"Green again—no, it's yellow!"
"Could it be yellow jade? What luck!"
"Good yellow jade is rare; most of it's low quality. I have a few at home, and this one seems doomed!"
"Luck can't repeat; it's a loss!"
The crowd erupted into chatter, mostly expressing skepticism. After all, high-quality yellow jade was rarer than a panda compared to the frequent appearance of top-grade green jade.
With a nervous heart, the cutter switched from a hand cutter to a polishing machine, carefully grinding the stone down. As time passed, the surface of the rock grew clearer, revealing a bright, oily yellow hue resembling chicken fat.
"What's happening today? Top-grade jade is appearing like clockwork!"
The cutter was dizzy with excitement; in over thirty years, he had never seen such a spectacle.
"Such pure yellow, like freshly rendered chicken fat, beautiful!"
"Translucent like glass; it's glass-grade yellow jade! This stone actually produced such a rare treasure!"
"And it's quite large!"
The crowd's mood shifted dramatically, eyes now filled with eagerness directed at Cao Yi. Historically, top-grade green jade had been revered, yet the true crown jewel was often this precious yellow jade, collected by royalty before it could reach the masses.
"I'll make a call to gather funds; don't auction it yet!" someone shouted, sprinting towards the building with designated phones for buyers.
"Wait for me!"
"Such a large piece of yellow jade hasn't appeared in decades; it's mine!"
"Quick! If the jade auction participants find out, we'll miss our chance!"
The rush of jade merchants left the area nearly empty, save for a handful of observers.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Everyone turned to find Wang Kaixuan, the hefty man who had just bet against the young man with a dark complexion.
"Remember my bet with him?" he grinned.
"We remember!"
Laughter followed, but the young man's expression darkened.
Wang Kaixuan picked up some dirt covered in ash and approached, presenting it with a flourish, "Please."
The young man's face soured further as he noticed the grime.
"A bet's a bet. Are you a man or not?" Wang Kaixuan boomed, showing no mercy.
After a moment's hesitation, the young man took it, chewing a few times before spitting it out, messily splattering ash on himself. Wang Kaixuan relented, not wanting to provoke the situation further.
With the excitement over, attention returned to Cao Yi, the man who had turned $5 into $150,000 worth of glass-grade jade, and now had a chance at millions with this yellow jade.
"Let's continue. Number 2333," Cao Yi said with a calm smile, leaving everyone in awe at his composure.
The cutter, emboldened by Cao Yi's confidence, resumed work meticulously, treating the stone as though it were a cherished family heirloom.
As the sun climbed higher, sweat poured from the cutter's brow, but he pressed on. The yellow jade was beginning to take shape, measuring nearly the size of a basin, shimmering brilliantly in the light.
Soon, merchants began trickling back in, each person with an air of distinction.
"Who leaked the news?" someone demanded.
The crowd responded with incredulous looks; how could such a treasure remain a secret?
Before long, the number of spectators swelled to over a hundred.
"All done," the exhausted cutter announced, finally taking a seat.
"Wow!" A gasp erupted from the crowd, quickly followed by a wave of astonished reactions. The stunning yellow jade lay exposed, round and flawless, glistening like the oil on a chicken, a true dreamlike beauty.
"How much is this worth?" one asked, dumbfounded.
"Priceless," came the reply, but everyone knew everything had a price.
"I'll offer $1 million!" one bold bidder called out.
Laughter erupted—such a low offer felt ridiculous.
"I represent three companies, and I'll bid $4 million!" another chimed in, prompting discontented muttering.
"From seven companies, I offer $6 million!" The Singaporean merchants' combined bid sent shockwaves through the crowd.
Then, an unexpected voice broke through the chaos.
"I'll bid $8 million."
It was Zheng Jiachun, who had remained silent until now. The crowd had anticipated this; Zhou Dafu was the leader in Southeast Asia's jewelry market, supported by vast resources.
"Come on! No playing like this!" someone exclaimed, unable to contain frustration.
The crowd chuckled, but their expressions were filled with resignation. With the combined forces of the jewelers and Zheng's wealth, they felt like mere spectators in this high-stakes game.