Chapter 115: The Market

Shanyu City, Wuning District, a certain studio.

A Daoist priest in his thirties hurried into the largest office.

“Shishu, the property management is here. You should go take a look.”

{Shishu – Wuyong’s Taoist hierarchy title}

The property management had come with a matter that was neither too big nor too small.

They started with a fire safety briefing, pointing out that the studio’s long queue was blocking the fire escape, posing a safety hazard. From today onwards, the safety passage must remain clear, and they hoped the owner would rectify the issue immediately.

Qin Fanghao said, “There was never a problem before. Why are they suddenly asking for changes? Could it be that our competitors can’t beat us in business and reported us?”

Wuyong replied, “Our studio is so niche, do we even have competitors?”

“Those pet-finding teams, our prices are lower, and our skills are better. Recently, I’ve noticed some snarky comments on our social media accounts.”

Wuyong said, “Ignore them. Even if there are petty troublemakers, the merit our boss has accumulated is enough to protect the studio. What we should worry about are those with malicious intentions.”

She added, “Let’s make the changes. We didn’t consider this thoroughly.”

“Why not set up the entrance downstairs in the open area, like a luxury store, and limit the number of people going upstairs? This way, we can move the crowd from the stairwell to downstairs.”

“It might happen again for other reasons, but let’s use this as a buffer plan.” Wuyong called the admin, “The lease upstairs seems to be expiring. Go negotiate, and if the price is right, we’ll rent it.”

“Move upstairs? Isn’t that too much space, a bit wasteful?”

Wuyong said, “I’m worried we won’t have enough room to stretch our legs.”

Qin Qing received another call from Wuyong. After hearing the situation, she confirmed, “So you plan to turn the entire upstairs into a Starry Sky Room?”

“It might not necessarily be a Starry Sky Room. It depends on you. If you can refine a few more Crystal Balls for me, I can create several themed rooms.”

There was something about Wuyong’s voice that always gave Qin Qing the impression of a “money-loving Daoist.”

In just a month or two of running the studio independently, Daoist Priest Wuyong had already mastered the art of storytelling and pitching to investors.

She even made a PowerPoint presentation.

In the video, Wuyong’s face appeared particularly devout.

The cover of the PowerPoint read, “Feasibility Analysis of the Crystal Ball Magic Park.”

The phrase “shearing a sheep multiple times” was particularly eye-catching.

“There are too many words, so you probably won’t read it. Let me summarize it simply.

As a tourist attraction, if the background never changes, it quickly becomes tiresome.

With a few more Crystal Balls, I can create a series, telling visitors that each one has a different effect. Those with OCD might feel compelled to experience them all, effectively raising prices by having them pay multiple times, increasing income exponentially.”

She continued to fantasize, “If you can give me four Crystal Balls, I could create a theme of the Four Seasons or the Four Divine Beasts.

Five would be even better, allowing for a Five Elements series, appealing to both Eastern and Western guests.

If you’re generous enough to get seven, we could do a rainbow theme or the Big Dipper. I can always make up stories…”

Wuyong’s eyes suddenly shone like spotlights: “Even though I know it’s impossible, I still dream of the spectacular scene of 12 Crystal Balls, a zodiac theme! Perfect for crystal divination!”

“Stop!” Qin Qing shouted, fearing that if she continued, Wuyong would come up with a “Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Crystal Array.”

She sighed, “Wuyong, you weren’t like this before.”

Wuyong replied nonchalantly, “Times change. We used to donate incense money in gold and silver, now it’s all through QR codes. Last month, my senior went on an exchange visit and said some Taoist temples have installed facial recognition on their donation boxes for direct payments.”

He concluded, “So, Boss Qin, whether the studio can reach new heights and whether the staff can get a raise depends entirely on your decision.”

Qin Qing was speechless.

How had she ever thought that Wuyong was a noble and compassionate figure? She hadn’t detected a hint of the smell of money on her.

Now, she was more invested in the studio’s business than she, the actual owner, was.

What could she do? After all, making a Crystal Ball wasn’t much trouble.

Qin Qing decided to make a few more.

Her previous crystal was bought online, shipped from the East Sea by the seller.

She had another task in a few days, and the express delivery might not arrive in time.

Qin Qing directly asked in the work group if there were any places in Beifu where she could buy crystals.

In the group, aside from her, everyone was genuinely involved in intelligence work, with an abundance of both formal and informal sources.

Soon, she learned about a local natural stone market.

She took Shi Jiang and headed straight there.

As soon as Qin Qing stepped into the natural stone market, she was hit by a wave of noise that almost knocked her off balance.

“Burmese jadeite from the old mines! Last three pieces!”

“Genuine southern red, old material from Baoshan.”

“Baltic amber! Fake ones will cost me my life!”

The vendor who claimed fake ones would cost him his life was certainly bold.

This kind of market was always a mix of good and bad, and Qin Qing was worried about buying glass masquerading as crystal. She activated a “counterfeit” tag on her System Panel in advance.

Before she even entered the market, the degree of counterfeit goods from the vendors was already listed on her System Panel.

She had never visited such a market before and wanted to see the extent of the counterfeit technology in her country.

Instead of buying a Crystal Ball immediately, she first browsed the stalls with the highest degree of counterfeit goods.

Unfortunately, the vendor who claimed fake ones would cost him his life had enough fake goods to bankrupt his descendants.

A dishonest merchant’s words…

But that wasn’t all. What she saw next was truly eye-opening.

Baskets of stones of various sizes, looking ancient or polished into beads, all claimed to be natural mineral stones.

However, more than half were counterfeit.

Crystals irradiated and baked to enhance color, with radiation levels clearly exceeding limits, yet marketed as energy-enhancing.

Southern red agate dyed with chemical reagents, with residue on the stones that was toxic with prolonged contact.

Ordinary jade acid-washed to claim it was top-grade jadeite.

Amber made from compressed scraps and powder.

Low-priced items here were rife with fakes, but even higher-priced ones weren’t necessarily genuine.

Qin Qing overheard a vendor boasting about how good his amber was, claiming that based on the age of the amber layer, the amber in his hand was at least 200 to 300 million years old…

She almost burst out laughing as she passed by.

That piece of amber had probably come off a factory line no more than 23 years ago, yet he dared to boast about 200 to 300 million years.

The key was that the customers at his stall listened intently.

There were many such instances in the market, and she wasn’t planning to intervene, nor could she manage it all.

She just treated it as entertainment as she browsed.

Until she saw a familiar face at a jadeite raw stone stall.

A large gold chain, a luxury brand logo briefcase, triple chins, and a big belly…

Chen Daguang.

A loyal customer who supported her business during her stall days at Baiyun Temple.

Next to him stood a young man in a sharp suit, seemingly explaining something to him. Chen Daguang himself was examining a palm-sized raw stone.

The stone had been partially polished, and when a flashlight shone on it, it revealed a patch of green.

The vendor wasn’t shouting. He wore a traditional Chinese jacket, a string of White Jade Bodhi Beads wrapped around his wrist, sipping tea with his left hand.

His right hand held an unopened folding fan, tapping leisurely on the armrest of his chair, watching the customers at his stall with a calm demeanor.

After examining the stone with his flashlight, Chen Daguang patted his belly and exclaimed, “A rare open door!”

The vendor smiled, and when Chen Daguang asked for the price, he said calmly, “Boss, no matter the size, each piece in this pile is 200,000.”

Chen Daguang laughed heartily and joked with the vendor, “I think this material is good. If it turns out to be imperial green, don’t regret it.”

The vendor replied, “You’re joking, boss. Once bought, it’s yours. That’s the business we’re in.”

Chen Daguang said, “Lower the price, and I’ll take it.”

The vendor was amicable and generous, “Since we have a connection, 188,000 to make a friend.”

His voice remained steady and gentle, with a deeper smile in his eyes.

Seeing that Chen Daguang was about to pay with his phone, Qin Qing couldn’t stand it any longer.

This fool!

At least he was one of her first VVIP customers.

Ten thousand yuan was nothing to Chen Daguang; this was a guy who could casually spend tens of thousands on offerings.

His way of worshipping was to pray from one end of the temple to the other, donating 100,000 yuan for each deity, treating all gods equally, without favoritism… except for the God of Wealth.

In Chen Daguang’s own words, “That’s the God of Wealth, after all.”

He could throw money around as he pleased, but Qin Qing couldn’t let him be swindled under her watch, not even for a single yuan.

Before he could scan the code, Qin Qing called out, “CEO Chen, what a coincidence.”

Chen Daguang turned sharply, his small eyes buried in layers of fat suddenly lighting up with joy, “Qin… Teacher Qin.”

He forgot all about paying, bounding over in a few quick steps, his belly jiggling happily within his GUCCI belt, “Are you here for treasure hunting too?”

The two of them started chatting in front of the stall.

This guy had clearly enjoyed a prosperous New Year, his cheeks jiggling as he laughed.

He sighed, “Teacher Qin’s protection has expanded. During the New Year, I visited twice… but each time, I missed you, not even catching a glimpse. Daoist Priest Wuyong said you were on a business trip. Who would’ve thought we’d meet miles away.”

Qin Qing listened with a smile and asked, “CEO Chen, what brings you here?”

Chen Daguang remembered the stone he thought was a great find.

He quickly presented it to Qin Qing, “Teacher Qin, look, old elephant skin, sanded material, with moss and pine flowers, the window shows a rich, even green. Today, I’m sure to get a fine jade!”

More like a fool’s errand.

“On New Year’s Day, I fought through the crowds to burn the first incense at Baiyun Temple. I knew I’d be rewarded, but I didn’t expect it to be here…” Chen Daguang was boasting when he caught Qin Qing’s eye and stopped himself.

He added, a bit sheepishly, “Teacher Qin, rest assured, I only burned incense, no donation money…”

He then tried to flatter her, “Let’s find a place later, my treat. Once this stone is cut, I’ll trouble Teacher Qin to bless it.”

Qin Qing ignored his rambling and asked about the man in the black suit who had been with him.

Chen Daguang said, “Oh, Xiao Liu, I’m here for business talks. The client heard I wanted to visit the market and introduced him as a middleman.”

He pulled out a piece of jade, “This is what Xiao Liu helped pick, just under 20,000.” Then he pointed to the big stone he was about to pay for, “Xiao Liu has an eye for good stuff, he said this stone is likely to yield good material.”

Qin Qing smirked, “Oh… a middleman, just met…”

Caught up in excitement, Chen Daguang finally began to grasp the situation.

“Teacher Qin, if you have something to say, just say it.”

Qin Qing pointed at the so-called stone with the wild pine pattern, but her eyes were on Xiao Liu, hinting, “This stone doesn’t suit you. If you keep it for too long, it might bring you financial loss. You should get rid of it. If you trust me…”

Chen Daguang pledged his loyalty, “If I don’t trust Teacher Qin, who else can I trust?”

Nothing else mattered, but losing money was a big deal!

He quickly tossed the stone aside and pulled out his phone to transfer 10,000 yuan to Xiao Liu.

“Xiao Liu, I don’t need you to accompany me anymore today. You can go back to your work.”

The easy mark just slipped away, and the stall owner wasn’t having it.

“Young lady, if you don’t understand stones, don’t speak nonsense. I’ve been in this business for years, and no one has ever said stones bring misfortune or fortune. All my stones are imported from Myanmar and transported back through Yunnan.”

Xiao Liu also held onto Chen Daguang, “CEO Chen, think it over.”

He hurriedly added, “Whether I make money or not isn’t important. I just see you as a righteous person and don’t want to see you miss out on an opportunity. This Teacher Qin doesn’t seem knowledgeable about stones. If you miss out on such a great stone at a good price, it would be a real loss.”

Chen Daguang chuckled and pulled Xiao Liu’s hand down.

“Young man, you don’t know. Countless times, we’ve learned the hard way that not trusting Teacher Qin leads to big losses.”

As the two were about to leave, another man helping at the stall stopped them.

“Hold on.”

The stall owner still wore a gentle smile.

In the late spring weather, which wasn’t too hot, he stood up and gently fanned himself with the folding fan in his hand. The large characters “Honesty in Business” on the fan were particularly striking.

“This… Teacher Qin,” he squinted at Qin Qing, “ruining someone’s business is like killing their parents. I run my business with friends coming and going. Since you’ve disrupted my business and criticized my stones, it’s impossible for us to be friends if you just leave without a word.”

Qin Qing laughed, “Does this count as killing your parents? What about selling fakes? Is that not robbing and harming lives?”

She glanced at the other customers who were choosing stones while eavesdropping, and sighed, “If that’s the case, boss, you’re really a mass murderer.”