C9 Jadeite!

After browsing for over ten minutes, the phrase "defective product" echoed in his mind, and Lee Wen's hands were itching and burning with sweat. He felt utterly drained, having turned over every stone in the two piles without finding a single piece of raw stone containing jadeite. This left him feeling dejected and ready to throw in the towel. The last thing he wanted was to rely on the Goldfinger God had granted him and risk fainting in public, which would be utterly humiliating.

"Let's try one more; if there's nothing, I'm out of here!" Lee Wen sighed, approaching a different pile of raw stones. He casually picked up a stone about the size of a bowl, its appearance unremarkable.

"Ding... Supreme grade raw stone, containing supreme grade jadeite. Appraisal complete!"

The news hit Lee Wen like a thunderbolt, leaving him dizzy and seeing stars. Clutching the raw stone, he collapsed onto the ground, completely bewildered.

"Gulp..." After a moment, Lee Wen double-checked the appraisal, swallowing hard to quell the surge of excitement and anxiety within him. He whispered to himself, "Supreme grade! Supreme grade jadeite... Supreme grade..."

The onlookers, witnessing his sudden frenzy, couldn't help but snicker and point.

"Been eyeing that for a while, haven't you, young man? Found something you like?" the owner asked with a grin.

Lee Wen nodded emphatically and inquired, "How much for this one?"

"Ten thousand!" the owner replied nonchalantly. "Don't be fooled by the look of that pile of raw stones. They come from the Cloud One Mine and carry a hefty price tag."

"Can we negotiate a lower price?" Lee Wen wasn't concerned about the cost; he was more interested in lowering the owner's guard.

"No way. You're already worth a hundred thousand. Are you still worried about this little amount?" The owner chuckled, glancing at the crowd. "You're on a lucky streak today. Who knows, you might find another piece of jadeite just like before? Everyone's eager to see you do it again, right?"

"Fine, I'll take it! And could you convert ten thousand into cash for me?"

"Absolutely!" The owner thought to himself, knowing that he had made a maximum of five hundred on the raw stone. He had managed to make a profit off the young man, and with that thought, his spirits lifted.

Lee Wen swiftly transferred twenty thousand yuan to his boss and cashed out ten thousand in return. He then approached the same mute cutter who had previously worked on his stone, saying, "Master, I need your expertise once more. Please open this carefully. Regardless of whether we find jadeite, this thousand yuan is a token of my appreciation."

With that, Lee Wen handed over ten crisp hundred-yuan notes.

"Then, then..." the cutter mumbled, scratching his head sheepishly before finally accepting the money with a grateful smile. "Then, then... thank you!"

"No need to thank me. Just take care in opening it," Lee Wen replied with a smile.

His gesture earned him admiration from many, while the more miserly onlookers scoffed and turned away.

Stone gambling at Antique City had become more regulated than in the past, with rules now permitting only one gamble per month, set for the last day. As a result, the crowd that day was bustling with people eager to try their luck or simply enjoy the spectacle. Yet, only a handful managed to uncover jade in a day, and Lee Wen was this month's first to reveal jadeite.

As he prepared for his second gamble, the crowd buzzed with excitement, sharing the tale of the intriguing young man at the center of it all. They were equally eager to see what his next stone would yield.

The hum of the cutting machine silenced the chatter. Despite his special ability having been reliably confirmed on multiple occasions, Lee Wen's palms were damp with nervous sweat.

The machine halted after just two minutes, and the cutter's expression was unreadable as he faced the onlookers.

The crowd, including Lee Wen, was taken aback. What had happened?

"Why did you stop cutting?" someone inquired.

"We've struck jadeite!" the cutter announced, his usual stutter gone, leaving those who knew him astonished.

"What did you say?" another person asked. "You're not stuttering?"

The cutter grinned widely and repeated, "Out, out... the jadeite is out!"

He then turned back to his task, all attention on the stone once more.

"Another find? No way!"

"Damn, that's uncanny!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions. It could just be a tiny fragment on the edge."

"Is this just a publicity stunt by the shop owner?"

Everyone exchanged glances, their eyes turning towards Lee Wen, who held a confident air. Doubt began to creep into their gazes.

This time, everyone waited patiently for over ten minutes. It wasn't until the cutter came to a halt that a stir rippled through the crowd.

As the cutter gingerly handed over the egg-sized piece of jadeite to Lee Wen, a hush fell over the onlookers.

Lee Wen examined the jadeite in his hands intently. A thought sparked a sensation in his fingers, and a familiar voice echoed in his mind: "Supreme grade old pit glass species jadeite, appraisal complete!"

"Young man, could I... may I take a look?" the stone gambling proprietor asked, his voice parched as he swallowed hard and tugged at his long, thin mustache.

Caught up in the thrill of his windfall, Lee Wen momentarily lost his words.

"Don't worry, with so many people here, no one would dare to snatch it from you... If you're still concerned, hold onto it, and I'll just look from here," the owner said, seeing Lee Wen's silence. He couldn't contain his explanation. After years in the stone gambling business, he had never witnessed someone strike jadeite twice in one day, let alone such a large piece. His shock was palpable; he was eager to get a closer look.

"Sure, you can have a look," Lee Wen said, lifting the jadeite for inspection.

The elder leaned in eagerly, squinting at first, then his eyes widened in astonishment.

Several other envious onlookers couldn't resist joining in.

"My goodness..."

"It truly is!"

"Incredible!"

The seasoned Antique City veterans murmured among themselves, and drawing on their decades of experience, they unanimously agreed: this was undoubtedly a glass species jadeite from the old pit!

"Young man..." the stone gambling owner quickly regained his composure, tugging at Lee Wen's sleeve and whispering, "Come to my shop for a cup of tea, will you? I'll introduce you to a wealthy buyer who will offer a handsome price for this piece!"