C15 He Was a Millionaire
Keep opening those chests!
This time, Lin Feng decided to open all three remaining treasure chests at once. A flash of green light appeared before his eyes as the lids of the three Bronze Treasure Chests flipped open simultaneously.
"Ding! Congratulations to Host Lin Feng for obtaining the item - Red String."
"Ding! Congratulations to Host Lin Feng for obtaining the item - Red String."
"Ding! Congratulations to Host Lin Feng for obtaining the item - Red String."
"Ding! Congratulations to Host Lin Feng for acquiring 30,000 gold coins."
Lin Feng was utterly flabbergasted!
All three Bronze Treasure Chests yielded the exact same item, and it was the Red String he had already obtained before!
What in the world was happening?
Was the system playing some kind of joke on him?
Did he really look that much like a perennial bachelor?
Hold on! He had just opened three chests at once, and all three produced identical items. Could it be... they could be doubled?
It's like buying lottery tickets; buy one, and you get a single prize. Buy three, and you triple your winnings!
Damn! If only he had known, he wouldn't have opened all three chests at once. What a waste!
Staring at the four Red Strings in his inventory, Lin Feng was on the verge of tears.
That night, he lay in bed restless, unable to sleep, filled with both excitement and regret. It wasn't until the wee hours that he finally drifted off.
Waking up at noon, Lin Feng grabbed a quick lunch at a roadside stall before hailing a taxi to the city center.
First, he picked up a backpack from a sporting goods store and placed the premium jade inside. Then, he headed straight for Haiqin City's largest jewelry store—Lau's Jewelry Shop.
With hundreds of jewelry stores in Haiqin City, Lau's Jewelry Shop was easily among the top three.
Rumor had it that Lau's had a powerful patron behind it, which explained its rapid rise and solid footing in the city.
But Lin Feng wasn't concerned with that. He was only interested in finding out how much he could sell his top-quality jade for.
"Hello, sir! Welcome to Lau's Jewelry Shop." No sooner had Lin Feng stepped into Lau's Jewelry Shop than a young sales associate approached him with a warm greeting.
Lin Feng lifted his gaze slightly and asked with a touch of embarrassment, "Do you buy jade stones here?"
"Jade stones?" The saleswoman paused briefly, then quickly flashed a professional smile and responded politely, "Of course, as long as it's authentic, we're interested."
"Could you please get the store manager for me?" Lin Feng requested, touching his nose.
"May I ask what kind of jade you're looking to sell, sir?" inquired the sales associate, her curiosity piqued.
"Glass type, Emperor Jade," Lin Feng replied succinctly.
"What?!" The clerk gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Realizing her lapse in decorum, she quickly composed herself and apologized to Lin Feng.
"I apologize for my reaction, sir. I was a bit taken aback. Please, follow me to the VIP area and wait there; I'll fetch our manager immediately..."
With that, Lin Feng was escorted to a private room. After brewing a cup of tea for him, the saleswoman hurried off to inform the manager.
Sipping the steaming tea, Lin Feng's lips curled into a smile. The glass type Emperor Jade was indeed a rarity, as evidenced by the sales associate's astonishment.
Before long, the sound of rapid footsteps reached Lin Feng's ears. He set down his teacup and straightened up, mentally preparing for the upcoming negotiation.
With a creak, the door swung open, and a striking figure entered Lin Feng's field of vision.
Upon recognizing the newcomer, Lin Feng stood up in shock and exclaimed, "Lau Yueru! What are you doing here?"
Indeed, the first to step into the room was Lau Yueru, the woman Lin Feng had rescued from a fire the previous night.
"Lin Feng? It's you?" Lau Yueru's face mirrored his surprise.
"You... Lau's Jewelry Shop..." Lin Feng stared at Lau Yueru, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Hehe, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am the owner of this establishment," Lau Yueru said, extending her hand to Lin Feng.
Instinctively, Lin Feng took her hand and asked, "Does your family own Lau's Jewelry Shop?"
"Yes," Lau Yueru said with a smile, nodding her head.
"Aha, that explains it!" Lin Feng exclaimed, a realization dawning on him.
It made perfect sense why Lau Yueru drove a limited edition Ferrari—she was a bona fide wealthy woman!
"I didn't get a chance to properly thank you for last night. I'm surprised we've run into each other again so soon," Lau Yueru said with a light smile.
"Oh, it was nothing, really. Not worth a second thought," Lin Feng replied humbly.
"By the way, you're not injured, are you?"
"Injured? Impossible. I'm in great shape!"
"That's a relief."
"Wait! What if I said I was injured, would you..."
She chuckled, "What do you think?"
"Never mind, I'm not one to feign injury for sympathy."
...
Lin Feng held onto Lau Yueru's hand, chatting away without pause, and she seemed to enjoy the conversation, smiling and engaging with him. The staff watched, utterly gobsmacked.
What was happening here?
Having worked at Lau's Jewelry Shop for quite some time, they had never seen the boss show such warmth and familiarity with a stranger. Could Lin Feng and Lau Yueru be close friends?
...
It took Lin Feng half the day to realize he was still holding onto her hand. He let go with an awkward laugh.
"Lin Feng, I've heard you're looking to sell a piece of glass-type imperial jade?" Lau Yueru's demeanor shifted to one of seriousness as the conversation turned to business.
"Yes," Lin Feng confirmed, pulling his backpack around to the front.
He carefully took out the exquisite jade stone and laid it on the table. Lau Yueru leaned in eagerly, inspecting the stone with great interest.
"It's not a counterfeit, is it?" Lin Feng asked cautiously.
Without looking up, Lau Yueru inquired, "Where did this jade come from?"
"It's been in the family for generations," Lin Feng fibbed.
"Do you have any idea of its value?" Lau Yueru looked up at him with a curious expression.
"I'm not too knowledgeable about these things. What do you think it's worth?" Lin Feng feigned ignorance.
Lau Yueru fixed Lin Feng with a serious gaze and said, "This jade is definitely glass-type imperial jade, and it's the first time in my life I've seen one this large!"
"Just give me a ballpark figure," Lin Feng urged, his excitement palpable.
"Thirty million!" Lau Yueru responded instantly.
"What? Thirty... thirty million?" Lin Feng gasped in shock.
Lau Yueru chuckled and explained, "If this jade were auctioned, it might fetch an even higher price. However, the auction house would take a cut of about 10 percent in fees. So, you'd end up with roughly thirty million in hand, wouldn't you?"
Lin Feng pondered for a moment before inquiring, "How much are you willing to offer for this jade?"
"How does forty million sound?" Lau Yueru proposed with a serene expression.
"Ah? That much?" Lin Feng was momentarily taken aback.
"Hehe, you saved my life. I couldn't possibly let you come out at a loss," Lau Yueru said with a gentle smile.
"Gratitude is one thing, but business is another. Isn't it a loss for you to spend so much on this jade?" Lin Feng asked, his brow furrowed.
"Who says it's a loss?" Lau Yueru raised an eyebrow and spoke at a measured pace, "A glass-type imperial jade of this size is unheard of in the entire Z Country. Once I acquire it, it will become the centerpiece of Lau's Jewelry Shop. Not only will it bolster our reputation, but it will also draw in more customers..."
Lau Yueru went on at length, leaving Lin Feng somewhat perplexed. Essentially, Lau Yueru wasn't planning to turn the jade into merchandise for sale; she intended to use it as a showpiece for her store!
Damn! The thought processes of the wealthy really are on a different level!
Without batting an eye, Lau Yueru had offered a staggering forty million. This revelation brought home to Lin Feng the vast chasm that exists between the haves and the have-nots.
