Suddenly being questioned by Gao Ruqing, Huayan felt a jolt of fear, but at the same time, a perfect idea flashed into her mind. Lowering her voice, she said, "Just now, when I went to the restroom, I overheard some news about this raw material. I had a stomachache, and the woman, unaware that someone was inside, was talking to another young girl about how her grandfather forbade her from touching this raw material."
Hearing this, Gao Ruqing couldn't remain calm and asked urgently, "Why? Did she say why?"
Seeing Gao Ruqing's reaction, Huayan smirked inwardly. Doubling down, she said, "She said... perhaps I shouldn't say, as it might not be her grandfather's mistake."
"Don't hold back, tell me what else they said later?" Gao Ruqing was genuinely anxious now, and the more Huayan withheld, the more he felt that he might miss out on a huge secret. His intuition told him that he might regret it if he didn't listen.
"She said her grandfather had come to see this raw material and felt that it would be the same as the King-grade material from thirty years ago..." Huayan had come across a piece of news online about a miraculous incident in the gemstone gambling world:
Thirty years ago, a King-grade material appeared on the public board in Myanmar. Everything about its surface indicated that it would yield green jadeite of top quality. However, when the jeweler who bought it processed the material, he ended up bankrupt. Refusing to accept defeat, he spent a sleepless night breaking down the material to the size of a ping-pong ball, only to find it was still a worthless stone.
It was said that the jeweler couldn't recover his investment, his company collapsed, and his family was ruined. It was one of the most tragic examples in the gemstone gambling world.
"It seems that thirty years ago, there was only one King-grade material on the public board, and the price was also tens of millions of dollars per kilogram. Could it be..." Gao Ruqing's mind was in turmoil at the moment. One voice in his head assured him that this material would not bankrupt him, while another voice warned him against recklessly gambling on it, given the similarity of today's public board situation to that of thirty years ago.
Huayan had done what she needed to do, and now it was up to Gao Ruqing to decide. She couldn't explicitly tell him that it was impossible for her to have discovered that the material was all stone using her ability. As the saying goes, the human heart is ever-changing. To protect herself, she must learn to guard her secrets.
Back at the hotel that evening, Gao Ruqing instructed his secretary not to bid on the King-grade material. The secretary was puzzled but didn't dare to inquire further. When he encountered Huayan, he couldn't help but ask if she had discovered something at the public board in the afternoon that he didn't know about. Only then did Huayan realize that Gao Ruqing had indeed decided not to bid on the material, and the anxiety in her heart finally dissipated. She reassured the worried secretary.
At the auction venue for the King-grade material, the room was packed with people. After finding Gao Ruqing's seat, Huayan noticed that they were only two seats away from the fat man. The fat man, whose eyes were almost invisible due to his weight gain, sneered at Gao Ruqing, as if the material were already in his pocket. Quietly praying in her heart, Huayan hoped that the fat man would win the material with one move.
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"The auctioneer is the earliest recipient of the 'White Glove' award. With him presiding over this auction, the price of the material will surely be several million higher." A well-dressed, smiling, sharp-eyed, and steady middle-aged man walked onto the stage. Gao Ruqing's eyes lit up when he saw him, and he whispered to Huayan beside him, imparting the knowledge and information he knew was essential for anyone wishing to establish themselves in the gemstone gambling world.
"'White Glove'? What's that?"
"It represents the highest honor a auctioneer can achieve in his lifetime. It signifies that an auction has achieved a 100% sales rate." From Gao Ruqing's tone, it was clear that he admired someone who had real skills.
As time passed, under the auctioneer's excellent control, comprehensive understanding of the auction items, and precise assessment of the market value in the jade industry, the bidding became increasingly intense.
After the price reached 17 million per kilogram, Gao Ruqing unexpectedly raised his paddle to 22 million, prompting the fat man to immediately follow suit, pushing the price to 23 million. Despite bids from two other participants raising by fifty thousand, Gao Ruqing raised the bid by another million. Without hesitation, the fat man matched his bid.
The intense bidding between the two escalated the atmosphere of the auction. Both Huayan and the secretary were puzzled as to why Gao Ruqing, who had previously stated he wouldn't bid on the material, had changed his mind. However, given the circumstances, they refrained from asking him directly.
A few minutes later, Gao Ruqing raised the bid by fifty thousand again, but the fat man, now in a heated competition, immediately added two million. With the price now at 28.5 million, it seemed unlikely that Gao Ruqing could match it.
Indeed, as expected, Gao Ruqing did not raise the bid again. Finally, the King-grade material was won by the fat man. Huayan observed the fat man's excited yet pained expression when the auctioneer's gavel fell. After all, if it weren't for Gao Ruqing's competitive bidding, the final price might have remained around 22 million.
Exiting the auction, Huayan understood the reason behind Gao Ruqing's actions and began to admire him earnestly. As a businessman, even if he didn't intend to purchase the material himself, he didn't hesitate to drive up the bidding to limit the potential profit from the jade, thus making it less desirable. This reduced the material's profitability and narrowed down the options for whoever purchased it. Regardless, Gao Ruqing had minimized the risk to his company to the lowest possible extent.
"Gao, why did you give up when we clearly had the funds to compete with him at the auction? This was our first major plan for the company's transition, and your decision to give up on the King-grade material has cost me a significant opportunity," pressed Cheng Jie, clearly disappointed by the loss of the opportunity.
"The contract stipulates that while you provide funding, aside from essential matters, I have the final say on everything, especially on material procurement. Surely you haven't forgotten, Mr. Cheng?" Gao Ruqing's face remained serious as he looked at Cheng Jie. Internally, he was far from calm at this moment, complex feelings swirling within him regarding the loss of the King-grade material. Cheng Jie had just walked right into his trap.
"I'm sorry, it was my oversight," Cheng Jie replied without resentment, immediately acknowledging his mistake. This prompt admission forced people to reassess what kind of person he truly was.
Gao Ruqing particularly admired Cheng Jie's straightforward and decisive character, lowering his tone as he explained, "Today, everyone's enthusiasm for that material drove the price higher and higher. Even if we had acquired it, it might not have been a good thing. While we may not lack money, we must still use it wisely. Furthermore, can you guarantee that it would have been a profitable gamble?"