noffsinger Chapter 81 What could a few pieces of raw jade possibly have?
Chapter 81 What could a few pieces of raw jade possibly have?
The old man looked Ning Yao up and down and exclaimed, "This young lady is really good at this. I've never seen a buyer choose raw materials like this before."
Other buyers at the jade gambling convention, even if they want to select rough stones, will not select a large quantity; selecting one or two pieces is usually enough.
They prioritize selecting rough stones from reputable quarries, even if the price is several times higher, because the risk is much lower. They usually make a profit when cutting the stones, and even if they are unlucky and encounter bad material, they won't lose too much.
However, buying rough stones from small stalls is a losing proposition for most people. The rough stones are mostly inferior stones rejected by quarries, and the chances of finding good jade are extremely low. The money spent on rough stones is basically a waste, resulting in a complete loss.
Ning Yao smiled but didn't respond to the old man's words. She walked to Bruce's side and listened as he introduced the old man beside him in somewhat broken Chinese.
“Miss Bella, this is Chairman Xu, the leader of the Jade Association of Country Z.”
Ning Yao was somewhat surprised that the president of the Jade Association would personally come to Y Country to participate in the jade gambling conference. However, she quickly recovered and greeted President Xu respectfully.
The leader of the Jade Association is a veteran in this industry.
"How did Miss Bella determine that these stones could yield jade?" Chairman Xu asked with a friendly smile, though his question carried a hint of probing.
Regardless of whether there was any basis for his argument or whether it was tenable, he approached Ning Yao with a learning attitude and earnestly sought her guidance.
Ning Yao glanced at the raw stones in her handcart, smiled charmingly, and then her clear, spring-like voice rang out.
"I don't gamble on stones, I just buy whichever one looks good to me."
Bruce looked at Ning Yao suspiciously, as if trying to determine whether her words were true or false.
The raw materials displayed at the entrance of the hall were completely ignored; they were just something the stall owners used to fool laymen.
Does anyone actually pay money to buy scrap?
Are they just burning money?
Bruce pointed to the rough stones in Ning Yao's cart and asked half-jokingly, "Miss Bella, will you be able to make back the money from these rough stones?"
“Women’s intuition is usually very accurate. I trust my own intuition and I’m sure I can make it back,” Ning Yao replied with a smile.
Bruce didn't believe Ning Yao's words, smiled elegantly, and then shook his head repeatedly.
Saying something like "a woman's sixth sense" is too dismissive.
Chairman Xu, on the other hand, looked inscrutable, finding Ning Yao's purchase of raw materials rather intriguing.
There's a chance that rough stones can yield good quality jadeite, but even the best ones can never be top-grade.
Ordinary jadeite is nothing in the eyes of experts. What experts want are the rarest and most exquisite jadeite. They have the resources and can afford the price, so they naturally aim for the best.
In Chairman Xu's opinion, this Miss Bella was quite interesting. She bought raw materials and said with a confident look that she could make a profit.
Either they're experts being modest, or they genuinely don't know anything and got scammed while visiting the jade gambling convention.
“I’ve also picked out two rough stones and am about to get them cut. Miss Bella, why don’t you come with us?” Bruce suggested.
Ning Yao was someone he was interested in collaborating with, and he also wanted to see if Ning Yao was a true expert or just a naive newcomer to the industry.
“Okay.” Ning Yao readily agreed without the slightest hesitation.
This straightforwardness was quite endearing, and Bruce's impression of Ning Yao improved even more. He then casually invited Chairman Xu to join in the fun, and Chairman Xu readily agreed. The three of them headed towards the stone-cutting area, chatting politely along the way.
There were far more people looking at the stones than selecting the raw stones. The entrance to the stone-cutting area was packed with people, an absurd number.
The value of jadeite that is directly extracted is there for all to see. If you can afford the price, it's first-come, first-served, and you can buy it on the spot and grab the best first-hand goods.
It's also a good opportunity to broaden your horizons by observing the quality of the cut jadeite pieces, so that you can have a reference when it's your turn to choose in the future.
As soon as the three entered the stone-cutting room, someone recognized Bruce, a regular and VIP at the jade gambling convention, and someone else spotted Chairman Xu of the Jade Association at a glance.
They were all prominent figures at the jade gambling convention, and everyone was even more excited about the rough stones they had selected. So, they all stepped aside and gave them priority in cutting the stones.
Bruce and Chairman Xu were already used to this kind of scene. After thanking everyone, they looked up at Ning Yao and gestured for her to step forward and give the stone to the stone cutter.
Ning Yao didn't stand on ceremony. She picked up a piece from the cart and handed it to the stone cutter.
"I'm not seeing things, am I? This young lady is carrying wool fabric."
"It's just a few rough stones, yet they deliberately cut in line to have them cut. Aren't they afraid of being laughed at?"
People around her started talking, and these whispers reached Ning Yao's ears to some extent. She remained focused, staring intently at the stone in the stone cutter's hand. Her gaze was calm, and she felt no pressure from being ridiculed. Instead, she was more interested in the rough stones that belonged to her.
The stone cutter picked up the stone and was astonished that someone would actually come to the stone cutting room specifically to cut the rough stone.
"Do you want to draw the lines yourself?" the stone cutter asked Ning Yao.
“Okay.” Ning Yao didn’t refuse. She could tell at a glance where the jade was in this rough stone, which was much more reliable than a stone cutter.
No matter how much experience a person has, it is not as reliable as what the naked eye can see.
Ning Yao picked up a black marker, glanced at the raw stone briefly, and then quickly drew a line on the surface of the stone.
Seeing this, many people around burst out laughing, calling him an amateur.
"Is this young lady trying to be funny? Just swiping her finger like that, without touching, looking, or testing it?"
"What's so interesting about raw materials? You definitely won't get anything good from them."
There were many voices around her, most of them not optimistic about the raw material Ning Yao had chosen, but Ning Yao didn't care at all.
The stone cutter took the raw stone and carefully placed it into the stone-cutting machine according to the black line drawn by Ning Yao.
In an instant, the sharp teeth of the saw began to work, producing a deafening sound.
After a while, the machine stopped abruptly. The stone cutter turned on the machine, took the stone out with both hands, and poured some water on it.
After being washed clean of mud and stone fragments by clear water, a piece of clear, icy white jadeite was revealed from that unremarkable rough stone.
The stone cutter glanced at the jadeite within the rough stone, his eyes widening in disbelief as he exclaimed, "This is..."
Upon hearing the stone cutter's voice, many people gathered around to look at the cut-up rough stone.
Without exception, after seeing the jadeite inside, everyone began to exclaim in even more exaggerated amazement than the stone cutter.
It's truly incredible that such high-quality jadeite could be found in rough stones!