After Xu Yinsheng waddled off on her short legs to select a rough stone, Zhao Yicheng sat quietly in place and watched.
To his surprise, Xu Yinsheng didn’t act like a clueless newbie at all—she was more like an old gambler.
She even wanted to cut the stone herself.
The first rough stone she picked was worth 2,000 yuan. Its surface was rough, and a few strands of green could be seen at the corners. Just by looking, you could tell there was a high chance of finding jade inside.
Once she’d chosen, Xu Yinsheng hugged the rough stone and carried it to the cutting machine, waving her hand to indicate she’d do the cutting herself.
After getting Zhao Yicheng’s approval, the Master Stonecutter stepped aside, handing the machine over to Xu Yinsheng, who was only 1.4 meters tall.
This little loli was clearly underage—she could still be in middle school, or even elementary. No one knew if this man was her brother or father. His heart really was big.
The onlookers all thought the same as they watched Zhao Yicheng.
She placed the stone under the blade, aligning the green-streaked spot with the cutter. Starting at the fracture line gave the best chance of revealing green.
The saw buzzed as it sliced down, one hand carefully pushing the stone, the other splashing water to keep it cool and prevent the jade from being damaged by heat.
Xu Yinsheng didn’t act like a novice at all—she was more like someone who’d cut a hundred stones before.
Her delicate face displayed an unexpected maturity!
The crowd was shocked, and even Zhao Yicheng couldn’t help but take another look.
“Mist! White mist—it’s a good omen!”
Someone suddenly shouted, and the people who’d been watching another stone-cutter crowded around. People loved a spectacle, wherever you went.
Xu Yinsheng paused, splashing water to clean the cut. Everyone could now clearly see the white mist emerging from the cross-section.
Both sides of the cut were veiled in white mist, and within it, a faint green shimmer could be glimpsed—proof that the chance of finding jadeite inside was high, and that the color would likely be excellent.
Under the eager and amazed gazes of the crowd, Xu Yinsheng picked up one half and placed it under the grinding wheel. The piercing sound rang out as the white mist was slowly worn away, revealing the Lushan True Appearance within.
As more green was exposed, the shouts of surprise grew louder. Some people even squeezed right up next to Xu Yinsheng.
The crowd was so thick, it was stifling—but fortunately, they were all gamblers; there was no need to worry about anyone taking advantage.
Xu Yinsheng frowned slightly.
Here in Tianlin City, the betting stone market was about average—the market itself was just so-so. It was nothing like Binhai City, where there were five or six betting stone markets, and every year countless people soared to wealth through jade, as numerous as carp crossing the river. Of course, even more lost everything, leaping off rooftops in despair.
She had a friend whose family ran a steel business—an absolute gambling addict.
It was under his influence that Xu Yinsheng had learned to cut stones.
The green grew clearer and clearer, a rare Vivid Sun Green. The color was bright and pure, truly top-tier. Judging from the jade flesh, this was a Dry Green Variety—an excellent mid-grade jadeite. But with such vivid color, it was already bordering on high-grade.
“This little miss, are you selling this piece? I’ll pay 180,000—perfect for carving a Jade Buddha.”
“I’ll offer 200,000—sell it to me!”
“220,000!!”
The crowd exploded. Some people preferred buying a top-grade jadeite on the spot and commissioning an Artisan to turn it into a work of art, then selling it on for a handsome profit.
“No.”
Xu Yinsheng rejected all their offers. Ordinary Dry Green Variety raw materials already fetched over 100,000. This high-green Vivid Sun Green Dry Green was worth even more.
She held about one or two kilos of it. If sold as-is, it would fetch over 100,000 yuan. If it were crafted into art and placed on display, the price could multiply several times over.
Most importantly, she planned to keep it for the Evening Meal. If she sold it now, what would they eat tonight?
Diamonds with agate again?
Hugging the jadeite, Xu Yinsheng quickly escaped the crowd in three big steps, running on her short legs over to Zhao Yicheng.
“How about that?”
“Surprised, aren’t you?”
She proudly shook the jade in front of Zhao Yicheng, her eyes sparkling and a little smug. “High-green Vivid Sun Green Dry Green Variety—worth way more than your piece.”
“Does the Gem Dragon Girl come with a stone-cutting skill?” Zhao Yicheng thought back to the culinary potion mishap from before and lowered his voice.
If Xu Yinsheng had only judged the quality of the jade under the skin, he wouldn’t have been so shocked. But that stone-cutting technique—anyone could see she was a veteran, must have cut at least a hundred stones.
“Wrong.” Xu Yinsheng licked the jade. The inside was cool and smooth, while the surface still retained a bit of warmth from polishing—like eating ice cream and barbecue together.
“I had a friend in Binhai City who liked stone-cutting. After a few times helping him, I got the hang of it.” As Xu Yinsheng said this, she suddenly thought of that friend.
Not quite a bad influence, not quite a rich wastrel either—at least he made money for his family. Unlike her, who only knew how to take from the family fund.
An hour later, Xu Yinsheng walked out of Yumanlou carrying six pieces of high-quality jadeite.
***
In the evening.
Xu Yinsheng sat at the dining table, knife and fork in hand, itching to taste tonight’s Evening Meal.
Dinner was served: jadeite stewed with jadeite, sprinkled with gold flakes—a feast for the eyes.
Zhao Yicheng sat beside her, watching her eat with such delight that the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted. His mood seemed much improved from spending time with her these past days.
“By the way, you’ve been skipping work for a month now. Aren’t you going to check in at the office?” Xu Yinsheng gnawed on a piece of jadeite as she asked.
Her Dragon Tail unconsciously flicked out behind her, swaying lazily in the air.
Zhao Yicheng picked up a slice of stir-fried peppered meat and popped it in his mouth. “The company won’t crash just because I’m gone, and it won’t soar if I’m there. Actually… being a hands-off boss is pretty nice.”
“You’re really starting retirement early,” Xu Yinsheng rolled her eyes.
“I just want to spend more time with those I want to be with,” Zhao Yicheng continued to eat the stir-fried peppers and meat, his voice gentle. “Don’t let waiting turn into regret.”
Xu Yinsheng: …
So cheesy, so sappy—where did he learn this stuff?
Just then, Zhao Yicheng suddenly handed her his phone. Xu Yinsheng glanced at the screen.
The once-in-5,000-years Pegasus Meteor Shower would arrive at 10:45 PM on the last Sunday of the month. Astronomers from everywhere would gather at Tianyun Mountain, awaiting this millennial spectacle.
“Do you want to go see the meteor shower, Xiao Yin?” the man asked, his voice soft and doting.
Xu Yinsheng nodded silently.
After dinner, Zhao Yicheng took the dishes into the kitchen. Xu Yinsheng returned to her room and locked the door behind her.
As Zhao Yicheng hummed a cheerful tune while washing up, in Xu Yinsheng’s bedroom, a ballpoint pen touched white paper. A solemn yet pleasant voice sounded.
“How much time is left until that moment?”