was right down the middle.

As the craftsman prepared to cut, Mr. Zhou suddenly remembered something Ji Chenbiao had mentioned earlier.

A beautiful raw stone had once been ruined because the craftsman’s technique was off, and in the end, they could only salvage enough for a tiny pendant.

“Wait. Start from the edges—cut little by little.”

The craftsman looked puzzled. To him, this request seemed nonsensical. But since it was Mr. Zhou’s order, no matter how troublesome it seemed, he could only comply.

“Alright.”

The first cut—nothing, no green at all.

The second cut—still nothing.

The oldest of the professionals was already bored. In his eyes, Mr. Zhou had brought an outsider to mess around with them and hadn’t taken them seriously at all.

“Mr. Zhou, if I may be blunt, the person you picked this time is… not impressive.”

The third cut—still nothing. The sliced piece clattered to the ground, kicking up a little dust.

With a grim expression, Mr. Zhou ordered the craftsman to cut through the exposed part.

Just as they’d suspected, it was only a thin layer on the surface. Not even enough for a small pendant. No matter how pretty the jade was—what was the use?

Mr. Zhou’s palms had broken into a sweat. He was starting to wonder—had those two earlier successes really just been due to Dadan’s pure luck?

All that talk about jade-tellers was nothing more than hearsay within their industry.

“If next time you’re going to bring along someone who knows absolutely nothing, Mr. Zhou, then don’t bother inviting us.”

“Exactly. Doesn’t even know how to look at the stone and dares to try judging jade?”

“Boss Zhou, even if this person you brought along doesn’t know much about jade cutting, at least he looks pretty intimidating. Why not let him be my bodyguard instead?”

“I might not be on your level, Boss Zhou, but I can still afford to feed him.”

“Dragging a kid around wherever you go—is that really someone fit to be your bodyguard? Come on, Wang, quit joking.”

The group went on and on, not thinking their words were too harsh.

True, they were invited by Mr. Zhou, but with their reputation in the industry, they didn’t need to flatter him to get business.

On the contrary, it was Mr. Zhou who had personally come to invite them.

Among them, only the cutting master was still focused on his work. With another cut, the light that reflected off the stone was different this time—it instantly caught Mr. Zhou’s attention.

“Stop cutting. Polish it open bit by bit.”

The cutting master had been in the trade for many years and knew exactly what this kind of glow meant—it was a sign jade was about to show. He wiped the sweat from his forehead before picking up a different tool to proceed.

Compared to the rougher cuts from before, his movements now were noticeably more cautious. As the green light grew stronger and one corner of the jade was exposed to air, everyone instinctively held their breath.