The rough material had already been cut open. I examined it under a light; the translucency was exceptional, reaching an icy-glutinous level. The central portion was particularly fine. Unfortunately, the yellow hue was not cohesive—it scattered unevenly and lacked depth. It wasn't a pure, vibrant yellow either.
This material could be considered a type with floating floral patterns. The central area was suitable for crafting bangles, and floral-patterned bangles, especially yellow ones, are highly valuable. In China, yellow symbolizes nobility. After removing the outer shell and accounting for the cracks, there were still about 25 kilograms remaining. At roughly one kilogram per pair of bangles, we could produce at least 20 pairs. The leftover material could yield at least 30 pendants.
With icy-glutinous, yellow-floral bangles fetching at least a million each, the bangles alone would amount to 25 million. The pendants, priced at around 500,000 per pair, would add another 15 million. In total, this material's value hovered around 40 million. It wasn't a windfall, but it still brought in a profit of 25 million.
I remarked, "Boss Wei, this stone earned us a fortune. Will I get a share of 24 million?"
"You've done well too," Wei joked. "With principal and interest, you'll take home at least 14 million. Too bad Boss Kunsang can only watch from the sidelines."
Kunsang managed an awkward smile. "I don't gamble on materials with cracks," he muttered stiffly, his displeasure evident.
We didn't dwell on it. Wei suggested, "I'll store the material for now. Once I'm back, we'll settle the accounts, Brother Zhao Fei. What do you think?"
I nodded, though I was out of money. It seemed the upcoming gambling on jadeite stones wouldn't involve me.
We stepped outside into the treasure trove of raw stones. This place was a golden nest, but without money, I could only stand and watch. What a pity!
Wei was delighted. "Brother Zhao Fei, this is just the beginning. We still have plenty of funds. Keep going..."
I nodded and resumed examining stones. Although my financial stake was limited, the game was just starting for them, and they wouldn't let me walk away so soon.
Suddenly, I noticed Chen Xi and Skinny Monkey glaring at me from across the yard. Kunsang noticed too and asked, "Brother Zhao Fei, who are those two? They seem to be looking for trouble."
I nodded and replied, "Yes, we have some unresolved issues."
"Don't worry," Kunsang reassured me. "While my influence here in Myanmar isn't vast, under my protection, I doubt anyone would dare touch you."
I thanked him, feeling more at ease. Still, I knew he wanted me to focus on gambling on jadeite, as making money was the priority.
Just then, a commotion erupted. "Damn it! What nonsense! A million, and this is what I get?"
A man, holding a piece of jade with a faint green hue, was shouting angrily. A million for a stone with such results—it was a heavy loss.
His outburst attracted attention. The staff approached, asking him to keep it down, but the man only grew louder. "What? I come to gamble on stones, lose over a million, and I can't even complain?"
When the staff tried to escort him out, he furiously threatened, "Don't you dare touch me! Back in my country, I'm someone important. Believe me, I can make you regret it!"
His bravado didn't last long, though. Two armed guards swiftly appeared, forcibly removing him from the premises. Watching this, I couldn't help but sigh. No matter how influential he was back home, here in Myanmar, his clout meant nothing.
After that brief interlude, I continued walking through the raw stone yard. None of the smaller stones caught my eye—they were either overpriced or of poor quality.
Years ago, when exporting raw jadeite wasn't restricted, materials were purchased in bulk. Now, it's a different story. Stones must be bought individually, and even mediocre ones are exorbitantly priced. If someone had stockpiled raw jadeite two decades ago, they'd likely be obscenely wealthy today. But who could have predicted jadeite's meteoric rise?
Suddenly, I spotted a piece of raw material. I bent down to inspect its rough exterior. The stone had markings of moss and faint floral patterns—characteristics I loved gambling on, as they often held promise. Beneath such features, there was usually green.
The texture of the stone's surface, the granular yet tight feel of the sand, suggested it came from the second layer of the famous Moqi Stone Deposit. Moqi was renowned for its old pits, producing jade with exceptional translucency and strength.
Excited, I delved deeper into its characteristics. The layer structures of Moqi stones were distinctive:
The first layer often featured white sand or yellow sand surfaces.
The second layer predominantly displayed grayish-white textures, such as elephant or cement-like skins.
The third layer consisted of black skins like weathered elephant skin or black clay.
Moqi stones were famous for their water-like translucency and robust textures, though the presence of green hues varied. Yet this stone had me hesitant—its floral markings and moss didn't align with Moqi's typical traits. Betting on color in Moqi stones carried significant risk.
I examined its window—a portion polished to reveal the interior. The results were underwhelming: glutinous texture, slightly coarse crystals, weak translucency, and a bluish tint. At 500,000 Euros for 30 kilograms, it wasn't a wise choice.
I set it aside but soon noticed another stone nearby. Smaller, around 10 kilograms, its irregular shape was covered with moss and floral patterns, which piqued my interest.
Spraying it with water, I noted its white sandstone surface. When rubbed, the sand loosened, revealing iron-rust streaks. It lacked the snake-like markings coveted in high-value stones, but its overall traits still intrigued me.
"Could this be a 'Muna' stone?" Wei wondered aloud.
Muna stones, recently gaining recognition in China, are renowned for their superior quality and uniform color distribution. Their scarcity and high demand make them highly prized.
Wei and Kunsang shared my excitement. Despite its flaws, the stone's potential was undeniable. We asked staff to flip it over, revealing a small, irregularly-shaped viewing window.
Peering inside with a light, I was taken aback—icy, jelly-like translucency with faint green tones. It was a Jelly Stone.