Chapter 48

Update Time: March 29, 2013

Zhang Yang stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

Suddenly, a blinding green light shone into Zhang Yang's eyes. This was the first time Zhang Yang had seen jade in a stone. He had never thought green could be so beautiful, it was simply mesmerizing.

Zhang Yang quickly closed his eyes, trying to calm down. He had to stay calm and carefully observe the size of the jade. As for the water quality and other aspects, Zhang Yang knew nothing about them; he could only judge the quality of the jade by its green color.

When he opened his eyes again, Zhang Yang found that the green in the jade was not very intense, just average. Moreover, in such a large piece of stone, the jade was only the size of a fist, and the green was not particularly deep. The transparency was also just average.

While Zhang Yang was carefully observing the rough stone, he suddenly felt a kind of aura emanating from the jade, rushing into his eyes. Although he couldn't see it, Zhang Yang could clearly feel it. As this aura entered, Zhang Yang felt his eyes becoming more comfortable, and his body felt soft and light, as if he were floating. After a while, this feeling gradually faded as the aura disappeared.

Zhang Yang's mind was in turmoil. Was what just happened real or an illusion? Was he too tired and hallucinating? Could there be something wrong with his eyes? The thought of this made Zhang Yang shudder. After all, everything he had now relied on his clairvoyant ability, which was the source of his confidence. If he lost this ability, he would be back to square one.

Thinking about this, Zhang Yang could no longer remain calm. He used his ability to look at the stone again, wanting to confirm whether his ability was still there. It was still the same stone, but this time he could see it more clearly. The edges and corners of the jade were crystal clear, but he could no longer feel that aura, as if it had disappeared.

It was gone! Zhang Yang had a vague idea that his eyes had absorbed that aura. Although it seemed a bit fantastical, since a clairvoyant ability like his could exist, why couldn't anything else happen?

After absorbing the aura, besides seeing more clearly, there didn't seem to be any other changes. Soon, Zhang Yang noticed something unusual: the duration of his ability. According to the usual time limit of his clairvoyant ability, it should have disappeared by now, but he could still see.

Zhang Yang looked at his watch; it was definitely over fifteen minutes, and more than two minutes had passed. Judging by the situation, his ability could still be used. Could this be the effect of absorbing that aura?

Zhang Yang's heart was filled with boundless joy. Although the clairvoyant ability was great, the short daily usage time had always been a source of frustration for him. With the time limit, many things were inconvenient. For example, in this jade gambling, if there were no time limits, Zhang Yang wouldn't have been so anxious and dejected, and he might not have even considered giving up.

If the aura in the jade could really be absorbed, wouldn't it mean that his ability would no longer be limited in the future, and he could use it whenever he wanted?

Zhang Yang's hands trembled with excitement. Compared to the ability, the jade itself was nothing. To confirm this, he needed to find another piece of jade to test. If it really worked, he would buy some jade no matter how much it cost.

Zhang Yang closed his eyes and opened them again, his eyes returning to normal.

Whether buying jade or gambling, money was needed. The money in his bank account was dead money; the best way was to make money from money. Looking at the jade rough stone at his feet, he decided to check its value and plan his next move. With this thought, Zhang Yang picked up the basketball-sized rough stone and walked toward the door.

At the door, someone was checking out. Seeing the rough stone Zhang Yang was holding, he shook his head. It was black and unremarkable, with no signs of skin or pine flower. It looked very ordinary on the outside. Looking at Zhang Yang's slightly young face, he thought, "Another young man with dreams of getting rich overnight. Why do young people today always think of getting something for nothing?"

Zhang Yang didn't pay attention to others' thoughts. After they finished checking out, he stepped forward and placed the rough stone on the counter, asking, "How much is this rough stone?"

The other person didn't expect Zhang Yang to choose such a featureless rough stone. Seeing his age, he understood. This was a young man looking for a big break. He quickly said, "Little brother, you have good eyes! This stone—"

Before he could continue, Zhang Yang interrupted, "Just tell me the price. I don't understand those terms. I'm just here for a big break. If the price is right, I'll take it; if not, I'll pass."

The other person was speechless.

At this moment, a laugh came from behind, "Old Huang, even your smooth talk has its limits. The little brother is smart. If you kept talking, you could have turned this stone into imperial green jade!"

The middle-aged man who had been chatting with Zhang Yang earlier walked over.

"Mr. Meng, what brings you here?" Old Yang asked.

Mr. Meng smiled, "I heard you got a new batch of goods, so I came to take a look. My luck isn't great today, though. This little brother is new to the business. I chatted with him in the hall; he's a very polite young man. You know, newcomers often have good luck. Maybe he'll find some jade! If he does, the price of your rough stones will rise. Don't scare him away; give him a reasonable price."

Old Huang smiled, "Alright, since Mr. Meng says so, I'll give you a good price. Little brother, this rough stone is 30,000 yuan."

Zhang Yang almost jumped and shouted, "30,000? Are you robbing me? And Mr. Meng, you two might be in on this together. I'm always cautious about help from strangers."

Mr. Meng smiled at Zhang Yang, "Little brother, that's a good price. You should know that the jade market is always rising. The rough stones here are imported from Myanmar, so the quality is high, and the price is naturally higher. The rough stones from other jade gambling companies are cheaper, but they are leftovers, with a lower chance of finding jade."

"Alright, 30,000 it is. I'll take it," Zhang Yang said. He knew there was jade in this rough stone; it was just a matter of how much profit he would make. Besides, with Mr. Meng and Old Huang working together, if he haggled, he would offend both of them. As a newcomer, it was better to be cautious.

Old Huang laughed, "Little brother, you're straightforward. Once you pay, this rough stone is yours. We have a stone-cutting machine in the yard; you can go there to cut the stone. I wish you luck in finding jade."

Zhang Yang smiled, "Thanks for your good wishes. If I find jade, I'll come back to buy more. Thank you, Mr. Meng."

Mr. Meng waved, "No problem. I like to help the younger generation. I won't disturb you."

Zhang Yang's face was full of smiles, but he was highly alert. This was a smiling tiger; he had to be careful.

After paying, Zhang Yang said goodbye to the two and carried the rough stone to the stone-cutting area.

After Zhang Yang walked away and was out of earshot, Old Huang said, "Why did Mr. Meng take an interest in this kid? You sell antiques; he doesn't seem like the type to collect old things!"

Mr. Meng smiled, "Customers are everywhere! This kid came in a car, and he's dressed well. Plus, he's new to jade gambling, so he must have some spare money. Such a good customer, how could I let him go?"

Old Huang laughed and shook his head, secretly thinking, "Another scheme. This old Meng is shameless."

Zhang Yang was unaware of what happened afterward. He carried the stone to the center of the yard, found a spot to put it down, and sat down. There were many people gathered in front, surely someone was gambling with a stone.

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