Chapter 30

The man selling the bracelet, around thirty years old, was very skilled at speaking and haggling. Just from his words, one could tell he was definitely an experienced small trader.

He put on a mournful face, "Brother, you're being too harsh. Even if you don't cut the price in half, at least give me a tenth? I asked for five hundred, and you offer twenty. Where in the world can this be justified?"

Tang Zhendong looked at his feigned mournful face, which clearly showed a man who was about to part with his money. Suddenly, an idea struck Tang Zhendong. Could this bracelet really be a treasure? Could it really be the jade from Yunnan as he claimed?

Tang Zhendong took the bracelet that Yu Qingying had been holding, "Will you sell it? If not, I'll leave."

The bracelet seller held out his palm, "Fifty, give me fifty and you can take it!"

Tang Zhendong threw the bracelet back on the table and was about to turn and leave with Yu Qingying when he suddenly felt a strong spiritual energy emanating from a bag under the man's feet. This made Tang Zhendong pause.

Tang Zhendong remembered his master once saying: All things in the world have spiritual energy, the difference lies in the amount and density. Most things have very thin spiritual energy, so thin that it's hard to detect. However, some treasures that defy nature are naturally rich in spiritual energy. When you encounter such things, you must not let them go, because not everyone can sense the spiritual energy within them.

Tang Zhendong could, of course, but this wasn't a natural ability. It was a skill he had learned from his master, Xu Zhuo.

This was also why the arrays Tang Zhendong set up in his rented room using ordinary pebbles still worked.

"Are there other types in your bag? Take them out and let me see."

The bracelet seller, upon hearing Tang Zhendong's words, took out a travel bag from under his feet. Inside were dozens of bracelets, but they were of much poorer quality compared to those on display.

However, Tang Zhendong immediately noticed a bracelet made of black stones. These stones were not entirely black; in the light, they sometimes reflected a rainbow of colors, but if you weren't paying attention, they were barely noticeable.

Tang Zhendong picked up the black stone bracelet and asked the seller, "Is this really jade from Myanmar?"

The bracelet seller rubbed his hands, a bit embarrassed, "Brother, you really know how to joke. Jade is valued for its green color. This black one, we in the trade call it black gemstone. See, under the light, it can reflect a rainbow of colors!"

This bracelet seller was indeed skilled at selling bracelets. He was very good at business and never missed a chance to exaggerate. Tang Zhendong could tell at a glance that he didn't really know what he was talking about, just blowing hot air.

The black stone bracelet and the other stone items were placed together, clearly considered by the seller to be of inferior quality, so he didn't even bother to display them. After all, when selling things, you put the best ones out first and leave the worst for last.

"Alright, a black stone, you can still sell it as a black gemstone. Let's go."

Tang Zhendong pulled Yu Qingying, ready to leave the stall. Actually, Yu Qingying didn't really intend to buy anything; she just thought it would be fun to try it on, whether she bought it or not.

The bracelet seller, seeing them about to leave, quickly reached out to stop them, "Hey, wait a moment. Business is all about negotiation. Come on, don't leave yet. Fifty for one, seventy for two, don't go!"

Tang Zhendong, of course, wasn't really leaving. Since he had encountered a treasure, he intended to take it, "I don't want to argue with you. Fifty for two, sell or not?"

"Alright, come back, deal!" The bracelet seller put on a pitiful face, as if he had suffered a great loss, "Consider it a favor, I'm not making any profit. If you need anything in the future, come back!"

Tang Zhendong took out the money and paid, "Sure, I'll come back if I have time."

Businessmen always say: "No profit, just to make you happy. Don't forget to bring your friends next time!"

Screw that, who believes it? If you're losing money, you want me to bring my friends? There's a saying: "From Nanjing to Beijing, the buyer is never as smart as the seller."

Tang Zhendong handed the agate stone that Yu Qingying had chosen to her, and she immediately put it on. It was crystal clear and very beautiful, with two hollow jade pieces on either side, called "Lulu Tong."

"I never thought you were so good at haggling. If it were me, he'd ask for five hundred, and I'd be lucky to get it down to three hundred." Yu Qingying, wearing the bracelet Tang Zhendong had bought for her, touched it as they walked, feeling very pleased.

"Don't forget what I do. I'm a small trader myself, and I know all his tricks."

"Hehe, a small con man meets a big con man." Yu Qingying giggled.

"Wait, who are you calling the big con man?" Tang Zhendong was about to catch Yu Qingying and give her a playful punishment, but then he suddenly remembered they weren't that close yet.

Yu Qingying, seeing that Tang Zhendong didn't chase her, felt a bit disappointed.

"By the way, why did you buy that black stone?"

Tang Zhendong touched the black stone bracelet in his hand and put it on his wrist, "Don't you think a man wearing a black stone bracelet looks more manly?"

Tang Zhendong showed the rainbow stone on his wrist to Yu Qingying. Perhaps because the lights from the surrounding houses were on, when he moved his hand, the black stones on his wrist really did emit a rainbow of colors.

The black stone on Tang Zhendong's wrist, rich in spiritual energy, was not an ordinary stone. Its scientific name is "rainbow stone," also known as "kylin stone" or "opal." In feng shui, it is called "prosperity stone." It is a fossil of a marine creature called "opal snail" from 70 million years ago.

This rainbow stone can be considered a type of stone, but those who don't understand its value have no idea how precious it is. In the hands of experts, its value can almost rival that of a diamond of the same size.

What would be the price of a dozen small diamonds, slightly smaller than quail eggs? I think everyone has a good idea.

Tang Zhendong bought a jade cabbage the size of a large cabbage for the price of a head of cabbage. What a great deal!

Yu Qingying pulled Tang Zhendong's hand, "It does look more rugged."

Actually, Yu Qingying wasn't talking about the rainbow kylin stone on Tang Zhendong's wrist, but about his hands. Tang Zhendong had never done fine work, and his hands, which were often working, were naturally very rough.

For Yu Qingying, the rougher the hands, the more they conveyed a rugged, manly charm.

After walking the length of the long night market, Yu Qingying was a bit tired, "Let's go get some barbecue!"

At the night market, there was a special area dedicated to night market food stalls, mostly featuring barbecues and spicy skewers. Tang Zhendong ordered a lot of food, including marinated pork belly, dried mabu fish, crispy bones, and lamb chops.

"Here, let's have a drink to celebrate our reunion!" Tang Zhendong raised his glass and clinked it with Yu Qingying's juice.