Chapter 116: Fake Stone

The vendor finally dropped his facade of gentleness, the fake smile cracking on his face.

He snapped the Folding Fan shut with a sharp sound.

In a sinister tone, he said, “In this market, a sharp tongue is useless. Just claiming something is fake won’t cut it. No vendor here would agree with you.”

Qin Qing thought to herself, of course you wouldn’t agree, it’s all fake.

Immediately, a nearby vendor chimed in, “If you were picking up goods at Panjiayuan Market, you might have a point. But here, we all sell stones, and stones are naturally formed. How could they be fake?”

The commotion had already attracted some passersby, some of whom sided with the vendor.

The vendor, even when called out for selling fakes, remained unfazed. In fact, the crowd seemed to embolden him.

“You’re young and don’t know the rules of this market. I’m not trying to make things difficult for a young lady,” the vendor said, shaking his Folding Fan, pretending to be magnanimous. “Since you claim this stone is fake, either explain clearly and prove it, or buy it to compensate for my loss.”

It seemed like a choice, but it was really a trap.

They said stones are naturally formed, so how could you rely on words to prove their authenticity? It was a paradox.

In the end, they wanted Qin Qing to pay.

Qin Qing quietly watched his performance.

Having spent so much time with frontline warriors, she was used to straightforward communication. It had been a while since she’d encountered someone so shameless.

Nearby vendors joined in, urging Qin Qing to prove her claim.

Chen Daguang tugged on Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu sighed, “That’s just how the market works. I’m powerless to help.”

He advised, “The best way now is to pay up and avoid trouble. Otherwise, if things get chaotic, anything could happen.”

Qin Qing glanced at him, thinking his words were a bit alarmist.

Chen Daguang, finding no support, spoke up himself, “You claim your stone is genuine. As the seller, why don’t you prove it yourself? Do you have a professional certification report? You’re asking the customer to prove it, which is laughable.”

It was unreasonable, just a way to support Qin Qing so she wouldn’t feel completely alone.

Chen Daguang took out his phone, “If you can’t prove it, I’ll call the police and have the Market Management Office involved…”

Qin Qing hadn’t spoken, unwilling to waste words on these people.

While Chen Daguang and several vendors argued, she picked up a hammer from the ground and walked toward the stone at the center of the dispute.

The vendor asked, “What are you doing?”

Shi Jiang blocked the vendor, preventing him from advancing.

Qin Qing swung the hammer, giving the vendor one last look, snorting with amusement. She aimed two centimeters inside the window of the stone and struck hard.

The vendor, being held back, shouted anxiously, “If you hit it so violently, it’ll definitely crack inside. Even if the King of Heaven comes, you’ll have to buy it!”

Qin Qing ignored him, focusing on her steady hammering.

A well-meaning onlooker advised, “Young lady, this kind of stone is very hard. Even a stone-cutting knife takes a long time. You can’t break it with a blunt tool…”

Before the words were finished, a cracking sound echoed.

With Qin Qing’s final strike, the stone’s outer layer shattered, a two-finger-wide piece sliding off the stone body.

The joint between the two stone pieces was smooth, something a hammer couldn’t achieve.

Now, even those who didn’t understand could see clearly that the stone had been cut open and then glued back together with a fake outer layer.

With the stone cracked open, Shi Jiang released the vendor.

Freed from restraint, the vendor rushed to Qin Qing, his Folding Fan nowhere to be seen.

He cradled the stone, pulling at Qin Qing.

His face was ashen, and he whispered urgently, “Sister, let’s talk privately.”

Oh, the young lady had become a sister.

Qin Qing rubbed her wrist, looking at him with a half-smile, but didn’t move an inch.

The vendor, using all his strength, couldn’t budge her. He leaned in, speaking quickly, “We’re all in the same business. Let’s not make a scene and make it harder to do business. I have some collections accumulated, all negotiable among friends.”

Qin Qing wouldn’t associate with such a deceitful merchant.

As she withdrew her arm, she also took the two stones the vendor was holding.

Holding one in each hand, she showed them to the onlookers. It was then that Qin Qing noticed a few striking young people outside the crowd, accompanied by cameras.

The crowd focused on the spectacle, unaware of the unusual presence behind them.

Everyone looked at the stones.

From the cut surface, the larger stone contained some jade fragments, scattered and useless, just a piece of waste rock.

The thin slice with the window cut showed a suspiciously rich green inside the stone skin, lacking the luster of genuine jadeite.

Qin Qing tossed the piece to Chen Daguang, “Smell it. The green seen through the window with a flashlight is this stuff.”

Chen Daguang, unafraid of toxins, sniffed it directly, taking a deep whiff.

He poked at it with his finger, and the rich green turned out to be soft, easily gouged out.

He angrily threw the stone piece away.

“It’s toothpaste! They used dyed toothpaste to trick me.”

Qin Qing remarked, “This kind of fake technique, like a sandwich cookie, is common in the jade market. It’s not sophisticated. Anyone with some knowledge wouldn’t be fooled, but it can deceive someone like you, who has money to burn.”

Chen Daguang realized the situation, grabbing the fleeing Xiao Liu from the crowd, “So you were in on it, setting me up together.”

Xiao Liu still denied knowing anything, claiming to be a victim too.

But Chen Daguang wouldn’t believe him anymore.

The crowd erupted:

“It’s really fake!”

“I bought Hetian Jade here last month. Could it be fake too?”

“Refund! Refund!”

Just then, the Market Management Office arrived. Without Chen Daguang’s prompting, the indignant crowd explained the situation.

The management decided to take the vendor and Xiao Liu, along with the two stones, away.

Qin Qing commented, “This hardly counts as a setup, just a small business deal of a couple hundred thousand. They casually set a trap, and you walked right into it.”

Chen Daguang: “…”

He sighed for a while, then quickly recovered.

Cheerfully, he said, “It’s all good, it’s all good. Didn’t I meet Teacher Qin, who helped me out of trouble? My New Year’s incense wasn’t burned in vain.”

Qin Qing glanced at him, asking, “How much did you donate?”

“Just eighty-eight thousand…” Chen Daguang suddenly covered his mouth.

Qin Qing raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t donate any incense money besides my membership fee?”

“Well…” Chen Daguang grinned sheepishly, “The God of Wealth is different…”

As the Market Management Office prepared to leave, Chen Daguang also went to make a statement.

He handed the jade seed to Qin Qing, waving as he ran off, “Uh… Teacher Qin, I’ll leave for now. Once you’re free, I’ll contact you for a meal.”

Qin Qing shook her head with amusement.

She didn’t stop Chen Daguang from donating elsewhere to prevent him from being scammed, but she didn’t mean for him to worship only one place.

But this guy had this one hobby, so let him donate. It’s better than being scammed.

As the crowd dispersed, Shi Jiang approached, saying, “The management probably…”

Qin Qing understood her unfinished thought.

The market was rife with fakes, and the management couldn’t be unaware. They just turned a blind eye.

“We can’t control everything.”

She didn’t dwell on it. She still hadn’t found her Crystal Ball.

As the crowd thinned, someone finally noticed the striking young people and cameras behind them.

Someone shouted, “Oh, a celebrity!”

The crowd shifted their attention, surrounding the young people instead.

But no one approached directly.

Firstly, because of the cameras, and secondly, because the young people were surrounded by security.

Qin Qing had no interest and was about to leave when someone called out to her.

“Teacher Qin.” The voice was full of surprise.

Realizing it was directed at her, Qin Qing looked at the speaker.

At first glance, he wasn’t as good-looking as the other two beside him.

The second glance, he seemed familiar.

The third glance, she remembered she had once told his fortune, but couldn’t recall his name.

“Teacher Qin, it’s me, He Xu.”

She (System Panel) remembered.

Back when she first got the System Panel, she ambitiously caught criminals and conducted experiments, giving this guy a boxed meal at the train station.

He had talent in performing arts but lacked luck, planning to return home for work.

Qin Qing, unable to stand it, gave him a push and some encouragement. Later, he participated in a comedy show and became the annual champion. He gained some fame.

They had exchanged contact information, and he would send her holiday greetings.

But they hadn’t had any deep conversations or met again.

Now, it seemed he was filming another show.

Qin Qing nodded, “I remember you. How have you been?”

“Thanks to you, I’m getting by.”

He Xu approached, followed by the camera and his companions.

“Xu, do you know her?”

The speaker was someone Qin Qing recognized, Jiang Yuan, an actor in his early thirties. His looks fit the recent beauty standards. He frequently appeared in various idol dramas and variety shows and was once a seasonal favorite among drama fans, with high exposure.

It was said he came from a wealthy family and was in the entertainment industry for fun.

Qin Qing glanced at him casually. His wealth was indeed substantial, but…

He Xu introduced her to his companions, “This is the career benefactor I’ve told you about…”

“The fortune-teller at the train station!” Jiang Yuan blurted out, quickly correcting himself, “No, I mean life mentor! What a coincidence!”

Qin Qing: “…”

Jiang Yuan and Feng Xiyu—their other companion, a young actress—looked at her curiously.

They also called her Teacher Qin, following He Xu’s lead.

Jiang Yuan warmly invited, “Teacher Qin, we’re filming a variety show today. This episode’s theme is learning some geology knowledge with teachers from the Institute of Geology. In this segment, each group needs to find a local to team up with for shopping in the market. We’ve been watching for a while, and you seem to know a lot. Please team up with us.”

Feng Xiyu also chimed in with compliments, her long eyelashes fluttering as she looked at you pitifully… making it hard to refuse.

Jiang Yuan signaled He Xu to help persuade her.

He Xu said, “Teacher Qin, if you’re available, we’d love to have you join us. I know you’re busy, so if it’s inconvenient, it’s okay.”

Under normal circumstances, Qin Qing would have refused.

He Xu had some support when he entered the entertainment industry, so since they met again today, it wouldn’t hurt to lend a hand.

“I’m going to the market anyway. If you’re interested, feel free to tag along.”